Nature Conservation Research

2–22

Authors: Kottawa-Arachchi J.D., Wijeratne M.A.

The climate change impacts are felt by all facets and sectors of ecosystems, covering flora, fauna and environment. Sri Lanka is considered as a vulnerable, small island country that is under serious threat from climate change impacts. The most profound impacts of climate change in Sri Lanka will be on agriculture and food security, water and coastal resources, biodiversity changes, and human health. Sri Lanka's biodiversity is significantly important both on a regional and global scale as it has the highest species density for flowering plants, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. Sri Lanka's varied ecosystems provide many services that are of significant economic value and play a crucial role in providing goods and ecosystem services. The subsequent sections featuring specific aspects of biodiversity in forests, freshwater wetlands, coastal and marine systems and agricultural systems, provide greater detail on the ecosystem services and bio-resources. Habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive alien species, deforestation and forest degradation, development projects, environmental pollutions and climate change (global warming) are the major threats to the biodiversity of the country. Climate change impacts on environment lead to a reduction in the distribution and abundance of species, especially endemics, which may even result in their global extinction. The introduction of various policies and guidelines in relation to environment is a good sign for conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity. The government of Sri Lanka has been implementing various environmental projects aiming at reducing deforestation and degradation of ecosystems. Policies and measures already developed under such initiatives will no doubt preserve natural habitats for plant and animal species. However, being a developing country with many economic challenges, the funds and expertise available for monitoring climate change impacts and biodiversity conservation are not sufficient.

40–47

Authors: Bitukov N.A., Shagarov L.M.

The article analyses the effect of fellings for primary use on the disturbance of the water protection function of sessile oak (Quercus petraea) forests in the Western Caucasus. The study is based on long-term monitoring of spring runoff in catchments with experimental fellings in the Forest and Hydrological Station «Gorsky» (Tuapse District, Krasnodarsky Krai). It has been established that over a 28-year period after the experimental fellings, the stabilisation of runoff conditions has never come. The runoff in oak forests is mostly impacted by clear-cuttings with tractor harvesting technology. Over 30 years after clear-cutting, the spring runoff has increased on an average by 1.46 times, with a maximum increase (by 2.5 times) being observed for the first two years after cutting. In areas with group fellings, the runoff regime is generally similar to that of the control catchment for the same period.

61–67

Authors: Rybak E.A., Rybak O.O.

The Sochi National Park (SNP) occupies a considerable territory within the Greater Sochi municipality. It is located in several altitudinal zones. Therefore, climatic conditions within its territory are rather diverse. The average climatic conditions of SNP are rather well studied, but the global and regional climate change together with long tendencies in natural climate variability, require regular updating of corresponding changes on the SNP territory. This is important, first of all, for tracking changes and establishing reasons in local biodiversity changes. In the paper, we consider recent variations of the key climatic characteristics (air surface temperature and precipitation amount) in three elevation zones of the SNP. Analyses of mean annual and mean seasonal values reveal that besides common features, climatic tendencies are influenced by local conditions. Positive trends were established in temperature time series and negative in precipitation ones.

80–87

Authors: Grishutkin O.G.

The article presents the soil temperature data obtained using two automatic weather stations located in the Mordovia State Nature Reserve (Russia). Measurements were carried out at the soil surface and at depths of 20 cm, 40 cm and 60 cm. The meteorological stations are located 15 km apart, in general, in similar landscapes. This caused similar results of meteorological measurements. Differences in the average of the daily temperature at corresponding depths are less than 2°C. The average annual temperature differs less than 0.5°C, i.е. within a sensor's error. The annual temperature trend is typical for Central Russia. And it is characterised by well warming in summer and stagnation in winter. The diurnal amplitudes are small. This can be explained by the location of both weather stations under the forest canopy and a well-developed ground vegetation cover.

1–23

Authors: Tuniyev B.S., Lotiev K.Yu., Tuniyev S.B., Gabaev V.N., Kidov A.A.

