Figure 1. Dynamics of the population size of the small mammal community in the vicinity of the Mirnoye ecological station (time series analysis was performed using the wavelet transform method). A) and C) – Histograms of averaged values ​​of periods of fluctuations of time series for 1976-1994 and 2008-2022, respectively. B) Number of small mammals. The color in the background indicates the coherence of wavelets of the time series from 0 (no correlation, blue color) to 1 (maximum correlation, red color). The dark blue area in the background is the cone of influence, spectral information beyond which is subject to edge effects and must be interpreted with caution. The solid white line indicates a statistically significant (p <0.05) region. The study of population dynamics has been one of the classic problems in animal ecology since the time of Charles Elton. It is a widely known fact that at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries, cyclical fluctuations in the numbers of several species were replaced by non-cyclical, or fluctuation ones. These processes are associated primarily with global climate change. However, in recent decades, isolated reports have been published in the literature that cyclical fluctuations are being restored. Scientists from the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of RAS analyzed time series containing data from long-term observations of a number of small mammals in the vicinity of the Mirnoye station of the Institute from 1976 to 1994 and from 2008 to 2023. The following results were obtained from the analysis: 1) In the 20th century the dynamics of the population size of the community and a number of species included in its composition (common shrew - S. araneus, medium shrew - S. caecutiens, equal-toothed shrew - S. isodon, tundra shrew - S. tundrensis, small shrew - S. minutus, red-gray vole C. rufocanus, red-backed vole - C. rutilus, root vole - M. oeconomus, dark or arable vole - M. agrestis) were characterized by a four-year periodicity. 2) The peak in abundance was accompanied by a disturbance in the developmental stability of the model species S. araneus, expressed in an increase in skull asymmetry. 3) Periodic oscillations in the 20th century were primarily carried out by dominant and subdominant species; small-numbered species were characterized by low-amplitude oscillations without a clear periodicity. 4) Periodic fluctuations were synchronous on both banks of the Yenisei in populations of most species. 5) The phases of depression in different species tended to coincide, even if other stages of the cycle were different. 6) At the end of the 20th century, cyclical fluctuations in the number of the studied community and a number of species of small mammals included in its composition were replaced by fluctuating ones that do not have a clear periodicity. 7) In the case of fluctuations, desynchronization of oscillations was sometimes observed on different banks of the Yenisei. 8) In 2017-2020, a complete “classical” cycle of the community abundance and a number of dominant species included in its composition (S. araneus, S. isodon, C. rutilus, M. oeconomus) was observed, and the peak in abundance was accompanied by a violation of the stability of development model species S. araneus, which is similar to population cycles. The results were published in the journal Integrative Zoology: Vasily D. Yakushov, Boris I. Sheftel (2024). Are population cycles recovering? Integrative Zoology. 19(3): 538-547. https://doi.org/10.1111/1749-4877.12770 Possible causes of disruption and restoration of cyclic oscillations will be discussed in the next publication.

