Small Mammal Population in the Tomtor Rare-Earth Elements Deposit Territory (Western Yakutia)

Abstract

During 2013–2016 small mammals have been collected in the interfluve area between the Ana- bar and Olenyok Rivers, in the upper reaches of the Udya River (71°02′N, 116°33′E), at the site of the pro- jected development of one of the world richest deposit of rare earth elements Tomtor. Standard methods were used for collecting small mamals (snap traps and 20-meter furrows with cone-shaped pitfall traps). A total of 860 cone-days and 2,150 trap days were accumulated. For community structure analysis we used only the data collected with the catch furrows. The results of the survey indicate that the population of insectivores and mouse-like rodents is presented by only eight species. The fauna of the area seems to be poorer than that of the Taymyr Peninsula and, to a lesser extent, of the Lena River valley. During the 3-year period of obser- vations the abundance of small mammals varied insignificantly. The majority of the small mammal popula- tion in the studied area was comprised of the wood lemming, who dominated both in forest and open-area communities. This is not typical for small mammal communities of the North-West of Yakutia. Whether it is a stable characteristic of this community or a temporary phenomenon can be established only by further obser- vations.