Bloodsucking diptera in the forest-steppe regions of Novosibirsk Province

Seasonal dynamics and species composition of bloodsucking dipterans were analyzed: in the subtaiga forest, northern forest-steppe, pine forest, and the southern forest-steppe of Novosibirsk Province. The regions examined differed in their climatic and hydrological conditions as well as in the abundance and the number of species of bloodsucking dipterans. Mosquitoes formed a large component of bloodsucking dipterans and prevailed everywhere except the taiga and the northern forest steppe, where the horseflies were dominant. The lowest abundance and the smallest number of mosquito species were observed in the southern forest-steppe, where the climatic and hydrological conditions were unsuitable for development of their preimaginal phases.     

Fauna and ecology of blood-sucking mosquitoes (Culicidae) in the northern taiga of the Sverdlovsk region

20 species of blood-sucking mosquitoes were recorded from the northern taiga of Ural (the northern part of the Sverdlovsk region): 15 species of the genus Aedes, 2 species of Culex, 2 species of Culiseta and 1 species of Anopheles. Larvae of Aedes occur in masse in small temporary water bodies. In summer after rains larvae of Culiseta and Culex as well as some species of Aedes appear. In May overhibernated Culiseta alaskaensis, C. bergrothi and An. maculipennis begin the flight of mosquitoes. The peak of the number and specific variety of attacking mosquitoes was recorded in July; in August their activity started to decrease. Aedes communis and A. punctor are mass species, A. excrucians, A. hexodontus and C. bergrothi are rather abundant, the other species are small in number or rare.     

Patterns of formation of island fauna of butterflies (Lepidoptera, Diurna) at the northern forest boundary in the region of pleistocene continental glaciation (by the example of White Sea islands)

Patterns of formation of island butterfly fauna at the northern forest boundary in the region of Valdai inland ice were analyzed by the example of White Sea islands. The ecotone effect, typical for northernmost taiga and forest-tundra and introducing the transitional butterfly fauna in near-tundra forest between the boreal and hypoarctic zones, was not observed on the White Sea islands. Island isolation provided for the absence of some Arctic species, entering near-tundra forest from the North, in the island fauna. Island butterfly faunas represent poor variants of the northern taiga fauna lacking some polyzonal and temperate species and having a reduced set of Arctic boreal species.     

The fauna of bloodsucking insects of Northwestern Russia. Characteristics of the ranges

The fauna of the Northwestern region of Russia comprises 285 species of bloodsucking insects. The number of species of mosquitoes and lice in the Northwest constitute 40% of the total numbers in the Russian fauna; that of the biting midges, 38%; horseflies, 35%; blackflies, 30%, and fleas, 19%. Representatives of 4 dipteran families of the “gnus” complex, and also lice and fleas of the Northwestern Russian fauna possess ranges of 12 types, most of which include large part of the Holarctic or Palaearctic; 57 species (20%) of the species have Holarctic ranges; 82 species, or 28%, trans-Palaearctic ranges; 49 species, or 17%, Western-Central Palaearctic ranges; and 73 species, or 25%, Western-Palaearctic ranges. The fraction of species (8) with other range types is 19%. A synopsis of the species groups characterized by these types of ranges is given. Species with ranges extending as far northwards as the tundra zone constitute 13%, those with ranges including the taiga zone, 60%, and those with other range types, 27% of the fauna.     

Organization of studies of the gnus complex of bloodsucking dipterans (diptera: culicidae,ceratopogonidae, tabanidae) by Yu. S. Balashov

The paper gives a historical account of investigations of mosquitoes, blackflies, and horseflies at the Laboratory of Parasitology of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) supervised by Corresponding Member of RAS, Prof. Yu.S. Balashov, in 1979–1994. The research team of the laboratory studied the local fauna, relative abundance, seasonal dynamics, diel activity, duration of mass flight, annual fluctuations of abundance, and age composition of populations of various species of mosquitoes, blackflies, and horseflies in the territory of Leningrad, Novgorod and Pskov Provinces. The specific traits of attacks of various horsefly species were studied using the individual marking techniques.     