Photo by: Dmitry Zvorykin The Indo-Burma hotspot of freshwater biodiversity is one of the richest in the world, but the animals and plants that inhabit it face a serious problem of rapid degradation and habitat destruction. In addition to pollution, large-scale agricultural and industrial transformation of the environment, and excessive exploitation of water resources, alien species of animals and plants penetrating into the region in different ways make a serious contribution to the process of destruction of biotopes. Fig.1. Photo by: Dmitry Zvorykin One of the most dangerous groups of invasive fish rapidly spreading in tropical freshwater habitats around the world, including Indo-Burma, is the South American catfish Pterygoplichthys spp. The main source of distribution of these catfish was the aquarium fish market. Once in new bodies of water, catfish successfully compete with local fish, and sometimes completely displace them. Due to the fact that armoured catfish dig deep burrows in coastal slopes, they provoke coastal erosion. All this becomes an important factor not only of the environmental, but also of the hydrological degradation of water bodies. Hard covers and sharp spines of the fins make these catfish almost invulnerable to predators and cause damage to fishing gear. Fig.2. MaxEnt forecast of the potential distribution of Pterygoplichthys spp. in the Indo-Burma Hotspot.Photo by: Dmitry Zvorykin In the Indo-Burman biodiversity hotspot, pterygoplichthys invasions have already been registered in Vietnam, India, China, Myanmar, and Thailand. Their populations are recorded in neighboring countries: Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. There are no reports only from Cambodia and Laos, but most likely this is due to the lack of relevant research, and not to the lack of the fish themselves. A separate difficulty arises from the fact that the region is crossed by large transboundary rivers such as the Mekong. It is obvious that effective control of invasive species in such water bodies is impossible without international cooperation. Fig.3. Photo by: Dmitry Zvorykin The current situation requires the development of methods for assessing invasion risks, adequate measures to prevent invasions and combat them in those reservoirs where invasion has already occurred. However, for effective cooperation between states in the region, it is necessary to conduct global assessments, compile databases throughout the region and, more broadly, throughout the world, as well as forecast the development of invasions and develop a unified concept for combating them. An important step in the implementation of such a program was taken by an international group of researchers, which included Dmitry Zvorykin, an employee of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Based on the results of the work, the most complete database to date of all registered cases of detection of Pterygoplichthys spp was compiled. worldwide, including 4916 observations from 33 countries. A map of the current distribution of catfish in the Indo-Burma region and the world as a whole was also created. The most important result of the study is the analysis and forecast of the further distribution of armoured catfish in the Indo-Burma hotspot using a model based on the MaxEnt maximum entropy method. Fig.4. Photo by: Dmitry Zvorykin The model showed that the entire Indo-Burma hotspot of freshwater biodiversity, with the exception of the Rakhine Range in western Myanmar and the Sino-Tibetan Mountains in China, is potentially suitable for the habitat of alien catfish and the formation of naturalized populations of these alien fish. Accordingly, the entire region is in dire need of conservation measures that should prevent the destruction of one of the most important hotbeds of freshwater biodiversity on the planet. The work formulates the main provisions of the plan for interstate control of invasive risks associated with the penetration of Pterygoplichthys spp. in the Indo-Burma hotspot. Fig.5. Photo by: Dmitry Zvorykin The article was published in the journal Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aqc.4173

Yes and no, answer the scientists from the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The Laboratory of Population Ecology studied personality (stable individual characteristics of behavior) in two species of gerbils: the solitary midday gerbil (Merionesmeridianus) and the social Mongolian gerbil (M. unguiculatus). In a specially designed battery of behavioral tests, reminiscent of agility competitions, gerbils were given the opportunity to run, jump, look for new objects, get scared and overcome fear, interact with a conspecific, and resist restriction of freedom. Interindividual differences in personality traits (boldness, curiosity, sociability, excitability and self-confidence) were stronger and more consistent in solitary midday gerbils, contrary to the hypothesis of social niche specialization. It is an anthropocentric and economical assumption that personalities should be more strongly expressed in social species: each social niche has its own personality type. This saves time and energy on the distribution of social roles. That's what the theory says. However, so far the hypothesis has been tested on non-primate mammals twice: once receiving arguments “for”, once “against”. So now the score is 1:2. The results were published April 16 in the journal PLOS ONE.

