A century has passed since the days when the law of homologous series in variation was first manifested. This event happened in 1920 in Saratov, in the third post-revolution year, in the frameworks of the III All-Russian Conference on Plant Breeding, then mobilized in view of current needs of agricultural practice, science and education. The report of a 33-year-old professor Nikolai Vavilov, who was accompanied by his students from the Saratov University, caused a sensation. Vavilov’s generalization on the phenomenon of the homologous series in variation of cultivated plants was reported on June, 4, 1920 and enthusiastically appreciated by the qualified breeders as a great scientific achievement comparable with the Mendeleev’s periodic Law of the chemical elements. On June 21, 1920, a message of the provincial Saratov branch of the Russian Telegraph Agency shared internationally the information on “the greatest discovery of world significance” which was addressed to the State government by the decision of the meeting. Very soon after the initial Russian publication (Vavilov 1920), the paper entitled “The Law of Homologous Series in Variation” was published in the Journal of Genetics, edited by W. Bateson and R.C. Punnett, the elder statesmen of genetics (Vavilov 1922). In 1925, William Bateson, Director of the John Innes Horticultural Institute, with colleagues, visited experimental fields and laboratories of Nikolai Vavilov, Director of the Bureau of Applied Botany and Plant Breeding (future N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Breeding) in a Petrograd – Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) suburb (Fig. 1). The paper took 42 pages of Volume XII (1) (April, 1922, p. 47–89). The substance of this work by Vavilov was recalled in the chapters of N. Timofeeff-Ressovsky (1940) and N. Vavilov (1940) in the monograph “The New Systematics” (Huxley 1940), a synoptic book, preceding the publication on the new synthesis of theory of evolution (Huxley 1942). Since then and till now, genetic nature of homologous variation, the matter of the Vavilov’s law, has been in the focus of various disciplines, from agriculture to paleontology, being rejuvenated with the progress of molecular biology. Nowadays, molecular homology can be established universally at various levels, from unique genes to gene orders in chromosomes through genetic, cytogenetic and molecular analyses (Zakharov 1987) up to gene networks studied by bioinformatics (Suslov et al. 2008). It seems rational to meet the 100th anniversary of this significant event of young hereditary science with a digital copy saving the author’s idea for future readers and investigators. The text is here reproduced in the Archives format from printed pages of the Introduction (p. 48–53) and the concluding section (p. 86–89) of the original English version (Vavilov 1922). The title page copied on Fig. 2 presents the whole contents of this work. Details of punctuation and citation are generally saved. N. Bulatova Citations: Vavilov NI (1922) The law of homologous series in variation. Journal of Genetics 12(1): 47–89. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02983073 Bulatova N (2020) Archives: The law of homologous series in variation (N.I. Vavilov). Comparative Cytogenetics 14(3): 329–338. https://doi.org/10.3897/CompCytogen.v14i3.54511 -------------------------------------------------------- Figure 1. N. I. Vavilov (left below) and Russian geneticists V.A. Dogel, Yu.A. Filipchenko with the visiting European delegation: H. Federley, O. Fogt and W. Bateson (left to right in the second row). 1925, Leningrad (Vavilov 2012). Figure 2. The title page of the Vavilov’s paper in the Journal of Genetics, 12(1), 1922.

