Biocenotic consequences of small mammal population control in natural ecosystems

Measures to control populations of small mammals in natural ecosystems are taken because of their involvement in plague epizootics and probable competition for food with livestock in pastures. These measures are aimed at the keystone species of biocenosis, whose removal leads to breakage of biocenotic connections and reduction of species diversity. Moreover, available data show that these measures fail to restrain the development of epizootics in natural plague foci and do not bring expectable economic profit when applied in pastures. This is evidence that the practice of small mammal population control is inexpedient.