For the first time we have summarised the results of the study of batraho- and herpetofauna of the Republic of South Ossetia. We present an Annotated List of species as authentically living in the region, as well as ever mentioned for it in literature, field notebooks, museum collections and our own expeditions in South Ossetia. The batrachofauna of the Republic of South Ossetia counts nine species and the herpetofauna 19 species. It provides a complete inventory of all finds (65 localities). A number of confirmed species have been assigned for the first time in scientific literature for the territory of South Ossetia: Emys orbicularis, Darevskia mixta, Natrix megalocephala, Hierophis schmidti, Pelias dinniki, P. kaznakovi. We detected the morphological specificity of the South Ossetia' populations of Darevskia praticola, D. brauneri and D. caucasica. The Assessment of conservation status has been evaluated for all forms of amphibians and reptiles in the region. According to its results, five amphibian species and ten reptile species are recommended for inclusion into the Red Data Book of the Republic of South Ossetia. The central problem of environmental activities in the Region is the lack of a network of different rank protected areas covering all natural zones and altitudinal belts. The South Ossetian State Nature Reserve is the single protected area of South Ossetia, which provides protection only for three endangered species of amphibians and three species of reptiles.

38–46

Authors: Ruchin A.B., Makarkin N.V.

The fauna of Neuroptera and Raphidioptera of the Mordovia State Nature Reserve has been studied during 2008–2016. It includes 21 and one species of the studied groups, respectively. The majority of species was collected on low vegetation (including undergrowth of deciduous trees) in clearings and fire-breaks of the forests, openings, meadows, grasslands and forest edges. The most abundant lacewing species is Chrysopa perla. Such typical chortobiots (i.e., living on herbaceous plants) as Micromus angulatus, M. variegatus, Chrysopa walkeri, Ch. phyllochroma, Ch. commata and Ch. abbreviata were recorded. However, the arboreal complex is still not understood completely. For example, only one species, which is characteristic for Pinus (Chrysopa dorsalis) was found, and no species was found on Picea. Typical arboreal lacewings (e.g., Nineta vittata, N. alpicola and Chrysotropia ciliata), which are typical for deciduous trees, are represented by few specimens.

55–65

Authors: Novenko E.Yu., Mazei N.G., Zernitskaya V.P.

The paper presents the results of studies of 59 recent pollen assemblages from protected areas located in the forest and steppe zones of the East European plain. The obtained data show that in pollen assemblages from forest localities a great share of the regional component of spectra is represented by plants with a high productivity of pollen. This pollen gets dispersed by wind over long distances (e.g., Betula, Alnus, Pinus). As a result the ratio of the main components in pollen assemblages from forest localities is distorted. At the same time, the participation of spruce pollen and pollen of deciduous tree species in the spectra is lower than the share of these species in the surrounding forest. Besides, the proportion of the regional pollen component in assemblages is much higher in samples taken from treeless areas and in floodplains than in probes taken under the forest canopy. These patterns should be taken into account in the reconstruction of the ancient vegetation using palynological data. The specific features of pollen assemblages that should be considered by interpreting fossil pollen spectra include: the share of broad-leaved tree pollen, proportion and floristic composition of herbaceous pollen group, occurrence of forest Lycopodium species, share of fern spores and spores of Sphagnum mosses. Different types of forest-steppe plant communities could be determined by the composition and ratio within the pollen group of herbaceous plants.

84–89

Authors: Benediktov A.A.

The presence of the grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus brevis (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Gomphocerinae) has been confirmed for the Vyborg district mainland of the Leningrad region, Russia, for the first time since 1908. Information about its habitats, characteristics of morphology, as well as calling signals of males is presented. The differences of the stridulatory file structure in the males of the closely related species Ch. brunneus brunneus, Ch. brunneus brevis and Ch. porphyropterus from the territory of Russia are considered. Information on the difference in calling of both subspecies of Ch. brunneus is given.

92–93

Authors: Ramanan S.S., Khapugin A.A.

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2–32

Authors: Kassal B.Yu.

