Biologists from Vitus Bering KamSU jointly with IEE RAS studied how the molecular genetic mechanisms of development regulation change in the evolution of salmon fishes Employees of the youth laboratory of anthropogenic dynamics of ecosystems of Vitus Bering KamSU,  together with the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, are studying the paths of evolution of salmon during the development of new ecological niches. During the implementation of the “Priority 2030” strategic academic leadership program, scientists searched for key genes and developmental regulators that change their functions for the successful adaptation of salmon fish to the consumption of new foods and living in new conditions. The study model was six endemic species of char from Lake Kronotskoe, which formed from a single ancestral population in one ecosystem over 12 thousand years. “Based on the results of studies of the molecular evolution of perch fish, our scientific group suggested that specific features of the head structure in salmonids (position of the nostrils, size and width of mouth opening, number of teeth) arise due to point mutations in genes that regulate growth and specialization of cartilage tissue, and also different intensity of expression (ed. “the process during which hereditary information from a section of DNA is converted into a functional product - protein”) of these regulators and genes responsible for energy metabolism processes,” explained the head of the laboratory, Daria Panicheva. During the project, laboratory staff obtained embryos of white char from natural spawning grounds and incubated them under controlled laboratory conditions to collect tissue samples from the anterior part of the head from the hatched juveniles. Next, total RNA was isolated from the samples and whole exomes were sequenced. Using modern bioinformatics methods, scientists identified more than 90% of the sequences and found out what functions in the development of white char are performed by genes with new mutations and altered expression intensity relative to the ancestor and related species. “We found that adaptations begin to form in early development due to the differential expression of a limited set of regulators of genetic cascades and functional proteins altered by point mutations of their genes. Mutations are concentrated in genomic regions encoding regulators of cartilage tissue development, metabolic response to hormone signals, as well as regulators of ion conductivity. Differential expression of a few key regulators of development triggers complex cascade processes, and as a result, at later stages of development in closely related species, entire blocks of the genome, thousands of genes, are read differently,” said project leader Evgeniy Esin. A surprise for the researchers was the importance of the role of not only the processes of cartilage development and tissue sensitivity to hormones, but also changes in the control functions of ion regulation. In closely related species, the speed and efficiency of signal transmission along nerve fibers and inside the cells of somatic tissues are greatly changed. This ensures different rates of growth and development of tissues in the head. The results obtained explain how the rapid emergence of many new species with different morphologies in a single ecosystem is possible.

Photo: Evgeny Esin For six years, scientists studied the ecosystems of a cascade of isolated reservoirs: Angre, Ketachan, Arbunat, Tymgygytgyn, dammed by lava from the last eruption of the side cone of the Ichinsky volcano. As a result of the eruption of Northern Cherpuk, which occurred about 7,500 years ago, the only species of fish was isolated in the reservoirs - the loach Salvelinus malma, which was, as a result, included in the Red Book.  “During the period of isolation, char from different water bodies of the cascade acquired specific biological features. Descendants of anadromous Dolly Varden were isolated in Lake Arbunat. The fish were crushed and, adapting to life in a shallow dam, underwent paedomorphosis. Adults are more like juveniles of anadromous Dolly Varden. In Tymgygytgyn, fish switched to lake spawning in winter, preserving the archaic characteristics of the ancestor that moved into this reservoir immediately after the retreat of the Pleistocene glacier. The most interesting thing happened in Lake Angre - the char divided into two new ecological forms - a bottom benthophage and a pelagic plankton feeder,” said the head of the laboratory of KSU Daria Panicheva.  “The genetic studies carried out allowed us to formulate the following hypothesis. Between the two lakes - Tymgygytgyn and Angre - the largest individuals of char migrate, but the fish are represented by three independent populations with an different evolutionary history: the char of the upper lake - Tymgygytgyn - with winter lake spawning; Lake Angre char with autumn spawning in the watercourse connecting the lakes (benthophagous); and lower lake char with winter lake spawning (planktivorous). First, a benthophagous form of the lower lake arose from the chars of the upper lake, then a planktonophage separated from it. The planktivore is the most genetically divergent form in the ecosystem. At the same time, it retains limited hybridization with char from the upper lake, which migrates to the lower lake during the planktivorous spawning. The formation of planktivorous char from Dolly Varden is a unique phenomenon that has not been recorded anywhere else in the world,” said Evgeniy Yesin, leading researcher at the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Currently, access to the territory of reservoirs is closed to visitors. However, residents of nearby settlements and tourism operators ignore the established rules.  The network of natural parks "Volcanoes of Kamchatka" together with the A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS (IEE RAS) and Vitus Bering Kamchatka State University have intensified efforts to implement preventive measures. Particular attention is paid to informing the population and tourism operators about the need for a rational and careful attitude to the natural resources of the region. Despite existing problems, all biodiversity objects maintain their natural state, and population numbers remain high. The territories remain closed to tourists, but not everyone adheres to the established ban. Related materials: IA Kamchtskoye vremya: "На Камчатке исследовали уникальные озёра, сезонные колебания уровня воды в которых может достигать 18 метров" AaF: "На Камчатке ученые изучают уникальные озера в парке «Быстринский»"

Fig. 1. Leisure time at the biological station:(1) – sunset on Glubokoye Lake;(2) – keepsake group photo;(3) – (6) – botanical and zoological catches. As part of the cooperation agreement between Minin University and IEE RAS, from June 17 to June 22, 2024, the first educational practice in zoology and general ecology was held at the hydrobiological station “Lake Glubokoye” (Moscow region, Ruzsky district), organized for third-year students of direction 44.03 .05 – Pedagogical education, profile “Biology and Chemistry”. The classes were taught by employees of the Laboratory of Ecology of Aquatic Communities and Invasions, Anna Nikolaevna Neretina and Nikolai Mikhailovich Korovchinsky. On behalf of Minin University, Dmitry Aleksandrovich Degtyarev participated in organizing and conducting classes. This year, only the most daring and courageous students of group BH-21-1, Arina Romanovna Babkina, Anastasia Sergeevna Golubeva and Alina Evgenievna Tsareva, reached the biological station. The girls were not frightened by either mosquitoes or modest living conditions. On the very first day, they enthusiastically began exploring the Lake Glubokoye. Fig. 2. Collection and processing of material:(a) – Alina and Arina fish thickets of macrophytes in search of invertebrates and microscopic algae;(2) – (3) – Nastya and Dima identify buttercup;(4) – A fun test on the last day of practice. During the practice, students mastered methods for collecting various groups of hydrobionts and identifying them in the laboratory (Fig. 1-2), and as a souvenir of the trip they took with them to Nizhny Novgorod an unusual souvenir - a larva of the dragonfly Erythromma najas. From this larva, on June 26, a charming adult insect was born in Alina’s caring hands (Fig. 3). Fig.3. An unusual souvenir from the biological station:(1) – adult individuals of Erythromma najas on Glubokoye Lake;(2) – (3) – Alina’s dragonfly. We invite everyone to join our exciting activities next year on the most beautiful lake in the Moscow region! Participants with a good sense of humor and a personal car such as a Niva are especially welcome!

