The Caspian Sea is the largest closed lake on earth, stretching across two parts of the world - Asia and Europe. It is distinguished by a unique ecosystem that is home to more than four hundred endemic species unique to this region. The Caspian seal is endemic and the only representative of aquatic mammals in the Caspian Sea. It is at the top of the food chain, so the stable state of its population serves as an indicator of the well-being of the entire marine ecosystem. We present for your attention the scientific and educational film “Caspian Seal”, prepared by order of the Fisheries Committee of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the NCOC company. Employees of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences took part in the filming process.

A round table was held at the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, during which threats to natural complexes and objects and issues of ensuring environmental safety in connection with plans for the construction of the Selemdzhinskaya and Nizhne-Zeyskaya hydroelectric power stations in the Amur region were discussed. The event was organized by the Commission on Ecology and Sustainable Development of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation together with the International Public Organization “Expert Council on Nature Reserves”. The round table was attended by well-known scientists and environmental experts, as well as representatives of PJSC RusHydro, the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, Rosvodresursy, Rosprirodnadzor, the Ministry of Energy of Russia, JSC Lenhydroproject, and the Association "Hydropower of Russia". In addition to environmental risks, the round table discussed the socio-economic consequences of this construction and alternative options for countering extreme floods, subject to the preservation of biodiversity and ensuring environmental safety. Viktor Danilov-Danilyan, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Economic Sciences, professor, scientific director of the Institute of Water Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, co-chairman of the Expert Council on Nature Reserves, drew attention to the fact that among the existing options for flood control and development of energy resources, the construction of the Selemdzhinskaya and Nizhne-Zeyskaya hydroelectric power stations are not only the most expensive, but also the most environmentally hazardous. According to Danilov-Danilyan, the problem is very complex, interdisciplinary and requires a comprehensive analysis; it needs to be brought to a much wider scientific and public discussion. “This meeting is only the first in a series that are absolutely necessary to make a decision that does not promise big troubles for our descendants, for which they will scold us,” he emphasized. He also recalled the conclusion of the International Energy Agency that hydro construction in the 21st century is no longer as important economically as it was in the 20th century. Sergei Podolsky, senior researcher at the Institute of Water Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, deputy director for scientific work of the Zeya Nature Reserve, candidate of geographical sciences, member of the Expert Council on Nature Reserves, especially noted that as a result of the construction of the mentioned hydroelectric power stations, the state nature reserve "Norsky" and the federal reserve "Orlovsky" will lose their environmental significance. Key habitats of 29 rare bird species will be destroyed, many of which are listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation - among them the Far Eastern stork, black stork, black crane, fish owl and others; if the Selemdzhinskaya hydroelectric power station is created, their population groups will be on the verge of extinction. In addition, the basin of the middle reaches of the Selemdzha and Zeya rivers is the only place in Russia where massive seasonal crossings of Siberian roe deer across large rivers occur. The result of the construction of new hydroelectric power stations will be the virtual destruction of the last large migratory population of Siberian roe deer in the country. The speaker also drew attention to the negative social consequences of the construction of the Selemdzhinskaya and Nizhne-Zeyskaya hydroelectric power stations - significant areas of the most productive agricultural and hunting lands will be flooded, and many villages will be liquidated. Podolsky presented alternative options for the location of hydroelectric power stations that meet environmental safety considerations. He also proposed focusing efforts not on combating rare extreme floods, which are a characteristic natural feature of the Amur region, but on early prevention of their negative social consequences. Vyacheslav Rozhnov, Academician of RAS, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, President of the Theriological Society of the Russian Academy of Sciences, member of the Bureau of the Expert Council on Nature Reserves, in his speech, emphasized the uniqueness of the migratory population of roe deer inhabiting the Amur region. He expressed concern about the threat of extinction of this population due to the construction of a hydroelectric power station, as well as its consequences for the Amur tiger restoration program in this region, where roe deer are an extremely important component of the tiger's food supply. Academician Rozhnov generally drew attention to the negative impact of dams on biological diversity due to the flooding of large areas. According to Rozhnov, it is necessary to seek a compromise in matters of energy development in order to ensure a decent life for people and the preservation of natural heritage. Kirill Yankov, head of the laboratory of the Institute of National Economic Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Candidate of Economic Sciences, member of the Expert Council on Nature Reserves, addressed