The pronounced growth in livestock populations since the 1950s has altered the epidemiological an... more The pronounced growth in livestock populations since the 1950s has altered the epidemiological and evolutionary trajectory of their associated pathogens. For example, Marek’s disease virus (MDV), which causes lymphoid tumors in chickens, has experienced a marked increase in virulence over the past century. Today, MDV infections kill >90% of unvaccinated birds, and controlling it costs more than US$1 billion annually. By sequencing MDV genomes derived from archeological chickens, we demonstrate that it has been circulating for at least 1000 years. We functionally tested the Meq oncogene, one of 49 viral genes positively selected in modern strains, demonstrating that ancient MDV was likely incapable of driving tumor formation. Our results demonstrate the power of ancient DNA approaches to trace the molecular basis of virulence in economically relevant pathogens.
We studied the populations of four seed-eating bird species throughout the winter during a 30-yea... more We studied the populations of four seed-eating bird species throughout the winter during a 30-year study in the forests of the Tatarstan Republic, Russia. Numbers of all species fluctuated from year-to-year by several orders of magnitude but with a significant underlying trend for increased numbers associated with rising temperatures and a greater food supply. We question whether the traditional view that such birds move further south only after exhausting the food supply is too simplistic. We believe that the severity of winter, or lack of it, is highly influential on the mortality and movements of these characteristic birds of the boreal forest zone.
Transylvanian Review of Systematical and Ecological Research, Aug 1, 2022
We studied the probability of occurrence, distribution and abundance of eight small fish species ... more We studied the probability of occurrence, distribution and abundance of eight small fish species in 512 small rivers at the eastern edge of Europe in a region of high geographical and environmental heterogeneity. Stone loach, common minnow, and gudgeon were recorded in more than 50% of the study sites. Common minnow was the most abundant species, contributing 66% of all captures. Elevation, depth, and width of the river were the main environmental factors influencing the distribution of more than half of the studied fish species. Our research in the eastern edge of Europe shows that fish preferences in terms of probability of occurrence, abundance, and niche breadth for environmental factors can vary greatly, even among closely related species. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Lebensraumpräferenzen von kleinen Fischarten in Flüssen in der Ostgrenze Europas. Die Untersuchungsregion hat eine hohe geographische Heterogenität, wie auch die Umwelt. Bachschmerle, Erlitze und Gründling wurden in mehr als 50% der Untersuchungsgebieten gefunden. Außerdem hatte Erlitze die höchste Abundanz mit einem Anteil von 66% an den anderen ausgewählten Fischarten. Die Elevation, Tiefe und Breite des Flusses waren die Hauptumgebungsfaktoren, die Verteilung von mehr als Hälfte der ausgewählten Fischarten beeinflusste. Unsere Untersuchung in der Ostgrenze Europas zeigte, dass die Fischpräferenzen für Wahrscheinlichkeiten des Vorkommens, sowie der Abundanz und Nischenbreite für Umgebungsfaktoren sogar zwischen den engen verwandten Fischarten stark variieren können. REZUMAT: Preferințele de habitat ale speciilor de pești mici în râurile de la limita de est a Europei. Am studiat probabilitatea apariției, distribuției și abundenței a opt specii de pești mici în 512 râuri mici de la limita de est a Europei într-o regiune cu heterogenitate geografică și de mediu ridicată. Grindelul, boișteanul și porcușorul comun au fost înregistrați în mai mult de 50% din stațiile studiate. Boișteanul a fost cea mai abundentă specie, având o abundență de 66% din toate capturile. Altitudinea, adâncimea și lățimea râului au fost principalii factori de mediu care au influențat distribuția a mai mult de jumătate din speciile de pești studiate. Cercetările noastre de la limita de est a Europei arată că preferințele peștilor în ceea ce privește probabilitatea de apariție, abundența și lățimea de nișă pentru factorii de mediu pot varia foarte mult, chiar și în rândul speciilor strâns înrudite.
