Dynamics and Structural Changes of the Fluke Fauna in Fish of the Volga Delta Caused by the Rise of Water Level in the Caspian Sea

Changes in the Caspian Sea level and anthropogenic influences on biocenoses of the Volga Delta periodically result in the changes of dominant species among animal helminths. An abrupt rise of the sea level since the mid-1970s caused structural rearrangements in the fluke fauna of fish in the 1990s: the species whose development is connected with mollusks of the rheophilic complex became dominant.     

Bioinvasions in macrozoobenthos of the Volgograd Reservoir

On the basis of long-term monitoring of macrozoobenthos in the Volgograd Reservoir, the causes of changes in its species composition were analyzed and invading species were identified. During the first 20–25 years after construction of the reservoir, invading species appeared at a rate of 0.4 species per year. In the subsequent years, this rate increased to one species per year due to spontaneous expansion of species and the remote effect of their introduction.     

Role of small mammals in natural and anthropogenic landscapes of the right-bank region of Saratov oblast

Small mammal communities inhabiting natural and anthropogenically transformed areas of the right-bank region of Saratov oblast are fairly similar in species composition. They are represented by wide-spread, common species that, against the background of a low population density of typical steppe species, make a major contribution to the community. The highest ecological tolerance is characteristic of the striped field mouse Apodemus agrarius, which is widespread in the study region and dominates in the majority of natural biotopes and in agrocenoses; the common vole Microtus arvalis is scarce in agrocenoses.     

Fish Communities of Small Ponds in the Udmurt Republic: Structural Features and Trends in Anthropogenic Successions

The ichthyofauna of 20 small ponds in the Udmurt Republic was studied to estimate the dependence of fish species abundance on pond size and anthropogenic load, as well as trends in the succession of dominant species complexes in ponds exposed to the prevailing impact of agricultural activity. Changes in the ecological structure of fish communities in small ponds upon an increase in the anthropogenic load were analyzed. Some specific features of the species composition of ichthyofauna in technogenic pond biocenoses were revealed.     

Ecological Characteristics of Small Rodents Living in Collective Gardens

The small-rodent populations of five collective gardens have been studied. The example of one of the populations has been used to monitor the annual cycle of population size. The species composition and animal number depends on the biotope, climatic conditions, and the anthropogenic load. The ratios between species in the gardens and neighboring biotopes differ from each other, with different species being dominant. It is assumed that small mammals use garden plots as refugia.     

Structural-functional organization of lower vegetation layers in tree communities of the upper timberline ecotone in the Polar Urals

Typologically identical (dwarf birch-herb-dwarf shrub-moss) open and closed larch forests growing on the same altitudinal transect have proved to differ in the structural-functional organization of lower vegetation layers. Coverage, general species composition, and species richness of the herb-dwarf shrub layer are higher in the open forest than in the closed forest. Correlations between individual species of vascular plants weaken upon transition from the open to the closed forest. Conversely, the coverage of the lichen-moss layer increases in the closed forest, which contributes to its role as a factor of selection of vascular plant species against the background of the prevailing influence of the tree layer.     

Response of lithophilic zoobenthos to changes in the granulometric composition of grounds in the metarithral zone of a small river in the foothills of southwestern kamchatka

Data on the species composition, abundance, and biomass of macrozoobenthos in the rapids of a small river flowing in the foothills of the southwestern Kamchatka Peninsula are considered along with the results of quantitative analysis of structural rearrangements in the lithophilic community under the effects of changes in the granulometric composition of bottom sediments. Groups of lithophilic and pelophilic invertebrates typical of the metarithral of such rivers (e.g., chironomids of subfamilies Diamesinae and Prodiamesinae) are identified.Translated from Ekologiya, No. 2, 2005, pp. 120–125.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Leman, Chebanova.     

Special features of fish species composition and community structure in small rivers of the Udmurt Republic

The composition and species richness of ichthyofauna have been studied in 36 stretches of small rivers in the Udmurt Republic to estimate the dependence of species richness on the distance from the river source and the level and type of anthropogenic load. Some specific features of modification of the fish community structure under the influence of agriculture, urbanization, and industry (oil production) have been revealed. Basic trends in the change of dominant complexes of fish species with an increase in the distance from the river source are described for small rivers flowing in different natural and anthropogenic landscapes of the Udmurt Republic.     

Specific Features of the Dynamics of Murine Rodent Communities under the Effects of Urbanization: 1. Dynamics of Species Composition and Abundance

The long-term population dynamics of rodent communities in park forests of Yekaterinburg was studied. The results showed that deep population depressions occurring in natural communities are not characteristic of the urban communities. In the urban environment, the density of rodents is always maintained at a relatively high level due to the appearance of species that are atypical for the natural communities. This fact deserves attention in view of the increasing risk of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in the region, as a high rodent abundance may provide for the maintenance of a stable TBE focus in the city.     

Species Diversity of Leeches Populating Water Bodies of the Middle Urals

Russian Journal of Ecology -     

Altitudinal zonality and diversity of butterflies in the southern Far East and Transbaikalia

Species richness, taxonomic diversity, and qualitative composition of the butterfly fauna (Lepidoptera, Diurna) are discussed in the light of data on the altitudinal zonality of local faunas in the southern Far East and Transbaikalia. It is shown that qualitative elevation-dependent changes in the fauna occur only in the western and northern parts of the region.     

Estimation of the possibility of cladoceran invasion and survival under conditions of competition in mesotrophic Lake Glubokoe

A possibility of introducing alien cladoceran species into the pelagial zone of mesotrophic Lake Glubokoe has been estimated. For this purpose, observations have been performed on the cohorts of alien species (Daphnia magna and Simocephalus exspinosus) and aboriginal species (Daphnia hyalina and Diaphanosoma brachyurum). The results show that competition is a factor preventing the introduction of weak competitors, such as D. magna, but admitting stronger competitors, e.g., S. exspinosus. Competition in the lake may influence not only the species structure of the zooplanktonic community, but also its vertical distribution.     

Changes in Species Diversity of Rove Beetles (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae) Depending on the Age of Pine Plantations in Central Belarus

Trends of changes in species richness and dominance in staphylinid communities depending on the age of pine plantations have been analyzed. The species richness of these communities is high in the plantations of age classes 1 and 2 (11 and 28 years, respectively) but decreases in the plantations of age class 3 (60 years). The highest and lowest indices of species diversity are observed in the plantations of age classes 2 and 3, respectively. Four groups of rove beetles have been distinguished by the criterion of their dominance in pine plantations of different ages.__________Translated from Ekologiya, No. 4, 2005, pp. 306–313.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Derunkov.     

Species Composition and Ecological Characteristic of Algae from the Cooling Reservoir of the Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant

The results of long-term studies on phytoplankton in the cooling reservoir of the Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant (the Middle Urals) are reviewed. Altogether, 199 taxa of the species and subspecies rank have been recorded, including 144 taxa described in this water body for the first time. The algoflora of the reservoir consists mainly of widespread and eurybiontic freshwater species.