Quantitative Assessment of the Value of the Nonresident Component in Local Populations of the Common Shrew (Sorex araneus)

A quantitative assessment of nonresidency (movements outside the home range) in the common shrew was carried out. A feature of shrews, i.e., the predominant falling of nonresident animals into traps of the trap type (pitfall), was used. Based on a comparison of the abundance of animals in the same area over five years, comparative data were obtained on the daily value of the flow of nonresidents detected on the line of live-traps and in fences with dug buckets. The synchronism of the long-term dynamics of the abundance of nonresidents accounted for in different ways is found. Based on the number of animals caught per linear meter of fences, the daily density of nonresidents was calculated. It was found that in some years the daily density of nonresidents can exceed the density of the settled population many times over. The coefficient that the author proposes to use in the marking technique makes it possible to bring the number of nonresidents detected on the line of live-traps with the number of nonresidents detected in fences.

Automated summary

This study quantitatively assessed the nonresidency of common shrews and used their characteristic as a research method. By comparing the abundance of animals in the same area over five years, comparative data on the daily flow of nonresidents were obtained. The study found a relationship between the number of nonresidents and the density of settled population.