The Fourth All-Russian Conference with international participation “Current problems in the study of crustaceans” was successfully held on the basis of the IBVV RAS in the village Bohrok. Within the time frame, four sections took place in succession, at which 48 oral reports were presented, as well as 28 presentations at the poster session. During these three days, 76 Russian researchers from Kaliningrad to Sakhalin, as well as colleagues from Belarus and Uzbekistan, gathered within the walls of our Institute. The discussion of all aspects of the life of crustaceans continued (and, we are sure, will continue) not only at the reports, but also after the end of the official program in an informal setting until late at night, sometimes turning into heated debates (which, undoubtedly, mutually enriches all those involved and serves as the basis for new discoveries). The conference was held under the auspices of the Russian Carcinological Society, the All-Russian Hydrobiological Society of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Scientific Council on Hydrobiology and Ichthyology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The recording of the Internet broadcast is available on the YouTube channel of the Institute of Biomedicine and Water Resources of the Russian Academy of Sciences (https://youtube.com/live/9BfXxfK7Yg0). Based on the results of the Conference, it is planned to publish a collection of abstracts and, if possible, create a special issue of the academic journal “Biology of Inland Waters”. On May 22, the Conference of the Russian Carcinological Society was held, at which its leadership was re-elected. Corresponding member of RAS, Professor of RAS, Doctor of Biological Sciences Alexey Alekseevich Kotov.was re-elected as President of RKO. Elected Vice Presidents: Professor, Doctor of Biological Sciences Alexander Vitalievich Krylov, Ph.D. Ivan Nikolaevich Marin, Ph.D. Elena Borisovna Fefilova; Inspector – Professor, Doctor of Biological Sciences Artem Yuryevich Sinev, Secretary - Ph.D. Anna Sergeevna Semenova.

Fig. 1. Photos of fish caught in the Arctic and subarctic waters of Russia: black halibut (a), Pacific cod (b), pollock (c), spotted catfish (d), benthozema (e) and beaked perch (f) (photos A .M. Orlova and I.I. Glebov)  Recent climate changes on Earth, most pronounced in the polar regions, are one of the most pressing environmental problems of our time. Warming in the Arctic has initiated an ever-increasing influence on it from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, which is manifested in the transfer of heat by currents and the erasing of differences in conditions between individual regions of the Arctic and the northern parts of the Atlantic and Pacific. In the scientific literature, this phenomenon received the names “Atlantification” (or “Atlantization”) and “pacification,” respectively. These processes lead to the transition of Arctic marine ecosystems to a more moderate state, which is commonly called “borealization.” The impact of borealization on individual fish species and ichthyocenes in the Arctic has not been sufficiently studied. Most of the published data concerns the seas of the European Arctic (Barents Sea and Greenland waters) or the expansion of the ranges of boreal fish species capable of long active migrations into Arctic waters. Employees of the Institute of Oceanology (IO RAS) and the Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE RAS) of the Russian Academy of Sciences presented new information on the occurrence, abundance, biomass and size composition of six boreal fish species (Fig. 1): black halibut Reinhardtius hippoglossoides, Pacific cod Gadus macrocephalus, pollock G. chalcogrammus, spotted catfish Anarhichas denticulatus, beaked perch Sebastes mentella and benthosema Benthosema glaciale) in the Siberian Arctic seas (Kara, Laptev, East Siberian and Chukotka), obtained from open databases (OBIS, GBIF and FishBase) and the results of scientific ship observations in 1977-2020. (Fig. 2). Fig. 2. Location of points of ship scientific observations in 1977-2020, used in the analysis of catches of boreal fish species in the waters of the Siberian Arctic. It turned out that in open databases information on the captures of these species is available mainly for the eastern part of the Chukchi Sea and the Beaufort Sea, but is practically absent for the seas of the Russian Arctic. Data from ship observations indicate an expansion of the ranges of Atlantic species in the eastern direction, and Pacific species in the western direction (Fig. 3), which indicates the ongoing borealization of the seas of the Siberian Arctic under the influence of the changing climate. Fig. 3. Scheme of migrations of boreal fish species into the waters of the Siberian Arctic Further warming in the Arctic may lead to the closure of the ranges of the “western” and “eastern” populations of black halibut, which will make it possible to exchange genetic material between them and will help erase the differences between individuals of Atlantic and Pacific origin. The emergence of Pacific cod in recent years as a result of climate change in the Pacific Arctic may in the future lead to the closure