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Special Issue "Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends"

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A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Biodiversity Conservation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2023 | Viewed by 20103

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alexander Dvoretsky

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Guest Editor

Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, 183010 Murmansk, Russia
Interests: benthic ecology; crustacean biology; fisheries; aquaculture; biological invasions; Arctic shelf; Barents Sea
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Krivopalov Anton

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Guest Editor

Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630091 Novosibirsk, Russia
Interests: biodiversity; tapeworms; phylogeny; phylogeography; systematics; rodent helminths; co-phylogeny of parasites and hosts; life cycles of tapeworms

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Russia is the largest country in the world, covering approximately 17,125,200 square kilometers and encompassing one-eighth of Earth's inhabitable landmass. A variety of environmental conditions, from a humid subtropical climate in the south, to a polar climate in the north, result in highly diverse and unique ecosystems, including polar deserts, tundra, forest tundra, taiga, mixed and broadleaf forest, forest steppe, steppe, semi-desert, and subtropics. Russian biodiversity encompasses 25,000 species of fungi, 12,500 species of vascular plants, and 9,000 species of algae. The Russian fauna is composed of 150,000 species of invertebrates, 2,000 species of fish, 730 species of birds, 320 species of mammals, 75 species of reptiles, and 30 species of amphibians with high endemism of freshwater fish and invertebrates. Climate change, environmental pollution, and biological invasions are the main drivers of biological diversity worldwide. New information is needed to evaluate the role of these processes in the structure and function of ecosystems in Russia.

This Special Issue welcomes manuscripts focusing on various problems related to ecological research and biodiversity studies in Russia, including local biodiversity patterns both in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, biological indication, biological invasions, management, conservation, and population ecology, as well as the ecology of key, endangered and threatened species. We encourage you to submit articles ranging from case reports to interdisciplinary studies.

Dr. Alexander Dvoretsky
Dr. Krivopalov Anton
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

biodiversity
conservation
terrestrial ecosystems
aquatic ecosystems
population ecology
species interactions
biological indicators
endangered species
threatened species
biological invasions
climate change
environmental pollution

Published Papers (16 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

Evaluating the Impact of Headstarting on the Critically Endangered Spoon-Billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmaea

and

Evgeny E. Syroechkovskiy

Diversity 2023, 15(4), 584; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15040584 - 21 Apr 2023

Viewed by 985

Abstract

Headstarting is a conservation approach that suggests offering an advantage to a population by improving egg production, survival of embryos and/or juveniles. In this article, we are providing the quantitative data obtained during 10 years for different stages of headstarting (production of eggs per pair, hatching and fledging rates) and the resulting impact (survival to maturity, philopatry rate, sex ratio, apparent survival, growth/decline rate) on the local population of the critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper. We have shown that headstarting gains are reduced over time from fledging to long-term recruitment to the local breeding population. The possible reasons for this reduction are suggested and discussed. The unexpected finding was a drastic difference in sex ratios of the new recruits, which was about even for headstarting, but strongly male-biased for wild-reared birds. We suggest this happens due to increased mortality of female chicks in nature. We have also shown only headstarting could stop the global decline of the species, particularly once the suggested improvements are implemented and the number of pairs involved is scaled up. Headstarting also had a significant social effect due to the involvement of increasing numbers of people both in the local communities in Chukotka and from many countries on the flyway into searching for marked birds and learning about waders, raising awareness about ecological problems on the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. Thus, it has made the need for conservation actions on the flyway more obvious and sensible. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Open AccessArticle

Multi-Proxy Paleoecological Reconstruction of Peatland Initiation, Development and Restoration in an Urban Area (Moscow, Russia)

Elizaveta V. Kotlyarova

Natalia V. Kuzmenkova

Mikhail S. Paramonov

Artemii D. Chulei

Anastasiya D. Makarova

Ivan A. Zhirov

Anna A. Tsaregorodtseva

and

Diversity 2023, 15(3), 448; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15030448 - 17 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1246

