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Diversity of the rodent communities in the Turan Desert region
Author(s) -
NERONOV Valery M.,
KHLYAP Ludmila A.,
WARSHAVSKY Andrey A.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
integrative zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 34
ISSN - 1749-4877
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-4877.2006.00033.x
Subject(s) - rodent , desert (philosophy) , geography , ecology , habitat , steppe , diversity (politics) , biology , epistemology , sociology , anthropology , philosophy
Abstract We assessed the diversity of rodent communities in the deserts of Russia, Kazakhstan, and Central Asia using geographic information system technology. There are 66 species of rodents, belonging to eight faunistic complexes, inhabiting this area. We discuss the geographical changes occurring in taxonomic and zoogeographic diversity at both species and community levels. Communities of gerbils and jerboas dominate in the Turan Desert region (66% of the area). Steppe communities of susliks penetrate the deserts from the north. Farming in deserts causes the replacement of native rodent communities with mouse communities or completely eradicates rodents in their main habitats.