At the Leopard Recovery Center of the Sochi National Park, examinations have been completed for 5 animals preparing for release into nature. After two years of training at the Center, leopards received all the necessary skills for an independent life. Before release, each animal was equipped with a satellite collar, which will allow monitoring their movement and assessing adaptation. The exact place of release for each predator will be determined in the near future. What happened? On July 22, at the Leopard Recovery Center of the Sochi National Park, satellite collars were put on five leopards. This is a great milestone both for the Center and for the leopards themselves. For young predators, this is a ticket to the wild. Before receiving a collar, every leopard has undergone rigorous testing and exams. At the moment, 3 females and 2 males are prepared for release into the wild: Agura, Aibga, Kodor (parents Alous and Cheri), as well as Laba and Baksan (parents Zadig and Andrea). Surprisingly, all 5 graduates from both couples were born on the same day - 06/03/2018. How does it happen? First, the animals are immobilized by injecting veterinary drugs through syringes loaded into long-range rifles. After that, scientists promptly collect all the necessary information about a specific individual: weight, size and other parameters of the animal, check claws, fangs, take blood and fur for analysis, photograph patterns of spots on the skin of leopards. All this data is necessary in order to make sure that the animals are healthy, as well as to provide the data for the creation of the so-called "leopard passport". Thanks to such passports, in the future, it is possible to accurately identify an animal by traces of its vital activity or photographs from camera traps. Why are the exams necessary? The final exams took place from July 3 to July 19. During this time, experts from the Institute of Ecology and Evolution. A.N. Severtsov RAS (IPEE RAS) and their colleagues from the Institute of Ecology of Mountain Territories A.K. Tembotov RAS and from the Moscow Zoo observed the behavior of animals. Before being released into the wild, it is necessary to test the hunting skills of young leopards, to assess their psychological stability, and to make sure that the animals avoid humans and livestock. This data is crucial both for the safety of the animal itself and for the humans living in close proximity. Minimizing conflicts between man and leopard and good neighborly relations are one of the key topics in the Program for the reintroduction of the Central Asian leopard in the Caucasus. “Four leopards passed the exams with excellent marks,” explains Anna Yachmennikova, an expert of the assessment group, Ph.D., senior researcher at IPEE RAS, “The female Aibga, in our opinion, can potentially become a conflict animal, since stable avoidance of humans was not noted in her. The final decision on this leopard will be made by the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources. " Why are the collars necessary? The satellite collars, which World Fund for Nature Russia acquired with financial support from VTB Bank, allow scientists to quickly receive information on the whereabouts and movements of the animal, and, most importantly, provides information about a successful hunt. As a rule, after catching a large animal, the leopard does not go far and stays near it for a long time until it eats it. “If the signal goes from approximately one place for a long enough time (48 hours or more), then this indicates that the leopard has successfully hunted and is nearby,” explains Valery Shmunk, Director of the World Fund for Nature -Russia Representation in the Russian Caucasus ecoregion. - After the predator moves away, a monitoring group is put forward to the identified cluster of locations (the place where many signals from the collar came from), which, following the traces of the leopard's presence, can be used to retrieve a lot of information: who the leopard was hunting, was the prey large, and after analysis, the leopard droppings provide information about the condition and health of the spotted cat and its nutritional structure, etc. " Despite its impressive appearance, the collar weighs less than 3% of the body weight of a leopard and, according to research, does not interfere with the animal in daily life and hunting. What’s next? Now the animals will have to get used to the collars within 2-3 weeks. At this time, the members of the Working Group on the implementation of the Leopard Restoration Program in the Caucasus will determine the exact dates and places of release of specific leopards. “Preliminarily, we can say that one of the releases will take place in the Caucasian Reserve, and the second - in North Ossetia-Alania. When determining the locations, the relationship between newly released cats and those who already live in the region will be taken into account, ”explains Natalya Dronova, chief coordinator of World Fund for Nature -Russia conservation projects. To date, the males Akhun (release of 2016) and Artek (release of 2018) live in the Caucasian Reserve, and Volna (release of 2018) has successfully settled in North Ossetia. References By the 1950s, only a few leopards survived in the Caucasus. And in the 1960s, the Central Asian leopard was completely exterminated in the Russian Caucasus. In 2005, experts from World Fund for Nature Russia and IPEE RAS developed a program for the restoration (reintroduction) of the Central Asian leopard in the Caucasus.   