Abstract

Peatlands play an important role in the global carbon cycle but have been exploited over many centuries, which reduces their carbon storage capacity. To investigate peatland development during the late Holocene and their restoration after peat extraction, we applied a multi-proxy paleoecological (pollen, plant macrofossils, testate amoebae, loss on ignition, peat humification, etc.) approach to undisturbed and floating vegetation mat deposits of the Gorenki peatland (Meshchera Lowlands, East European Plain). Peatland development started around 2550 before the common era (BCE) as a waterlogged eutrophic birch forest (terrestrial paludification) surrounded by a broadleaf forest. Around 2400 BCE, the peatland turned into an open mire with Sphagnum mosses, sedges, and willows. During 900–800 BCE, the mire transformed into a wet mesotrophic peatland surrounded by a spruce forest. The first human settlements and deforestation around 300–400 CE coincided with oligotrophization of the mire. The growth of the Slavic population in the region in 14th century CE caused transformation of indigenous spruce–broadleaf forests into croplands, and the mire became drier and forested. Since peat extraction was abandoned in the beginning of 20th century CE, the mire has undergone self-restoration starting with the formation of a Sphagnum cuspidatum/obtusum quagmire on the floating peat remains. The Sphagnum mat stabilized during 1960–2000 CE. During the last twenty years, agricultural activity decreased and pine forests were restored in the adjacent area; the floating mat became drier and more oligotrophic, which can lead to the formation of a bog in the absence of considerable anthropogenic impact. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Open AccessArticle

Dynamics of Diversity of Woody Species Taxa under Human Impact in the Upper Volga Region (NW Russia) According to Pedoanthracological Data

Maria V. Dobrovolskaya

and

Alexei V. Tiunov

Diversity 2023, 15(3), 403; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15030403 - 10 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 766

Abstract

We studied charcoal from several types of natural soil archives, including cultural layers of archaeological sites (hillforts), surrounding forest and arable soils, and sediments in lower parts of the slopes associated with hillforts and moraine hills. The stratigraphy of the charcoals was described, and 41 samples were radiocarbon-dated. Analysis of 2277 charcoals showed the presence of 13 taxa of woody species; Pinus and Picea charcoals dominated. Charcoals older than 300 BC were found only in sediment and in several pits formed after treefalls with uprooting. The greatest diversity of woody species was found in the hillforts’ cultural layers composed of Anthropogenic Dark Earth soils formed between 300 BC and 300 cal. AD (Early Iron Age). All charcoals from ancient arable soils were younger than charcoals from the hillforts. Charcoals indicated that burning for arable farming started in the study region in the 6th century AD. Woody taxa exhibited a decrease in number of species and a decrease in the proportion of nemoral (broadleaved) species from the Early Iron Age to the Middle Ages and to the present. Quercus, Tilia, and Corylus have become relatively rare, although they still occur in the study region. Ulmus and Acer are now rare in the Upper Volga region and were not found in the vicinity of the study sites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Open AccessArticle

Habitat and Features of Development of Plankton Communities in Salt Lakes (South-Eastern Transbaikalia, Russia)

Natalya A. Tashlykova

and

Ekaterina Yu. Afonina

Diversity 2023, 15(3), 396; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15030396 - 09 Mar 2023

