First results of the study of obligatorily myrmecophilous aphids (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aphididae) of south-eastern Belarus

Five species of obligatorily myrmecophilous aphids of two subfamilies were found in south-eastern Belarus during studies conducted in 2018–2020. The species Stomaphis quercus (L., 1758) is new for the Belarus aphid fauna. The vast majority of aphids in this group are holocyclic dendrophilous species. Only one species of herbophilous aphid Paracletus cimiciformis von Heyden, 1837 in Belarus is represented by an anholocyclic clone.

Search for the waterfalls in Ethiopia using remote sensing data

Waterfalls are specific hydrological and hydrobiological objects that often serve as the natural obstacles for spreading of aquatic animal species, resulting as discontinuous range of these species. Waterfalls and rapids create special habitats for riverine aquatic organisms and cause microclimatic changes along the coast. The areas of the largest waterfalls in Ethiopia, high-mountainous Jinbar Waterfall and low-mountainous Blue Nile Falls (Tis Abay,Tis Issat), were considered as model. Up-to-date remote sensing and GIS for processing and storing satellite and field data makes it possible to identify new waterfalls and rapids, to correct and to supply the existing literature and cartographic data. ERS data obtained from the modern satellite Sentinel-2, designed to monitor the state of the environment, as well as data from radar satellite imagery (SRTM) were used mainly. Based on the results of the analysis of cartographic materials and remote sensing data, the localization of a number of large waterfalls and rapids on the rivers of the Ethiopian Highlands was determined and the parameters for the selection of remote sensing data were established. Images with a spatial resolution of 10–15 m/pixel and higher are suitable for detecting significant waterfalls (more than 30-m wide). According to the present study, the identifying the waterfall zones by the methods of GIS analysis of topographic maps at a scale of 1:200000 and larger, as well as from satellite topographic data is possible.

Post-pyrogenic dynamics of the vegetation cover of the Barskoe raised bog (Vologda Region, Russia)

The study deals with the issues of restoration of peat bogs exposed to the pyrogenic factor. The work was carried out in the Barskoe raised bog, at sites unaffected and directly affected by the ground fire of 2002. A decade later, these sites differed in species composition, phytocoenosis structure, and biomass accumulation rates. Post-pyrogenic changes in the vegetation cover of the raised bog were associated with a slight decrease in species richness, loss of moisture-demanding bog species and an increase of mesophyte’s and xerophyte’s roles, simplification of the mire sites structure towards the loss of complexity, reduction of phytocoenotic diversity, as well as an increase in the dry biomass stocks with a 1.3–1.4-fold decrease in the photosynthetic phytomass and a 6.4–6.7-fold increase in the mortmass. The restoration rate of the mire exposed to pyrogenic transformation can be accelerated by increasing its water table and the prevention of new fires.

The Lake Pizanets (Republic of Karelia, Russia) – a new site for establishingthe protected area

A survey of the morphological and hydrological characteristics of the lake and analysis of the species composition, abundance, and biomass of phytoplankton, phytoperiphyton, zooplankton, and zoobenthos were carried out as a part of the complex study for establishing a new protected area “Lake Pizanets”. The effect of natural and anthropogenic factors on the hydrochemical regime and structure of aquatic ecosystems of the lake was assessed. The trophic status of the lake, its saprobity, and the significance of particular communities and bioindication indices were estimated. The species composition and dominant species of the studied communities of the lake were quite typical for freshwater bodies of the region. Despite the fact that the abundance and biomass of macrozoobenthos turned out to be lower than in other lakes of Eastern Fennoscandia, generally, the abundance and biomass of phytoplankton, phytoperiphyton, zooplankton, and zoobenthos evidenced on relatively high degree of their development in the lake Pizanets, as well as on their activity and stability. At the same time, the species, forming the communities, differed in size noticeably; therefore, significant discrepancies were found between the lists of taxa dominating by abundance and by biomass. The biotic indices and hydrochemical indicators indicated mainly a low degree of pollution, so the lake waters could be classified as belonging to water purity class II. Nowadays, the lake is not affected by significant anthropogenic load. However, according to the program of establishing new protected areas, further control of the hydrobiological and hydrochemical indicators of the reservoir, as well as its inclusion in the environmental monitoring program is undoubtful.

Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1773) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) – expansion to the north: first records of invasion species in Yaroslavl and Novgorod Regions

The paper gives information on the invasion of Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1773) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) into the north of the European part of Russia. The Asian ladybird is recorded for the first time from the Novgorod and Yaroslavl Regions. All records of this alien species from European Russia and the Northern Caucasus are listed.

Fauna and ecological features of ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in the southeast of the Crimean Peninsula

The faunistic data is presented for the ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) sampled in 2019–2020 in the southeast of Crimea. In total, 28 species belonging to 16 genera and 4 subfamilies have been collected and identified. Fourteen species are new records for the Karadag Nature Reserve, and Lasius bicornis (Foerster, 1850) is recorded for the first time for the fauna of the Crimean Peninsula.

Spoil heaps in Safonovo, Smolensk region: changes in vegetation cover 20 years later

Biodiversity conservation is one of the most important problems facing contemporary botany. These issues are especially relevant in anthropogenic areas with disturbed or even destroyed vegetation cover. For the first time we studied overgrowth of spoil heaps near lignite mines in the town of Safonovo, Smolensk oblast. Geobotanical descriptions were carried out in the territory of the three spoil heaps, 88 species of vascular plants were found, among which meadow and meadow-forest species prevail, and six species are invasive for Smolensk oblast.

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.

Floristic diversity in the small riverswith different morphology in the zoneaffected by backwater of a lowland reservoir

A comparative study of the floristic diversity of small rivers is of great importance in the assessment of their environmental state, which allows assessing the degree of pollution of the environment. The floristic diversity of the estuaries of the small rivers Korozhechna, Latka, Il’d’, and Chesnava, has been studied with special attention to the ecological groups and biological peculiarities of certain species. All the studied rivers flow into the Rybinsk Reservoir and have different morphology of the studied estuaries. The largest number of species has been recorded for the Chesnava River, the lowest, for the Il’d’ River. The representatives of families Poaceae, Cyperaceae, and Juncaceae evidence on the active overgrowing of shallow waters and periodically flooded coasts. Most of the species can grow on various soils, they are typical for water bodies with an oscillating water level and weak flow. The species-to-genus ratio, which is inversely proportional to the diversity of ecological conditions, is the highest in the Korozhechna River and the smallest in the Chesnava and Latka rivers. On the rivers Hydrophytes and hygrophytes dominated in the Korozhechna and Latka rivers; hygrophytes, hydrophytes, and hydrogelophytes, in the Il’d’ River; hygrophytes, mesophytes and hydrophytes, in the Korozhechna River. Such differences are explained by the peculiarities of environmental conditions. The highest similarity, by the absolute number of common species and by Jaccard coefficient, is found between the Chesnava River and the Latka River and between the Il’d’ River and the Latka River. According to hydrophytic cover index (HCI), near-water species dominated in the Chesnava River, a slight advantage in the proportion of the aquatic component of the flora was observed in the other rivers.

Unusual vertical distribution of zooplankton and fish in the pelagic zone of Lake Sevan during summer stratification

Previous studies in Lake Sevan during summer stratification have shown that the highest zooplankton abundance and biomass was found at the lower boundary of the epilimnion. At the same time, whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus), being main planktivorous species in the lake, preferred the hypolimnion, but was leaving this layer if dissolved oxygen concentrations decreased to 1–5 mg/L. The study was conducted in Bolshoy Sevan (the southern part of Lake Sevan) on July 29–30, 2019. The vertical profiles of water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration, as well as distribution of major taxonomic groups of aquatic organisms were assessed four times a day: in the dark (night time), in the light (day time), and in twilight (morning and evening). Fish population density was assessed using a “Simrad EK80” echosounder. Vertical distribution of zooplankton and fish observed within the study period did not correspond to that described earlier. Maximal zooplankton biomass during the study was recorded in the hypolimnion, and minimal biomass, in the epilimnion. Most of fish (89–100%) located in the metalimnion. At night, about 10% of the fish population descended to the hypolimnion, despite the low dissolved oxygen concentrations found there (3.0–3.1 mg/L). At dawn, about 7% of the fish ascended to the epilimnion, reaching a 7-m depth, where the water temperature was 20.8 °C. The water temperature range preferred by most fish individuals varied during the observation period and did not correspond to previously reported ranges.