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RESPONDENT
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Dorothee Ehrich
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SITE NAME
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Dikson settlement, Taimyr, Russia
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
| ++ 47 22 85 45 86/++ 47 22 85 46 05 // Dorothee.Ehrich@ib.uit.no //
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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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10.07
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26.08
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2
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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| Season phenology: |
average
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Weather conditions: |
| Not much snow was still present on arrival at 10 July, but the sea was still frozen, and melted late.
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| Season temperature: |
average
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
10.07
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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 common, and their pups were seen several times. As typical for a year of high lemming densities there were many birds (waders, geese and raptors), and many of them breeding. It was a clear contrast to 1998, when lemmings were scarce. Between Dikson village and Wilhelm Barents field station at the Medusa Bay we counted 6 owl pairs and two Rough-legged Buzzard pairs while driving along the tracks (18 - 20 km). Eastward from Dikson many Brent Geese were breeding. Behind the magnetic study station "Kolba" one or two pairs were seen in every small valley with small stream we crossed. On the island Severok (between Dikson Island and Dikson mainland) there was a colony of several 100s Arctic Terns.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| Both lemming species (Siberian and Collared) were abundant in their respective habitats. We collected samples from Siberian Lemmings for genetic analysis, thus not setting any standard trap lines. Some indications: on 15 July, on the island Dikson we trapped 15 Siberian Lemmings in 40 snap traps set for about 24 hours. Later we captured lemmings with a dog. On 20 August on the small Island Vern (73ø27' N 80ø11' E) the dog captured 19 rodents in 2 - 3 hours, on 10 August close to Brazhnikova (73ø04' N 80ø44'E) 25 lemmings in less than 2 hours were captured on an area of about 300 x 500 m (relatively wet slope with grasses and willow shrubs).
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Rodent species recorded:
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| Latin | Abundance |
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| Lemmus sibiricus | abundant |
| Dicrostonyx torquatus | abundant |
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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