Cytogenetics belongs to the field of genetics, to the emergence and rapid spread of which the Russian school of chromosome researchers made a special contribution. The bright period of young science falls in time and place during the years of close interaction between biological institutions in the newly organized complex of institutes of the Academy of Sciences in Moscow in the 1930s-1940s. A new direction in genetics arose in the next decade after the chromosome theory of heredity appeared, experimentally substantiated by the school of T. Morgan in the USA (Morgan et al. 1915). Academician Sergei Gavrilovich Navashin (Works on Applied Botany, Genetics and Breeding, vol. 17, No. 3), a full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences since 1918, was recognized as the domestic founder of "genetic cytology" in 1927, and the most interested "investor" Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences and since 1929 Academician Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov, the largest national figure in the genetic direction in fundamental and applied sciences. Fig.1 Memorial plaque at the entrance to the IEE RAS on Leninsky Prospekt, 33 The time and place of the emergence of cytogenetics as a “new and powerful branch” of young genetics, according to N.I. Vavilov, he noted as a grandiose event that took place at the 5th International Genetic Congress in Berlin in 1927. A special issue of the Works of the Institute of Applied Botany, led by Vavilov, was prepared for this forum. A number of years later, the new academic Institute of Genetics, which arose under the leadership of Academician N.I. Vavilov in Leningrad, followed to Moscow following the transfer of the Academy of Sciences from the former to the new capital of the state, where he settled in a common building with other institutions of a similar profile. Since 1934, the history of our institute began and continues here in parallel, only the address changed due to the renaming of the former Bolshaya Kaluzhskaya Street into Leninsky Prospekt and the name of the institute was updated, which invariably bears the name of the founder, academician A.N. Severtsov. Fig. 2 Historical corridor of the Vavilov Institute Vavilov was accompanied by his American guest, the fruit-fly studying geneticist G. Meller, for whom a laboratory for the problems of genes and mutagenesis was created, with one of the first employees of the Vavilov Institute, A.A. Prokofieva-Belgovskaya, who performed the cytogenetic part of Meller's brilliant genetic experiments. 8 joint works published by them were later included in the Nobel list of the 1946 prize winner G. Meller. Most of these classic studies were carried out in 1935, 1936 and 1937 here, in this historic building, during the period of close proximity of our institutions. The memorial plaque at the entrance to the IEE RAS on Leninsky Prospekt, 33 (Fig. 1 and 2) and the historical corridor of the Vavilov Institute are visible symbols of the convergence of genetic science with evolutionary science. Alexandra Alekseevna herself after Meller's departure in 1938 and the defeat of genetics in the USSR in the 1940s was able to conduct fundamental scientific research in difficult conditions and became the most famous domestic cytogeneticist and later the founder of human cytogenetics in our country. Twice Prokofieva-Belgovskaya had to defend her doctoral degree, and both times at our institute, as she said "at Schmalhausen" - academician I.I. Schmalhausen, who took over as director after the death of the first leader A.N. Severtsov in 1936. In 1948, despite a successful defense, she was denied a degree due to obstacles after the Lysenko August session of the All-Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Schmalhausen was deprived of the laboratory and fired, and a new defense took place only in 1965, thanks to the revival of genetics. In 1962 A.A. Prokofieva- Belgovskaya became the head of the laboratory with an unheard-of name - General and space karyology. This laboratory was known to all karyologists of the country. Fig. 3 Direct students and already their pupils created entire directions in human cytogenetics, comparative animal cytogenetics, in the analysis of meiosis and emerging genomics. The scientific "grandchildren" and "great-grandchildren" of the leading mentor of cytogenetics were brought up in the spirit of responsibility for the success of their work. March 26 is the birthday of the great scientist A.A. Prokofieva-Belgovskaya. This year marks her 120th birthday. Fig. 4 In the building where the laboratory of Prokofieva-Belgovskaya was situated before being transferred to the Institute of Molecular Biology, on Vavilova Street, 34, there are now IEE laboratories, which, among other things, present karyological areas (Fig. 3 and 4). V.N. Orlov, L.D. Safronova, N.Sh. Bulatov had met with Alexandra Alekseevna and her employees, and Yu.M. Borisov worked and defended his doctoral dissertation in her laboratory. The topics of laboratories and teams have changed a lot since then, but the cytogenetic direction persists. Information and photographs of Bulatova N.Sh.