Bloodsucking dipteran insects (Diptera) attacking humans and animals (the “gnus” complex) in northwestern Russia: I. General characteristics of the fauna

The fauna of bloodsucking Diptera of northwestern Russia comprises 226 species of mosquitoes (Culicidae), biting midges (Ceratopogonidae), black flies (Simuliidae) and horseflies (Tabanidae). In particular, Culicidae include 41 species from 10 subgenera of 5 genera of 2 subfamilies. Simuliidae are represented by 110 species of 23 genera, belonging to 6 tribes of 2 subfamilies; the genus Culicoides of the Ceratopogonidae, by 31 species; and Tabanidae, by 44 species of 7 genera from 2 subfamilies. There is a necessity of elaboration and application of more advanced forms of information storage and field data standardization. In the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, a special database on the bloodsucking insects of Russia is created in the DBMS Access. A list of abundant bloodsucking species of mosquitoes, biting midges, black flies and horseflies is included. A brief synopsis of bibliography of investigations of the bloodsucking dipterans from northwestern Russia is given, provided with a list of more then 190 publication.     

Natural zonality in the distribution of arthropods,birds, and vascular plants in the area of the Lower Ob region and Yamal Peninsula

This paper is devoted to an analysis of the pattern of zonal distribution of mesofaunal arthropods, birds, and vascular plants in the area from northern taiga forests to arctic tunrdas of the Yamal Peninsula by the gradient of summer air temperatures. The latitudinal dynamics of northern ecosystems determines differences in the number of plant species that have a direct effect on the species richness and abundance of invertebrates and an indirect one through invertebrates on the same indices of birds. Breaks in continuity marking the natural boundaries where the components of arctic communities become boreal have been found in the changes of species diversity.     

Epiphytic lichen diversity and its dependence on bark chemistry in the northern Mongolian dark taiga

Epiphytic lichen diversity was studied in a dark taiga forest of Pinus sibirica, Abies sibirica and Picea obovata in the western Khentey Mountains, northern Mongolia. Though most lichen species occurred on all three tree species, lichen diversity was higher on Abies and Picea than on Pinus. On branches, lichen vegetation differed less between tree species than on the trunk. The occurrence of many Parmeliaceae species with a hydrophilic surface and of many species producing the dibenzofuran usnic acid gives evidence of the low deposition of acidic pollutants in the study area. The Mn content of bark, which is known to limit at high values the abundance of epiphytic lichens in coniferous forests of Europe and North America, is apparently not controlling the spatial distribution of epiphytic lichens in the dark taiga of Mongolia. This is attributed to the dry and cold winters in Mongolia, as high Mn is especially leached from the surface of trees under moist conditions at temperatures around the freezing point, when the contact between water droplets and the tree surface is particularly intensive. Such moist and cold weather conditions are frequent in most parts of the northern coniferous forests of Europe and North America, but are rare events in the most continental parts of Asia, i.e. in Mongolia and eastern Siberia.     

Seasonal aspects of the life cycles of Carabus granulatus and C. glabratus (coleoptera, carabidae) in the northern taiga

The seasonal dynamics of the activity and the demographic structure of Carabus granulatus and C. glabratus populations was studied in the northern taiga of European Russia. The period of adult activity lasts for 90 days from early June to late August with the maximal activity observed in June. At the northern boundary of the range, the spring species Carabus granulatus retains its annual life cycle typical of this species in the other part of the range. At the same time, the reproductive period decreases, resulting in the synchronization of the development of specimens within the population. In the autumn species C. glabratus, a biennial life cycle with early summer reproduction is formed in the zone of broad-leaved forests of the northern taiga instead of the annual cycle. This species is characterized by the presence of two groups of individuals developing for two years each, but their development is shifted by a year. Such strategy results in the annual breeding of the species.     

Bloodsucking dipterans (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae,Culicidae, Simuliidae,Tabanidae) of the Kurgala Peninsula,Leningrad Province

The fauna of bloodsucking dipterans of the Kurgala Peninsula comprises 73 species, 34 of which belong to mosquitoes (Culicidae), 18 to blackflies (Simuliidae), 5 to biting midges (Ceratopogonidae, genus Culicoides), and 16 species to horseflies (Tabanidae). Nine species of the bloodsucking dipterans found on the Kurgala Peninsula are new to Leningrad Province, 6 of them being also recorded for the first time for the neighboring territories of Estonia and southern Finland.     

