The dynamics of the microbiocenosis in the burrows of the little suslik]

Microbiocoenoses being formed in burrows of little souslik have been investigated. Microbiocoenoses of sloping burrows have most simple organization. Comparative analysis of the fauna and functional structure, conducted during the spring-summer period, has not shown the existence of any directed process in the development of microbiocoenoses of sloping burrows. On the contrary, microbiocoenoses of vertical nest burrows can be regarded as biocoenotic systems dynamic in space and time. Here in the period of rodent's vital activity occurs a constant construction of underground passages and periodical change of nests. In this case the fauna of new nests is formed largely at the expense of migration of nidicols along free or obstructed with loose earth underground horizontal passages. Microbiocoenoses in burrows of different types are not connected between each other by morphoprocess and their development is of independent character.     

Diet segregation between two colonies of little penguins Eudyptula minor in southeast Australia

We studied foraging segregation between two different sized colonies of little penguins Eudyptula minor with overlapping foraging areas in pre‐laying and incubation. We used stomach contents and stable isotope measurements of nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) and carbon (δ¹³C) in blood to examine differences in trophic position, prey‐size and nutritional values between the two colonies. Diet of little penguins at St Kilda (small colony) relied heavily on anchovy while at Phillip Island (large colony), the diet was more diverse and anchovies were larger than those consumed by St Kilda penguins. Higher δ¹⁵N values at St Kilda, differences in δ¹³C values and the prey composition provided further evidence of diet segregation between colonies. Penguins from each colony took anchovies from different cohorts and probably different stocks, although these sites are only 70 km apart. Differences in diet were not reflected in protein levels in the blood of penguins, suggesting that variation in prey between colonies was not related to differences in nutritional value of the diet. Anchovy is currently the only available prey to penguins throughout the year and its absence could have a negative impact on penguin food supply, particularly at St Kilda where the diet is dominated by this species. While it is difficult to establish whether diet segregation is caused by inter‐ or intra‐colony competition or spatial differences in foraging areas, we have shown that colonies with broadly overlapping foraging ranges could have significant differences in trophic position, diet composition and prey size while maintaining a diet of similar nutritional value.     

Long-term changes in breeding phenology at two seabird colonies in the western North Sea

There is compelling evidence that the breeding phenology of many species has changed substantially in recent decades. However, taxonomic and spatial variation in the direction and rate of change is still not well understood. We explored these issues by analysing a dataset containing information on first egg dates of 10 species of seabird at two major breeding colonies (86 km apart) in the western North Sea over a period of 35 years. Within a species, timing of breeding was positively correlated between the two colonies, suggesting that factors affecting the phenology of these species operated at a regional rather than a colony scale. Comparison of time trends among the species revealed contrasting patterns, with some showing no systematic change, others becoming earlier and others later. The clearest species groupings appeared to be among the terns with arrival and/or first egg dates becoming earlier in Arctic Terns Sterna paradisaea , Common Terns Sterna hirundo and Sandwich Terns Sterna sandvicensis , and among the auks (Common Guillemot Uria aalge , Razorbill Alca torda and Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica ) and Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla where the trend was in the opposite direction towards later breeding. This general trend towards later breeding in the latter group of species contrasts with correlational evidence from many other organisms indicating that breeding phenology is advancing in response to climate change.     

Distribution of little auk (Alle alle) breeding colonies in Thule District, northwest Greenland

Large areas with hydrocarbon prospects offshore northwest Greenland necessitate seabird studies in this region. The little auk population breeding in Thule District is the largest seabird population in northwest Greenland, as well as the largest known population of this species. In 1994 and 1995 we mapped the distribution of little auk colonies in Thule District during aerial surveys. Most colonies are situated in sloping screes facing the sea, some as far as 11 km from the coast in valleys or facing glaciers. The total horizontal extent of the colonies is about 400 km. Our surveys generally confirm previous and local knowledge, although the information obtained is more detailed. Received: 11 November 1996 / Accepted: 21 September 1997     

Three little known acanthostomine digeneans from Uranoscopus scaber L. in the western Mediterranean

Three species of acanthostomine digeneans, Anisocoelium capitellatum from the gall-bladder and Anisocladium fallax and A. gracilis from the intestine, are redescribed from the teleost Uranoscopus scaber in the western Mediterranean. The latter two species, which have in the past been confused and synonymised, are distinguished clearly on the basis of morphology, size and site.     

The prevalence of pathogens in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies infested with the parasitic mite Varroa jacobsoni

The prevalence of nine honey bee viruses in samples of dead adult bees from Apis mellifera colonies in the Netherlands and Germany infested with the parasitic mite Varroa jacobsoni was compared with virus incidence in uninfested colonies in Britain. In colonies with low mite populations the viruses present and their incidence during the year were similar to the results obtained from British colonies. However, in marked contrast with findings in Britain, acute paralysis virus (APV) was the primary cause of adult bee mortality in German honey bee colonies severely infested with V. jacobsoni. Dead brood from unsealed and sealed infested cells from German colonies with high mite populations also contained much APV. The evidence suggests that V. jacobsoni activates APV replication in adult bees by its feeding behaviour and transmits virus from adult honey bees to pupae. In addition, adult bees, in which APV is multiplying, transmit the virus to unsealed brood in the larval food.     

