The longhorn beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of National Park «Kremenetski Hory»

The fauna of the longhorn beetles of ecoregion of Kremenetski Hory and the eponymous National Park was studied very poorly. In the most recent catalogue of Cerambycidae of Western Podillya it was listed only 13 species for the ecoregion. Including other sources, to date, it was known 17 species of the longhorn beetles. In the current study we identified 59 species of the longhorn beetles, 42 of which are reported for the first time for National Park «Kremenetski Hory» and the ecoregion in general. Under our proposed prediction the Cerambycidae species richness should reach 100-120 species. We also presented result of quantitative study of the longhorn beetles within different types of ecosystems of National Park «Kremenetski Hory». We revealed that 10 species are the most abundant on the studied territory.

Influence of beech forests fragmentation of Stilsky Hillside on their microclimatic parameters

Estimation of changes in the microclimatic parameters of beech forests of the Stilsky Hillside, by measuring the water-temperature indicators of the soil regime and bryoindication, were performed. Fragmentation of forest causes significant changes in microclimatic parameters in bondary habitats areas, which leads to both biodiversity loss and a decrease of the unchanged forest areas. In fragmented beech forests, the influence of the edge effect on the water-temperature regime of soils is observed within a distance of 20-40 meters, but the eco-floristic structure of nemoral moss vegetation is stabilized only at a distance from 160 m. Thus, bryobiontes are a shown to be a sensitive marker of the microclimatic regime changes in a fragmented ecosystem. In the studied beeches Metzgeria furcata, Radula complanata, Anomodon attenuatus, A. viticulosus, Cirriphyllum crassinervium are indicators of the "interior forest". The determined amplitude of the edge effect indicates the fragmentation as a crucial factor on the small areas of forest and its role in the loss of climate-sensitive groups of biota, primarily mosses.

Finds of the ant-lion Dendroleon pantherinus (Fabricius, 1787) (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae) in Transcarpathia

These findings of Dendroleon pantherinus allow to expand modern ideas about its distribution in Ukraine and supplement the list of regional insect fauna of the Transcarpathian region with another species of reticulate, which is among the rare in the fauna of Europe. We also recommend this species for the new edition of the Red Book of Ukraine. Preservation of habitats, namely areas with old hollow trees, will help preserve populations. Formally, D. pantherinus is protected as part of the natural ecosystem of the Berehiv Hills Reserve.

Aspects of the methodology of plant populations research (by means of the example of rare species)

In this work basic concepts and problematic issues of modern population ecology of plants are considered. Quite different views on many aspects of terminology and research methodology one can observed in the scientific literature. Basic terms such as: «vitality», «age structure», «ontogenetic structure», «self-renewal», «strategy», «regeneration niche», «buffering», population size establishment, etc can be interpreted differently, which causes significant discrepancies in research methodology, and thus are reflected in the interpretation of results. The population is considered as an indivisible and unique set of individuals of one species, which is characterized by self-reproduction while maintaining its main properties. The statemen concerning the population as a unit of biodiversity accountability is justified. The study of strategy, intra-population diversity, viability and mechanisms of self-recovery has shown that the existence of populations for a long time is ensured by a certain structure. The structure of the population is a set of quantitative and qualitative components of its organization at the individual and group level, which characterize the structure and ensure the functioning of the population as a whole system. At the same time, establishing which structural elements play a leading role in the changed environmental conditions continues to be an urgent task for species of different life forms in the variety of conditions of their habitats. The example of isolated populations of rare species shows the most typical stages of structure change due to pessimization of living conditions: simplification of spatial structure, aging or pseudo-rejuvenation, reduction of vitality of individuals and population loci, reduction of self-sufficiency and reproduction, simplification and reduction of ontogenesis of individuals, predominance of death rate over birth rate, reduction of area, number and density, cessation of formation of generative individuals, cessation of undergrowth replenishment, reduction of vegetative reproduction, loss of population viability. An integral characteristic that reflects the current state of the population based on the most important individual and group parameters of structure, growth, development and reproduction is the vitality of the population. Intrapopulation structural components - population loci of reproduction - are of the greatest importance in preserving the viability of populations and ensuring the prospects of their existence in the event of adverse changes in the environment. Among population structures, the highest dynamic endurance and stability of functioning for a long time under different conditions of natural and anthropogenically altered environment were found in metapopulations. Understanding of the processes taking place on the verge of existence of the population during its emergence, and especially during the period of its loss of viability and extinction, is extremely important. However, there are still not so many researches aimed at revealing the patterns of behavior of populations during these most vulnerable periods of their long life cycle.

