Interspecific relationships of the midday gerbil (Meriones meridianus Pall., 1773) and tamarisk gerbil (M. tamariscinus Pall., 1773) in pasture ecosystems of the Kalmyk Republic

Studies performed in the southern Kalmyk Republic from 1993 to 2005 have shown that the midday and tamarisk gerbils are similar in their biotopic distribution and that their preferences for certain habitats depend on specific features of feeding. Individual home ranges of both species overlap, and the patterns of their daily activity are synchronous. These facts suggest that there is no interference competition between the midday and tamarisk gerbils in pastures of the southern Kalmyk Republic.