Viewed by 776

Abstract

Results of studies of plankton algae and invertebrates in salt lakes of the territory of a closed runoff in the south of South-Eastern Transbaikalia (Russia) carried out in 2021–2022 are presented. Phyto- and zooplankton of sixteen saline lakes were studied during the maximum vegetation period from July to August. Lakes are different in chemical type: chloride, soda and sulfate. For chloride, sulfate and some soda lakes, data on plankton have been obtained for the first time. Fifty-four taxa of phytoplankton and twenty-seven species of zooplankton were found in soda lakes; twenty-three taxa of phytoplankton and four species of zooplankton were found in the chloride lakes; fifteen phytoplankton species and five zooplankton species were found in the sulfate lakes. For phytoplankton in soda lakes, green algae, cyanobacteria and diatoms were dominant. Green algae dominated in species composition in sulfate lakes; cryptophyte algae and cyanobacteria dominated in chloride lakes. For zooplankton, in all types of lakes, Brachionus plicatilis, Moina brachiata and Metadiaptomus asiaticus dominated. The abundance and biomass of algae and invertebrates in the surveyed lakes varied widely. Based on the results of the correlation analysis, total dissolved solids (TDS) are a key factor in the formation of planktonic communities in soda lakes; depth, transparency and temperature—in chloride lakes and pH—in sulfate lakes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Vegetation and the Environment on Testate Amoeba Assemblages in Sphagnum Peatlands in the Northern Caucasus Mountains

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Diversity 2023, 15(2), 258; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15020258 - 12 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1063

Abstract

Understanding the interactions among the functional groups of living organisms within ecosystems is a main challenge in ecology. This question is particularly important in relation to the interactions between the above- and below-ground components of terrestrial ecosystems. We investigated the effects of macro- (geographic position and mire size) and micro-environmental (pH, water table depth, water mineralization and temperature) characteristics and vegetation composition (both vascular plants and bryophytes) on the species structure of testate amoeba assemblages in eight Sphagnum-dominated mires across the Northern Caucasus Mountains (Russia). In total, 97 testate amoeba species from 34 genera were identified. A multiple factor analysis indicated the strongest relationships between the species structure of the testate amoeba assemblages and the local vegetation, especially bryophytes, whereas the interaction with the micro-environmental characteristics was the weakest. Among the micro-environmental data, the strongest effects on the species composition of all the assemblages were detected for the pH followed by the water table depth and water temperature. The variance partitioning of the species structure of the testate amoeba assemblages in response to the abiotic and biotic data indicated that most of the variance was related to the bryophyte and vascular plant assemblages, whereas the contribution of the environmental data was lower. Moreover, most of the effects were highly related to each other, so that the proportion of the jointly explained variation was high, whereas the individual effects were much lower. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Open AccessArticle

COI-Barcoding and Species Delimitation Assessment of Toad-Headed Agamas of the Genus Phrynocephalus (Agamidae, Squamata) Reveal Unrecognized Diversity in Central Eurasia

Evgeniya N. Solovyeva

Evgeniy A. Dunayev

Roman A. Nazarov

Dmitriy A. Bondarenko

and

Nikolay A. Poyarkov

Diversity 2023, 15(2), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15020149 - 21 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1872

Abstract

We provide a diversity assessment of the agamid genus Phrynocephalus Kaup, 1825. We analyze COI mtDNA barcodes from 385 individuals sampled all over Phrynocephalus range. We apply the ABGD, ASAP, bGMYC, mlPTP and hsPTP species delimitation algorithms to analyze the COI gene fragment variation and assess the species diversity in Phrynocephalus. Nine species groups are revealed in Phrynocephalus in agreement with earlier studies on the phylogenetic relationships of the genus. We demonstrate that the present taxonomy likely underestimates the actual diversity of the genus. Alternative species delimitation algorithms provide a confusingly wide range of possible number of Phrynocephalus species—from 54 to 103 MOTUs (molecular operational taxonomic units). The ASAP species delimitation scheme recognizing 63 MOTUs likely most closely fits the currently recognized taxonomic framework of Phrynocephalus. We also report on 13 previously unknown Phrynocephalus lineages as unverified candidate species. We demonstrate that the ASAP and the ABGD algorithms likely most closely reflect the actual diversity of Phrynocephalus, while the mlPTP and hsPTP largely overestimate it. We argue that species delimitation in these lizards based exclusively on mtDNA markers is insufficient, and call for further integrative taxonomic studies joining the data from morphology, mtDNA and nuDNA markers to fully stabilize the taxonomy of Phrynocephalus lizards. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Open AccessArticle

Terrestrial Species of Drouetiella (Cyanobacteria, Oculatellaceae) from the Russian Arctic and Subarctic Regions and Description of Drouetiella ramosa sp. nov.

