In the shells of freshwater bivalve molluscs of the genus Corbicula, scientists have found insect larvae and eggs of minnows. The name of the genus of these small mollusks is a diminutive of the Latin corbis (‘basket’). Their natural range is Asia, Indonesia and Africa. In Russia, they inhabit the Far East. It was recently discovered that the shells of these mollusks are used by insects and fish as a refuge for rearing offspring. Discovered endosymbionts Endosymbionts - organisms that live in other representatives of the fauna - were found and described by scientists of the Federal Research Center for the Comprehensive Study of the Arctic named after Academician N.P. Laverov, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Laverov Center, Arkhangelsk) together with colleagues from the A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS (Moscow) and foreign experts. Dmitry Palatov, Leading Engineer of the Laboratory of Synecology, participated in the study from IEE RAS. Scientists discovered endosymbionts by studying shellfish collected in South Korea, Thailand and Laos. Larvae of lake flies (chironomids) and mayflies (winged insects whose adults live from several hours to two or three weeks) were discovered to be present in corbicula shells. Scientists have found that these insects use "baskets" as a refuge for rearing offspring. As emphasized by the head of the research team, director of the Laverov Center, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Ivan Bolotov, the larvae of Laotian and Thai mayflies turned out to be two species new to science, as well as the found samples of the lake fly. Typical corbicula biotope in Southeast Asia The larvae of lake flies in the territory of the post-Soviet space are usually called bloodworms. They have specific parasitic relationships with corbicula hosts living in the fresh waters of Laos. According to the director of the Institute of Biogeography and Genetic Resources of the Laverov Center, Yulia Bespalaya, the chironomid larvae that have penetrated into the shell cavity gnaw a hole in the mantle (the fold of the mollusk body) and live in the space between the shell and the mantle, most likely feeding on the tissues of the mollusk. It was also found that the Soldatov's thicklip gudgeon (cyprinidae family) in the water bodies of Korea lays eggs in corbicula shells. The data was confirmed by genetic analysis. A similar symbiotic mechanism was previously known: other representatives of cyprinids - mustard fish - use barley mollusks, toothless and pearl oysters as a kind of protected incubator for their caviar. Laying eggs in a mollusk shell is the safest way for fish to let their offspring mature. “Some of the discovered inhabitants of the mantle cavity of the corbicula can be attributed to commensals - “cohabitants” who do no harm. This is a general trend for mayflies, who use the shells of various types of molluscs to raise their offspring. For science, the mechanism of symbiosis is of interest. Mayfly larvae feed on organic particles from the surface of the clam's gills. Their mouthparts are soft brushes. We hypothesize that the larvae may feed on small parasites such as mites and ciliates to help the host maintain hygiene. We have to ascertain at what stage of development the larvae of mayflies penetrate into the shells of corbicula,” notes Ivan Bolotov. “Gudgeon eggs are located in the mantle cavity of the shells, probably without causing damage to the host mollusk,” explains Yulia Bespalaya. “We did not notice that caviar complicates the functioning of the organ systems of molluscs. Most likely, caviar matures in the shell until the fish larvae hatch. We assume that the larvae of lake flies lead a parasitic way of life in relation to the host mollusk. Apparently, chironomids are introduced into the mollusk at an early stage and develop until the stage of pupation. The mollusk is not able to get rid of endosymbionts until they themselves leave the host organism. Corbicula is considered food and consumed en masse by the inhabitants of Japan and Korea. Far Eastern peoples consider shellfish to be beneficial to health. As a rule, the shells are boiled, the soft body of the mollusk is removed and washed from them. Larvae of lake flies and mayflies are not human parasites. Previously, biologists from the Laverov Center conducted similar studies of corbicula living in water bodies of the Russian Far East, but no endosymbionts were found. In the Far Eastern regions of the Russian Federation, corbiculae are mainly distributed in the estuarine parts of rivers, where fresh waters mix with sea waters (the lower part of the basin and the Amur delta, the mouth sections of small rivers in Primorsky Krai). These are the places of mass habitation of corbicula, but since the water here is brackish, there are no larvae of mayflies and chironomids in the shells. Endosymbionts live exclusively in fresh water. Scientists note a trend: corbicula, which serve as a refuge for opportunistic symbionts and parasites, live only in their natural habitat. This phenomenon is not common in Europe and is extremely rare in North America, where corbiculae are intensively distributed as invasive species (introduced by humans or accidentally into this habitat), forming very dense populations. Previously, malacologists from around the world, mainly studying corbicula in invasive parts of the range, believed that these types of mollusks were not susceptible to infection. The research was carried out under grants from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and the Russian Science Foundation. The scientific article was published in Ecology Related materials: Big Asia: "Russian scientists have discovered three new species of endosymbiont insects"

