Researcher at the Laboratory for Environmental Monitoring of NPP Regions and Bioindication, Ph.D. Sergey Anatolyevich Simanovsky became a member of a large collaboration of European and American scientists on the cytogenomic study of the guiding role of B chromosomes in male development in Astyanax mexicanus (Characiformes). The results of the study are published in Current Biology (Q1 WoS, IF = 10.834). Part of the work of S.A. Simanovsky was the study of synaptonemal complexes in prophase I of meiosis in A. mexicanus males with B-chromosomes in somatic cells. The presence of single B-chromosomes was also found in spermatocytes. At the pachytene stage of prophase I of meiosis, B chromosomes were identified as univalents that did not interact with autosomal bivalents. This part of the research was carried out at the expense of the RFBR's own grant, which is reflected in the “Acknowledgments” article. The main result of the study was the discovery on the B chromosomes of A. mexicanus of two loci of the gdf6b gene, a putative master gene for sex determination. It was found that gdf6b is expressed only in the testes and determines the development of the male pattern. When this gene is knocked out, a sex change occurs.

It is believed that "worms" are primitive animals that are not capable of complex behavior. However, studies carried out by Doctor of Biological Sciences, Head of the Laboratory of Morphology and Ecology of Marine Invertebrates, IEE RAS T.A. Britaev together with a colleague from the Center for Marine Research of Moscow State University Blanes D. Martin showed that this is far from the case. The results of the experiments demonstrated a striking aggressive behavior in marine symbiotic worms - polychaetes. The scientists studied the influence of changes in the number of hosts on the behavior of the symbiotic polychaete Ophthalmonoe pettibonae living in the tubes of another large burrowing polychaete Chaetopterus sp. The researchers moved the host from their own opaque tube to an artificial one made of transparent plastic, which made it possible to observe the behavior of animals. Experiments have clearly shown that as a result of severe intraspecific collisions, control over the territory, which in this case is the owner, is established by a single individual. This behavior explains the strictly uniform distribution observed in nature: one symbiont in one host. The increase in the number of vacant hosts has not led to a decrease in competition. Moreover, the pursuit of a competitor continued outside the host tube, which for the first time proved the ability of marine invertebrates to control the external territory, including additional hosts. Britayev, T. A. & Martin, D. (2021) Behavioral traits and territoriality in the symbiotic scaleworm Ophthalmonoe pettiboneae. Scientific Reports 11: 12408. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-91810-2  

Emerald ash borer is a devastating pest of ash trees. About 20 years ago, it spread from its homeland - from East Asia - to North America and European Russia and began to settle, destroying millions of ash trees in forests and urban plantations. To date, the ash borer has occupied 19 regions of the European part of Russia and two regions of Ukraine. At the same time, the borer has come close to the borders of the European Union and is included in the list of the 20 most dangerous quarantine pests for the EU. Marina Orlova-Benkovskaya and Andrey Benkovsky, Doctors of Biological Sciences, Senior Researchers at the IEE RAS, made the first prognosis of the potential distribution of the borer in Europe, based on the calculation of heat supply (the sum of effective temperatures). Calculations have shown that in most regions of Europe the heat is quite sufficient for the development of the borer. However, fortunately, in the north - in most regions of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as in the northern half of the British Isles - the borer, most likely, will not be able to settle. In the European part of Russia, the ash borer settled as far as St. Petersburg and Yaroslavl. According to the calculations of scientists, the heat conditions will not allow it to travel further north. Ash trees growing in Karelia, the Vologda Oblast and other northern regions will not be affected by the pest.

The Narwhal research project started in 2019, when PJSC Gazprom Neft, together with IEE RAS, arranged for the first expedition to study these animals. Then the "sea unicorns" were found in the archipelago Franz Josef Land. The second expedition, organized by the company and the A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS, left Arkhangelsk in July 2021 on the research expedition ship Mikhail Somov. Its goals are to detect narwhals, describe the Russian part of the range, and assess the state of the population. Narwhals are unique in that they prefer areas bordering between water and Arctic ice all year round, not swimming away to warmer areas like most marine mammals. The state of the population of "sea unicorns" can be used to judge the well-being of the Arctic ecosystem, which is why Gazprom Neft PJSC pays great attention to them. PJSC Gazprom Neft, together with IEE RAS, at the TASS site, prepared an interactive long-read website https://spec.tass.ru/narwhal/, where you can get acquainted with the diaries of the expedition, read the conclusions of scientists, watch videos and photos with narwhals.

