Field Biologist Journal

New Data on the Fauna of Spiders (Aranei) of the Belgorod Region (Russia)

Alexander V. Ponomarev — 2025-06-30

The article presents data on 37 spider species from 17 families found in the north of the Belgorod Region. Cheiracanthium gratum Kulczyński, 1897, Mastigusa arietina (Thorell, 1871), Civizelotes pygmaeus (Miller, 1943), Haplodrassus cognatus (Westring, 1861), Haplodrassus pseudisignifer Marusik, Hippa et Koponen, 1996, Haplodrassus soerenseni (Strand, 1900), Hahnia nava (Blackwall, 1841), Erigonoplus foveatus (Dahl, 1912), Panamomops sp. aff. dybowskii (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1873), Tapinocyboides pygmaeus (Menge, 1869), Trichoncus affinis Kulczyński, 1894, Walckenaeria cucullata (C.L. Koch, 1836), Arctosa fugurata (Simon, 1876), Pardosa maisa Hippa et Mannila, 1982, Phrurolithus minimus C.L. Koch, 1839, Chalcoscirtus nigritus (Thorell, 1875), Sibianor tantulus (Simon, 1868), Talavera aperta (Miller, 1971), Euryopis quinqueguttata Thorell, 1875, Lasaeola coracina (C.L. Koch, 1837), Neottiura suaveolens (Simon, 1880), Psammitis ninnii (Thorell, 1872), Tmarus stellio Simon, 1875, Titanoeca spominima (Taczanowski, 1866), Zodarion rubidum Simon, 1914 were identified in the Belgorod Region for the first time. The genera Chalcoscirtus Bertkau, 1880, Civizelotes Senglet, 2012, Erigonoplus Simon, 1884, Mastigusa Menge, 1854, Zodarion Walckenaer, 1826 and the families Cybaeidae, Zodariidae are first reported for the Belgorod Region and the Central Black Earth Region.

Funding: the research by A.V. Ponomarev and V.Yu. Shmatko was carried out within the framework of the implementation of the State Assignment of the Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, state registration number of the project 125011200139-7.

Biodiversity and Biotopic Preferences of Ground Beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) of Various Biotopes of Urochishche Almaly (Agryz District, Tatarstan)

Alexander G. Borisovskiy — 2025-06-30

A study of ground beetle biodiversity was conducted for the first time in the Urochishche Almaly (Agryz District, Republic of Tatarstan). According to the results of collections in 2023, 63 species were identified in forest and meadow biotopes. The differences in the average indices of α-diversity of ground beetle population in forests and meadows are statistically insignificant. At the same time, the values of diversity indices of forest ground beetle complexes are relatively heterogeneous, and meadow ground beetles form a more compact group. Biotopic preferences of ground beetles were studied using the indicator value index (IndVal). Twenty-five species statistically significantly indicating forests and meadows were identified.

Funding: the study was carried out with the financial support of the state assignment FEWS–2024–0011.

Ligularia sibirica (L.) Cass. (Asteraceae) in the Vologda Region, Russia

Dmitriy A. Philippov — 2025-06-30

The article presents data on the distribution, biomorphology, ecological and phytocenotic features of Ligularia sibirica (L.) Cass. in the Vologda Region (European Russia). The choice of the object of study is associated with the rarity of the species in the region. Siberian ligularia is currently known from 86 localities situated in 20 administrative districts. Findings of the species fall within the boundaries of 36 squares of grid mapping adopted in Atlas Florae Europaeae. The growth form of the species is defined as a racemose-rooted common polycarpic herbaceous plant. In biotopic terms, L. sibirica prefers open or forested spring fens, floating bogs, banks of mire waterbodies and watercourses, less often paludified forests and meadows. The species is included in the Red Data Book of the Vologda Region with the 3/LC/III conservation status. The species has been recorded within the boundaries of 13 protected areas (including national park "Russkiy Sever", 10 natural reserves (zakazniks), two nature monuments).

Funding: the research was supported by Ministry of Education and Science of Russian Federation, project no. 124032100076-2 (IBIW RAS).

Checklist of Vascular Plant Flora of Lugansk City

Viktoriya G. Trofimenko — 2025-06-30

This paper presents the most comprehensive list of vascular plants of Lugansk City, compiled based on the generalization of literature data, herbarium materials, and the results of our own field research conducted in 2013–2024. It has been established that the modern flora of Lugansk City includes 755 species of vascular plants from 390 genera and 87 families. The identified species richness of the city has increased (compared to previous studies) by half – by 264 species. A total of 36.5 % of the regional flora has been found within the territory of Lugansk City.

Funding: the work was carried out within the framework of research work of the Department of Ecology and Environmental Management of the FSBEI HE "Luhansk Voroshilov State Agricultural University" on the topic "Urban flora of Donbass", as well as research work of the Department of Plant Biology of the FSBEI HE "Luhansk Voroshilov State Agricultural University" on the topic "Structural, genetic, biometric and floristic studies of angiosperms of Donbass".

Materials for Maintenance of the Red Data Book of the Yaroslavl Region, Based on the Results of 2019 Biodiversity Research

Eduard V. Garin — 2025-06-30

The article summarizes original materials on rare and protected species of plants, fungi and animals of the Yaroslavl Region, recorded in 2019 in the territory of Breitovsky, Myshkinsky, Nekouzsky, Pereslavsky, Rybinsky and Uglichsky districts. New information is provided on the distribution of 50 species in the region (48 plant species, and 2 fungi (lichens)). According to the Red Data Book of the Yaroslavl Region, the recorded protected species are distributed into categories as follows: category 1 (Endangered) – one species, category 2 (Decreasing in numbers or Vulnerable) – three species, category 3 (Rare) – 23 species, category 4 (Data Deficient) – one species. Data are also provided on 21 species that require special monitoring of their condition in the natural environment. Rare and protected species were discovered on the territory of National Park "Pleshcheevo Ozero", three state nature reserves (zakazniks) ("Borkovsky", "Verkhne-Volzhskiy", "Floristicheskiy") and three natural monuments.

Funding: the research was supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, project no. 124032100076-2 (IBIW RAS).

The Oldest Samples of Central Asian Flora Exposition of the MBG RAS from the Collection of the former Moscow Botanical Garden of USSR AS

Vianna V. Dzhanaeva — 2025-06-30

The article discusses the oldest specimens of the Central Asian flora collection which were obtained by Prof. M.V. Kultiasov from 1938 to 1945 and arrived at N.V. Tsitsin Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1946. This historical part of the exposition, consisting of 84 specimens (78 species), has never been considered independently. When calculating the lifespan of specimens, the period of cultivation in the Moscow Botanical Garden was often disregarded. Of these plants, 64 samples (61 species) lived for more than 10 years, including 19 samples (19 species) living for more than 30 years. To date, 8 species (8 samples) have been preserved and presented in the collection: Ferula tenuisecta Korovin, Juniperus seravschanica Kom., Koenigia alpina (All.) T.M.Schust. & Reveal, K. songarica (Schrenk) T.M.Schust. & Reveal, Malva thuringiaca (L.) Vis., Sanguisorba officinalis L., Serratula coronata L., Tulipa kaufmanniana Regel. For each of them, data is provided on the geographical distribution, origin of the samples, nature of the source material, beneficial properties, and history of cultivation. The modern collection contains 171 species (324 samples), of which more than half (101 species, 225 samples, including 8 oldest ones), have been grown for more than 30 years.

Funding: the work was carried out within the framework of state assignment MBG RAS No. 075-00745-22-01 "Biological diversity of natural and cultural flora: fundamental and applied issues of study and conservation", State registration number № 122042700002-6.