Current State of Natural Conditions and Ecosystems in Pamir-Alay

Research relevance in this article given analyzes the current state of the natural conditions of the Pamir-Alai ecosystem in Kyrgyzstan, where live over 2500 plant species, 20 mammal species and 288 bird species. Research objectives: Studying and preserving the general species diversity are the main conservation tasks. Research materials and methods: This article provides analysis of the current state of the natural conditions of the Pamir-Alai within Kyrgyzstan, where over 2500 species of plants, 20 species of mammals, 288 species of birds live. Research results: It is highlighted that the following species included in the Red Book of Kyrgyzstan are present in the Alai fauna: Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), snow leopard (Uncia uncia), mountain sheep (Ovis ammon), stone marten (Martes foina). Conclusions: Considering the economic, scientific, natural value of flora and fauna, we must find an approach to the conservation, restoration and protection of wildlife.

Effects on carrion consumption in a mammalian scavenger community when dominant species are excluded

Carrion is a valuable resource exploited not only by obligate scavengers but also by a wide variety of facultative scavengers. These species provide several important ecosystem services which can suffer if the scavenger community composition is altered, thus reducing the ecosystem provided. We studied the response of the Mediterranean facultative scavenger community to the exclusion of larger scavenger species (red fox Vulpes vulpes, European badger Meles meles, and wild boar Sus scrofa) using an exclusion fence permeable to small scavenger species (mainly Egyptian mongoose Herpestes ichneumon, common genet Genetta genetta, and stone marten Martes foina). The exclusion of dominant facultative scavengers led to a significant reduction in the amount of carrion consumed and an increase in carrion available for smaller species and decomposers, over a longer period of time. Although carrion consumption by the non-excluded species increased inside the exclusion area relative to the control area, it was insufficient to compensate for the carrion not eaten by the dominant scavengers. Of the small scavenger species, only the Egyptian mongoose significantly increased its carrion consumption in the exclusion area, and was the main beneficiary of the exclusion of dominant facultative scavengers. Therefore, altering the facultative scavenger community in Mediterranean woodlands can reduce the efficiency of small carcass removal and benefit other opportunistic species, such as the Egyptian mongoose, by increasing the carrion available to them. This interaction could have substantial implications for disease transmission, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem function.

New data on the location of the snow leopard Panthera uncia (Schreber, 1775) and the stone marten Martes foina (Erxleben, 1777) in the Katon-Karagai State National Natural Park (Kazakhstan Altai)

The article provides new data on the location and distribution of the snow leopard Panthera uncia and the stone marten Martes foina in the Katon-Karagai State National Natural Park (South-Western Altai, Eastern Kazakhstan). The data were obtained using camera traps.

The daily activity of breech martes (Martes foina Erxleben, 1777) in different parts of the «Kachaghakaberd» national park

The work presents the peculiarities of the activity of the beech martens of "Kachaghakaberd" National Park in the territories of Martakert, Askeran, Shahumyan and Kashatagh regions of Artsakh in 2002-2020. The observations carried out by us showed that there are no marked deviations within the area. However, deviations are recorded at different times of the day and in different seasons of the year. Studies show that the breech martens are mostly active during dusk and night; however they may also be active during the mornings and throughout the day. Higher activity is observed during daylight hours in spring, which is due to the spring mating of animals and in winter, which, in our opinion, is due to the compensation of low activity because of the night frosts. Changes in the nature of the activity of these beasts are conditioned by large predators, climatic and anthropogenic factors. As a result of the observations we found out that in summer at the temperature of +33 - +35 oC and in winter at the temperature of -15 - -22 oC their activity is lost. In summer they are more frequently encountered when the temperature is +23 - +25 0C, meanwhile in winter, they are encountered if the temperature is not below -8 - -130C. One of the factors affecting the activity of Breech martens is the stress, resulted from the economic activities, that sometimes causes extinction.

TRICHINELLOSIS OF THE STONE MARTEN (MARTES FOINA) IN CENTRAL RUSSIA

Over the past 5 years, research has been carried out in natural biocenosis on the stone marten (Martes foina) infected with the pathogen of trichinellosis in Central Russia. Biological material for research was collected in hunting farms, reserves and "green zones" of the Central Region of Russia (the Vladimir, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Tula, Ryazan, Oryol and Bryansk regions) during the opening of amateur sports hunting for fur animals from 2017 to 2021. Diagnostics and isolation of helminth larvae from animal muscle tissue samples were performed by the compressor trichinelloscopy and digestion in artificial gastric juice. The degree of host invasion with helminth and invasion intensity were determined. A total of 35 animals were studied. As a result of studies, the infection rate of helminthozoonosis in animals was from 8.3 to 40.0%. The intensity of invasion was recorded between 2 and 39 larvae in 1 g of diaphragm muscle tissue. Trichinella invasion among martens was observed equally in both males and females. The largest percentage of the invasive form of the helminthiasis pathogen occurred in animals older than 2 years. The adverse situation of helminthozoonosis among fur animals was noted in the Ryazan region.

Identification of a Novel Papillomavirus Type (MfoiPV1) Associated with Acrochordon in a Stone Marten (Martes foina)

Papillomaviruses (PVs) are an extremely large group of viruses that cause skin and mucosal infections in humans and various domestic and wild animals. Nevertheless, there is limited knowledge about PVs in wildlife hosts, including mustelid species. This study describes a case in stone marten (Martes foina) with a clinical manifestation of skin tumor, which is rather atypical for infections with PVs. The result of the papillomavirus PCR performed on the skin tumor sample was positive, and the complete PV genome was determined in the studied sample using next-generation sequencing technology. The analysis of the PV genome revealed infection of the stone marten with a putative new PV type belonging to the Dyonupapillomavirus genus. The proposed new stone marten PV type was named MfoiPV1.