Species composition of terrestrial vertebrates

The fauna of terrestrial vertebrates of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug is quite rich and diverse, and represents a typical taiga complex, including species of 65 families from 27 orders. One of the objectives of the reserve is to study the species composition of animals and plants. A list of animal species, information about the nature of their presence, biotopic distribution, relative abundance is the basis for subsequent work in the field of zoogeography, ecology, nature conservation, and local history. Currently, for most of the reserve, such an inventory of the vertebrate fauna has already been completed. However, the composition of animals does not remain constant; changes in the ranges of individual species occur as a result of the dispersal of some or a reduction in the number and distribution of others. To determine trends and results of ongoing changes in the composition, number and distribution of animals, periodic audits of the fauna are necessary. This is especially important for the timely identification of those species whose populations are rapidly declining and they are becoming rare or extinct. The main method for studying the species composition of terrestrial vertebrates is direct observation of them during excursions in various habitats and observation by waylaying in places where certain species gather. Many existing methods for studying the species composition of animals involve capturing, fixing or killing animals. This is not acceptable in the reserve, especially in conditions of children's expeditions.

Physiographic characteristics of the study area

The reserve is located between the Ob and Irtysh rivers. The relief is characterized by the presence of low (5-6 m) hills (ridges) stretching from northeast to southwest. Winding river beds, an abundance of lakes and swamps are typical for the Verkhnegubskaya basin. Absolute heights here reach 80-90 meters above sea level, but above the surrounding area these formations rise only 5-7 meters.

The research was carried out in the floodplain of the Bolshoi Yugan River. The Big Yugan originates among the swamps of the reserve and receives many tributaries, the largest Negusyakh and Small Yugan. The climate of the region is humid and continental. According to long-term observations, the range of absolute temperature fluctuations is 87.7 0C, the average annual temperature is 2.6 0C. The coldest month is January (average temperature - -19 0C, minimum - -55.2 0C), the warmest month is July (average temperature +16 0C, maximum +36.5 0C). The climate of the area is humid and continental. The range of absolute temperature fluctuations is 87.7 0C. The average annual air temperature is -2.4 0C. The average January temperature is -19 0C; July +16.7 0 C. Average annual precipitation 646 mm. Snow cover reaches 30-70 cm, sometimes up to 120 cm.

The Ob-Irtysh interfluve region receives the main amount of atmospheric precipitation from the Atlantic masses. Annual precipitation is from 592 to 646 mm, snow cover reaches 30-70 cm, sometimes up to 120 cm (Baikalova et al. 1998). But, despite the high level of snow, the soil can freeze to a depth of 1 m. Excessive humidity, low temperatures, a small slope (up to 0.5 m) and poor training lead to waterlogging and waterlogging of the soil. All this naturally leaves its mark on the fauna of this region in general and on amphibians and reptiles, both cold-blooded animals, in particular.

Methods for studying traces of life activity

Formozov Alexander Nikolaevich identifies four types of traces of vital activity: direct traces; pellets; burrows, dens and nesting areas; "dining" and recreation areas. Traces are studied along the snow trail (in winter) and along the black trail (spring, autumn and summer).

Using the winter trail, you can accurately trace the movement of the animal, observe its behavior, detect roosts and identify the location of the food spectrum. The ability to clearly determine the freshness of a trace allows you to correctly read the “book of nature.” Due to the characteristics of winter tracks, it is impossible to record them other than by photographing or sketching; casts of tracks in the snow cannot be made, but tracking a track allows you to learn a lot about the life of animals in winter. In the spring, when the snow has just melted, the tracks are clearly visible. On clay soil, traces remain for up to two years. In spring, summer and autumn, it is impossible to determine the exact route of the animal because traces are invisible on the grass and forest floor. But if you find a good, clear mark on clay soil or wet sand, you can make a plaster cast. From the cast you can accurately determine the species and quite accurately the age, sex and size of the animal.

When studying the species composition of animals and their reproductive abilities, the study of burrows, hollow nests and lairs helps. The life cycle and lifestyle can be traced by studying feeding areas, dining areas, pantries, storerooms, flutters, swimsuits and pellets. Detecting and identifying shelters, nests and burrows of animals requires extensive knowledge of the biology, ecology and ethology of birds and animals. By the methods of storing products and their use, one can determine the species composition of vertebrate animals in a given area.

