Russian Journal of Biological Invasions

2019, issue № 1

CONTENTS

Distribution, spawning and the possibility of fishery of introdused pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbusha Walbaum) in the rivers of the Murmansk region - Alekseev  M.Yu.,  Tkachenko  A.V.,  Zubchenko  A.V.,  Shkatelov  A.P.,  Nikolaev  A.M.  -This paper describes the research undertaken to study migration patterns of pink salmon, its distribution along the spawning grounds, spawning success and the potential impact on reproduction of the native species Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) in the largest salmon rivers of the White Sea Basin on the Kola Peninsula, the Ponoy River, the Varzuga River and the Umba River. The studies have shown that pink salmon was not evenly distributed in the rivers with different water environment. When choosing spawning grounds, pink salmon prefers shallow riffles with a moderate current and a fine-fraction bottom composition. Checking the spawning redds indicated a poor spawning success of pink salmon. There are no convincing proofs of the influence of the invader on the ecosystems of rivers to date. For the efficient use of the resource, unrestricted removal of pink salmon by all types of fishing has been proposed, including total catch using fish-counting obstacles (RUZ) in the Umba and Varzuga rivers during the entire spawning run.

Invasions of diatoms algae into the Kama and Votkinsk reservoirs- Belyaeva  P.G. -Based on analysis of published data and our original research of phytoplankton, the paper presents distribution of 8 alien diatoms in Kama and Votkinsk reservoirs. It is noted that only Actinocyclus normanii (Greg.) Hust. reached considerable development. The diameter of the valve of A. normanii ranged from 16.5 to 48.5 μm, and the size of the valves of this species decreased from the north to the south. The dynamics of the abundance and biomass of this species in long-term period (2004–2017) is considered, its distribution over the water area of reservoirs is studied. A change in the size of A. normanii was observed, depending on the mineralization and water temperature. It is shown that there is no correlation between the quantitative development of this species in the reservoirs of the Middle Kama with the changes in temperature and water content of a year, content of biogenic elements, water mineralization, proportion of cyanoprokaryota and the total number of phytoplankton.

Corythucha ciliata (Say, 1932) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Tingidae) – new alien species of true bugs in Uzbekistan fauna - Grebennikov  K.A.,  Mukhanov  S.Yu -Corythucha ciliata (Say, 1932) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Tingidae) – a new to the fauna of Uzbekistan alien North American species of lace bugs was found in April 2017 on the sycamore trees in the botanical garden in Tashkent. A survey of plantings showed the presence of adults of the bugs in a low number on almost all of 20 observed trees. Presumably, in the surveyed area the species has successfully naturalized and forms a stable population.

The invasion of Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. into landscapes of the southeast of Belarus- Gusev  A.P.-The invasion of ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) into the landscapes of the southeast of Belarus is considered. Locations of A. artemisiifolia populations are mainly confined to the verges of highways and other car roads (82.4%). The formation of communities with the dominance of A. artemisiifolia has been recording on the southern outskirts of the city of Gomel since 2013. Two types of communities are identified: Ambrosia artemisiifolia – Artemisia vulgaris [Chenopodietea/Artemisietea] and Ambrosia artemisiifolia – Polygonum arenarium [Polygono arenastri-Poetea annuae]. Phytocoenoses with A. artemisiifolia occur in a relatively wide range of ecotopes with acid-base conditions and with nitrogen supply, but in a narrow range of humidity and light.

Invasive species of fish parasites in the Volga River basin: a review of data on the species number and distribution- Zhokhov A.E.,  Pugacheva  M.N.,  Molodozhnikova  N.M.,  Berechikidze  I.A. -The results of original research and literature data on the number of invasive species of fish parasites recorded in the Volga River basin are generalized. At present 42 invasive species of fish parasites are recorded in the Volga River basin. The problems of species status determination (native or non-native) are discussed using specific examples. Alien parasite fauna of fish in the Volga River basin is dominated by species of the Amur complex by origin (33 species). The Ponto-Caspian complex is represented by 8 species. The ways of introduction of alien species of parasites and possibilities of their naturalization in the Volga are considered.