Appearance of an ephippial female Daphnia arabica, scanning electron microscopy data. Source: Anna Neretina. Russian biologists, together with foreign colleagues, have deciphered the genome of microscopic daphnia crustaceans living on the Arabian Peninsula. The species Daphnia arabica was able to adapt to such arid conditions thanks to a combination of genes responsible for the restoration of the DNA molecule when it is damaged under stress. Other daphnia that lived here died out about 100,000 years ago due to climate change. Deciphering the genome of this unique organism will help geneticists and breeders to develop animal and plant species adapted to arid conditions. The results of the study, supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation, were published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Daphnia, or water fleas, play a significant role in aquatic ecosystems. They feed on the remains of organic matter at the bottom and in the water column, helping to purify it, and also serve as food for many inhabitants of reservoirs. In addition, water fleas can be a good indicator of water purity, since they are sensitive to various kinds of pollution. In total, scientists have knowledge of more than 50 species of daphnia. Previously, they were difficult to study and classify due to their similarity. However, over the past five years, the situation has been simplified by the availability of genetic analysis, which allows to see differences between species at the DNA level. Scientists actively use water fleas for research, because these crustaceans are unpretentious, multiply easily and grow quickly. For geneticists and ecologists, daphnia are useful because they live all over the planet. Comparing the genomes of related species living in different climatic zones, scientists can gauge the mechanisms of their adaptation to natural and climatic conditions. In addition, these studies make it possible to better understand the history of the Earth, the origin and development of living organisms. Student education: Scientific and practical seminar on the biology of cladocerans on the basis of the University of the United Arab Emirates. Source: Anna Neretina. Scientists from the IEE RAS (Moscow), together with foreign colleagues, have deciphered and analyzed the complete genome of the Daphnia arabica species discovered last year. It lives in only one shallow body of water in the United Arab Emirates, which dries up completely in summer. Genetic analysis showed that the species formed about 60 million years ago, when the climate on Earth was warm and humid. Then other water fleas existed in the region, but all of them, except for Daphnia arabica, died out about 100 thousand years ago due to rising temperatures and drying up of water bodies. Daphnia arabica has managed to adapt to sudden and prolonged droughts due to its breeding habits. Sex in Daphnia is generally determined by external environmental conditions. Under comfortable humid conditions, the studied crustaceans reproduce by parthenogenesis, and their population consists exclusively of females, who reproduce their own clones, also female. When the reservoir begins to dry up, males hatch. Now daphnia begin to reproduce sexually, laying fertilized eggs on the bottom, covered with a drought-resistant shell - ephippia. Eggs are in a dormant state and are able to exist for a long time without water, while the adults die out. When the reservoir is filled again, a new generation of females hatch from them. Scientists collected soil samples from the bottom of a dried-up lake, isolated water flea ephippia and, under laboratory conditions, hatched a population of females from them. After analyzing the features of their structure, the researchers selected more than 60 individuals for DNA analysis using the author's program of genetic methods. Scientists have deciphered the genome of Daphnia arabica and compared it with the gene sets of other previously described species of water fleas. A combination of SOSS-C genes was found in crustaceans from the Arabian Desert, which allows the body to repair DNA when it is damaged under extreme conditions. It is noteworthy that Daphnia from other climatic zones do not have the corresponding genes. Temporary body of water: Habitat Daphnia arabica. Source: Anna Neretina “This protein complex has previously been found in a number of vertebrates that live in arid environments and is likely able to withstand them. Using SOSS-C genes in biotechnology, it is possible to breed animals and plants better suited for desert regions,” says Anna Neretina, Ph.D. Related materials: Search: "DNA repair genes helped water fleas survive in the desert"

