Russian Journal of Biological Invasions

2017, issue № 3

CONTENTS

Invasive sap beetles Epuraea ocularis and Stelidota geminata (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae) from the Russian pontic region- Bibin  A.R. -This article considers two invasive species of sap beetles, Epuraea ocularis Fairmaire, 1849, and Stelidota geminata (Say, 1825) mentioned previously in the Caucasus. Epuraea ocularis is indicated for the fauna of Russia for the first time.

The finding of Laonome calida Capa, 2007 (Annelida: Sabellidae) in the Southeast sea of Azov - Boltachova  N.A.,  Lisitskaya  E.V.,  Frolenko  L.N.,  Kovalev  E.A.,  Barabashin  T.O. - A new for the Azov Sea species belonging to the family of Sabellidae – Laonome calida Capa, 2007 – was found in southeast Sea of Azov. It was recorded in September 2015 in the area of Temryuk Bay at two stations on the silty sand at the depth of 5–7 m and water salinity of 12.1 ‰. Abundance of this species reached 440 ind.•m-2. This species was recently found at many locations in the waters of the delta region of the rivers in the Netherlands. Presumably the same species penetrated into the Baltic Sea. L. calida could be transferred into the Azov Sea basin with the vessels proceeding from the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea through the Volga-Baltic and Volga-Don Canal.

Vascular plant alien species on the meadows of the republic of Karelia - Znamenskiy   S.R. - The results of analyses of meadow partial flora and vegetation concerning invasive species in the Republic of Karelia are presented. Totally ten of 390 vascular plant species occurring currently on Karelian grasslands are listed as ‘invasive’ by different authors. However, most of those species are presented just by single specimens in single geographical locations. Two species only (Festuca elatior and Thlaspi caerulescens) demonstrate the ability to integrate into meadow communities but do not transform them significantly.

Harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis Pall. (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) in Armenia- Kalashian  M.Yu.,  Ghrejyan  T.L.,  Karagyan  G.H. - The data on the first registration of harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis in Armenia are presented. Penetration of the species from Georgia due to self-dependent expansion or unintentional delivery is presumed.

The first finding of the bivalve Arcuatula senhousia (Benson, 1842) in the Russian part of the Black and Azov seas basin - Kovalev  E.A.,  Zhivoglyadova  L.A.,  Revkov  N.K.,  Frolenko  L.N.,  Afanasyev  D.F. -The first detection of the mytilid species Arcuatula senhousia (Benson, 1842) has been described, which is new for the Russian areas of the Azov and Black Seas. Two living specimens of the species were found in the benthic samples taken at a depth of 2 m in the central part of the Kerch Straight near the Tuzla Island. This is the second finding of A. senhousia in the Azov-Black Sea basin. Few specimens of the species had been observed for the first time in the western Black Sea near Romanian shores in 2002, though no data on the species development in the Black Sea were obtained afterwards.

Alien species of vascular plants of the Rybinsk reservoir (Upper Volga, Russia) -Maltseva  S.Yu.,  Bobrov  A.A. - The analysis of long-term observations of flora composition of the Rybinsk reservoir (Upper Volga, Russia) demonstrates that in its waters 5 alien species of vascular plants, Acorus calamus L., Bidens frondosa L. Elodea canadensis Michx., Phragmites altissimus (Benth.) Nabille, and Zizania latifolia (Griseb.) Stapf., occur. For each species the history of occurrence, features of distribution, habitat conditions in the reservoir and some other aspects are discussed. All records are concentrated for the present mainly near settlements or in places of direct introduction. Bidens frondosa and Elodea canadensis originated from North America need special attention, as the most aggressive potentially invasive plants.