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Diversity 2023, 15(2), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15020132 - 18 Jan 2023

Viewed by 946

Abstract

The strains of Drouetiella species (Cyanobacteria, Oculatellaceae) from a terrestrial biotope were isolated and characterized using an integrative approach including molecular, morphological, and ecological information. The specimens were collected from the Arctic and Subarctic areas of European Russia. Drouetiella species possess morphological plasticity and can be confused with similar species of Oculatellaceae or Leptolyngbyaceae. The 16S rRNA gene phylogeny supported the strong monophyly of the genus Drouetiella with the separation of four linages corresponding to three known species and one to new taxon. The 16S-23S ITS rRNA sequences of the analyzed Drouetiella strains differ in length and nucleotide composition, which has had an effect on the hypothetical secondary structures of the D1–D1′, Box-B, V2, and V3 helices. As a result of complex study of the genus Drouetiella, a new species—Drouetiella ramosa sp. nov.—is described from the Subarctic of European Russia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Open AccessArticle

Enchytraeidae (Annelida: Oligochaeta) from the North-Western Caucasus, Russia, with the Description of Fridericia gongalskyi sp. nov.

Maxim I. Degtyarev

Dmitry A. Medvedev

Elena Y. Zvychaynaya

and

Daniil I. Korobushkin

Diversity 2023, 15(1), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15010106 - 12 Jan 2023

Viewed by 917

Abstract

The first list of terrestrial enchytraeids of the north-western Caucasus includes 24 species belonging to seven genera. A new enchytraeid species of the genus Fridericia, Fridericia gongalskyi sp. nov., is described. It clearly differs from other species of the genus by the presence of only three pairs of preclitellar nephridia, the postclitellar position of the chylus cells and two elongated spermathecal diverticula. The phylogenetic relations of the new species within the genus are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Open AccessArticle

Cestode Diversity of Shrews on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Paramushir Island

Svetlana A. Kornienko

and

Nikolai E. Dokuchaev

Diversity 2023, 15(1), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15010099 - 11 Jan 2023

Viewed by 843

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the taxonomic diversity and prevalence of shrew cestodes on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Paramushir Island on the basis of current understanding of cestode taxonomy. The diversity of shrew cestodes included 22 species from three families: Hymenolepididae, Dilepididae, and Mesocestoididae. In Paramushir, the diversity of shrew cestodes was substantially lower than in Kamchatka (14 and 22, respectively). In Kamchatka, three genera of cestodes (Novobrachylepis, Mathevolepis, Ditestolepis) were not found, but three species from genera Lineolepis, Staphylocystis, and Monocercus are possibly new species. The potential for endemic species and the unique characteristics of the cestode fauna on Kamchatka suggest that the peninsula may have been a refugium for shrews and their parasites in the last glacial maximum. In Kamchatka and Paramushir, two Nearctic species (Lineolepis parva and L. pribilofensis) were found, which indicates potential dispersal from North America. Most cestode species in Kamchatka were associated with the host shrew Sorex caecutiens, while in Paramushir most cestodes were associated with Sorex isodon. In Paramushir, shrews had higher prevalence of infection with cestodes than in Kamchatka. The dominant cestode taxa in shrews on Paramushir Island were species rare in Kamchatka. Conversely, the most abundant cestode species in shrews on Kamchatka were absent from the island fauna. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Open AccessArticle

Shallow-Water Benthic Communities on Soft Bottoms of a Sub-Arctic Fjord (Southern Barents Sea, Russia) along a Gradient of Ecological Factors

Lyudmila V. Pavlova

Yury A. Zuyev

and

Alexander G. Dvoretsky

Diversity 2023, 15(1), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15010084 - 08 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1212