We investigated how the densities of birds in the post‐breeding and autumn phase (hereafter calle... more We investigated how the densities of birds in the post‐breeding and autumn phase (hereafter called autumn) were changing and how they were influenced by a changing climate in a study region that experienced about 5 months of snow cover each winter and summer temperatures that varied greatly from year to year. Bird densities during autumn were estimated between 1991 and 2018 using distance sampling along transects. Densities were compared to various temperature variables in preceding months and to densities in the following winter. The study region has experienced rapid temperature change in May–August, and autumn densities of six of the nine studied species increased significantly during the study period. Autumn densities of all but one bird species were significantly related to one or more of the temperatures in the preceding January–February, affecting adult survival, and in the preceding May–August, affecting nestling survival. Long‐term trends of autumn densities and densities in the first half of winter were similar for practically all bird species. The results of our study of seasonal dynamics based on eight‐month intervals in each of the 28 years of research emphasize that understanding the influence of climatic parameters on changes in the density of individual bird species requires such long‐term monitoring throughout the year. In a period of climate warming, and in spite of the severity of the winter and the variability of summer, we found that most species of birds showed a clear increase in density.
Recent studies on climate change have reported serious impacts on winter forest birds in Western ... more Recent studies on climate change have reported serious impacts on winter forest birds in Western Europe. However, in areas where climate change has caused milder winters and more stable conditions in summer, one would expect resident bird populations to increase, rather than to decrease in winter. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of climate change on the population dynamics of ten species of Passeriformes in the Tartarstan Republic, Russia. Ravkin's transect method was used to census fixed randomly selected plots spread over a large geographic area at least once every month for the past 26 years. Observers remained the same over the whole period. The abundance of nine species in the first half of the winter and four species in the second half of the winter showed significant increases during the study period. Unlike studies from countries in Western Europe, there were no significant decreases in these species. Significant changes in winter conditions, as well as during the breeding season, and an overall increase in annual temperatures are likely reasons for a significant increase in the number of birds in winter. Greater winter survival, an increase in the survival rate of fledglings and juveniles during the summer, and later onset of winter, are very important determinants of the winter population. Our findings show that numbers of birds in late winter are related to the severity of winter conditions. Our data do not support conclusions that the populations of forest bird species have decreased due to climate change.
The return of the skylark Alauda arvensis is a traditional harbinger of spring in Central and Eas... more The return of the skylark Alauda arvensis is a traditional harbinger of spring in Central and Eastern Europe. The record analysed in this study of skylark arrivals in the eastern extremity of Europe is one of the longest extant records of bird migration in the world (131 yr between 1811 and 2008). In the last 30 yr there has been a rapid increase in March temperatures (ca. 3.7°C) and an advance in the arrival date of skylarks (11 d). 2008 was the earliest year in the whole record. The response of skylark migration to temperature is shown to be non-linear and it is anticipated that advances in arrival dates will now accelerate as temperatures continue to rise.
Background: Numerous megafauna species from northern latitudes went extinct during the Pleistocen... more Background: Numerous megafauna species from northern latitudes went extinct during the Pleistocene/Holocene transition as a result of climate-induced habitat changes. However, several ungulate species managed to successfully track their habitats during this period to eventually flourish and recolonise the holarctic regions. So far, the genomic impacts of these climate fluctuations on ungulates from high latitudes have been little explored. Here, we assemble a de-novo genome for the European moose (Alces alces) and analyse it together with re-sequenced nuclear genomes and ancient and modern mitogenomes from across the moose range in Eurasia and North America. Results: We found that moose demographic history was greatly influenced by glacial cycles, with demographic responses to the Pleistocene/Holocene transition similar to other temperate ungulates. Our results further support that modern moose lineages trace their origin back to populations that inhabited distinct glacial refugia during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Finally, we found that present day moose in Europe and North America show low to moderate inbreeding levels resulting from post-glacial bottlenecks and founder effects, but no evidence for recent inbreeding resulting from human-induced population declines. Conclusions: Taken together, our results highlight the dynamic recent evolutionary history of the moose and provide an important resource for further genomic studies.
