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Dynamics of the mammal fauna in steppes of the Volga-Ural interfluve over the past century

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Abstract

The steppe theriofauna of the Volga-Ural interfluve has been changing during the past century under the effect of both natural and anthropogenic factors. These changes have manifested themselves most clearly in the desert Caspian steppes and the dry steppes of the Transvolga Syrt Plain. A total of 66 mammal species are listed for this region. Some of them have disappeared while others have appeared anew, with their abundance ratio fluctuating significantly. Over the past 50 years, 15 new species have been recorded in the Transvolga fauna. One-third of them have come from the south and represent the desert faunal assemblage, while two-thirds are representatives of the forest assemblage that have come from the north.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Saratov Branch, Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Rabochaya ul. 24, Saratov, 410028, Russia

    M. L. Oparin & O. S. Oparina

  2. Mikrob Russian Antiplague Research Institute, ul. Universitetskaya 46, Saratov, 410005, Russia

    A. N. Matrosov & A. A. Kuznetsov

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  1. M. L. Oparin
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  2. O. S. Oparina
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Original Russian Text © M.L. Oparin, O.S. Oparina, A.N. Matrosov, A.A. Kuznetsov, 2011, published in Povolzhskii Ekologicheskii Zhurnal, 2010, No. 1, pp. 71–85.

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Oparin, M.L., Oparina, O.S., Matrosov, A.N. et al. Dynamics of the mammal fauna in steppes of the Volga-Ural interfluve over the past century. Biol Bull Russ Acad Sci 38, 1014–1022 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1134/S106235901110013X

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