Na. Shchipanov et Mv. Kasatkin, MICROTUS SOCIALIS IN CHANGES LANDSCAPES O F SOUTH DAGESTAN - POPULATION ASPECTS OF SURVIVAL, Zoologiceskij zurnal, 75(9), 1996, pp. 1412-1426
Peculiarities of population biology of Microtus socialis are considere
d. The low ability to restoring their numbers under direct destruction
is shown. The life strategy of the vole is use of constant settlement
s composed of the system of complex burrows. If direct anthropogenous
effects (deep ploughing, floodings in watering), leading to the death
of animals, are repeated annually, voles leave their constant settleme
nts. The sustainable existence of the species in the disturbed landsca
pes is possible in large territories in the cases of not so permanent
intensive human activity. These areas are formed in the places where f
orests dissapear due to aridization.