Beginning in late 2022, sea urchins died en masse at the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan. Already at the end of April 2023 - 150 kilometers to the south, along the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. All individuals were found dead there within a few days. Now the death of sea urchins is already spreading into the Indian Ocean. The problem was raised in a recent study by scientists from Tel Aviv University, published in Current Biology. — Currently, the disease is registered in several species of sea urchins of the genus Diadema. These are tropical animals with long, movable spines and live primarily on coral reefs. In the eastern Mediterranean, the disease is spreading in the population of the invasive species Diadema setosum, which entered here through the Suez Canal from the Red Sea. The question remains open whether it can spread to other species of urchins living off the coast of Turkey and Greece, in the Red Sea, explains the head of the Laboratory of Morphology and Ecology of Marine Invertebrates of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor Temir Britaev. What is unusual about the situation? This is not the first time such a pestilence has arisen, but this time the epidemic is spreading very actively, which forces scientists to sound the alarm. “This epidemic is not a new phenomenon; it was first observed in related long-spined urchins living in the Caribbean Sea (Diadema antillarum) more than 40 years ago, when in the early 80s the pathogenic bacterium also wiped out urchins on Caribbean reefs,” says the leading scientist employee of the Department of Benthos Ecology of the Federal Research Center InBYUM, Doctor of Biological Sciences Konstantin Tkachenko. What if there are no more sea urchins? In early 2022, the plague returned to the Caribbean. It is not by chance that biologists are drawing attention to the threat: the plague of sea urchins can have great consequences for the environment and ultimately affect the lives of people - everything on the planet is interconnected. “It might seem strange, why do we care about some sea urchins that we practically never encounter? But in fact, sea urchins play a very important role in marine ecosystems, especially coral reef ecosystems. The fact is that corals compete with algae, and urchins feed on the latter. If you remove the urchins, the bottom becomes overgrown with algae, which displaces the corals. This is exactly the situation that has developed in the Caribbean Sea: after the mass death of urchins, the area occupied by coral reefs began to rapidly decrease. In addition, many types of urchins are actively used by humans, as a gourmet product and as a source of biologically active substances in pharmacology and cosmetics,” says Temir Britaev. “Many planktonic organisms, including fry of commercial fish, feed on sea urchin larvae. The fertility of sea urchins is quite high: females of some species during spawning can lay up to 30 million eggs, each of which can develop into a planktonic larva - Echinoplutheus. Of course, not all the larvae will survive to settle, otherwise the entire seabed would be populated by sea urchins, and there are about 800 species of them in the ocean. Some live more than 100 years. These echinoderms are sources of valuable biologically active substances. Medicines, for example, histochrome, are obtained from them,” adds Anatoly Drozdov, chief researcher at the National Scientific Center for Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor. Several thousand species of marine animals, including those vital to humans, depend on coral reefs for their livelihoods. The disappearance or degradation of reefs will set off a chain reaction of environmental changes, the consequences of which are difficult to even imagine. Therefore, in fact, enormous efforts are being made around the world to preserve corals, which are already being destroyed by rising global temperatures and ocean acidification. Added to this is a new problem. “In the study for the Red Sea, the pathogen is clearly identified - single-celled ciliates from the genus Scuticociliata, which cause necrosis of the soft tissues of some species of sea urchins. Not all of them, but, unfortunately, the two most abundant, representing the most important functional group that maintains balance in the coral-dominated reef ecosystem. These are long-spined black urchins from the genus Diadema and another species from the genus Echinothrix,” explains Konstantin Tkachenko. The authors of the Israeli study note that this is the same pathogen that was wiping out sea urchins in the Caribbean in 2022. The scientists write that this is not surprising, but "but the speed with which it spread [to the Red Sea] was unexpected." Who will replace sea urchins? “Infection occurs through direct contact of animals with each other (urchins often form clusters) or with fish that feed on living and dead tissues of urchins and willingly eat the tissues of sick individuals. The pathogen can be transported over long distances by currents or in the ballast water of ships. In geographically remote areas the disease progresses similarly. In urchins, the ambulacral legs with which they are attached to the ground stop contracting, echinoderms are torn from the ground by the current, begin to dangle in the bottom layer of water, and their accumulations form in places of local gyres. Then the long needles fall off, and finally the tissues are separated from the skeleton in layers. Moreover, all these phenomena develop rapidly and literally two days after the visible manifestations of the disease, the urchins die,” says Temir Britaev. There are opinions that