SPECIES DIVERSITY OF ANIMALS IN FORESTS OF BELARUS
Forest ecosystems are characterized by exceptionally high biological diversity.
Ecosystems of deciduous forests are characterized by a rich species diversity, but they are especially notable for the largest population density of animals. This is due to the high productivity of forests, the great species diversity of plants and the huge phytomass produced by them annually and utilized through a complex network of trophic relationships. The group of anymals which are leading a wood life, especially living in hollows of trees is exclusively various.
For deciduous trees, as well as for deciduous forests in general, seasonal differences in the animal population are most characteristic. In winter, such forests are less favorable for many animals and birds than evergreen conifers or mixed ones. In this regard, a much larger proportion of deciduous forest birds are migratory or migrate to other biotopes.
Of the rare and protected species for the deciduous forests bisons, the largest number of rare species of bats, dormouse, from birds - eagle owl, black stork, eagle-dwarf, cison, green and medium woodpeckers are characteristic.
The fauna of mixed deciduous-coniferous forests are the most rich, as it includes both representatives of the Northern taiga zone and the inhabitants of the nemoral European forests. In addition, the species richness of this group of forests in Belarus is also determined by their much larger area compared to broad-leaved forests. For most species of forest fauna, a very favorable combination of fodder and protective conditions is created here. These are the most preferred biotopes for the majority of large mammals – hoofed and predatory. To the composition of rare and protected species of broad-leaved forests, such species as the flying squirrel , brown bear, lynx are added here, and from the birds – the capercaillie and passerine owls, the valuable hunting species is the wood grouse, the small spotted eagle and the hobby are more often noted.
Ecosystems of coniferous (boreal) forests. Pine forests, mainly growing on poor and dry soils, have, as a rule, a much simpler tier structure and relatively poor fauna. Especially small is the composition of species leading the terrestrial way of life. The fauna of spruce forests, which possess the best protective properties for animals, is richer. High closeness of the stand and dense undergrowth of these forests, in addition, provide favorable microclimatic conditions during the wintering period, which attracts animals from other habitats.
In general, the share of rare and protected species of animals in the coniferous forests is significant, among them - the flying squirrel , the brown bear, the badger, the lynx, the birds are the serpentine, the hobby, merlin, boreal owl, the three-toed woodpecker, the great gray owl, which prefer arrays alternating with raised bogs and transitional marshes. Smooth snake and reed toad are found.
The fauna of the small-leaved derivative woods of various formations considerably differs with structure and number of types. The alder forests
are the richest, which reflects their high productivity as a whole. The age of small-leaved forests is one of the most important factors determining the species richness and number of animals, but there are few high-growth stands that have the most complete composition of faunal complexes.
The composition of rare and protected species in black alder stands is in many respects similar to that of broad-leaved forests. There are the same kinds of bats, а tree dormouse and a badger are found, from birds you can meet in some places the eagle owl, the small spotted eagle, the black stork, a caterpillar, in the river floodplains there is a white azure, a blue-throated robin, а penduline tit.
The fauna of the small-leaved woods on swamps is in many respects similar to fauna of the derivative small-leaved woods and reaches the greatest variety of types in old-age forest stands
A list of terrestrial vertebrate animals, inhabitants of the forest ecosystems on the territory of Belarus
Mammals
1. Common hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus
2. Common mole , Talpa europaea
3. Common shrew , Sorex araneus
4. Laxmann's shrew, Sorex caecutiens
5. Lesser shrew, Sorex minutus
6. Brown bat , Mythis myotis
7. Pond bat, Mythis dasicneme
8. Daubenton's bat, Myotis daubentoni
9. Natterer's bat, Mytis Nattereri
10. Whiskered bat, Mythis mystacinus
11. Long-eared bat, Plecotus auritus
12. Common (western) barbastelle, Barbastella barbastellus
13. Leisler's bat, Nyctalus leisleri
14. Great bat, Nyctalus noctula
15. Fatio's bat, Nyctalus lasiopterus
16. Common bat , Vespertilio pipistrellus
17. Nathusius' pipistrelle, Vespertilio nathusii
18. Particolo(u)red bat, Vespertilio murinus
19. Wolf, Canis lupus
20. Common fox, Vulpes vulpes
21. Raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides
22. Bear brown, Ursus arctos
23. Common (North American) raccoon, Procyon lotor
24. Common (pine, sweet) marten , Martes martes
25. Weasel, Mustela nivalis
26. Common weasel, Mustail erminea
27. Forest polecat, Mustela putorius
28. Badger, Meles meles
29. Lynx, Felis linx
30. Squirrel common, Sciurus vulgaris
31. Flying squirrel, Pteromys volans