Studies on assemblages of freshwater fishes along elevational gradients of rivers are lacking, ev... more Studies on assemblages of freshwater fishes along elevational gradients of rivers are lacking, even in Europe. In this paper we have explored the entire range of elevational gradients existing in the European part of Russia. We analyzed how fish biodiversity (species richness, abundance, diversity indices) at 435 river sites differed by elevation. The impact of elevation on the distribution of freshwater fish species was analyzed using regression and ordination methods. For the first time for a large area of Eastern Europe, optimum points and niche breadth for fish species along altitude gradients were estimated. Our analyses showed: (1) species richness and Shannon index decreased in the upper part of the gradient; fish abundance showed a unimodal response to elevation; highest numbers were found at elevations between 250 and 500 m; (2) ordination analysis demonstrated an upstream-downstream gradient of the fish assemblages; (3) regression analysis showed significant preferences for elevation by 19 species, all of which were monotonic; (4) optimum and niche breadth (tolerance) were highly variable between species; only five species (brown trout, grayling, common minnow, bullhead and stone loach) were encountered at elevations above 650 m; and (5) in our region, the habitat of grayling was higher in the mountains, and its abundance (numbers) at extreme elevations was greater, than brown trout. These results show how fish assemblages differ with elevation. Our findings identify the data that can be used for regional environmental monitoring of the state of small rivers and for aquatic conservation.
ABSTRACT Aim To examine whether change in the timing of a large number of phenological events and... more ABSTRACT Aim To examine whether change in the timing of a large number of phenological events and their response to temperature differs between trophic levels during the period 1988–2008.Location In the vicinity of Kazan, Tatarstan Republic, Russia (55°45′ N, 49°08′ E).Methods Observations of the dates of first events of 22 plant phases, 8 insect phases, 3 herpetofauna phases and 26 migrant bird phases were examined using regression to assess changes over time and response to temperature. Differences between trophic levels were assessed using ANOVA.Results In comparison to studies from western Europe, relatively few phenological series (15) revealed a significant advance over time, but a much larger number (37), including all the herpetofauna and nearly all the plants, showed a response to temperature. Trends in birds were, on average, twice as great as those for plants, but plants had a significantly greater temperature response. Over the study period local temperatures had not risen significantly but some phenological change was still evident.Main conclusions Phenological change has been less marked in the eastern edge of Europe than in western and central Europe. This is compatible with a lack of significant local warming during the study period. A large number of species show strong responses to temperature so will be expected to advance if/when local temperatures do increase. In contrast to results from elsewhere in Europe, early events were not the most temperature responsive, suggesting local adaptation preventing precocious behaviour and the consequent dangers of sub-zero temperatures.
There are three main ecotypes of reindeer in Eurasia: tundra reindeer, boreal forest reindeer and... more There are three main ecotypes of reindeer in Eurasia: tundra reindeer, boreal forest reindeer and High Arctic reindeer. Of these, especially the forest reindeer has suffered due to human over hunting and habitat fragmentation. Forest reindeer was still found in the Volga-Kama region at the beginning of the 20th century, but has since disappeared from the region. In order to investigate the genetic relationships of these historical, southernly distributed forest reindeer populations, we obtained mitogenome sequences from six individuals from Pestrechinskaya II, an archaeological site located in Tatarstan and dated to around 4000 calibrated years before the present (cal BP). The sequences reported in this study represent the first published ancient reindeer mitogenomes. We observed genetic continuity between the historical reindeer from Tatarstan and present day wild populations from the taiga zone of northeastern part of European Russia. Interestingly, four out of the six studied individuals belong to mitochondrial control region haplogroup II, which today is a major haplogroup among the semi-domestic reindeer in Fennoscandia. Even though the haplotypes observed in Pestrechinskaya II site are not closely related to the major haplotypes observed among the Fennoscandian semi-domestic reindeer, the results suggest that this haplogroup may have its origin east of Fennoscandia. It is also interesting to note that the size of the reindeers from the Pestrechinskaya II site was one of the largest observed in the Holocene.
