Mammals in Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) pellets from Kharkiv Region, Ukraine
Citation
Yatsiuk Y, Brusentsova N, Filatova Y (2022). Mammals in Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) pellets from Kharkiv Region, Ukraine. Version 1.1. V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Sampling event dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/9k4wrz accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-08-30.Description
The dataset contains data of mammals found in Tawny owl pellets collected during up to 13-year studies (2005-2017) in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, in three territories. Data from broadleaved forests in National Nature Park Homilsha Forests and Kharkiv Forest Park were collected in systematic way when all found pellets were removed from each site two or three times a year. Data from broadleaved and pine forests in National Nature Park Slobozhanskyi were sampled one time from each site. Presented data allow to make analysis of seasonal, year-to-year and habitat variability in Tawny owl diet and local mammal species composition.Sampling Description
Study Extent
Three study areas are located at the southern border of East European forest-steppe ecoregion. First study area in the National Nature Park Homilsha Forests is located in a part of a larger oak-dominated broadleaved forest with mean stand age 80-120 years surrounded by rural areas or riverine habitats. Second study area in Kharkiv Forest Park in located in the northern part of the city in oak-dominated broadleaved forest with mean age 60–100 years surrounded by built-up areas. Third study area is located in National Nature Park Slobozhanskyi in pine forest with mean age 50-90 years adjoining with river valley and oak-domianted forest with mean ages 80-120 years. Each “event” site denominates pellet sampling location under/inside nest box or tree cavity. According to mapping of Tawny owl territories, prey found in pellets may have been collected within 350-400 m radius of each sampling point.Sampling
Field surveys were made between April 2004 and November 2014 in Homilsha Forest NNP, between May 2011 and March 2015 in Kharkiv Forest Park and between April 2013 and May 2017 in NNP Slobozhanskyi. In Homilsha Forest NNP and in Kharkiv Forest Park pellets were collected during regular checks of nest boxes and all known tree cavities. In the first territory all sites were visited three times a year: in mid-April, beginning of July, and late November or early December. In the second area all sites were visited two times a year: in April-May and in November-December. All pellets were collected during each check which allowed us to separate samples by seasons. In NNP Slobozhanskyi, pellets were sampled only occasionally under cavity trees or on the ground. Prey species were identified following the taxonomic keys, the maximal number of individuals for each vertebrate prey species was determined as the maximal number of upper and lower jaws. When it was impossible to identify remains from pellets to species level, they were assigned to higher-level genus or family level. Remains of voles from Microtus “arvalis” group were treated as the East European vole (Microtus levis Miller, 1908) in accordance with previous karyological studies in the studied region. Unidentified remains of mice (assigned to category Muridae) belonged to each of two genera, Mus or small Apodemus. Category Apodemus includes either A. sylvaticus, or A. uralensis as both species can occur in the region but it was not possible to distinguish between them based on bone remains present. Two remains of Mustela sp. probably belong to M. nivalis. Remains of Soricidae represent small shrews, either Sorex or Crocidura.Quality Control
Pellet samples were identified by the authors with consultations from the specialists from the Crimea Plague Control Station, Kharkiv Sanitary-Epidemiological Station and Kharkiv National University. The authors of the dataset are fully responsible for the quality of the published data.Method steps
- Collecting pellets in the field.
- Dissection of pellets in the laboratory.
- Identification of bone remains.
- Georeferencing and creating of the lists of registered species and specimens.
- Organizing of the dataset according to the DarwinCore standards.
Taxonomic Coverages
The dataset consists of records of mammals only.
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Mammaliarank: class
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Soricomorpharank: order
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Soricidaerank: family
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Sorex araneus Linnaeus, 1758rank: species
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Sorex minutus Linnaeus, 1766rank: species
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Crocidura suaveolens (Pallas, 1811)rank: species
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Neomys fodiens (Pennant, 1771)rank: species
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Talpidaerank: family
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Talpa europaea Linnaeus, 1758rank: species
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Chiropterarank: order
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Vespertilionidaerank: family
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Myotis Kaup, 1829rank: genus
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Pipistrellus Kaup, 1829rank: genus
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Vespertilio murinus Linnaeus, 1758rank: species
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Nyctalus noctula (Schreber, 1774)rank: species
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Plecotus auritus (Linnaeus, 1758)rank: species
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Carnivorarank: order
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Mustelidaerank: family
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Mustela Linnaeus, 1758rank: genus
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Lagomorpharank: order
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Leporidaerank: family
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Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778rank: species
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Rodentiarank: order
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Gliridaerank: family
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Dryomys nitedula (Pallas, 1778)rank: species
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Cricetidaerank: family
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Cricetulus migratorius (Pallas, 1773)rank: species
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Myodes glareolus (Schreber, 1780)rank: species
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Arvicola amphibius (Linnaeus, 1758)rank: species
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Microtus Schrank, 1798rank: genus
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Microtus levis Miller, 1908rank: species
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Microtus subterraneus (Selys-Longchamps, 1836)rank: species
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Microtus oeconomus (Pallas, 1776)rank: species
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Muridaerank: family
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Rattus Fischer, 1803rank: genus
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Rattus norvegicus (Berkenhout, 1769)rank: species
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Mus spicilegus Petényi, 1882rank: species
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Mus musculus Linnaeus, 1758rank: species
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Apodemus Kaup, 1829rank: genus
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Apodemus agrarius (Pallas, 1771)rank: species
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Apodemus flavicollis (Melchior, 1834)rank: species
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Micromys minutus (Pallas, 1771)rank: species
Geographic Coverages
The dataset covers the area of central and northern part of Kharkiv region, Ukraine.
Bibliographic Citations
Contacts
Yehor Yatsiukoriginator
position: PhD student
Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu
J. Liivi 2
Tartu
EE-50409
EE
email: yehor.yatsiuk@ut.ee
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7578-7915
Nataliia Brusentsova
originator
position: Leading research associate
Tuzlivski Lymany National Nature Park, Slobozhanskyi National Nature Park
Partyzanska st., 2
Tatarbunary
68100
Odesa region
UA
email: n_brusentsova@ukr.net
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1428-4855
Yuliya Filatova
originator
position: Individual researcher
No affiliation
UA
email: condyle@i.ua
Yehor Yatsiuk
metadata author
position: PhD student
Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu
J. Liivi 2
Tartu
EE-50409
EE
email: yehor.yatsiuk@ut.ee
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7578-7915
Yehor Yatsiuk
administrative point of contact
position: PhD student
Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu
J. Liivi 2
Tartu
EE-50409
EE
email: yehor.yatsiuk@ut.ee
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7578-7915
Nataliia Brusentsova
administrative point of contact
position: Leading research associate
Tuzlivski Lymany National Nature Park, Slobozhanskyi National Nature Park
Partyzanska st., 2
Tatarbunary
68100
Odesa region
UA
email: n_brusentsova@ukr.net
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1428-4855