Assessing wildlife biodiversity using camera trap data on the Mongolian marmot (Marmota sibirica) colonies

• Published in: Journal of arid environments Vol. 188; p. 104409
• Main Authors: Suuri, Buyandelger, Baatargal, Otgonbayar, Badamdorj, Bayartogtokh, Reading, Richard P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2021
• Subjects: Camera trap; Marmota sibirica; Mongolia; Mongolian marmot; Steppe; Vertebrate; Mongolia; Marmota sibirica; Steppe; Mongolian marmot; Vertebrate; Camera trap
• ISSN: 0140-1963; 1095-922X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2020.104409

The Mongolian marmot (Marmota sibirica) is a relatively large-bodied, social rodent that lives in colonies across the Mongolian steppes and parts of China and Russia. Marmots serve as ecosystem engineers that display multiple functions on the steppe environments they inhabit. Mongolian marmots experienced a >75% decline across Mongolia in the 1990s that led their listing as endangered globally. The decline of marmots likely affected other species given their importance to the ecosystems. To examine the role of marmots on vertebrate species, we set camera traps on and off marmot colony sites in the forest-steppe, steppe, and semi-desert zones of Mongolia. In total, we recorded 39 vertebrate species within 3 study areas, including 19 species in 2012 in Ikh Nart NR; 21 in 2016 in Hustai NP; and 27 in the Halzan region of Sukhbaatar in 2019. Species abundance and some diversity indices were significantly higher on colonies compared to off colony sites. Our research provides insights into how marmots create important habitats for associated fauna and demonstrates that this engineering species plays an irreplaceable role in this ecosystem. We hope that this and similar experimental approaches will allow us to better understand the biodiversity patterns in and around marmot burrows. •Marmot burrows provided a network of basking sites for thermoregulation, foraging locations, and refuges for other species across the landscape, likely resulting in more favorable habitat and higher survivorship at the landscape-scale. Species abundance and some diversity indices were significantly higher on colonies compared to off colony sites. Our research provides insights into how marmots create important habitats for associated fauna and demonstrates that this engineering species plays an irreplaceable role in this ecosystem.•Marmots are highly endangered in Mongolia (IUCN Red List ‘EN’; criteria A2ad) and have declined 85% since the mid-1970s from over-hunting. The decline of marmots likely affected other species given their importance to the ecosystems. Understanding these links is important for prioritizing conservation efforts in protected areas, nature reserves, where funds for conservation activities are limited and marmots are declining rapidly.•One of important step of regional biodiversity conservation is re-introduction the ecosystem engineering species in old distributed areas. Our Steppe Wildlife RCC (NGO) has already started to re-introduced the marmots in Sukhbaatar province in 2019. We include 1 year of camera trap results of re-introduced marmot burrow from Halzan village. We found the greatest difference between on and off colony sites in Ikh Nart, while Halzan and Hustai showed only moderate differences.