Rove beetles (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) from the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve in collections of State Museum of Natural History (Lviv, Ukraine)

The collection of the rove beetles (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) in State Museum of Natural History (Lviv), National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine is one of the richest and most famous collections of Ukraine. A great part of this collection consists of dry mounted specimens (about 5000) including about 700 species. This material is partly mounted, reordered, and catalogued. In this paper, we present a checklist of these specimens collected by several generations of entomologists in the 20-21th centuries from the territory and surrounding areas of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve (according to the labels). In general, there are 287 Staphylinidae specimens of 24 species of 16 genera and 6 subfamily (Aleocharinae – 8 species, Omaliinae – 2 species, Oxytelinae – 1 species, Staphylininae – 11 species, Tachyporinae – 2 species). Leptusa flavicornis Brancsik, 1874 is recorded in Ukraine for the first time.

Spatial differentiation of land mollusc fauna in plain territories of Ukraine

The taxonomic and ecological composition of the autochthonous land mollusc fauna in different parts of the plain Ukraine was analyzed on the basis of the personal data, collection materials of the State Museum of Natural History of the NAS of Ukraine in Lviv as well as numerous literature sources. Excluding representatives of the genus Helicopsis, the taxonomy and species composition of which in the territory of Ukraine still require clarification, and the steppe part of the Crimean peninsula, in four landscape zones of Ukraine, currently, a total of 109 species of land molluscs, which are autochthonous for at least part of the analyzed territory, are registered. The maximum species diversity (103 species and 2 representatives of the genus Helicopsis) is recorded in the zone of deciduous forests, followed by the right-bank part of the forest-steppe zone. The smallest number of the autochthonous species of land molluscs was noted for the right-bank part of the steppe zone. Within the Ukrainian Polesie and the forest-steppe zone of Ukraine, the taxonomic diversity of land molluscs decreases from west to east. The number of the registered autochthonous species decreases, respectively, by 1.5 and 1.7 times, and the generic diversity by 1.3 and 1.5 times. In the steppe zone, the main centre of the species diversity is the Donetsk Upland, located in the east of the country. In taxonomic and ecological composition, land mollusc complexes of the right-bank part of the forest-steppe zone are closer to the zone of deciduous forests, in its left-bank part – to the left-bank steppe. In general, the spatial differentiation of land mollusc fauna in the plain territories of Ukraine is more strongly associated not with the boundaries of landscaped zones, but with the location of these territories with respect to the Dnieper bed and with some uplands, where the species diversity of land molluscs of the zone of deciduous forests and forest-steppe zone (Podolian Upland) and the steppe zone (Donetsk Upland) is concentrated.

Vertebrate fauna genesis in the Middle Paleozoic Podolian paleobasin

The formation of the Early Devonian ichthyofauna occurred under the combined influence of historical, paleogeographic and paleoecological factors. A consequence of evolutionary development at the beginning of the Devonian period arose a number of high-ranking taxa of sea vertebrates, which actively colonized the shallow water basins of new continent Laurussia. For representatives of local endemic faunas there was an opportunity to expand their habitats. There were exchanges of migrants between neighboring regional faunas. All this was accompanied by the evolution of ecosystems, the formation and development of new ecological niches. Early Devonian for most groups of vertebrates was marked by a sharp increase in the number of taxonomic units. The formation of Podillya regional ichthyofauna illustrates these trends of global biotic changes in that time.

