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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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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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Weather conditions: |
Maximum air temperatures consistently rose above freezing on 10 March, which indicated the start of spring. In the previous year, 2006, spring started on 2 April, and the long-term average of this event is 12 April. The last air frost was recorded on 23 May, and the last ground frost on 26 May. Summer started on 27 June when daily mean air temperatures consistently rose above +10°C, compared with 12 June in 2006 and the long-term average of 13 June. Autumn started on 26 August when daily mean air temperatures consistently dropped below +10°C, compared with 5 September in 2006 and the long-term average of 31 August. The first ground frost occurred on 2 September and air frost on 14 September. Winter started on 8 November when daily mean air temperatures consistently dropped below freezing, compared with 19 October 2006 and the long-term average of 25 October. The first snow blanketed the ground in the forest on 10 October and was permanently established on 2 November (the long-term average for the latter event 26 October).
Mean monthly air temperature was +0.1°Ñ in April, which was 2.4°C above the long-term average. Mean monthly air temperatures were 0.8°C above the long-term average in May, 0.9°C below average in June, 0.5°C below average in July, 2.1°C above average in August, 0.5°C above average in September, 4.5°C above average in October, 1.7°C above average in November and 7.7°C above average in December. Mean annual air temperature was 2.0°C above the long-term average.
Precipitation was 109% of the monthly average in April and May, 200% in June, 223% in July, 97% in August, 151% in September, 75% in October, 104% in November and 143% in December. The total precipitation was 135% of the annual average.
Snow disappeared from 50% of the flat open surface in the forest on 22 May (average 20 May), and completely melted on 29 May (average 30 May). Snow completely melted in the tundra on 5 June, compared with the average date 2 June. Ice-break occurred on 19 May on the largest rivers (average 15 May). Ice-break on large lakes was 3 days later, and their freezing in autumn 7 days later than the average. The winter was warm.
The period from 10-30 June was cool, and precipitation occurred on all days with the exception of 15 and 23 June. The total amount of precipitation was over 300% of the average in the period from 10-20 June, 118% and 65% of this amount was recorded on 17 and 20 June, respectively. Mean air temperature for the period from 10-20 June was +8.1°C, which was 2.5°C below the long-term average.
Weather data were obtained from the website http://www.rp5.ru.
Similarly to 2006 the water table was high in rivers and lakes both in June and July. Abundant precipitation and relatively low air temperatures in June and July did not favour successful reproduction by birds.
Food supply for herbivorous birds was determined by the yield of important plants: crowberry ranked 4-5 on a scale of 5, alder, Bog bilberry, Bilberry, and Bunchberry 4, pine, European Rowan, Bird Cherry, Clusterberry, Alpine Bearberry, Cloudberry, Bearberry, and Cranberry 3, spruce, and birch 2.
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| Date of 50%
snow-cover: |
22.05
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
19.05
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
29.05
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
high
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Breeding conditions:
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Among birds of prey and owls nests or signs of breeding were recorded in Osprey, Golden Eagle, Rough-legged Buzzard, Kestrel, Gyrfalcon, Merlin, Tengmalm's Owl and Eurasian Pygmy Owl. Despite the high abundance of rodents in 2005-2007, Rough-legged Buzzards and owls were very rarely recorded both in 2006 and 2007. Red Foxes, Martens and Ermines were numerous, Brown Bears, Wolves, Wolverines, European Minks and River Otters common.
The density of Tetraonid birds determined during transect counts in August continued to decrease and reached the lowest value recorded during 1998-2007, 43 birds/10 km2. Apparently, both weather conditions and predation pressure contributed to the decline. The abundance of waterfowl (divers and ducks) per unit length of lake and river shoreline continued to increase from 2005. Waders nested in usual numbers in the forest and tundra. Great Spotted Woodpeckers, crossbills, Common Redpolls and European Siskins nested, but breeding success of all small birds was relatively low, probably, due to cold rainy weather in June and July.
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Rodent dynamics:
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Autumn counts of small rodents at the "Elnyun" field station at the south of Chunatundra Upland indicated a rapid increase in the numbers of Grey-sided Voles. Their abundance increased almost 5-fold compared with the previous year. Given that 92% of captured animals were juveniles, the population could potentially grow further. Noteworthy are registrations of rare species, the European Water Shrew and Wood Lemming. Wood Lemmings were recorded in the southern parts of the Laplandsky Reserve, at a relative density of 22.5 animals/10 days of catches with cylinders, and they were also registered near Kandalaksha (N.S. Boiko, pers. com.). We observed a decrease in numbers of Bank Voles at the station, and a pronounced decrease in numbers of shrews. Species richness was high at the station, with 54.7% of the fauna of Micromammalia recorded. Norwegian Lemmings were found in the Pechengsky District, north of Murmansk Region, at a relative density of 23.3 animals/10 days of catches with cylinders.
If conditions are favourable during the winter the numbers of Grey-sided Voles can remain high until mid summer 2008, but their abundance should decrease by autumn 2008. Numbers of shrews and Bank Voles are expected to increase gradually, while the abundance of Northern Red-backed Voles will, probably, remain at the same level. Wood Lemmings will be recorded, and Norwegian Lemmings can appear in the reserve.
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Clethrionomys rufocannus | abundant |
| Myopus schisticolor | |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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