Biological series Volume 108, Part 4 2003

CONTENTS

Chelintsev N. G. The method of extrapolation and correction of distance omission for polar bear aerial line transect count ... 3

Kalyakin V.N., Turubanova S.A. On dynamics of mammoth fauna degradation in the north Eurasia ... 10

Orlov A.M., Biryukov LA. New data on spawning of sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria (Scorpaeniformes, Anoplopomatidae) in the Pacific waters off Kuril islands and Kamchatka 20

Gusakov A.A. New species of the lamellicorn beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Lucanidae, Scarabaeidae) from the Palaearctic Region ... 26

Nikitsky N. B. On some Coieoptera of the Moscow district ... 31

Cherednichenko O.V. Dominant removal experiment in alpine Geranium-Hedysarum meadows in the Teberda Reserve, the Northwest Caucasus ... 37

Scherbina S.S. Ecological and topological structure of plant cover in the west part of the Middle Sibirian Plateau ... 45

Batchaeva O.M., Zakharov A.A., Onipchenko V.G. Are there any relationships between plant distribution and soil depth within alpine communities: evidence from the Northwest Caucasus ... 53

Bezdelev A.B. A variety of the life forms of Gypsophila pacifica Kom. (Caryophyllaceae) in connection to environments ... 58

Scientific communications

Kazantsev S.V., Nikitsky N.B. Unexpected discovery of a representative of the genus Macrocerus Motschulsky, 1845 (Coieoptera, Cantharidae) in Moscow Region ... 62

Skvortsov V.E., Grigoryeva O.V., Alexeev Yu.E. On the Carex macroura Meinsh. (Cyperaceae) in the Middle-Russian Height ... 63

Devyatov A.G., Korolkova E.O., Polevova S.V. Change of morpfo-anatomical structure of fruits and seeds in tribe Paronychieae (Caryophyllaceae) in relation with transition to single-seed fruits ... 67

Gubanov LA., Bagdasarova T.V., Balandina T.P. Collection of type specimens of vascular plants in Moscow State University Herbarium (MW) ... 71

Doweld A.B. Ursifolium — a new genus name in Fabaceae ... 77

Critique and bibliography

Kalinichenko LM. Flora of the Middle Russia in loest five years publications ... 79

Martynenko KB., Mirkin B.M. Interesing work about vegetation of the Katun reserve. Review on the book: LA. Artiomov, A.J. Korolyuk, N.V. Scdelnikova et al. «Flora and vegetation of the Katun reserve (Mountain Altay)» ... 81

THE METHOD OF EXTRAPOLATION AND CORRECTION OF DISTANCE OMISSION FOR POLAR BEAR AERIAL LINE TRANSECT COUNT

N.G. Chelintsev

The method of estimation of polar bear abundance in the most part of the Russian Arctic spring 1988 using aerial line transect data is described. For an extrapolation it's applied «adaptive division» of the total count area to 18 adaptive sectors with 2 sample probes in each sector. This approach provides a minimal systematical error of the extrapolated bear number and gives the possibility to became the adequate estimate of the statistical error. The correction of the so-called «distance omission» of the polar bears on the far parts of the observed strip using the perpendicular distances of detected bears is conducted. The results of the calculation of the polar bear number and corresponding statistical error and confidence limits for east and west parts of the count area and for total count area are given.

NEW DATA ON SPAWNING OF SABLEFISH ANOPLOPOMA FIMBRIA (SCORPAENIFORMES, ANOPLOPOMATIDAE) IN THE PACIFIC WATERS OFF KURIL ISLANDS AND KAMCHATKA

AM. Orlov, LA. Biryukov

Population status of sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria (Anoplopomatidac), inhabiting the Asian coasts, is still uncertain. Direct observations of its spawning off the northern Kuril Islands and southeastern Kamchatka were absent till present.

In this paper the captures of prespawning and spawning individuals of sablefish in the Pacific waters off Kuril Islands and Kamchatka are documented that prove the spawning of the species on the southwestern edge of the area, which is traditionally considered as eviction zone of sablefish. However, study of survival of sablefish fry in the area considered requires conducting of specialized ichthyoplancton surveys. Elucidation of population status of sablefish, inhabiting study area, requires respective genetic investigation.

NEW SPECIES OF THE LAMELLICORN BEETLES (COLEOPTERA: SCARABAEOIDEA: LUCANIDAE, SCARABAEIDAE) FROM THE PALAEARCTIC REGION

A.A. Gusakov

Four new species of the palaearctic lamellicorn beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) are described. Platycerus perplexus Gusakov, sp. nov. (Lucanidac), which are described from Azerbaijan (Talysh), north-eastern Georgia (Lagodekhi) and Russia (north-western Daghestan), is very similar to P. primigenius E. Weise, but differs by penis structure. Platycerus vicinus Gusakov, sp. nov. from Georgia and northern areas of Armenia is very similar to P. primigenius and P. perplexus, but differs from the latter by penis structure. Aegialia (Psammoporus) matalini Gusakov, sp. nov. (Scara-baeidae, Aegialiinae) from Russia (central Altai) differs from all closely related species by shape of pronotum, hind angles of which without incesureg, and structure of metasternum, posterior border of which with two strongly prominent tubercules. Panotrogus pallidulus Gusakov, sp. nov. (Scara-baeidae, Melolonthinac) from southern Tajikistan (Tigrovaya Balka Nature Reserve) differs from very similar species P. myschenkom (Ball.) by more palle, yellow coloration, relatively narrower and longer setae of the lateral sides of pronotum and paramera structure.