the management and economic side of the planned construction of the Selemdzhinskaya and Nizhne-Zeyskaya hydroelectric power stations. He noted that there are other ways for the state to respond to the problem of floods - for example, the implementation of a comprehensive flood control program. This is more complex than building a hydroelectric power station, but reduces environmental and social costs. The expert noted that the Amur region today is an energy-rich region, electricity is exported to China, and gave examples of alternative ways to fill the shortage of generating capacity in the event of a potential energy shortage in the Amur region. Yankov also drew attention to the transport function of the Zeya River, which will be disrupted by the construction of reservoirs: the city of Zeya does not have a railway, and huge amounts of money will have to be spent on shipping facilities. The expert also noted the damage to fish stocks that would be caused by the construction of the hydroelectric power station. Boris Voronov, Honored Ecologist of the Russian Federation, Scientific Director of the Institute of Water and Environmental Problems of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, member of the Expert Council on Nature Reserves, recalled that in 1988 the project of the Dagmar hydroelectric station (similar to the discussed Selemdzhinskaya hydroelectric station) did not pass an environmental assessment, including due to the impossibility of finding a solution to preserve the roe deer population. In his opinion, if a hydroelectric power station is built, a significant part of the Siberian roe deer population will die out, and a number of rare species of animals and plants may completely disappear from the corresponding territory. The expert is convinced that it is necessary to solve the problem of floods, but it is necessary to look for alternative, environmentally friendly options - for example, building dams around large populated areas. Voronov emphasized that the natural environment is adapted to floods and people also need to adapt, finding technical solutions that are environmentally acceptable. Zhanna Kuzmina, chief researcher at the Institute of Water Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, cited numerous examples of the negative impact of the construction of reservoirs on floodplain ecosystems and their components in different countries and called for abandoning plans for the construction of hydroelectric power stations on lowland rivers. Vsevolod Stepanitsky, Honored Ecologist of the Russian Federation, co-chairman of the Expert Council on Nature Reserves, drew attention to the fact that such a consequence of the discussed hydraulic construction as the destruction of the last large migrating population of Siberian roe deer contains the signs provided for in Article 358 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - “Ecocide”. And the flooding of part of the Norsky State Nature Reserve (i.e., violation of its regime, resulting in significant damage) are signs provided for in Article 262 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The expert expressed doubts about the acceptability and permissibility of developing economic projects, the consequences of which obviously contain signs of environmental crimes, noting that specialists should look for technical solutions to pressing socio-economic issues within the boundaries of the legal field. Mikhail Kreindlin, coordinator of the program for protected areas of the project “Earth Touches Everyone” of the Association “Nature Conservation”, a member of the Bureau of the Expert Council on Nature Reserves, pointed out that the flooding of part of the Norsky Nature Reserve and the Orlovsky Nature Reserve as a result of the implementation of the project violates Russian legislation, which directly prohibits actions that could cause damage to protected areas and disrupt the habitat of animals and plants listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. In particular, we are talking about a violation of the federal laws “On Specially Protected Natural Territories”, “On Environmental Protection”, “On Wildlife”. The expert recalled the legislative ban on the seizure of lands of state natural reserves, which would actually occur in the event of flooding of the Norsky Nature Reserve. Kreindlin recalled a similar story with plans for the construction of the Evenki hydroelectric power station, when approximately the same arguments were given - and the construction of which was eventually abandoned, and the problems that were cited as arguments for construction were resolved. The expert pointed out the danger of promoting former Soviet projects under different names - over the past decades, legislation has changed, the network of protected areas has expanded, and new modern technologies have been developed. Igor Shkradyuk, coordinator of the industrial greening program at the Center for Wildlife Conservation, Candidate of Technical Sciences, named among the priority measures to prevent damage from floods the expansion and restoration of water-intensive natural landscapes - river floodplains and swamps, thoughtful engineering protection of populated areas and the creation of flood control dams that do not block the free flow rivers in times of low water, but retaining large flows of water. And only in last place is the expensive construction of hydroelectric power stations. He also noted that there are places on the tributaries of the Amur for the construction of environmentally acceptable cascades of hydroelectric power stations. Previously, the International Public Organization “Expert Council on Nature Reserves” sent an appeal to the head of the Government of the Russian Federation in connection with serious threats to natural complexes and objects due to the planned construction of the Selemdzhinskaya and Nizhne-Zeyskaya hydroelectric power stations in the Amur region.

