Vs. Gromov et Av. Tchabovsky, ON THE SPATIAL POPULATION-STRUCTURE OF TA MARISK GERBILS MERIONES TAMARISCINUS DURING A NONREPRODUCTIVE SEASON IN SOUTHERN KALMYKIA, Zoologiceskij zurnal, 74(3), 1995, pp. 134-140
The structure and the spatial distribution of a population of gerbils
M. tamariscinus were studied in September and October using the method
of marking and repeated trapping of marked animals. 30 resident indiv
iduals were observed within the study area of 7.4 ha, including 5 over
wintered individuals, 22 adult animals of both sexes which did not par
ticipate in reproduction and 3 juveniles. The sex ratio (males to fema
les of was 1 :1.7. The average population density an the study area wa
s 4 individuals per 1 ha. The home ranges of females partly overlapped
. The home ranges of males did not overlap being located sometimes at
long distances from each other. Average size of home ranges of males w
as half the size of these of females (644:1411 sq.m resp.). The obtain
ed data show, that gerbils M. tamariscinus are solitary. The spatial i
solation of male home ranges, the lack of distinct boundaries between
them, and amorphous spatial structure in females suggest the lack of d
efence of territories in gerbils at least during nonreproductive seaso
n.