TO THE STUDY OF THE NUMBERS DYNAMICS OF THE COMMONSHREW (SOREX ARANEUS): AN ATTEMPT AT AN ANALYTICALREVIEW OF THE PROBLEM
An analytical review of the data accumulated to date, both original and literary, on the patterns and factors of the numbers dynamics of the Common Shrew (Sorex araneus L.) is presented. Sharp fluctuations in the populations are shown to be characteristic of the entire distribution area of this shrew, but relatively rhythmic fluctuations are noted only in the optimum of the range. Among the factors, both exogenous and endogenous, that determine the numbers dynamics the most significant are the height of the snow cover and the depth of soil freezing in winter, spring temperature conditions, and rainfall in the winter-spring period, as well as the population abundance, and the state and ecological structure of populations in the previous year.