The leopards released in mid-July 2022 on the territory of North Ossetia-Alania have almost completely mastered the space of the Turmon forest. They gradually form habitats, where it is possible to identify the nuclear zones of the site (places where the probability of meeting an animal is highest). The relative position of the habitats of released leopards (a male and two females) is presented here (Fig. 1): Use of space At the moment, we can say that the ranges of the three leopards overlap by more than 50%. At the same time, the nuclear zones of the sites of females do not overlap at all, and the nuclear zones of the female Khosta and the male Leo overlap by more than 75%. In other words, the sisters Khosta and Laura separated after release and have little to do with each other. But the female Khosta is somewhat interested in the behavior of the male Leo and prefers to stay close to him and his habitat. Laura. Laura has mastered an area of ​​161.3 sq. km (according to 826 locations received from the collar) and is still expanding the boundaries of her site. The nuclear zone of her site is already well formed, which indicates that she has decided on a comfort zone. Laura has studied these places very well and periodically returns to them. This part of its section is located at an altitude of at least 1000 m above sea level. with a ceiling at 2964 m.a.s.l. Khosta. For Khosta, the habitat area covers an area of ​​150.8 square meters. km (according to 854 locations received from the collar). Like Laura, her zone is still expanding and still forming, but Khosta's is both in the core zone and in outer space. Most of the nuclear zone of its section is located below 1000 m a.s.l. Leo. Leo has the largest habitat, which is typical for males. In terms of area, it is more than twice as large as the territories of females and occupies 370.7 square km (according to 854 locations received from the collar). Its section is also not yet fully formed, but the nuclear comfort zone is clearly defined. Leo, like Khosta, prefers altitudes below 1000 above sea level. Movement For two months of life in the wild, each of the leopards covered a distance of about 220 km (Laura - 220 km, Khosta - 227.6 km, Leo - 216 km). The elevation profile used by the animals is shown in fig. 2. Hunting behavior and diet Released leopards successfully prey on their natural prey species. Each of them harvested and ate at least 7 prey animals in the 57 days that have passed since the release. Experts checked the hunting grounds of leopards in the field mountain conditions after data were received from their collars, confirming that the leopard had left the place of eating the prey. The following animal species have been found as the main components of the diet of leopards: badgers, foxes, raccoon dogs, jackals, roe deer and red deer. The last one was the quarry of the male Leo. Female Laura confidently specializes in smaller ungulates (roe deer). Small predators (badgers, raccoon dogs, jackals, foxes) predominate in the diet of the female Khosta. Of the three leopards, the female Laura most fully utilizes her prey, she is not too lazy to overcome the longest distances in search of her roe deer, unlike Khosta and Leo, who spend their forces more carefully in search of prey. The longest breaks between hunts were noted by us for the female Khosta. The Caucasian leopards released in North Ossetia, bred at the Leopard Restoration Center in the Caucasus of the Sochi National Park, are the basis for the formation of the core of a new population. Theoretically, at least 50 leopards should live on the territory of the Russian Caucasus. All released animals were specially tested before release for the ability to hunt and avoid encounters with humans. The program for the restoration of the leopard in the Caucasus is being implemented by the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources with the participation of the Sochi National Park, the Caucasian Reserve, the North Ossetian Reserve, the Alania National Park, the Turmonsky Reserve of Regional Importance, the World Fund for Nature , the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEE RAS), A.K. Tembotov Institute of Ecology of Mountainous Territories RAS (IEGT RAS), Moscow Zoo, with the assistance of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA). The monitoring of the leopard in the Caucasus is financially supported by World Fund for Nature  backer. In North Ossetia, RusHydro is providing financial support for the population recovery program.

