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Ecological peculiarities of the nesting and reproduction of Haematopus ostralegus longipes Buturlin, 1910 (Haematopodidae, Charadriiformes) in the course of the Medveditsa river (Saratov region)

The Haematopus ostralegus longipes population numbers in the conditions of the middle reaches of the Medveditsa river in the nesting period of 1996 – 2008 was stable, namely, 3 pairs, of which two, rarely three ones, nested annually. The egg laying size was 2–3 eggs. In the course of our many-year survey, a tendency has been established to significant reducing the reproduction success level against the background of transformations of the nesting and feeding stations, which is determined by the long-term tendency to reducing the water content in the river.

REGULARITIES OF THE RATIO OF THE SHELL LENGTH TO THE INDIVIDUAL WEIGHT OF MOLLUSKS FROM THE DREISSENA GENUS (DREISSENIDAE, BIVALVIA) IN THE VOLGOGRAD RESERVOIR

A regression analysis of the size and weight structure of the dreissenidae (D. bugensis and D. polymorpha) from the Volgograd reservoir was carried out. The power-dependence parameters in the resulting equation are different for the two mollusk species studied (W = 0.036L3.33 for D. bugensis and W = 0.064L3.32 for D. polymorpha). The established regression relationship between the individual body weight (W) and the mollusk’s shell length (L) has a high correlation degree: R2 = 0.96 for p = 0.01.

MORPHO-ANATOMICAL SEED ADAPTATION OF SOME SPECIES FROM THE IRIS L. (IRIDACEAE, ASPARAGALES) GENUS OF THE SARATOV REGIONAL FLORA TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Morpho-anatomical features of the seeds of seven species from the Iris genus of the Saratov regional flora, which are important in plant adaptation to environmental habitat conditions, are presented. The seeds of two species, namely: I. halophila Pall. and Iris pseudacorus L. seem the most revealing from this viewpoint. The strategy of I.

EFFECT OF A LOW-INTENSITY 30 MHz ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD ON DAPHNIA MAGNA STRAUS (DAPHNIIDAE, CRUSTACEA) CRUSTACEANS OF VARIOUS AGES

The results of action of a low-intensity 30 MHz electromagnetic field (EMF) in continuous mode and when amplitude modulation with a 1000 s exposure on Daphnia magna Straus, 1820 crustaceans from a laboratory culture (newborn, 5 - 7 and 7 - 9 day aged) are presented. Observations were carried out of the irradiated parent generation and three subsequent ones (F1 - F3) with no exposure.

POLLUTION ASSESSMENT OF THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT WITH THE USE OF DIALYSIS CYANOBACTERIA CULTURES

An approach to allow monitoring contamination of watercourses by registering changes in the space-time parameters of cells and their external structures by ATR-IR spectroscopy with the use of dialysis cultures of Synechococсus sp. PCC 6301 is offered.

BROWN BEAR (URSUS ARCTOS) (CARNIVORA, MAMMALIA) DENS OF THE KRONOTSKY NATURE RESERVE

Seventeen brown bear dens were studied in the Kronotsky Nature Reserve (Russian Far East). The majority of dens were excavated in the ground. The dens were located mainly in the upper part of slopes with southwest aspects in birch forests, dwarf Siberian pine and alder patches. The structure of the dens was typical for brown bear ground dens. There are places in the basin of Shumnaya River in Kamchatka where brown bears prefer to set up their dens.

PECULIARITIES OF FEEDING AND DAILY ACTIVITY OF ANTS OF GENUS FORMICA (INSECTA, HYMENOPTERA) IN FOREST-STEPPE BIOTOPES OF SARATOV REGION

The paper presents the results of our research on the foraging activity of ants in forest-steppe biotopes of the Saratov region. The food spectrum of ants was found to include small invertebrates (mainly insects), plant seeds and aphid honeydew. Ants are able to switch to the most massive type of food. F. pratensis behaves as a species with a daytime or morning-evening activity type, depending on the weather conditions. F. rufa is a species with a daily activity type.

Environmental Influence on the Structure of the European Badgers (Meles Meles) (Mustelidae, Mammalia) Family Group on the Oka-Don Plain Territory

The European badger (Meles meles L.) has various variants of its social organization in the populations in different parts of its habitat. The paper provides information on the impact of the environmant on the structure of the family group of the European badger. The material was based on the data of our own observations conducted at ten model sites in 2011 - 2018. Model badger settlements on the territory of the Oka-Don Plain within the administrative borders of the Saratov region were studied.

Wild Ungulates of Russia: Trends of Their Population Dynamics

According to a forecast of the specialists from “Centrokhotkontrol”, due to the natural climatic cyclicity, a recurrent reduction in the population of ungulates, the moose in particular, should occur in Russia from 2007 - 2010, which “will lead to a recurrent significant age minimum number” in the 2020s (in 2014 - 2015 in Central Russia). In reality, the abundance of the majority of species, including the moose, the European and Siberian roe deer, the red deer, the sika deer and the reindeer, has been steadily growing despite this “trophiclimatic” forecast.

Waders of Agricultural Areas of the Ivanovo Region in the Crisis of Agricultural Production

The agricultural landscape of the Ivanovo region is now a sophisticated mosaic of variety of types of lands in use and abandoned lands at different stages of succession. This is mainly determined the fauna, structure and population dynamics of such open-field birds as waders. The paper reflects the correlation of the fauna and population of the waders of agricultural lands in the Ivanovo region with such key factors in farming ecosystems as the stages of succession, haymaking, pasturage, and agricultural burning of vegetation.

Floristic Diversity of Watercourses and Temporary Reservoirs of the Ostrovtsovsky Cluster of the Volga Regional Forest-Steppe State Natural Biospheric Reserve Impacted by the European Beaver’s Expansion

The paper is devoted to an important problem of modern ecology, namely, the reaction of native ecosystems to the activity of invader species, with the European beaver (Castor fiber L) as an example. This species transforms the environment as a result of its foraging and constructive activities. Higher vascular plants (macrophytes) in water bodies and streams are one of the basic components of biotopes. They serve as a limiting factor for the spread of such invasive species as C. fiber, because macrophytes determine the basis of this animal’s diet.

Ontogenetic Structure of Coenopopulations of Orchis militaris L. and Dactylorhiza incarnata (L.) Soo (Orchidaceae, Liliopsida) in Romanovsky District, Saratov Region

The results of studies conducted in Romanovsky district of the Saratov region during the period of mass flowering of Orchis militaris L. and Dactylorhiza incarnate (L.) Soo from June 2 till 16, 2017, are presented. Descriptions of habitats of the species (a hollow and a pasture), which differ in the projective cover and dominants, are given.