The documentary film about the second season of the expedition "Master of the Arctic" will allow the observation of the Arctic islands from the height of the L-410 turboflight, the blue ice of the Barents Sea - from the legendary ship "Mikhail Somov"; learn how people live and work on expeditions and what is the purpose of their hard work. The film was created by the Clean Seas Foundation and is dedicated to two expeditions in the Arctic, implemented with the participation of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Серей Валериевич Найденко, директор Института проблем экологии и эволюции им. А.Н. Северцова РАН рассказал подробнее о фильме «В фильме показаны особенности работы с самым крупным наземным млекопитающим планеты – «хозяином Арктики» белым медведем, показаны уникальные кадры, зафиксировавшие лаптевского моржа, одного из самых малоизученных морских млекопитающих планеты, демонстрируются уникальные съемки морских млекопитающих и птиц Арктики». Before the screening of the film, the guests had time to take a tour of the interactive exhibition “Arctic from the air”. It will be possible to enjoy beautiful views of the Arctic nature at the exhibition and even “visit” as a scientific observer of the air laboratory at the Darwin Museum until the end of January 2022. To do this, just buy a ticket to the museum. On January 20, 2022, an open screening of the documentary and a meeting with the expedition group will take place in the cinema hall.

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of museum collections as a repository of hidden information about biodiversity. Over the past decade, “historical” DNA has been actively used for evolutionary and taxonomic studies. Genetic data from museum specimens is especially important for obtaining new information about rare or little-studied species. This group includes, for example, the Tien Shan birch mouse Sicista tianschanica, the last revision of which was carried out more than 30 years ago. A team of researchers, including an employee of the Laboratory of Microevolution of Mammals, IEE RAS, Ph.D. Zemmerov E.D., for the first time on the basis of samples from museum collections, including type specimens, carried out a comprehensive complex molecular genetic analysis of the nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear genes of representatives of the Tien Shan birch mouse species. The data obtained as a result of this study were compared with the available information on previously identified karyomorphs of this group. It has been shown that this complex of species includes several clades of the species level. Based on genetic and karyotypic data, two new species have been described: Sicista terskeica and S. talgarica. Original publication:

The Ethiopian Highlands are a vast mountain range with many potential ecological niches, characterized by a high level of endemism among small mammals. Ethiopian endemics include 12 species of shrews of the genus Crocidura, represented exclusively by forest or alpine forms. This number of endemic species clearly demonstrates that the Ethiopian Highlands is an important center of species diversity and adaptive radiation for this genus. However, the currently available molecular genetic data on the relation of endemic Ethiopian species to each other, as well as with a similar endemic group from Tanzania, are limited by a small number of studied species, small sample sizes, and the lack of studies based on nuclear gene sequences. The staff of the Laboratory of Microevolution of Mammals of the A.N.Severtsov IEE RAS together with colleagues from the M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University have carried out a phylogenetic analysis of an extended set of species of this genus and an assessment of the times of divergence between the main clades. The obtained phylogenetic patterns made it possible to propose an evolutionary scenario according to which the Ethiopian Highlands is the primary center of diversification for the Ethiopian-Tanzanian shrew clade. The territories south of the Ethiopian Highlands were probably settled by members of this group as a result of a single colonization event (1.3–0.7 Ma).

At the end of 2021, the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program (MAB), which played a major role in popularizing the concept of sustainable development, including the creation of optimal relations between society and nature, which is largely facilitated by the international network of biosphere reserves - areas representing important ecosystems of the planet, celebrates its half-century anniversary. To date, the World Network of Biosphere Reserves includes 727 protected areas (including 22 transboundary ones) in 131 countries. The network of biosphere reserves of Russia is represented by 48 protected areas of various levels, illustrated information about which is contained in a special issue of the Bulletin of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO (ComUNESCO), prepared in Russian and English with the support of PJSC "Phosagro" and published in December 2021 by Oleg Pakhmutov Publishing House for distribution in 193 UNESCO Member States and posted here.

It has long been assumed that interspecific hybridization and introgression (the transfer of genes from one species to the gene pool of another by backcrossing), in other words, reticular processes, play a very limited role in evolution and the acquisition of adaptations in mammals. Using the example of rodents endemic and inhabiting various mountainous habitats of the Ethiopian Highlands, the staff of the Laboratory of Mammal Microevolution of the IEE RAS, together with colleagues from the Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, managed to obtain evidence that interspecific hybridization and introgression between closely related mammalian species can lead to significant evolutionary consequences. Phylogenetic relationships of all nine Ethiopian species of speckled rough-haired mice Lophuromys flavopunctatus s.l. from geographic localities covering most of their distribution areas were studied using genomic methods. The results of the study revealed a significant discrepancy between mitochondrial and nuclear phylogenies resulting from ancient and recent interspecific hybridization events. Based on the data obtained, a scenario of the evolutionary history of this group is proposed, according to which modern species and their genetic diversity were formed as a result of a complex combination of divergent and reticular processes. It has been suggested that the introgression of the mitochondrial genome of a species inhabiting low altitudes (L.