During this stage of the work, scientists will collect material for genetic research, which will help determine the degree of inbreeding in the captive population of animals, assess the degree of current risks, and develop measures to minimize it. In addition, the work provides for a total aerial census of animals on a territory stretching over 4.6 kilometers of the autonomous region and the adjacent mountainous part of the Komi Republic, using light aviation. This will allow us to estimate the total number of the wild musk ox population and its distribution in the habitat. “As an experiment, we put a GSM collar on one of the musk oxen. Previously, satellite collars were used, but their service life is much shorter, which made it difficult to get a complete picture of the movement of the musk ox in the district, as well as to identify seasonal habitats and their migration routes,” said Taras Sipko, senior researcher at IEE RAS. By the end of the year, specialists will prepare a report based on the results of processing the data received and submit it to the district department of natural resources and ecology for subsequent decisions on breeding and resettlement of the musk ox in the district.

Photo: RIA Novosti / Alexander Polyakov In Taimyr, the first stage of the expedition was completed, during which the researchers collected data to study the possibility of restoring water quality and increasing the productivity of Arctic lakes using guanotrophication. Researcher at the Bird Ringing Center of Russia, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS, candidate of biological sciences Sofia Rosenfeld spoke about the ornithological component of the expedition. According to her, scientists have caught, marked with transmitters and ringed 7 tundra bean geese and one white-fronted goose, all nesting local birds. “We have also marked 13 tundra swans. The transmitters, we hope, will give us information about the migration routes and wintering grounds of the main hunting mass species of geese and the tundra swan, which is actively increasing in numbers,” she added. According to the expert, the obtained materials can be used to calculate the percentage of breeding birds in the population, the average size of broods and other parameters that are important for monitoring anseriformes. The collected material will also be used for a popular science film about Taimyr. Next year, the expedition members plan to continue marking and aerial surveys of anseriform birds. The work was also carried out in the hydrobiological direction and was 100% completed. “Water samples were taken from 21 lakes for nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus and phytoplankton analysis. All samples from Norilsk were sent to the laboratories of the Institute of Biophysics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, where laboratory processing of phytoplankton samples and other analyzes will be carried out. Based on the results of these studies, a plan for further actions will be developed,” said Tatyana Anufrieva, a member of the expedition, candidate of biological sciences, senior researcher at the IBP SB RAS. In November 2021, Mikhail Gladyshev, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Head of the Laboratory of Experimental Hydroecology of the Institute of Biophysical Physics SB RAS, Head of the Department of Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems of the Siberian Federal University, PORA expert on aquatic ecosystems, proposed to explore the possibility of using guanotrophication in Taimyr lakes. The essence of the method is the introduction of natural fertilizer obtained from near-water birds into the water. It leads to an increase in the abundance of beneficial microalgae that underlie the food chain of valuable fish species. An alternative way to artificially increase the productivity of water bodies - the introduction of mineral fertilizers into the water - is dangerous because it can cause "blooming" of cyanobacteria or "green tides" of filamentous algae. With such phenomena, many species of fish disappear, scientists say. Related materials: Northern City: "Birds that live in water bodies have a positive effect on their productivity" 24rus: "The first stage of the expedition on guanotrophication of lakes was completed in Taimyr" Ren-tv: "The first stage of the expedition on guanotrophication of lakes has been completed in Taimyr" Dela.ru: "The first stage of the expedition to study the restoration of Arctic lakes in the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory has concluded" Taimyr telegraph: "Arctic birds can help "fertilize" the lakes of Taimyr"

Typical landscapes of Mongolia. Photo by A.A. Derkachev In July-August this year, employees of the IEE RAS and the HSE International Laboratory of Landscape Ecology took part in field studies of forest geosystems in Northwestern Mongolia as part of the Joint Russian-Mongolian Complex Biological Expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Sciences of the MPR at the IEE RAS. The expedition was attended by Ksenia Ermokhina, Natalia Petrzhik, Anna Derkacheva and Robert Sandlersky. Mountain forests of Mongolia occupy only 6% of its territory and are located mainly in the north, where they play a key role in climate and runoff regulation and as a factor in permafrost conservation. Currently, these geosystems are under significant stress, primarily due to overgrazing and relatively high rates of temperature increase. At the same time, mountain forests are one of the most difficult objects of study due to the high variability of the relief, the variability of the species composition of communities, as well as the difficulties of a methodological and expeditionary nature. The key goal of research by the Laboratory staff was the climate-regulating functions of forest vegetation (regulating ecosystem services) in a sharply continental climate. During the expedition, profiles (transects) were laid in key areas, which made it possible to trace the change in the composition of plant communities with height, install recorders for monitoring the temperature in the soil, soil samples were taken at regular intervals on two transects to determine the physicochemical properties, and complex geobotanical surveys were carried out. In the future, all the results obtained "in the field" will be compared with the biophysical variables of geosystems, calculated on the basis of remote sensing data and characterizing the conversion of solar energy by landscape cover.

