BULLETIN OF MOSCOW SOCIETY OF NATURALISTS

Biological series

Volume 106, Part 3

2001

CONTENTS

Chelintsev N. G. Mathematical survey of animal censuses: classification, state, problems 3

Kochnev A.A. The behavior of orphaned cubs and attitude to non-own posterity among wild polar bears (Ursus maritimus Phipps) 13

Ryndevich S.K. Review of genus Sphaeridium Fabricius, 1775 (Coleoptera: HydrophUidae) of fauna of Belarus and adjacent regions 22

Zhmylev P. Yu. Pollination and sex forms in rockfoils in connection with genus Saxifraga L. evolution (Saxifragaceae) 30

Lubeznova N. V. Germination dynamics of Anthoxanthum odoralum L. seed collected in the alpine zone of the Northwest Caucasus and treated in laboratory 39

Maslov A.A. Dynamics of Scots pine stand in oligotrophic forested bog near Zvenigorod (Moscow region): the outbreak of Tomicus piniperda and its'causes 45

Scientific communications

Rosenfeld S.B., Volkov S. V. Food ecology of the Red-brested Goose it Western Taimyr 52

Kramina T.E., Sokoloff D.D. Kebirita, a new genus of Leguminosae-Loteae from NW Africa 58

Losses of science

To the memory of Nicolay Nicolaevich Vorontsov 64

To the memory of Andrey Pavlovich Khokhrjakov 66

Critique and bibliography

Balandin S.A., Sokoloff D.D. Second Russian botanical CD-ROM 70

Majorov S.R., Sokoloff'D.D. Review on the book: V.E. Skvortsov "Illustrated manual of vascular plants of taiga zone of European Russia. Regional lists of rare and endangered species" 71

Shcherbakov A. V. Review on the book: L.I. Lisitsyna, V.G. Papchenkov "Vascular flora of waterbodies of Russia" 73

Kalinichenko I.M. Commentary to "Change N 1 GOST 7.1-84. Bibliographic description for document. General requirements and rules" 74

Mirkin B.M., Abramova L.M., Yunusbaev U.B. Review on the book: "Managing high-nature-conservation-value farmland: policies, processes and practices" 75

NEW PLANT TAXA AND COMBINATIONS PUBLISHED IN PART 3

Kebirita Kramina et D.D. Sokoloff, gen. nov. 61

Kebirita roudairei (Bonnet) Kramina et D.D. Sokoloff, comb. nova 61

MATHEMATICAL SURVEY OF ANIMAL CENSUSES: CLASSIFICATION, STATE, PROBLEMS

N. G. Chelintsev

Five steps for the devising of population abundance estimating methods are described. Four types of the animal abundance index (direct or indirect, number or density of the animal population) are defined. It's proposed the classification of the mathematical aspects of the animal census methods using different abundance indexes and six types of "indirectness" for the indirect indexes. The state and the general problems of the mathematical providing for the different animal census methods that widely used in Russia are considered.

THE BEHAVIOR OF ORPHANED CUBS AND ATTITUDE TO NON-OWN POSTERITY AMONG WILD POLAR BEARS (URSUS MARITIMUS PHIPPS)

A.A. Kochnev

Two incidents when females had lose their cubs of the year during study of social behavior of polar bears in autumnal concentrations on Wrangel Island (Chukchi Sea) in 1989-1995 were noted. There were unusual relationships between orphaned cub and family group in one of inci- dents had been observed. Author interprets these relationships as adoption of the non-own cub by female. The detailed description of these relationships, as well as the behavior of the orphaned cubs and corresponding reactions of other bears is submitted for the further discussion- The phenomenon of non-own posterity wardship among solitary mammals such as polar bear was fixed for the first time at the nature. The analysis of the reactions of the nursing females upon the orphaned cubs behavior and vocalization allows to suppose a frequent recurrence of this pheno- menon. Influence of family groups disintegration upon natural mortality of polar bears, as well as adaptive significance of the non-own posterity wardship as particular display of altruism among polar bears for survival and social organization of species are discussed.