Who are beluga whales and what features do these mammals have? Why are beluga whales caught? Where do these cetaceans get the “melon” on their heads and what is it for? – said Dmitry Glazov, deputy head of the Belukha – White Whale program. You can watch the show using the link.

Buzuluksky forest (“Buzuluksky bor”) is the largest pine forest in the steppe zone of Northern Eurasia and the only island forest with relict landscapes in the steppe Trans-Volga region. It is located 100 km east of Samara. The complexity of the landscape and geographical structure determines the diversity of habitats. Pine, the edificator of the forest, occupies elevated areas of the relief, and deciduous trees occupy low areas. In the central part of the pine forest, deciduous species are found mainly in the floodplain and floodplain terrace along rivers and streams, as well as along the edge of the forest, forming a transition from forest to steppe. In this regard, the richest original vegetation and flora with a significant number of plant species and plant communities rarely found in the steppe zone have formed here. The peculiarities of the development and location of the forest explain the wide variety of ecosystems on its territory. Plants grow here that are rare both for the steppe and forest zones. Moreover, for some species the forest is the only location in the Orenburg region. The Russian muskrat, European mink, and river otter are included in the regional Red Books. All species of bats, common squirrel, garden dormouse, badger, ermine, and lynx need special control over their condition in the natural environment. Valuable species of mammals such as elk, wild boar, roe deer, wolf, pine marten, and common beaver play an important role in the functioning of forest ecosystems. The bird fauna of the Buzuluksky Forest has long been the object of close attention of ornithologists. It is considered a key ornithological area that contributes to the diversity of birds in the Trans-Volga region. The fauna of invertebrate animals, with the exception of some groups of insects, remains the most unexplored page of the national park. The National Park invites employees of the Institute to conduct their research. The park organizes accommodation on the territory of the in-patient department of the Steppe Institute in the forest (Partizansky village) and transport for exploring the territory. By agreement with the park management, partial payment for the work of invited specialists is possible. Contact information: Alexey Gennadievich Leonov, head of the scientific department.

