Recent advance of white spruce (Picea glauca) in the coastal tundra of the eastern shore of Hudson Bay (Québec, Canada)

Aim The species‐specific response of tree‐line species to climatic forcing is a crucial topic in modelling climate‐driven ecosystem dynamics. In northern Québec, Canada, black spruce (Picea mariana) is the dominant species at the tree line, but white spruce (Picea glauca) also occurs along the maritime coast of Hudson Bay, and is expanding along the coast and on lands that have recently emerged because of isostatic uplift. Here we outline the present distribution, structure, dynamics and recent spread of white spruce from the tree line up to its northernmost position in the shrub tundra along the Hudson Bay coast. We aimed to obtain a minimum date of the arrival of the species in the area and to evaluate its dynamics relative to recent climate changes. Location White spruce populations and individuals were sampled along a latitudinal transect from the tree line to the northernmost individual in the shrub tundra along the Hudson Bay coast and in the Nastapoka archipelago in northern Québec and Nunavut, Canada (56°06′–56°32′ N). Methods White spruce populations were mapped, and the position, dimension, growth form and origin (seed or layering) of every individual recorded. Tree‐ring analyses of living and dead trees allowed an estimation of the population structure, past recruitment, growth trends and growth rate of the species. A macrofossil analysis was performed of the organic horizon of the northernmost white spruce stands and individuals. Radiocarbon dates of white spruce remains and organic matter were obtained. The rate of isostatic uplift was assessed by radiocarbon dating of drifted wood fragments. Results The first recorded establishment of white spruce was almost synchronous at all sites and occurred around ad 1660. Spruce recruitment was rather continuous at the tree line, while it showed a gap in the northern shrub tundra during the first decades of the 19th century. A vigorous, recent establishment of seedlings was observed in the shrub tundra; only wind‐exposed, low krummholz (stunted individuals) did not show any sexual regeneration. A period of suppressed growth occurred from the 1810s to the 1850s in most sites. A growth increase was evident from the second half of the 19th century and peaked in the 1880s and the 20th century. A shift from stunted to tree growth form has occurred since the mid‐19th century. No sample associated with white spruce remains gave a date older than 300 ¹⁴C years bp [calibrated age (cal.) ad 1430–1690]. Main conclusions White spruce probably arrived recently in the coastal tundra of Hudson Bay due to a delayed post‐glacial spread. The arrival of the species probably occurred during the Little Ice Age. The established individuals survived by layering during unfavourable periods, but acted as nuclei for sexual recruitment almost continuously, except in the northernmost and most exposed sites. Warmer periods were marked by strong seedling recruitment and a shift to tree growth form. Unlike white spruce, black spruce showed no evidence of an ongoing change in growth form and sexual recruitment. Ecological requirements and recent history of tree‐line species should be taken into account in order to understand the present dynamics of high‐latitude ecosystems.     

Parasite acquisition by the invasive Chinese sleeper (Perccottus glenii Dybowski, 1877) (Gobiiformes: Odontobutidae) in Latvia and Ukraine

The Perccottus glenii is one of the most invasive of European fish species. During August-September 2019, we examined Chinese sleeper from six waterbodies in Latvia and Ukraine for parasites. Seventeen parasite species were registered, including two ciliate species, one coccidia, one monogenean, one cestode, six trematodes, three nematodes, one acanthocephalan, one parasitic copepod, and one bivalve glochidia. Maximum species richness was registered in Ukraine, with eight species at Vylkove and three species at Lake Kartal. Numbers in Latvia were generally lower with three species at Ilgas and just one at Gailezers. The parasite fauna registered in Latvia was poor overall, the richest site being the University pond. Two non-native parasite species were registered, the monogenean Gyrodactylus perccotti and the copepod Neoergasilus japonicus. Gyrodactylus perccotti was observed in Lake Kartal and the Danube delta in Ukraine, but not in Latvia, while N. japonicus only occurred in the University Pond in Latvia. This is the first record of this species in Latvia. Low parasite acquisition by the Chinese sleeper in Latvia may be caused by the release of this fish from aquaria, which is commonly registered in the region. It is likely that such low parasite loads have contributed to the formation of stable populations and the subsequent increase in expansion.     

New Data on the Distribution of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colasposoma dauricum</Emphasis> (Mannerheim, 1849) (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae) in Russia and Kazakhstan

Colasposoma dauricum (Mannerheim, 1849) is recorded for the first time from Altaiskii Territory of Russia and Southeastern Kazakhstan. A review of the distribution of this species with a dotted map is given.     

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.     