of its range with the range of the Greenland cod Gadus ogac (which are considered separated in the waters of northern Alaska), the possibility of the exchange of genetic material and further blurring of differences between these species. The captures in recent years of individual adult pollock in pre-spawning, spawning and post-spawning states indicate the possibility of spawning in this area. In the event of further warming in the Arctic, it is possible that not only spawning, but also the survival of pollock offspring will become possible in the Chukchi Sea. Since there are theoretical possibilities for the survival of benthozema offspring in the waters of the continental slope and/or the return of individuals with countercurrents to the North Atlantic, there is no reason yet to consider the waters of the Arctic as an area of ​​sterile eviction (as indicated by some authors). Orlov A.M., Volvenko I.V. 2024. Ongoing borealization of Siberian Arctic marine ichthyofauna: Further evidence // Progress in Oceanography. Art. 103288 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2024.103288. Related materials: RAS: "Changes in the fish fauna in the Siberian Arctic under the influence of a changing climate"

Employees of the Laboratory of Population Ecology of the Institute of A.N. Severtsov Ecology and Evolution RAS together with colleagues from the A.P. Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology were the first to study the reproductive cycle of female yellow ground squirrels in the wild using cytological methods, hormonal analysis and telemetry. A peculiarity of this species is long hibernation of up to 9 months, which imposes strict time restrictions on its life processes. Based on the analysis of vaginal cytology and hormonal profiles of females, four stages of the reproductive cycle were identified: proestrus, estrus, metestrus and anestrus. As in other rodents, polygonal epithelial cells, usually without nuclei, acted as estrus markers; an increased number of leukocytes reflected the transition to metestrus. For the first time for this species, a vaginal plug in a female after mating was described. Estrus began immediately after the female emerged from hibernation, and pregnancy occurred, as a rule, within three days from the moment of awakening. Analysis of hormones in the blood showed an increase in progesterone from proestrus and estrus to pregnancy. Changes in estradiol levels between cycle stages were not significant. Particular attention was paid to the high variability in this indicator: in some females the level of estradiol was high from year to year. The hormonal status of females did not depend on their age, despite the fact that one-year-old females were significantly smaller in size than older ones. During the summer, progesterone levels decreased as hibernation approached, and there were no clear signs of the females' reproductive systems preparing for the next breeding season. Perhaps this preparation in females occurs during periodic awakenings during hibernation. Thus, the data obtained indicate rapid transitions between stages of the cycle in females and early maturation. All this is consistent with the hypothesis about the strategy of short and fast life in the yellow ground squirrel. The work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation grant 22-24-00610. Vasilieva NA, Tikhonova NB, Savinetskaya LE, Kuznetsova EV (2024). Female hormonal profiles and vaginal cytology in a ground squirrel species with prolonged hibernation. Mammalian Biology, 104(1), 55-67. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-023-00387-y

Fig. 1–4. Ornithomya helvipennis sp. n., male, holotype. 1–2 – general view: 1 – dorsal side, 2 – ventral side; 3 – head and chest, dorsal side; 4 – wing. Scale bars 0.5 mm. In Russia, the study of bloodsucking flies of the family Hippoboscidae Samouelle, 1819, which have important veterinary importance as carriers of various diseases, as well as ticks of the Epidermoptidae family and bird lice, continues. To date, one of the largest genera of bloodsucking flies, the genus Ornithomya Latreille, 1802, includes 31 species. Its representatives inhabit mainly temperate latitudes of the Old World. Scientists from the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS described a new species of bloodsucker fly Ornithomya helvipennis sp. n. from Irkutsk (Russia). In this species, microtrichia cover the entire wing membrane, as in the species O. comosa Austen, 1930. The new species differs from the closest O. comosa in the light wing membrane and amber-yellow microtrichia, and from the species O. greeni (Maa, 1986) - in the presence of ocelli. It is proposed to create a “comosa” group within the genus Ornithomya Latreille, 1802 for the species O. comosa, O. greeni and O. helvipennis sp. n. These species have a common feature - microtrichia cover the entire wing membrane. An updated key for species of the genus Ornithomya found in Russia is presented. The article “Description of a new louse fly species of the genus Ornithomya Latreille, 1802 (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) from Irkutsk, Russia” is presented in the Caucasian Entomological Bulletin.

