Abstract:

In the article, the features of the feeding of the tamarisk gerbil inhabiting some regions of Kazakhstan (floodplain tugai of the lower course of Ile River, the Aral Sea sands, Moyinkum, and Southern Balkhash) are considered. During the research, the following methods were used: basic-trap-site and indirect – analysis of the habits of birds of prey. As a result of the study of the digestive tract of the tamarisk gerbil in the floodplain tugai of the lower reaches of the Ile River, it was found that the proportion of seeds occupies an average of 63%, the green part-27%, other parts of plants-10% of the studied stomachs. In the Aral Sea sands, the tamarisk gerbil feeds on seeds (on average, 68%), and green parts (32%) of plants. In early spring, 24 stomachs of this gerbil were examined in the Moyinkum sands and it was found that the proportion of seeds in the digestive tracts of males and females was very high, due to the small abundance of the green part of the plant at this time of year. In the Southern Balkhash region, in summer and autumn, the tamarisk gerbil feeds on mixed feeds (40%), green parts (10%), and seeds (50%). It was found that seasonal changes occur in the composition of feed: in the spring during the breeding season or with a lack of moisture in the body, these rodents also consume insects. In the spring-summer period, the proportion of the green part of the plant increased in the diet, with a shortage of green feeds, the gerbil diligently consumes the underground parts of plants. In such cases, mixed feeds are found in the digestive tract of many rodents. It was found that the composition of the feed of the tamarisk gerbil differs depending on the seasons and habitats. It was found out that from the west to the east of the republic, the frequency of occurrence of the green part of the plant increases in the composition of feeds, the frequency of occurrence of seeds decreases on the contrary, and nutrition with mixed feeds increases from spring to autumn. The results of this work can be used as a basis for further study of the feeding of the tamarisk gerbil in various regions of Kazakhstan.

Key words: tamarisk gerbil, Kazakhstan, Aral sands, Moynkums, Southern Balkhash region, feed composition, plant seeds, green part, underground part, insects, regional features.

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Introduction:

The impact of adverse environmental conditions that began in the second half of the 20th century, desertification of the environment, global warming, etc., also affected the ecology and biology of animals. This applies not only to large and medium animals, but also to small rodents. Since mouse-like rodents are an important link in natural ecosystems, most of them are pests of forests and agriculture, and are also involved in the transfer of a number of natural focal diseases. The range and abundance of rodents have changed, the proportion of rare and endangered species, mainly mesophilic and narrow-range species, has increased (Bekmuratov [Bekmuratov] 2019).

The dingil sand mouse (Meriones tamariscinus Pallas, 1773) is a widespread rodent in the republic that inhabits various biotopes, especially wet places, river banks, riverbeds and lakes. It can also be found in residential buildings and agricultural land, groves and forests. In years when their numbers increase, they live in the fields, damage agricultural crops (we can say that they are the only enemy of alfalfa fields), live in warehouses, feed on stored crops, and cause various diseases in settlements. Various fleas that spread diseases live on the body of the gerbil, and various parasites live in the internal organs. Since these animals are carriers of leprosy, plague, paratyphoid and other infectious diseases, this rodent is also dangerous for humans. Therefore, a comprehensive study of the distribution and location, biology and ecology of the sand mouse in nature is of great practical importance. In particular, by studying the composition of food and nutrition of rodents, its damage to vegetation, agriculture and the impact on crop yields, the dynamics of distribution is determined depending on the composition of the food, and new information about the food supply is also obtained (Abaturov, Magomedov [Abaturov, Magomedov] 1988 ). Research on these issues was carried out outside the republic, for example, in the last decades of the 20th century in the south of Kalmykia (Gromov et al. [Gromov et al.] 1995; 1996; Shilova S.A. and Aleksandrov D.Yu., 2002). ; Shilova S.A., 2008).

Studies of the Jingil kumtyshka in our republic were carried out 40-50 years ago (Drobinsky, Dubeyagin [Drobinsky, Dubeyagin] 1974; Mokrousov [Mokrousov] 1978; Karulin et al. [Karulin et al.] 1979; Burdelov [Burdelov] 1980). That is, in recent years, the number, distribution, importance, biology and ecology, nutrition, benefits and harms of the Jingyl mouse have not been given due attention. These factors are the main relevance of the research work. The study of the distribution and location of rodents in nature, especially the composition of food and nutrition, is of great theoretical and practical importance for science. In this regard, the purpose of the work was to compare the food composition and nutritional characteristics of the shrike living in grove biotopes of river floodplains adjacent to the Kerbulak plain in the lower reaches of the Ili River, and a rodent living in the desert zone of the southern part of Kazakhstan (Aralman sands, Moiynkum, Southern Balkhash region). ).