The introduced fish, rotan (Perccottus glenii), depresses populations of aquatic animals (macroinvertebrates, amphibians, and a fish)

The fish rotan (Perccottus gleniiDybowski) was accidentally introduced into European Russia from the Amur River basin. Rotan is capable of colonising small waterbodies – favourable breeding sites of native amphibians. To reveal its influence on the native aquatic fauna, monitoring of small waterbodies has been carried out since 1994 in the region of Lake Glubokoe Reserve (Moscow Province, Russia). The fish's diet includes a wide range of animal species of all trophic levels. Rotan considerably decreases the species richness of aquatic macroinvertebrates and larval amphibians. As a rule, most amphibian species (Triturus cristatus, T. vulgaris, Rana temporaria, R. arvalis, R. lessonae) and the fish Carassius carassius failed to breed successfully in ponds inhabited by rotan. In contrast, the toad Bufo bufo bred successfully in such sites because its larvae are distasteful to rotan. Rotan–amphibian interactions are discussed.     

The Mediterranean Copepod <Emphasis Type="Italic">Calanipeda aquaedulcis</Emphasis> Kritschagin, 1873 (Crustacea,Calanoida) in the Volga River Reservoirs

The Mediterranean copepod Calanipeda aquaedulcis Kritschagin, 1873 was first recorded in the Kuibyshev Reservoir in August 2015. It has been detected at all surveyed stations from the Volga-Kama reach to the dam of the Zhiguli hydroelectric power plant; the most northern finding of the copepod has been recorded in the mouth of the Kama River (55°24′ N). C. aquaedulcis (0.3–7.3 thous. ind./m³) is in the group of dominant species and forms, on average, 13% of the total abundance and biomass of zooplankton. Comparatively large (1.0–1.4 mm) copepods reproduce intensively; females carry up to 18 eggs (on average 10 ± 0.6). The main part of the population (>90%) are represented by nauplii. The species has been found in smaller quantities (0.04–1.1 thous. ind./m³) throughout the Saratov Reservoir, which is located downstream the cascade. The ecology of the species and its potential importance in the zooplankton of the Volga reservoirs is discussed.     

Vertebrates from the Pontian of the Shkodova Gora locality (Northwestern Black Sea Region,Upper Miocene)

Remains of fishes, turtles, birds, and mammals are described from the Upper Miocene (MN13) Shkodova Gora locality (Ukraine, Odessa Region), the only representative locality of Pontian large vertebrates in the northwestern Black Sea Region. Asiatic fish and avian taxa are recorded for the first time in the Upper Miocene of Europe. The Shkodova Gora ichthyofauna includes eight freshwater fish species (belonging to Acipenseridae, Cyprinidae, Siluridae, and Percidae). Taxa that have previously been recorded only in Western Siberia (Abramis bliccoides, Perca lepidopoma), eastern Kazakhstan, and the Altai Mountain (Rutilus tungurukensis) are revealed. Acipenser gueldenstaedtii is recorded for the first time in the Upper Miocene of Eastern Europe. The occurrence of the genus Ctenopharyngodon, a member of the Chinese plain faunal assemblage is of great interest. The Shkodova Gora avifauna (seven taxa) is mostly composed of waterfowl, including Phalacrocorax mongoliensis, which has previously been known only from the Lower Pliocene of Mongolia. The finding of Proanser major is the youngest record of this species in the fossil record. Mammals of the Shkodova Gora association include a hare resembling Trischizolagus dumitrescuae, Palaeoryx cf. pallasi, and Hipparion cf. moldavicum, which have not been mentioned among Pontian taxa of the northern Black Sea Region. Pontian paleolandscapes in the area of the Shkodova Gora locality are reconstructed.     

Chironomids fauna (Diptera, Chironomidae) in some waterbodies and watercourses of Mongolia

An annotated list of chironomid species from some waterbodies and watercourses of Mongolia identified by an imaginal developmental stage is presented. The list includes 97 species of 39 genera and 5 subfamilies: Tanypodinae (6 species), Diamesinae (1), Prodiamesinae (2), Orthocladiinae (33), and Chironominae (55). Of all found chironomid imagos, 11 species have been earlier identified for the Mongolian fauna, the other 86 species have been registered for the first time. The largest number of species has been recorded in Lake Sangiyn-Dalai—28; in Lake Ugiy and River Ider—19 species. In the rest of the lakes, the number of recorded species varies from 18 to 10 species, and in rivers, from 13 to 2. Most of the species are boreal and widespread. The number of Paleoarctic species amounts to 44 and Holarctic species amounts to 49.     