Abstract

Kola Bay is the most developed coastal area in the Russian part of the Barents Sea, but despite a long history of research, information about the local shallow-water benthic communities is lacking. For this reason, in this fjord area, we investigated the soft-bottom zoobenthos to determine its distribution and the factors influencing its abundance, biomass, and diversity. An analysis of 24 samples collected by divers at eight stations located at 7–8 and 10–15 m depths revealed 127 benthic taxa with an average abundance and biomass of 12,190 ± 4740 ind. m⁻² and 30 ± 8 g m⁻², respectively. The most severe abiotic conditions (high rates of sedimentation and eutrophication) were found at the head of the bay while the highest densities of predator red king crabs were registered in the middle part. The total benthic abundance and biomass, as well as the abundances of infauna, mobile taxa, subsurface deposit feeders, and surface deposit feeders, decreased towards the central part of the bay, reflecting gradients in the environmental conditions. In the inner part of the bay, we registered two communities: Cossura pygodactylata + Ciliatocardium ciliatum and Arctica islandica + Laonice cirrata, while the benthos of the middle part was less structured. Redundancy analysis indicated that the faunal abundances were influenced mainly by predator density (negative association) and the organic matter content (positive association). The total benthic biomass was negatively linked to water temperature due to the predominance of cold-water species in the area and a close positive association of this factor with crab abundance. In contrast, the highest diversity was registered at the warmer sites, which may have been a reflection of the borealization process in the Arctic. Our results contribute towards the proper management and conservation of the local benthic ecosystem and provide reference data for future monitoring programs and coastal management guidelines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Open AccessArticle

Copepod Assemblages in A Large Arctic Coastal Area: A Baseline Summer Study

Vladimir G. Dvoretsky

and

Alexander G. Dvoretsky

Diversity 2023, 15(1), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15010081 - 07 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1467

Abstract

To provide a baseline description of copepod assemblages in the Pechora Sea, an estuarine area with great economical and ecological importance, we conducted a survey during the summer season. A total of 24 copepod taxa were identified in the study, with Acartia longiremis, Calanus finmarchicus, Centropages hamatus, Copepoda nauplii, Eurytemora affinis, Oithona similis, Pseudocalanus spp., and Temora longicornis being the most numerous. The high diversity (Shannon index = 2.51 ± 0.06), density (18,720 ± 3376 individuals m⁻³) and biomass (89 ± 18 mg dry mass m⁻³) of copepods were revealed. Populations of common small copepod taxa were dominated by the young stages, indicating spawning, while older copepodites prevailed among medium- and large-sized species, showing that their reproduction occurred before our survey. Cluster analysis indicated three groups of stations that mainly differed in the abundance of particular species. There were clear associations between copepod assemblages and environmental variables. Statistical analyses showed significant correlations between copepod abundance and water temperature or sampling depth, while other factors had a lesser influence. Our results suggest a strong effect of local circulation and currents on the spatial pattern of the copepod assemblages in the study area. This study may be useful for future biomonitoring in the south-eastern Barents Sea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Open AccessArticle

Silica-Scaled Chrysophytes of Teletskoye Lake and Adjacent Area with a Description of a New Species from the Genus Mallomonas

Evgeniy Gusev

and

Nikita Martynenko

Diversity 2022, 14(12), 1040; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14121040 - 27 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 917

Abstract

The silica-scaled chrysophyte flora of some lakes and rivers of the Altai Mountains was investigated by means of electron microscopy. Teletskoye Lake; the Biya, Chulyshman, and Katun Rivers; and small lakes around the area were studied. A total of sixteen taxa were recorded, including eight belonging to Mallomonas, five to Synura, and three to Paraphysomonas. A revision of previously reported taxa of scaled chrysophytes in this region was carried out. One species new to science from the genus Mallomonas was found and described. Mallomonas altaica sp. nov. belongs to the section Striatae and is characterised by scales with ribs covering only the anterior part of the shield and a posterior flange almost completely covered with the secondary siliceous layer. This species was discovered only at Teletskoye Lake. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Open AccessArticle