The published study is the first deep generalization on the most dangerous invasive species in Russia, performed using ecological modeling methods and geoinformation technologies, which has no analogues both in Russia and abroad. Biological invasions - the penetration of living organisms beyond the historical distribution area - occur in all countries and on all continents. New (alien to the region) species can belong to various taxonomic groups. Identification of those that pose the greatest threat to biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and economic development is one of the important global tasks for assessing the risk and minimizing the negative consequences of invasions. Lists limited to 100 priority species (TOP-100) were compiled for the whole world in 2000, for Europe in 2009. For Russia, such a list (TOP-100) of the most dangerous invasive species was prepared and published with brief essays in 2018. The list includes a variety of aquatic and terrestrial organisms from bacteria to mammals, vascular plants predominate (29 species), insects ( 15 species) and mammals (10 species). Of this list, 62% of the species were accidentally introduced (brought in) with ballast water, traffic flows, ship fouling, agricultural products, with cultivated plants and plants for landscape design. 33% of the species were deliberately introduced, the remaining 5% spread independently. The homeland of 45% of these species is North and Central America, in second place (34%) is the Asia-Pacific region. An extensive database has been collected on the actual locations of invasive species finds both in the area of their natural (native) distribution and in the area of invasion. This material, in combination with climatic and other environmental parameters, formed the basis for the creation of mathematically correct and high-precision models of habitat maps suitable for the distribution of invasive species. It has been shown that all of them, with the exception of the teredo mollusk (shashen) and king crab, have regions in Russia suitable for their further distribution. Among the species that are characterized by a high potential for further settlement is the tripartite ragweed, a plant that clogs fields and is a strong allergen. Using the obtained models of habitats and GIS technologies, zones with a high concentration of invasive species were identified and cartographically visualized. They are located in the economically developed center of the European part of Russia, in the warm regions of southern Russia, including the coastal waters of the Black Sea, and in the Leningrad Region, including the waters of the Gulf of Finland. In these zones, their highest impact on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems can be expected, and it is there that measures should be taken to limit invasions and the negative consequences of current and future invasion processes. The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (project no. 21-14-00123). The results are published in the international journal NeoBiota (JCR IF4.2; Q1): Petrosyan V., Osipov F., Feneva I., Dergunova N., Warshavsky A., Khlyap L., Dzialowski A. The TOP-100 most dangerous invasive alien species in Northern Eurasia: invasion trends and species distribution modeling // NeoBiota. 2023. 82: 23–56. https://neobiota.pensoft.net/article/96282/ Fig.1: Main regions of origin of invasive species TOP-100 Fig.2: The number of the most dangerous invasive species recorded in Russia for the first time (red line in panel A) and cumulative curve (AS - blue dots in panels A and B). On panel B - blue curve - non-linear trend AS = exp (-5.73 + 0.000002536* Years^2); red line - 95% confidence interval. Fig.3: Zones (Z) of high concentrations of the most dangerous invasive species The letter A denotes places with an increased amount of different invasive species (Hot spots). Related materials: Press Service of the Russian Science Foundation Indicator.ru Rossiyskaya gazeta Scientific Russia

Using the Paleoenvironmental Distribution Modeling (SDM) method, we reconstructed the range history of the largest member of the Cricetinae subfamily, the common hamster (Cricetus cricetus). Fig.1: Common hamster (Criterus criterus) This abundance of this species in natural biotopes has harshly declined over the past 50 years, which nominated it for the IUCN International Red List with the status of threatened in 2020 (Banaszek et al., 2020). Over the past five years, the authors have carried out 7 expeditions across the territory of Russia and Kazakhstan, collected data on the modern distribution of this species and a lot of material for molecular genetic analysis. It is shown that the phylogeographic structure of the common hamster throughout its giant range (more than 6 million sq. km) includes five main phylogroups: "Pannonia", "North", "E", "Caucasus" and "Altai". Fig.2: Phylogenetic tree obtained by Bayesian analysis of haplotypes based on the cytbgene. Numbers indicate branch support The latter was highlighted in this work. The phylogroup "Altai" occupies the easternmost part of the range from the Trans-Urals in the west to the Krasnoyarsk Territory in the east and covers an area of about 600 thousand square meters. km. The formation of the basis of the modern phylogenetic structure of the species was completed, probably by the end of the first half of the Late Pleistocene. The SDM method showed that the maximum expansion of the potential range of Cricetus cricetus occurred during the