SHADING AND LIGHT INTERCEPTION IN THICKETS OF INVASIVE ACER NEGUNDO AND SORBARIA SORBIFOLIA

The aim of the work is to establish how greatly the light conditions change under the leaf canopy of two invasive plant species in the Middle Urals - Acer negundo and Sorbaria sorbifolia . In June - August 2020, using a portable light meter, 8370 measurements of illumination were performed in forest parks (at a height of 1.5 and 0.5 m, i.e. above and below the canopy of the leaves of the invasive shrub S. sorbifolia and the native shrub Rubus idaeus ; in random points under the canopies of Pinus sylvestris ; on glades, paths and forest edges) and in urban habitats (at a height of 1.5 m and 0.5 m in dense thickets of the invasive tree A. negundo and other tree species). The average illumination intensity was as following: under S. sorbifolia - 4 ± 1 lux × 10; under R. idaeus - 7 ± 1 lux × 10; in A. negundo thickets - 13 ± 2 lux × 10; in thickets of other tree species - 25 ± 4 lux × 10; under the canopies of urban pine forests - 80 ± 10 lux × 10; in the forest edges - 96 ± 14 lux × 10. In dense thickets, A. negundo intercepts about 94% of the light falling on its canopies, S. sorbifolia - about 93%. This is significantly higher than the light interception level in habitats used as control: other tree species canopies of greatly urbanized habitats intercept about 89%, the thickets of R. idaeus - about 82%. Thus, invasive plants reduce the amount of light available to other plant species in communities significantly more than native plants.

BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS: THE EUROPEAN SMELT OSMERUS EPERLANUS (L.) AND THE MICROSPORIDIAN GLUGEA HERTWIGI WEISSENBERG, 1911

The paper presents the phenomenology of the smelt Osmerus eperlanus and the microsporidian Glugea hertwigi invasion into a new habitat - Lake Syamozero (Karelia), where neither of the species occurred before. The invasion history falls into 4 phases. The first, latent phase started with a spontaneous invasion of the lake by smelt and lasted until the first fish showed up in catches (1968-1970). The second phase (1971 to 1980) was the invader number outbreak. The smelt became the dominant species in the fish community, while the native plankton-feeder, the vendace Coregonus albula, became an endangered species. The third phase (1980 to 1991) was the population outbreak of the microsporidian Glugea hertwigi, and development of an epizootic. The fourth phase (since 1991 until present) is the decreasing of the number of the invasive species - the smelt and the microsporidian Glugea hertwigi and the recovery of the native vendace population.

DISTRIBUTION AND BIOLOGY OF INVASIVE SPECIES OF BEAN BRUCHID ACANTHOSCELIDES OBTECTUS (INSECTA, COLEOPTERA, BRUCHIDAE)

The review of literary sources on ecology, biology, distribution of bean bruchid ( Acanthoscelides obtectus ) and its main food plant - Phaseolus vulgaris in North and South America; Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and more details in Russia; the influence of abiotic, biotic and anthropogenic factors on the invasive process, phytosanitary condition of common bean crops in Russia is presented. Some aspects of the invader management are shown. The main stages and areas of cultivation of common bean and invasion of bean bruchid from their primary habitat in South America and in the south of North America are traced; the vectors and reasons causing them are considered. In Russia, the economic importance of bean bruchid has increased since the mid-1980s, which coincided with the climate warming; there was an expansion of its distribution in the eastern and north-western directions. At the last decades of the 20th century, it had penetrated in Smolensk and in the south part of the Tver and the Tomsk regions. With the increase in production of beans in Russia, the lack of systemic protection from bean bruchid and further increase of climate warming will contribute to the extension of its range to the north in the European part of Russia and the Urals to 57-58° N. Lat., where the conditions of the summer period are favorable for development of common bean and bean bruchid. To the east, it may spread to Tyva, Buryatia, the Trans-Baikal territory, the Amur region, the Jewish Autonomous region, and the southern part of the Khabarovsk territory. With the introduction of strict internal quarantine and a system of protection of common bean from this pest, which prevents the spread of infected dry bean, on the contrary, it is possible to reduce the distribution range of the bean bruchid, with its disappearance in the Siberian, Ural districts, Bashkortostan and Tatarstan.