The program for the restoration (reintroduction) of the Persian leopard in the Caucasus is being implemented by the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia with the participation of the Sochi National Park, the Caucasus Nature Reserve, the World Fund for Nature, IPEE RAS, A.K. Tembotov Institute of Ecology of Mountain Territories RAS, Moscow Zoo, as well as with the assistance of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).   Related materials: Another release of Central Asian leopards into the wild in the North Caucasus will take place in August Kuban 24 (report on TV): In Sochi, the life of five leopards will be monitored using satellite collars

  The "Master of the Arctic" project is being implemented within the framework of cooperation between Rosprirodnadzor and the International Ecological Fund "Clean Seas". In addition, the Arctic Initiatives Center is actively involved in this work. The scientific program of the experiment was developed by the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IPEE RAS), whose specialists will directly participate in aviation surveys and in the subsequent processing of the data obtained. The head of Rosprirodnadzor, Svetlana Radionova, at a press conference held on July 21, 2020 at the RIA-Novosti press center dedicated to the "Master of the Arctic" project, said that the polar bear is one of the most beautiful and strong animals. He really is the master of the Arctic. However, polar bears are listed in the Red Book, meaning direct interference with the population in the wild is out of the question, which is why the department organized an exploratory expedition, based on the results of which further work will be drawn up to preserve the population. In addition to the head of Rosprirodnadzor, the press conference on the "Master of the Arctic" project was attended by Hero of the Soviet Union, Hero of Russia, pilot-cosmonaut, President of the Clean Seas Foundation Sergei Krikalev; Vyacheslav Rozhnov, Academician of RAS, Director of IPEE RAS; General Director of ANO Arctic Initiatives Andrey Patrushev; General Director of the Clean Seas Foundation Vasily Bogoslovsky; and Hero of Russia, test pilot, cosmonaut, chief pilot of the expedition Valery Tokarev. Director of IPEE RAS Vyacheslav Rozhnov spoke about the main scientific goals and objectives of this project. During the test flights of the La-8 aircraft, aerial observations and aerial photography will be carried out in the visible and infrared ranges of the spectrum. Based on the data obtained, an assessment of the abundance, spatial distribution of polar bears and the state of individuals in the summer-autumn (ice-free) period in the surveyed territory was carried out; the sex and age structure of the polar bear in the study area was studied; the main parameters of habitats and environmental factors of polar bears in the study period were determined; the distribution, number and spatial structure of the populations of marine mammals in the surveyed water area was studied; the role of natural and anthropogenic factors on the number of marine mammals was assessed; the level of anthropogenic pollution of surface waters of the surveyed water area, including floating debris, was determined. The general director of the Clean Seas Foundation, Vasily Bogoslovsky, stated at the same press conference that polar bear counts had not been carried out for a long time. The expedition will begin in Amderma, and the researchers have been allocated 20 days for flights.          

Russian scientists, together with colleagues from the State University of New York at Buffalo, studied the phylogeography, evolutionary rate, and species diversity of cladocerans of the Daphnia curvirostris complex. The sequences of four genes of this complex were studied and the existence of twelve separate species was confirmed. A previously unknown group of four rare species was found in the Far East. Scientists have found that these animals are endangered as a result of human activity. The researchers spoke about the results of the work on the pages of the prestigious zoological publication Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. The study was supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation (RSF). Daphnia curvirostris is a complex of Holarctic Cladocera species. These species are common in freshwater bodies of the Palaearctic, the largest of the zoogeographic regions of the planet. “Our work is devoted to the revision of one of the most common groups of cladocerans - Daphnia curvirostris sensu lato, that is, in a broad sense. The team studied the genetic and morphological features of the populations of these animals throughout their modern range. Our research has made a great contribution to the study of the biological diversity of continental water bodies of the Palaearctic, ”says Aleksey Kotov, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Chief Researcher at the