Sediment transport by the burrowing activity of snow vole (Chionomys nivalis) in subalpine prairies of the Parâng Mountains (Romania): Quantitative modelling and methodological perspectives

摘要: Abstract Over the last decades, animal activity has been explored and reported as a potential source of natural hazards, such destruction beaver dam potentially triggering flash flood downriver. However, sediment or budget related to received very little attention from geoscientists date. The main goal this study is quantify biogenic European snow vole (Chionomys nivalis) in subalpine prairies Parâng Mountains, Southern Carpathians. Only direct action rodent was analyzed, namely spatial distribution frequency burrowing, quantitative analysis mounds, rate excavation mass transfer caused by burrowing tunnel digging. To do this, 838 burrows mounds were mapped measured eleven plots, excavated volumes transfers calculated following three approaches: 1) measuring weight debris; 2) dimensions 3) burrow dimensions. fieldwork revealed preferred aspects: south, southeast, west. amount displaced soil highly variable depending on approach used, ranging 3.41 m3/ha 21.08 m3/ha. As such, activity, which due long-term opening landscape for traditional transhumance sheep farming, should be considered an important alpine Mountain.