Home – Home – Jornals – Geography and Natural Resources 2023 number 5S

Using as an example the most dangerous nine invasive mammals of Northern Eurasia (Castor canadensis, Ondatra zibethicus, Apodemus agrarius, Mus musculus, Rattus rattus, R. norvegicus, Nyctereutes procyonoides, Procyonlotor and Neogale vison), the patterns of formation of their distribution ranges in new regions are considered. The wide invasive ranges of intentionally introduced species (O. zibethicus, N. vison, and N. procyonoides) have formed over 60-70 years. This was possible due to a wide geographical spread of release sites (primary centers or cores), a huge number of released animals, and the subsequent merger of these cores in the continuous range due to the mammal self-dispersals. Two other North American intentionally introduced species (C. canadensis and P. lotor) are distributed regionally due to a set of factors (biological, natural, competitive relationships). The range of accidentally introduced species (the commensal rodents M. musculus, R. rattus, and R. norvegicus) was formed as humans explored the Earth. The agrophilous rodent A. agrarius in Eastern Europe was spread by itself to the north of the native range as forests were cleared for plowing and to the south for irrigation. The rate of change in the boundaries of the range and the distance of their shift decreased in the following order: intentional introduction, accidental introduction, and self-dispersal. Maps of the movements of the invasive mammal range were created. The informativeness of such maps is determined by available zoological material. They are of interest, because they reveal the habitats of invasive species, the speed of their dispersal, and regions for planning measures to minimize the negative consequences of invasions.