Together with the Vedomosti newspaper, the RSF has prepared for publication an informational selection of the 10 best studies of the year. We are very glad that the work under the leadership of V.G. Petrosyan was included in this list, within the framework of which the top 100 most dangerous alien organisms in Russia were analyzed. Biologists from the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, with the participation of foreign scientists from 19 countries, collected about 3 million records of encounters with alien species of organisms dangerous to ecosystems and the economy of Russia, which made it possible to find out how they appeared in the past (since 1600), are widespread now and to estimate their future spread throughout the world/ Using mathematical methods based on global climate models and GIS technologies, scientists have found that in the current climate, most alien species live in the central part and south of Russia. According to forecasts, by the end of the century the rate of their spread will increase from four to seven times. Conservation organizations can use the data to plan measures to limit further invasions. The introduction of new organisms into ecosystems is a normal evolutionary process, explained Nikolai Ermakov, chief researcher at the Nikitsky Botanical Garden. But, as research led by Varos Petrosyan shows, if in natural conditions it is quite gradual and long-lasting, giving native and alien species time to adapt to each other, humans significantly accelerate this migration, which harms not only the environment, but also themselves. Thus, on the territory of Russia in 2007–2019. economic damage from the impact of invasive species was estimated at 1.38 trillion rubles, he concluded. Source: Varos Petrosyan et al. // NeoBiota, 2023 Related materials: Vedomosti: "What happened in Russian science in 2023: top 10 events" RSF: "Results of the year: RSF and Vedomosti spoke about the striking results of researchby Russian scientists"

Fig.1: Armoured catfish The high plasticity of armoured catfish of the genus Pterygoplichthys contributed to their rapid and large-scale dispersal (invasion) into new water bodies of the Indo-China region. In particular, the high adaptive potential of representatives of the genus is manifested in their behavioral response to unfavorable environmental factors. Employees of the IEE RAS (E.D. Pavlov, E.V. Ganzha) together with a Vietnamese colleague (Tran Duc Dien) assessed the horizontal and vertical distribution of fish and the daily rhythm of their motor activity in freshwater and brackish habitats (Central Vietnam). Fig.2: Capture in a net It is believed that armoured catfish predominantly inhabit the bottom layer of the water mass, in part due to their negative buoyancy - their body density is higher than the density of water. However, based on control catches, we established that armoured catfish during periods of increased activity are often found in reservoirs at different water levels from the bottom to the surface. Fig.3: Assessing the night’s catch We assume that due to the presence of facultative respiration with atmospheric oxygen (capturing air from the surface of the water and retaining it in the intestines), this species is able to change its buoyancy from negative to positive in the shortest possible time and for a long time. This physiological feature allows armoured catfish to move without significant energy expenditure in the upper layers of water, which, in the conditions of the estuary and coastal zone, are usually more desalinated than the bottom areas. Fig.4: Stomach wall with hypertrophied vessels The hourly circadian rhythm of the locomotor activity of armoured catfish caught in water bodies characterized by different hydrology and water salinity was experimentally assessed. It has been shown that armoured catfish are active in the dark with peak activity in the evening (18:00-20:00). Dawn contributes to the rapid attenuation of their activity. Fish from freshwater habitats have a similar circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm of individuals living in more dynamic estuarine conditions is modified by tidal currents. Thus, the evening peak of physical activity of fish in the estuary occurs 3 hours later (at 21:00), which is synchronized with the beginning of low tide by a decrease in the intrusion of brackish waters. The response of estuarine catfish to the phases of high and low tide indicates their ability to sense increased salinity of water. Fig.5: Locomotor activity of fish in fresh water The results of field and experimental studies indicate that alien armoured catfish are capable of penetrating brackish waters (estuaries and, possibly, coastal areas) and through them successfully settling into new bodies of water, thus posing a threat to tropical aquatic ecosystems and native aquatic organisms. Fig.6: Locomotor activity of fish in brackish water estuary The work was carried out within the framework of the Ecolan 3.2 project in 2023 (Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Center) with financial support from the Russian Ministry of Education and Science. The authors express their gratitude to the Director of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences S.V. Naidenko for support of research work. The article was published in the journal Q1: PLOS One.

