Biological series

Volume 106, Part 2

2001

CONTENTS

Alexandr Leonidovich Yanshin 3

Kmsnov Yu. V., Nikolaeva N. G. Anomalous migration of Harp Seal in the White sea 7

Nechaev V.A. Birds - consumers and distributors of fruits and seeds of trees in Primorye 14

Kalyakin V.N. Paleoecological interpretation of fauna of fossil birds from the Upper Paleolithic site Avdeevo (Kursk Region) 22

Koptsik G.N., Bagdasarova T.V., Gorlenko O.V. Relationships between floristic diversity and soil properties in south taiga ecosystems 31

Scientific communications

Berzan A. P. Peculiarities of Brown Bear marking activity at southern Kurile Islands during rut period 39

Poltarukha O.P. On geographical distribution of Chthamalus moro Pilsbry 1916 {Crustacea, Cirripedia, Chthamalidae) 41

Schanzer l.A. The present state of taxonomy of the East European roses (Rosa L.) 43

Rechetnikova N.M., Kirichok E.I. New and rare species of vascular plants from the national park "Smolenskoye Poozerye" 49

Maslennikov A. V., Maslennikova L.A. Oxytropis hippolyti Boriss. - a new record for the flora of the Privolzhskaja elevation 56

Floristic notes 59

ANOMALOUS MIGRATION OF HARP SEAL IN THE WHITE SEA

Yu.V. Krasnov, N.G. Nikolaeva

No summary

BIRDS - CONSUMERS AND DISTRIBUTES OF FRUIT AND SEEDS OF TREES IN PRIMORYE

V.A. Nechaev

Summary

Bird foods were studied in different wood formations of Primorye, southern Russian Far East. Lists of bird species that consume and distribute fruits and seeds of trees are based on original data and literature sources. It was found that 75 species of birds, mostly from orders Galliformes, Picifonnes and Passeriformes, are consumers of fruits and seeds of over 100 species of trees. The main distributes of fruits and seeds are 34 bird species, which do not damage seeds eating juicy fruits and as result these seeds save germination (endoomithohoria). Six species actively store fruits and seeds (synzoohoria). The rest of birds species wich consumers fruits and seeds are their passive distributors (ectoomithohoria).

PALEOECOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION OF FAUNA OF FOSSIL BIRDS FROM THE UPPER PALEOLITHIC SITE AVDEEVO (KURSK REGION)

V.N. Katyakin

Summary

The late Paleolit stand Avdeevo is located in 40 km from Kursk, SW European Russia. There are 9 radiocarbon dates of osseous coal from the stand between 17200+ 1800 and 22700 +700 years ago. Analysis of bird bones and their fragments (n = 204) allowed to identify the following species: Cygnus olor, C. cygnus, Cygnus sp., Tadoma tadoma, T. ferruginea, Clangula hyemalis, Buteo rufmus, Aquila rapax, Accipitridae sp. (young), Lagopus lagopus, Lyrurus tetrix, Grus sp. (young), Larus argentatus, L. hyperboreus and Corvus corax. Earlier identification of similar material from the same site (n > 20, M.V. Voinstvenskii) additionally included fossil bones of Anser anser. Anas acuta and A. querquedula. In many cases anatomic sequence of bones was not destroyed: it is possible feathers of these birds had been used for arrows. Large tubular bones of Cygnus had been supposedly used as needle-cases. Presence of young birds indicates that mostly breeding birds were taken by people that time.

"Avdeevo fauna" is especially interested by combination of two groups of birds species: the "southern group" includes C. olor, T. tadoma, T. ferruginea, B. ruflnus and A. rapax and the "northern group" consists C. hyemalis and L. hyperboreus. Taking into account biological, ecological and distribution characteristics of bird species of "Avdeevo fauna" as well as some other data we came to following conclusions.

