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SITE NAME
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Laplandsky State Reserve, Kola Peninsula, Russia
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| 81536-58018/81536-58018(f) // Alex@lapland.ru // Laplandsky State Reserve, Zeleuny per., 8, Monchegorsk, 184506, Russia
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Project name:
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Archives of nature
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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1.01
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31.12
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1
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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Weather conditions: |
| Yearly average air temperature was 1.6øC above long-term average, and pricipitaion was 108% of average. Mean monthly temperatures exceeded average in all months with the exception of January and June (5.6øC and 2.4øC below average, respectively). We found bodies of Siberian Jay, Siberian and Great tits which perished from cold in late January, while perishing of broods in several nests of Great Tit and Pied Flycatcher was recorded in June. Little snow was accumulated during the winter, and the snow layer was approximately 65-70% of long-term average on 3 March. Rapid snow-melt started on 12-14 May when air temperatures were reaching +14øC at day time. Snow melted completely from level areas on 20 May which is approximately 15 days earlier than usual. The water level was low in lakes in spring, and streams were shallow during summer. Air temperatures were 2.4øC above long-term average in May, 2.4øC below average in June, 3.1øC above average in July and 0.5øC above average in August. Precipitaion was 192% of average in May, 36% of average in June, 72% of average in July and 110% of average in August. Snow had settled from 19 October, although it melted on 30-35% of land area during following periods of warmer weather. The last period of warm weather before the winter was observed on 12 November when temperature reached +1øC and rain occurred. Generally, the weather did not affect reproductive success of birds.
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| Date of 50%
snow-cover: |
9.05
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
26.05-2.06
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
20.05
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
high
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Breeding conditions:
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Rough-legged Buzzards arrived on 1 March which is considerably earlier than long-term average (28 April, n=51 year), which was probably caused by early snow melt on slopes in warm February and March (mean monthly temperatures were 7.3øC and 5.1øC above average, respectively). Snow Buntings also arrived earlier than average (on 15 February vs. 1 April (n=67)). Rough-legged Buzzard, Northern Goshawk, Gyrfalcon, Kestrel, Osprey, White-tailed Sea Eagle and Golden Eagle nested, the latter two species successfully. Nesting was not recorded in Merlin and Short-eared Owl. Numbers of Arctic Hare, Red Fox, Common Marten, Ermine and Least Weasel were high.
Waders bred in usual numbers, including European Golden Plover, Dotterel and Whimbrel in the mountains. Abundance of waterfowl per length unit of lake and river shoreline was average, but slightly higher than in 2002. Grouse density determined in course of the August counts was 205 birds/10 km2 which is the highest value during 1999-2003, and fraction of Hazel Grouse in the total numbers became higher.
Yield of berries was good, but yield of spruce and pine seeds was very low, which probably led to relatively high predation of Red Squirrels on bird clutches (31%, n=36).
Anthropogenic load is very low in the reserve.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Abundance of Cletrionomiys sp. voles increased by a factor of two in 2003 compared with the previous year, and reached 36 animals per 100 trap-nights in Grey-sided Vole. Abundance of Wood Lemmings increased by a factor of three, reaching 19 animals per 100 ditch-nights by the autumn.
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Clethrionomys rufocannus | common |
| Myopus schisticolor | abundant |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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