Vol 11, No 6 (2018)

This work is directed at continuous studies of cyclicity of long-term (1980–2010) population dynamics of odonates in the basin of Lake Chany (in the south of Western Siberia). Four sympatric species of the genus Sympetrum have been investigated by spectral analysis method. The cycle spectra of population dynamics have been constructed for each species; the basic parameters of these cycles (period, phase, and power) have been calculated. Special number cycles have been found for each species. Interspecies differences increased in the direction from high to low frequencies of the spectrum. In the cases of similar cycles, interspecies differences have been shown in the ratio of cycle powers and/or phases: identical phases can indicate the ability of species to increase their number synchronously with any of close species; different phases can indicate the possibility of a small-numbered species to reach its maximum number against the minimum number of numerous species. A comparison of sympatric species spectra of the genera Coenagrion and Sympetrum has led to the conclusion that, the more similarity there is in environmental standards among species inside a genus (as for Sympetrum), the more specific the species frequency spectra are. All species of the genus Sympetrum can synchronize their number fluctuations with 2- to 3 and 4- to 5-year fluctuations of the local climate. Also specific synchronization with important nature-climatic rhythms was found for each species: for S. danae, with an 18-year rhythm of the level of Lake Chany and with a 16-year rhythm of June temperatures; for S. flaveolum, with a 24-year Brickner cycle, with an 8-year cycle of rainfall, and with a 28-year cycle of April and May temperatures; for S. vulgatum, with a 40- to 42-year cycle of the level of Lake Chany, with 12-year cycle of rainfall, and with a 7-year cycle of April and June temperatures; and for S. sanguineum, with a 7-year cycle of April and June temperatures. Perhaps the adaptation mechanism of species to each other and to environments is enclosed in the cyclicity of long-term fluctuations of species number.

The effect of alcohol extract and essential oil from Juniperus sabina L. (Cupressaceae) on the survival and nutrition of the larvae Galleria mellonella L. (Pyralidae) has been studied. It is found that the essential oil has insecticidal, antifeedant, deterrent, and repellent properties. The loss of larvae with topical application of 0.2 μL of essential oil to the dorsal part (contact action) reaches 64.0%. Feeding larvae with food treated with essential oil J. sabina (200 μL of essential oil per 1.5 g of feed) is reduced 2.1 times compared to the control. It is shown that larvae G. mellonella avoid feeding on oil-treated feed for 14 days and actively move in the opposite direction from the treated feed when they are placed in Petri dishes. It has been established that vapors of essential oil suppress the development of larvae G. mellonella even when fed with untreated food—there is a lag in body weight and a delay in molting in the next age. The essential oil J. sabina also exhibits moderate toxicity (20.0%) when the larvae eat the treated food, i.e., possess intestinal action. The alcohol extract of J. sabina at a concentration of 2.5% of active substances (on dry residue) has a negligible effect on the loss of larvae in the case of treated feed (10.0% contact action). With topical application to the dorsal part, the extract causes 20.0% insect death. An alcohol extract of J. sabina does not elicit any antifeedant or repellent properties against larvae; however, a low level of deterrental activity, expressed in suppressing the formation and development of pupae of Galleria mellonella, is noted. Essential oil reduces the percentage of pupated larvae and emitted adults 3 times and the mass of larvae 40.7–48.0% when compared with the control.

The distribution and phytocenotic association of Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor on the territory of the Bryansk oblast has been studied. An assessment of the distribution of invasive species is performed on a grid basis. Vinca minor is registered in 19 cells on the territory of the oblast, which is 4.9% of the total number of cells and 11.9% of the surveyed cells; Parthenocissus vitacea is registered in 50 cells, which is 12.8% of the total number of cells and 31.2% of the surveyed cells. The invasive status of Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor is category 3: an adventive species whose invasions into natural and seminatural habitats in the region at the moment are rare and, as a rule, confined to the outskirts of populated areas, abandoned parks, and old plantings. The indices of successful invasion in forest communities is the formation of syntaxonomically valid variants of the communities of Corylo avellanae-Pinetum sylvestris Bulokhov et Solomeshch 2003 with depleted cenoflora. Invasive species change the phytosphere and reliably decrease the indices of α and β diversity, the structural indices of communities. The invasion of Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor is successful due to active vegetative reproduction, allelopathic effects on native species, and decreasing illumination of the ground cover. The introduction of invasive species into complex pine forests blocks demutational changes of endogenous succession during the restoration of broad-leaved forests: they simplify the structure of communities and reduce the intensity of the mosaic. Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor can exhibit signs of an edificator, a community builder, and a violent and transformer type. There has been only one case of a radical transformation of the natural community, registered on the territory of the Lyubin Khutor nature monument (Novozybkovskii district, Bryansk oblast).