On may 23, the opening of a memorial plate and exhibition to the 140th anniversary of the birth of Ivan Ivanovich Shmalhausen will be opened at IEE RAS April 23 marked the 140th anniversary of the birth of one of the greatest biologists of the twentieth century, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences, zoologist-evolutionist and experimental biologist, outstanding organizer of science and teacher - academician Ivan Ivanovich Shmalhausen. He left a huge scientific legacy, which had a great influence on the development of modern biology.  Ivan Ivanovich Shmalgauzen was a student and colleague of another famous scientist, academician Alexei Nikolaevich Severtsov, who in 1934 created the institute that now bears his name. He was replaced at this post two years later by Academician Shmalhausen. The A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS is holding anniversary celebrations dedicated to this date on May 23, 2024. At 14:00 there will be an academic council with a scientific report and a presentation about the academician, and then the opening of a memorial plaque and exhibition for the 140th anniversary of the birth of Ivan Ivanovich Schmalhausen, informal communication and a buffet reception. We will be glad to see all guests! If you are not from our institute, but would like to come to the events, please write to Anna Lavrova (89262551977 - Telegram, WhatsApp) so that we can issue you a pass. Exhibition “The Unknown Schmalhausen” April 23, 2024 marks the 140th anniversary of the birth of Academician Ivan Ivanovich Schmalhausen, an outstanding scientist whose works laid the foundation of modern evolutionary biology. I.I. Schmalhausen is the largest and world-famous evolutionary zoologist of the twentieth century.   He made a huge contribution to the development of issues of comparative anatomy and embryology, evolutionary morphology, the origin of terrestrial vertebrates, the study of the processes of growth of organisms, phenogenetics and morphogenesis, factors and patterns of evolution, biocybernetics. He created the doctrine of ontogenetic prerequisites for evolution, the theory of stabilizing selection and the concept of the unity of the mechanisms of micro- and macroevolution. About the contribution of Academician I.I. Much has been written about Schmalhausen in world and domestic science. Our permanent exhibition on the 1st floor presents materials about his scientific work. The exhibition “Unknown Schmalhausen” presents little-known facts about the biography and scientific activities of the academician. The exhibition presents previously unpublished materials about the ancestors and descendants of Academician I.I. Shmalhausen, about his life during the evacuation to Kazakhstan and in the Mozzhinka holiday village near Moscow after the notorious session of the All-Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Photographs and personal belongings were donated to the exhibition by the family of Academician I.I. Schmalhausen. Exhibition “In the Shadow of Giants” Few modern researchers, with the exception of narrow specialists, will remember the name Makhotin today. And yet, he was an excellent morphologist researcher, the author of a number of scientific papers and thousands of drawings - for scientific articles, books and just for fun. He did not create outstanding theories, did not become an academician, his name is not in encyclopedias or on memorial plaques. He was always as if in the shadow of two great scientists - academicians Alexei Nikolaevich Severtsov and Ivan Ivanovich Shmalhausen. A student of the first and son-in-law of the second, Anatoly Anatolyevich worked with them all his life, learned from them, helped the great become great. And after their death, he preserved the memory of them. In many ways, it is thanks to Anatoly Anatolyevich that we can learn about their lives. It seems to us that it is quite appropriate in connection with the celebration of the 140th anniversary of Academician I.I. Shmalhausen, recall Anatoly Anatolyevich Makhotin. He was an amazingly erudite and charming man. Scientists, artists and people who had crossed paths with him constantly came to him and sat for hours talking. He had an amazing sense of humor, he managed to joke even when he was in a bad way. This small exhibition complements the exhibition by I.I. Schmalhausen. On it we present for the first time the drawings of A.A Makhotin (1919–1930) and those preserved in the family archive of academician I.I. Schmalhausen photographs.