HARMONIA AXYRIDIS (PALLAS, 1773) (COLEOPTERA: COCCINELLIDAE) IN MOSCOW CITY AND YALTA CITY: ITS COMPETITION WITH NATIVE SPECIES OF COCCINELLIDS AND THE INFLUENCE OF PARASITOIDS ON ITS NUMBER

The Asian ladybird Harmonia axyridis is an invasive species that is rapidly spreading around the world. Occupying new territories, H. axyridis often causes a decrease in the biodiversity of native species of coccinellids, competing with them for food resources. A comparison of H. axyridis with six species of ladybirds was made in terms of the ratio of the number of individuals and the degree of infestation with parasitoids. In Moscow city, the most widespread species of ladybirds was Adalia bipunctata (67.1%), H. axyridis ranks second (16.5%). The total infestation of H. axyridis pupae with parasitoids is 1.8% in Moscow city and 12.2% in Yalta city. Infestation with parasitoids of other ladybird species in Moscow city is much higher: from 11.0% to 36.4%. Thus, parasitoids effectively regulate the number of native ladybird species, but have an insignificant effect on the number of the invasive species H. axyridis .

PROPAGATION, TROPHIC CONNECTION AND PHENOLOGY OF METCALFA PRUINOSA (SAY, 1830) (AUCHENORRHYNCHA: HEMIPTERA) IN N.N. GRYSHKO NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDEN OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF UKRAINE

In May 2016, larvae of the invasive species Metcalfa pruinosa (Say, 1830) were recorded for the first time on the territory of the botanical-geographic area ‘The Far East’ in the N.N. Gryshko National Botanical Garden, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kyiv. During five years of observations, the insect managed to expand its range to other areas of the Botanical Garden and adjacent territories, where it reached a high population density. It is still the northernmost point of the insect’s detection on the territory of Ukraine. The range of M. pruinosa host plants was examined. The species lives on a large number of ornamental and synanthropic plants, fruit and vegetable crops which belong to 80 species from 55 families. The most susceptible to colonization by citrus cicada are: Rosaceae - 18 species, Aceraceae - 5 species, Oleacea e - 4 plant species. It has been found out that M. pruinosa has one generation per year. In the first decade of May, the appearance of cicada larvae is observed. The first adults are recorded in early or mid-July, depending on the meteorological conditions of the year. The complete disappearance of adults is observed at the end of August. The insect's development is limited by a minimum air temperature of 17-20 °С. In the future, it is necessary to monitor and analyze comprehensively those various factors that may affect the emergence, propagation, and survival of M. pruinosa on new territories.

DISTRIBUTION OF ALIEN ZOOBENTHIC SPECIES ON THE SHELF OF THE BLACK SEA

The number of alien species in the zoobenthos of the Black Sea increased up to 65 species. Depending on the scale of their distribution in the Black Sea, non-native zoobenthos species are combined into three groups: 1) 5 species have spread in the entire sea, 2) 35 species were found in several areas, and 3) 25 species were found only in one of the areas of the sea. Six areas of the Black Sea shelf have been identified (Varna - Burgas, Danube, Northwestern, Crimean, Caucasian and Anatolian) in accordance with the seasonal and annual values of the thermohaline characteristics. The zoobenthos differed not only in quantity, but also in the composition of non-native species between the six areas of the shelf. The results of multivariate statistical analysis revealed a low level of similarity between these areas of the Black Sea shelf. The greatest similarity in the composition of alien species of zoobenthos was observed for the Danube region with the Varna and Burgas bays, which border each other. The species composition of the alien species of the Caucasian shelf was more similar to the Varna - Burgas and Danube areas than to the neighboring Crimean and Anatolian areas. Spatial gradients of temperature and salinity form hydrological fronts of water masses, which are a kind of ecological barriers and can limit the natural exchange of alien species between shelf areas.