"Cryogenic stepe" with mosaic of forests and lakes was the landscape predominateing on uplands of contemporary Kursk Region during the last Paleolit. However, situation with landscapes was more complex judging from the species composition of "Avdeevo fauna". It included combination of arboreal and shrub vegetation, various water bodies (lakes, river, estuaries), meadows, reeds and marshes of flood-plains of rivers and streams. It was not a "periglacial steppe" or "tundra-steppe"; the latter combination of words is semantic nonsense. Presence of "northern" species is an indication of more southerly position of coasts of arctic seas. Climate was more continental and possibly similar to that northern Mongolia currently. Summer is that period lasted for at least 4,5 months. Mammoth hunters used the site during the whole year.

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FLORISTIC DIVERSITY AND SOIL PROPERTIES IN SOUTH TAIGA ECOSYSTEMS

G.N. Koptsik, T.V, Bagdasarova, O.V. Gorlenfw Summary

The close relationships between species diversity and soil properties were obtained for natural ecosystems of south taiga, Moscow region, Zvcnigorod protected area. In acid forest soils, acidity, exchangeable base cations, base saturation and buffer capacity were the critical properties that both determined the floristic diversity and depended on it. The young tree and shrub species number significantly correlated with forest floor properties while the herb and dwarf shrub species number depended on upper mineral horizon properties.

PECULIARITIES OF BROWN BEAR MARKING ACTIVITY AT SOUTHERN KURILE ISLANDS DURING RUT PERIOD

A.P. Berwn

Summary

Marking activity of Brown Beitr was studied in 1990 at northern part of Kunashir Island. Rut of Brown Bears occurs there during June. Marking activity in this period is increased. In the beginning of the rut animals renew permanent damage marks, footprint marking complexes and revisit search trails. Further on functioning of the system of permanent marks is supported mostly by adding smell marks.

ON GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF CHTHAMALUS MORO PILSBRY 1916 (CRUSTACEA, CIRRIPEDIA, CHTHALIDAE)

O.P. Poltarukha

Summary

Based on the study of barnacles in collections of the Zoological Museum, Moscow State University, in became possible to learn about geographical dictribution of Chthamalus moro Pilsbry 1916. Specimens are available from the littoral zone of northern Australia, Madagascar, Yava, Khainan and Taiwan islands. A closely related species C. malayensis Pilsbry 1916 encountered. often together with C. moro in collection from the littoral zone of Vietnam, was not found in samples from the above listed areas. Morphology of C. moro specimens from all mentioned areas including Vietnam is identical.

THE PRESENT STATE OF TAXONOMY OF THE EAST EUROPEAN ROSES (ROSA L.)

L.A. Schanzer

Summary

Critical overview of the taxonomic literature on the East European species of Rosa leads to the conclusion that this genus is still extremely inadequately studied as to species composition and relations. Quite a number of species, infra-, and superspecific taxa described so far did not make the taxonomy and nomenclature of the group any more clear. They moreover made any firm determination of most of the species perfectly impossible. Data available on chromosome numbers, interspecific crossings, and compatibility of West European species point to the necessity of such studies of East European species as well. The latter remain completely unstudied in these respects so far. On the other hand, sparse data on infrapopulational variability of Rosa suggest such studies to be important to understanding of many disputable questions of the Rosa taxonomy.

NEW AND RARE SPECIES OF VASCULAR PLANTS FROM THE NATIONAL PARK "SMOLENSKOYE POOZERYE"

N.M. Reshetnikova, E.I. Kirichok

Summary

National park "Smolenskoye Poozerye" is situated at the north-west part of the Smolenskaya province. We studied the territory in 1996-1998 (Kirichok) and in Yuly-August 1999 (Reshetnikova). Twenty-one new for Smolenskay provance native plant species were found province. Eight species of ruderal and adventive plants were noted in the first time the twenty-nine spicies that are rare in the Smolenskaya province are also noted. Seventeen species were thought to be rare in the district, but they were widely spread on the territory of the National Park.

OXYTROPIS HIPPOLYTI BORISS. - NEW RECORD FOR THE FLORA OF THE PRIVOLZHSKAJA ELEVATION

A.V. Maslennikov, L.A. Maslennikova

Summary

The finding of the rare endemic species Oxytropis hippolyfi, being new for the Privolzhskaja elevation, which grows on the chalk, are reported in the article. The principal ecological and florogenetical features of this calciphylous species are considered.