A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In the process of studying the Daphnia curvirostris complex, scientists used data on the external structure and genetic characteristics of all species included in it. Some of the gene sequence information was taken from the NCBI GenBank open source database. The animals were collected with a plankton net or a scoop net. To study the external structure of the studied individuals, they were taken from samples with a pipette and placed on glass slides in a drop of glycerin, and then examined under an optical microscope with a magnification of up to 1000 times. The results of the work, combining morphological and molecular methods, are very useful for studying the biological diversity of various animals. The D. curvirostris complex is currently the most studied group both in the genus Daphnia and among all cladocerans. As a result of the work, the researchers found out that the complex is represented in the world fauna by twelve genetic lines corresponding to biological species. These lines separated millions of years ago. In addition, a group of four closely related species has been identified in the Far East. All species of this group are rare, and are found in certain regions: the first was found only in two small reservoirs in the vicinity of Khabarovsk, the second - in the only mountain lake in Japan, the third - in the only pond in South Korea, and the fourth - in the reservoirs of Jeju Island (South Korea). All of these species are endangered as a result of human activity. Thus, the third of the species listed above may have already died out by now, since the only reservoir in which it lived was destroyed as a result of the construction of a new quarter. “Our research has demonstrated that the Far East is the center of freshwater fauna endemism. Very ancient relicts survived in this area during the Ice Age. Our study is intended to draw attention to the freshwater bodies of the Far East as a source of unique species that may disappear in the near future. They often live in nondescript ponds and puddles, but these water bodies also need to be protected if we do not want to allow a substantial depletion of biological diversity, ” says Aleksey Kotov. Photo 1. Female Daphnia curvirostris. Source: Alexey Kotov / IPEE Photo 2. The moment of sampling. Source: Alexey Kotov / IPEE Related materials: Relict endangered crustaceans found in the Far East

The Lake Baikal Foundation signed an agreement with the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS (IPEE RAS) to conduct serological and hormonal studies of the biomaterial of the Baikal seal, which was collected during the expedition in 2019, and also transferred part of the necessary funds. This is already the third agreement between the Baikal Foundation and IPEE RAS, aimed at developing research on the Baikal seal. The joint work of the Lake Baikal Foundation and IPEE RAS began with the initiation by the Foundation of the development of a comprehensive scientific program for the study of the Baikal seal and its habitat in 2018 in order to find innovative approaches to the registration and study of the Baikal seal and to provide expert recommendations for the conservation of the population. The second agreement, signed by the parties in 2019, was aimed at supporting a ten-day expedition with the purpose of studying and satellite tagging of the Baikal seal, during which 15 seals were tagged and 174 samples of biological material from 23 seals were collected using non-invasive and minimally invasive methods. This year, cooperation between the Foundation and IPEE RAS is aimed at analyzing the collected biomaterial and is a systematic and logical continuation of the work done for the competent preservation of a unique animal. One of the leading specialists in the country on this type of work will be involved in the serological and hormonal research - Doctor of Biological Sciences, Deputy Director of the Institute for Science and Technology of the Russian Academy of Sciences Sergey Valerievich Naydenko, who has been researching behavior, health, physiology and hormonal status of various mammals for more than 30 years. The subsequent analysis of the data obtained will be carried out jointly with a specialist in true seals, candidate of biological sciences and a researcher at IPEE RAS, Maria Andreevna Solovyova. Such a combination of scientists from different fields will make it possible to draw the most objective conclusions about the health of the analyzed animals, the level of stress and reproductive success. According to the scientific literature, this research will be the first time hormonal analysis is carried out for wild Baikal seals. 