Russian Journal of Biological Invasions

2025, issue №2

CONTENTS

THE EUROPEAN BITTERLING (RHODEUS AMARUS: ACHEILOGNATHIDAE) – ALIEN FISH SPECIES IN THE URAL RIVER BASIN - Boldyrev V.S., Yakovlev S.V., Viphlo E.V., Golokolenova T.B., Basko Yu.V., Gordeev D.A. - New information on the distribution of an alien species in the Ural River – the European bitterling (Rhodeus amarus) is provided. Individuals of this fish species have been recorded only in a few localities along a 200-kilometer section of the river between the mouths of the Kolpachka and Alimbet rivers, which is apparently due to its relatively recent introduction. The appearance of the species may be related to its occurrence in pond farms, in which it was accidentally introduced together with fish stocks for farming. An argument in favor of this is the current distribution of the bitterling, which coincided with that of the Stone moroko (Pseudorasbora parva), another recently identified invasive species in the Ural River. The study and analysis of the main diagnostic taxonomic features confirm the naturalization of the European bitterling in the Ural River, and the dynamics of the settlement of representatives of the genus Rhodeus in areas adjacent to the Ural basin was characterized. The phytoplankton in the feeding habitats of the bitterling, mainly microalgae, was also characterized. In total 90 species were noted in the species' food spectrum, the most important among which were representatives of the diatom Navicula spp. and Amphora spp. Judging by the selectivity index, the European bitterling prefers mostly representatives of the Amphora spp., Synedra spp. and Cymbella spp. Low values of this indicator are characteristic for taxa of the Cryptomonas spp., Oscillatoria spp., Cosmarium spp. and Closterium spp. The main biomass of algae consumed is made up of benthic and plankto-benthic species. As bivalves of the Unionidae family serve as a spawning substrate for the European bitterling, the wide distribution of these bivalves in the Ural basin has also been characterized, as their occurrence opens up the prospects for further dispersal of this species.

ASH-LEAVED MAPLE (ACER NEGUNDO L.) ALLELOPATHY ON POLLUTED MOSCOW SOIL - Vorobyova O.A., Chernyaeva E.V., Rysenkov D.A., Viktorov V.P.  - The article presents the results of a search for patterns of the changes in allelopathic activity of the invasive species A. negundo L. on soils with a gradient of contamination. In leaf samples from 29 districts of Moscow with different total indicators of soil pollution with heavy metals, the content of phenolic antioxidants and phytotoxicity of aqueous extracts was determined in the biotest. The content of phenolic antioxidants in A. negundo leaves in the range from 13±0.26 to 41.15±2.92 mg/g correlated with the level of soil pollution. Phytotoxicity of aqueous leaf extracts decreased statistically significantly along the gradient of increased soil pollution and correlated with it. The formation of metal-organic complexes with absorbed heavy metal ions is assumed, in which the substances responsible for allelopathic properties perform the function of ligands. The role of pre-adaptations in the field of chemical competition for mineral nutrition elements mediated by the synthesis and accumulation of phytotoxic chelating substances in the invasive success of A. negundo is discussed.

RECORDS OF INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES WITHIN THE GORNOZAVODSKAYA ZONE OF THE CHELYABINSK REGION - Golovanov Ya.M., Abramova L.M., Gladkikh S.I.  - The article presents the data on distribution of invasive plant species within the Gornozavodskaya zone of the Chelyabinsk region. A hundred and sixty six localities, 27 invasive and potentially invasive plant species were recorded. Among them, there are 5 species of the first, 7 – second, 10 species of the third invasive status and 5 potentially invasive species. The 9 species recommended for inclusion in the regional Black Book are listed for the first time. Acer negundo, Hordeum jubatum, Erigeron canadensis and Matricaria discoidea are the most commonly recorded. Further dispersal in semi-natural and natural habitats of Bidens frondosa, Elodea Canadensis, Heracleum sosnowskyi and Impatiens glandulifera is possible. Their further distribution should be monitored.

NEW DATA ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE TROPICAL BED BUG CIMEX HEMIPTERUS AND ITS CYTOGENETIC FEATURES IN COMPARISON WITH COMMON BED BUG C. LECTULARIUS (HEMIPTERA: HETEROPTERA: CIMICIDAE) IN RUSSIA- Golub N. V., Ignatieva V.V., Golub V.B. - The alien tropical bed bug Cimex hemipterus (Fabricius, 1803) is indicated for the cities of Russia: Yoshkar-Ola (Republic of Mari El), Kazan (Republic of Tatarstan), Lipetsk, Rostov-on-Don for the first time. The presently known complete distribution of the species in Russia is described. Preliminary information on the relative frequency of occurrence of the tropical bed bug and the common bed bug, C. lectularius Linnaeus, 1758, is given. Cytogenetic features such as number of chromosomes, sex chromosome systems, distribution of ribosomal gene clusters in the karyotype of both species are described based on original and literature data.

