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RESPONDENT
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Mikhail Golovatin
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SITE NAME
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Voikar River middle reaches, Lower Ob' River area, Russia
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| (34992)5-69-10(off.)/5-71-85(fax) // golovatin@ipae.uran.ru // Inst. of Plant and Animal Ecology, 8 Marta St, 202, Ekaterinburg, 620144, 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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4.05
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7.06
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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| Season phenology: |
average
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Weather conditions: |
| Snow layer formation has mostly occurred during the second half of winter. Snow was loose and ice film did not developed. Snow-free pathces were absent in the beginning of May, but rapid warming from 11 May, with day-time temperatures reaching +20øC in shadow, resluted in intensive snow melt. Snow cover reduced to 50% on 18 May and completely melted on 21 May. Ice broke on the Voikar river on 18 May, and vegetation has started in plants. Birch leaves unfolded completely by 23 May which was very early date (similar to 1995). Such a rapid spring development after average in timing start was observed for the first time in 16 years. However flood was not high both on the Voikar and Ob' rivers.
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| Date of 50%
snow-cover: |
18.05
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
18.05
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
21.05
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
average
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Breeding conditions:
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Numbers of Red Foxes, Ermines, Wolverines and Minks did not differe from average. Sables very rarely appear in the region, but in 2005 a pair inhabited our study area and, probably, bred. Brown Bears were numerous which is normal for the area.
Abundance of rodents enabled nesting of Short-eared Owls in considerable numbers. Northern Harriers were common in the area.
High numbers of Willow and Black grouse were notable. The latter species was rarely recorded since 2003 when Black Grouse were also relatively abundant. Ducks of the Anas genera were numerous among waterfowl, while other duck species occurred in average numbers. Population of Bean Geese belonging to Anser fabalis fabalis subspecies continued to decrease, as well as Whooper Swan numbers. However the latter species has become more abundant in the Ob' floodplain during the recent 2-3 years.
Numbers of Wood Sandpipers, Common and Pintail snipes, Greedshanks and Common Sandpipers increased compared with 2004, reaching record high values for the observation period in 2 latter species. Nesting records of Green Sandpiper and Curlew were made. In contrats, numbers of Black-tailed Godwit and particularly Whimbrel decreased.
Yellow Wagtail, Bluethroat, Little Bunting and Brambling remained relatively uncommon among passerines. Meadow Pipits, Indian Tree Pipits, Fieldfares, Redwings and Black-throated Thrushes, Siberian Tits, Chiffchaffs considerably increased their numbers.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Rodent numbers increased compared with 2004.
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Arvicola terrestris | |
| Microtus sp. | common |
| Clethrionomys sp. | common |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
| Bird counts on the plot were carried out, along with descriptions of nests, spatial distribution and behaviour.
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