The Praomyini tribe is one of the most numerous and diverse groups of African rodents. The species of this group are reservoirs of many pathogenic microorganisms, as well as agricultural pests. An international team of researchers, including the head of the laboratory of microevolution of mammals, IEE RAS, Doctor of Biological Sciences Lavrenchenko L.A., carried out the phylogenomic analysis of Praomyini. For the first time, a fully resolved phylogenetic tree of this tribe has been obtained. Numerous taxonomic changes have been proposed, and four new genera have been identified (Montemys, Congomys, Ochromyscus, Serengetimys). A deeply divergent lineage found in southwestern Ethiopia is described from the only known specimen as a new genus and species, Chingawaemys rarus (Lavrenchenko, Mikula & Bryja, 2021). Divergence dating results suggest that the radiation of the Praomyini tribe began during the Messinian Crisis salinity (~ 7 million years ago) and was probably associated with the fragmentation of African forests in the Miocene. It is shown that some of its lines, like their common ancestor, continued to live in evergreen rainforests, while many others adapted to open and mountainous habitats that arose at the beginning of the Pliocene. Figure 1. Chingawa forest (southwestern Ethiopia) - type locality of Chingawaemys rarus.

In the first half of January 2022, the work of a complex expedition continued on the territory of RNO-Alania and Kabardino-Balkaria, which included employees of IEE RAS, IEGT RAS, the North Ossetian State Reserve and the Elbrus National Park. The next (winter) stage of the expedition was devoted to the search for leopards and traces of their activity in this region. Even though the collars stopped transmitting GPS coordinates in 2021, the VHF transmitters on them are still operational. Therefore, specialists held a session of trips along the passes in order to find the location of animals released in 2020 by radio signal. Unfortunately, at this stage, the search has not yielded any results. However, in the Central Caucasus active collection of information coming from the population is being undertaken. The project participants have already appealed to the inhabitants of the Caucasus and reminded them once again: if you find a footprint of a large cat, and you assume that this is a footprint of a leopard, then it must be photographed from above with a scale (a box of matches, a lighter, a ballpoint pen, a telephone), as well as a footprint (as in the photo example) and send us these photos for examination. This is very important for the project.

Caspian seal puppy. International expedition. Northern Caspian, Kazakhstan, 2019 Photo by Shumeiko N. Endangered Caspian Seal Habitat Identified in Three Important Marine Mammal Area (IMMA) Status. Caspian seals (Pusa caspica) live only in the Caspian Sea — located at the junction of Europe and Asia, the largest landlocked waterbody in the world. Caspian seals have been listed as Endangered since 2008 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), having declined by more than 70 % in the 20th Century, primarily as a result of unsustainable hunting for their fur and blubber. Caspian seal puppy. International expedition. Northern Caspian, Kazakhstan, 2019 Photo by Shumeiko N. The female of the Caspian seal. International expedition. Northern Caspian, Kazakhstan, 2019 Photo by Shumeiko N.

О.А. Крылович и А.Б. Савинецкий на отборе торфяника The Aleutian Islands constitute a region that attracts the attention of researchers of various specialties. In recent years, interest in the Aleutian Islands has increased further, a large number of articles have been published devoted to the study of the dynamics of climate, their flora and fauna and the history of human settlement of the islands. The article, recently published in the journal Water (MPDI), highlights the results of the work of scientists from three structural divisions of the IEE RAS (laboratory of ecology of aquatic communities and invasions, laboratory of historical ecology and laboratory of population ecology) on the study of the past ecosystems of this region. For the first time to analyze the peat deposits of one of the islands of the ridge, a new approach was applied, combining the results of classical diatom analysis and modern methods of statistical analysis. The purpose of this work was to describe the dynamics during the Holocene of the diatom community of a small reservoir located on Shemya Island and to identify the main global and local factors that determine these changes. Diatoms, whose silicon valves are perfectly preserved in millennial sediments, are good indicators of the environment and objects for paleoreconstruction. According to the results of radiocarbon dating, the formation of the deposit began at 9300 cal. years ago. The analysis of the main components made it possible to link the dynamics of the diatom community with certain ecological conditions and factors that influenced coastal ecosystems during the period of its formation.