This paper analyses the results of bird counts carried out over the period of 1996–2017 in the Innermountain Province of Dagestan. The avian species composition, average population abundance, and ecological pattern of avifauna in a difficult-to-reach mountain area of the republic are described for the first time. Cluster analysis showed that population patterns of the considered sampling areas were not only similar, but also unique because of high heterogeneity of habitats and, consequently, faunal differences, which emerge in mountains under a lack of humidification. It is suggested that a specific pattern of the avifauna of Innermountain Dagestan is provided not only by resident communities of typical mountain birds, but also by adapted populations composed of migratory birds of valleys that nest in mountains.

The European mink (Mustela lutreola) is among the most endangered mammals in Europe and has been assigned with the CR (Critically Endangered) status. In Russia the European mink has disappeared from most of its former range; its population is extremely small. In the near future it will need to be reintroduced into former habitats using captive-raised animals. This work investigates exploratory behavior of captive- raised European minks. The research was conducted in the nursery of the European mink in the Ilmen Nature Reserve. Thirty captive-raised European minks of different ages (from 4.5 months up to 7 years; 17 females and 13 males) participated in the experiments. It has been shown that European minks who have lived in cages or enclosures for several generations continue to exhibit pronounced dispersion of exploratory behavior parameters. They have maintained the ability to quickly explore unfamiliar territory and find shelter. There are no differences between males and females in the length of distance covered in the test. Age does not affect the activity of mink with respect to exploration of the territory and finding shelter. Differences in activity and division into groups according to the number of crossed squares within the sexes were determined by the personality of the minks. Individual features of behavior prevailed over group characteristics (sex and age). Despite continuous contact with the staff, most minks did not acquire adaptation to people.

Climate change and global warming are the main challenges regarding to the conservation biologists on the world. Reptiles are ectothermic animal and then highly dependent on the habitat temperature and precipitation. To protect reptiles, it is necessary to predict the impact of climate change effect on the species distribution and manage its conservation program. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of climate change on the distribution pattern of Paralaudakia lehmanni in Central Asia. According to the results, the current distribution is predicted from North Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan and the precipitation of coldest quarter (BIO19) was the most contributed bioclimate variable. Future predictions show a similar pattern with the current period and, based on the niche overlap test, the overlap of these patterns was more than 0.85 and indicated no differences between them. Distribution can be affected by the highland distribution of P. lehmanni. Because this species has such an elevated range, precipitation of coldest quarter is not predicted to change much in future and therefore suitable habitats will remain similar to current period. Finally, although there is no predicted impact of climate change on the species distribution pattern in future, the conservation of P. lehmanni is important because of other threats such as human disturbance and predation.

This paper provides an overview of the leaf-mining insect community feeding on willows (Salix spp.) and poplars (Populus spp.) in Siberia. According to published data and our own observations, 50 leaf-mining insect species (i.e., 24 species of Lepidoptera, 15 Coleoptera, 6 Diptera, and 5 Hymenoptera) feed on those two plant genera in Siberia. Using an integrative approach combining field work, morphological and DNA barcoding analyses, we identified 32 leaf-mining insect species from 14 regions across Siberia (i.e. 64% of all leaf-mining species known on Salicaceae in this part of Russia). Among them, 26 species most often found in parks and botanical gardens, represented new faunistic records for several poorly explored regions of Siberia. We have more than doubled the list of Salicaceae-feeding leaf-mining insects in Tomsk oblast, Altai krai, and the Republic of Tuva, and for the first time provided data on leaf-miners for the Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug. The micromoth Phyllocnistis gracilistylella (Gracillariidae), recently described from Japan, was found on a new host plant (Salix caprea) in the south of Krasnoyarsk krai, is new for Russia. Eight leafmining insect species (i.e., five gracillariids: Phyllocnistis labyrinthella, Ph. unipunctella, Phyllonorycter apparella, Ph. sagitella, and Ph. populifoliella; two beetles: Zeugophora scutellaris and Isochnus sequensi; and one sawfly: Heterarthrus ochropoda) can outbreak on poplars, most often in urban plantations, botanical gardens, and plant nurseries in Siberia, and can also affect natural stands. Forty-five species of 50 leaf-mining insects known to feed on willow and poplar in Siberia also occur in Central and Eastern Europe. The remaining five species (Phyllocnistis gracilistylella, Phyllonorycter sibirica, Heterarthrus fasciatus, Tachyerges dauricus, and Isochnus arcticus) are recorded in Asia only. Species richness of the family Gracillariidae, the most diverse on Salicaceae in Siberia, displays 80% similarity to that in the European part of Russia and 71% to the Russian Far East. We discuss the faunal similarity of these regions and highlight the importance of applying an integrative approach combining ecological, morphological analyses, and DNA barcoding to explore and characterize the insect fauna of poorly studied regions of Asian part of Russia.