From May 1 to May 31, the photo exhibition “Birds of Moscow Parks and Their Singing” is taking place in the Tagansky Park of Culture and Recreation in the children’s area. The theme of the photo exhibition is “The language of birds: a textbook on street stands.” The exhibition was prepared by employees of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution  RAS, incl. B.N. Veprintsev audio libraries of animal voices. The music library contains one of the world's largest collections of bird voice recordings. Greenfinch, chaffinch, great tit, blue tit, nuthatch, pika, robin, goldfinch, nightingale, chiffchaff, house sparrow, tree sparrow are presented with high quality photographs and a variety of sounds with decoding of their functions in the communication system of birds. Why were these species chosen? With a high probability you will meet them in May in any park in Moscow. Many stay in the crowns; it’s not easy to see them in the foliage, but you can always hear them. You will find QR codes for singing standards at the stands. You will be able to identify the species in the park by their voices, observe the behavior of birds and the phases of their life cycle. Record, photograph, identify species with your children. Watch the construction of nests, laying and incubation of eggs, hatching, feeding, and flight of chicks. Having learned to distinguish tree sparrows from house sparrows, you will be able to take part in the All-Russian Census of Sparrows, which is annually conducted by the Russian Bird Conservation Union in order to answer the question “Where did the sparrows disappear?” And then we can think about helping wintering species.” Address of the photo exhibition: Bolshoi Fakelny Lane, 8с2. The exhibition was prepared by employees of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences: the idea and organization of the exhibition was O.D. Veprintsev. Photos of birds - A.L. Mishchenko and D.G. Ivanov. Sound recordings of bird voices - B.N. Veprintsev, O.D. Veprintsev and others from the collection of the  B.N. Veprintsev Audio Library of Animal Voices. Texts - O.D. Veprintseva, A.L. Mishchenko, D.G. Ivanov. Design - T.I. Khokhlova, prototyping - Sv. Naidenko. Presentation on the website of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences - A.N. Lavrova.

Fig.1. Unraveling the mysteries of ice caves. Photo: Leonid Kruglov The next Arctic season of the Russian Geographical Society has begun - in 2024 it will last from April to September. As part of the first stage of the expedition to Franz Josef Land in the Russian Arctic National Park, six scientific groups worked in parallel. They deployed a seismic observation network on the island of Alexandra Land, monitored polar bears, explored ice caves and local waters, and assessed the tourism potential of this harsh region. The expedition team launched and tested the seismic station and checked its operation in real time. The current expedition of the Russian Geographical Society to Franz Josef Land is a continuation of fundamental scientific research that has been carried out on the archipelago since 2021. This year, the expedition group consisted of specialists from the Russian Geographical Society and the Russian Arctic National Park, scientists from the O. Yu. Shmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth RAS, Institute of Geography RAS, A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS, the Polar Branch of the All-Russian Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography, the Faculty of Geography of M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, the Unified Geophysical Service of the RAS. “Cooperation between the Russian Arctic National Park and the Russian Geographical Society has now reached a fundamentally new level. We have come a long way: from conducting joint expeditions in high-latitude archipelagos to strategic cooperation in the field of researching Arctic ecosystems,” noted the expedition leader, director of the national park Alexander Kirilov. — “In the current geopolitical situation, it is especially important to continue Russia’s Arctic research programs. Strengthening the civil and scientific presence in the Arctic will protect the interests of our country in this region.” For several years, the Russian Geographical Society, together with the Russian Arctic, has been carrying out systematic work on geology, geophysics, seismology, permafrost science, biology, and hydrometeorology in Franz Josef Land. “We have been working in these territories that are strategically important for Russia for a long time and systematically. Together with academic partners, the Russian Geographical Society is carrying out fundamental scientific research on the northernmost territory of Russia, assessing its recreational potential,” said Natalia Belyakova, director of the Department of Expedition Activities and Tourism of the Russian Geographical Society. — “To make it convenient for different scientific teams to study Arctic biomes, we began equipping an all-season scientific laboratory of the Russian