32. Red-backed mouse, Cletrionomys glareolus
33. Dark vole, Microtus agrestis
34. Ground vole, Microtus subterraneus
35. Root vole, Microtus oeconomus
36. Wood mouse, Apodemus silvaticus
37. Yellow-throated mouse, Apodemus flavicollis
38. Common dormouse, Glis glis
39. Hazel dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius
40. Garden dormouse, Eliomis quercinus
41. Forest dormouse, Dryomis nitedula
42. Forest birch mouse , Sicista betulina
43. Hare-lamb, Lepus timidus
44. Wild boar, Sus scrofa
45. Roe, Capreolus capreolus
46. Elk, Alces alces
47. Red deer, Cervus elaphus
47. The European bison, Bison bonasus
Birds
1. Black stork, Ciconia nigra
2. Honey buzzard, Pernis apivorus
3. Red kite, Milvus milvus
4. Black kite, Milvus migrans
5. Goshawk , Accipiter gentilis
6. Sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus
7. Common buzzard, buzzard Buteo buteo
8. Short-toed eagle, Circaetus gallicus
9. Eagle-dwarf, Hieraaetus pennatus
10. Great spotted eagle, Aquila clanga
11. Small spotted eagle, Aquila pomarina
12. Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos
13. Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus
14. European hobby, Falco subbuteo
15. Pigeon hawk, Falco columbarius
16. Red-footed falcon, Falco vespertinus
17. Common kestrel, Falco tinnunculus
18. White partridge, Lagopus lagopus
19. Grouse, Lyrurus tetrix
20. Wood grouse, Tetrao urogallus
21. Hazel grouse, Tetrastes bonasia
22. Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus
23. Gray gull, Tringa ochropus
24. Woodcock, Scolopax rusticola
25. Vyakhir, Columba palumbus
26. Stock dove, Columba oenas
27. Turtledove, Streltopelia turtur
28. Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
29. Eurasian eagle, Bubo bubo
30. Long-eared owl, Asio otus
31. Scops-owl, Otus scops
32. Small owl, Aegolius funereus
33. Sparrow owl Glaucidium passerinum
34. Tawny owl, Strix aluco
35. Long-tailed owl, Strix uralensis
36. Bearded owl, Strix nebulosa
37. Eurasian nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus
38. Roller, Coronas garrulus
39. Hoopoe, Upupa epops
40. Wryneck, Jynx torquilla
41. Green Woodpecker, Picus viridis
42. Gray-haired woodpecker, Picus canus
43. Black Woodpecker, Dryocopus martius
44. Spotted woodpecker, Dendrocopos major
45. Middle spotted woodpecker, Dendrocopos medius
46. White-backed Woodpecker, Dendrocopos leucotos
47. Creeper, Dendrocopos minor
48. Three-toed Woodpecker, Picoides tridactylus
49. Forest lark, Lullula arborea
50. Tree pipit, Anthus trivialis
51. Red-backed shrike, Lanius collurio
52. Lesser gray shrike, Lanius minor
53. Gray shrike ,Lanius excubitor
54. Golden oriole, Oriolus oriolus
55. Common starling Sturnus vulgaris
56. Jay, Garrulus glandarius
57. Common magpie, Pica pica
58. Eurasian nutcracker, Nucifraga caryocatactes
59. Raven, Corvus corax
60. Wren, Troglogytes troglodytes
61. Hedge sparrow, Prunella modularis
62. River warbler, Locustella fluviatilis
63. Grasshopper warbler, Locustella naevia
64. Garden Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum
65. Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus palustris
66. Icterine warbler, Hippolais icterina
67. Barred warbler, Sylvia nisoria
68. Blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla
69. Garden Warbler, Sylvia borin
70. The Gray Warbler Sylvia communis
71. Lesser whitethroat, Sylvia curruca
72. Willow warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus
73. European chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita
74. Wood warbler, Phylloscopus sibilatrix
75. Greenish leaf warbler, Phylloscopus trochiloides
76. Gold-crested wren, Regulus regulus
77. Pied flycatcher, Ficedula albicollis
78. White-collared flycatcher Fishery albicollis
79. Red-breasted flycatcher, Ficedula parva
80. Spotted flycatcher Muscicapa striata
81. European redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus
82. Robin, Erithacus rubecula
83. Common nightingale, Luscinia luscinia
84. Blue-throated robin, Luscinia svecica
85. Fieldfare, turdus pilaris
86. Blackbird Turdus merula
87. Redwing, Turdus iliacus
88. Song thrush Turdus philomelos
89. Missel thrush, Turdus viscivorus
90. Long-tailed tit, Aegithalos caudatus
91. Marsh tit, Parus palustris
92. Willow tit, Parus montanus
93. Crested tit, Parus cristatus
94. Coal tit, Parus ater
95. Blue tit, Parus caeruleus
96. Azure tit, Parus cyanus
97. Great tit, Parus major
98. European nuthatch, Nuthatch Sitta europaea
99. Common treecreeper, Certhia familiaris
100. Finch, Fringilla coelebs
101. Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla
102. European greenfinch, Chloris chloris
103. Siskin, Spinus spinus
104. Linnet, Acanthis canabina
105. Scarlet grosbeak, Carpodacus erythrinus
106. Parrot crossbill pytyopsittacus clover
107. Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra
108. Common bullfinch, Pyrrhula pyrrhula
109. Grosbeak, Coccothraustes coccothraustes
110. Common bunting, Emberiza calandra
111. Yellow hammer, Emberiza citrinella
112. Ortolan, Emberiza hortulana
Reptiles
1. Blindworm, Anguis fragilis
2. Sand lizard, Lacerta agilis
3. Common northern viper, Vipera berus
4. Smooth snake, Coronella austriaca
Amphibians
1. Common toad, bufo bufo
2. Running toad, bufo calamita
3. Moor frog, Rana arvalis
4. Grass frog, Rana temporaria