interglacials - the Mikulin (Eemian) and the Atlantic Optimum of the Holocene. Fig.3: Scheme maps of the range of the common hamster, built using the SDM method:a) the period of maximum expansion of the range (120 thousand years ago). As shown by paleoclimatic reconstructions, during the entire cold period of the Late Pleistocene, the range was reduced and fragmented into refugia due to the reduction and fragmentation of areas suitable for habitation. Fig.4: Scheme maps of the range of the common hamster, built using the SDM method:b) during the period of narrowing and fragmentation of the range (20 thousand years ago). The ancestral forms of locally distributed mitochondrial lineages diverged and spread during the period from the LGM to the Atlantic optimum. This conclusion is fundamentally at odds with previous ideas about the expansion of the range of this species during cold epochs (Banaszek et al., 2015; Neumann et al., 2005; Korbut et al., 2019). Our hypothesis was confirmed by the analysis of paleontological remains (more than 400 finds). The use of an integrated approach (paleoreconstruction, paleontological finds and genetic analysis of modern material) indicates that the current climatic conditions are optimal for the existence of the species, and the observed sharp decrease in its abundance in natural biotopes indicates the leading role of anthropogenic factors in this process. Fig.5: Scheme maps of the range of the common hamster, built using the SDM method: c) at present. Feoktistova N.Yu., Meschersky I.G., Shenbrot G.I., Puzachenko A.Yu., Meschersky S.I., Bogomolov P.L., Surov A.V., Phylogeography of the common hamster (Cricetus cricetus), paleoclimatic reconstructions of Late Pleistocene colonization Running title: Phylogeography of the common hamster // Integrative Zoology.2022 Related materials: Ministry of Education and Science: "Ordinary-unusual hamster: scientists have reconstructed the history of the habitat of the Red Book species of rodent" RAS: "The history of the range of the Red Book species Cricetus Cricetus has been reconstructed"

At the beginning of this year, the peer-reviewed scientific journal Animals published an article “Is the Lesser Khingan suitable for the restoration of the Amur tiger group? Perspectives in terms of habitats and food supply”. The article was prepared based on the results of the work of a joint project of the IEE RAS and the Institute of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Academy of Sciences of Heilongjiang Province (PRC) and is devoted to the assessment of existing biotopes in the area of the historical range of the tiger - the Lesser Khingan mountain system. The results of the study showed that the territory of this mountain system can provide highly suitable habitats for 20-40 Amur tigers, depending on their sex and age. The degree of fragmentation of the habitats of the Amur tiger is also assessed and recommendations are given for organizing intra- and transboundary ecological corridors that will increase the migration permeability of the territory, thereby ensuring genetic exchange between tiger groups. The mountain system of the Lesser Khingan has a geographical connection with that of the Greater Khingan and the Stanovoy Range and is one of the three transboundary mountain systems that cross the Amur River basin in the meridional direction. The territory is remarkable in that it has a high floristic diversity, since it is located at the junction of the Daurian, Manchurian and South Manchurian floristic regions. The low mountains, covered with forests of such a multicomponent composition, have always been included in the category of habitats that are attractive to both wild ungulates and tigers. Due to the effective development of this territory by humans over the past 70 years, tigers have not been observed here, although they were once common representatives of the fauna. During the implementation of the IEE RAS project (2013-2015) to restore the population of the Amur tiger in the north-west of its range in Russia by releasing orphaned tiger cubs specifically prepared for life in the wild in the Amur and Jewish Autonomous Regions (Rozhnov et al., 2021 ) some tigers and their descendants swam across the Amur and visited the territory of China in the region of the Lesser Khingan Mountains. Thus, the success of the implementation of the Russian project also initiated cross-border scientific Russian-Chinese cooperation. The Amur tiger belongs to the category of “key species/indicator species” in many respects: it is endangered, listed in the Red Books of the Russian Federation and China, and on the IUCN Red List. The northwestern part of its range is located in both Russia and China, where the tigers were destroyed by humans. In order to plan for the restoration of the tiger population within the historical range, we first of all assessed the condition and suitability of habitats for tiger prey species (wild ungulates) in the Lesser Khingan Mountains (northern China), which became the starting region for our study. We carried out modeling of suitable habitats and