Peculiar features of the trophic relations of an introduced species Rana ridibunda (Pallas, 1771) depending on habitat conditions. – Vershinin V.L., Ivanova N.L. – The paper analyses the trophic relations of lake frog (Rana ridibunda Pallas, 1771), a species appeared on the eastern slope of the Middle Urals in the late 1960ies. This appearance was due to spontaneous introduction of lake frog into habitats with thermal pollution. The introduced R. ridibunda was found not to be a direct danger but a competitor for the native amphibian species. An increase of water animals in the food spectrum of lake frog and the appearance of some vertebrates in their stomachs have been observed only in the populations inhabiting artificial fish ponds, sewage reservoirs etc.

Key words: amphibians, trophic relations, introduced species, competition.

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Territory zonation by the degree of sewage loading with the aid of a generalized function of desirability (with the Nizhniy Novgorod region as an example). – Gelashvili D.B., Korolev A.A., Basurov V.A. – A system of basic and derivative indices of water usage to describe the level of anthropogenic loading on the territory of a Russian Federation subject in terms of districts and cities is offered. Algorithms for the estimation of anthropogenic (sewage) loading on administrative-territorial formations of various levels with the aid of a generalized function of desirability have been developed. The approach suggested has been approved on ecological zonation of the Nizhniy Novgorod region as an example.

Key words: sewage, generalized function of desirability, ecosystem, anthropogenic loading, Nizhniy Novgorod region.

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Peculiarities of the seed reproduction system in the populations of some Asteraceae species in terms of their anthropotolerance. – Kashin A.S., Berezutski M.A., Kochanova I.S., Dobrynicheva N.V. – Some peculiarities of seed reproduction of plants from the natural populations of various Asteraceae species in the Saratov region are considered. The adaptative potential of the species capable of apomixic reproduction while introducing to anthropogenic habitats is shown to be higher than the similar index of sexual species. The fraction of the apomixic species met in various types of their anthropogenic habitats (urbanized territories, technogenic zones, agrophytocenoses, artificial forests) was found to be by 1/5 – 1/3 higher than that for the sexual species also met in such habitats.

Key words: gametophytic apomixes, adaptative potential, tolerance to anthropogenic habitats, Asteraceae.

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Studies on Presence of Heavy Metals and Halogenated Hydrocarbons in River Betwa (MP), India. – Kori R., Shrivastava P.K., Upadhyay N., Singh R. – The river Betwa receives domestic and industrial wastes of the Mandideep industrial area with various types of organic compounds and heavy metals. A study was made of the pollution of its water. Of 9 analyzed halogenated hydrocarbons 7 ones (chloroform, bromoform, 1,2-, 1,3- and 1,4-dichlorobenzene, 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene, and chlorobenzene) were not detected in all the samples but a high value of the total halogenated hydrocarbon (AOX) content after mixing of industrial Nallah was obtained. The presence of bromodichloromethane and chlorodibromomethane indicates man-made origin of the Betwa pollution. At the same time, the river is not severely polluted with heavy metals.

Key words: heavy metals, halogenated hydrocarbons, river Betwa, India.

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Population dynamics of ground nesting birds during fallow land succession of vegetation in the turf-cereal steppes of the Trans-Volga region. – Oparin M.L., Oparina O.S. – The abundance and population structure of ground nesting birds in the turf-cereal dry steppes of the Trans-Volga region are considered, the data based on our fieldwork conducted in 2001 – 2003, 2005 on five model places (cereal fields predominating in the modern crop rotation; fallow lands of various ages and different in their vegetation on different stages of the demutation process and occupying not less than a half of the past arable land; virgin lands now practically out of use for pasture and haying). The anthropogenic factors associated with the sharp drop of the agricultural load since the late 1980ies-early 1990ies to initiate demutation processes in fallow lands and pastures are shown to lead to deep changes in the steppe ornithocomplex. Some species inhabiting local biotops have widely settled in fallow lands, reached a high abundance, and now they play a leading role in the formation of the population of ground nesting birds in the Yeruslan steppe.

Key words: birds, steppe, vegetation, crops, fallow lands, fallow succession, abundance, population structure.

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Ecologo-karyological estimation of the effect of ecological factors on midges (Chironomidae, Diptera) – Polukonova N.V., Fedorova I.A. – A review of the cytogenetic influence of physical and chemical factors, xenobiotics and antibiotics in freshwater ecosystems on the polytene chromosomes of midges (Chironomidae, Diptera) is presented. Such cytogenetic effects manifest themselves in the appearance of puffs de novo, a reduction of the nucleus activities, chromosome condensation and shortening, an increase of the Balbiani rings' activity, an increase of the puffs activity, a depression of the puffs available in the karyotype. The most rare ones are an increase in the nucleus volume, chromosome decondensation, pretelomeric zone activation, and the formation of additional nuclei. Frequently observed combinations are the appearance of puffs de novo on the background of an increased activity of the already existing puffs or on the background of a reduction of the nucleus activity, a reduction of the nucleus activity on the background of total chromosome condensation and their shortening. A specific genome reaction to the exposure to various environmental factors manifests itself in a spectrum of transcriptive activity factors of the polytene chromosomes. The ecologo-karyological approach is shown to be promising in ecological monitoring of midge populations and freshwater ecosystems.

Key words: midges, polytene chromosomes, genotoxity, cytogenetic effects, ecological monitoring, xenobiotic influence.

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Foretical relations between acariform mites (Acariformes) and click beetles (Coleoptera, Elateridae). – Yermilov S.G., Mokrousov M.V., Mukhanov A.V. – The species composition, number, and occurrence frequency of acariform mites on click beetles (Elateridae) in the Nizhniy Novgorod and Vladimir regions were studied. The selectivity of nymphs II to some species and genera of click beetles was analyzed.

Key words: acariform mites, click beetles, phoresy, nymph II.

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On the nutrition of Vimba vimba (Cyprinidae) introduced to the Volgograd reservoir. – Yermolin V.P., Belyanin I.A. – Preliminary results of our study of V. vimba nutrition in the Volgograd reservoir are presented. V. vimba in this reservoir is shown to eat its customary food. Age, seasonal, and local changes in its nutrition due to certain fish development stages and peculiarities of the feeding base are noted.

Key words: food composition, food organisms, intestine filling index.

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Ecologo-morphological characteristics of Acanthis wintering on the north of the Lower Volga region. – Zavialov E.V., Tabachishin V.G. – On the basis of our analysis of the collection material of the Zoological Museum (Saratov State University), the stay of Acanthis flammea and A. hornemanni on the north of the Lower Volga region has been detected. Some peculiar features of the colour and some morphological indices, namely, the beak length and width, some indices of the beak and wing sharpness (whose ranges practically do not overlap) are suggested to be used as the most reliable parameters to differentiate these species.

Key words: Acanthis flammea, A. hornemanni, morphological indices, Saratov region.

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Floristic monitoring of small artificial reservoirs in the Samara region (2001 – 2005). – Solovjeva V.V., Saksonov S.V. – Floristic monitoring results of some small artificial reservoirs in the Samara region (2001 – 2005) are presented. Data on several rare and new species of water and coastal plants found in 2001 – 2005 at studying the flora of ponds, medium and small water basins in the Samara region are given, their habitat conditions and coenotic role are described.

Key words: rare and new species, hybrid species, water and coastal plants, flora, artificial reservoirs, Samara region.

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