Bees of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rophites</Emphasis> Spinola (Hymenoptera,Halictidae, Rophitinae) of Russia and adjacent territories

An illustrated key to Rophites species and an annotated list of 9 species from Russia and adjacent territories are given. Rophites clypealis stepposus subsp. n. and the female of R. schoenitzeri Dubitzky, 2004 are described. Lectotypes of Rhophites caucasicus Morawitz, 1876 and Rh. mandibularis Morawitz, 1891 are designated. Rophites algirus is recorded for the first time from Armenia; R. caucasicus, from Azerbaijan; R. clypealis, from Bulgaria, Russia, and Kazakhstan; R. foveolatus, from Georgia; R. quinquespinosus, from Armenia and Uzbekistan; R. schoenitzeri, from Azerbaijan and Iran.     

Endemism,palaeoendemism and migration: the case for the ‘European endemic’, Mallomonas intermedia

The Synurophyceae is a well-supported clade of ecologically important heterokont algae found largely in freshwater planktonic habitats worldwide, whose members have cell coverings consisting of species-specific siliceous scales overlapped in a highly organized manner. Many synurophytes have been described as endemic and are found only in specific regions of the world. A thriving population of the European endemic, Mallomonas intermedia, was discovered in a remote desert pond situated in the Virgin Valley, Nevada, USA and in a stratigraphic sequence from the middle Eocene fossil locality known as Horsefly in British Columbia, Canada. Both North American finds were closely compared with populations from Europe, confirming the identifications. Before these discoveries, this species was recorded from numerous waterbodies exclusively in Europe, but was lacking from hundreds of sites examined from other continents. Its presence in western North America during the warm middle Eocene confirms that historically this species had a significantly wider distribution and may be best classified as a palaeoendemic. Additional species uncovered from a second fossil locality that are closely related to M. intermedia further support the presence of this lineage in North America during the Eocene. The living population in northern Nevada presents an enigma. Does this remote desert population represent a remnant population that has gone undetected until now, or is it a recent arrival from an unknown region by an unknown vector?     

Salinity tolerance of the copepod Apocyclops dengizicus (Lepeschkin, 1900), a key food chain organism in the Salton Sea,California

The copepod Apocyclops dengizicus is a key item in the food chain of the Salton Sea where the salinity is currently 45 g 1^–1. The salinity of the Salton Sea may reach 90 g 1 ^–1 within the next 20 years. This study examined the salinity tolerance of this copepod.Large copepodite and adult A. dengizicus were introduced into various salinities with and without acclimation. The 96 h LC₅₀ without acclimation was 101 g 1^–1. Mortality (at 96 h) without acclimation was low at salinities of 90 g 1 ^–1 or less.Copepod cultures were maintained, with successful reproduction of at least one new generation, at salinities of from 0.5 to 68 g 1 ^–1 for at least 120 days. Copepods maintained at higher salinities, up to 79 g 1 ^–1, remained alive up to 90 days, but a new generation was not produced. In laboratory studies of larval production and survivorship, few nauplii were released at salinities of 68 g 1 ^–1 or higher, and none survived to the copepodite stage.     

The geographical distribution of Polycelis (Polycelis) sapporo and Seidlia schmidti in the Far East

Polycelis (Polycelis) sapporo (Ijima et Kaburaki, 1916) is a non-stenothermal species, common in Hokkaidô (including all of the adjacent islands), Northern Japan, except in the alpine region. It is also distributed in Aomori Prefecture in the northernmost part of Honshû. To the south, its range is bounded by a line from the base of the Tsugaru Peninsula, over Mt. Iwaki, Mt. Shirakami, Mt. Tashiro, Lake Towada, Mt. Hakkôda, the Natsudomari Peninsula, to the west of Mutsu and Ôhata in the Shimokita Peninsula. In Russia, the species is recorded only from the southern part of Sakhalin. Seidlia schmidti (Zabusov, 1916) is a stenothermal species found in cold-water biotops. It occurs in the North and East of Hokkaidô including the Shiretoko Peninsula and Rishiri Island. In Russia, the species is recorded from the southern part of Sakhalin, Primorskiy, Habarovsk including the base of the Chukotskiy Peninsula, and the Kamchatka Peninsula (and Bering Island).     

