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 VOLUME Vol.05 Issue03 2025 

PAGE NO. 15-18 

DOI 10.37547/ajbspi/Volume05Issue03-04 

 
 
 
 

The effect of temperature on the life activity of 

spermophilus pygmaeus distributed in the southern 

regions of Uzbekistan 
 

Olim T. Tursunov 

National University of Uzbekistan, Faculty of Biology, Tashkent, 61010333, Uzbekistan 

 

Received: 13 January 2025; Accepted: 15 February 2025; Published: 17 March 2025 

 

Abstract: This article is dedicated to an in-depth study of the effect of temperature on the species Spermophilus 
Pygmaeus in the field of rodentology. Existing studies show that temperature has a great influence on the number 
of small ground squirrels, their life activity, nest drying, and the development of young ground squirrels. This 
requires better study of the species and demonstration of new approaches based on ecological research. In 
studies conducted in the southern regions of Uzbekistan in 2023, a systematic analysis was conducted of how the 
nests, colonies, and population dynamics of these species changed depending on the temperature. To support 
scientific achievements in the field of rodents, it is necessary to develop new methods and test them in practice. 
Moreover, these studies demonstrate the importance of preserving the biodiversity of rodents and ensuring the 
sustainability of ecosystems. 

 

Keywords: Spermophilus Pygmaeus, rodent, burrow, ethology of the species, synanthropus, landscape, 
temperature. 

 

Introduction: Today, the animal world is being widely 
studied, in particular, the distribution of rodents of the 
genus Rodentia, their life activity, role in nature and 
human life, and the role of representatives of the genus 
as carriers of infectious diseases. These works require a 
broader theoretical and practical study of 
representatives of the genus and are of great practical 
importance. The occupation of new territories by 
species and the emergence of new adaptive 
adaptations to changes in nature are increasing. The 
migration of rodents for food and habitat is increasing 
as a result of anthropogenic impact. This situation leads 
to the fact that species cause more epidemiological 
situations. That is, the migration of rodents and their 
approach to residential areas, their ectoparasites, 
which are carriers of infectious diseases, is 
accompanied by an increase in the number of various 
infectious diseases in humans. In addition, the 
calculation of indicators of the density and annual 
activity of rodent species is of great importance, and 
when calculating these indicators, relative indicators 
are often used, but these indicators do not give a clear 
picture of their actual number and state. In the 

scientific works of Varshavskiy and Kalabukhov, data 
are presented on the seasonal changes in the life 
activity of rodents, various adaptations, and seasonal 
changes in the number of species [1;2;3;4]. The 
relationship between the annual number of rodents, 
the spread of various diseases, and the periods of 
activity of the species is presented in Rall's works [8;9]. 
Optimization of conditions for rodents, that is, an 
increase in temperature, influences the intensification 
of various chemical reactions and life activity. However, 
if heat exchange is deviated from the optimal norm, the 
main factor can become the ambient temperature, 
which directly affects the ethological, ecological, 
physiological, and even biochemical reactions of 
rodents [5;6;7]. The rise in temperature is a factor that 
determines the food of rodents, their reproduction, the 
expansion of the range of species, the number and 
viability of young individuals. Temperature also affects 
how rodents build shelters and construct nests. The 
increase or decrease in ambient temperature also 
affects the temperature of the rodent's nest. Heat also 
affects the body temperature of small ground squirrels, 
the development of their physical thermoregulation, 

 

https://doi.org/10.37547/ajbspi/Volume05Issue03-04
https://doi.org/10.37547/ajbspi/Volume05Issue03-04
https://doi.org/10.37547/ajbspi/Volume05Issue03-04
https://doi.org/10.37547/ajbspi/Volume05Issue03-04


American Journal of Applied Science and Technology 16 https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajast 

American Journal of Applied Science and Technology (ISSN: 2771-2745) 
 

 

and the conditioned reflex mechanisms of heat 
regulation [10]. In some rodents, when the ambient 
temperature changes by 25° (5 - 30°), the body 
temperature changes by 0.6-1.2° [11]. In rodents 
distributed in mountainous areas, changes in ambient 
temperature contribute to an increase of an average of 
0.8° [12]. At the beginning of spring, the body 
temperature of newborn rodents differs by 1°, while in 
summer-born rodents it differs by 0.3° from the 
ambient temperature [13]. We also focused our 
research on such issues as the influence of ambient 
temperature on small ground squirrels and the change 
in the number of species depending on temperature. 

METHODS 

In April 2023, special observations were conducted to 
determine the number of small ground squirrels 
(Spermophilus pygmaeus) distributed in the natural 
and cultural landscapes of the Nishon district of 
Kashkadarya region, which is considered the southern 
territory of Uzbekistan. A total of 532 small ground 
squirrels were caught using various traps between 
10:00-14:00 in the warmest part of the day and 
between 18:00-20:00 in the second part of the day. 50 
traps were used to catch small ground squirrels. 

Thermometers were used to measure the temperature. 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

Our research is also aimed at studying the vital activity 
of representatives of the genus Rodentia in the 
southern regions of Uzbekistan, their numbers, the 
influence of seasonal changes, and migration to 
agricultural lands. The research work examined the 
temperature-dependent changes in the number of 
small ground squirrels (Spermophilus pygmaeus) 
distributed in the natural and cultural landscapes of the 
Nishan district of Kashkadarya region, which is 
considered the southern territory of Uzbekistan. The 
awakening of Spermophilus pygmaeus from winter 
sleep occurs at the beginning of hot days, that is, in the 
middle of March. In the southern regions of Uzbekistan, 
spring comes early, and the temperature begins to rise 
from the beginning of March. In spring, an increase in 
the temperature leads to an increase in the intensity of 
movement of small ground squirrels. In the evening 
and at night, in any season of the year, the activity of 
small ground squirrels is practically zero. Nevertheless, 
the level of animal activity does not directly affect their 
actual population. 