Regeneration successions of northern taiga spruce forests under reduction of aerotechnogenic impact

The development of the composition and structure of northern taiga spruce forests on the Kola Peninsula under regeneration succession with a reduction in emissions from the metallurgical combine are described. Parameters of species diversity and ecological-coenotic structure of plant communities, including algosinusia of soils, are assessed under different technogenic impacts. Significant indices of stable transformations of plants from different layers during the regeneration succession were revealed. Strongly transformed communities in the vicinity of the combine are shown to remain in a critical state due to the preserved high level of soil pollution and demutation changes of the taiga components in the course of allogenic succession.     

Sampling Techniques for Bloodsucking Dipterans (Diptera: Culicidae,Simuliidae, Ceratopogonidae,Tabanidae)

Entomological Review - Techniques for sampling and preserving bloodsucking dipterans: mosquitoes, blackflies, biting midges, and horseflies (Diptera: Culicidae, Simuliidae, Ceratopogonidae,...     

Spider (Aranei) assemblages in bog-forest ecotone of the northern taiga subzone (Eastern Fennoscandia)

Soil-dwelling and ground spiders were studied in oligotrophic and mesotrophic bog-forest ecotones of the northern taiga (Eastern Fennoscandia) in 2005–2007. The number of spider species was greater in the forest as compared to the bog. The spider assemblages of the bogs and swampy forests was characterized by the prevalence of Lycosidae both in abundance and in species richness, whereas members of the family Linyphiidae prevailed in the forest. The species diversity of soil-dwelling spiders was lower in oligotrophic bogs than in mesotrophic ones. In all the bog-forest ecotones studied, the spider assemblages showed no edge effect (an increase in diversity and abundance), indicating a high degree of interpenetration of the spider complexes from adjacent ecosystems. Stenotopic spider species were not found in the ecotones studied either. The major ecological factors responsible for the specific features of spider assemblages in the biotopes studied are the temperature regime and soil humidity.     

Diurnal butterflies (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) of the Solovetskie Islands (Northwestern Russia, the White Sea)

The species composition and diversity of Lepidoptera Rhopalocera were studied on the Solovetskie Islands during five years (2001–2005). Twenty-nine species of five families were recorded. The most abundant species are Leptidea sinapis, Boloria aquilonaris, Heodes virgaureae, Plebejus argus, Arcia eumedon, and Cyaniris semiargus. The fauna of these islands is poorer than local faunas of the continental northern taiga, forest-tundra, and southern tundra of Europe. The species diversity of insular assemblages of diurnal lepidopterans is lower in comparison with analogous continental assemblages. They are characterized by the mixed species composition, when species with different ecological preference occur within the same habitat.     

The ecology of the meadow pipit <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anthus pratensis</Emphasis> (Linnaeus, 1758) at the northeastern limit of the breeding area

The ecology of the meadow pipit was studied for many years in nature in the Lower Ob region and on the Yamal Peninsula. Experimental studies were carried out in laboratory conditions at natural and alternative day durations. The factors affecting the distribution of the species at the northeastern limit of its area were analyzed. The meadow pipit is widespread in the taiga zone; it does not need special adaptations for its existence in forest tundra and southern taiga. However, the species has no adaptations that would permit it to exist in northern tundra. Current climate changes define the northern border of the area. The species has no obvious obstacles for spreading to the east.     

Comparative phylogeography and demographic history of the wood lemming (Myopus schisticolor): implications for late Quaternary history of the taiga species in Eurasia