Composition of chick meals from one of the main little auk (Alle alle) breeding colonies in Northwest Greenland

During the last decade, increasing information on little auk (Alle alle) biology, ecology and behaviour has been reported. However, only a few of these studies have focused on the breeding population in the Avanersuaq (Thule) district of Northwest Greenland, where 80 % of the global little auk population is estimated to breed. This study reports on the chick diet composition from one of the largest colonies, the Paakitsoq colony, located on the south-eastern margin of the North Water (NOW) Polynya. Results revealed the highest proportion of Calanus hyperboreus, a large lipid-rich copepod, in chick diet reported for any little auk colony. Results confirmed that the cold, highly productive waters of the NOW Polynya are favourable foraging grounds for the little auks during the breeding season. Species diversity within and between the chick meals was low, which probably reflects a high availability of a few preferred prey species. Individual chick meals were generally low in number of prey items and total energy content compared with other published results. This may be explained by a higher feeding frequency or by the samples being collected late in the breeding period (during late chick rearing), when chicks have a reduced growth rate and may require less energy than at earlier developmental stages.     

Late Campanian to late Maastrichtian bryozoans encrusting on belemnite rostra from the Aktolagay Plateau in western Kazakhstan

Twenty species belonging to fifteen genera of cyclostome and cheilostome bryozoans encrusting belemnite rostra are described from the late Campanian to Maastrichtian of the Aktolagay Plateau, in western Kazakhstan. Due to the moderate to poor preservation of the material, only four cheilostome species are identified down to the species level: Wilbertopora? besoktiensis (Voigt, 1967), ‘Aechmellina’ stenostoma Voigt, 1930, and two new species, ‘Aechmellina’ viskovae and Cheethamia aktolagayensis. All remaining species are left in open nomenclature. Type material of Wilbertopora? besoktiensis from the early Maastrichtian of the Mangyshlak Peninsula in Kazakhstan, has been re-examined. Palaeobiogeographical and implications are discussed. Cheilostomes slightly dominated over cyclostomes in the Aktolagay Plateau fauna encrusting on belemnites in terms of diversity. The dominant colony forms observed were spots and sheets.     

Infructescences of Friisicarpus sarbaensis sp. nov. (Platanaceae) from the Cenomanian-Turonian of western Kazakhstan

Platanoid capitate infructescences are described as a new species Friisicarpus sarbaensis. Infructescences of Friisicarpus N. Maslova et Herman have been first found in the Cretaceous of Kazakhstan. A joint burial of Friisicarpus infructescences and other platanoid reproductive structures as well as Platanus-like leaves are discussed. This indicates a considerable role of the group in the Cretaceous flora of Kazakhstan.     

Changes in the species composition and number of gulls in tundra colonies in the western Chukotka over the last 40 years

Long-term data reflecting the abundance and species composition of large colonies of gulls (more than five nests, distance between the nests less than 50 m) on Aiopechan Island, West Chukotka, were compared. A comparative analysis of the data published in 1970–1984 and our data for 1989, 2000–2013 revealed significant changes in the composition and abundance of colonies over the 40-year period with simultaneous shift in the spring phonological characteristics to earlier dates. Growth in the number of the Vega gull (Larus vegae) and decrease in the number of Sabine’s gull (Xema sabini) were revealed. The number of glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus) was stable. A change of the dominant species in the colonies and disappearance of some colonies of the Sabine’s gull under the influence of the expansion of the Vega gull were registered. It was found that the increase in the abundance of the Vega gull occurs not owing to the increase of long-term colonies but due to the appearance of new ones.     

Haptoglobin types among the population of western Kazakhstan and their relation to humoral factors of body resistance

Among 803 healthy persons examined, 20.4% of Russians and 18.1% of Kazakhs had Hp 1-1 phenotype, 50.0 and 49.3%, respectively, had Hp 2-1 and 29.6 and 32.6% had Hp 2-2 phenotype. The frequency of Hp1 and Hp2 genes is 0.455 and 0.429, 0.545 and 0.571 (p less than 0.05) for Russians and Kazakhs, respectively. The correlation is established between the haptoglobin type and the level of haemolysins. For example, the latter is greater in number in the organisms of persons possessing the Hp2 gene, especially, when in homozygotic state.     

The influence of contact guidance on the orientation of colonies of subcultured vascular smooth muscle cells

Summary Subcultures of smooth muscle cells derived from rat thoracic aorta were grown on plane plastic substrata and on plastic substrata having ridges molded in them by a heated, ruled template. The cells were found to have a very high degree of contact guidance when distributed sparsely on the ridged substrata. When the cell density increased multilayered, elongated colonies formed. On plane substrata these were irregular, curved, and disposed in all directions. On the ridged substrata, however, the colonies were straight, evenly spaced, and positioned at right angles to the ridges. Supported by Grant MT1011 from the Medical Research Council of Canada.     

