Communities of Carabid Beetles and Small Mammals in the Fragmented Cryoarid Forest-Steppe of Vitim Upland (Northern Transbaikalia)

Communities of carabid beetles and small mammals in the cryoarid forest-steppes of Vitim upland (Northern Transbaikalia) are considered in this article. Analysis of communities of carabid beetles and small mammals in the forest steppes of Vitim upland revealed diff erences in species composition and community structure among the diff erent biotopes, namely open habitats, fragmented and continuous forests. Carabid beetle and small mammal communities in this region can be identifi ed both as “stable” (open habitats and continuous forests), with high species diversity and evenness, and “unstable” (birch and larch fragmented forests), with lower diversity indices and evenness, and high indices of dominance. Despite having the appearance of a forest habitat, communities inhabiting fragmented forests of Vitim upland more closely resembled those found in forest-steppe and steppes.