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RESPONDENT
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Dmitri Karelin
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SITE NAME
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Lavrentia settlement, Chukotski Peninsula, Russia
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| (095)495-15-55 (home); (095)939-22-54 (off.) // dkarelin@pochta.ru;dkarelin@cepl.rssi.ru // Dmitrovskoe Shosse, apt.61, block 1, build. 99, Moscow, 127247, Russia
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Project name:
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Stationary studies of carbon and water cycles and energy flows in seaside tundra of the Chuckotsky Peninsula
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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Jun
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Oct
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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Weather conditions: |
| The spring was slightly late, on the basis of daily mean air temperatures rising above 0øC around 5 June. However, then temperatures rose quickly to the mean value of about +8øC, which was sustained through the season towards late summer. Snow cover disappeared late due to the large amount of snow accumulated in winter and cool May weather. Snow melt was quick in first days of June. Daily mean temperatures dropped below 0øC from 2 October. The first freezing temperatures were recorded on 29 September, i.e. later than usual. Snow blanketed the ground briefly on 9 and 13 September, for a longer time on 1-6 September, and finally for the winter in mid October. Mean air temperatures in June (+6.7øC), July (+7.8), August (+7.0) and September (+4.0) were above the mean long-term values and as a result the sum of the yearly positive temperatures was the highest ever recorded since 1931 at the nearest weather station in Uelen village. This was followed by the deepest seasonal thawing of the permafrost in the four years of observations. Soil wetting in summer in general was close to normal. However, the last third of June and July were rather dry. In summer, there were no frosts, snowfalls, long lasting rains, hurricanes or other similar events. In general, observations from June to October indicated that weather conditions were favourable for breeding by most birds.
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
high
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Breeding conditions:
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Red Fox was recorded once during the summer, but the absence of Arctic and Red foxes in the vicinity of the settlement was probably due to the presence of dogs. In summer and autumn, semi-wild dogs can be seen as far as 6 km from the settlement. Locals reported that in distant areas numbers of foxes remained at their former level. Only after snow covered the ground did Arctic Foxes appear closer to the settlement and some of them were hunted. Brown bear was twice recorded near the settlement in August, being attracted by remains of hunted whales. Apart from waterfowl hunting, the disturbance of nesting birds by local people was limited because active collecting of berries and mushrooms starts after most young birds are fledged or have moved away to waterbodies.
Predatory birds, such as Long-tailed Skuas, Ravens, Glaucous and Herring gulls concentrated in the area up to 4 km around the settlement, being attracted by waste and the remains of sea products (fishing and hunting). Ravens are typically common near the settlement, but in 2003, their nest location was known. Long-tailed Skuas were less common, but Peregrine Falcon was recorded more often. Pomarine Skua was not recorded at all. Snowy Owls were at higher density than in any other year of the last four years; two young owls were present around the field station in September.
No counts of Charadriiform and Passerine birds were conducted. However, the staff of the ethnic park "Biringia" reported that these birds were as common as usual. Sandhill Crane was numerous and bred successfully, judging by records of young birds accompanied by adults in August. Post-breeding migration of Sandhill Cranes and waterfowl took place on their usual dates, lasting until early October for cranes. In September, Dunlin and Western Sandpiper were common on migration, Pectoral Sandpipers were less common, and Long-billed Dowitchers rare. The general impression was that waders were less numerous on migration than in previous years. Usually numerous Pintails were also recorded less commonly. There were only solitary observations of Brent Geese.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Lemming numbers in 2003 were as high as in 2000. We saw lemmings daily in August and September. Fresh diggings in some places covered 5-10% of the tundra area.
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Rodent species recorded:
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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