Expansion of harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis Pall. (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) in Armenia - Kalashian  M.Yu.,  Ghrejyan  T.L.,  Karagyan  G.H.-Data on further expansion of the range of the harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis in Armenia are presented. The species was first registered in 2016 in the outmost NW part of Armenia. Recently, in 2018, the species was found in several localities of Central Armenia and in Sevan Lake basin. Besides, the mass outbreak of Harmonia in the outmost NE of Armenia was registered. Different ways of invasion and expansion are supposed: to the Central part of Armenia it could be carried due to unintentional introduction along the main roads of Armenia together with fruit and vegetable production, and into the NE of Armenia – due to self-spreading from the SE of Georgia

Findings of invasive species Acanthoscelides pallidipennis (Motsculsky, 1874) on Amorpha fruticosa L. (Primorsky Krai) - Kolyada  N.A.,  Kolyada  A.S.-In the Primorsky Krai, the North American invasive species Acanthoscelides pallidipennis was registered on the introduced species Amorpha fruticosa. Of the 26 studied settlements, where A. fruticosa was used in gardening, 19 were found to be affected by the seed beetle A. pallidipennis. Earlier this species of insects was not detected in the Primorsky Krai. The occurrence of the seed beetle is limited to the area in the south-west of Primorsky Krai. This area is located relatively close to the state border with China, which indicates a possible pathway of invasion of the beetle.

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Thladiantha dubia (Cucurbitaceae) in Republic of Bashkortostan – a dangerous weed with high invasive potential - Kuluev  B.R.,  Shvets  D.Yu.,  Golovanov  Ya.M.,  Probatova  N.S. - Thladiantha dubia Bunge is a perennial herbaceous climbing liana from the family of Cucurbitaceae, which in natural conditions occurs in the Russian Far East (mainly in the south of Primorsky Krai), and beyond its limits - in Northeast China and on Korean Peninsula. T. dubia is cultivated for decorative purposes, but, due to the ability to rapidly reproduce by underground tubers, it often turns into a dangerous weed. T. dubia is common in the territory of Russia, as well as in Japan, in Europe, the USA and Canada as an adventive species. We discovered and studied the invasive population of T. dubia in several villages of the Republic of Bashkortostan, 60 kilometers north of the Ufa city. In this area, the T. dubia is known only as a malignant weed; it appeared here in the 70s of the last century and continues to spread rapidly in small pieces of tubers during the tillage. By artificial reproduction of the T. dubia with small pieces of tubers in the laboratory, we showed a very high ability of this plant to vegetative reproduction. Comparative RAPD and ISSR analyses of samples from the natural population of the T. dubia from the Primorsky Krai of the Russian Federation and its invasive population from the Republic of Bashkortostan were carried out. The genetic polymorphism between the analyzed populations of the T. dubia has been revealed, which can be a reflection of the formation of the aggressive form of the T. dubia in the Republic of Bashkortostan. From our and published data it follows that the T. dubia should be referred to a weed species with a high invasive potential, and therefore all the necessary measures must be taken during its cultivation to exclude its spread in natural biocenoses and agroecosystems. 

American mink on the small rivers of the Sikhote-Alin area -Oleynikov  A.Yu. - We conducted stationary studies of the ecology of the American mink on three small rivers of Sikhote-Alin region from 2003 to 2018. The density of population in the stationary areas ranged from 0.4 to 2.2 individuals per 1 km of watercourse. Cyclic changes in the density of mink population with a period of about six years (r_s = 0.68, p = 0.01) were revealed. Hunting of low intensity did not affect the number and growth of the mink population. The correlation between floods, annual precipitation and dynamics of density was weak and unreliable. In the predator's diet, three main forage groups (mammals, frogs, fish) were singled out, the ratio of which varied in the basins of different rivers and according to the seasons of the year.