Over a period of 205 years, there have been carried out dozens of censuses of nests and nesting bird individuals, summerings and non-nesting bird individuals, winterings and wintering bird individuals, the determinations of migration routes in the Caspian region and across the Caspian Sea, in Central and Southern Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Russia. Until the early XXI century, the main flamingo nesting sites were located in the Caspian region and along the Caspian Sea within the Russian Empire / USSR / Commonwealth of Independent States. It was found that such a geographical distribution of flamingo nesting sites was established until 1930 by the relative stability of the global climate conditions in northern Eurasia that have caused the stand of water level in the Caspian Sea. During this period, in the northern part of the Asian population the monitoring of the flamingo had the form of collecting mainly qualitative information. Amongst these are the determination of the locations of breeding sites, summerings and winterings; the bird's abundance was characterised mainly using the epithets. The next period (from 1931 to 1977) was caused by the development of anthropogenic influences and by changes of global climatic conditions in northern Eurasia, which have caused a decrease in the water level in the Caspian Sea. Environmental effects of the hydrological regime changes were the most significant in the shallow north-eastern part of the Caspian Sea. The breeding sites and the summerings (that were located there) had changed dislocation. Sometimes such a dislocation was observed over a wide area, up to the complete loss of breeding sites and summerings. During this period, the observations had the character of quantative information collecting and clarification of qualitative data: determination of new locations of breeding sites, duration of their existence, location of summerings and winterings, sizes of flocks and groupings, and disappearance reasons of the flamingo from former habitats. The persistent reduction of the Caspian Sea area, as well as the drying up of several sea gulfs, had caused the emergence of permanent breeding colonies on the lakes of Central Kazakhstan (Lake Shalkartenize, Lake Tengiz). The decrease in the level of continental waterbodies in Central Kazakhstan had caused an increase of their nesting and feeding properties: formed shoals became the sites of feeding and breeding of flamingos. Significant annual and long-term fluctuations of the water level in the lakes had become the reason of the periodic disappearance of flamingo colonies on certain lakes and their emergence of those on other lakes. During 1978–2015 the monitoring of flamingos in the northern part of the range of the Asian population were aimed at obtaining qualitative and quantitative indicators of nesting sites, summerings and winterings in conditions of increasing of the Caspian Sea level, the fluctuations of the water content in Central Kazakhstan, the refinement of migration dates, the spring and autumn migration routes. The placement of the major part of flamingos on the water bodies of Central Kazakhstan by the end of the XX century has contributed to the final formation of the flight route, which had connected these habitats with areas previously populated along the Caspian Sea. In the early XXI century the permanent reproductive centre in the northern part of the Asian flamingo population remained the breeding colony on Lake Tengiz. Available data have formed the necessary information base for further quantitative and qualitative assessment of the northern part of the Asian population over three time periods caused by the state of the Caspian Sea, waterbodies of the Caspian region and Central Kazakhstan, each of which had specific characteristics that determine the placement of nesting colonies, summerings, winterings, routes of seasonal and inter-seasonal migrations in the northern part of the range of flamingos and beyond.

40–56

Authors: Popov S.Yu.

The Pinega State Nature Reserve (Russia) is located in the Arkhangelsk region in the northern taiga subzone. Pine forests cover less than 10% of the reserve area. The vegetation of this forest is classified based on 83 phytosociological relevés. It reveals 7 associations, which represent 3 groups of associations. Detailed characteristics of these syntaxa (including analysis of their biodiversity) is provided. The revealed syntaxa well differs in species composition. Under the environmental conditions (moisture, nutrition, nitrogen availability and acidity), they are divided into two large groups. Associations as Pinetum sphagnosum and Pinetum empetroso-myrtillosum have the smallest number of species, whereas Pinetum polytrichosum and Pinetum myrtilloso-hylocomiosum are the richest in species number. Habitats occupied by associations of pine forests in the Reserve form an incomplete ecological series in relation to both trophicity and humidity. Pine forests associations were much more spread in the past and evenly throughout the Reserve. They are now confined mainly to landscapes with karst landforms.

73–98

Authors: Ogurtsov S.S., Volkov V.P., Zheltukhin A.S.

An overview of the main problems in collection, storage, processing and analysis of data obtained by camera traps is conducted. Basing on reviewed national papers related to this theme, the conclusion is drawn that there is need for a detailed description of methodological approaches and tools for data processing in national studies. The most common software among foreign researchers for camera trap data processing in biodiversity studies and conservation projects is presented. An overview of thematic software such as Photospread, Aardwolf, CameraTrapManager, MapView, CameraBase and DeskTEAM is provided. Advantages and disadvantages, as well as working methods are detailed in the study. The principles of image metadata storage, methods of extraction and processing are considered. Comparative analysis of the different software and approaches to use camera traps as a method of zoological research are provided. General recommendations regarding their use in protected areas are provided, illustrated by studies conducted in the Central Forest Reserve. The key characteristics of software for camera traps that should be considered when choosing a specific solution are identified. Primary characteristics are the ability to import all image metadata, quick and easy tagging, export to the majority of formats. Wishes to improve and discuss methodological approaches among national researchers are expressed. Despite a large variety of available technical means, the need to develop national software for working with camera trap data is separately noted. All listed software items are provided with download hyperlinks, and user's manual hyperlinks.