ON SOME COLEOPTERA OF THE MOSCOW DISTRICT

N.B. Nikitsky

This article is the fourth addition to the annotation lists of xylophilc and mycetophile (mostly inhabiting tree fungi) and also Scarabaeidae beetles of the Moscow Region. Though in several case beetles from some other ecological groups are included, remarkable either for their geographical distribution or their trophic relations. 22 species are for the first time recorded from the Moscow Region. These are marked with a sing*.

DOMINANT REMOVAL EXPERIMENT IN ALPINE GERANIUM-HEDYSARUM MEADOWS IN THE TEBERDA RESERVE, THE NORTHWEST CAUCASUS

O. V. Cherednichenko

Plant responses to the removal of two main dominants were studied in a Geranium-Hedy-sarum meadow in the Teberda Reserve (the Northwestern Caucasus, Russia). The experiment has been running for 6 years. The main dominants had different influences on the community structure. Hedysarum caucasicum possessed a particular ecological niche, which provide him lower level of interspecies competition. Removal of this dominant had a least influence on other species. On the contrary, removal of Geranium gymnocaulon had shown a significant effect on several species, which increased their number of shoots. During the drought in summer of 1998, shoot number of some species (Agrostis vinealis, Festuca brunnescens etc.) decreased after dominant removals less then on the control plots.

ECOLOGICAL AND TOPOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF PLANT COVER IN THE WEST PART OF THE MIDDLE SIBERIAN PLATEAU

S.S. Scherbina

Spatial structure as studies in The Central-Siberian State Biosphere Reserve, the Middle Siberia. Seven species groups were recognized after detail analysis of species distribution along relief forms. Species groups corresponded to seven vegetation complexes which have floristic and ecologic differentiations. Indicator species (2-52) may be used for distinguishing the complexes in the field. Three complexes were observed on moist habitats under cutrophic, mezotrophic and oligo-trophic conditions; three complexes — on habitats with active geomorphologic processes (alluvial, deluvial, eluvial), and one complex — on dry habitats.

ARE THERE ANY RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PLANT DISTRIBUTION AND SOIL DEPTH WITHIN ALPINE COMMUNITIES: EVIDENCE FROM THE NORTHWEST CAUCASUS

O.M. Batchaeva, A.A. Zakharov, V.G. Onipchenko

Soil depths under different plant species were measured by metallic pin in four alpine communities in the Teberda Reserve, the Northwest Caucasus. One way ANOVA showed significant influence of plant species on soil depth in all studied communities. Two or 3 groups of species were distinguished in cachv community according to soil depth preferences.

A VARIETY OF THE LIFE FORMS OF GYPSOPHILA PACIFICA KOM. (CARYOPHYLLACEAE) IN CONNECTION TO ENVIRONMENTS

A.B. Bezdelev

This article includes the new data on biomorphological variability of Gypsophila pacifica Kom. in Primorye, Russian Far East. The variability of the life forms of this species was related to the different environment. Three life forms were reveled, one of them has been noted for the first time.

UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY OF A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GENUS MACROCERUS MOTSCHULSKY, 1845 (COLEOPTERA, CANTHARIDAE) IN MOSCOW REGION

S. V. Kazantsev, KB. Nikitsky

Macrocerus nigrinus (Schaufuss, 1866), a representative of the genus of soldier-beetles previously known from Central Europe, Transcarpathians and Eastern Mediterranean (including the Caucasus), is for the first time reported from Russia (Moscow Region). Malchinus Kiesenwetter, 1863 is synonymized with Macrocerus Motschulsky, 1845, and Malchinus circassicus Reitter, 1889 — with Macrocerus oculatus Motschulsky, 1845.

CHANGE OF MORPHO-ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE OF FRUITS AND SEEDS IN TRIBE PARONYCHIEAE (CARYOPHYLLACEAE) IN RELATION WITH TRANSITION TO ONE-SEED FRUITS

A.G. Devyatov, E.O. Korolkova, S.V. Polevova

Morphological and anatomical characters of one-seeded fruits and seeds of 13 species of Paronychieae (Caryophyllaceae) were investigated. The tendentions of their evolution were determined. Just as spermoderm and pericarp lose the protective function, perianth increases it. Spermoderm and pericarp increase humidity regulation function of seed in one-seeded fruit. Spermoderm in the species with one-seeded fruits has less expressed ultrasculpture.