21 samples of Baikal seal fur will be analyzed for cortisol (the main stress hormone) and testosterone-progesterone, which will show the seals' reproductive health. Serological studies were carried out for Baikal seals in captivity, and only the results of studies on antibodies to morbillivirus were found for wild animals. Thus, a serological analysis of 12 blood plasma samples to determine the level of immunoglobulins G, an assessment of the agglutination reaction, an assessment of the presence of antibodies to Trichinella, herpes simplex virus, toxoplasma, parvovirus, carnivore distemper virus, chlamydia, mycoplasma and brucella will significantly expand the list of studies and construct a more in-depth impression of the health of Baikal seals. In September-October 2020, the results of laboratory analyzes of wool and plasma samples of the Baikal seal will be obtained. By the end of November, the data obtained will be analyzed and compared with the available data on species related to the Baikal seal (ringed seal, Caspian seal, etc.). Related materials: For the first time in Russia, the state of the population of a species of seals that lives only in Baikal will be assessed Shelekhov Today: Leading Russian Scientists Explore Baikal Seals Regional newspaper: Scientists will conduct a hormonal analysis of wild Baikal seals for the first time

Well-known Russian ornithologist, researcher at the A.N.Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS, candidate of biological sciences Sophia Rosenfeld worked for a week in the Nizhnekolymsky region of Yakutia. Together with the pilot Georgy Kirtaev on a small amphibious aircraft, they were engaged in aerial survey of geese. Journalist Alexei Kurilo interviewed her for the SakhaNews news agency, and this is what Sofya Borisovna reported: - There are many hunters in Yakutia, and they think this way: the birds flew by, we shot them, and they flew away somewhere. Where did they go? How many are there? Global trends are such that migratory birds do not belong to any country. They are not yours, they are not ours, they don’t belong to any of the continents. They hibernate in one country, fly through many countries, breed in Yakutia. And if for moose, wild boars, and some large mammals there are some quotas, there are some accounts, then the matter is much more complicated with migratory birds. We are asked the question: how do you count them? Here international cooperation is already necessary: birds do not recognize borders and do not understand political relations between countries. And it turns out that we do not know much. We do not have any accounting, monitoring. In all large countries of the world, more or less developed, there are accounts of the birds, and we are just beginning to approach this topic. And we are now trying to introduce aerial surveys of waterfowl, as well as cranes, owls, and large Arctic birds. The last time an aerial survey of birds in Yakutia was carried out was 30 years ago, and it was the Academy of Sciences that engaged in it. And we are now repeating those routes. After carrying out this work, we find out whether there are more or less birds, what new species have come to this territory, which ones have left; after the assessment of what happened to them in 30 years, some might be endangered and require protection. Taking this opportunity, I would like to remind you that a new edition of the Red Book of the Russian Federation has recently been published, registering new species of birds, hunting which has become a criminal liability - spectacled eider, Siberian eider, forest goose. Nobody knows about this. You come to the village, people have refrigerators full of game from the Red Book. The people just don't know about the changes. And it is where sensitization should be carried out. It turns out that everyone knows about polar bears, everyone knows about tigers, everyone knows about Siberian Cranes, but no one knows anything about geese and ducks. We need to fill this gap and spread the knowledge within the population. Of course, now we are using new accounting models, new methods. For example, 30 years ago there was no GPS system that we now use. Previously, everything was calculated using maps and rulers. Now we have other aircrafts and other data processing technologies. We fly along certain routes, take pictures or record the coordinates of each oncoming bird, whether it is a female or a male, a single bird or a flock. All this happens at an altitude of 38 meters (this is the standard height for counting waterfowl, the speed should not be higher than 160 km / h, but in fact the speed is lower - somewhere around 120 km / h. We take the pictures with a camera with a built-in GPS. And then we have a lot of work processing the received data. We have our own methodology by which we work. After processing the received data, we consult with colleagues from other countries, in case they have additional information. In general, the program of work in the Nizhnekolymsk region was fulfilled. Now we are heading west to Yana. Unfortunately, from all countries where these birds spend winters, we receive information about a progressive decline in numbers. Why and for what reason - it is necessary to find out. By the very fact of our work, we draw attention to this problem and say: do not go out in spring and shoot at everything that moves! … Pilot Georgy Kirtaev has been flying with Sophia Rosenfeld for more than ten years. He is an experienced aviation specialist and arctic flight conditions are normal for him. The capabilities of his aircraft allow taking off and landing on almost any water surface, although, of course, waves and strong winds are not welcome. The plane is specially made to fly with at the same speed as the birds.