105–110

Authors: Zavadskaya A.V., Panicheva D.M., Yablokov V.M.

The Geyzernaya river valley in Kamchatka (Russia) is one of the five largest geyser fields in the world, and it is the only one in Eurasia. Outstanding esthetic values as well as the unique biological and ecological features of the valley's ecosystem attract a lot of tourists and scientists from all over the world. However, the complexity of the Geyzernaya river valley is not completely understood yet, because earlier research has primarily focused on specific species or habitats, rather than on linking different ecosystem components and spatio-temporal dynamics of natural processes. The Atlas of the Geyzernaya river valley has become the first attempt to show the complexity and extreme vulnerability of the valley's ecosystem, as well as to gather all collected information about this area into one set of maps, understandable and useful both for public and scientists. To create the Atlas our team collected and integrated information from different databases, archives and papers, digitised and actualised existing maps, consulting specialists and rangers. Besides we conducted our own detailed ground studies during 2009–2014. As a result a set of more than 80 full-colour maps, 3D models and charts, 100 photos as well as essays of leading researchers in the area have firstly brought together the following data: a) information about relief, geology, climate, land cover, vegetation, threatened plants, soils, natural dynamics of the landscape; b) international significance, discovery of its history and modern use; c) recreational durability and relationships between different ecosystem components. Using the Atlas, many people are able to access, view and analyse various data about the Geyzernaya river valley and its features for a better understanding of its uniqueness, vulnerability and necessity to conserve this outstanding ecosystem.

2–10

Authors: Vargot E.V., Shcherbakov A.V., Bolotova Ya.V., Uotila P.

Najas tenuissima (Hydrocharitaceae) is an endangered relict species with a disjunctive range in Eastern Europe, in the Urals, in Siberia and Kazakhstan, and in the Far East, in Japan. More than 60 locations of the plant were revealed during the last 160 years. More than 30 of them are located in the waterbodies of Southern Finland. The species is known reliably in Fennoscandia, Latvia, Russian Federation (Leningrad region, Novgorod region, Tver region, Ryazan region, Republic of Mordovia, Sverdlovsk region, Chelyabinsk region, Irkutsk region, Amur region, Krasnoyarsky Krai and Primorsky Krai), Northern and Eastern Kazakhstan and Japan. The paper summarises the data on locations of the species in the above mentioned regions. We suggest that species grows in floodplain waterbodies on the right bank of the Amur river in China. Reasons why the species has disappeared are given and discussed. An anthropogenic impact on aquatic ecosystems was denoted as the main factor causing the populations' reduction of Najas tenuissima in the XX–XXI centuries. We have shown a reduction in the number of populations found from 1857 to 1936 (in Leningrad region, Tver region, Novgorod region, Ryazan region of Russia), as well as the appearance of new populations of the species found from 2006 to 2016 (in Latvia and Russia: Amur region, Chelyabinsk region, Irkutsk region, Republic of Mordovia). We assumed the possibilities of resettlement of the species at new places. It was noted that species conservation is possible only if the territorial protection of Najas tenuissima locations will be organised.

26–35

Authors: Maslova I.V.

Data on the distribution of amphibians and reptiles in the Russian Far East in the reserves and national parks of federal importance are presented, as well as the information on the representation of these groups of animals in regional Red Data Books and the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation is provided.

44–52

Authors: Makarov K.V., Sundukov Yu.N.

Based on long-term observations, Carabus blaptoides rugipennis is a polytopic, little specialized malacophagous subspecies widespread across Kunashir Island, Kuriles. Its reproduction pattern is autumnal-summer, with low fertility, two larval instars, and hibernation as larvae and adults. The insular population is characterized by considerable variability, sometimes comparable to differences between subspecies. A new synonym is established: Carabus (Damaster) blaptoides rugipennis (Motschulsky, 1861) = Carabus (Damaster) blaptoides simushirensis Obydov, 2008, syn. nov. At present there is no direct threat of an abundance drop of this species in the Kurile Islands.

59–69

Authors: Ertuev M.M., Semenov U.A.