The spatial distribution of sosnowski's hogweed (Heracleum sosnowskyi) in the valleys of big and medium rivers of the East-european plain (on materials of field studies 2008-2016) - Ozerova  N.A.,  Shirokova  V.A.,  Krivosheina  M.G.,  Petrosyan  V.G. -The results of analysis on Sosnovsky’s hogweed (Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden.) invasion using long-term monitoring data in the valleys of 14 large and medium rivers of the East European Plain, held in 2008–2016 by the Complex expedition for the study of historical waterways, were presented. The schematic map of the distribution of H. sosnowskyi in the valleys of big and medium rivers with georegistration and landscape description of each point of detection was created. General characteristics of spatial distribution were formulated, the vectors of invasion (anthropochoria, hydrochoria) were identified and the most important factors determining the penetration of H. sosnowskyi into river valleys were identified. The data of H. sosnowskyi confinement to certain structural elements of the landscape of river valleys with definite geomorphological and soil characteristics were presented. It was shown that phytocenotic association of invasive species in natural and anthropogenic communities was associated with towpaths and basic banks in valleys of large and medium rivers. It was established that the banks of rivers formed by rocks with a high content of solid detrital material were most favorable for H. sosnowskyi invasion, and raw floodplains and abrasion sandy banks were unfavorable. The results obtained expand significantly the understanding of the invasive habitat and the confinement of plants to the floodplain sites and can be used in forecasting, preventing the spread of H. sosnowskyi and for development the measures to control the hogweed.

New finds of alien lepidoptera species in Dagestan - Poltavsky  A.N.,  Ilyina  E.V. -In 2016 in Dagestan the new species of the pyralids, which expand their range at the Northern Caucasus, are found: Glyphodes perspectalis (Walker, 1859) and Palpita vitrealis (Rossi, 1794). Also the new reports of species collected for the first time in 2015 are made: Glyphodes pyloalis Walker, 1859 and Hellula undalis (Fabricius, 1794).

Distribution, competitive ability and seed production of Bidens frondosa L. in the Middle Ural (Russia) - Ronzhina  D.A. -The distribution, plant size and biomass allocation, leaf traits and seed production of the invasive in the Middle Urals plant Bidens frondosa L. were studied. This species was found in the riverside disturbed habitats at the site with a length of about 100 km (from Aramil’ to Kamensk-Uralsky) in the upper stream of the Iset’ River. Comparative analysis showed that B. frondosa plant height was 35% greater than that of native species of genus Bidens. Dry mass of the B. frondosa plant exceeded biomass of B. tripartita and B. radiata in 1.5 and 4.9 times, respectively. Large size and biomass prove more competitive ability of B. frondosa compared with native species of genus Bidens. At the same leaf thickness in three species studied, lesser leaf density (LD) of B. frondosa caused lower (1.2 times) leaf mass per area (LMA) compared to B. tripartita and B. radiata. These structural features of B. frondosa leaves contributed to an optimization of gas exchange processes inside leaf and allowed to develop greater assimilation surface area per unit plant weight (LAR), which should provide high growth rate of the species. Analysis of seed production has shown that the number of capitulum per plant increases, but the number of achenes per capitulum and plant decreases in the row B. radiata – B. tripartita – B. frondosa. B. frondosa achene mass was more than that of B. tripartita and B. radiata in 1.6 times and 2.3 times, respectively. On the whole, a frequent occurrence of B. frondosa within a long section (about 100 km) in the upper stream of the Iset’ River, as well as the values of production parameters (size and weight of plants, mass and number of seeds) indicate a successful naturalization of this species in the Middle Urals.

Analysis of genetic structure in population of alien mollusk Stenomphalia ravergiensis (Mollusca,Gastropoda, Pulmonata) in Belgorod- Snegin  E.A.,  Adamova  V.V. -The genetic structure of populations of alien mollusk Stenomphalia ravergiensis, living in urbanized landscape in Belgorod, is studied on the basis of data obtained by allozyme gel electrophoresis. A high level of genetic variability and low levels of inbreeding coefficient and poor genetic subdivision of the studied group of snails are revealed in the most of the colonies. It is suggested that the distribution of the invasive colonies corresponds to the island model. Calculation of the effective population size and its comparing with the ones of native and invasive snail species showed a high level of viability of the studied populations in the study area.