In the photo: the small shrew S. minutus, caught in November 2023 in the south-west of Moscow (photo taken by Sergei Viktorovich Ogurtsov, Moscow State University). Specialists from the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, with the help of colleagues from the Faculty of Biology of Moscow State University have developed a reliable method for identifying current sources of environmental pollution with super-ecotoxicants such as dioxins, based on the use of the biological characteristics of insectivorous and rodent species, including those inhabiting biotopes polluted by humans. Dioxins - polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) - persistent organic pollutants, identifying the sources of their emission, which can be, for example, unequipped waste storage facilities, is a labor-intensive and expensive, but necessary environment protection task. Its implementation is complicated, firstly, by the many ways in which these pollutants spread from potential sources - through water, soil, air, and secondly, by their background presence due to pollution in previous periods and/or global transfer from distant places. Unique forest animals can help in solving this problem - insectivorous shrews, representatives of the genus Sorex (order Eulipotyphla, family Soricidae) - common (S. araneus, L. 1758), and small (S. minutus, L. 1766). These shrews are the most common inhabitants of forest biocenoses throughout the European territory, the common shrew is the most numerous, the small one (pictured) is the second most numerous species; In the forests and forest parks of Moscow and the region, one or two representatives of the second species fall into live traps for every ten of the first species. The common shrew is slightly larger, the body length of its adults is about 8 cm, the small one is about 6 cm, the weight of the first reaches 13, the second - no more than 7 g. Both have a dark back and a lighter belly, the small one has a relatively thick tail at the base (photo). In the small karyotype there are 42 chromosomes, and in the ordinary karyotype there can be from 20 to 33 chromosomes due to different combinations of fusion of the chromosome arms of 12 autosomes - the so-called variable part of the karyotype, which made this species a model object for population genetic studies. These small predators are unique in that per day they hunt and eat twice their own weight, mainly invertebrates, but also all other animal food available to them - carrion and young mouse-like rodents, small amphibians. Plant food is used in small quantities, mainly in winter. Differences in diet: the common shrew is the main consumer of soil insects, the small shrew prefers terrestrial ones. It turned out that samples from individuals of these species can serve as the best indicator of environmental pollution with dioxin-like ecotoxicants. The fact is that the toxicity of these substances for biota and humans is associated with their ability to bioaccumulate and interfere, even in trace quantities, with the vital processes of the body; accordingly, their content is most significant in the tissues of wild-living small mammals. The feeding method of shrews and the composition of the feed they use determines the maximum accumulation of dioxins in the body, and reflects the entry of pollutants through the filtrate produced by their emission sources, along the way - groundwater, soil, soil insects, and predators. Using in the study, in addition to an insectivorous species, a representative of a taxon with a different type of diet, a herbivorous rodent, makes it possible to better reflect the deposition of pollutants on the green parts of plants due to airborne transport. The combination of insectivorous and herbivorous species in biomonitoring takes into account the different ways in which ecotoxicants enter the mammalian body and represents an integral indicator of environmental pollution. To differentiate background pollution and the contribution of the source, sampling should be carried out close to and at a significant distance (10-50 km) from it, to completely exclude its influence. The excess of the concentrations of ecotoxicants in samples of individuals caught near the object under study over the background values obtained when they were caught at a distance, in a conditionally clean area, indicates the influence of the source. The determination of PCDD/Fs and PCBs is carried out, after appropriate sample preparation, by high-resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. As an example, we present a study of a total of 8 samples - two individuals of each species (the insectivorous common shrew S. araneus and the herbivorous bank vole Cl. glareolus), captured in two locations in the Moscow region - near a potential local source of ecotoxicant emissions (landfill) and at a distance of about 50 km from it, in a natural reserve (Zvenigorod Biological Station named after S.N. Skadovsky, ZBS MSU). In all samples of the bank vole and the common shrew, dioxins were found, and the values of the total equivalent of their toxicity (WHO-TEQ2005) in the shrew samples were more than 10 times higher than those in the vole samples (Table), which apparently reflected the different composition of the feed of these species. Table. Average content of the most dangerous isomer, 2,3,7,8-PCDD and total toxicity equivalent WHO-TEQ2005 dioxins (pg/g dry weight) in samples of shrews and bank voles caught near the landfill (source) and in a conditionally clean area (background) Moscow region The dioxin content in samples of animals caught near the landfill for both species was almost three times higher than background values, which indicates the contribution of this source to environmental pollution, while the excess concentrations in shrew samples primarily indicate water (filtrate-groundwater, soil insects), and the green-eating bank vole on the airborne (deposition on green parts of plants) path of pollutant spread. The shrew proved to be the best indicator for detecting the emission of these ecotoxicants. The proposed method, based on the combination of biomonitoring of herbivorous and insectivorous species of small mammals from two locations, made it possible, with a minimum number of samples, to obtain a reliable gradient of dioxin concentration values in samples, not only to detect the contribution of a local source, but to indicate the distribution paths of these pollutants, which provides the necessary information when analyzing the state of ecosystems and assessing environmental risks. (Euthanasia of animals was carried out humanely in accordance with the requirements of Article 6 and Annex IV of Directive 2010/63/EU.) Patent No. 2792606 C1 Russian Federation, IPC G01N 30/88. Method for determining the contribution of local sources of emission of dioxin-like ecotoxicants to environmental pollution: No. 2022120758: application. 07/28/2022: publ. 03/22/2023 / E. S. Levenkova; applicant Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences. – EDN NQOIGD.

