Nature Conservation Research

15–27

Authors: Stojko T.G., Senkevich V.A.

The present study is devoted to the study of species diversity and spatial distribution of the structural parameters of zooplankton community in the lake-oxbow Inorki in 2014 and 2016. The lake is in the middle right-bank floodplain of the River Moksha. The area of the lake is 0.209 km2, the maximum length is about 3.7 km, the average width is about 95 m and the depth is 3.5–5.5 m. The riparian part of the lake is steep. And at a distance of 1–2 m from the shore the depths reach 1.5 m in most places. Zooplankton samples were taken on three stems (one in the centre, at a depth of >200 cm, and each shore, at a depth of 80 cm) in three sections from the boats early July 2014 (water temperature: 24–27ºC) and 2016 (water temperature: 21.5–22ºC) and treated by conventional methods. By compiling the list of zooplankton species, in Lake Inorki we have obtained the data of the three samples in June 2009 (54.7265º N; 43.1523º Е) and five samples early July 2013. We have detected 93 species and forms of zooplankton. There are rotifer species of the Middle Volga region: Asplanchnopus multiceps, Euchlanis proxima, Squatinella mutica, S. rostrum, S. tridentatа, Trichocerca weberi which prefer the overgrown and waterlogged water bodies. 11 species in Lake Inorki have been registered in all years of study: Asplanchna priodonta, Conochilus hippocrepis, Keratella cochlearis, Lecane closterocerca, Mytilina ventralis, Synchaeta pectinata, Testudinella patina, Chydorus sphaericus, Graptoleberis testudinaria, Sida crystallina, Mesocyclops leuckarti. The average abundance of zooplankton is significantly higher in the pelagic part of the lake than in its coastal zone (t = 8.82–11.38, at p < 0.05). The taxonomic structure of zooplankton community showed differences. So, in 2014 rotifers dominated, while in 2016 the abundance of nauplial stages copepod was the highest. Perhaps, at the time of sampling in 2016, the zooplankton community was at the earlier stage of seasonal dynamics due to low water temperature. This year there was a smaller number of dominant species and a high spatial homogeneity. The ratio of ecological zooplankton groups was different through the years and parts of sampling. In 2014 verticators mainly dominated. Moreover, their percentage was the highest (78%) in the open part of the lake. In 2016 apart from filter-feeders, the zooplankton community was presented by a high proportion of grabbers, nauplii and Copepods larvae: their proportions were 65% and 50% near the lake shores and 44% in the centre of the lake. The state of Lake Inorki has been estimated as mesotrophic according to the Shannon index and the trophy coefficient.

37–45

Authors: Grichanov I.Ya., Khruleva O.A.

Original data on five Dolichopodidae species from the Wrangel Island resulted from the 2006 and 2015 surveys in the Wrangel Island State Nature Reserve are presented. Two sites in the northern variant of the typical tundra subzone in the central part of the Wrangel (i.e. the middle course of the River Mamontovaya and the upper reaches of the River Neizvestnaya) have been thoroughly studied by use of net sweeping (both seasons) and yellow pan traps (only 2015). In total, about 780 specimens have been sampled on the Wrangel Island. The yellow pan traps have gathered the most part of material, i.e. about 650 specimens. One of the collected species, Dolichopus humilis appears to be the only circum-arctic species of the group. Other species, Chrysotus komovi, Dolichopus terminasianae, Hydrophorus alpinus, and Rhamphium beringiense have mainly a hypoarctic distribution. The latter is the rarest species in the material obtained. It is suggested that the high abundance of dolichopodids during the 2015 survey is related to favourable summer weather conditions due to climate warming since the beginning of the 21st century. Chrysotus komovi and Dolichopus terminasianae are recorded for the first time from the Chukotka Autonomous District. Photographs of habitus and habitats for species recorded from the Wrangel Island are provided.

61–69

Authors: Markevich G.N., Esin E.V.

Dwarf males and fluvial groups were found in the population structure of endemic Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) morphs dwelling the Lake Kronotskoe basin. Apart from the lacustrine-riverine charrs, dwarf males and fluvial groups stay in the vicinity of their own spawning grounds for their whole life at the upper reaches of the lake tributaries. Fluvial males and females were found only for white charr morph which can be defined as the biggest generalist among the endemic Lake Kronotskoe charrs. It was found that propensity for dwarf males' formation for different morphs of nosed charrs corresponds to the complexity of the river habitats i.e. amount of the covers and lateral branches. No fluvial individuals were registered for longhead charr regarded as one of deep-specialised predatory morph. It was revealed that all riverine dwelling groups are defined by a similar lifestyle; however they are distant from each other by body shape and closer to the corresponding morph representatives rather than to each other or to the ancestral Dolly Varden. The morphology data underlines that riverine dwelling groups are an inherent part of each morph and should be considered as a life strategy variance, but not as distant morphs. The unidirectional patterns of the morphological development for riverine-lacustrine and fluvial groups point to the heritability bases for those traits. The conserving of specific morphology within the fluvial groups lets us suggest an approach for allowing a reconstruction of the populations heavily damaged by anthropogenic activity.

80–85

Authors: Korb S.K.

The quantitative accounting of Sphingidae of Kyrgyzstan using automatic autonomous light traps is presented. 16 species with nocturnal activity were recorded, four of them are most numerous, eight are of average abundance, one is a migrant and three are rare. Two species are proposed for inclusion in the Red Data Book of Kyrgyzstan (Sphingonaepiopsis kuldjaensis, Proserpinus proserpina).

92–97

Authors: Mikhaylov R.A., Vinarski M.V.

The eastern boundary of the range of the freshwater snail Stagnicola (Corvusiana) corvus has been clarified. The species was found in the State Nature Reserve «Prisurskiy» (Lake Buymas, floodplain of the River Sura). Previously, S. corvus was registered from the River Oka basin (Moscow Region), and it was considered as the easternmost area of its distribution. The morphometric characterisation of S. corvus, some features of its ecology as well as the diagnostic characters are given.

103–105

Authors: Tomaszewska W., Egorov L.V., Ruchin A.B., Vlasov D.V.

During field investigations in 2017, Clemmus troglodytes was found in the Mordovia State Nature Reserve (Republic of Mordovia, Russia). Earlier, C. troglodytes was collected in Yaroslavl City (Yaroslavl region, Russia). In this paper we are reporting for the first time both genus Clemmus and species C. troglodytes for the fauna of Russia. These records of the species in Russia extend remarkably its range to the north and east.