From July 10 to August 9, 2022, an expedition to Altai was conducted, its route passing through many regions of Central Russia, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, and Kazakhstan. The research group included employees of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS from the Laboratory of Comparative Ethology and Biocommunications: Chief Researcher N.Yu. Feoktistova, Senior Researcher P.L. Bogomolov, researcher M.V. Kropotkina, graduate students - A.V. Gureeva and V.P. Kupriyanov, senior researcher of the Laboratory of Ecology of Aquatic Communities and Invasions E.A. Katsman and postgraduate student of the Laboratory of Behavior and Behavioral Ecology of Mammals S.I. Meshchersky, trainee student I.D. Davydov and volunteer E.S. Kiselev. The expedition was headed by the Laboratory of Comparative Ethology and Biocommunication Correspondent of RAS A.V. Surov. The group traveled in a Ford Transit car - not a decisively "field" vehicle, but a roomy comfortable car, capable of withstanding long treks. The farthest point of the route was Gorno-Altaisk. The total length of the route was more than 9000 km. Route from Moscow to Altai The expedition had several goals, and they included not only the collection of samples of rodents and insectivores, although, of course, true hamsters and up to five other closely related species of rodents that could be encountered on the route were the priority (out of 17 living in Eurasia). Custom net traps, made by laboratory staff specifically for this trip, were used to capture the largest members of the Cricetinae subfamily. The assessment was carried out of the species diversity of mammals, the state of their generative system, and tissue samples were taken for molecular genetic analysis. In addition, at the request of the laboratory staff for studying the ecological functions of soils, soil samples were collected at predetermined points, and for the laboratory of the ecology of aquatic communities and invasions, water from reservoirs and streams to determine the content of small crustaceans and samples of ichthyofauna. Sample selection In addition to collecting biological material, the expedition members enriched their landscape outlook by sightseeing the most beautiful places in Central Russia and Siberia and species of animals they had no prior personal knowledge of. Any trip is also valuable by making new acquaintances, establishing friendly and scientific ties. A separate story could be written about each point of the route. But here we will focus on only five of them - two protected areas - the Buzuluksky Bor National Park and the Naurzum State Nature Reserve, the capital of Kazakhstan - Nur-Sultan, and an unusually beautiful wild place in the foothills of Altai - the village of Surtaike. The fifth, most interesting point of our route is Denisova Cave, which became a kind of bonus for the expedition, since we did not originally plan to visit it. The first working point of the expedition was the Buzuluksky Bor National Park, located 1200 km east of Moscow in the Orenburg region. Regular forest management in this place has been carried out since the end of the 18th century. In 1903, Borovoe experimental forestry was created, including a dendrological garden. Part of the territory of the forest area since 1917 became a reserve, which lasted about 17 years. Later, a state reserve operated on the territory of the pinery, which later received the status of the Federal State Institution of the National Park. The Buzuluk pine forest is remarkable in that it is the only large insular forest in the whole steppe of Eurasia. It plays a key role in the ecology of the Middle Trans-Volga and to the South-West of the Ural mountains, creating a milder microclimate and holding back southern dry winds. The pine forest that anchors the dunes appeared here about ten thousand years ago. In 1769, Peter Simon Pallas, Academician of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, visited this place and described the beauty of the Buzuluk pine forest. Unfortunately, only one of the pines that met Pallas has survived to this day, which is now surrounded by honor and respect. This pine tree could be seen not only by Pallas, but also by Emelyan Pugachev, who was hiding in these forests. It survived wars and revolutions and now astounds with her beauty and huge diameter. We arrived at this wonderful place at almost two in the morning. The head of the scientific department of the Buzuluk pine forest, Aleksey Gennadyevich Leonov, waited for us and placed us in the hospital of the Institute of the Steppe of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Already completely exhausted, we fell on our beds and fell asleep until morning. And at dawn we saw the magical garden in which our building stood, and a small river in which you could swim. Then there was an excursion around the territory of the Park and the Arboretum, which was conducted by Alexei Leonov. Excursion Buzuluk pine forest has a very