Selenium status of Omsk oblast

For 32 districts of Omsk oblast, the levels of selenium accumulation were determined across trophic levels: soil, plants, animals, and human. An inverse correlation was found between serum selenium concentration and parameters of total mortality, as well as the incidence of lung, ovarian, and rectal cancer. Significant differences were shown in the coefficient of plant selenium accumulation depending on the soil type. We discuss the most promising approaches to optimizing the selenium status of the population.     

Hydroacoustic studies of pelagic ichthyocenosis in Lake Vistytis in Kaliningrad oblast

The species and spatial and temporal structure of pelagic ichthyocenosis in Lake Vistytis, Kaliningrad oblast, is characterized according to the data of hydroacoustic surveys. The absolute fish abundance is estimated. Methods of interpreting the study results are discussed.     

Phytoplankton of Lake Solenoye (Omsk) as a promising source of bioresources

The mass vegetation of the cyanobacteria Spirulina fusiformis Woronich. was discovered during examination of the shallow Lake Solenoye, situated in the territory of Omsk. Large resources of the raw spirulina biomass in summer make it possible to use the lake as a source of valuable raw material.     

The current state of zooplankton community in Lake Ryashkovskoye (Murmansk oblast)

The current state of the zooplankton community in Lake Ryashkovskoye located on Ryashkov Island (the northern archipelago of the Kandalaksha State Natural Reserve) has been assessed. The most informative indices of the zooplankton community used in the monitoring system have been analyzed. On the basis of our own data and data from literature, a comparative analysis of the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of zooplankton in the lake with those in lakes of Velikiy Island (Bolshoye Kumyazhie, Maloye Kumyazhie, Mortsy, Trostnikovoye, Bolshoye Eremeyevskoye, and Maloye Eremeyevskoye lakes) has been made.     

Phytoplankton as an Indicator of Ecological State of the Saltaim-Tenis Lake System (Omsk Region)

Based on the data of long-term studies of phytoplankton, an assessment of the current ecological state and the direction of changes in the Saltaim-Tenis lake system (Omsk region) has been carried out. Species composition, structure, abundance, and dominant complexes of phytoplankton are described. The predominance of cyanobacteria in the formation of the population and the dominant phytoplankton complex is established. The trophic level of the lakes corresponds to the eutrophic and polytrophic water category. The saprobity index of water varies from the α-oligosaprobic to the β-mesosaprobic zone. Compared to the mid- 20th century, the ecological state of the lake system is stable.     

Variation of cytochrome b gene in sympatric chars from Kronotsky Lake (Kamchatka oblast)

In previously identified sympatric char forms (species) from Kronotsky Lake (Kamchatka Peninsula) and a number of other chars from the genus Salvelinus, nucleotide sequences of the mtDNA cytochrome b gene were determined and phylogenetic analysis of these forms was performed. The divergence of the cytochrome b gene in the Kronotsky char group (0.48%) coincided with the interpopulation difference estimates in northern Dolly Varden, which indicates a relatively recent divergence of the chars from Kronotsky Lake. Haplotypes of each form of the Kronotsky Lake chars are divided into two groups, which belonged to two different phylogenetic mtDNA lineages of northern Dolly Varden from Chukotka and Kamchatka. The formation of the Kronotsky char forms proved to be unrelated to the observed variability of the mtDNA cytochrome b gene.     

Microbial processes of organic matter production and decomposition in saline rivers of the Lake Elton area (Volgograd oblast,Russia)

The rates of microbial processes and phylogenetic diversity of the microorganisms responsible for organic matter production and decomposition in the benthic communities and bottom sediments of the rivers Solyanka, Lantsug, Khara, Chernavka, and Bol’shaya Smorogda (Lake Elton area, Volgograd oblast, Russia) were studied. The biomass and primary production of cyano–bacterial communities varied significantly within the ranges of 20–903 mg Chl a/m² and 0.2–21 mg C/(m² h), respectively. Depending on the season, the share of anoxygenic CO₂ fixation varied from 20% to the values comparable to the rate of oxygenic photosynthesis. The total heterotrophic activity of microbial communities determined as the rate of dark CO₂ assimilation varied from 31 to 750 μmol/(dm³ day) in the mats and from 3 to 137 μmol/(dm³ day) in the sediments. The rates of sulfate reduction and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis varied from 10 to 2621 μmol S/dm³ day) and from 1.5 to 323 nmol CH₄/(dm³ day), respectively. High-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes in cyano–bacterial mats revealed microorganisms belonging to 20 phyla, with the sequences of Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes being the most numerous.     

Stomatocysts of chrysophyte algae from bodies of water in territory near Irtysh river in Omsk Region and Lake Teletskoe in Gorny Altai,Russia

The distribution of stomatocysts of chrysophyte algae in the plankton of bodies of water of different types in the basin of the middle reach of the Irtysh (at the Omsk Region), as well as in the plankton and in fouling of the deep-water oligotrophic lake Teletskoe (Gorny Altai) has been considered. The classification of morphotypes of stomatocysts has been carried out. The number of morphotypes found in plankton samples from bodies of water of the middle Irtysh basin is 30 and, in Lake Teletskoe, 60. Four similar morphotypes of cysts were revealed for the bodies of water under investigation.     