This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service... more This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Comparative body shape variation of the European grayling Thymallus thymallus
Главный редактор член-корреспондент АН РТ, доктор исторических наук А.Г. Ситдиков Заместители гла... more Главный редактор член-корреспондент АН РТ, доктор исторических наук А.Г. Ситдиков Заместители главного редактора: член-корреспондент АН РТ, доктор исторических наук Ф.Ш. Хузин доктор исторических наук Ю.А. Зеленеев Ответственный секретарь-кандидат ветеринарных наук Г.Ш. Асылгараева Редакционный совет: Б.А. Байтанаев-академик НАН РК, доктор исторических наук (Алматы, Казахстан) (председатель), Х.А. Амирханов-академик РАН, доктор исторических наук, профессор (Москва, Россия), С.Г. Бочаров-кандидат исторических наук (Севастополь, Россия), П. Георгиев-доктор наук, доцент (Шумен, Болгария), Е.П. Казаков-доктор исторических наук (Казань, Россия), Н.Н. Крадин-член-корреспондент РАН, доктор исторических наук, профессор (Владивосток, Россия), А. Тюрк-PhD (Будапешт, Венгрия), А.А. Тишкин-доктор исторических наук профессор (Барнаул, Россия), В.С. Синикакандидат исторических наук (Тирасполь, Молдова), Б.В. Базаров-академик РАН, доктор исторических наук, профессор (Улан-Удэ, Россия), Д.С. Коробов-доктор исторических наук, профессор РАН (Москва, Россия), О.В. Кузьмина-кандидат исторических наук (Самара, Россия), П. Дегри-профессор (Лёвен, Бельгия), Вэй Джан-Ph.D, профессор (Пекин, Китай). Редакционная коллегия: А.А. Выборнов-доктор исторических наук, профессор (Самара, Россия) М.Ш. Галимова-кандидат исторических наук (Казань, Россия) Р.Д. Голдина-доктор исторических наук, профессор (Ижевск, Россия) С.В. Кузьминых-кандидат исторических наук (Москва, Россия) А.Е. Леонтьев-доктор исторических наук (Москва, Россия) Т.Б. Никитина-доктор исторических наук (Йошкар-Ола, Россия) А.А. Чижевский-кандидат исторических наук (Казань, Россия) Ответственный за выпуск: М.Ш. Галимова-кандидат исторических наук
The first arrival dates of 31 species of migrant birds in the Tatarstan Republic of Russia were m... more The first arrival dates of 31 species of migrant birds in the Tatarstan Republic of Russia were monitored for the 34-year period from 1989–2022. Trends in first arrival date were evaluated using regression against the year value. Patterns in arrival data with respect to species traits (habitat, migration distance, body weight, etc.) were evaluated using redundancy analysis. Relationships between first arrival dates and Tatarstan temperatures were also evaluated using regression methods of first-arrival date on monthly mean temperatures. Almost all (28 of 31) species revealed a significantly earlier migration arrival date; however, associations between arrival patterns and species traits were equivocal. Warmer temperatures were significantly associated with earlier arrival in 26 of the 31 species, but the relationship was insufficient to explain the average 11-day advance in species. For these species and in this location only the timing and location of arrival are well recorded; the...
International Journal of Biometeorology, Nov 9, 2004
The effect of climate on the phenology, acorn crop and radial increment of pedunculate oak (Querc... more The effect of climate on the phenology, acorn crop and radial increment of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) in the middle Volga region,
This is a preliminary and exploratory study of cranial variation in European populations of grayl... more This is a preliminary and exploratory study of cranial variation in European populations of grayling. We investigated the correspondence between size/shape variation of the dorsal (dc), ventral (vc) and occipital (oc) cranium and phylogenetic relationships (inferred from mitochondrial control region – mtDNA cr and microsatellite dna data) of six grayling populations: three from Balkan phylogenetic clade and two from Caspian phylogenetic clade of the European grayling Thymallus thymallus and one population of the Adriatic grayling Thymallus aeliani, which until recently was considered the Adriatic phylogenetic clade of T. thymallus. Significant size and shape differences were found between populations in all three cranial views. However, significant size-related shape variation (allometry) was found for dc and vc, but not for oc. The size variation of each cranial view does not contain phylogenetic signal, but size variation of oc is consistent with genetic variation inferred from mi...