Geographical Society at the Omega base. We select equipment according to the request of scientists: so that they do not have to take all the equipment with them, but use some of it on site. Our big dream with the Russian Arctic National Park is for the laboratory to become an Arctic office for scientists around the world.” How seismologists study earthquakes in the Arctic Fig.2: Scientific work on Alexandra Land. Photo: Petr Ushanov The scientific director of the expedition, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexey Sobisevich said that in 2021, surface manifestations of a supposedly strong earthquake were discovered on the island of Alexandra Land. Scientists conducted aerial photography of Cape Melekhov, analyzed digital elevation models and orthophotomaps. Based on these materials, the assumptions were confirmed. This year, the expedition team continued field research to clarify the scale of earthquakes in the distant past, study the seismic activity of the archipelago and assess the immediate prospects for the development of the seismic process. Including taking into account global climate change. “During the polar expedition, employees of the Institute of Earth Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences deployed a temporary network of seismic observations to study weak local seismicity,” noted Alexey Sobisevich.”Further development of field geological and geophysical research in the Arctic archipelagos, as well as the organization of permanent automated geophysical instrumental observation points are needed to help generate new knowledge about the Earth, including geophysics and seismology.” The conditions of this season allowed the scientists to accomplish everything planned. This time, research was carried out both on land and on the ice surface. This is the first large-scale test of seismic technology in real conditions. “We laid three profiles across Cape Dvoinoy not only on land, but also from the ice surface. One ran straight across the cape, and the other a little to the south, parallel to the first. If, when processing the data obtained, the results are similar to each other and to the one that passed on land to the north of the first two, then this will mean that we were able to determine the structure of a seismic fault from the ice surface. This will be a good experimental confirmation of the seismic exploration technology being developed at the Institute of Physical Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences,” noted Ruslan Zhostkov, senior researcher at the Institute of Physical and Physical Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. This year's research will be the final one on the island of Alexandra Land in geophysical terms. As a result, a scientific article will be published about earthquakes, their nature and factors influencing their development. Monitoring polar bears - the main predators of the Arctic Fig.3: A scientific way to monitor a polar bear is using an immobilizing agent from a ground vehicle to take biological samples. Photo: Leonid Kruglov In April 2024, scientists examined the bays in Dezhnev Bay - it was necessary to record where exactly the expedition group would encounter polar bears and in what numbers. As a result, 11 different routes were taken around the island, and traces of seven bears were found. The nature of these tracks showed that the animals came ashore from drifting sea ice for a short rest, and then returned to the sea to hunt seals. It was also important to examine the slopes of the bays, which are suitable for polar bears to build their natal dens. These are places where females lie down in late autumn and where cubs are then born. The scientific team found several maternity dens, the exits of females were recorded, but the mothers had not yet given birth due to the cold. “We noted a small number of polar bears compared to previous years, which can be explained by rather low temperatures in the previous months and during the period of work: from –25 °C to –30 °C,” said the head of the polar bear research work, the presenter Researcher at the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Candidate of Biological Sciences Ilya Nikolaevich Mordvintsev. “The result is complete ice constipation, the absence of cracks and gaps in the ice, as well as the almost complete absence of seals in the bays in the south of the island. The small number of natal dens is probably due to the short period of field observations and the lack of snow in early winter, when females lay in dens.” Ice caves - an indicator of climate change Fig.4: Exploring an ice cave. Photo: Leonid Kruglov As Bulat Mavlyudov, a senior researcher at the glaciology department at the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Candidate of Geographical Sciences, said, this year scientists continued to explore the snow cover and ice caves. This is necessary in order to understand what climate changes will occur in the region in the future. Glacial caves “live their own dynamic life” - they grow, melt, disappear, and in their place mountain