Zygaenidae (Lepidoptera) of Omsk Province

The fauna of the family Zygaenidae of Omsk Province is reviewed. 12 species are listed, among which 7 are recorded from this territory for the first time.     

Territoriality,philopatry, and nest-site fidelity in robins trapped in Moscow oblast

From 1999 to 2005 at Zvenigorod Biological Station (Moscow oblast, Russia, 55°44′N, 36°51′E) field studies were performed. Birds were trapped using mist-nets. The Russian Ringing Center provided data collected from 1948 on robins captured outside the Moscow oblast. A total of 5751 robins were trapped and banded in the Moscow oblast. Only two birds (0.03%) were retrapped the following years. Three birds banded in the Moscow oblast were found in other regions. In addition, two robins banded in other countries were caught at Zvenigorod Biological Station. The rate of long-distance recoveries was 0.09%. The Russian Ringing Center reports on three robins banded in other countries and found in the Moscow oblast, and one robin banded in the Moscow oblast and then found in a different country. It was shown that robins born or breed in the Moscow oblast exhibited neither nest-site fidelity nor natal homing, which is the case for other areas. Wintering grounds of robins born or breed in the Moscow oblast are located within a single zone (north-east of Spain, south of France and Italy). This area is also wintering ground for robins from other regions. There exists one route connecting the wintering grounds for robins with the Moscow oblast which birds follow during autumn and spring migrations. It is possible that the Moscow oblast is a nesting area for robins born or breed in the north of Russia (including Finland and the Leningrad oblast). Natal sites and nest sites of robins could be separated by a distance of 1000 km or more.     

Springtail community (Hexapoda,Collembola) in arable chernozems of Kursk oblast

The composition of springtail communities (the ratio of taxa, species richness, morphoecological spectrum, and spatial organization) in typical deep chernozems of Kursk oblast has been studied in crop fields, forest strips, and an old fallow. Approximately 40 springtail species have been recorded, with the Onychiuridae being dominant with respect to species diversity and contribution to the total abundance. Springtails are distributed over the soil profile to a depth of no less than 50 cm. The pattern of their vertical distribution in areas with tree and shrub vegetation differs from that in arable land. The response of springtails to weakly expressed sheet erosion of chernozem proved to be insufficient for using them as bioindicators of the initial stages of soil erosion.     

A Review of the Leaf-Beetle Fauna (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae sensu lato) of Omsk Province

Entomological Review - An annotated checklist of 212 species belonging to 56 genera of the 11 subfamilies in 3 families of leaf beetles from Omsk Province, West Siberia, is provided. 135 species...     

The marriage migration characteristics of the Rostov oblast population

Marriage records have been used to study the marriage migration structure of five raions of the Rostov oblast. The mean ethnic marriage assortativeness in the Russian and Ukrainian rural populations are 1.16 and 1.6, respectively. The endogamy index of the urban population varies from 0.19 to 0.34; and that of the rural population, from 0.21 to 0.54. Malecot's isolation by distance parameters have been calculated. Genetic landscapes have been constructed.     

Selenium in parent materials and soils of Novosibirsk oblast

The content and distribution of selenium in soils of Novosibirsk oblast have been investigated. Soils with of possible anomalous selenium content are mapped.     

Parasite-host relationship of flies and small mammals in the Omsk region

A generalized analysis of data on a flea fauna, range of their hosts in various natural zones, and features of parasite-host relationships between fleas and small mammals obtained in the Omsk province during long term researches in 1963-1997 is given. 35 flea species are recorded. The most mass species both on animals and in their nest is Ctenophthalmus assimilis; the numerous species are Amalareus penicilliger, Megabothros rectangulatus, M. walkeri, Peromyscopsylla silvatica, Ctenophthalmus unciatus, Palaropsylla sorecis, Doratopsilla birulai, Neopsylla pleskei, Hystrichopsylla talpae; the usual species--Ceratopsyllus garei, M. calcarifer, M. turbidus, Frontopsylla elata, Amphipsylla sibirica, A. kuznetzowi, Peromyscopsylla dasycnema, Radinopsylla integella, Catalagia dacenkoi. Other species are less numerous or infrequent. The general infection rate of the flea populations on rodents and insectivores makes 30.4%. For certain species it reaches 65.1% (on red-backed vole Cletrionomys rutilus), for regular groups--86.9% (on shrews of the genus Sorex). The greatest variety of the flea populations is observed on Microtus arvalis, the least one--on Sorex caecutiens and S. daphaenodon. In the nests of small mammals the variety of fleas is significantly lower. Based on the index of flea species relative "loyalty" to small mammals and their nest we have recognized 6 groups of fleas.