During the visit of RAS Academician V.V. Rozhnov and senior researcher A.A. Yachmennikova in September 2023, documents were signed in China confirming at the official international level the extension of cooperation between the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Academy of Sciences of Heilongjiang Province. In accordance with the signed documents, for the exchange of experience and for the development of international cooperation, from November 22 to December 14, the Institute was visited by the coordinator of international cooperation from the Institute of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Academy of Sciences of Heilongjiang Province - Zhu Shibing. During Zhu Shibing’s work at the Institute, materials for publication were discussed and prepared based on data previously collected by the Russian-Chinese team in the PRC (2018-2019). We also discussed and agreed on a joint work plan for 2024, which includes the development and continuation of work on the characteristics of the tiger’s habitat in connection with the spread of permafrost. Earlier, at the conference “Mammals of Russia: faunistics and issues of theriogeography”, held in the city of Rostov-on-Don, April 17–19, 2019, abstracts on this issue were published, but the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the planned work for 4 years: Rozhnov V .V., Zhu Sh., Chu I, Kotlov I.P., Sandlersky R.B., Yachmennikova A.A. Permafrost as a possible factor in the formation of the Amur tiger's habitat. Proceedings of the conference "Mammals of Russia, Faunistics and Theriogeography Issues", April 17-19, 2019, Rostov-on-Don, KMK Scientific Publications Partnership, Rostov-on-Don 2019 P. 233-236. In addition to the ongoing joint work on studying the Amur tiger in China, the prospects for cooperation between the Institutes in a new direction were discussed: joint research on monitoring greenhouse gas emissions, which is planned to be implemented jointly with the V.N. Sukachev Laboratory of Biogeocenology (under direction of Yu.A. Kurbatova, Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences). For this purpose, Zhu Shibin was organized to familiarize himself with the work of the South Valdai Ecological Observatory “Okovsky Forest” of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, located in the area of the Central Forest Nature Reserve. Data from environmental-climate stations are the basis for scientific monitoring of gas exchange processes in ecosystems and greenhouse gas emissions. With the help of off-road special equipment, employees of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, with the assistance of colleagues from the Central Forest Reserve, visited two such stations and became acquainted with the operation of the equipment installed on them. The Chinese side is certainly interested in the development of carbon testing sites on its territory and, due to the relevance of such work on the territory of the PRC, they are actively adopting the successful Russian experience.