calculations of the degree of their fragmentation, based on satellite imagery information and data collected by us during field expeditions in 2017, 2018, 2019. The resulting species distribution maps were used to build the ecological frame of the study area. The best quality habitats (for the tiger) were designated as ecological network cores, which were connected by calculated green corridors. The results of the work confirmed the possibility of implementing a project to restore the Amur tiger in the Lesser Khingan Mountains in China. As estimated during the study, habitats with a high fitness index value are 19,327.6 km2. According to preliminary estimates, at least 20 males or 43 females can form their habitats on them (the size of the habitats of individuals according to Hernandez-Blanco et al., 2015); the rest of the calculations will depend on the sex ratio. Natural green corridors for tiger movement are located mainly at theedges of forests and are characterized by high variability of tree species. This study describes three potentially significant transboundary corridors and makes recommendations for the establishment of specially protected natural areas (PAs) in the most significant tiger habitats: (a) the foothills and low mountains of northern Lesser Khingan; b) the section between the southeastern Lesser Khingan and the western part of the Wandashan mountain system; (c) a corridor in the foothills and low mountains of the eastern part of Lesser Khingan. Establishment of specially protected natural areas here will make it possible to conserve associated complexes of forest tracts in those places where currently there are no protected areas. In addition, recommendations are provided for tiger habitat restoration activities in key areas. Ссылка: Yachmennikova, A.; Zhu, S.; Kotlov, I.; Sandlersky, R.; Yi, Q.; Rozhnov, V. Is the Lesser Khingan Suitable for the Amur Tiger Restoration? Perspectives with the Current State of the Habitat and Prey Base // Animals 2023, 13, 155. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13010155

The black soldier fly Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) is widely used in the modern world for the production of a quality food product containing from 30% to 47% protein and 10–35% fat, which is used both in raising farm animals and in food production for humans. Moreover, the possibility of adding food and municipal waste to the substrate for the cultivation of soldier fly larvae can significantly reduce the cost of production. And the resulting biocomposting product is a valuable fertilizer. However, the presence of opportunistic and especially pathogenic microflora in the original composting substrates can adversely affect the properties of the final product (both the biomass of the larvae themselves and the biocompost). In a paper published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, the researchers showed that when growing black soldier fly larvae on a substrate made from plant waste from the food industry, by the third day of cultivating the larvae, the fungal community of the substrate changes dramatically: out of 16 families found in original substrate and represented mainly by phytopathogenic and endophytic genera, only two representatives remained. In the final biocompost, the mycobiome consisted only of representatives of the yeasts Pichia kudriavzevii and Diutina rugosa. It should be noted that the reasons for such significant changes in the fungal community are not clear. Scientists associate the complete disappearance of mold fungi with mechanical damage to the mycelium during the feeding activity of the larvae and with secreted antimicrobial substances. However, these hypotheses require further confirmation.

Scientists from IEE RAS, together with colleagues from Kazan Federal University, described two species of benthic copepods of the order Harpacticoida new to science from water bodies of the Arctic Middle Siberia. Bryocamptus putoranus (Novikov, Sharafutdinova & Chertoprud, 2023) is now known for the mountain lakes of the Putorana Plateau, and Bryocamptus abramovae is known for the thermokarst lakes of the southern Lena Delta (Novikov, Sharafutdinova & Chertoprud, 2023). It is interesting that the last of the species is also noted in the lakes of Wrangel Island. The described species stand out against the background of previously known details of the structure of the limbs, the location of integumentary sensilla and pores, and the ornamentation of swimming legs. The two new species of Bryocamptus differ significantly from each other in the structure of the prehensile antennae of the males, although the structure of the furcal branches of the females, which the males grasp with these antennae, is similar. This fact may indicate the convergence of modifications of furcal branches of females, while significant differences in male antennules illustrate the origin of species from different ancestral forms. Fig.1 Habitats of Bryocamptus species new to science (right): thermokarst lakes in the Lena River delta (above); drainless lake on the Putorana Plateau (below) Photographer: Sadchikov IP; author of the drawing: Novikov A.A. Fig.2 Location of regions in which new species of Harpacticoida have been discovered Attention is drawn to the high diversity and specificity of the fauna of copepods in the reservoirs of the Lena River delta and the Putorana Plateau. Findings (previous and present) of a significant number of species new to science, as well as the presence of elements from more southern regions, indicate the relict nature of the fauna. The main reason for the presence of a significant number of endemic taxa in the region is that the north of Central Siberia was not completely covered by the last Pleistocene glaciation. On the Putorana Plateau, ice domes lay only on plateaus, and in the Lena Delta, glaciation had the character of firn snowfields. Thus, the ancient fauna had the opportunity to be preserved in refugia, and today the north of Central Siberia is home to copepods, contemporary to mammoths. There is a hypothesis that the microcrustaceans of the north of Central Siberia are a fragment of the fauna of the ancient land of Beringia, which is currently partially flooded by the World Ocean. The discovery of the same species of Bryocamptus abramovae in the Lena River delta and on Wrangel Island confirms this assumption. Novikov A., Sharafutdinova D., Chertoprud E. 2023. Two new species of Bryocamptus (Copepoda, Harpacticoida) from the Russian Arctic, comparison with Bryocamptus minutus and full analysis of interspecies differences // ZooKeys. 1138: 89-141. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1138.90580 Related materials: Ministry of Education and Science: "Russian scientists have discovered new types ofcrustaceans in the Arctic" Forpost Sevastopol.ru: "KFU scientists have discovered new species of crustaceans in theArctic" Fishnews: "Arctic crustaceans gave science new discoveries" World News 24: "Several new species of crustaceans discovered in the Arctic" ECO portal: "Two species of crustaceans discovered in the Arctic" Dzen of the Ministry of Education and Science: "Russian scientists have discovered newtypes of crustaceans in the Arctic"

Scientists, including employees of IEE RAS, evaluated the effect of the floor height of a residential building on the amount and composition of urban dust reaching its windows. For this, the analysis included the dust accumulated over 6 months on the surface of the windows of a 17-storey building, facing a busy road. In total, 41 windows with a total area of more than 38 m² were studied. It turned out that the amount of dust linearly decreases by 6 times from 386 mg/m² on the 3rd floor to 63 mg/m² on the 17th floor (height difference is 42 m). With increasing height, a sharp decrease in the proportion of particles larger than 0.25 mm is observed due to an increase in the amount of particles of 0.01-0.05 mm. Particles larger than 2 mm do not rise above the third floor; particles larger than 1 mm do not rise above the 9th floor. The proportion of the most physiologically dangerous fine particles (less than 0.01 mm) does not change with height. The chemical composition of dust also does not change with altitude. According to the composition of macrocomponents (organics, Si, Ca, S, Fe, Al), window dust is similar to road dust collected near the house. However, window dust is distinguished from ground dust by a higher content of sulfur (27 times), sodium (15 times), zinc (10 times) and copper (6 times). Based on the elemental composition of dust, it can be concluded that window dust is a mixture of soil cover and rubber tires. At the same time, the share of tires is much higher than in road dust. This is most likely due to the greater sedimentation of silica compared to rubber particles. The dust does not contain a noticeable amount of exhaust markers from automobile engines, brakes, thermal power plants, metallurgical and printing industries. Interestingly, the elimination of leaded gasoline led to the complete disappearance of excess lead from the dust. In general, the studied window dust shows a very low industrial load. Thus, increasing the residential floor in Moscow reduces the amount of incoming dust by half for every 4-5 floors. The relative content of hazardous granulometric fractions and heavy metals does not change with height. Nikolaeva Olga, Kuznetsova Tatiana, Karpukhin Mikhail, Vecherskii Maxim Elemental composition of sediments on exterior window surfaces along vertical gradient in Moscow // Science of the Total Environment https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153999