DISTRIBUTION OF ALIEN SPECIES OF MACROZOOBENTHOS AND THE SPECIES COENOTIC COMPLEXES IN THE KAMA RESERVOIRS

The results of studies on the distribution of alien species in macrozoobenthic communities in the reservoirs of the Kama River cascade are provided. Twenty five alien species of the Ponto-Caspian and Ponto-Azov origins and 1 species - a representative of the Lake Baikal fauna - were registered. Differences in the species composition and structural characteristics of invaders of macrozoobenthos in the Kama and Volga reservoirs were shown. It was noted that mollusks of the genus Dreissena dominate in biomass in most of the studied biotopes. Three types of coenotic complexes of alien species have been identified: psammorelophilic profundal, characteristic for the Nizhnekamsk Reservoir and the Volgo-Kamsky and Kamsky reaches of the Kuibyshev Reservoir; the psammorelophilic coastal in Nizhnekamsk Reservoir; and the psammorelophilic coastal in Votkinsk and Kama reservoirs.

PRELIMINARY ESTIMATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF CYDALIMA PERSPECTALIS INVASION ON THE SPECIES COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE OF EARTHWORM POPULATION (OLIGOCHAETA: LUMBRICIDAE, ACANTHODRILIDAE) IN THE RANGE OF BUXUS SEMPERVIRENS (WESTERN CAUCASUS)

The earthworm fauna and population structure in Colchic ecosystems of the southern slope in the Western Caucasus were studied. First, in May 2013 we have sampled earthworms of the forest communities. This research was repeated in 2018 after Buxus sempervirens L. destruction by Cydalima perspectalis Walker (Lepidoptera, Crambidae). Altogether 13 earthworm species were registered in the soils of original B. sempervirens phytocenose and derived phytocenoses of the Western Caucasus. Endemicity of earthworms in the study area was higher than in most regions of Russia. The earthworm samples in 2013 and 2018 were similar in species composition, but differed in terms of dominant species. The structure of the earthworm population in the soils of the secondary phytocenoses has become closer to the earthworm communities of the other forests in the Western Caucasus. Analysis of the relative position of taxocenes in 2013 and 2018 space NMDS model, allows to put forward a hypothesis about the reduction of their total "ecological niche" after the disappearance of B. sempervirens . We believe that a broader “ecological niche” in 2013 is associated with a greater mosaicism (diversity) of the worm habitat formed by boxwood communities.

FIRST FINDING OF SOLIDAGO × NIEDEREDERI IN TULA OBLAST (EUROPEAN PART OF RUSSIA)

Invasive plant species Solidago canadensis , widespread in Russia, occasionally forms hybrids S. × niederederi with the native species S. virgaurea . Previous findings of this hybrid were known mainly for the North-Western regions of Russia. Plants, morphologically similar to S. × niederederi, were found in August 2020 in the city of Aleksin in the Tula region. The hybrid origin of these plants was proved by the analysis of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1-2 (ITS1-2). Analysis of the chloroplast non-coding intergenic spacer rpl 32- trn L showed that both parent species could act as both maternal and paternal ones in the same population. The available data suggest that individuals of S. × niederederi arise every time as a result of new hybridization events.

ALIEN SPECIES OF FISH HELMINTHS OF BELARUS

The article provides data on the species composition of alien helminth species, which infest introduced fish species in pond fish farms, and also the literature data on natural reservoirs of Belarus. Seven alien helminth species have been revealed in introduced fish in reservoirs of Belarus ( Khawia sinensis Hsü, 1935, Schyzocotyle acheilognathi (Yamaguti, 1934) , Caryophyllaeus fimbriceps Annenkova-Chlopina, 1919, Philometroides cyprini (Ishii, 1931), Dactylogyrus dulkeiti Bychowsky, 1936, Bothriocephalus claviceps (Goeze, 1782) , Anguillicola crassus Kuwahara 1974). All species of helminths excluding the nematode A.crassus and the cestode B.claviceps - parasites of the eels Anguilla anguilla , were introduced to Belarus with the seeding of Cyprinus carpio haematopterus (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Far East. The invasive species of helminths ( K. sinensis, S. acheilognathi, P. cyprini, A. crassus ), which affect fishery by causing the death of farmed fish, are singled out.