Russian Journal of Biological Invasions

2008, issue № 2

CONTENTS

Biological features and competitive relations of alien and native species of the Genus Geum L. - Vinogradova Yu.K. - The comparative analysis of the alien Geum macrophyllum and native G. urbanum biological attributes was made and competitiveness of these species was estimated at experimental cultivation of compared samples from the seeds in homogeneous conditions of nursery (Main Botanical Gardens, Moscow). The new diagnostic attribute – number of leaves on flowering runaway has been revealed: G. urbanum has 5–7 leaves whereas G. macrophyllum forms 3–4 leaves. Both G. urbanum and G. macrophyllum at an interspecific competition (in comparison with an intraspecific competition) form longer flowering runaways and lesser number of leaves in the radical socket, lesser number of flowering runaways and fruit. Alien G. macrophyllum is less competitive, than native G. urbanum: at an interspecific competition the potential seed efficiency of G. macrophyllum is 3–4 times lower since the lesser plant number enters in the flowering period of development.

General concept of development of a problem-oriented internet portal on alien species invasion on the Russian Federation territory - Dgebuadze Yu.Yu., Petrosyan V.G., Bessonov S.A., Dergunova N.N., Izhevskiy S.S., Maslyakov V.Yu., Morozova O.V., Tsarevskaya N.G. - A general concept of creation of a problem-oriented WEB-portal on alien species invasion in the Russian Federation is presented (http://www.sevin.ru/invasive/). The portal includes information model of taxa presentation, which in its metadata structure is in accord with the structure of metadata of continental, regional and different national centers of collective use, located in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Functional tasks, organizational and functional structure of the WEB-portal and conceptual model of integrated database (DB) are considered for various taxa by the example of quarantine species of plants and insects. It is shown that generalized structure of DB of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the RAS (SIEE RAS) portal and the portals of international centers of collective use on various groups of organisms (pisces, mammals, birds, insects, plants etc.) can be presented in three blocks: taxonomical, geographical and bibliographical ones. A verbal description of the functional possibilities of the SIEE RAS WEB-portal is given.

Study of ballst waters of commercial ships in the sea ports of Russia - Zvyagintsev A.Yu., Selifonova J.P. - The first research of the ballast waters of commercial vessels in Novorossiysk and Vladivostok ports are submitted. The data on structure of flora and fauna, their abundance, viability, and origin of species are received. In zooplankton of the ballast waters from Novorossiysk port, it was identified 31 species of holoplankton, 15 species of meroplankton. The average density of zooplankton varied from 1.3 up to 60·10³ ind/m³. It has been established, that a vector of the greatest risk is the Mediterranean basin, from which 62% of water ballast enters. In the port of Vladivostok in ballast waters of vessels of the Russian-Japanese and Russian-Chinese lines 45 species of microalgae, 24 species of a zooplankton, 22 species of a meroplankton, 10 taxa of meiofauna were revealed, 24 species microscopic filamentous fungi were identified, in the culture of two tests it was outlined 28 morphology distinguished strains of bacteria. The basic «groups of risk» of bioinvasions in the investigated ports were revealed. The need of the control of the ships' ballast water in Russia, development of methodology, methods and laws for prevention of carrying of pathogenic and potentially dangerous organisms by a water transport is confirmed.

New invasions of alien insects into European part of Russia - Izhevskiy S.S., Maslyakov V.Yu. - According to our data, during the period from the end of the XIX century till 1990, every 22 months (at an average) a newly established alien phytophagous insect was registered on the territory of the former USSR. Quick development of international and intercontinental trading-economic relations stimulated invasions. From 1991 and up to the present period, a new species was registered every 18 months (at an average) and during the eight years of the new century every 12 months. The article gives annotation list of 13 alien phytophagous insects most lately established in the different stations on the European territory of Russia. Each of these can be considered as pests. Two main invasion inflows are outlined, western and eastern ones. The data can be used for invasion forecasts and as a recommendation to renovate the existing List of quarantine objects.

Known and possible invasions of marine mollusks of the families Teredinidae and Pholadidae (Bivalvia) in the waters of Russia and adjacent countries - Iljin I.N. - In this review article the data about invasions of marine borer mollusks of the families Teredinidae and Pholadidae in the waters of Russia and adjacent countries have been analyzed for the first time. The characteristic features of water areas, in which invasions of these animals occurred or can occur, are considered; the environmental factors, limiting such invasions, are considered. Among functionally important factors there are: abiotic ones – the temperature and water salinity, ice conditions, biotic one – the presence in the water ready for settling larvae, anthropogenic one – the presence of suitable for them substrate. In the water areas considered substantial changes of the ranges of borer mollusks (up to the sea level) are possible or even predetermined. This requires permanent monitoring of their species composition and environmental indices.

Species composition, distribution and biological condition of non-indigenous fishes in the estuary of the Razdolnaya river (Peter the Great bay, the Sea of Japan/East Sea) - Kolpakov N.V., Barabanschikov E.I., Chepurnoy A.Yu. - Eleven non-indigenous fish species were registered in the estuary of the Razdolnaya River based on beach seine (297 hauls) and gill set nets (1000 catches) surveys. Besides, 2 alien species were mentioned by fisher's data. Non-indigenous species establish into the river mainly as a result of aquaculture activity. Main waterbody-donor is Khanka Lake (a basin of the Amur River). A. nobilis, H. molitrix and C. idella form not numerous pseudopopulations in the Razdolnaya River. Evidence of self-sustaining populations was found for such non-native species as A. rivularis, Acanthorhodeus spp., H. leucisculus, Sarcocheilichthys spp., Ch. argus and C. alburnus. Most of these species are early matured (at the age of 1–3 years) and take high care of posterity. Moreover, success of its naturalization was depended on high quantity of spawning substrates and food resources (detritus, benthos) in the high-productive basin of the Razdolnaya River. Proportion of non-native species in the fish community during the summer and fall was equal to 7.2–30.0% (by wet weight).

Invasion of modern Polycystina (Euradiolaria) into the Arctic Ocean. Paleoecological aspects - Kruglikova S.B., Bjorklund K.R. - We have established that not earlier than 9–10 thsnd years ago the main part of modern fauna of polycystines (Polycystina, Radiolaria) migrated (and enters now) from the Norway Sea into the Central Arctic basin and marginal seas of Eurasian sector of the Arctic Ocean. Into the seas of Amerasian sector polycystines penetrate with subsurface waters of the Atlantic Ocean and, at lesser extent, with Pacific surface waters through the Bering Strait. In species composition among polycystines the representatives of the order Nassellaria predominate. It has been proved that the Arctic Ocean is the water area not only for sterile settling of Polycystina. Different (compared to the Norway Sea and North Pacific) structure of their communities with a high degree of dominance of some species and taxa of the higher rank confirms indigenous nature of Polycystina fauna. The given by us data evidence about rapid evolution of Polycystina community in the stress conditions of the Arctic, high endemic nature of the arctic fauna, and intensive processes of modern speciation of the genus Actinomma.

Biological invasions on Russian territory: mammals - Khlyap L.A., Bobrov V.V., Warshavskiy A.A. - The paper describes alien mammalian species, penetrated and settled in the new for them Russian regions. There are 62 such species. Their taxonomic diversity, the ways and remoteness of invasion, latitude of penetration zone and role in ecosystems are evaluated. The invasions of alien mammals into terrestrial ecosystems of Russia are being observed everywhere: on the territories, where the influence of a man on nature is maximal (built-up areas and agricultural lands), as well as on the territories, which are intended for maintaining of the ecosystems in their intact state (biosphere reserves).