sea urchins can be functionally replaced by fish - some types also feed on algae. However, here too the picture is spoiled by man: massive and uncontrolled fishing, both in the Caribbean and in the Red Sea, does not allow us to hope for this solution. “On the Caribbean reefs in the early 80s, a phase shift occurred from the dominance of corals to the dominance of macroalgae due to the fact that the main regulator of algae growth, these same urchins, was no longer present. And the number of secondary regulators - herbivorous fish - was maximally undermined by long-term unregulated fishing. So the reefs degraded when such an important functional group was removed from the ecosystem. In the Red Sea, the situation with the abundance of herbivorous fish is much better than in the Caribbean, but still their abundance does not compensate for the regulation of algae growth that urchins provided. And on reefs with significant anthropogenic load, for example, East Africa or Southeast Asia, such an epidemic promises enormous changes. I’m currently working on an expedition in Vietnam, and the coral reefs here have a lot of problems: thermal anomalies, and outbreaks in the number of the predatory crown-of-thorns starfish. This leads to large-scale mass mortality of corals, and human activity makes everything even worse. If this causative agent of sea urchin disease comes here, it will be very bad,” says Konstantin Tkachenko. Temir Britaev agrees with him: “The situation is alarming. Coral reefs are rapidly declining, and if this infection enters the tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the beautiful underwater gardens could disappear forever.” To avoid the spread of the epidemic, Israeli scientists propose to analyze the ballast water of ships arriving from infected regions to determine whether they contain infection. However, no measures have been taken so far and whether they will be taken is unknown. Among other things, sea urchins are a popular delicacy. Many seafood lovers are concerned about the question: is it possible to eat these echinoderms now? “Sea urchins use gonads for food. In infected individuals they may decrease. It is better not to eat gonads raw. It must be subjected to heat treatment: frozen, heated, dried,” emphasizes Anatoly Drozdov.” Does this apply to Russia? Is the epidemic relevant for Russia and can it affect the water resources of our country? “This has nothing to do with Russia at all. In Russian seas there are no coral reefs and their inhabitants, to which these urchins belong,” explains Konstantin Tkachenko. “So far, in the Barents Sea and in the Far Eastern seas (Japan and Okhotsk), everything is fine with sea urchin populations. There are both coastal and deep-sea species. Deaths caused by environmental causes (desalination, toxic algae outbreaks) are sometimes observed, but then populations recover. In the 90s, in the Far Eastern seas and on the coast of the Kuril Islands, there was a sharp decrease in the number of spherical sea urchins due to their intensive fishing, but then the number recovered,” comments Anatoly Drozdov. The population of sea urchins destroyed by the plague in the Caribbean Sea also recovered in the 80s, although not completely. However, this amazing sea creature is still not safe. “The death of sea urchins can also be caused by environmental reasons. For example, by desalination - echinoderms are very sensitive to a decrease in salinity. They cannot live in the Black and Baltic seas due to the low salinity of the water, as well as in the Caspian. In the Aral Sea, on the contrary, the salinity is unbearably high for echinoderms. They also belong to stenothermic marine animals, that is, their optimum is a narrow temperature range. An increase in temperature beyond what is permissible for them cannot be tolerated. The death of marine biota can also be caused by toxic substances entering the environment either from the outside or due to an outbreak of toxic algae,” says Anatoly Drozdov. The sea urchin plague provides an important lesson about the fragility of ecosystems. Even the smallest animal plays a critical role in maintaining the balance of the environment, and interfering with an ecosystem without taking into account all the relationships can have very dangerous consequences.

In July-August 2023, within the framework of the Russian Science Foundation project “Microcrustaceans (Cladocera, Copepoda) of the north of Central Siberia: relict elements of the fauna, patterns of formation and variability of communities,” employees of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences organized an expedition to the Anabar Plateau in the valleys of the Kotuykan and Kotuy rivers. The duration of the expedition was more than three weeks. The total length of the route is more than 250 km. Extensive material has been collected on the fauna of tundra thermokarst reservoirs, swamp lakes and oxbow lakes, hyporhea, as well as the drift of organisms in small and large rivers. Information about microcrustaceans of the Anabar Plateau will make it possible to describe the general trends in the variability of fauna and communities of aquatic organisms in the reservoirs of the mountain plateaus of the Arctic. Based on the results of the expedition, one article has been published and another is awaiting reviews. Employees of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, having taken part in the expedition, produced a film “Microcrustaceans of the north of Central Siberia: expedition to the Anabar Plateau”, in which they demonstrated the work during the expedition. We thank Ivan Pavlovich Sadchikov for creating the film (video shooting, editing and film idea).