The pronounced growth in livestock populations since the 1950s has altered the epidemiological an... more The pronounced growth in livestock populations since the 1950s has altered the epidemiological and evolutionary trajectory of their associated pathogens. For example, Marek’s disease virus (MDV), which causes lymphoid tumors in chickens, has experienced a marked increase in virulence over the past century. Today, MDV infections kill >90% of unvaccinated birds, and controlling it costs more than US$1 billion annually. By sequencing MDV genomes derived from archeological chickens, we demonstrate that it has been circulating for at least 1000 years. We functionally tested the Meq oncogene, one of 49 viral genes positively selected in modern strains, demonstrating that ancient MDV was likely incapable of driving tumor formation. Our results demonstrate the power of ancient DNA approaches to trace the molecular basis of virulence in economically relevant pathogens.
We studied the populations of four seed-eating bird species throughout the winter during a 30-yea... more We studied the populations of four seed-eating bird species throughout the winter during a 30-year study in the forests of the Tatarstan Republic, Russia. Numbers of all species fluctuated from year-to-year by several orders of magnitude but with a significant underlying trend for increased numbers associated with rising temperatures and a greater food supply. We question whether the traditional view that such birds move further south only after exhausting the food supply is too simplistic. We believe that the severity of winter, or lack of it, is highly influential on the mortality and movements of these characteristic birds of the boreal forest zone.
Transylvanian Review of Systematical and Ecological Research, Aug 1, 2022
We studied the probability of occurrence, distribution and abundance of eight small fish species ... more We studied the probability of occurrence, distribution and abundance of eight small fish species in 512 small rivers at the eastern edge of Europe in a region of high geographical and environmental heterogeneity. Stone loach, common minnow, and gudgeon were recorded in more than 50% of the study sites. Common minnow was the most abundant species, contributing 66% of all captures. Elevation, depth, and width of the river were the main environmental factors influencing the distribution of more than half of the studied fish species. Our research in the eastern edge of Europe shows that fish preferences in terms of probability of occurrence, abundance, and niche breadth for environmental factors can vary greatly, even among closely related species. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Lebensraumpräferenzen von kleinen Fischarten in Flüssen in der Ostgrenze Europas. Die Untersuchungsregion hat eine hohe geographische Heterogenität, wie auch die Umwelt. Bachschmerle, Erlitze und Gründling wurden in mehr als 50% der Untersuchungsgebieten gefunden. Außerdem hatte Erlitze die höchste Abundanz mit einem Anteil von 66% an den anderen ausgewählten Fischarten. Die Elevation, Tiefe und Breite des Flusses waren die Hauptumgebungsfaktoren, die Verteilung von mehr als Hälfte der ausgewählten Fischarten beeinflusste. Unsere Untersuchung in der Ostgrenze Europas zeigte, dass die Fischpräferenzen für Wahrscheinlichkeiten des Vorkommens, sowie der Abundanz und Nischenbreite für Umgebungsfaktoren sogar zwischen den engen verwandten Fischarten stark variieren können. REZUMAT: Preferințele de habitat ale speciilor de pești mici în râurile de la limita de est a Europei. Am studiat probabilitatea apariției, distribuției și abundenței a opt specii de pești mici în 512 râuri mici de la limita de est a Europei într-o regiune cu heterogenitate geografică și de mediu ridicată. Grindelul, boișteanul și porcușorul comun au fost înregistrați în mai mult de 50% din stațiile studiate. Boișteanul a fost cea mai abundentă specie, având o abundență de 66% din toate capturile. Altitudinea, adâncimea și lățimea râului au fost principalii factori de mediu care au influențat distribuția a mai mult de jumătate din speciile de pești studiate. Cercetările noastre de la limita de est a Europei arată că preferințele peștilor în ceea ce privește probabilitatea de apariție, abundența și lățimea de nișă pentru factorii de mediu pot varia foarte mult, chiar și în rândul speciilor strâns înrudite.