The implementation of the programme for the reintroduction of the Persian leopard in the Caucasus in Russia allowed carrying out a detailed video monitoring of various aspects of this subspecies' life under captive conditions in the «Center of the leopard recovery in the Caucasus». The most important stage of this programme was the formation of couples and the progeny getting of adult individuals caught in their natural environment and placed into a closed aviary. A complex sexual behaviour of leopards, while having different stages of the estrous cycle, could be identified by manifestation of characteristic features in various stages. There is an increase in both the motion behaviour as well as in the marking activity during proestrus; the cozying that helps to maintain the sexual activity of the male and the adopting of the receptive pose of the female during the estrus; avoidance of mating by the female during the proestrus stage; transition of the mating initiative to the male as well as passive behaviour of the female during the metaestrus stage. A large number of matings is caused by the species' biology. The leopard belongs to the animals with an «instigated» ovulation. Therefore the multiple coituses stimulate the maintaining of a high concentration of estrogens in the blood and promote the ovulation of follicles. As a result, we have concluded that the form of female sexual behaviour (with permissible error) can indicate the functional activity of the ovaries and the corpora lutea, as well as it allows determining the beginning and duration of the stages of the estrous cycle.

78–84

Authors: Kurhinen Ju.P., Bolshakov V.N., Bondarchuk S.N., Vargot E.V., Gashev S.N., Gorbunova E.A., Zadiraka E.S., Ivanter E.V., Kochanov S.K., Kulebyakina E.V., Mamontov V.N., Meydus A.V., Muravskaya E.A., Nizovtsev D.S., Pavlyushchik T.E., Pilats V., Sivkov A.V., Sikkilya N.S., Simakin L.V., Smirnov E.N., Timm U., Hanski I.K.

This study of the spatial distribution and ecology of the flying squirrel during the turn of the 20th century provides a description of new methods and techniques for detecting and accounting flying squirrels in the forest zone of Eurasia. The flying squirrel population area covers the territory of 61 regions of Russia, including Kamchatsky Krai and Chukotka Autonomous District. The number of flying squirrels in Karelia especially to the east – in the Arkhangelsk region and Western Siberia – significantly exceeds that of Finland, but considerable spatial variability in the number is obvious through all the regions: there are areas where this animal is quite abundant, or inhabits all the territory rather evenly, and there are areas where it is completely absent in vast territories even with seemingly favourable conditions. The flying squirrel is quite difficult to study and the reasons of its absence in obviously favourable areas are still to be explained. Some reasons are: the specificity of favourable landscape, forest coverage pattern, trophic relationships with predators and genetic aspect. A number of hypotheses are supposed to be tested in the nearest future.

90–94

Authors: Zharkikh T.L., Linerova L.G.

In 2015 the Federal Government Funded Institution «Orenburg Reserves» started the Programme of Establishing of a Semi-Free Population of the Przewalski Horse at the Orenburg Reserve on the territory of the steppe area «Pre-Ural Steppe». In 2014–2015 a pilot research was carried out to select the location for construction of the Centre of the re-introduction of the Przewalski horse. To evaluate the fodder stocks in the selected area we developed criteria for evaluating the vegetation condition under the influence of grazing. The results have shown that within the boundaries of the «Pre-Ural Steppe» plot it is most rational to place the Centre of the re-introduction of the Przewalski horse at the natural landmark Kursay. In 2015, the fodder stocks here ranged from 14 dt/ha (decitonne per hectare) in April to 30 dt/ha in September. Moreover, the grass cover vegetation here mostly consisted of species, well-grazed by Przewalski horse, particularly grasses, a significant number of legumes and well-grazed forbs. In the future, this area requires constant monitoring of the vegetation condition under the influence of the Przewalski horse grazing, with the following evaluation criteria: 1) the overall productivity of the plant mass; 2) the combination of well-grazed and ungrazed plant species in dynamics.

1–10

Authors: Grebennikov K.A.

In the paper is given a short review of the modern state of implementation of digital methods and facilities in the study of biodiversity of nature reserves in Russia in the context of global and domestic experience. Based on practical examples, some possible ways and perspectives for future development of research on nature reserves' biodiversity in Russia in the digital age are considered.

19–29

Authors: Evseeva A.A.

The article presents the results of a study of zoobenthos in streams in the Katon-Karagay national Park, carried out in 2009–2011. Presented are the taxonomic composition, a description of the spatial distribution of the given habitat classification of the studied small streams, and an area analysis of the fauna of amphibiotic insects of the studied area. An assessment of significance and metrics of zoobenthic communities for biological indication of the ecological status of the streams in the Bukhtarma river basin was carried out. Conducted research on anthropogenic load in unaffected rivers or sections of rivers will solve the problems associated with the lack of baseline data on the basin of the Bukhtarma river. Recommendations are given for the biodiversity conservation of stream bottom invertebrates in Protected Areas in the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion within Kazakhstan.

