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RESPONDENT
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Pavel Tomkovich
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SITE NAME
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Anadyr Estuary southern coast, Russia
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| (495)6294474/(495)629-48-25(fax, for P. Tomkovich) // pst@zmmu.msu.ru // Zoological Museum, Bolshaya Nikitskaya St., 6, Moscow, 125009, Russia
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Project name:
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International Arctic expedition of the Institute of ecology and evolution
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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26.05
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2.08
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3
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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Weather conditions: |
| Spring was early on behalf of low snow accumulation in winter. Snow basically melted by the end of May on planes, where ice on upper reaches of rivers started to break in the end of the first week of June, and on lower reaches - on 12 June. Summer was warm and dry, causing some marshes and shallow water bodies to dry.
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
12 June
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
10 June
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
average
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Breeding conditions:
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| Arctic and Red foxes, Stoats, Wolves and Brown Bears had all relatively low numbers, but foxes certainly bred. Breeding was confirmed for Long-tailed and Arctic skuas, Glaucous and Herring gulls (number of the latter species is steadily growing in long term according to interview data). Rough-legged Buzzards, falcons and Short-eared Owls nested in small numbers in the hilly vicinity of Anadyr city. According to observations in the area of the Vtoraya River (64ø22'N, 177ø25'E) in June clutch predation was rare and mainly from avain predators. Colony of Brent Geese on Kosa Strela island at the south of the bay had no birds most likely due to regular visits of bears to the island. Nesting of gulls in the Vtoraya River area was successful, while Herring Gull nests near the mouth of the Nikitikha River (64ø11'N, 178ø02'E) were empty in early July to unknown reason. Generally, bird reproduction was successful as indicated by everywhere found nests, broods, fledgelings of cranes, geese, ducks, waders, and uncommon in the area passerines.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Siberian and Collared lemmings and voles had patchy distribution in the whole study area, judging by records of live and dead animals and winter nests. Numbers were between low and average, as they were rarely met on excursions by observers, but regularily found by dog. Lemmings were common locally, and rare in other places: on 15 July 13 winter nests were counted on a 5 km transect on the northern spit of Tymna Lagoon. At the same place 7 rodents, including one Siberian Lemming, 5 adult Collared Lemmings and one Root Vole, were transported by Red Fox and then dropped. Voles predominated near Anadyr city 64ø44'N, 177ø31'E), at the mouth of the Vtoraya River - Siberian Lemmings, near mouth of the Nikitikha River - Collared Lemmings.
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Lemmus sibiricus | common |
| Dicrostonyx torquatus | common |
| Microtus oeconomus | rare |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
| Density estimates were carried out for geese, Sandhill Crane, skuas and some waders. Special attention was paid to Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Dunlin and Grey Plover. Publications are planned on these three species.
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