We investigated how the densities of birds in the post‐breeding and autumn phase (hereafter calle... more We investigated how the densities of birds in the post‐breeding and autumn phase (hereafter called autumn) were changing and how they were influenced by a changing climate in a study region that experienced about 5 months of snow cover each winter and summer temperatures that varied greatly from year to year. Bird densities during autumn were estimated between 1991 and 2018 using distance sampling along transects. Densities were compared to various temperature variables in preceding months and to densities in the following winter. The study region has experienced rapid temperature change in May–August, and autumn densities of six of the nine studied species increased significantly during the study period. Autumn densities of all but one bird species were significantly related to one or more of the temperatures in the preceding January–February, affecting adult survival, and in the preceding May–August, affecting nestling survival. Long‐term trends of autumn densities and densities in the first half of winter were similar for practically all bird species. The results of our study of seasonal dynamics based on eight‐month intervals in each of the 28 years of research emphasize that understanding the influence of climatic parameters on changes in the density of individual bird species requires such long‐term monitoring throughout the year. In a period of climate warming, and in spite of the severity of the winter and the variability of summer, we found that most species of birds showed a clear increase in density.
Recent studies on climate change have reported serious impacts on winter forest birds in Western ... more Recent studies on climate change have reported serious impacts on winter forest birds in Western Europe. However, in areas where climate change has caused milder winters and more stable conditions in summer, one would expect resident bird populations to increase, rather than to decrease in winter. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of climate change on the population dynamics of ten species of Passeriformes in the Tartarstan Republic, Russia. Ravkin's transect method was used to census fixed randomly selected plots spread over a large geographic area at least once every month for the past 26 years. Observers remained the same over the whole period. The abundance of nine species in the first half of the winter and four species in the second half of the winter showed significant increases during the study period. Unlike studies from countries in Western Europe, there were no significant decreases in these species. Significant changes in winter conditions, as well as during the breeding season, and an overall increase in annual temperatures are likely reasons for a significant increase in the number of birds in winter. Greater winter survival, an increase in the survival rate of fledglings and juveniles during the summer, and later onset of winter, are very important determinants of the winter population. Our findings show that numbers of birds in late winter are related to the severity of winter conditions. Our data do not support conclusions that the populations of forest bird species have decreased due to climate change.
The return of the skylark Alauda arvensis is a traditional harbinger of spring in Central and Eas... more The return of the skylark Alauda arvensis is a traditional harbinger of spring in Central and Eastern Europe. The record analysed in this study of skylark arrivals in the eastern extremity of Europe is one of the longest extant records of bird migration in the world (131 yr between 1811 and 2008). In the last 30 yr there has been a rapid increase in March temperatures (ca. 3.7°C) and an advance in the arrival date of skylarks (11 d). 2008 was the earliest year in the whole record. The response of skylark migration to temperature is shown to be non-linear and it is anticipated that advances in arrival dates will now accelerate as temperatures continue to rise.
Background: Numerous megafauna species from northern latitudes went extinct during the Pleistocen... more Background: Numerous megafauna species from northern latitudes went extinct during the Pleistocene/Holocene transition as a result of climate-induced habitat changes. However, several ungulate species managed to successfully track their habitats during this period to eventually flourish and recolonise the holarctic regions. So far, the genomic impacts of these climate fluctuations on ungulates from high latitudes have been little explored. Here, we assemble a de-novo genome for the European moose (Alces alces) and analyse it together with re-sequenced nuclear genomes and ancient and modern mitogenomes from across the moose range in Eurasia and North America. Results: We found that moose demographic history was greatly influenced by glacial cycles, with demographic responses to the Pleistocene/Holocene transition similar to other temperate ungulates. Our results further support that modern moose lineages trace their origin back to populations that inhabited distinct glacial refugia during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Finally, we found that present day moose in Europe and North America show low to moderate inbreeding levels resulting from post-glacial bottlenecks and founder effects, but no evidence for recent inbreeding resulting from human-induced population declines. Conclusions: Taken together, our results highlight the dynamic recent evolutionary history of the moose and provide an important resource for further genomic studies.
