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SITE NAME
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Pura River middle reaches, Crocodile Island, Russia
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| (3919)468504(h)/(3919)468693(o) // ya.kokorev@norcom.ru // Naberezhnaya Urvantseva 23-271, Norilsk, 663300, 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: |
| Snowmelt, flood and other phenological events were delayed at 2.5-3 weeks. In summer weather was fine; extremal events were not registered.
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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: |
average
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Breeding conditions:
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Arctic Foxes occupied 15% of dens, and had on average 8 pups in a brood. Rough-legged Buzzards reached relatively high breeding density: 6 pairs at 22.2 sq.km of the control plot, and 0.8-1.0 pair per 10 km of river. Snowy Owls bred at a density of 0.5 pair per 10 km of river. Herring Gulls were common breeders both in colonies and as separate pairs. Four pairs of territorial Peregrine Falcons did not nest, and one pair's breeding attempt failed, posiibly, due to low density of waders.
Late spring caused a delay in bird reproduction at 1.5-2 weeks. In particular, wildfowl were affected, because their nesting habitats in floodplains became snowfree only by late June - early July. Accordingly broods of red-breasted Goose with small chicks could be met even in mid August. Brent Goose nested farther to the south than usial - the most southern location at 72ø34'N (30 km to the north from "Pura" biological station). Nesting density of all waders was below average, but in particular of species preferring floodplain habitats. Curlew Sandpipers were practically absent. Bird breeding was generally successful, and brood survival was good.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Lemming numbers were average in the season beginning, but then somewhat decreased, possibly, due to high predation pressure.
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Rodent species recorded:
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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