NEW RECORDS OF ALIEN WEEVILS (COLEOPTERA, CURCULIONIDAE) IN THE WESTERN SIBERIA - Dedyukhin S.V. - For the first time, information is provided on the finds of three alien species of weevils (Magdalis margaritae, Orchestes steppensis and Otiorhynchus smreczynskii) in settlements of the Southwest of Western Siberia, which significantly supplements the data on their secondary ranges. The European parthenogenetic species O. smreczynskii, previously found in some large cities of Southern Siberia, is recorded for the first time for the Kurgan and Tyumen regions. M. margaritae and O. steppensis are the species of East Palaearctic origin related to Ulmus pumilla L., registered in Kurgan. Of these, O. steppensis, which has an extensive secondary range in the South of the European part of Russia, was known in Western Siberia only in the Trans-Urals of the Chelyabinsk Region. M. margaritae, not yet found in Europe, was discovered more than 1300 km west of its previously known locations.

INFLUENCE OF TEMPERETURE ON THE POPULATION DYNAMICS OF PHYLLONORYCTER ISSIKII (KUMATA, 1963) (LEPIDOPTERA, GRACILLARIIDAE) IN THE SECONDARY RANGE OF THE MINER  - Ermolaev I.V., Devi N.M., Bubnov M.O., Bessonova V.A. - The influence of temperature fluctuations on the population dynamics of the lime leafminer Ph. issikii was studied during the period 2001-2024 in Izhevsk City. During the observation period the miner had one generation per year in 70.8% of cases. The implementation of one-year generation of the miner as a rule leads to an increase in the size of its population, and the implementation of two generations leads to its decrease. Temporary disappearance of Ph. issikii in large areas occurs as a result of the influence of extremely high temperatures on the development of the miner caterpillars and extremely low temperatures on adults emerging after winter diapause.

INVASION BY THE ALIEN WEEVIL ACLEES TAIWANENSIS KONO, 1933 (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE, MOLYTINAE) ON THE BLACK SEA COAST OF RUSSIA: BIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR GENETICS OF A NEW PEST - Zhuravleva E.N., Zabaluev I.A., Shoshina E.I., Karpun N.N., Kirichenko N.I. - The paper presents the first record of the black fig weevil, Aclees taiwanensis Kôno, 1933 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae), in Russia. In 2023, its larvae were detected in the wood of drying fig seedlings Ficus carica L. (Moraceae) and few imago were observed feeding on fig leaves in an orchard nursery in Sochi. The species was identified based on morphological features of imago and through DNA barcoding. Two generations were recorded in Sochi, with picks of adult emergence in mid-July and early October. The maximum intraspecific genetic variability, which was estimated based on the COI gene of mtDNA for 28 specimens of A. taiwanensis from the invaded range (Russia [Sochi], Italy, France, South Korea) and native range (Taiwan), was 0.77%. In DNA barcoding fragment, the specimen from Sochi was identical to those from Italy and France. The species was likely introduced to the Black Sea coast of Russia from Southern Europe with plants for planting. The paper provides diagnostic features of the species, along with the images of imago, larvae and damaged fig seedlings. It also reviews trophic associations and current distribution and discusses the potential threat to fig plantations in agroecosystems and ornamental plantings in the Russian Caucasus.

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BIOLOGICAL INDICES OF THE POPULATION OF INTRODUCED PIKE-PERCH (SANDER LUCIOPERCA) INTO THE LAKE SUNDOZERO, SOUTH KARELIA - Ilmast N.V., Kuchko Ya.A., Milyanchuk N.P. - The results of the study of the biological indices of the pike-perch (Sander lucioperca), introduced into the Lake Sundozero, the Baltic Sea basin, are reported. It is shown that its purpose-oriented introduction, attempted for the qualitative improvement of fish fauna composition, has been successful. High potential possibilities of pike-perch and favorable environmental conditions have contributed to its naturalization. In biological indices it is more similar to pike-perch from the parent water body, Lake Syamozero. The successful introduction of pike-perch was determined by similarity in environmental conditions between donor water bodies and the recipient water body, sufficient food supply for the colonizer at all stages of its life cycle and favorable reproduction conditions. Now, self-settling of pike-perch from Sundozero to Pandozero along the Suna River is registered.