interesting history. At the beginning of the last century, the remarkable botanists G.F. Morozov, V.N. Sukachev, P.A. Zemyatchinsky, E.P. Knorre, A.P. Tolsky, G.N. Vysotsky, who conducted botanical experiments - planted pines, watched their growth and development, created a dendrogarden. And now the work on environmental education is in full swing here. An ecological trail has been built, and there is a small museum. In it we found on display the carcass of a common hamster, the main object of our research, as well as a well-made stuffed muskrat. Now, it seems that these species are no longer in the Buzuluk forest, or they are very rare. Therefore, DNA samples are of great value, since they allow to establish their belonging to certain genetic lines. We will be able to answer the last question when we analyze these samples. In total, about 40 species of mammals, 144 species of birds, 8 species of reptiles, 4 species of amphibians, 23 species of fish and about 800 species of insects live in the Buzuluk forest. However, these statistics are very approximate and require clarification. We spent two days in the reserve, set live traps, caught interesting species of rodents. But, of course, we need to visit it for a longer period of time and conduct thorough research. The park is open to scientists, and we signed an agreement on scientific and technical cooperation with the director of the Buzuluksky Bor National Park, Andrey Aleksandrovich Latypov. Signing an agreement The next point of the route was the Naurzum State Nature Reserve. Unique, possibly relict groups of mammals, in particular, rodents, live here.The collection of Eversman's hamsters (Allocricetuluseversmanni) was created there, the morphological parameters of which differed significantly from the animals living in other territories. The situation is similar to that of the common stylodipus (Stylodipustelum), as well as with some other species of mammals. But genetic analysis has not been carried out before, and we needed to obtain tissue samples of these species in order to understand whether the Naurzum Reserve is a refugium. At the entrance to the reserve, we were met by the ornithologist Rishat, who spent all three days with us (literally from morning until late at night). Already on the day of arrival, we managed to set up all the trap gear we have. Checking the traps the next day did not please us too much - for 100 traps we caught only one steppe mouse. The whole day we explored the reserve in search of suitable biotopes for catching Eversman's hamsters and, in the end, we set traps 40 km outside the territory of the reserve on an old fallow. It turned out that the choice was absolutely correct, and in the morning a pleasant surprise awaited us - as many as 4 Eversman hamsters. We were absolutely happy, especially Anya Gureeva, who will soon defend her Ph.D. thesis, the main object of which is Eversman's hamster. The joy of catching a hamster At night, we organized a “safari” to catch jerboas and caught four of them almost with our bare hands. In the headlights, we also came across other species, for example, the great jerboa (Allactaga major), which we could not catch up with. However, the safari inspired all the participants of the expedition very much, for many it was the first experience of night hunting with a net. Already in the village we managed to catch two long-eared hedgehogs (Hemiechinus auritus) and also take samples from them. The most interesting thing is that our road to the traps was also very productive. Directly under the wheels, we found a downed great jerboa, which we failed to catch during the "safari". In addition, we saw roe deer, several groups of saigas (20-30 head each), a badger and a whole family of wild boars. Rishat also showed us the Imperial Eagle's nest with a chick. We got acquainted with the museum of the reserve, where we saw beautifully executed landscape dioramas, and checked out the library. As a gift to the library, we presented the latest edition of the Red Book of the Russian Federation (2022). Museum The next day we went to the capital of Kazakhstan, the city of Nur-Sultan, located 700 km from the Naurzum nature reserve. We arrived in the city at 21.00, but managed to go to the Presidential Park, set up traps there and take pictures of common hamsters, which had already begun night activity. In general, we worked productively in the Park and returned to the hotel only at two in the morning. In the capital of Kazakhstan, we met with ecologist Alyona Koshkina, an employee of the Kazakhstan Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity. In addition to the fact that Alyona provided us with invaluable assistance in organizing a trip around Kazakhstan, including obtaining permission to trap and work with animals, she gave us several dozen samples of rodent tissues that she had previously collected. On this day, we managed to map more than 150 burrows of the common hamster in the Presidential Park, and in the evening we were able to