The infection of the tremotodes Opistorchis felineus Rivolta, 1884 in alien species of fish family Cyprinidae in the Middle Ob River basin -Simakova  A.V.,  Babkina  I.B.,  Khodkevich  N.E.,  Babkin  A.M.,  Interesova  E.A. - According to our research, alien cyprinid fishes such as bleak and bream are susceptible to infestation by the larvae of the Opistorchis felineus and are involved in maintaining and spreading the source of opisthorchiasis in the Middle Ob River basin. However, at the same time, these fish species are currently characterized by low rates of infection with O. felineus, even in the intense center of opisthorchiasis, which is constantly maintained by native species (dace and ide). The role of dace and ide in maintaining the center of opisthorchiasis is associated not only with their high invasion, but also with the high abundance of these species of fish in the Ob River basin. For the first time for the studied region, an alien species of cyprinid fish – the bleak of Alburnus alburnus and the bream Abramis brama are noted as a carrier of O. felineus metacercaria and are included in the list of species involved in maintaining the source of opisthorchiasis in the Middle Ob river basin.

Comparative characteristics of geophagia activity of red deer (Cervus elaphus L., 1758, Cervidae, Artiodactyla) of Yakutia in native and invasive parts of the range -Stepanova  V.V.,  Argunov  A.V.,  Okhlopkov  I.M.- Registration of deer geophagia by the means of photo-traps was carried out at 5 natural salt licks of Yakutia, including the native part of the range (2) and the expansion zone of the species range (3). In chemical analysis we revealed that the content of most chemical elements is richer in the soils of animal solonetz of the native part of the range than in soils of the invasive part. In total, 295 of photo-trap days were conducted. During this period 238 single and group visits of salt licks were recorded. The stay of 300 deer on the salt licks was noted, including repeated visits by the same individuals. The identification of individuals by age and sex revealed only 55 deer: 28 males and 27 females. The maximum number of deer in simultaneous geophagia was 5 individuals. The duration of deer geophagia on average (M±m) constituted 13.8±1.4 min [limit 1–98; n=232]. The duration of geophagia in invasive part of the range was one and a half time longer than in the native part of the range. Intensive visiting the salt licks by deer was registered in the darkest time of a day – since 24 hours midnight to 4 a.m., and the lowest number of visits was observed at a sunset: from 20 p.m. to midnight. Attendance of the salt licks by months is higher in May and June, since July it decreases. The sex ratio of individuals that visited the salt licks was as follows: males – 50.9% and females – 49.1 %.

First record of the oriental prawn Palaemon macrodactylus (Crustacea Decapoda Palaemonidae) in the territorial waters of Russia in the Black Sea – Azov Basin - Timofeev  V.A.,  Simakova  U.V.,  Spiridonov  V.A.- Oriental prawn Palaemon macrodactylus Rathbun, 1902 was recorded for the first time in the waters of European part of Russia in the Kerch Strait (the Sea of Azov, Chushka Spit coast, Krasnodarskiy Region) in July 2018. The species natural distribution range is located in the North-West Pacific while invasion range includes Atlantic coastal waters of Europe, Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the USA, and the coast of Argentina. A caught ovigerous female shows some morphological differences in the armature and relative length of rostrum from the specimens collected in the marginal population of the natural distribution range (Peter the Great Bay). Since P. macrodactylus was discovered at the Romanian coast of the Black Sea in 2002, its occurrence in the region increased significantly. Most probable vector is the invasion with ballast waters although the dispersal of larvae with currents can’t be excluded. In this case established but still hidden populations in the coastal waters of Turkey and Georgia are expected to be discovered. P. macrodactylus is an active invader, colonizing transitional waters where it should be monitored in order to forecast consequences for local species and ecosystems.