Fig. 1. A collage showing the appearance of the white-blotched skate, the features of its study and distribution in the North Pacific Ocean, as well as some products of stingray processing. Deep-sea skates of the family Arhynchobatidae play an important role in deep-sea communities of the North Pacific Ocean. Many of these species are predatory, facilitating the transfer of energy and organic matter between different trophic levels. They consume valuable commercial species of fish and invertebrates, competing with humans in their fishing activities. In addition, stingrays are economically important in a number of countries, especially in Southeast Asia, where they serve as a source of food and industrial products (Fig. 1). They represent a promising resource for Russian fishing, being exported to the markets of China, Korea and Japan. One of the most common species of deep-sea skates in the North Pacific Ocean is the white-blotches skates Bathyraja maculata, which is widespread from northern Japan to the eastern part of the Gulf. Alaska, including the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the Bering Sea, the Pacific waters of the Kuril and Aleutian Islands and eastern Kamchatka. Despite the constantly growing number of studies of North Pacific skates, including the white-blotched one, the features of its distribution and biology remain insufficiently studied. Fig. 2. Areas with maximum occurrence of spotted ray (a), distribution of its catches by number of years (b) and number of trawls (c). Employees of the P.P. Shirshov  Institute of Oceanology of RAS, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of RAS and Rosrybolovstvo (Russian fishing) organizations analyzed long-term data over the last 40 years (since 1979) on catches of white-blotched skate, recorded mainly during Russian and American scientific surveys and covering the entire range of this species (Fig. 2). The purpose of the study was to obtain the most complete data on the features of its spatial and vertical distribution, temperature preferences, size composition, sex ratio and relative abundance dynamics during the period under review. The densest concentrations of white-blotched skate were found along the continental slope of the Bering Sea, near the Aleutian Islands, in the eastern part of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and in the Pacific waters of southeastern Kamchatka and the northern Kuril Islands, where its maximum abundance was noted at depths of 400-700 m with a bottom temperature of 3.1 -4.5°C. During the cold months, individuals of this species migrate to greater depths for wintering, while during the warm period they feed at shallower depths. The length of the white-blotched skate in the catches ranged from 18 to 127 cm, with a predominance of individuals 50-100 cm long. No significant differences in the length and body weight of males and females were detected. The maximum fatness of individuals was noted in the autumn-winter period. The vast majority of study areas have seen significant increases in the relative abundance of white-blotched skate since the early 2000s. The results obtained made it possible to identify areas of maximum concentrations of white-blotched skates in the North Pacific Ocean, which may be of practical importance for Russian fishing companies. The information obtained makes it possible to enrich our knowledge about the peculiarities of the biology of North Pacific deep-sea stingrays, which are necessary for the rational exploitation and conservation of their reserves. Article imprint: Grigorov I.V., Kivva K.K., Volvenko I.V., Orlov A.M. 2024. Distribution, biology, and relative abundance of the understudied deep-water whiteblotched skate Bathyraja maculata // Progress in Oceanography. V. 226. Art. 103300.