A NEW TROPHIC ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE NATIVE LEAF-ROLLING WEEVIL CYCNOTRACHELODES CYANOPTERUS (MOTSCHULSKY, 1861) (COLEOPTERA, ATTELABIDAE) AND THE NORTH AMERICAN BLACK LOCUST IN THE SOUTH OF THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST - Kolyada N.A., Efremenko A.A., Akulov E.N., Legalov A.A., Kirichenko N.I. - A new trophic association between the leaf-rolling weevil Cycnotrachelodes cyanopterus (Motschulsky, 1861) and the North American woody plant Robinia pseudoacacia L. has been documented in the Primorsky Territory (south of the Russian Far East) for the first time. This plant is widely used as an ornamental one in settlements throughout the study area. In the towns of Artem, Bolshoy Kamen and Spassk-Dalny, fine leaflets rolled into tubes with larvae feeding inside were found. The paper gives a brief overview of biology and ecology of the leaf-rolling weevil, illustrates the leaf damage as well as male and female adults reared under laboratory conditions. If the plant lacks resistance to this new consumer, an increase in the population density of C. cyanopterus can be expected in Primorsky Territory. Further research is needed to monitor the spread of C. cyanopterus and to assess its potential impact on the new host plant.

ECOLOGICAL FEATURES OF PONTO-CASPIAN AMPHIPODS PONTOGAMMARUS ROBUSTOIDES (SARS, 1894) IN WATER BODIES OF THE VOLGA, KAMA AND DON RIVERS - Kurina E.M.  - The paper presents the results of 2009–2023 studies of ecological characteristics of the amphipod Pontogammarus robustoides (Sars, 1894) in water bodies of the Volga, Kama and Don rivers. It is shown that P. robustoides is distributed throughout the Volga and Kama cascade of reservoirs, is registered in the Voronezh reservoir, and has also dispersed into tributaries of the Kuibyshev, Saratov and Volgograd reservoirs. The frequency of occurrence of P. robustoides in reservoirs averages to 10-20%; in rivers it occurs sporadically, mainly in their lower reaches. The average biomass of P. robustoides in reservoirs did not exceed 0.2 g/m², in some places the species forms mass accumulations up to 10.3 g/m². It was found that in the conditions of the Volga and Kama reservoirs the species demonstrates high ecological plasticity to master different habitats: sands and silts with plant remains and clay, thickets of higher aquatic plants, depressions of objects submerged in water. The paper considers the impact of natural environmental factors (bottom water temperature, pH, depth, transparency, dissolved oxygen) on the occurrence of P. robustoides. It is also shown that in reservoirs the species is most often found with some (including alien) species of gastropod mollusks, as well as omnivorous smaller species of amphipods and mysids. In the surveyed rivers, the three largest amphipod species Dikerogammarus villosus, D. haemobaphes and P. robustoides often occurred together, and their interaction is an example of conjugate invasion.

ILLUMINATION, SOIL MOISTURE, PROJECTIVE COVER OF GRASS-DWARF SHRUB AND MOSS LAYERS IN SORBARIA SORBIFOLIA (L.) A. BRAUN (ROSACEAE) THICKETS - Lipikhina Yu.A., Zolotareva N.V., Podgaevskaya E.N., Veselkin D.V. - The ability to form tightly closed thickets or communities is a characteristic feature of many alien plants, which determines their potential to become transformers. The aim of the work was to analyze changes in illumination under the canopy of Sorbaria sorbifolia, soil moisture, and the projective cover of the grass-dwarf shrub and moss layers with increasing distance from the edge of S. sorbifolia thickets to their center. From the edge of S. sorbifolia thickets to their center, the total volume of S. sorbifolia shoots per unit of area increased by an order of magnitude. Differences in illumination under the leaf canopy between the marginal (30–69×10² lx) and central (2.5–10×10² lx) areas of the thickets were also significant and reached an order of magnitude. The projective cover of the grass-dwarf shrub and moss layers significantly decreased from the periphery to the center of the thickets, and the grasses and epigeic mosses were completely absent in most areas in the center of the thickets. Thus, the formation of a dense canopy of S. sorbifolia triggered a sequence of reactions, starting with a decrease in illumination and leading to a decrease in the projective cover of the grass-dwarf shrub and moss layers. This confirms the status of Sorbaria sorbifolia as a transformer and is in a good agreement with the data on the strong influence of clonal invasive plants on natural vegetation.

SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION MODELS OF THE CTENOPHORE MNEMIOPSIS LEIDYI A. AGASSIZ 1865 IN THE CASPIAN SEA UNDER CURRENT AND FUTURE CLIMATE CONDITIONS - Petrosyan V.G., Ruban I.G., Barabanov V.V., Dergunova N.N., Osipov F.A. - Mnemiopsis leidyi is one of the “ecosystem engineers” and is among the most dangerous global invaders of marine ecosystems. In this study, we applied correlative and mechanistic ecological modeling approaches to predict potentially suitable areas for the global distribution of this species under current climate conditions, and to construct detailed seasonal maps of suitable habitat using the Caspian Sea as a case study under climate change throughout the 21st century. By using a global dataset of species occurrence records and marine environmental variables from the Bio-Oracle databases, we showed that the hypothesis of realized niches conservatism (similarity) in the native and invasive parts of the range was not rejected. The created global map confirmed that suitable habitats for M. leidyi are located along the eastern coasts of the American continents and in the seas of Eurasia, where the species is already naturalized, and also identified areas that are potentially favorable for its future establishment, but where it has not yet been recorded. Seasonal predictions (December-March, April-June, July-September, October-November) of suitable habitats in the Caspian Sea for maximum, minimum reproduction and survival of the species under current climate conditions (2010–2020) and for two periods (2040–2050, 2090–2100) under four scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8. 5) of climate change showed that while under the current climate the main direction of inter-seasonal dispersal of the species is from south to north. However, under the strong warming scenario (SSP5-8.5), this dispersal is projected to reverse – from north to south – during the summer and autumn seasons by the end of the century. The results also suggest that global warming regardless of the climate change scenario would not lead to extinction of the species in the Caspian Sea.

"RICE FIELDS" AROUND SAINT-PETERSBURG CITY - Popov I.Y. Abakumov E. V. - Canadian rice Zizania aquatica, Z. palustris has long been recommended for resettlement outside its natural range, since it can be used as an agricultural crop and/or a mean of improving the food supply for waterfowl on lakes. In the past, there have been repeated attempts to introduce Canadian rice in the North-West of Russia, including the water bodies in the Leningrad Region, the surrounding area of St. Petersburg. Observations and generalization of literary data show that there are “rice fields” with an area of several dozen hectares on four lakes. Canadian rice is also found in a small number on several other water bodies. This plant has naturalized, but its spread is slow. Canadian rice occupies specific biotopes – shallow, current less waters with heavily silted soil, where local plants are few in number. Canadian rice poses no danger to local ecosystems. There is no interest in its commercial use, and attitude towards the invasion is usually either indifferent or negative.

RECORDS OF SOME ALIEN VASCULAR PLANT SPECIES IN THE VOLOGDA REGION, RUSSIA - Philippov D.A., Levashov A.N., Makarov S.A., Platonov A.V., Komarova A.S. - The paper presents the data on distribution of 14 vascular plants alien to the flora of the Vologda Region (the north of European Russia), identified during field studies in 2023 and 2024 and in the analysis of some herbarium collections (MIRE, VO, MHA, MW, IBIW). For the first time, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Beckmannia syzigachne, Erigeron annuus, Erigeron strigosus var. septentrionalis, Euphrosyne xanthiifolia, and Veronica filiformis are recorded for the flora of the Vologda Region. Data on the distribution of eight invasive or potentially invasive species in adjacent regions (Acorus calamus, Amaranthus retroflexus, Bassia scoparia, Cornus sericea, Epilobium pseudorubescens, Hordeum jubatum, Oenothera biennis, Phragmites altissimus) are also provided. For each species, the characteristics of the locations and the current state of their populations in the Vologda Region are given. It is recommended to include eight species in the regional “black list” in the rank of invasive species (Cornus sericea, Epilobium pseudorubescens, Hordeum jubatum, Oenothera biennis, Veronica filiformis) or potentially invasive species (Amaranthus retroflexus, Bassia scoparia).

THE INVASIVE FLORA OF THE NORTH-WEST OF RUSSIA - Saidov N.T., Konechnaya G.Yu., Leostrin A.V. - The aim of our work was to create the first list of invasive and potentially invasive vascular plant species of the North-West of European Russia (Leningrad Region, Pskov Region, Novgorod Region and St. Petersburg). When compiling the dataset, we relied on the literature, herbarium collections, online sources and our field surveys (2018–2024). We sampled field data in all administrative regions, focusing on disturbed (i.e. urban areas, parks, roadsides and railways, etc.) and natural or semi-natural (i.e. woodlands, grasslands, coastal areas, etc.) habitats. We assessed the invasive status of the species, identified their habitats, characterized them by region of origin, and provided information about their first record in the wild. The blacklist of vascular flora of the North-West of Russia included 28 invasive and 23 potentially invasive species. Among the invasive species, there are 10 transformer species that cause the most significant damage to ecosystems. Most of the invasive species (15) are of North American origin, 21 species were introduced to the study area through cultivation. All 28 invasive species can be found in urban areas. At least 19 species have naturalized in watersides, 17 invasive species invade woodlands. Resulted species list showed both significant similarities and important differences with comparable previous assessments. Invasive species of the North-West of Russia made up ca. 5% of all invasive flora of the country.

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