REVIEW OF GENUS SPHAERIDIUM FABRICIUS, 1775 (COLEOPTERA: HYDROPHILJDAE) OF FAUNA OF BELARUS AND ADJACENT REGIONS

S. K. Ryndevich

Summary

The morphological descriptions, key, data on ecology and distribution of genus Sphaeridium Fabricius, 1775 and 5 species (S. bipustulatum Fabricius, S. scarabaeoides (Linnaeus), S. lunatum Fabricius, S. marginatum Fabricius and S. substriatum Faldennan) of fauna of Belarus and adjacent regions are given. Figures of males genitalia and other characters of species are given.

POLLINATION AND SEX FORMS IN ROCKFOILS IN CONNECTION WITH GENUS SAXIFRAGA L. EVOLUTION (SAXIFRAGACEAE)

P.Yu. Zhmylev

Summary

Up-to-date data on pollination in rockfoils and variety of sex forms in Saxifraga genus are discussed. The latter comprises mostly self-compatible and non-specialized (as far as pollination mechanisms are concerned) plants with bisexual flowers. Majority of them. apparently, has mixed reproductive systems. Depending on concrete factors, populations of such plants are characterized by the predominance of outbreeding or inbreeding (self-pollination, dihogamy, male or female sterility).

GERMINATION DYNAMICS OF ANTHOXANTHUM ODORATUM L. SEEDS COLLECTED IN THE ALPINE ZONE OF THE NORTHWEST CAUCASUS AND TREATED LABORATORY

N.V. Lubeznova

Summary

Seeds were collected in the Alpine zone of the Northwest Caucasus. We studied germination mature and unripe seeds. The seeds were grown in dishes of Petri at room temperature also stratified. After the collecting, autumn sprouted less more than 50% seeds. The stratification augmented a germination slightly. After several months of dry storage sprouted 80-90% seeds. Germination unripe seeds was lower, .but also is rather great. In a crop of 1992 60% seeds were injured. Seeds are capable to save germination within 8 years. So me seeds sprouted only on 2-4 seasons.

DYNAMICS OF SCOTS PINE STAND IN OLIGOTROPHIC FORESTED BOG NEAR ZVENIGOROD (MOSCOW REGION): THE OUTBREAK OF TOMICUS PINIPERDA AND ITS' CAUSES

A.A. Maslov

Summary

Tree stand dynamics was studied during 20 years (1979-1999) in oligotrophic pine bog, near Zvenigorod, Moscow region. Mass decline of Scots pine was caused by 11-years outbreak of pine shoot beetle (Tomicus piniperda). The number of trees during the outbreak decreased three times from 1500 to 490 per ha. All three waves of shoot beetle high density coincided with the series of dry years in combination with extremely warm May. It is shown that a real underlying cause of Scots pine decline was a gradual sinking of pines root collar as a result of peat mosses growth. The difference in root collar depth in died and surviving pines was shown to be statistically significant.

FOOD ECOLOGY OF THE RED-BRESTED GOOSE IT WESTERN TAIMYR

S. B. Roynfeld, S. V. Volkov

Summary

According to studies at the Pura and Pyasina revers in 1996 the diet of the Red-brested Goose (Rufibrenta ruficollis) consist of three groups of fodder plants that differ by use of them. These got names basic (Poaceae, Cyperaceae), replacing (Polygonaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Fabaceae) and additional (Salicaceae, Equisetaceae) foods- Plant species that form the basic group play rather stable role in the geese diet during a summer season (Poaceae - 27-40%, Cyperaceae - 12-19%), consumption of species of the replacing group is much more variable and depends to a larger extent on their availability in feeding sites (12-50%).

Seasonal change of vegetation definitely influences food composition by geese. The food choice is positively correlated with changes in vegetation composition and thus with resource availability. The studied parameters of quality of fodder plants do not influence plant importance for adult birds.

Width of food niche depends on availability of food: when food choice is limited the width of the niche extends. Importance of plants with gentle fibers is larger for goslings than for adult birds. Polygonaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Fabaceae (60,4%) and Poaceae (12,1%) form the main diet of goslings of 4-10 days old. Plant diversity in the diet of young birds is lower then of adults, this is explained by lack of experience of young birds and by inaccessibility of some plants for goslings because of mechanical properties.