Adaptive response of the Baikal population of the Black-tailed marmot to environmental changes
Author of the photo: A.E. Razuvaev.
June 2022 – June 2023
Black-backed marmot is a rare species listed in the Red Data Book of Russia, the Republic of Buryatia, Transbaikal Territory and Irkutsk Oblast. It used to be hunted. This was one of the reasons why the number of animals decreased even after the prohibition of hunting and the organisation of the Barguzinsky Reserve in 1916. Barguzinsky reserve. It fully recovered by the 60s of the last century, and since 2007 it started to decline again. The Reserve’s employees assume that this is largely due to anthropogenic impact, climate change, and a large number of fires, which destroy the forage base and habitats of animals.
In 2022, the project on the study of the black-necked marmot under the guidance of Anastasia V. Myadzelets, Senior Research Assistant, won the grant programme for the conservation of rare, endangered and endemic species of the Baikal Nature Reserve.
Goal of the project:
To study the population status and records of the black-necked marmot through monitoring in the face of pyrogenic, climatic and other changes due to anthropogenic activities at regional and global level.
What was done in 2022-2023 under the project:
- An expedition to monitor marmots on the territory of the Transbaikal National Park and the Barguzin Reserve was held. The expedition was conducted at different sites in three stages and lasted 39 days in total.
- Three camera traps were installed to record the number of animals.
- A geoinformation database with information on marmot numbers and characteristics of their habitat was created.
- Scientific recommendations on further conservation of black-necked marmots were made.
- 6 scientific and popular science articles and conference abstracts were published.
- On 4 July 2023 a round table on the results of the project was held.
- Project participants (A.V. Myadzelets, O.M. Zhelezny, V.M. Kozulin, S.A. Sedykh) spoke at scientific conferences on sustainable development in North-East Asia, geoecology and climate change, modern technologies in the activities of protected areas and others.
- Booklets were developed to introduce marmots to tourists and local residents.
Main scientific conclusions:
- It was revealed that since 2002 the actual number of animals at the monitoring sites decreased from 159 to 19 individuals.
- The hypothesis was put forward that in the period from 2014 to 2021 the main reason for the decrease in the number of marmots was the climatic factor. Lack of humidity during this period affected the quality of nutrition and fat accumulation in marmots for winter hibernation and, consequently, their survival rate.
The research doesn’t stop there: project participants continue to study changes in marmot numbers in response to changing environmental conditions.
You can support the project and further research on the state of the black-necked marmot population at helpmarmot.ru.