38–58

Authors: Popov S.Yu.

The Pinega Natural State Reserve is located in the Arkhangelsk Province in the northern taiga subzone. Spruce forests represent the dominant vegetation formation of its territory. The vegetation of this forest is classified, based on 192 phytosociological descriptions. It reveals 12 associations, which represent 7 groups of associations. Detailed characteristics of these syntaxa, including analysis of their biodiversity, are provided. The revealed syntaxa differ both in species composition and environmental conditions: moisture, nutrition, nitrogen availability and acidity. Most poor conditions in terms of mineral nutrition occupy sphagnous spruce forests and bilberry-dominated spruce forests, while under the richest conditions varioherbaceous, humidoherbaceous and nemoral-herbaceous spruce forests occur. The Pinega Reserve is the only locality, where the Piceetum rubo saxatilis-vacciniosum association occurs in the northern taiga subzone.

79–89

Authors: Tirskiy D.I.

The species composition of waterfowl that pass through Olekminsky Reserve is represented by 24 species; 9 of them are transient birds. Other species are presented as transient as well as nesting. Widespread species are bean goose, whooper swan, mallard, pintail, teal and tufted duck. The uneven distribution of wetlands and their limited variety determine the presence of only two places where there is a pronounced transition and regular stops of migrants. These are the lake-wetland complexes in the Olekma river valley and, to a lesser degree, the head of the Tuolba river. The total number of waterfowl transiting through the territory of the reserve during seasonal migrations has been estimated at 10000–20000 individuals. However, the wetlands nature reserve attracts, as a place of rest and foraging, an average of only 5% of the migrants. Dynamics and time of bird transition were almost the same as in the area of the Lena-Amga interfluve and relevant sections of the river valley Lena. Some differences can be traced in abundance of some species. The span whooper swan, e.g., accounted for up to 4.5–5.5 thousands individuals per season. Long-term dynamics of the migratory population of several species of geese, swans and ducks have opposite tendencies (the apparent rise, cyclical fluctuations, the decline). However, the total number of waterfowl migrating through the territory of reserve «Olekminsky» tends to decrease, which can be concluded at the observation data of the spring migration.

96–102

Authors: Vargot E.V.

Brief physical-geographical characteristics, history of creation and development of the Mordovia State Nature Reserve territory are presented. We listed aims and objectives assigned for the Mordovia Reserve in different periods. During the first years of the Mordovia Reserve the forest conservation was aimed at reforestation of the southern area of the taiga zone; the investigation of harmful insect fauna to timely response on infection foci of trees; enriching of the fauna of the Reserve. At present, the Reserve should have an ecological-educational value in addition to the value of nature conservation. The article presents the modern period of scientific investigations and the development of the Mordovia Reserve territory. Also, it contains data on the species number of flora and fauna, including those listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Mordovia (2003, 2005) and of the Russian Federation (2001, 2008). Due to the geographical location on the border of three natural zones and a high degree of knowledge of the Mordovia State Nature Reserve, there are noted 344 macromycetes (including 1 species listed in the Red Book of Russian Federation, 15 species included in the main list of the regional Red Data Book); 361 lichens (including 3 species included in the Red Book of Russia and 24 species from the main list of the regional Red Data Book); more than 100 mosses (including 7 species from the main list of the regional Red Data Book); 796 vascular plants (including 3 species from the IUCN list, 3 species included in the Red Book of Russian Federation and 46 species from the main list of the regional Red Data Book); more than 4500 insects (including 11 species from the IUCN list, 11 species from the Red Book of Russian Federation and 53 species from the main list of the regional Red Data Book); 32 fishes (including 1 species from the Red Book of Russian Federation and 11 species included in the main list of the regional Red Data Book); 11 amphibians (including 4 species from the main list of the Red Book of the Republic of Mordovia); 7 reptiles (including 3 species from the Red Book of the Republic of Mordovia); 222 birds (including 2 species from the IUCN list, 20 species included in the Red Book of Russia, and 69 species from the main list of the regional Red Data Book); 65 mammals (including 1 species from the Red Book of Russian Federation and 23 species included in the main list of the regional Red Data Book). We have indicated further problems and objectives for functioning and development of the Mordovia State Nature Reserve.