Thanks to funding from the State Science Foundation under the program “State support for scientific research conducted under the guidance of leading scientists in Russian educational institutions of higher education, scientific institutions and state scientific centers of the Russian Federation” (9th stage), a laboratory of evolutionary trophology was created in 2022. The institute's new laboratory specializes in studying nutrition, digestion and parasites in fish, amphibians and reptiles. It included experts in the field of research of the digestive system and vertebrate ecology, as well as undergraduates, graduate students and support staff. The laboratory was headed by the outstanding Spanish scientist Enric Gisbert Casas. In 2023, we completed the construction of the main laboratory complexes, resulting in the creation of a multi-purpose scientific base where a wide range of genetic studies of eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms can be carried out. In addition, an instrument base has been formed to study the composition of digestive enzymes, study the biochemistry of blood and other tissues of organisms, and conduct morphological and histological studies of the digestive system of vertebrates. Over the past year, project participants have been on several large expeditions, the most significant of which included trips to Vietnam, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. In Papua New Guinea, we became acquainted with the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems of the surrounding Lake Kutubu, where several endemic fish species live, some of which belong to the complex of eliotris fishes of the genus Magurnda. We were interested in adaptations of the digestive system of representatives of this and other fish genera and associated with the trophic niches they occupy, as well as ecto- and endoparasites of lake ichthyofauna. The expedition was based in the village of Tugiri, where a research center was built through the efforts of the head of the local community, Lawrence Kage. The surroundings of the lake are slopes covered with primary tropical forest and indented by river valleys. Tugiri is located in the floodplain of the Vari River, where we conducted daily excursions in search of herpetofauna. Despite the dry season - July has the least amount of precipitation - we were able to find more than 30 species of reptiles and amphibians, the main representatives of which were small frogs from the family of narrow-mouthed tree frogs (Microhylidae). Not all of them can be identified, and it is quite possible that among the amphibians we caught there may be species new to science. In addition, we tried to establish international relations with representatives of the local scientific community from the National Research Institute (NRI), which can be the basis for further fruitful work by the staff of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The Vietnamese expedition was aimed at studying internal parasites, feeding habits and digestion of tailless amphibians. We worked in Cat Tien National Park, where one of the oldest stations of the Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Center is located, on the basis of which our research was carried out. As objects of study, we chose such amphibian species as Microhyla butleri, M. mukhlesuri, M. heymonsi, Rohanixalus vittatus, Glyphoglossus guttulatus, Polypedates megacephalus. In two model reservoirs, we regularly collected tadpoles that had reached different stages of development. Next, we studied the composition of the parasites, taking samples of body tissue and the contents of the digestive tract for isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen, as well as intestinal samples for analysis of the enterobiome and the composition of digestive enzymes. In the vicinity of model reservoirs, we caught adult frogs of the same species, which will allow us to compare the studied parameters in tadpoles and adult individuals that have undergone metamorphosis. Primary data showed that the differences in the isotopic signature between tadpoles of different species from the same body of water are much greater than between adult frogs living in the vicinity of the native body of water, and fluctuate slightly between different stages of tadpoles of the same species. To a large extent, interspecific differences reflect trophic adaptations of tadpoles, the essence of which we plan to understand when metagenomic sequencing data of the digestive system microbiome is analyzed. An important achievement was the development of a new method of catching fish at a given depth, which differs from existing methods in that the installation of nets is carried out using weights with buoys submerged at the bottom of the reservoir, supporting the net at any required depth (patent No. 2810000 “Method of installing gill nets at an arbitrary depth in lakes"). The publication results of the laboratory staff are that by the end of the year they published seven scientific articles in high-ranking international journals (Q1-Q2). Thus, during the second year of the project, significant work was done to create an instrument base, collect field material and prepare publications. We hope that the achieved results leave no doubt about the prospects for the development of a new direction of research, will allow us in the future to replenish the fundamental knowledge about the evolution of nutrition in poikilothermic animals and create biological additives for the effective reproduction and rearing of these animals in captivity.