 

Table 1. Number of Spermophilus pygmaeus in the study area in relation to temperature. 

Day 

Time 10:00-14:00 Time 18:00-20:00 

Temperature number of species Temperature number of species 

1 21 ⁰C 21 15 ⁰C 3 

2 23 ⁰C 29 17 ⁰C 5 

3 28 ⁰C 37 20 ⁰C 11 

4 30 ⁰C 43 21 ⁰C 19 

5 29 ⁰C 40 21 ⁰C 17 

6 30 ⁰C 41 21 ⁰C 15 

7 31 ⁰C 41 22 ⁰C 18  

8 32 ⁰C 43 23 ⁰C 20 

9 33 ⁰C 42 21 ⁰C 21 

10 35 ⁰C 47 24 ⁰C 19 

total  384  148 

On April 9, we placed 50 traps in areas where small 
ground squirrels were widespread. We placed traps 
between 10:00 and 14:00 and caught 21 small ground 
squirrels, during which the temperature was 21°C. The 
condition of the traps and the presence of rodents in 
them were monitored hourly. By the second half of the 
day, from 18:00 to 20:00, traps were placed again, and 
3 small ground squirrels were caught, during which the 
temperature was 15°C. The same work was repeated 
for 5 days, and the data presented in Table 1 were 
obtained. On April 20, 50 traps were placed in the study 
area, and 29 small ground squirrels were caught, and 
when checking the temperature, it was found that it 
rose to 23°C. In the second half of the day, the  

temperature reached 17°C, and 5 small ground 
squirrels were caught in traps. On May 1, between 
10:00 and 14:00, 37 small ground squirrels were caught 
at 28°C, 43 on May 10 at 30°C, and 40 on May 26 at 
29°C, 11 on May 1 at 20°C, 19 on May 10 at 21°C, and 
40 on May 26 at 17°C. The average temperature 
between April 9 and May 26 was 22.5°C. Traps were set 
daily and checked twice during the specified time 
interval. A total of 225 small ground squirrels were 
caught between the days of the experiment, and 
depending on the temperature, 62 ground squirrels 
were caught on the 3rd day of the experiment (May 
10), which is the highest indicator. On the 1st day (April 
9), 24 small ground squirrels were caught, which is the 



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American Journal of Applied Science and Technology (ISSN: 2771-2745) 
 

 

smallest number. From the above data and the number 
of rodents caught, it can be said that the most active 
period of small ground squirrels occurs during hot 
periods of the day. On hot summer days, small ground 
squirrels become less active with sunset. Thus, 
depending on environmental conditions, mainly the 
temperature factor, small ground squirrels increase or 
decrease their activity. Increasing the temperature 
increases the activity of small ground squirrels. A 
significant increase in the number of ground squirrels 
was observed when the ambient temperature changed 
from 21°C to 30°C. This increase in activity occurs due 
to the following reasons: Increased metabolic rate - in 
ground squirrels, metabolism accelerates with higher 
temperatures, which increases their likelihood of faster 
digestion and searching for more food. Increased 
activity - a rise in temperature in small ground squirrels 
increases their physical activity and begins to actively 
respond to external stimuli. 

CONCLUSION 

Based on the above data, it can be concluded that if 
relative methods are used to calculate the number of 
rodents (for example, using traps), the obtained data 
will reflect not the number of animals, but their 
dynamic density. The increase in temperature 
increases the activity of small ground squirrels, 
accelerating the processes of searching for food and 
feeding. On the other hand, a decrease in temperature, 
especially in the evening and morning, reduces their 
activity. This can probably be shown as an adaptive 
reaction of small ground squirrels to temperature 
changes. With a decrease in temperature, the number 
of ground squirrels outside the nest decreased 
significantly. At low temperatures in the evening, their 
activity decreases, and we characterized this by the 
following. With the cooling of the air in the evening and 
at night, organisms quickly lose heat. Therefore, their 
activity level decreases. On April 9 (21°C) and April 20 
(23°C), the number of small ground squirrels reached 
21 and 29 individuals. This change was observed due to 
the increase in temperature. On May 1 (28°C) and May 
10 (30°C), the number of ground squirrels increased to 
37 and 43 units. Temperature sensitivity helps 
organisms adapt to environmental conditions. Small 
ground squirrels undoubtedly have the ability to adapt 
to environmental conditions, such as changes in 
temperature, food sources, and the search for shelter. 
At low temperatures, their activity decreases and they 
hide more or spend time in shelters. Low temperatures 
also affect the development of the younger generation. 
Temperature changes also affect the mites' reaction to 
the environment and their adaptation to their habitat. 
There are four ecological factors necessary for the life 
of warm-blooded animals, including rodents. 

Temperature comes first. All life processes associated 
with temperature are important for any living 
organism. The temperature factor is especially 
important for rodents, as their small size leads to high 
heat loss. In conditions close to optimal conditions, the 
temperature factor may not be involved in determining 
the specific reactions of animals. However, if heat 
exchange deviates from the optimal norm, the ambient 
temperature can become the main factor, which 
directly affects the ethological, ecological, 
physiological, and even biochemical reactions of 
rodents. 

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