[Trophic impact of mustelids on small rodents and insectivores in open grassy marshes in the north-eastern part of Belarus]
2006
Sidorovich, V.E. | Trusilova, Yu.A. | Polozov, A.G. | Solovej, I.A.(The National Academy of Sciences, Minsk (Belarus). Institute of Zoology)
Feeding habits of weasel (Mustela gen) species (European mink (Mustela lutreola), American mink (Mustela vison), polecat (Mustela putorius), stoat (Mustela erminea)) inhabiting on the open grassy marshes were analyzed. Research results showed that the majority of the observed weasel species were trophically aligned towards acquisition of as much prey as it was possible: water voles (Arvicola terrestris), root voles (Microtus oeconomus), water shrews (Neomys fodiens), mole-rats (Talpa europaea). Investigation the predators food niches, valley grassy marshes and isolated ones in warm and cold seasons and in periods of Microtus population crashes and outbreaks showed the importance of the observed prey group for the predators. Dependence of weasel intake of small mammal species and insectivores on time of field-voles hygrophilous species decline and Microtus species cycles was noted. The American mink and the stoat showed the steady orientation towards the hygrophilous species of field-voles while the European mink preyed the field-voles more frequently then the other observed weasels but the pooled percentage of voles of it its ration was rather low. Research results of polecat showed that it was merely involved into competitive division of field-voles species because it widely used the observed small mammals association according to the species composition
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