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RESPONDENT
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Vladimir Morozov
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SITE NAME
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Usa River upper reaches, the Polar Urals, Russia
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| (495)1553044 // piskulka@mtu-net.ru // Shebashevski Proezd, 7-16, Moscow, 125315, Russia
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Project name:
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Studies of the Lesser White-fronted Goose
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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18.06
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26.08
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3
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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Weather conditions: |
| Precipitation in winter was not abundant, and locally on watersheds snow was completely removed by wind. This accounted for quick and early snowmelt followed by early and rapid spring. By mid May snowcover was about 50%, but remained only in river floodplains and cloughs. Snow melted off completely by early June. Rivers broke on 20-25 May. Flood was low and riverbanks did not come under water. Lakes became ice-free by 10-15 June. All phenological events (plant vegetation, appearance and flying of insect) were 3-4 weeks earlier than normal. Summer was also warm and dry, without weather anomalies.
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| Date of 50%
snow-cover: |
15-20 May
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
20-25 May
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
1-3 June
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
low
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Breeding conditions:
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Predator numbers were very low. Red Foxes were not met, barking Arctic Fox was heard only once. Brown bears were seen twice and their tracks were encountered regularily.
Numbers of most rodent-specialized avian predators were low as well. Owls were not recorded, Rough-legged Buzzards and Northern Harriers were rare, and mostly wandering birds. Long-tailed Skuas were encountered more often, usually in groups. Absolute majority of these birds did not breed, with exception of two small localities, at one of which we found buzzard nest with almost fledged chick, two pairs of harriers near nests and one pair of Long-tailed Skuas with young. Another locality was populated with few pairs of Long-tailed Skuas, one of which had nest with a single chick.
Due to low predation and favourable weather conditions in spring and summer numbers of waders alarming near broods were high, and broods usually contained 3-4 chicks, which is indicative of successful breeding. Wood Sandpiper, Terek Sandpiper and Great Snipe were particularly abundant. Interestingly, Golden Plover and Dotterel had low densities, but nesting success was still high in the former species.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Small mammals' populations remained in depression during the whole period from spring to autumn. Lemmings were not recorded, few Narrow-skulled Voles and shrews were only found in August at some small in area localities.
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Rodent species recorded:
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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