AN EXPERIMENT IN MAPPING THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE STEPPE MARMOT USING AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS

A method for mapping the distribution of a common steppe mammal, the steppe marmot, is described, based on the interpretation of air photos of its life activities (i.e., burrows). Air photos at 1:30,000 scale are used in the compilation of a map of the density of marmot burrows, which permits close and more efficient investigation of the spatial correspondence of marmot habitats and natural conditions and facilitates the selection of routes and areas of sampling in advance of marmot population counts. Translated by Kurt E. Engelmann, Seattle, WA 98195 from: Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta, geografiya, 1989, No. 3, pp. 94–99.