The site "My Planet" published an article by N.Yu. Feaktistova, d. N., scientific secretary of the A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS, about what animals know and remember their parents. Animals not only do not know their ancestors, but can also mate with them. Nevertheless, there are behavioral models where babies come into contact with the elderly and may even be cared for by them. For example, bear familial units often have cubs from an earlier litter that help take care of the younger ones, showing them the ropes. But it rather resembles the relationship between older and younger siblings. Orcas live in large families, led by the females. Daughters do not leave their mothers, even when they produce their own offspring. The males prefer to stay in the family as well. Moreover, among killer whales the mothers and grandmothers are trying in every possible way to take care of their sons and grandchildren: they help them hunt, they support them during conflicts with other individuals. After all, the longer the male lives, the more offspring he will leave! Scientists suggest that it is due to the need to take care of the younger generation that killer whales have a long post-reproductive life span. Although in most mammals it is limited by the period of fertility. But to compare these relationships with the attitude of grandmothers and grandchildren would not be correct. In nature, a different principle applies: the elders take care of the younger ones. And it is not necessary for them to be relatives. For example, when an older female chimpanzee sees that a younger individual cannot take care of the cubs, it may as well pick them up to nurture them herself. This system is not limited to mammals. In 2007, a team of scientists led by experts from the University of East Anglia discovered birds in the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean, where care is also present through the generation. In the population of Seychelles reeds, the older generation of adult birds, stopping to breed, began to help their grown offspring with feeding their young. Scientists continued to study this phenomenon and found that in birds that were assisted by “nannies”, longer telomeres were present — the terminal sections of chromosomes, considered one of the main indicators of aging at the cellular level — than in winged birds of the same age who did not receive such help. Hence the assumption that co-raising offspring helps to age more slowly and, therefore, live longer. There is no need to discuss the role of absent grandfathers. Males tend to leave offspring, and many of them do not take part in the upbringing of their children.

Instects magazine published a scientific article by M.Ya. Benkovskaya and A.O. Benkovsky on the belonging of two populations of ladybugs to one species. The scientific and information portal Search described in detail the essence of the study and posted a comment of the project manager Marina Yakovlevna Benkovskaya, Doctor of Biological Sciences, senior researcher at the A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, RAS. Russian researchers have studied the type of ladybugs - Chilocorus kuwanae, - which has been used to control pests for more than a century. It was previously believed that the native land of this species is Asia, and another related ladybug lives in Europe. However, the study of signs of body structure and statistical processing of the results showed that these two populations belong to the same species. The study demonstrates how important animal identification is using precise quantitative methods and statistical processing. The data obtained also indicate the need for reassessment of the effectiveness of measures related to the importation of individuals of this species. The work was published in the journal Insects. Research is supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation. “For the first time, we have correctly identified the type of insect used by people for a long time. Studies have shown that the import of ladybugs from Asia to Europe did not constitute a movement of the species outside its habitat, but consisted only in the release of individuals from one part of the species range to another. In light of this fact, the economic efficiency of using this species should be reassessed, ”says project manager Marina Benkovskaya, Doctor of Biological Sciences, senior researcher at the A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow). The biological method of pest control is one of the most promising ways of plant protection, widely used in agriculture and forestry. The basic principle is to restrain the mass reproduction of the pest with the help of its natural enemies: specific predators, parasites or pathogens. For example, some types of ladybugs are specially harvested in certain regions, bred in laboratories and released to agricultural land in other areas. This approach reduces the use of pesticides and contributes to the preservation of human health. But the use of biological control methods is not an easy task. This technology is based on knowledge of the ecological and physiological characteristics of the pest itself and its natural enemy. First of