Discussion with the participation of ornithologists from IBPN in Science

With the participation of ornithologists of the IBPN FEB RAS, an article was published in Science.

Studies consider the problem of the sandpiper nest destroying by predators, including those, in the Arctic. The materials present critically revised results published by foreign experts in 2018. Methodological gaps of the previous analysis are expressed and it is shown that conclusions about an increase in the proportion of destroyed sandpipers’ nests by predators from the 1950s have no reliable statistical confirmation.

The materials of the work can be found here.

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National Park on the Kolyma now! Interview of A.V. Andreev to publishing house "Okhotnik"

photo from www.hunterpress.ru 

A.V. Andreev, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Head of the Laboratory of Ornithology, IBPN FEB RAS, told the publishing house “Okhotnik” about himself, his work, his attachment to the North, and the prospects for preserving northern landscapes.

One of the key points of the conversation was the possibility of organizing a National Park in the north of the Susuman district of the Magadan Region. This is an initiative of scientists of IBPN FEB RAS, aimed at preserving the unique mountain-lake region of marvelous beauty in the southern spurs of the Chersky ridge. According to experts of the Institute, a comprehensive study of this region and giving it a protective status will allow its preservation and formation a powerful base for the development of ecological tourism in the Magadan Region.

Lake Momontai, photo by A.V. Andreev

The interview can be found here.

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Borderline on … suffocation area

Revealing of factors determining the boundaries of the ranges of various types of organisms is a traditional goal of biogeography, and it is far from being simple in every case. Especially when the border passes through territories without clearly defined geographical boundaries. That is precisely the case with the eastern borderline of the distribution of the grass frog (Rana temporaria), passing in Western Siberia between the Urals and the Ob valley. It would seem that the Urals have been overcome - an obvious barrier is behind, but something stops the species on the territory that is unchanging physically and geographically. The researchers of the Laboratory of Biocenology from IBPN synthesized the results of laboratory experiments and field observations and determined the factor limiting the distribution of the grass frog to the east.

This example can be a pattern, important for understanding the distribution of various hydrobionts; besides, the identification of factors limiting their areals is a remarkably interesting problem.

You can read the popular science publication "The borderline is on the suffocation area, or what prevents the grass frog from distributing to Asia from Europe" here.

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