The features of the biotopic distribution of Orthoptera insects in the Adon-Chelon terrain (Daursky Nature Reserve, Southern Transbaikalia)

The features of the species composition and abundance of orthoptera insects (Insecta, Orthoptera) in different stations of the Adon-Chelon locality (Daursky Biosphere Reserve, south-eastern Transbaikalia) were studied. The differences in these parameters were revealed for Orthoptera communities inhabiting different stations. The differences in the Orthoptera fauna were noted in comparison with previous studies, which may be associated with cyclical climatic changes characteristic of Southern Transbaikalia.

FAUNA AND BIOTOPIC DISTRIBUTION OF WEEVILS (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONOIDEA) OF THE TALOVSKAYA STEPPE SITE OF THE ORENBURG STATE NATURE RESERVE

Based on research results 2018-2020 the species composition was established and the analysis of the fauna of weevils (Curculionoidea) of the Talovskaya steppe site of the Orenburg natural reserve was carried out. The research area is located in the very south-west of the Orenburg region near the border with Kazakhstan, in the subzone of the southern steppes of the East of the Russian Plain. 199 species of weevils from 4 families were identified (27 % of the fauna of the Orenburg region). Of these, 9 species are first reported for the fauna of the Orenburg Province. The characteristic features of the weevil fauna of the Talovskaya steppe are: a high proportion of Central Palaearctic species (35 %) (with an insignificant participation of Western Palaearctic forms); a sharp predominance of species of the subboreal complex (steppe and desert-steppe) (58 %) (with a very small number of forest species) and a noticeable proportion of species of the halophilic complex. The data presented in the article allow us to consider the fauna of the Talovskaya steppe as a typical southern steppe fauna. It is characterized by a fairly high species richness and the presence of a number of rare species. This is confirmed by the importance of the protected area for the preservation of the peculiar natural complexes of the southwestern outskirts of Obshchy Syrt.

Population of small terrestrial vertebrates of the nature monument “Cheuskinsky bor” (Khanty-Mansi autonomous okrug – Yugra)

There are 25 specially protected natural areas of various status have been organized on the territory of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug Ugra. Despite their great nature conservation value, the degree of study of flora and fauna, as well as the ecology of plants and animals in the territory of most of them, remains relatively low. Until now, special studies of small terrestrial vertebrates inhabiting the Cheuskinsky Bor have been carried out. In 2020, our research of small terrestrial vertebrates were carried out. The purpose of the study is to identify the species composition and some features of ecology (abundance, biotopic distribution) of small mammals, amphibians and reptiles. The research was carried out in July-September 2020. Metal cones were used to catch most of the vertebrate species. A total of 7400 cone-days have been worked out. 10 species of small mammals and 3 of amphibians are registered. The species composition of small mammals at the Cheuskinsky Bor site is relatively poor, 10 species were captured by cones, 3 were marked visually. The group of dominants included the common shrew and the red-backed vole. They accounted for 22% and 77%, respectively, of all recorded animals. Reptiles in the 2020 season were not registered in the counts, however, according to the literature, the habitat of the common European adder and viviparous lizard is known. Among amphibians, the moor frog and Siberian salamander are rare, the European toad is common. In the future, when conducting annual studies, the list of small mammals can be supplemented by 714 species of insectivores, bats and rodents, the list of amphibians 1 species.

Additions to the list of bird species in the Shushensky Bor National Park

This work includes additions to the existing annotated list of birds of the Shushensky Bor National Park, given in the book by ornithologist S.Yu. Petrov and senior state inspector S.V. Chumakov Birds of the Shushensky Bor National Park, published in 2020 in an electronic form. The paper provides general data on the avifauna of the national park, as well as the results of recent studies as of early 2021. The paper provides information on the sightings of 11 bird species that were not previously recorded in the park as a whole: Ptyonoprogne rupestris (Scopoli, 1769); Turdus merula (Linnaeus, 1758); Monticola saxatilis (Linnaeus, 1766); Ficedula hypoleuca (Pallas, 1764) аnd on individual cluster sites Mountain forestry: Podiceps cristatus (Linnaeus, 1758); Crex crex (Linnaeus, 1758); Charadrius dubius (Scopoli, 1786); Turdus obscurus J.F. Gmelin, 1789; Turdus iliacus (Linnaeus, 1766) and Perovsky forestry: Lanius borealis [excubitor] (Vieillot, 1807); Chloris chloris (Linnaeus, 1758), indicating the nature of their stay and biotopic distribution. The paper is illustrated with photographs taken on the territory of both clusters of the national park by employees of the Shushensky Bor National Park and by local birdwatchers.