Seasonal characteristics of the functioning of the hypophysis-gonad system in the suslik Citellus parryi

In experiments on the arctic ground squirrel C. parryi, studies have been made on seasonal changes in the weight of testes, follicular diameter in the ovaries and the content of sex and gonadotropic hormones in the peripheral blood. Testicular involution and arrest of follicular development were observed in prehibernation period. During hibernation, follicular growth and the increase in the weight of testes take place. The level of LH decreases during hibernation. In sleeping animals, its level is higher as compared to that in active animals during short periods of arousal. The increase in LH level takes place both in males and females in April. FSH can not be detected in males during the first half of hibernation, appearing in the peripheral blood only in March and April. In females, FSH was found in the blood in October, being absent from November to January; beginning from February, it may be found both in sleeping and active animals. Testosterone was found in hibernating males and females, its level significantly increased in March in males, being approximately constant in hibernating females. Estradiol secretion was noted in hibernating females, whereas progesterone was found in the blood only in May.     

Seasonal rhythms in the functioning of the hypophyseo-thyroid system of the suslik Citellus parryi

In experiments on the Arctic ground squirrel Citellus parryi, radioimmune assay of the content of thyrotropin of the hypophysis and thyroxine and triiodothyronine of the thyroid in the peripheral blood has been made at monthly intervals from July until May. It was found that during hibernation period, thyroxine and triiodothyronine concentrations in the blood of sleeping animals are high as compared with those during pre-hibernation period in autumn and active period in May. Thyrotropin content of the blood increases from October to May, being the lowest however during the season of the deepest hibernation from December to February. It is suggested that activation of the hypophysial--thyroid system after resting period in summer and autumn begins in October. During deep sleeping, it is depressed, being recovered in March. High levels of the thyroid hormones during hibernation period may be explained by metabolic strategy of the organism in hibernating animals which is directed to optimization of energy supply of hibernation.     

The hypometabolic effect of the blood plasma from a hibernating suslik Citellus undulatus. Neokyotorphin activates cardiac and respiratory activities in the suslik during arousal from hibernation]

The effect of intraabdominal injection of the blood serum from ground squirrels Citellus undulatus obtained at various stages of the baut has been studied on the level of oxygen consumption in albino mice. The strongest hypometabolic effect exhibited the blood plasma from animals at the beginning of the baut. The onset of baut was used in further experiments on C. undulatus for investigation of activating effects of neokiotorphin (Thr-Ser-Lys-Tyr-Arg) which was earlier found in the brain of the ground squirrel. It was shown that intraabdominal injection of this peptide to hibernating animals facilitates their arousal stimulating both the cardiac activity and respiration. The strongest effect was noted with neokiotorphin of [D-Ser] 2-modification which is more stable to proteolysis.     

Losses of workers and reproductives in colonies of the paper waspPolistes riparius (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) due to the parasitic waspLatibulus sp.

1. Losses in workers and reproductives due to the ichneumonid parasitoid Latibulus sp. were determined in a haplometrotic, temperate paper wasp, Polistes riparius, during a 5-year study.
2. Fifty-four to 79% of pre-emergence nests were parasitized on worker brood, resulting in a worker loss of 25–31% on average. Worker brood reared in outer cells were much more often parasitized than those in central ones, possibly because outer cells are more accessible to the parasitoid. Infestation of worker brood was not random but aggregated among nests.
3. Seventy-eight to 100% of nests were parasitized on reproductive brood, and lost 10–34% of reproductives.
4. The number of emerged workers positively correlated with that of reproductives produced and that of cells made during the season. This suggests that worker loss reduces reproductive output of colonies. Hence, the parasitoid can reduce colonial reproductive output not only by killing reproductive brood but by reducing worker force.

     

New and little known blattogryllidae (Insecta: Grylloblattida) from the Permian and Triassic of Russia,Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan

New members of the family Blattogryllidae are described, including Permoblattogryllus praecox gen. et sp. nov. from the Middle Permian Soyana locality in Russia, Protoblattogryllus nedubrovensis from the Lower Triassic Nedubrovo locality in Russia, Madygenocephalus micropteron gen. et sp. nov. (the second known case of brachyptery in grylloblattids), and Costatoviblatta similis sp. nov. from the Middle Triassic Madygen locality in Kyrgyzstan. Protoblattogryllus zajsanicus Storozhenko, 1990 from the Upper Permian Karaungir II locality in Kazakhstan is redescribed. The genus Microblattogryllus Storozhenko, 1990 from Madygen is considered to be a synonym of Protoblattogryllus Storozhenko, 1990. Protoblattogryllus abruptus Storozhenko, 1990 from the Madygen locality is transferred to the genus Mesoblattogryllus Storozhenko, 1990.