capture (with sampling) and make a video recording of the behavior of the common hamsters in the city. Nur-Sultan Work in the park We started this work in 2018. New data will allow us to investigate the level of leation between the hamsters living in the central part of the city. One of the main goals of our expedition was to work with the natural population of the common hamster in the foothills of Altai. The work with such a population was conducted in 1957-1959 by Evgenia Vasilievna Karaseva, the well-known Russian biologist, doctor of biological sciences, and an employee of our Institute. An article published by her in the Zoological Journal in 1962 and devoted to the spatial structure of this species is referred to by almost everyone who works with the common hamster. After E.V. Karaseva, no one worked here, and no one was involved in the studies of the spatial structure of the natural populations of this species. We decided to check what happened to the hamsters in this place, and, using modern methods, tried to repeat the experience of E.V. Karaseva. However, we did not know the exact place of work. For help, we turned to a member of the 1958 expedition, the well-known epidemiologist Eduard Isaevich Korenberg, who showed it on a satellite image and described it in detail. Thanks to this, we came to the exact place where the work was carried out 60 years ago. Surprisingly, during this time, almost nothing has changed in the vicinity of the village of Surtayka. Very beautiful meadows with many flowering plants, a river, an apiary. In general, everything is as before, when Evgenia Vasilievna's team worked in these places. Few people still live there. Small villages (Old and New Surtayka) are located in the same place where they were 70 years ago. But we did not find hamsters in the wild. Maybe there are just very few of them, and it is difficult to catch the animal in August, when their activity is already decreasing. Apiary Surtayka After the failure in Surtayka, we decided to use the saved time and somehow cheer up. We went to visit the wonderful paleontologist Alexander Karenovich Agadzhanyan, who at that time was working on excavations in the world-famous Denisova Cave. Interestingly, he was also a member of the expeditions of E.V. Karaseva in Altai, while still a schoolboy, but not on the river Surtayka, and in a different place. Denisova Cave is famous for the fact that a new species of man, Homo denisovensis, was found and described here, who 40 thousand years ago existed on the same territory as the Neanderthal and modern man. It was shown by molecular genetic method that Denisovans hybridized with Neanderthals. But our interest was also in the fact that teeth of ancient common hamsters were found in the same cave. Alexander Karenovich gave a wonderful tour of this world-famous cave. Denisova cave And we, in turn, studied the modern fauna of rodents and insectivores. Paleontologist Alexander Karenovich Agadzhanyan After visiting the cave, we turned back and were successful in catching common hamsters at almost all the camps that we had near the cities of Biysk, Tatarsk, Kurgan, Omsk, Chelyabinsk. Trapping hamsters Photo on the background of stone Hamsters Caught hamsters Success was a foregone conclusion thanks to the enormous work carried out by our employee P.L. Bogomolov, who developed a method for processing information using the analysis of search queries on the Internet about people's encounters with this species. The genetic material obtained from these animals will allow us to establish the placement of the border between the two largest phylogroups of this species, the European (E) and Altai (A). Our expedition ended where it started, in Moscow. Most of the planned scientific tasks were completed, and the rather difficult route, despite the intense heat, left the most pleasant memories. N.Yu. Feoktistova A.V. Surov

On behalf of all employees of the Institute, we congratulate Viktor Nikolayevich Orlov, a world-famous zoologist, Doctor of Biological Sciences, professor, laureate of the State Prize, prizes named after V.I. V. E. Sokolov and Soros, vice-president of the Theriological Society, member of the presidium of VOGIS. Viktor Nikolaevich for many years was the head of one of the largest and most productive laboratories of the Institute (mammalian microevolution laboratory), co-chairman of the Scientific Council of the Institute. Scientific interests of Viktor Nikolayevich have always been with the study of the problems of variability of mammals in the process of evolution, with the search for new approaches to the development of the concepts of species and speciation. He is one of the founders and distributors of karyosystematics methods in theriology. It was Viktor Nikolaevich who discovered the first of the twin species of mammals and described new intraspecific chromosomal forms. The results of these works make a huge contribution to the study of the biological diversity of not only native, but also world fauna.