Studies on assemblages of freshwater fishes along elevational gradients of rivers are lacking, ev... more Studies on assemblages of freshwater fishes along elevational gradients of rivers are lacking, even in Europe. In this paper we have explored the entire range of elevational gradients existing in the European part of Russia. We analyzed how fish biodiversity (species richness, abundance, diversity indices) at 435 river sites differed by elevation. The impact of elevation on the distribution of freshwater fish species was analyzed using regression and ordination methods. For the first time for a large area of Eastern Europe, optimum points and niche breadth for fish species along altitude gradients were estimated. Our analyses showed: (1) species richness and Shannon index decreased in the upper part of the gradient; fish abundance showed a unimodal response to elevation; highest numbers were found at elevations between 250 and 500 m; (2) ordination analysis demonstrated an upstream-downstream gradient of the fish assemblages; (3) regression analysis showed significant preferences for elevation by 19 species, all of which were monotonic; (4) optimum and niche breadth (tolerance) were highly variable between species; only five species (brown trout, grayling, common minnow, bullhead and stone loach) were encountered at elevations above 650 m; and (5) in our region, the habitat of grayling was higher in the mountains, and its abundance (numbers) at extreme elevations was greater, than brown trout. These results show how fish assemblages differ with elevation. Our findings identify the data that can be used for regional environmental monitoring of the state of small rivers and for aquatic conservation.
ABSTRACT Aim To examine whether change in the timing of a large number of phenological events and... more ABSTRACT Aim To examine whether change in the timing of a large number of phenological events and their response to temperature differs between trophic levels during the period 1988–2008.Location In the vicinity of Kazan, Tatarstan Republic, Russia (55°45′ N, 49°08′ E).Methods Observations of the dates of first events of 22 plant phases, 8 insect phases, 3 herpetofauna phases and 26 migrant bird phases were examined using regression to assess changes over time and response to temperature. Differences between trophic levels were assessed using ANOVA.Results In comparison to studies from western Europe, relatively few phenological series (15) revealed a significant advance over time, but a much larger number (37), including all the herpetofauna and nearly all the plants, showed a response to temperature. Trends in birds were, on average, twice as great as those for plants, but plants had a significantly greater temperature response. Over the study period local temperatures had not risen significantly but some phenological change was still evident.Main conclusions Phenological change has been less marked in the eastern edge of Europe than in western and central Europe. This is compatible with a lack of significant local warming during the study period. A large number of species show strong responses to temperature so will be expected to advance if/when local temperatures do increase. In contrast to results from elsewhere in Europe, early events were not the most temperature responsive, suggesting local adaptation preventing precocious behaviour and the consequent dangers of sub-zero temperatures.
There are three main ecotypes of reindeer in Eurasia: tundra reindeer, boreal forest reindeer and... more There are three main ecotypes of reindeer in Eurasia: tundra reindeer, boreal forest reindeer and High Arctic reindeer. Of these, especially the forest reindeer has suffered due to human over hunting and habitat fragmentation. Forest reindeer was still found in the Volga-Kama region at the beginning of the 20th century, but has since disappeared from the region. In order to investigate the genetic relationships of these historical, southernly distributed forest reindeer populations, we obtained mitogenome sequences from six individuals from Pestrechinskaya II, an archaeological site located in Tatarstan and dated to around 4000 calibrated years before the present (cal BP). The sequences reported in this study represent the first published ancient reindeer mitogenomes. We observed genetic continuity between the historical reindeer from Tatarstan and present day wild populations from the taiga zone of northeastern part of European Russia. Interestingly, four out of the six studied individuals belong to mitochondrial control region haplogroup II, which today is a major haplogroup among the semi-domestic reindeer in Fennoscandia. Even though the haplotypes observed in Pestrechinskaya II site are not closely related to the major haplotypes observed among the Fennoscandian semi-domestic reindeer, the results suggest that this haplogroup may have its origin east of Fennoscandia. It is also interesting to note that the size of the reindeers from the Pestrechinskaya II site was one of the largest observed in the Holocene.
