The main reason for reitroducing beavers (Castor fiber) to the Raifa part of the Voga-Kama National Nature Zapovednik (VKNNZ) was to utilise their habitat-changing activities - primarily the use of their ability to build dams - to stop the degradation of the Zapovednik hydrosystem (Gorshkov et al. 1999). Today there are seven beaver dams on the rivers that run through the Zapovednik. We studied the movements of the beavers by locating new cuts, dens, trails, dams, etc. and by radiotelemetry. We assumed that in the first phase of reintroduction the spatial structure of the beaver subpopulation consisted of four permanent and five temporary settlements. We determined the home ranges of the reintroduced beavers as being approximately seven ha, plus smaller additional patches of habitat that were used during the witner. Another object of our investigation - the feeding behaviour of reintroduced beavers - showed that the most preferred tree genera were aspen and willows, followed by alder and birch. The wolume of trees cut by beavers between autumn 1996 and spring 1999 in the Volga-kama National Nature Zapovednik was 11.69 m3
The small mammal community of an air pollution affected area of the Beskydy Mts was studied over a seven-year period. Highest dominance and population density values were found in the field vole (Microtus agrestis) and its feeding ecology and negative impact on reforestation have been evaluated. The vegetative parts of plants, particularly those of monocotyledons, were dominant in vole diets, mainly as the area is largely occupied by the invasive plant genus Calamagrostis. In early spring (i.e. before the growing season started) grasses predominated in the field vole's food (74 % of volume, v). Bark was also consumed to some extent - its importance index value (I) was 4 %. In spring (i.e. after the growing season started) grasslike species were again preferred (v = 57 %) but flowers of Vaccinium myrtillus were also consumed (v = 20 %). Even in autumn grasslike species prevailed (v = 36 %), however, the diet was more diverse and seeds and fruits (v = 30 %) were also eaten. of these the basic food items were those of V. myrtillus (v = 16 %) and of herbs and ferns (v = 16 %) including Oxalis acetosella (v = 14 %). An increase in fungi in the diet was found in autumn. Diet availability and early spring and spring diets ere highly correlated, but this was not the case in autumn. The extent of vole damage to tree regeneration in 3,027 saplings was studied. The frequency of damage was significantly greater in deciduous tree species (15 %). Coniferous tree transplants were attacked only rarely (1.4 %), and usually when the tree was already in poor condition. The greater degree of damage caused to natural and artificial forest regenetarion can only be associated with high vole population densities.
Macroscopic and histological examinations of the integument demonstrate that Meriones libycus possesses a varied assortment of skin scent-glands: alveolar sebaceous holocrine mouth corner gland; branched tubulo-acinar sero-mucous merocrine gular gland; sudoriferous merocrine palmar and plantar glands; alveolar sebaceous holocrine abdominal gland and alveolar sebaceous holocrine preputial and clitorial glands. Related behavior observations on captive animals in laboratory conditions, demonstrate that this species has several patterns of scent emission and marking: the mouth-corner glands, pressed and rubbed by the forepaws, are apparently involved in individual recognition via naso-oral contacts. Runways and movements are perhaps scent-marked environment with plantar and palmar secretions. The transfer of scent from the site of production to the substrate, may help in the animal's orientation. M. libycus marks low-lying objects in its environment by rubbing them with the abdominal pad, whereas, when objects are higher, the animal marks them with the gular area. The deposit of olfactory marks are frequently investigated by conspecifics. It appears that abdominal scent marking is closely associated with social status, agonistic relationships and territoriality. the latter notion is also associated with gular scent marking. The abdominal marking behavior as well as the size of the scent abdominal gland are sexually dimorphic in favor of the male. Chemical signals of preputial and clitorial glands may convey information such as sex and reproductive status. Male castration induces an extreme atrophy of the preputial and abdominal sebaceous glandular tissues, whereas this operation has no effect on the morphology of oral, gular, palmar and plantar glandular tissues. The preputial and abdominal gland changes induced by castration, are prevented by testosterone administration. these suggest that the preputial and abdominal gland integrities are androgen-dependent in the male.
Available data on karyotypes of the mammals from Turkey and neighbouring regions (the Balkans, the Caucasus, and the Middle East) were summarized and reviewed in respect of their implications to taxonomy and systematics. In this review, previously unpublished data are presented in 20 species. Terrestrial mammals were taken into consideration, both the native and introduced. Altogether, 156 species occurring in the region concerned were included. The karyotype was studied in 109 of these species in Turkey,
in most other species data are available from other geographic regions, and only three species remain unstudied cytogenetically. Intraspecific chromosomal variation (polymorphism or polytypy) was reported in 22 species. A karyotype different from the findings made in other regions was reported in Turkish populations of 17 species. Possible future directions of the cytogenetic investigations of mammals in the region are proposed.