all, of course, specialists need to correctly determine the species. A study by Russian scientists made it possible for the first time to correctly identify the ladybug Chilocorus kuwanae. It was previously believed that initially the species lived only in Asia. From there, for more than a century, individuals have been imported to Europe and other parts of the world to fight against scale insects. These insects from the order Semi-winged, also known as coccids, feed on plant juices, and therefore are dangerous pests of fruit, forest and ornamental crops. However, no one has so far tried to carefully compare Ch. kuwanae with similar species of ladybugs of the same genus. It was previously noted that this species has much in common with the widespread Ch. renipustulatus. Their native habitats hardly overlap: Ch. kuwanae is found in the Primorsky Territory, on Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, in Japan, China and the Korean Peninsula, and Ch. renipustulatus is distributed in Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Mongolia and Siberia. Russian scientists studied a large number of samples presented in the collections of museums and institutes of the world, and conducted a statistical analysis of the variability of the external structure depending on the habitat of ladybugs. Researchers compared 107 instances of Ch. kuwanae, collected in Japan and Sakhalin, with 174 copies of Ch. renipustulatus collected in Europe. Scientists chose 17 features that describe the size and proportions of the body of ladybugs, which different authors previously cited to distinguish between these species, and made measurements with subsequent statistical processing of the results. The researchers found that there were no significant differences between the two species, i.e. Ch. kuwanae and Ch. renipustulatus are, in truth, the same species. This example shows how important the careful identification of insect species used to control pests is, since genetic methods do not replace, but complement the study of the structure of organisms. In addition, this study once again demonstrated that the conclusions about the body belonging to a particular species or genus must be statistically confirmed.

This year, the Scientific-Experimental Base “Chernogolovka” of IPEE RAS celebrates its 45th anniversary! We have prepared a small report (see video report under the text) about the workings of the base at the moment and the scientific research conducted there. The scientific-experimental base "Chernogolovka" is located approximately in 60 kilometers from Moscow. Its location in the forest prevents onlookers and curious locals from interacting with the animals kept there. The base is located in a dense forest, with minimal interference into the wildlife, paths connecting the houses of scientists and cages, kennels and fenced areas in which animals are kept. Despite the fact that the base is far from the city, the scientific life does not stop on weekdays or weekends. Employees of the IPEE RAS can be stationed at the base comfortably - even on weekends. The results of their research at the base are published in international scientific journals. Several types of animals are studied at the base. However, the spectrum of research is similar - first of all, the study of animal behavior and its formation in ontogenesis, their communication, the biology of reproduction and hybridization, and environmental physiology. Based on the study of these aspects, rare breeding technologies are being developed for their conservation. Seven different types of cats are currently undergoing research supported by a Russian Science Foundation grant. Researchers are studying the effect of multiple paternity on the offspring of a domestic cat and on the condition of females during pregnancy. During that period, the comparisons are made of a number of physiological features - blood is tested in domestic and wild cats for changes in the ontogenesis and changes under the influence of a number of factors, including seasonal changes. The main work is carried out on Eurasian lynx, Far Eastern forest cat and domestic cat. Besides, the base contains red lynx, caracal, serval and even one ocelot. Massive scientific work is being conducted on the study of the behavior of marten under the supervision of the director of the IPEE RAS, academician Vyacheslav Vladimirovich Rozhnov. Work is primarily done on ferrets and sables. Unlike the ferret with its one and a half month pregnancy, sable has a very long pregnancy period, almost nine months, and the mating time falls in mid-summer, when the female still has her cubs born a couple of months ago. The familial relationships - the male with the female, ready for breeding, the male with the cubs, who just recently stopped being breast-fed, are of particular scientific interest. Another group of scientists led by Yulia Mikhailovna Kovalskaya deals with the karyosystematics of different types of voles and their interspecific relationships: they study the hybridization of different forms, the presence of different karyotypic forms of a particular species, their distribution, and the ability to crossbreed. Doctor in Biological Sciences senior researcher