Refinements on the fauna of shell-bearing prosobranch gastropods in the southern part of the Kara Sea

On the basis of material from the ZIN collection, as well as literature data, the species composition, taxonomic and biogeographic structure of the prosobranch gastropod fauna in the southern part of the Kara Sea were clarified. The analysis of the peculiarities of the distribution of gastropods of the Kara Sea by depth, temperature and salinity has been carried out. It has been established that the species composition of this fauna is extremely poor in comparison with other Arctic seas. It contains around 90 species belonging to 16 families. But at least 10 percent of them are represented by only single finds made on the border of the Kara Sea with other water areas. Therefore, it remains to be determined whether these species belong to the mollusk fauna of the Kara Sea. The biogeographic structure of the fauna turned out to be opposite to that described in the literature. Boreal species are absent, and the proportion of Atlantic species is much lower than that of the Pacific. It was also found that these two groups prefer different depths and are partially separated in space. The reasons for the separation of different biogeographical groups of gastropods in space and depth are not clear. It is assumed that the southern and northern parts of the sea are different faunal regions.

Carex ×payettei, a new hybrid of Carex sect. Racemosae described from subarctic Quebec, Canada (Cyperaceae)

A new hybrid is described between two boreal species of Carex sect. Racemosae, the North American Carex atratiformis and the circumboreal Carex media, under the name of Carex ×payettei. It is reported in Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada), in nine localities within the Forest Tundra and Open Boreal Forest zones. It is intermediate in morphology between the parental species and is not completely sterile, frequently producing fruits. Pollen stainability of the hybrid varied between 10% and 37% while its parents display values above 95%.

New northern records of Entoloma with three new species of subgenus Rhodopolia and typification of E. nidorosum

Three hemiboreal or boreal species of <em>Entoloma</em> subg. <em>Rhodopolia</em>, <em>E. fluviale</em>, <em>E. quercetorum</em> and <em>E. uvidicola</em>, are described as new based on molecular and morphological data. <em>Entoloma nidorosum</em> is neotypified. New records of <em>E. boreale</em>, <em>E. caeruleopolitum</em>, <em>E. holmvassdalenense</em>, <em>E. lupinum</em>, <em>E. paragaudatum</em>, <em>E. pseudoconferendum</em>, <em>E. radicipes</em>, <em>E. rhodopolium</em> and <em>E. sphagneti</em> are presented from Finland and Sweden with ecological and morphological notices.

Dynamics of gamma diversity and abundance of diurnal butterflies (Lepidoptera, Papilionoformes) in the Nizhny Novgorod Region (Russia) under anthropogenic changes in landscapes over the last hundred years

The hundred-year dynamics of gamma diversity and butterflies’ abundance have been assessed for the first time in Russia for the Nizhny Novgorod Region. According to analyzed data, we forecast that no significant change in the number of 104 species of butterflies is expected, the number of 33 species in the near future is likely to increase, and the number of 11 species will continue to decline in the near future. A decrease in abundance of 23 steppe and arcto-boreal species is also expected. The reasons for the decrease in the number of species are considered, supported by the long-term monitoring dataset. Extrapolation of our conclusions for Russian regions with similar conditions (Kirov, Ivanovsk, Vladimir, Kostroma, Penza, and Ulyanovsk regions and the Republics of Mari El, Chuvash, and Mordovia), taking into account the natural conditions of these areas, seems applicable and promising.

Some repeated inventory results of the Putorana plateau vascular flora

Resulting generalization of herbarium and literature data and our own observations, a list of vascular plants growing on Putorana plateau territory was compiled, including 736 species (without adventive). The history of the plateau flora study since the 70s of the last century is described. The analysis of geographical and ecological-coenotic structure of the flora is carried out, according to the results of which it can be attributed to the hypoarctic type. The cluster analysis of the flora let to distinguish 3 clusters within the territory – the eastern one, with the flora of the moderately hypoarctic subtype, the central one and the southwestern one, the flora of which belongs to the hypoarcto-boreal subtype. Considerations concerning the history of the formation of the plateau flora are presented. Plant invasion on the Putorana plateau occurred both from the north, where Arctic species penetrated into the highlands, and from the south and west – these are boreal species mainly of the Eurasian and Asian fractions. A certain role in the formation of the flora is played by historical factors, especially the impact of the occurrence and melting of glaciations, which differ in different parts of the plateau.

Diversity of boreal small species of Cortinarius subgenus Telamonia with Salix

This work presents the genetic and morphological diversity of small <em>Cortinarius</em> subgenus <em>Telamonia</em> species found from moist <em>Salix</em> thickets in Finland. The boreal fungi were compared with several type and other specimens from the alpine zone or similar habitats from the temperate zone. The boreal and alpine zones had many common species: nearly all boreal species grew in the alpine zone with dwarf <em>Salix</em>. The species often had wide distributions, extending to North America. The genetic analyses consisted of ITS and RPB2 sequences. Both genetic and morphological variation was high. The species formed complexes, where the boundaries among species were often obscure. Very close sibling species were delimited based on differences at the same sites. Twenty-three boreal species were recognized. Four of them are described here as new: <em>C. paulus</em> and <em>C. paululus</em> as sibling species to <em>C. pauperculus</em> J.Favre, <em>C. rusticelloides</em> as a sibling species to <em>C. rusticellus</em> J.Favre, and <em>C. vienoi</em> as a sibling species to <em>C. perzonatus</em> Reumaux. <em>Cortinarius sagarum</em>, a sibling species to <em>C. comatus</em> J.Favre and <em>C. vulpicolor</em> M.M.Moser & McKnight, is described as new from arctic-alpine zones.