New data on the distribution of invader leech Archaeobdella esmonti (Clitellata: Hirudinida) in the Kuibyshev reservoir - Tokinova  R.P. -In carrying out of hydrobiological research in 2016 in the Volga and Volga-Kama stretches of the Kuibyshev reservoir, a leech-invader Archaeobdella esmonti (Clitellata: Hirudinida) was discovered. The data indicate the continuing process of settling by the invader leech the Kuibyshev reservoir and the colonization of new habitats on a considerable area of the upper part of the reservoir. The article describes the occurrence and quantitative abundance of A. esmonti in the studied water area.

New data on consortive associations of Heracleum sosnowskyi with anthophilous insects - Ustinova  E.N.,  Savina  K.A.,  Lysenkov  S.N. -Interactions of anthophilous insects with Sosnowsky hogweed were analyzed. Sixty-five species visiting inflorescences of Heracleum sosnowskyi were revealed. Comparison of insects collected from Sosnowsky hogweed in different areas of Moscow region, as well as indicated in previous studies showed a rather low reproducibility of the species composition of insects visiting the inflorescences of this plant. Due to this fact we propose to pay more attention in such studies to quantitative rather than qualitative visitation data. A greater diversity of insects in the inflorescences of hogweed in comparison with simultaneous observations on the other umbelliferous plant – Seseli libanotis was noted. The role of various groups of anthophilous insects in the pollination is evaluated by analyzing behavior patterns, location and number of conspecific pollen on the body of insect-visitors.

Study of effectiveness of UV irradiation of single-cellular organisms transported with ballast waters of ships - Fokanov  V.P.,  Gavrilova  O.V.,  Shallar  A.V. -To prevent the introduction of alien organisms into local ecosystems with ships’ ballast water, the technology of decontamination sea water from unicellular organisms with the help of ultraviolet radiation (UV) was investigated. Experiments were carried out on the effects of irradiation of low-pressure (LP) and medium pressure (MP) mercury arc lamps on green unicellular algae: the halophytic alga Dunaliella terricola, the euryhaline alga Asteromonas gracilis and the salt tolerant bacterium Nocardia sp. Doses of UV irradiation have been determined for a tenfold decrease in the number of mobile algal cells and colonies of the forming units of the bacterium. By the example of the phytoplankton studied, differences in the character of lesions with irradiation of LP and MP were found for the first time. It was established that in MP irradiation, in contrast to LP, besides cross-linking of DNA bases, other effects are involved in the inactivation of microorganisms.

Distribution of rotifer Kellicottia bostoniensis (Rousselet, 1908) (Rotifera: Brachionidae) in reservoirs and streams of Nizhni Novgorod region - Shurganova  G.V.,  Gavrilko  D.E.,  Il’in  M.Iu.,  Kudrin  I.А.,  Makeev  I.S.,  Zolotareva  Т.V.,  Zhikharev  V.S.,  Golubeva  D.O.,  Gorkov  A.S. -In connection with the findings of the invasive North American rotifer Kellicottia bostoniensis (Rousselet, 1908) in the ponds and streams of Russia it is urgent to summarize information about its locations and environmental needs in certain regions. Rotifer K. bostoniensis lives in 32 waterbodies (19 streams, 13 reservoirs) of Nizhni Novgorod region from 55° N to 56° N and from 42° E up to 43° E. Authors found K. bostoniensis in the majority of waterbodies for the first time. Species-invader spreads widely in lakes and rivers with different morphometry, flow rate, clarity and chromaticity, pH, conductivity, trophic status, and level of human impact. K. bostoniensis lives in a wide range of water pollution: from II to VI quality class ("clean - extremely dirty" water). The highest frequency of occurrence and the greatest values of the rotifer density are observed mainly in July, in ponds of eutrophic streams with slow current, high content of nutrients and macrophytes. In a number of observed waterbodies the invader and native species Kellicottia longispina (Kellicott, 1879) are living together. In a number of small streams of Nizhni Novgorod only K. bostoniensis was met. Wide spreading of the K. bostoniensis in the Nizhni Novgorod region and its ability of living in different complex of natural factors and level of human impact on waterbodies indicates, perhaps, a high ecological plasticity of the species and ability to further expansion.