Elsivier has published a fresh list of the world's most cited scientists, which was first presented two years ago. The rating is based on the analysis of the number of citations of articles (taking into account the order of authors and other indicators) by more than 8 million scientists on the basis of scientific publications SCOPUS. For each of the selected areas of knowledge (chemistry, economics, mathematics, biology, biomedicine, etc., 22 areas in total), 2% of the most cited scientists were included in the list of "top scientists in the world" (a total of about 190,000 thousand in all regions). One rating is presented by scientists with the highest citation rates of their articles in the last 25 years, from 1996 to 2020, the second - with indicators only for the last 2020. From Russia, the list (in all areas of knowledge) included 847 and 959 scientists, respectively, which is only 0.45% and 0.50% of the total number of "top scientists in the world." In the biology ranking for 25 years (1996-2020), there are only 9 Russians among the 7483 most cited scientists in the world (0.12%). Among them, the largest representation is by IEE RAS and M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University - three scientists, three more organizations are represented by one scientist each. In the rating for 2020, there are three times more Russian biologists (which indicates a positive trend), although still very few: 28 out of 7800 (0.36%). They are the leaders among scientific institutions: Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov (6 people), IEE RAS (5 people) and the Zoological Institute RAS (3 people). Link to the list 

At the UN International Conference on Climate Change, a film about the project for the conservation and restoration of Russian swamps and a virtual tour of the “Staroselsky moss” (Старосельский мох) bog, which is located in the Central Forest Biosphere Reserve (Nelidovsky District, Tver Region), was presented. Scientists have been closely observing the “Staroselsky moss” bog for several years: they study the emission and absorption of greenhouse gases, and simulate the dynamics under conditions of climatic changes. The photographs were presented In a virtual pavilion "Peatland", as well as videos and a 3D panorama of the Central Forest Reserve, made by a researcher at the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of RAS Dmitry Ivanov. These materials were highly appreciated by foreign experts. Related materials: KP: "The ecology will be saved by the swamp: the reserved swamp in the Tver region was estimated by the experts of Europe" 

Sofya Borisovna Rosenfeld, Ph.D., Researcher, Center for Bird Ringing of Russia, IEE RAS, took part in counting geese and brants in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The survey takes place within the international project “Life for the safe flight” of the European Union for the preservation of the red-breasted goose. On the part of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the project partner is the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK). For two weeks in the Kostanay region, we have been developing a popular science film with the working title "Autumn migration of geese on Lake Taldykol". The film will describe the migration of geese and brants, including more detail about the red-breasted goose, as well as the measures taken in the Republic of Kazakhstan to protect and minimize the hunting pressure on rare and hunted species of geese and brants.

The aerial stage of the "Soul of the Caspian" expedition with the purposes of research and preservation of the Caspian seal was completed on October 31 in the Astrakhan region. These are the first aerial observations of the smallest seal on earth after it was entered into the Red Book of Russia. Aviation monitoring was carried out by the Clean Seas Ecological Foundation and scientists from the IEE RAS. At the helm of the La-8 amphibious aircraft was a Hero of Russia, cosmonaut, test pilot Valery Tokarev. Takeoff and landing, and between them - an average of five hours of flight over the Caspian in search of animals. The expeditionary group of the Soul of the Caspian project spent 6 days in Astrakhan, completed 4 air routes with a total length of about 2,600 thousand kilometers, exploring an area of more than 12 thousand square kilometers. On three routes, the observers detected approximately 400 animals. Some of the seals were in the water, and most of them were on Maly Zhemchuzhny Island and in the shallows next to it. Accurate data will be obtained after computer processing of photographic materials from the monitoring complex, which is specially designed for aerial observations of marine mammals. In addition to seals, scientists detected and recorded many birds, schools of fish and, regrettably, abandoned fishing nets and numerous boats in the Dagestan part of the Caspian Sea during their flights. The research aircraft also flew over the oil platform of the Lukoil company. The area around it was clear of industrial influence.

A group of scientists from the Faculty of Biology of Moscow State University, the Koltsov Institute of Developmental Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, with the support of the Russian Science Foundation and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, studied how global climate change affects marine invertebrates. The appearance of marine ecosystems in recent years has undergone significant changes under the influence of global climate change and human activity. Scientists are currently studying how these factors affect biodiversity. Samples from the Barents, White and Japan Seas were taken and studied for this purpose. The research results are published in the scientific journal Invertebrate Zoology. The leading engineer of the Laboratory of Morphology and Ecology of Marine Invertebrates, Tatyana Igorevna Antokhina, took part in the research on behalf of IEE RAS.