valleys and rivers form. As part of this stage, scientific work took place within the boundaries of the Russian Arctic National Park. On this expedition, scientists studied a glacier cave in the Lunar dome. “Minus temperatures are the best time for research; in summer there is a risk of cave collapse,” noted Bulat Mavlyudov. “We wanted to carry out topographic survey in the cave in the usual format, but this turned out to be impossible - the mountain compass did not work in these conditions and, due to the strong magnetization of the rocks, showed the wrong direction. But it turned out that the GPS tracking worked well inside the cave. Then points were added to this track at which the distance to the walls and the distance to the ceiling were recorded. And, using these points, we have already built a full-fledged plan of the cave. Knowing how the ice cave changes over time, we will be able to understand how the Lunar Ice Dome changes not only from the surface, but also from the inside.” Fig.5: Scientists are exploring the depths of the sea for the presence of living creatures. Photo: Petr Ushanov What creatures live underwater at a temperature of –1.6 °C Another task of the scientists was to see what was happening in the sea waters near the island of Alexandra Land: who was surviving in such harsh conditions. These waters have been studied relatively little in relation to living beings, especially in winter. The temperature of sea water under the ice here in April reaches –1.6 °C and is close to the freezing point. We observed the underwater world of the water area around the island, this time using a drone. “Our work was carried out from the ice: several holes were drilled, from which a large polynya was created,” said Konstantin Sokolov, deputy head of the Polar Branch of VNIRO, Candidate of Biological Sciences. “Observations underwater were conducted using remote underwater instruments, including a special drone that is capable of descending to depth. We used it to make videos and photos. It can be considered that it was our eyes, which saw everything that was under the ice and at the bottom. The resulting materials even make it possible to count animals. For example, echinoderms, including sea urchins, sea anemones and brown algae, are distributed en masse there. There are very few fish - we observed only two individuals: a scaled sculpin and an Arctic staghorn sculpin. At one of the sites, numerous crustacean animals were noted - temistos, living under the ice, in the dark. We also measured the temperature and salinity of water, the thickness of ice and snow cover, took water samples for subsequent assessment of phytoplankton and pollutants, and collected zooplankton with a special net.” However, according to the scientist, there were no commercial fish in the harsh Arctic waters of Franz Josef Land in April. But in general, the subtidal ecosystem is characterized by high species diversity, significant numbers and biomass. Developing tourism in Franz Josef Land Fig.6: Conquerors of the Arctic deserts. Photo: Sergey Fadeichev The Arctic is a potentially popular region for travelers. However, due to the geographical remoteness and harsh climatic conditions, the scenario for the development of tourism in Franz Josef Land can only develop positively if several conditions are met. The most important thing is to improve the transport and tourism infrastructure. As Alexandra Nikanorova, senior researcher at the Faculty of Geography of Moscow State University, Candidate of Geographical Sciences, said, for this purpose, special attention should be paid to the development of civil aviation in the high-latitude Arctic. This will help improve accessibility to the region and reduce the time tourists spend getting to remote areas. To expand Arctic cruise routes across the archipelagos of the Arctic Ocean, including Franz Josef Land, new civilian ice-class vessels and technologically advanced Russian-made icebreakers should appear. These measures will increase the tourist flow and make a tourist’s stay in the Russian Arctic more comfortable. “It is important to create infrastructure for the development of nature-oriented types of tourism. The solution to the issue of modernization and construction of new visitor centers to form the supporting tourist framework of the national park remains a key issue. Particular attention should be paid to developing a unique travel concept that will give tourists an unforgettable and comfortable Arctic experience,” added Alexandra Nikanorova. The Russian Geographical Society is already inviting everyone to try a new format of travel in the concept of civic science and popular science tourism. Even if you are not a professional scientist, you can come to the archipelago with the Russian Geographical Society expedition and help in research by joining their scientific groups and performing simple scientific tasks under the guidance of experienced mentors. Related materials: EC Arctic: "Russian scientists fear for the fate of many mammals. Bears and walruses are being exterminated by poachers"