A New Species of Lycodapus from the Emperor Seamount Chain, Northwestern Pacific Ocean (Teleostei: Zoarcidae)

and

Diversity 2022, 14(11), 972; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14110972 - 11 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1263

Abstract

A new species, Lycodapus imperatorius, is described from the seamounts of the Emperor Ridge, North Pacific Ocean. The new species can be identified by its stout gill rakers, single interorbital pore, four preopercular and four mandibular pores, 95–99 vertebrae, numerous vomerine and palatine teeth, and COI mtDNA sequences. Although the new species is most similar to L. endemoscotus and L. antarcticus in morphology, the closest match to already published sequences was Lycodapus fierasfer, which is fairly different from the new species in terms of morphology. The incongruence between molecular and morphological inferences might be explained by the homoplastic nature of the morphological characteristics used for species delimitation in Lycodapus. The percent of genetic identity between the closest species of Lycodapus ranges from 95.4 to 98.6% in comparison with 99.5–100.0% between individuals of the same valid species. A key of the genus is amended to include the new species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Review

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Open AccessReview

Diversity of Parasitic Animals in Hypersaline Waters: A Review

Yuliya Kornyychuk

Elena Anufriieva

and

Nickolai Shadrin

Diversity 2023, 15(3), 409; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15030409 - 10 Mar 2023

Viewed by 967

Abstract

Hypersaline waters are unique polyextreme habitats, where the salinity limits species richness. There are main patterns of a relationship between salinity and the species richness of free-living aquatic animals, but for parasitic organisms, general regularities have not yet been established. There are quite numerous data on parasites in hypersaline waters worldwide; however, they have not been summarized before. This review tries to fill this gap by summarizing the available data. All parasites, 85 species and forms, found in hypersaline waters belong to five phyla: Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Acanthocephala, Cnidaria, and Arthropoda. Platyhelminthes are the most diverse phylum with the highest species richness in class Cestoda. Most species were noted in hypersaline waters with a salinity of no more than 100 g·L⁻¹. The total number of parasitic species decreases exponentially with an increase in salinity. The number of free-living animal species inhabiting waters with a salinity from 35 to 210 g·L⁻¹ is approximately 12 times higher than that of parasitic ones in all intervals of this salinity range. Salinity influences parasite richness and composition in two ways—directly and through the availability of hosts. Free-living crustaceans were hosts of most parasite species in hypersaline waters. Artemia spp., the most halotolerant animals, are an intermediate host for 22 species and unidentified forms of parasites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Open AccessReview

Biological Aspects, Fisheries, and Aquaculture of Yesso Scallops in Russian Waters of the Sea of Japan

Alexander G. Dvoretsky

and

Vladimir G. Dvoretsky

Diversity 2022, 14(5), 399; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14050399 - 19 May 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2967

Abstract

Scallops are bivalve filter-feeding mollusks that can attain a large size and have great importance in terms of their ecological roles and commercial value. Overfishing has led to a decrease in scallop stocks worldwide, leading to intense development of the aquaculture industry. The latter is well-established in Asian countries in the East Sea and Sea of Japan. In this paper, we summarized information regarding the biology, stock dynamics, and fishery of yesso scallops inhabiting Russian waters of the Sea of Japan. This species has relatively rapid growth rates and reaches a marketable size of 100 mm in shell height at age 3–5 years. In Russian waters, the total commercial stock of yesso scallops in 2021 was estimated at 2784 t. Commercial fisheries have been banned since 2020 due to the depletion of natural stocks as a result of illegal fishing and overexploitation. The total allowable catch for yesso scallops has been set at 3 t for monitoring and recreational purposes. The cultivation of the scallops includes spat collection, spat intermediate culture, and final grow-out on the seafloor or in suspended cages. In the past decade, this industry has demonstrated rapid growth and currently accounts for >16,000 t per year. Environmental fluctuations and epizootics seem to be the most important challenges for the scallop aquaculture sector in the Sea of Japan. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Other