Biotopic distribution and abundance of the Altai mole (Talpa altaica Nikolsky, 1883) on the left bank of the Middle Ob

The studies were conducted on the territory of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug Yugra (Surgutskiy District) in 20182020 in the Surgut natural wildlife reserve and in 2020 in the vicinity of the Kamennyi Cape ski resort on the left bank of the middle Ob. The paper notes the poor knowledge of the distribution of the Altai mole in the forest zone of Western Siberia, especially on the northern and western borders of the range. Hence, there is almost complete lack of information on its biology and ecology in the area. The Altai mole was collected while counting other small mammals using trapping grooves and guiding fences made of polyethylene membrane; a total of 43 individuals were counted. As in other parts of the forest zone of Western Siberia, the Altai mole near the northern border of the range the left bank of the Middle Ob is confined to mixed and small-leaved forests with rich undergrowth and grassy layer. During the observation period, the maximum abundance of the Altai mole was in 2019. In 2018 and 2020 its abundance was 26 times lower. One of the reasons for such fluctuations can be abiotic factors, in particular, the difference in winter temperature conditions, the height of the snow cover and others. Information about freezing of both Talpa europaea Linnaeus, 1758, and Talpa altaica Nikolsky, 1883, moles during little snowy harsh winters is known.

Nesting features of the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) in conditions of Kamianets-Podilskyi

Research on the biotopic distribution, abundance, and specific nesting features of the European red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) was carried out from October 2016 until May 2017 in the entire area of Kamianets-Podilskiy (Khmelnitskiy Oblast, Ukraine). By its construction type and tree vegetation, the following biotopes were singled out in the town area: one-storey buildings, multi-storey buildings, mixed housing types, parks, industrial area, the Smotrych river’s canyon, and gardening area. In total, 272 nests of the European red squirrel were registered, including 89 nests in parks (32.7 % of the total number of nests), 79 in the industrial area (29.0 %), 49 in the mixed housing area (18.0 %), 19 in the area of multi-storey buildings (7.0 %), 13 in the area of one-storey buildings (4.8 %), 12 in the gardening area (4.4 %), and 11 in the canyon of the Smotrych river (4.0 %). In Kamianets-Podilskiy and its surroundings, 178 178 pairs of the European red squirrel were recorded, what makes up 65.4 % of the number of registered nests. The population density (pair/km2) of the red squirrel in Kamianets-Podilskiy is 6.4 pairs/km2. The highest density was observed in the forest-park area (43.3 pairs/km2), in the canyon of the Smotrych river (10.7 pairs/km2), and in the area multi-storey buildings (9.1 pairs/km2). Squirrel nests were observed on 21 tree species, including the linden Тіlіа sp., the asp Populus sp., the chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum, the sycamore tree Acer tataricum, the field maple Асеr саmреstrе, the elm tree Ulmus laevis, the sweet cherry Prunus sp., the maple Acer negundo, the fir tree Рісеа sp., the walnut tree Juglans regia, the horn beech Саrріnus bеculus, the willow Salix alba, the acacia Robinia pseudoacacia, the ash tree Frахіnus ехсеlsіоr, the birch tree Betula sp., the poplar Populus sp., the pyramidal poplar Populus pyramidalis, the cedar Thuja occidentalis, the Norway maple Acer platanoides, the honey locust Gleditsia triacanthos, and the oak Quеrсus rоbur. Most nests were located on the pyramidal poplar (24.1 %), linden (19.7 %), and Norway maple (13.7 %), while the least number of nests was found on the fir tree (0.8 %) and chestnut (0.8 %). The European red squirrel usually arranges its nests at the height of 3.5 m to 23 m, in average 9.3 m. The specific features of location of squirrel nests depend on the tree species (the highest nests being located on the ash tree, pyramidal poplar, and the lowest nests being on the fir tree and cedar). The squirrel mostly arranges its nests at whorls usually made up of 3–4 branches (51.9 %), near the trunk (32.7 %), on the branches (13.0 %) and between trunks (2.4 %).