Marina Vladimirovna Rutovskaya studies bioacoustics in different species of mammals - what sound signals they emit and what kind of semantic or emotional meaning they carry for their relatives. Under her leadership, together with the Institute of Gene Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, work is also being done on camels to obtain various antibodies to a wide variety of compounds - both pathogenic and artificial. Marina Vladimirovna is also actively working with insectivores - she studies the features of hibernation in hedgehogs. Together with the Doctor of Biological Sciences, the leading researcher Elena Vladimirovna Kotenkova, cross fostering and the subsequent development of cubs on different types of rodents is underway. The behavior of animals in adulthood is under study as well. A massive amount of work is carried out on forest voles under the direction of Ph.D. researcher Olga Osipova. Scientists are engaged in interspecific hybridization in forest voles and the formation of social behavior - both interspecific and intraspecific. Of particular interest, including epidemiological, are the relationships between the bank voles and red-backed voles. It should be noted that it was in Chernogolovka, on our base, that the musk deer biology was studied in detail for the first time, subsequently developing the technology of intravital capture of a jet (musk) from males. Previously, the males were killed to obtain this musk, and it is still a widespread practice. These studies were completed in Chernogolovka, and the obtained results being used on farms throughout the country. The life of the Chernogolovka scientific and experimental base is very active: it is not only a scientific, but an educational center as well. Scientists from the most diverse corners of not only Russia but the world work on the basis of a living collection of wild species of mammals contained here. At the same time, much attention is paid to working with young scientists. Every year, students from the Moscow Pedagogical University and the Russian Agrarian University - Moscow Agricultural Academy - K.A. Timiryazev ICCA, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Peoples Friendship University of Russia and other universities. Very small “researchers” also come to the station — open and free tours for schoolchildren take place at the Chernogolovka base. Sergei Valerievich Naydenko, deputy director of the IPEE of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Biological Sciences, says: “First of all, we receive schoolchildren from Chernogolovka, but sometimes school groups also travel from Moscow. We are open about eight months a year - from June to early February. We are closed for excursions only during the rutting and breeding of animals, so as not to disturb them. Moreover, we began to conduct interactive excursions, on which we not only show animals, but also give children the opportunity to see how the devices work, to look into the microscope themselves - try for yourself what it means to be a scientist! This interactivity has undeniable effect on our guests.” Text: Anna Lavrova Video report: Svetlana Naydenko

On June 17, 2020, while diving in the Black Sea, Alice Kosyan, a researcher at the Laboratory of Morphology and Ecology of Invertebrates, passed away. Alice was born and spent her childhood in Gelendzhik, graduated from the Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University. While studying, Alice began to research marine predatory gastropods. She was not only a student gifted in science, but also distinguished by her breadth of education and musical abilities (she played in the student theater of Moscow State University). In 2003, she graduated with honors from the Faculty of Biology and entered the graduate school of our Institute, and after defense she was enrolled in the Laboratory of Morphology and Ecology of Marine Invertebrates. Alice mastered morphological, histological, hydrobiological research methods already in her student years. She worked intensively and enthusiastically. During her short scientific career, she had published more than 30 articles in scientific journals, including leading international ones, mainly on taxonomy, morphology and ecology of various groups of the Buccinidae family. Only this year two have been released. Alice worked on other projects, having a lot planned for the future. Alice was distinguished by rare benevolence and equilibrium. She was a beautiful and gentle mother and devoted a lot of time and effort to raising her daughter Sonya. Perhaps not everyone knew that Alice devoted a huge part of her money and mental strength to the benefit of children from dysfunctional families. She always helped people through action, kind words, and advice. She also helped homeless animals, took home and treated stray cats, and arranged for dogs to be taken in by good families. Alice took part in various laboratory expeditions. And at the same time, she retained her love for the Black Sea, participated in various scientific projects related to it, including a detailed study of the invasive mollusk rapana. Unfortunately, her life was cut short there. She will be sorely missed and always remembered.