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RESPONDENT
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Stanislav Mochalov
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SITE NAME
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Bolshaya Chukochiya River mouth, Yakutia, Russia
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| 238-64 // // Molodezhnaya 11-7, pos.Cherski-1, Nizhnekolymski ulus, Sakha-Yakutia, 678830, 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: |
| The spring was cold and late. Tundra became almost snowfree only by 10 June, although snowfalls occurred even in the end of June. Ice-break on the river was on 26 June, on lakes - in mid July. Summer was also cold, with frequent snowfalls in August.
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
26 June
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
10 June
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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 were numerous, often met, and bred; in autumn juvenile animals could be often recorded. In the area within 4 km from the hut nested 7 pairs of Snowy Owls, 4 pairs of Buzzards, and a pair of Short-eared Owls. High density of Snowy Owls was first recorded after 1986. Tens of Pomorine Skuas and hundreds of Herring Gulls were feeding on lemmings, Pomarine Skuas, however, started to pair only the end of June. Spring arrival of waders was prolonged; first records of Temmink's Stints were made on 30 May, of Bar-tailed Godwits, both phalaropes and Sanderling - on 3 June, of Ruffs, Pectoral and Curlew Sandpipers, and Dunlins - on 4 June, of Grey Plovers, Common Snipes, and Long-billed Dowitchers - on 6 June, of Spotted Redshanks - on 9 June, of Little Stints - on 15 June. All species, except for phalaropes and Temmink's Stints had low numbers. Breeding waders were, probably, not apparently affected by predators due to high lemming numbers, however, juveniles birds were rarely met in August, because of the likely influence of unfavourable weather.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Lemmings (mostly Collared) exhibited density peak, and could be recorded more than 100 times a day.
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Rodent species recorded:
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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