The mound-building mouse (Mus spicilegus) in Western Podillia: expansion on the left bank of the Dnister

New findings of the mound-building mouse on the left bank of the Dniester in the interfluve of its tributaries—the Dzhuryn and the Nichlava (Chortkiv Raion, Ternopil Oblast)—are described. The presence of Mus spicilegus was established based on findings of food stocks common for this species in the form of mounds, which are easy to detect in the field and which can be clearly diagnosed. Both single mounds and their clusters were taken into account. The specifics of biotopic distribution, formation of food reserves, and the role in trophic chains of this species under conditions of the studied region are indicated. The mound-building mouse is one of the few rodent species that maintain a high abundance under conditions of intensive agriculture, which involves mechanical tillage several times a year and a significant level of chemical use. The distribution of the studied species is influenced primarily by two factors: the level of agricultural techniques in agricultural production (arable farming and crop care, quality of harvesting) and the distance from uncultivated areas. The mound-building mouse usually inhabits agricultural lands with a low level of agriculture (minimal chemicalization and mechanical tillage). These are lands allocated for private gardening or farming. Such lands have increased weeds and crop losses during harvesting, which creates a rich food base. After harvesting, such lands usually do not undergo long-term tillage. Results show that the settlement of arable lands comes from natural or other uncultivated areas, where the nuclei of populations are concentrated. In autumn, under the above favourable conditions, population growth is observed in adjacent cultivated lands, where winter food reserves are formed in the form of characteristic mounds. On large-area crops of monocultures cultivated by large agricultural firms, mounds are usually absent. The level of agro-technical pressure on the same area varies from year to year. This causes temporary instability in the appearance of mounds. They disappear where anthropogenic impact has re-emerged significantly and re-appear where there has been a weakening. The role of the mound-building mouse in trophic chains and in maintaining regional biodiversity is shown.

Macrospatial structure and biodiversity of bat communities (Chiroptera) of the European fauna in the forest-steppe habitat

Twelve bat species of seven genera of the family Vespertilionidae were studied in conditions of the Central Forest-steppe of Ukraine (Myotis nattereri, M. daubentonii, M. dasycnemе, Barbastella barbastellus, Plecotus auritus, Pl. аustriacus, Pipistrellus pуgmaeus, P. kuhlii, P. nathusii, Nyctalus noctula, N. leisleri, Vespertilio murinus, and Eptesicus serotinus). The data were collected during decade-long surveys (2007–2016) in the Central Forest-Steppe (Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, and Kyiv Oblasts, Ukraine) at 23 localities. The census route included 680 km walked along the surveyed territory. The species composition of different habitats was determined during faunal and indoor surveys, when a certain type of landscape changes to another, and also by comparing the species composition of communities in different types of habitats. For species diversity comparison, five types of habitats were selected: forest (W), towns and villages (A-W), wood lines and fields (F-W), wetland areas (A-W), and fores parks (W-P). The analysis of record localities of bats and the character of their biotopic distribution shows that most species prefer floodplains with trees (wetland areas (A-W) and forest parks (W-P)), where the maximum number of species was noted. Quite high diversity was also noted for settlements (T-W). Based on abundance, a noticeable decrease of the diversity index occurs during the transfer from the area of wetland types to fields and wood lines. Due to the character of differences between groups of local bat species, relative to spatial distribution of species on topical and trophic levels, the performed analyses helped us to outline four groups of species. The first group includes species united by open type habitats (N. noctula and N. leisleri). The second group comprises V. murinus, E. serotinus, P. pуgmaeus, and P. kuhlii, which are very hard to relate to a separate type of locality. The third group includes species that prefer closed habitats: M. nattereri, M. daubentonii, Pl. auritus, P. nathusii, and B. barbastellus. The fourth group comprises M. dasycnemе, a species that is relatively rare in the studied territory and is related to lakes and slow flowing water bodies.

Myrmecofauna (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of the yew-boxwood grove (Western Caucasus, Russia)

The data on the fauna and biotopic distribution of ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in the yew-boxwood grove of the Caucasian State Natural Biosphere Reserve are presented. A total of 27 ant species were identified, belonging to 17 genera of 4 subfamilies (Dolichoderinae, Ponerinae, Formicinae, and Myrmicinae). The genera – Lasius F. and Temnothorax Mayr are the richest and include 5 species each. For the yew-boxwood grove, all species of ants are presented for the first time.