Freshwater molluscs fauna of Western Ukraine and its representation in museum collections of Lviv

Based on the literary and personal data, as well as collections of the State Museum of Natural History of the NAS of Ukraine and the Zoological Museum of the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, the taxonomic composition and peculiarities of the spatial distribution of gastropods and bivalve molluscs in Western Ukraine have been analyzed. Species lists have been drawn up for the Volhynian (Western) Polissia, Volhynian Upland, Male Polissia, Roztochya and Opillya, Western Podillia, Central (Northern) Podillia, Prut-Dnister interfluve, Ciscarpathian, Transcarpathian lowland and mountainous part of the Ukrainian Carpathians. It is established that in the west of Ukraine, 74 autochthonous and 6 adventitious freshwater molluscs with generally recognized species status, belonging to 35 genera and 15 families, can be considered as reliably registered. Adventitious to Western Ukraine are Potamopyrgus antipodarum, Physella acuta, Menetus dilatatus, Dreissena polymorpha, D. bugensis, Sinanodonta woodiana. Additional confirmation requires the presence of Lithoglyphus pyramidatus, Omphiscola glabra, Physella heterostropha, Planorbis carinatus, Pisidium conventus, P. tenuilineatum. Not taking into account the Central Podillia, poorly researched by malacologists, a distinctly pronounced decrease in the species richness of freshwater molluscs is observed only in the mountainous part of the Ukrainian Carpathians (38 species, 17 genera, 8 families), with the presence of some specific components of freshwater molluscs complexes (small gastropods of the genera Bythinella і Paladilhiopsis). The richest taxonomic composition of freshwater molluscs was noted for Volhynian Polissia: 67 species, 29 genera, 15 families. It has been found that most freshwater molluscs are evenly distributed throughout the plain and foothill territories of Western Ukraine. Only few species can be considered as specific components of freshwater malacocomplexes for one of the physical-geographical areas or river basins. A number of species that are not present in the malacological collection of SMNH NASU, as well as the territories poorly represented in it, have been identified. The results obtained will be taken into account when further collecting the museum collection.

Estimation the impact of the linear form of recreation on the properties of brown forest soils (for example NPP «Skolivski Beskydy», Ukrainian Carpathians)

The article analyses the impact of recreational loading on brown forest soils by physical, water-physical, agrochemical and biotic properties. It was found that the density of soil structure on the trails increased by 1.1-1.9 times and field soil moisture decreases by 1.8-1.9 times. In the initial stages of recreational degression, the humus content is recorded slightly higher compared to the control area, while on trails with a higher recreational load, on the contrary, decreases by more than 50%. Indicators of biotic activity is catalase activity of soil and biomass of soil biota. Depending on the stage of recreational regression, the indicators of biotic activity decreased by 25-60% compared with the control. As the criteria for estimating the impact of recreation activities on the soil: the width of the trail, the parallels trails, the density of the soil structure and the forest litter. Аccording to the results of field and laboratory studies: trail «Starovikovi lisy» are included in the I category and the trail «Dolynoyu richky Kamyanka» to the IV category, route «Skole-Parashka» – ІІІ category.

Addenda to the knowledge of the weevil fauna (Сoleoptera: Сurculionidae) of Ukraine and bionomy

Highly precise occurrence data for 13 poorly-known weevil species in Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk Provinces of Ukraine are given: Eubrychius velutus (Beck, 1817), Pelenomus velaris (Gyllenhal, 1827), Cotaster uncipes (Boheman, 1838), Anthonomus undulatus Gyllenhal, 1836, Orthochaetes setiger (Beck, 1817), Acallocrates colonnellii Bahr, 2003, Centricnemus leucogrammus (Germar, 1823), Humeromima rufipes (Boheman, 1834), Otiorhynchus pinastri (Herbst, 1795), Paophilus afflatus (Boheman, 1833), Stomodes gyrosicollis Boheman, 1842, Adexius scrobipennis Gyllenhal, 1834, Neoplinthus tigratus porcatus (Panzer, 1798). Eubrychius velutus, Anthonomus undulatus and Acallocrates colonnellii are recorded from Ukraine for the first time. Cotaster uncipes (Boheman, 1838) firstly documented since 1941 and firstly recorded from Lviv Province and Ciscarpathian region.