American Journal Of Philological Sciences
61
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue 03 2025
PAGE NO.
61-64
10.37547/ajps/Volume05Issue03-16
The effect of temperature on the life activity of
spermophilus pygmaeus distributed in the southern
regions of Uzbekistan
Olim T. Tursunov
National University of Uzbekistan, Faculty of Biology, Tashkent, 61010333, Uzbekistan
Received:
20 January 2025;
Accepted:
18 February 2025;
Published:
17 March 2025
Abstract
:
This article is dedicated to an in-depth study of the effect of temperature on the species Spermophilus
Pygmaeus in the field of rodentology. Existing studies show that temperature has a great influence on the number
of small ground squirrels, their life activity, nest drying, and the development of young ground squirrels. This
requires better study of the species and demonstration of new approaches based on ecological research. In
studies conducted in the southern regions of Uzbekistan in 2023, a systematic analysis was conducted of how the
nests, colonies, and population dynamics of these species changed depending on the temperature. To support
scientific achievements in the field of rodents, it is necessary to develop new methods and test them in practice.
Moreover, these studies demonstrate the importance of preserving the biodiversity of rodents and ensuring the
sustainability of ecosystems.
Keywords:
Spermophilus Pygmaeus, rodent, burrow, ethology of the species, synanthropus, landscape,
temperature.
Introduction:
Today, the animal world is being widely
studied, in particular, the distribution of rodents of the
genus Rodentia, their life activity, role in nature and
human life, and the role of representatives of the genus
as carriers of infectious diseases. These works require a
broader
theoretical
and
practical
study
of
representatives of the genus and are of great practical
importance. The occupation of new territories by
species and the emergence of new adaptive
adaptations to changes in nature are increasing. The
migration of rodents for food and habitat is increasing
as a result of anthropogenic impact. This situation leads
to the fact that species cause more epidemiological
situations. That is, the migration of rodents and their
approach to residential areas, their ectoparasites,
which are carriers of infectious diseases, is
accompanied by an increase in the number of various
infectious diseases in humans. In addition, the
calculation of indicators of the density and annual
activity of rodent species is of great importance, and
when calculating these indicators, relative indicators
are often used, but these indicators do not give a clear
picture of their actual number and state. In the
scientific works of Varshavskiy and Kalabukhov, data
are presented on the seasonal changes in the life
activity of rodents, various adaptations, and seasonal
changes in the number of species[1;2;3;4]. The
relationship between the annual number of rodents,
the spread of various diseases, and the periods of
activity of the species is presented in Rall's works[8;9].
Optimization of conditions for rodents, that is, an
increase in temperature, influences the intensification
of various chemical reactions and life activity. However,
if heat exchange is deviated from the optimal norm, the
main factor can become the ambient temperature,
which directly affects the ethological, ecological,
physiological, and even biochemical reactions of
rodents[5;6;7]. The rise in temperature is a factor that
determines the food of rodents, their reproduction, the
expansion of the range of species, the number and
viability of young individuals. Temperature also affects
how rodents build shelters and construct nests. The
increase or decrease in ambient temperature also
affects the temperature of the rodent's nest. Heat also
affects the div temperature of small ground squirrels,
the development of their physical thermoregulation,
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American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
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2771-2273)
and the conditioned reflex mechanisms of heat
regulation[10]. In some rodents, when the ambient
temperature changes by 25° (5 - 30°), the div
temperature changes by 0.6-1.2°[11]. In rodents
distributed in mountainous areas, changes in ambient
temperature contribute to an increase of an average of
0.8°[12]. At the beginning of spring, the div
temperature of newborn rodents differs by 1°, while in
summer-born rodents it differs by 0.3° from the
ambient temperature[13]. We also focused our
research on such issues as the influence of ambient
temperature on small ground squirrels and the change
in the number of species depending on temperature.
METHODS
In April 2023, special observations were conducted to
determine the number of small ground squirrels
(Spermophilus pygmaeus) distributed in the natural
and cultural landscapes of the Nishon district of
Kashkadarya region, which is considered the southern
territory of Uzbekistan. A total of 532 small ground
squirrels were caught using various traps between
10:00-14:00 in the warmest part of the day and
between 18:00-20:00 in the second part of the day. 50
traps were used to catch small ground squirrels.
Thermometers were used to measure the temperature.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Our research is also aimed at studying the vital activity
of representatives of the genus Rodentia in the
southern regions of Uzbekistan, their numbers, the
influence of seasonal changes, and migration to
agricultural lands. The research work examined the
temperature-dependent changes in the number of
small ground squirrels (Spermophilus pygmaeus)
distributed in the natural and cultural landscapes of the
Nishan district of Kashkadarya region, which is
considered the southern territory of Uzbekistan. The
awakening of Spermophilus pygmaeus from winter
sleep occurs at the beginning of hot days, that is, in the
middle of March. In the southern regions of Uzbekistan,
spring comes early, and the temperature begins to rise
from the beginning of March. In spring, an increase in
the temperature leads to an increase in the intensity of
movement of small ground squirrels. In the evening
and at night, in any season of the year, the activity of
small ground squirrels is practically zero. Nevertheless,
the level of animal activity does not directly affect their
actual population.
