Menzbier’s marmot phenology. Fenologiïa sourka menzbira. [Phénology de la marmotte de Menzbier].

Résumé

Main behavioral patterns of marmots associated with certain seasons and periods of yearly cycle. Sufficiency and acceptability of widely ranging time factors (month, 10-day period, five-day period) for ecological characteristic of the population. Time or phenologic date is a calendar date plus a changeability factor expressed by either duration of inter-quartile area (25- 75 percent phenologic border transition), or its mean square (standard) deviation. A required 95 percent level of confidence in biological and geological studies logically confirms the median (transition of phenologic border by 50 percent of animals) to be a phenologic date. A variant with low labour cost - single observations - is normally applied. The risk of registration of extreme values as phenologic date grows sharply (they are rejected during statistical processing). Vast colonies of marmots make it possible to collect mass ecologic material. A low labour cost organoleptic method is applied (one of the methods is phenologic observations). Important factors affecting time shifts are altitude, exposition of slope, and weather conditions. The rhythms caused by environmental factors are stratified by endogenous rhythms, which eventually reflect climatic rhythms. Here are the examples of phenologic phenomena in different years in the Maidantal area of the Chatkal nature reserve (2600-2800 rn a.s.l., bottom of the valley): Coming out onto the surface - punching a hole in thick snow cover. Object - winter hole. Median – April 13.2, inter-quart - 6.4 days. Extremely early punching of holes is rejected. The beginning of feeding at thawed patches and the beginning of laying the first marking routes. Object - an animal. Median – April 19.7, inter-quart - 4.7 days. Coming out of new-born marmots from holes. Object - new-born marmot. Median - ]une 9.5, inter-quart - 3.3 days. The beginning of renovating the beddings in winter holes. Object - bring grass in the mouth. Median - May 12.0, inter-quart - 1l.4 days. The beginning of hibernation - last animals seen on the surface. Object - an animallast in the family to hibernate. Median - August 18.8, inter-quart - 8.5 days. Continuous rain or snowfall complete and cut off this phenologic phenomenon: median (50 percent) may coincide with 75 or even 100 percent of the objects, that is curve on the charts is cut off. Extreme phenologic dates are also possible.