May 21, 2024 at the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS (IEE RAS) an extended meeting of the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences on problems of ecology of biological systems and the Scientific Council of the SBRAS on the problems of Lake Baikal was held on the topic “The ecosystem of Lake Baikal: State and factors that determine it.” The meeting was also attended by representatives of: the State Duma of the Russian Federation (Subcommittee for the Protection of Lake Baikal of the State Duma Committee on Ecology), the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, the Federal State Budgetary Institution "VNII Ecology", the Federal State Budgetary Institution "VNIRO", the project office of the Federal Project "Preservation of Lake Baikal" of the National Project "Ecology", Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, En+ Group company, Fund for Support of Applied Environmental Development and Research “Lake Baikal”. Reports were made about long-term research in the river basin of Selenga in connection with environmental risks and threats to the Baikal ecosystem, about the features of the hydrochemical composition of the waters of the coastal waters of Lake Baikal and in the catchment area of ​​the Selenga River (Republic of Buryatia, Trans-Baikal Territory, Mongolia) in the summer, about  microplastics in the surface waters of Lake Baikal - its spatial distribution and long-term dynamics, about nanoplasticity - global trends and potential risks for Lake Baikal, about key habitats and movements of the Baikal seal, about the well-being of the Baikal seal as an indicator of the state of the ecosystem of Lake Baikal, about the results of counting its population, about the assessment of the content of genotoxic alkylating compounds in tissues of Baikal amphipods using lux-biosensors - their spatial long-term dynamics, the organization of biological monitoring systems for shallow and coastal ecosystems of Lake Baikal. During the meeting, it was noted that the institutes of the SB RAS are carrying out state assignments of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science for the study of Lake Baikal, and at the Institute of Economics and Ecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, with the support of a number of companies and foundations, the “Baikal seal research program (2020-2025)” is being carried out with the participation of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “VNIRO” and the Baikal Expedition on hydroecology, which during 2019-2023. operates on Lake Baikal and its main tributary, the Selenga River (in Russia and Mongolia). The Scientific Council on the Problems of Lake Baikal SB RAS has repeatedly noted that sections of state monitoring devoted to the hydrochemical composition of the waters of Lake Baikal in state reports “On the state of Lake Baikal and measures for its protection” contain data that can be assessed as erroneous. Taking into account the variety of work carried out by different organizations and the inconsistency of the data presented at the meeting on the hydrochemical components of the waters of Lake Baikal and its tributaries, the need was noted for the formation of a unified scientific program, including conducting comprehensive monitoring studies of the Baikal ecosystem and key indicator species of its condition; conducting comprehensive research aimed at improving the legal regulation of the protection of the ecosystem of Lake Baikal and the sustainable socio-economic development of the Baikal natural territory, further holding joint meetings of the scientific councils of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences to discuss the problems of preserving Lake Baikal in order to consolidate scientific research and develop agreed scientific positions for presenting to government and management bodies. It was also proposed to hold a meeting with the participation of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Roshydromet to discuss methodological and organizational issues related to the performance of hydrochemical analyzes of the waters of Lake Baikal and its tributaries, as well as consultations with Mongolian colleagues on issues related to the performance of hydrochemical analyzes of the Selenga River in Mongolia, as well as interlaboratory comparative tests to determine hydrochemical parameters based on Russian standard samples. Heads of scientific councils of the Russian Academy of Sciences, academician V.N. Parmon and academician V.V. Rozhnov, were asked to contact the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences with a proposal to include in the Work Plan of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences for the second half of 2024 the question of the results of scientific research in the field of conservation of Lake Baikal and to develop a Strategy for the sustainable development of the Baikal Natural Territory and a road map for its implementation. Based on the results of the discussion, the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences on problems of ecology of biological systems and the Scientific Council of the SBRAS on the problems of Lake Baikal adopted a resolution and an appeal with relevant proposals to members of the scientific councils of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Project Office of the Federal Project "Preservation of Lake Baikal" of the National Project "Ecology" of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, Subcommittee for the Protection of Lake Baikal of the Ecology Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia and Rosprirodnadzor, the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.

