|
|
RESPONDENT
|
|
Vladimir Pozdnyakov
|
|
|
SITE NAME
|
|
Lena River delta, Yakutia, Russia
|
|
| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| (411-2)33-68-15/(411-2)42-13-72(fax) // vpozd@mail.ru // Kulakovskogo St., 12-59, Yakutsk-7, 677077, Russia
|
|
PROJECT DETAILS |
|
|
|
Start of survey:
|
End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
|
7.06
|
30.08
|
2
|
|
WEATHER
CONDITIONS
|
|
|
|
Weather conditions: |
| Spring was early and warm. Snowfall in the beginning of the second week of June led to formation of snowcover that retained from 9-11 June. Lena River broke on 30 May near "Stolb" polar station which is 8-10 days earlier than usual, and flood was lower than average. Summer was slightly cooler than average.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
30 May
|
|
| Date of final loss of
snow: |
|
|
BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
|
| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
high
|
|
|
Breeding conditions:
|
| Arctic Foxes were numerous and bred. For the first time since the previous lemming peak in 1996 breeding Snowy Owls had high numbers. On some islands owl nests were only 1.5-2 km apart. Rough-legged Buzzards were abundant breeders, and Pomorine Skuas nested everywhere in the delta. Pressure of predators on birds was low due to high lemming numbers. Favourable weather conditions in prenesting period allowed many bird species to have higher nest densities than in 1999. Thus, Steller's Eider was breeding for the second season in a row and in much higher numbers. The only known exception was Brent Goose: monitored colonies became smaller, and nesting was not very successful.
|
|
|
Rodent dynamics:
|
| Lemming numbers were at a peak, with Siberian Lemming being numerous and Collared Lemming - common.
|
|
Rodent species recorded:
|
| Latin | Abundance |
|---|
| Lemmus sibiricus | abundant |
| Dicrostonyx torquatus | common |
|
|
|
Summary
of fauna studies: |
| Bird counts were carried out on channels of Lena delta from motor boat.
|
|