The staff of the Institute sincerely congratulate Yuri Stepanovich Reshetnikov, ichthyologist, doctor of biological sciences, professor, on his 85th birthday. Yuri Stepanovich's scientific interests lie in the study of the systematics, ecology and fauna of salmon and whitefish, as well as tropical fish. The results of his work make a huge contribution to the study of the biological diversity of not only native, but also the world's ichthyofauna. They are presented in 15 monographs and more than 200 articles.

A.N.Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS and the Arctic Research Center (part of the research and development unit of Rosneft), within the framework of the VII Eastern Economic Forum, signed an agreement to carry out research work aimed at developing a program for monitoring and preserving biological diversity in the regions of presence PJSC NK Rosneft. These studies will contribute to the formation of a unified science-based approach to biodiversity conservation. In the course of the work, a team of specialists from the Institute will determine a list of the most effective methods for preserving biodiversity in aquatic, terrestrial ecosystems and in soil. The main methods of monitoring biodiversity will be assessed and key species will be identified that will need to be given special attention in each of the regions where the company operates. As part of the national project "Ecology", smaller projects continue to study, monitor and develop conservation measures for animals and birds in the Arctic, which are indicators of the sustainable state of the region's ecosystems (wild reindeer, polar bear, Atlantic walrus, and white gull). In continuation of the expedition work in 2020, in 2021, spring and summer field studies of the polar bear and walrus were carried out on the island of Alexandra Land (Franz Josef Archipelago), the Orange Islands and Cape Zhelaniya of the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago. In the valleys of the Kheta and Khatanga rivers, studies were carried out on the habitat of wild reindeer, and the migration routes of animals on the territory of two municipal districts of the Krasnoyarsk Territory were studied. Field studies of bioindicator species of Arctic ecosystems continued in the summer-autumn of 2022. Related materials: Lenta.ru: "Rosneft will develop measures to preserve biodiversity in the regions of presence" Gazeta.ru: "Rosneft will develop a set of measures to preserve biodiversity in the regions of presence" Trud: "Rosneft will preserve the flora and fauna in the regions where it operates"

Climatic anomalies affect the carbon balance of forests, as well as their ability to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide, state the scientists of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS. Climate change affects biogeochemical processes in the spruce forests of the southern taiga subzone of the European part of Russia. The amplitude and range of variability of carbon dioxide uptake and emissions in spruce forests depend on environmental conditions. “Long-term observations of ecosystem fluxes of carbon dioxide in different types of spruce forests have shown that these forests can be both a source and sink of carbon dioxide for the atmosphere, depending on the specific temperature and humidity conditions of the growing season and soil moisture regime. Thus, abnormally warm and dry weather conditions in the summer months can lead to an increase in the absorption of carbon dioxide in spruce forests of various types. At the same time, under conditions of rising temperatures and decreasing precipitation, there is an increase in the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere only in waterlogged spruce forests, and a decrease in its release in spruce forests on well-drained mineral soils, ”said Vadim Mamkin, researcher at IEE RAS, candidate of biological sciences. As experts explained, the balance of CO2 between the forest ecosystem and the atmosphere depends on the amount of carbon dioxide absorption during photosynthesis and the amount of carbon dioxide emissions (emissions into the atmosphere) during the respiration of various organisms. Changes in environmental conditions as a result of climatic anomalies simultaneously affect both absorption and emission of CO2. The scientists analyzed the interannual variability of CO2 ecosystem fluxes in different types of spruce forests on the basis of the South Valdai Ecological Observatory of IEE RAS "Okovsky Les", located on the territory of the Central Forest State Natural Biosphere Reserve (Tver Region). With continuous year-round monitoring, the method of turbulent pulsations was used. Observations of turbulent flows in the surface layer of the atmosphere were carried out for five years. The method is based on the calculation of the intensity of heat and carbon dioxide transfer in the surface air layer by turbulent vortices. The work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation. The results are published in MDPI. Related materials: TASS Nauka: "The taiga absorbs CO2 more strongly due to the hot summer months" +1: "Scientists: Russian taiga absorbed more carbon dioxide during heat wave" Ecosphere: "Heat caused intense CO2 uptake by spruce forests" First Sevastopolsky: "The southern taiga began to absorb more carbon dioxide"