Pond slider. Photo by E.S. Malafeeva Biological invasion is the introduction of alien organisms into new regions of the planet. A new type of biological invasion was described when studying the macroecology of the freshwater red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), which is native to North America. This terrapin is sold in pet shops. Young terrapins are small and brightly colored, making them very attractive to young aquarists. However, these animals grow quickly, and larger individuals require more space, are less pretty, more aggressive and may even bite. Releasing them into a nearby pond is a common way to get rid of an annoying pet. Due to terrapin frequent release into water bodies, this reptile is now recorded on every continent except Antarctica. In new regions, this terrapin demonstrates a negative impact on native species; it eradicates larval and adult amphibians, and kills hatchlings of native terrapins and ducklings. Pseudopopulation of the red-eared turtle. Photo by A.N. Reshetnikov The study has been carried out across the entire continent of Eurasia. This ambitious project required the participation of local scientists from 26 different scientific institutes, ranging from European part of Russia to the Far East, as well as scientists from other countries in Europe and Asia. A total of 59 co-authors from 20 countries contributed to the study. Through joint coordinated work, data on the geographical distribution and ecology of the red-eared slider in natural water bodies across Eurasia have been collected. Distribution of the red-eared turtle in Eurasia Scientists from IEE RAS prepared a unique and extensive database on the ecology of the red-eared slider and analyzed the information collected. It was found that the area of geographical distribution, the range of successful wintering and the range of successful reproduction of the red-eared slider do not coincide. The invasive status of a biological species implies 1) naturalization, i.e., the establishment of populations, and 2) a significant negative impact on native species or even entire ecosystems. Therefore, for this reptile, invasive status, in the strict sense, has not been confirmed for most territories of Eurasia, because confirmed established populations have only been recorded in a few regions of the continent. However, taking into account the huge number of releases into the wild, the ability of individuals to survive in suboptimal conditions, their long lifespan (up to 30 years), the increase in numbers (without reproduction) due to progressive releases and the continuing large-scale geographical expansion, this freshwater reptile has invasive status even without establishing self-sustaining populations in areas where it is capable of surviving more than one year. Because of the absence of such an important feature as established populations, this new type of invasion may be defined as "conditional invasion". This can be applied to a given reptile within the area of successful overwintering, excluding the area of successful reproduction. Reshetnikov Andrey Nikolaevich, IPEE RAS ”The investigation is of practical relevance because we propose that a cost-effective conservation strategy against the red-eared slider in large countries with a variety of climatic zones may differ for three geographical areas: 1) area of true invasion (within potential reproduction range), 2) area of conditional invasion (within potential wintering range but outside potential reproduction range), and 3) area without potential for reproduction and wintering. Nevertheless, some protective measures (i.e., banning of import and trade) are effective only on an all-country level and therefore must be applied at national levels”, – the study's principal investigator, Andrey Reshetnikov, PhD, a senior researcher at the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told. Andrey Reshetnikov on the expedition The results have been published in the international journal NeoBiota (JCR IF4.2; Q1). Reshetnikov A.N., Zibrova M.G., Ayaz D., Bhattarai S., Borodin O.V., Borzée A., Brejcha J., Çiçek K., Dimaki M., Doronin I.V., Drobenkov S.M., Gichikhanova U.A., Gladkova A.Y., Gordeev D.A., Ioannidis Y., Ilyukh M.P., Interesova E.A., Jadhav T.D., Karabanov D.P., Khabibullin V.F., Khabilov T.K., Khan M.M.H., Kidov A.A., Klimov A.S., Kochetkov D.N., Kolbintsev V.G., Kuzmin S.L., Lotiev K.Y., Louppova N.E., Lvov V.D., Lyapkov S.M., Martynenko I.M., Maslova I.V., Masroor R., Mazanaeva L.F., Milko D.A., Milto K.D., Mozaffari O., Nguyen T.Q., Novitsky R.V., Petrovskiy A.B., Prelovskiy V.A., Serbin V.V., Shi H-t., Skalon N.V., Struijk R.P.J.H., Taniguchi M., Tarkhnishvili D., Tsurkan V.F., Tyutenkov O.Y., Ushakov M.V., Vekhov D.A., Xiao F., Yakimov A.V., Yakovleva T.I., Yang P., Zeleev D.F., Petrosyan V.G., 2023. Rarely naturalized, but widespread and even invasive: the paradox of a popular pet terrapin expansion in Eurasia. NeoBiota 81: 91–27. Related materials: RT на русском: "«Эффективная стратегия контроля»: учёные прояснили картину экспансии американских красноухих черепах в Евразии" Научная Россия: "Домашние черепахи захватили Евразию с двух сторон" Вокруг света: "Остановить вторжение: как красноухие черепахи стали захватчиками по вине людей" Российский Научный Фонд: "«Эффективная стратегия контроля»: ученые прояснили картину экспансии американских красноухих черепах в Евразии" XX2 век: "Как домашние черепахи захватили Евразию" Новые Известия: "Эволюция поневоле: домашние черепахи захватывают Евразию с двух сторон"

