Raba jazbin in vloga evropskega jazbeca (Meles meles) kot ekološkega inženirja

Pičulin, Aleš (author), Krofel, Miha (mentor)

Evropski jazbec (Meles meles) je predstavnik družine kun, njegova značilnost pa je kopanje podzemnih rovov, imenovanih jazbine, ki jih uporablja za dnevni počitek, parjenje in zavetje. V raziskavi smo od februarja do julija leta 2017 z avtomatskimi kamerami spremljali pet aktivnih jazbin v lovišču Jošt - Kranj. Za analize smo uporabili tudi že obstoječe podatke, pridobljene z avtomatskimi kamerami v lovišču s posebnim namenom Ljubljanski vrh. Poleg tega smo z avtomatskimi merilniki temperature na petih neaktivnih jazbinah v lovišču Jošt - Kranj pridobivali podatke o temperaturah v zimskem in poletnem obdobju leta 2017. Analizirali smo jazbečevo uporabo jazbin, parjenje, cirkadiano aktivnost in markiranje. Ugotavljali smo tudi, katere druge živalske vrste še uporabljajo jazbine. Poleg tega smo ugotavljali, kako spreminjanje zunanje temperature vpliva na temperaturo v jazbini in vpliv velikosti vhoda jazbine na temperaturo v jazbini. Skupaj smo v vseh mesecih spremljanja zabeležili 1473 dogodkov obiska jazbecev. Ugotovili smo, da so jazbeci največ markirali januarja in februarja, kar sovpada z obdobjem parjenja. Največjo aktivnost jazbecev smo zaznali v prvi polovici noči, jazbine pa so jazbeci vsakodnevno uporabljali predvsem za dnevni počitek. Temperatura je bila v jazbinah bistveno konstantnejša kot zunanja. Velikost vhoda jazbine je pomembno vplivala na nihanje temperatur v jazbini na 0,5 metra globine, na 1,5 metra globine pa je bil vpliv velikosti vhoda manjši. Ugotovili smo, da so jazbine poleg jazbeca uporabljale tudi druge živalske vrste. Jazbeci so ekološki inženirji, ki spreminjajo naravno okolje s kopanjem jazbin ter s tem ustvarjajo pogoje za življenje mnogih rastlinskih in živalskih vrst. Veliko ekoloških značilnosti jazbeca in njegovega pomena kot ekološkega inženirja ostaja še neraziskanega.

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: jazbina, cirkadiana aktivnost, markiranje, temperatura, jazbeci, kategorije
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Typology: 2.09 - Master's Thesis
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publisher: [A. Pičulin]
• Year: 2020
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-120567
• UDC: 630*14+630*15(043.2)=163.6
• COBISS.SI-ID: 29580035
• Publication date in RUL: 23.09.2020

PIČULIN, Aleš, 2020, Raba jazbin in vloga evropskega jazbeca (Meles meles) kot ekološkega inženirja [online]. Master’s thesis. A. Pičulin. [Accessed 26 April 2025]. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=120567

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Title: The use of badger setts and the role of the european badger (Meles meles) as an ecological engineer

Abstract

The European badger (Meles meles) is a representative of the mustelid family. Its characteristic is the digging of underground tunnels called setts, which are used for daily rest, mating and shelter. In our research, conducted from February to July, 2017, we monitored five active badger's setts with automatic cameras in the area of Jošt - Kranj hunting ground. For the analyzes, we also used already existing data obtained with automatic cameras in the Special purpose hunting ground Ljubljanski vrh. In addition, we measured temperatures in the winter and summer periods of 2017 with automatic temperature loggers on five inactive badger setts in Jošt - Kranj hunting ground. We analyzed the use of setts by badgers, their mating behavior, circadian activity, and marking behavior. We also recorded the use of setts by other species. Furthermore, we determined how changes in outdoor temperatures affect the temperatures inside the setts, and the influence of the size of the sett entrances on these temperatures. In total, we recorded 1473 badger visits. Marking behavior was most frequent in January and February, coinciding with the mating season. The highest activity of badgers was detected in the first half of the night, and the setts were used every day, mainly for daily rest. The temperatures in the setts were significantly more constant than the outside temperatures, and the size of the sett entrances had a significant effect on the temperature fluctuations in the sett at a depth of 0.5 meters, but less at a depth of 1.5 meters. We found that the setts were also used by other species in addition to the badger. Badgers are ecological engineers who change the natural environment by digging burrows. This creates better and more constant living conditions for many plant and animal species. Many of the ecological characteristics of the badger and its importance as an ecological engineer still remain unexplored.

• Keywords: circadian activity, badgers' sett, badger, temperature