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Open AccessData Descriptor

Diversity and Biology of Terrestrial Orthopteroids (Insecta) in the Republic of Mordovia (Russia)

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Diversity 2023, 15(7), 803; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15070803 - 24 Jun 2023

Viewed by 512

Abstract

Orthopteroidea is an ecologically diverse group of incompletely transformed insects that includes several insect orders similar in development and structure. Many species from Dermaptera, Orthoptera, Mantodea, and Blattodea are sensitive to anthropogenic influences and are indicators of the external environment. Some species cause damage to agriculture and forestry; others are inhabitants of human dwellings and pests of food supplies. The aim of this study is to describe fauna of some orders of Orthopteroidea in the Republic of Mordovia, in the central part of European Russia. This study was conducted in April–October 1971, 1984, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2004–2023. All possible habitats were studied using a variety of methods (entomological traps, pitfall traps, pan traps, etc.). An acoustic method of species identification was also used. For each observation, the coordinates of location, abundance, and dates were recorded. The dataset contains 4865 occurrences. In total, 16,644 specimens of Orthopteroidea were studied. The dataset contains 71 species including Dermaptera (4), Orthoptera (62), Mantodea (1), and Blattodea (4). Of these, 13 species are identified for the first time in the region; these mainly inhabit steppe areas. The presence of two Orthoptera species has not been confirmed yet during our studies; these species are noted in this paper according an old published paper. The biodiversity of Mordovia includes 73 species from four orders. The biology of numerous species, their seasonal dynamics, and some descriptions of biotopes and number of new species are described. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Ecology Research in Russia: Recent Advances and Future Trends)

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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Parasitic animals in hypersaline waters of the World: influence of salinity
Authors: Nickolai Shadrin, et al.
Affiliation: NA

Title: Palaecological evidences for peatland development and restoration processes in the southern taiga of European Russia
Authors: Yuri Mazei, et al.
Affiliation: Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory, 1, 199991 Moscow, Russia

Title: The effects of vegetation and environmental variables on testate amoeba assemblages in Sphagnum peatlands in the Northern Caucasus Mountains
Authors: Andrey Tsyganov, et al.
Affiliation: Department of General Ecology and Hydrobiology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
Abstract: Understanding interactions among functional groups of living organisms within ecosystems is a major challenge in ecology. In this work we study the effects of macro- (location, altitude and mire size) and micro- environmental (water table depth, pH, mineralization and local temperature) characteristics and vegetation composition (both vascular plants and bryophytes) on the species composition of testate amoeba assemblages in eight Sphagnum-dominated mires across the Northern Caucasus Mountains (Russia). In the result we revealed a diverse composition of vascular plant, bryophyte and testate amoeba assemblages which overall was typical for Sphagnum-dominated mires. In total, 97 taxa of testate amoebae belonging to34 genera were observed. To explore the relationships among the collected data sets we used multifactor analysis (MFA) which indicated that variation in vegetation (both vascular plants and bryophytes) and testate amoeba assemblages contributed the most to the differences among sites which generally reflect the acidic and trophic gradients across the studied mires. The greatest correlations were observed between testate amoebae and macro-environmental variables (RV = 0.38) and vegetation (RV = 0.37). When the vegetation data set was split into vascular plants and bryophytes, testate amoebae were stronger correlated to bryophytes (RV = 0.35) than to vascular plants (RV = 0.27), whereas vascular plants and bryophytes were characterized by highest RV values (RV = 0.41). These results were supported by partial redundancy analysis. Among the micro-environmental variables, pH and water table depth explained most of the variation in the species composition of testate amoeba assemblages. Overall, the results of the study indicate strong effects of local vegetation on overall species structure of testate amoebae that might be explained by additional effects of vegetation (through litter quality and amount, exudates, etc.) on the soil microbial communities. Most of the effects seem to be highly related to each other, so that the proportion of jointly explained variation was considerable, whereas the individual effects were much lower and insignificant. In order to disentangle these effects future studies should address this question using field or laboratory experiments.

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