Fig.1: P.G. Gharibyan sampling the Mekong Delta in 2023. Based on the results of studying samples collected during an expedition to South Vietnam in 2023, as well as samples previously collected by various colleagues during work in Vietnam as part of the activities of the Joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technology Center, employees of the Laboratory of Ecology of Aquatic Communities and Invasions of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (co-authored with Vietnamese colleagues) published four articles in the journal "Zootaxa" devoted to the systematics and faunistics of cladoceran crustaceans in Vietnam and throughout Southeast Asia. Two species widespread in the paleotropics have been redescribed in accordance with modern standards of morphological work. A new species of the genus Ovalona (Van Damme & Dumont, 2008) is described, named after one of the active participants in these works, P.G. Gharibyan. This is just the beginning of work devoted to the cladoceran crustaceans of Vietnam. In 2024, a new expedition is planned to further northern regions of South Vietnam with the aim of further studying zooplankton. Fig.2: Ilyocryptus raridentatus Smirnov, 1989 (Cladocera: Ilyocryptidae) is a relatively common benthic species found in the Far East of Asia and Australia. Articles: Garibian  P.G., Kotov A.A., 2024. Study of rarely occurring males of Bosminopsis сf. africanus Daday, 1908 (Cladocera: Bosminidae) from SE Asia permits clarification of male-character based differentiation within the genus. Zootaxa 5446 (2): 295–300. https://doi.org/10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5446.2.12 Dadykin I.A., Định N., Shiel R.J., Kotov A.A., 2024. Redescription of Ilyocryptus raridentatus Smirnov, 1989 (Cladocera: Ilyocryptidae). Zootaxa Zootaxa 5468 (2): 331–349. https://doi.org/10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5468.2.5 Kotov A.A., Garibian P.G., Dadykin I.A., Gusakov V.A., Định C.N., Tiến N.V., Ji G., Shiel R.J., 2024. Species distribution ranges of Ilyocryptus Sars, 1862 (Cladocera: Ilyocryptidae) fit the transitional zone between Boreal and Tropical Provinces in the Far East. Zootaxa 5471 (2): 232–240. https://doi.org/10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5471.2.3 Sinev A.Y., Dadykin I.A., Dịnh C.N., 2024. A new species of the genus Ovalona Van Damme & Dumont, 2008 (Cladocera: Anomopoda: Chydoridae) from South-East Asia, related to Australian Ovalona archeri (Sars, 1888). Zootaxa 5448(2): 273-282. https://doi.org/10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5448.2.7

Last week in Beijing, in connection with the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Russian-Chinese diplomatic relations, within the framework of the activities of the “Russian NGO Working Group on BRICS and G20 Issues” an event was held aimed at strengthening scientific and cultural cooperation between the two countries. During the event, the Reserve Embassy Foundation organized a scientific and practical session dedicated to cooperation between Russia and China in protected areas. At the session “Conserving nature, uniting peoples! Cooperation between Russia and China in preserving natural heritage” discussion was held on issues of joint work between Russia and China in the field of biodiversity conservation, eco-tourism, as well as current methods of environmental education in protected areas of the two countries. This Environmental Session was attended by an employee of the Institute, Ph.D. Yachmennikova Anna, where she spoke about scientific cooperation between the two countries in the field of conservation of the Amur tiger. She presented the results of seven years of joint research work of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences with Chinese colleagues - the Institute of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Academy of Sciences of Heilongjiang Province. According to her, the partnership was required as part of the implementation of the Institute’s program to return orphaned tiger cubs raised by specialists from the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences to the wild using a methodology developed for these purposes in 2012-2014. After being released into the wild, it became necessary to monitor tigers that had crossed into Chinese territory, and cooperation was established with the Institute of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Academy of Sciences of Heilongjiang Province. Subsequently, scientists made cross-expeditions to protected areas of the two countries. Russian scientists, according to Anna Yachmennikova, shared with their Chinese colleagues their skills in mapping and assessing the state of tiger habitats, methods of working with satellite images, modeling the territory with neural networks, as well as methods for collecting data on the number of animals (the tiger's food supply) based on their tracks. This information and GIS modeling were used to calculate the ecological corridors along which animals can move from one large preserved forest area to another. “These corridors are now mathematically designed to be where they should be. But many of them are interrupted by roads built by humans, and because of this, animals cannot cross them and continue using their own habitats. This is called habitat fragmentation. And now it is very important to properly restore this network of green corridors, then this will allow communication between different parts of natural areas and allow animals to walk from one area to another. The areas that we calculated do not all coincide with the territories of the reserves that currently exist. We need to try, if possible, to