Occurrence of the endangered species Nitellopsis obtusa (Charales,Charophyceae) in western Japan and the genetic differences within and among Japanese populations

Nitellopsis obtusa (Charales, Charophyceae) are widely distributed from Europe to Asia; however, this species has been recorded in only the five lakes in central Honshu in Japan. This species was thought to be extinct in Japan, but was rediscovered in limited areas of Lake Kawaguchi in central Honshu. More recently, we discovered more Japanese populations of N. obtusa in Lake Biwa in western Honshu, and it became clear that the species had a broader distribution in Japan than originally believed. In addition, although only male or female thalli have been collected at each lake, both male and female thalli were found from Lake Biwa. This is the first report of a potentially sexual population of N. obtusa in Japan. The DNA sequences of three chloroplast DNA markers, including both coding and non‐coding regions, were identical in all specimens from Lake Kawaguchi and Lake Nojiri (Central Honshu), and differed from those of Lake Biwa and German specimens. Although Japanese and German specimens were genetically similar, Japanese specimens displayed considerable genetic diversity according to locality.     

Records of the Siberian–Beringian Genus Nordodiaptomus (Copepoda,Calanoida) from the European Part of Russia

Biology Bulletin - The morphological characters and biology of the copepod genus Nordodiaptomus Wilson from temporary waterbodies lying in the northern part of the middle taiga belt of the Komi...     

New jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from the Cretaceous of Russia,Kazakhstan, and Mongolia

A new jewel beetle genus, with one species (Cretofrontolina kzyldzharica gen. et sp. nov.) from the Upper Cretaceous of Kazakhstan is described based on a body; and three new species of the formal genus Metabuprestium are described based on isolated elytra: Metabuprestium sibiricum sp. nov. and M. arkagalense sp. nov. come from the Arkagala locality (Upper Cretaceous of Russia) and M. ichbogdense sp. nov. is from the Shar Tologoi locality (Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia).     

Influence of introduced fish Percottus glenii (Odontobutidae, Pisces)

Monitoring of 28 waterbodies has been carried out since 1994 in the region of reserve "Lake Glubokoe" (Moscow region, Russia). It was revealed that species diversity as well as abundance of larval amphibians correlate negatively with presence of introduced fish, rotan, Perccottus glenii (Odontobutidae). Newts (Triturus cristatus, T. vulgaris) and frogs (Rana temporaria, R. arvalis, R. lessonae) as a rule are not capable to breed in waterbodies colonised by rotan. In contrast, toads (Bufo bufo) breed successfully in such sites. Larvae of toads are comparatively less edible for rotan and pass their metamorphosis. Persistence of amphibians to predation of rotan decreases in the row: B. bufo (R. temporaria, R. arvalis and R. lessonae), T. vulgaris, T. cristatus. The Crested newt (T. cristatus) is the most endangered species and could extinct in next years.     

New data on the flora of diatom algae (Centrophyceae) in waterbodies of Sakhalin Island

The first studies of phytoplankton in inland waterbodies of Sakhalin Island by electron microscopy have revealed 19 representatives of the class Centrophyceae, including some that are new for the flora of the region (Aulacoseira subarctica, Coscinodiscopsis commutata, Stephanodiscus delicatus, S. makarovae, Thalassiosira baltica, and T. cf. hyalina). Species of centric diatoms that are new for these waterbodies have been documented in lakes Vavaiskiye and Tunaicha, and the species composition of Centrophyceae have been revised. The first complete data on the taxonomical spectrum of Centrophyceae in Lake Sladkoye, lakes of Mount Spamberg, and the Tym River have been obtained. A revision of the species composition of Centrophyceae in the waterbodies of Sakhalin Island has been made, and the list of the class has been broadened to 44 taxa from 17 genera.     

Hippotraginae (Bovidae,Artiodactyla, Mammalia) from the Late Miocene of Tuva

Fossil remains of Late Miocene (Baode, NMU10-NMU11) horse antelopes from Tuva (Russia) are described, including Tragoreas sp., Protoryx tuvaensis sp. nov. from the Taralyk Cher locality and Quirliqnoria sp. from the Kholu locality. A new species, Protoryx tuvaensis Dmitrieva et Serdyuk, is described. These taxa compose a Late Miocene antelope assemblage of a new eastern geographical point (Russia, Tuva, Baode, NMU10-MN11).     

First report of the presence of Acartia margalefi (Copepoda: Calanoida) in Southampton Water and Horsea Lake, UK

Acartia margalefi is recorded for the first time in Britishwaters, where it is found to be an important copepod in themesozooplankton community structure of Southampton Water andHorsea Lake. Within the genus Acartia. this species occurs allthrough the annual cycle. Abundance is higher in the upper estuary,where the range of temperature and salinity is relatively widerover the year. It is clear that A.margalefi is an estuarinespecies which can tolerate a significant range of temperature.