At the Siberian Federal University in Krasnoyarsk, on November 27-29, 2023, the II meeting of the Working Group on Data Processing for Assessing Ecosystem Fluxes of Greenhouse Gases was held. More than twenty researchers from all over the country took part in the meeting. Most of the meeting participants work within the framework of the 4th consortium of the Russian Climate Monitoring System, the most important innovative project of national importance. The meeting was organized by the V.N. Sukachev Forest Institute SB RAS, REC "Yenisei Siberia" (Krasnoyarsk) and Siberian Federal University (Krasnoyarsk), as well as the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS (Moscow). The meeting was opened by the director of the project office of the Yenisei Siberia Research Center Sergei Verkhovets, the Siberian Federal University vice-rector for scientific work Ruslan Baryshev, and the director of the SFU Institute of Fundamental Biology and Biotechnology Vladimir Shishov. The scientific director of Siberian Federal University, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Biological Sciences Evgeny Vaganov addressed the participants with inspiring and warm opening words.Siberian Federal University provided a conveniently equipped auditorium and solutions to technical and organizational issues during the meeting of the Working Group. In addition to teams from the organizers, employees of the following scientific institutions participated: Yugra State University (Khanty-Mansiysk), Institute of Biology of the Komi Scientific Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Syktyvkar), Institute of Biological Problems of the Cryolithozone SB RAS (Yakutsk), A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics RAS (Moscow), Institute for Monitoring of Climatic and Ecological Systems SB RAS (Tomsk), National Research Tomsk State University (Tomsk), Federal Scientific Center for Agroecology RAS (Volgograd), North-Eastern Scientific Station (Chersky). The meeting sections were moderated by Ph.D. Anatoly Prokushkin (IL), Ph.D. Yulia Kurbatova and Ph.D. Olga Kuricheva (IPEE RAS), Ph.D. Egor Dyukarev (IMKES). On the first day, researchers from different teams talked about the features of data processing at the environmental and climatic stations that they supervise. The map shows the stations that the participants talked about: at the 1st meeting of the Working Group on 04/2–4/2023 (in blue) and at the 2nd meeting on 11/27–29/2023 (in red). One cannot but be pleased with the expansion of the number of participants in the Second Meeting relative to the First Meeting, held in April of this year. At the II meeting, reports were made on the longest operating stations in Russia, the history of observations at which goes back more than 20 years. These are the Fedorovskoye station in the Central Forest Reserve in the Tver region, belonging to the South Valdai Ecological Observatory “Okovsky Forest” (report by Andrey Varlagin, Ph.D., IEE RAS) and the international station Spasskaya Pad in central Yakutia, the SakhaFluxNet network (report to Biological Sciences Roman Petrov, IBPK SB RAS). The results of measurements on a network of stations in the Komi Republic were introduced to the listeners by Ph.D. Mikhail Miglovets and Doctor of Biological Sciences Svetlana Zagirova (IB Ural Branch RAS). The report by Nikita Zimov (North-Eastern Scientific Station) was devoted to measurements of greenhouse gas flows at a network of stations in the Pleistocene Park near the village Chersky, where a unique natural and climatic experiment is being conducted to create a highly productive pasture Arctic ecosystem. Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Prof. of RAS Irina Repina (IAP RAS) spoke about the measuring systems and features of the data at two remote tundra stations in Yakutia, as well as about the dependence of flows on the height of measurements. Ph.D. Vyacheslav Zyryanov (IL SB RAS) made a report on the northern stations of the Krasnoyarsk Territory (KrasFlux network) and on a new mobile complex for measuring turbulent flows. Ph.D. Egor Dyukarev (IMKES SB RAS) summarized the ideas for data filtering that arose at the first meeting of the working group, applying different stages of filtering to data for the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug and the Tomsk region. Ph.D. Olga Kuricheva (IPEE RAS) summarized the international experience of pulsation observation networks. Special mention goes to the representatives of youth laboratories Dmitry Trusov (IL SB RAS) and Elizaveta Satosina (IPEE RAS), who spoke on the second day of the meeting with reports and messages that initiated lively discussions. On the second day, workshops were held on filling in gaps using a script written in Python (Evgeniy Kurbatov and Vadim Mamkin, Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences) and on building a footprint using a script written in R (Anna Terskaya, Lund University, Sweden). Photo: Anatoly Prokushkin Participants noted that a working meeting is a very productive format for scientific communication, allowing them to receive positive feedback on their work from competent colleagues and to incorporate new methods into their work. The reports sometimes developed into lively discussions about the operation of the equipment, the features of using the turbulent pulsation method, and the features of data calculation and analysis. The workshops allowed participants to try new methods, while collegial solutions to emerging problems were very convenient. It is planned to continue meetings of the Working Group in 2024.