create more reserves in those key areas that are characteristic of this ecoregion,” notes Anna Yachmennikova. The report also included abstracts reflecting the prospects for cooperation between the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the North-Eastern University of Forestry, within the framework of research projects planned for implementation by the joint international laboratory created in March 2024 to study the state of the Amur tiger population and its restoration within historical area. Thus, the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences has planned additional directions in the study of various aspects of the biology of the tiger and the Far Eastern leopard at the international level. In particular, work will be carried out to assess the well-being of the territory in the north of China in terms of pathogens dangerous to large cats and to assess the genetic state of the populations of both tigers and leopards, because due to inbreeding, accumulating genetic errors may have fatal consequences for the litters. “Chinese colleagues turned to us for our experience in preserving the tiger population. After all, the tiger is a symbol of China, one of the sacred animals of this country. And of course, he should live and should not be in danger,” said Anna Yachmennikova. The report also covered issues of current research and the need for scientific justification when making decisions at the interstate level; the need to find and implement ways to harmonious coexistence of humans and wild animals; the need to work with people and environmental education. Photo by: Yana Nochuikina Related materials: Interaffairs.ru: Migratory birds, tigers and ecotourism: The Conservation Embassy Foundation held an expert session in China Conservation Embassy: Migratory birds, tigers and ecotourism: The Conservation Embassy Foundation held an expert session in China

Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences V.V. Rozhnov, Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the problems of ecology of biological systems, scientific director of environmental and environmental projects and international programs of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, took part in the 2024 International Congress on the system of environmental safety for all people living along the Belt and Road (2024 International Workshop on An Eco-Security System for All People along the One Road & One Belt, which took place in Shennongjia National Park in Hubei Province from May 27 to 30, as a visiting member of the scientific committee. The Congress is a continuation of the Chinese plan “Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind (CSFM) to achieve win-win sharing”, presented by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2017. The concept of this plan was developed by the International Scientific Network of the National Environmental Security System (NESS), Haikou Forestry Bureau and Hainan Normal University together with other 22 co-organizers. This concept is reflected in many UN resolutions and is recognized and endorsed by a large number of countries. The 2024 Congress was attended by delegates from more than 40 countries, including Russia, as well as representatives of a number of UN and other international organizations. Videos prepared by various countries were shown at the opening ceremony. This was followed by a session on “Co-creating an environmental security system for all people along the Belt and Road”, which was opened by Dexin Tian, ​​founder and chief scientist of the NESS International Scientific Network, presenting a report on the global development of an environmental security system for all people. Photo: Shennongjia National Park (Hubei Province, China) In addition to the Forum on the creation of the international scientific network NESS, meetings were held within the framework of forums on species, on protected areas and on IUCN. The Species Forum on May 27 focused on principles of species research and setting conservation priorities. V.V. Rozhnov presented a report on the topic “Ecological safety system for all people along the Belt and Road: Barriers and corridors in the ecology of large mammals.” When discussing the issues of choosing species for studying V.V. Rozhnov focused on the existence of two approaches to the study of species: the population-species approach, which requires studying rare species, and the ecosystem approach, in which, in this context, one should proceed from the disruption of ecosystems and their failure to fulfill their functions, and in order to restore these functions, key species in such ecosystems should be identified, studied and restored; another group of species in this approach should be indicator species of the state of ecosystems, so that, knowing their biology, timely measures can be taken to restore disturbed ecosystems. Photo: Panda enclosures in Shennongjia National Park After the official events, wonderful trips took place to Shennongjia National Park, where, in addition to sightseeing, trees were planted in memory of the past Congress. Photo: Planting trees in Shennongjia National Park to commemorate the International Congress on the Ecological Security System for all people living along the Belt and Road. Colleagues from Kazakhstan (left, Professor R.V. Yashchenko, Director of the Institute of Zoology) and Mongolia (right, Professor D. Gantulga, Director of the Institute of Biology). International contacts from different countries were encouraged to attract more supporters of the Green for All People initiative so that a regional and global report could be compiled and presented to heads of state for implementation.