The Asian mollusk Corbicula fluminea is one of the most successful invaders in freshwater ecosystems. They settled far beyond the borders of East and Southeast Asia - their native range - and spread in the waters of North, Central and South America and in Europe. At the same time, scientists noticed a pattern: if in the European zone of invasions, corbiculae are free from any “cohabitants”, while in the native area the shell cavity often becomes an incubator for insect larvae, as well as water mites and parasitic trematode worms. The role of a refuge for insects is unlikely to have any effect on the fertility of these unpretentious hermaphrodite corbiculae. At least, this is demonstrated by the example of two new endemic species of mayflies, previously unknown to science, recently discovered by Russian scientists in Laos and Thailand. The larvae of winged insects were found in corbicula living in the Mun and Sein Kapo rivers. The new species were named Symbiocloeon corbiculinus and Symbiocloeon laoensis. This is the first case of discovery of mayflies in corbiculae recorded by science. "Studio apartment tenants" Dmitry Palatov, Senior Researcher at the Synecology Laboratory of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow), says that the first representatives of the genus Symbiocloeon were discovered in 1979, and only two of their species have been known to date. Both developed inside the shells of very large mollusks, the corbicula being much smaller. Previously scientists did not consider the possibility of symbiotic fauna within corbicula: it is unlikely that someone larger than nematodes lives in compact shells. Therefore, the fact of such a find is already surprising in itself. Director of the N.P. Laverov Institute of Biogeography and Genetic Resources of the Federal Research Center for the Comprehensive Study of the Arctic of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (FITsKIA Ural Branch of RAS, Arkhangelsk) Yulia Bespalaya notes a trend: in the overwhelming majority of cases of discovered symbiotic relationships, there is only one insect larva per mollusk individual. A kind of evolutionarily adjusted load, which gives the mayflies, rather, the status of a commensal cohabitant (whose owner receives neither harm nor benefit), rather than a harmful parasite. In the language of housing and communal services, a tolerable tenant of a studio apartment. – Mayfly larvae attach themselves to the area of corbicula gills, which is obviously due to the fact that oxygen saturation and nutrition in this part of the mollusk body is the highest, – says Yulia Bespalaya. – At the same time, the gills of mayflies are enlarged compared to free- living species. Gill filaments grow somewhat - mayflies receive more oxygen. According to Dmitry Palatov, the chitinization of the gills is weakened in the larvae - they are very soft and wide. The oral appendages are strongly modified - softened and expanded. It seems that with such a configuration it is easier to feed on fragments of organic matter from the gills. Their limbs are noticeably weakened - definitely not fit for swimming effectively. They are barely able to glide over the body of the mollusk. Deprived of "combat equipment" In the larvae of mayflies found in Laos and Thailand, the external structure is modified for the comfort of the host. The development of molluscs on soft structures under the protection of a strong thick-walled shell influenced their appearance: they lost (some partially and some completely) almost all the rigid elements of their external structure - strong bristles, spines and microscales. – The body of a common mayfly larva is completely covered with such microstructures. The species described by us got rid of such attributes almost completely - there is a minimum of surface chitinous structures, - emphasizes Dmitry Palatov. “They look like little soft pouches on the gills of a clam. – New species of mayflies do not have the same “combat equipment” as free-living species, since they reside in the cavity of mollusks, which can be injured and harm the host, – believes Alexander Kropotin, junior researcher at the Museum of Biodiversity Centers of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Scientists are convinced that in different regions of Southeast and East Asia - Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, China and North Korea - there are many species of symbiocleons still unknown to science. There is a lot of work to be done in this direction. Especially when you consider that it is still unknown what adult winged individuals look like, how they leave the mollusk and where they lay their eggs. The family ties of symbiocleons are also a mystery. From which group of free-living mayflies they originated, scientists cannot yet say with confidence. The article about the symbiotic relationship between mayflies and corbiculae was published in the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. You can download the article in pdf format here. Related materials: Scientific Russia: "Shells with a surprise: zoologists of the Laverov Center and IEE RASstudy the symbiotic relationships of freshwater species of Asian fauna"