The association between demographic history, genealogy and geographical distribution of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b haplotypes was studied in the wood lemming (Myopus schisticolor), a species that is closely associated with the boreal forest of the Eurasian taiga zone from Scandinavia to the Pacific coast. Except for a major phylogeographic discontinuity (0.9% nucleotide divergence) in southeastern Siberia, only shallow regional genetic structure was detected across northern Eurasia. Genetic signs of demographic expansions imply that successive range contractions and expansions on different spatial scales represented the primary historical events that shaped geographical patterns of genetic variation. Comparison of phylogeographic structure across a taxonomically diverse array of other species that are ecologically associated with the taiga forest revealed similar patterns and identified two general aspects. First, the major south-north phylogeographic discontinuity observed in five out of six species studied in southeastern Siberia and the Far East implies vicariant separation in two different refugial areas. The limited distribution range of the southeastern lineages provides no evidence of the importance of the putative southeastern refugial area for postglacial colonization of northern Eurasia by boreal forest species. Second, the lack of phylogeographic structure associated with significant reciprocal monophyly and genetic signatures of demographic expansion in all nine boreal forest animal species studied to date across most of northern Eurasia imply contraction of each species to a single refugial area during the late Pleistocene followed by range expansion on a continental scale. Similar phylogeographic patterns observed in this taxonomically diverse set of organisms with different life histories and dispersal potentials reflect the historical dynamics of their shared environment, the taiga forest in northern Eurasia.     

Ecological description of ground beetle communities (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in northern taiga meadows of Arkhangelsk Region

Species composition and ecological structure of ground beetle population was studied in northern taiga meadows of the Arkhangelsk Region. Meadows in the northern forest zone proved to harbor 91 ground beetle species. Carabid complexes formed in the intrazonal biocenoses of the northern forest zone can be as rich as the family topical groups in the southern forest zone by the number of species and ecological diversity. Ecological properties of the fauna and ground beetle population proved similar in different parts of the forest zone. The proportion of stenobiotic meadow species proved to decrease while that of ecologically plastic ones increased from south to north. The proportion of the genus Harpalus decreased in the ground beetle population while the number of Amara species remained unaltered and their abundance increased. The changes in the species composition caused no transformation of the ecological structure of ground beetle population since they were limited to a single life form or guild.     

Efficiency of six different octenol-baited traps for collecting horseflies (Diptera: Tabanidae)

The efficiency and the potential species preference for six different horsefly trap types was studied. A total of 2401 horseflies were collected during this study. The most effective trap was the modified box trap with (27.9%), followed by the Nzi trap with (24.5%), Malaise trap (Townes design 1972) with (22.5)%, canopy trap with (17.9%), modified small canopy trap with (7.0%) and Malaise trap (Townes design 1962) with (0.2%). The Nzi and Malaise trap (Townes design 1972) did not differ significantly in the number of collected horseflies. The comparison of all other traps revealed significant differences in the number of collected horseflies. Tabanus bromius was the most abundant species with (58.6%) of the collected sample. The modified box trap was the most successful in collecting of T. bromius, while the Malaise trap (Townes design 1972) was the most successful in collecting the species Haematopota pluvialis, T. maculicornis and T. tergestinus. This study demonstrated that different trap designs influenced the quantity, species and taxonomic diversity of horseflies that were collected. Variables in the trap design included cloth type and colour and size and shape of trap. More detailed studies should be done to determine which factor or factors are most significant.     

Long-term forest composition and its drivers in taiga forest in NW Russia

Understanding the processes behind long-term boreal forest dynamics can provide information that assists in predicting future boreal vegetation under changing environmental conditions. Here, we examine Holocene stand-scale vegetation dynamics and its drivers at the western boundary of the Russian taiga forest in NW Russia. Fossil pollen and conifer stomata records from four small hollow sites and two lake sites are used to reconstruct local vegetation dynamics during the Holocene. Variation partitioning is used to assess the relative importance of the potential drivers (temperature, forest fires and growing site wetness) to the long-term stand-scale dynamics in taiga forest. All the main tree taxa, including the boreal keystone species Picea abies (Norway spruce) and Larix sibirica (Siberian larch), have been locally present since 10,000 cal yr bp. The constant Holocene presence of L. sibirica at three small hollow sites suggests a fast postglacial immigration of the species in northern Europe. Picea was present but not dominant at all study sites until its expansion between 8,000 and 7,000 cal yr bp markedly changed the forest structure through the suppression of Betula (birch), Pinus (pine) and Larix. Our results demonstrate that in general, the Holocene forest dynamics in our study region have been driven by temperature, but during short intervals the role of local factors, especially forest fires, has been prominent. The comparison between sites reveals the importance of local factors in stand-scale dynamics in taiga forests. Therefore, the future responses of taiga forest to climate change will be predominantly modulated by the local characteristics at the site.