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RESPONDENT
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Vladimir Morozov
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SITE NAME
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East of Bolshezemelskaya tundra and 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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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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| Season phenology: |
average
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Weather conditions: |
Typical winter weather prevailed in May, and air temperatures dropped to -18øC at day time on 9.05. Snow layer was thick and completely covered ground. The first warming with rain occurred on 15.05. Snow cover reduced to 40-50% by the end of May, and creeks started flowing. Early June and spring in general were typical in respect to weather conditions: cold days with freezing temperatures at night and snowfalls at day alternated with warm sunny days with positive day-time temperatures. Flood occurred on 28-30.05 on the plain rivers, and it was high as floodplain were completely covered with water. Average flood was recorded in the mountains.
Summer was warm, sunny and very dry. Many rivers, including the large ones like Usa and Vorkuta, became shallow, while many bogs completely dried out and became less favourable for feeding of waders. A single night frost when temperature dropped to -4øC was recorded on 2.07 for the whole period of summer weather from 12.06-5.08. Another weather event of potential importance for birds was recorded on 20.07 when pelting rain continued non-stop for 13 hours. Early August was cool with periodic drizzles and night frosts on soil, but the second ten-day period of the month was dry, sunny and warm.
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| Date of 50%
snow-cover: |
late May
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
28-30.05
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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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Arctic Foxes, Red Foxes and Ermines were not recorded, but tracks of Wolves and Brown Bears were seen in the mountains.
Rough-legged Buzzards bred everywhere to the north of the forest tundra boundary, although distribution of birds was uneven, from localaly high to low in the south, in the northern-most parts of the shrub tundra subzone and in mountains. Most clutches were of 4-5 eggs. Chicks were fed primarily by rodents, reporductive success was high and most pairs raised to fledging from 3-4 young. Northern Harrier nested at a average to high density, and prevailing clutch size of 5 eggs indicated sufficient supply of food. Reproductive success was also high in this species. Long-tailed Skuas bred everywhere across plain tundra, reached particularly high density in bogs adjacent to forest tundra, but was very rare in mountain tundra. Short-eared Owls bred in considerable numbers, and their clutches contained from 5-9 eggs.
Wader occurred in typical numbers and in typical habitats for southern tundra. Reproductive success of most species was high due to favourable weather conditions in summer and low predation pressure. However, broods were recorded in low numbers and were not recorded at all in the second half of summer in Common Snipe and Jacksnipe, respectively. It is possible that summer draught resulted in low abundance and low availability of food for these hydrophilic species, causing reduction of chick survival.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Collared Lemmings and Narrow-skulled Voles occurred in high numbers, as they were regularly seen in tundra and signs of their recent activities could be seen everywhere. Siberian Lemmings were visually recorded on few occasions, which indicated their low to average numbers.
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Lemmus sibiricus | rare |
| Dicrostonyx torquatus | abundant |
| Microtus gregalis | abundant |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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