This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service... more This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Comparative body shape variation of the European grayling Thymallus thymallus
Главный редактор член-корреспондент АН РТ, доктор исторических наук А.Г. Ситдиков Заместители гла... more Главный редактор член-корреспондент АН РТ, доктор исторических наук А.Г. Ситдиков Заместители главного редактора: член-корреспондент АН РТ, доктор исторических наук Ф.Ш. Хузин доктор исторических наук Ю.А. Зеленеев Ответственный секретарь-кандидат ветеринарных наук Г.Ш. Асылгараева Редакционный совет: Б.А. Байтанаев-академик НАН РК, доктор исторических наук (Алматы, Казахстан) (председатель), Х.А. Амирханов-академик РАН, доктор исторических наук, профессор (Москва, Россия), С.Г. Бочаров-кандидат исторических наук (Севастополь, Россия), П. Георгиев-доктор наук, доцент (Шумен, Болгария), Е.П. Казаков-доктор исторических наук (Казань, Россия), Н.Н. Крадин-член-корреспондент РАН, доктор исторических наук, профессор (Владивосток, Россия), А. Тюрк-PhD (Будапешт, Венгрия), А.А. Тишкин-доктор исторических наук профессор (Барнаул, Россия), В.С. Синикакандидат исторических наук (Тирасполь, Молдова), Б.В. Базаров-академик РАН, доктор исторических наук, профессор (Улан-Удэ, Россия), Д.С. Коробов-доктор исторических наук, профессор РАН (Москва, Россия), О.В. Кузьмина-кандидат исторических наук (Самара, Россия), П. Дегри-профессор (Лёвен, Бельгия), Вэй Джан-Ph.D, профессор (Пекин, Китай). Редакционная коллегия: А.А. Выборнов-доктор исторических наук, профессор (Самара, Россия) М.Ш. Галимова-кандидат исторических наук (Казань, Россия) Р.Д. Голдина-доктор исторических наук, профессор (Ижевск, Россия) С.В. Кузьминых-кандидат исторических наук (Москва, Россия) А.Е. Леонтьев-доктор исторических наук (Москва, Россия) Т.Б. Никитина-доктор исторических наук (Йошкар-Ола, Россия) А.А. Чижевский-кандидат исторических наук (Казань, Россия) Ответственный за выпуск: М.Ш. Галимова-кандидат исторических наук
The first arrival dates of 31 species of migrant birds in the Tatarstan Republic of Russia were m... more The first arrival dates of 31 species of migrant birds in the Tatarstan Republic of Russia were monitored for the 34-year period from 1989–2022. Trends in first arrival date were evaluated using regression against the year value. Patterns in arrival data with respect to species traits (habitat, migration distance, body weight, etc.) were evaluated using redundancy analysis. Relationships between first arrival dates and Tatarstan temperatures were also evaluated using regression methods of first-arrival date on monthly mean temperatures. Almost all (28 of 31) species revealed a significantly earlier migration arrival date; however, associations between arrival patterns and species traits were equivocal. Warmer temperatures were significantly associated with earlier arrival in 26 of the 31 species, but the relationship was insufficient to explain the average 11-day advance in species. For these species and in this location only the timing and location of arrival are well recorded; the...
International Journal of Biometeorology, Nov 9, 2004
The effect of climate on the phenology, acorn crop and radial increment of pedunculate oak (Querc... more The effect of climate on the phenology, acorn crop and radial increment of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) in the middle Volga region,
This is a preliminary and exploratory study of cranial variation in European populations of grayl... more This is a preliminary and exploratory study of cranial variation in European populations of grayling. We investigated the correspondence between size/shape variation of the dorsal (dc), ventral (vc) and occipital (oc) cranium and phylogenetic relationships (inferred from mitochondrial control region – mtDNA cr and microsatellite dna data) of six grayling populations: three from Balkan phylogenetic clade and two from Caspian phylogenetic clade of the European grayling Thymallus thymallus and one population of the Adriatic grayling Thymallus aeliani, which until recently was considered the Adriatic phylogenetic clade of T. thymallus. Significant size and shape differences were found between populations in all three cranial views. However, significant size-related shape variation (allometry) was found for dc and vc, but not for oc. The size variation of each cranial view does not contain phylogenetic signal, but size variation of oc is consistent with genetic variation inferred from mi...
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Papers by Igor Askeyev