Table 1. Number of Spermophilus pygmaeus in the study area in relation to temperature.
Day
Time 10:00-14:00
Time 18:00-20:00
Temperature
number of species
Temperature
number of species
1
21
⁰
C
21
15
⁰
C
3
2
23
⁰
C
29
17
⁰
C
5
3
28
⁰
C
37
20
⁰
C
11
4
30
⁰
C
43
21
⁰
C
19
5
29
⁰
C
40
21
⁰
C
17
6
30
⁰
C
41
21
⁰
C
15
7
31
⁰
C
41
22
⁰
C
18
8
32
⁰
C
43
23
⁰
C
20
9
33
⁰
C
42
21
⁰
C
21
10
35
⁰
C
47
24
⁰
C
19
total
384
148
On April 9, we placed 50 traps in areas where small
ground squirrels were widespread. We placed traps
between 10:00 and 14:00 and caught 21 small ground
squirrels, during which the temperature was 21°C. The
condition of the traps and the presence of rodents in
them were monitored hourly. By the second half of the
day, from 18:00 to 20:00, traps were placed again, and
3 small ground squirrels were caught, during which the
temperature was 15°C. The same work was repeated
for 5 days, and the data presented in Table 1 were
obtained. On April 20, 50 traps were placed in the study
area, and 29 small ground squirrels were caught, and
when checking the temperature, it was found that it
rose to 23°C. In the second half of the day, the
temperature reached 17°C, and 5 small ground
squirrels were caught in traps. On May 1, between
10:00 and 14:00, 37 small ground squirrels were caught
at 28°C, 43 on May 10 at 30°C, and 40 on May 26 at
29°C, 11 on May 1 at 20°C, 19 on May 10 at 21°C, and
40 on May 26 at 17°C. The average temperature
between April 9 and May 26 was 22.5°C. Traps were set
daily and checked twice during the specified time
interval. A total of 225 small ground squirrels were
caught between the days of the experiment, and
depending on the temperature, 62 ground squirrels
were caught on the 3rd day of the experiment (May
10), which is the highest indicator. On the 1st day (April
9), 24 small ground squirrels were caught, which is the
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American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
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2771-2273)
smallest number. From the above data and the number
of rodents caught, it can be said that the most active
period of small ground squirrels occurs during hot
periods of the day. On hot summer days, small ground
squirrels become less active with sunset. Thus,
depending on environmental conditions, mainly the
temperature factor, small ground squirrels increase or
decrease their activity. Increasing the temperature
increases the activity of small ground squirrels. A
significant increase in the number of ground squirrels
was observed when the ambient temperature changed
from 21°C to 30°C. This increase in activity occurs due
to the following reasons: Increased metabolic rate - in
ground squirrels, metabolism accelerates with higher
temperatures, which increases their likelihood of faster
digestion and searching for more food. Increased
activity - a rise in temperature in small ground squirrels
increases their physical activity and begins to actively
respond to external stimuli.
CONCLUSION
Based on the above data, it can be concluded that if
relative methods are used to calculate the number of
rodents (for example, using traps), the obtained data
will reflect not the number of animals, but their
dynamic density. The increase in temperature
increases the activity of small ground squirrels,
accelerating the processes of searching for food and
feeding. On the other hand, a decrease in temperature,
especially in the evening and morning, reduces their
activity. This can probably be shown as an adaptive
reaction of small ground squirrels to temperature
changes. With a decrease in temperature, the number
of ground squirrels outside the nest decreased
significantly. At low temperatures in the evening, their
activity decreases, and we characterized this by the
following. With the cooling of the air in the evening and
at night, organisms quickly lose heat. Therefore, their
activity level decreases. On April 9 (21°C) and April 20
(23°C), the number of small ground squirrels reached
21 and 29 individuals. This change was observed due to
the increase in temperature. On May 1 (28°C) and May
10 (30°C), the number of ground squirrels increased to
37 and 43 units. Temperature sensitivity helps
organisms adapt to environmental conditions. Small
ground squirrels undoubtedly have the ability to adapt
to environmental conditions, such as changes in
temperature, food sources, and the search for shelter.
At low temperatures, their activity decreases and they
hide more or spend time in shelters. Low temperatures
also affect the development of the younger generation.
Temperature changes also affect the mites' reaction to
the environment and their adaptation to their habitat.
There are four ecological factors necessary for the life
of
warm-blooded animals,
including
rodents.
Temperature comes first. All life processes associated
with temperature are important for any living
organism. The temperature factor is especially
important for rodents, as their small size leads to high
heat loss. In conditions close to optimal conditions, the
temperature factor may not be involved in determining
the specific reactions of animals. However, if heat
exchange deviates from the optimal norm, the ambient
temperature can become the main factor, which
directly
affects
the
ethological,
ecological,
physiological, and even biochemical reactions of
rodents.
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