The study of pellets and food remains can determine not only the type of animal, but also the food supply, biotope habitat, and the health status of the animals. The study of food residues allows us to diagnose the food supply, which depends on the year and season.

The main methods of recording traces of vital activity are sketching, photo and video shooting, and making casts. When making a cast, building plaster is used. The trail is enclosed with formwork and gypsum is poured into it, mixed with water until it becomes a thick cream. After the plaster has hardened, the cast is carefully removed and dried. From the resulting negative impression, positive impressions can be made.

Information about the animals being studied

The gray or common toad is large in size, usually more than 80 mm. The top is gray-dirty-brown, brown or bright olive in color, plain or with dark spots. Below is off-white, yellowish with dark spots. The articular tubercles of the toes are double. There is no longitudinal fold on the tarsus.

Distributed in the European part of Russia, in the south of Siberia and the Far East. Inhabits forests, gardens, parks, bushes and ravines in the steppes. The mountains rise up to 3000 m above sea level. During the day it hides in the forest floor, burrows of rodents and moles, under fallen trees, in the roots. At dusk and at night it feeds on spiders, ants, caterpillars, etc. It overwinters in burrows and basements. They go to wintering at the end of September - October. Awakens at the end of March - May. It spends 7–10 days in reservoirs, laying egg cords 3–5 cm long, containing 1200–1700 eggs. The tadpole develops in 50 days, reaching 30–32 mm in length; sexual maturity occurs in the third or fourth year of life.

The gray toad is the only representative of a large family of true toads that lives in Western Siberia, where the northern border of the Asian part of its range lies. For the district it can be considered quite ordinary. The gray toad is often found in the Malaya Sosva and Yugansky nature reserves, and its most northern finds are noted in the area of the village. Oktyabrskoe. Compared to other species of amphibians, the toad lives in the driest places, where its population accounts for up to 80% of the population of all amphibians (Ravkin et al., 1995).

Viviparous lizard - is a small lizard, with a body length of up to 6-7 cm. The intermaxillary shield does not touch the nostril; in most cases, the postnasal shield does not touch the nostril. There are no granules between the superior ciliary and supraorbital scutes. The dark scutes clearly touch the upper postorbitals. The dorsal scales are noticeably elongated in length, with well-developed longitudinal ribs. There are 24-28 scales in one row around the middle of the body, and 12-22 scales along the midline of the throat to the collar. There are 5-16 femoral pores, they end at the knee bend. The top is brown, brown-brown, walnut or yellowish-brown in color, with a characteristic pattern consisting of a dark stripe along the ridge, often broken into separate spots, two light stripes on the sides of the back and dark, relatively wide stripes on the sides. Usually dark specks are scattered throughout the body. There are also single-color, sometimes almost black, specimens. The underside is orange or brick red, with dark spots in males and yellowish, whitish or greenish in females.

Inhabits the forest and forest-steppe zone from the state border in the west to Kolyma, Sakhalin and the Shantar Islands in the east. Lives in deciduous and coniferous forests, where it adheres to forested areas of swamps, peat bogs, overgrown clearings, forest edges, clearings and thickets along the banks of reservoirs. It feeds on various beetles and earthworms. Molluscs, spiders and other small invertebrates. In mid-July - late August, the female gives birth to 8 to 12 cubs with a length of 4.0 to 4.2 cm. The young are born in a thin transparent egg shell, from which they are immediately released.

The common viper is medium in size: usually the body length reaches 50–60 cm. The head is clearly separated from the body, the muzzle is on top, in front of the line connecting the anterior edges of the eyes, and has, in addition to small scutes, 3 large ones. The tip of the muzzle is rounded. The nasal opening is cut in the middle of the nasal shield. Grayish, brownish or red-brown in color above, with a dark zigzag stripe along the ridge. There is an X-shaped pattern on the head. A dark stripe runs from the eye to the corner of the mouth. Black vipers are often found.

Distributed in the middle and northern regions of the European part, to the south to approximately 40 degrees north latitude, in Siberia and the Far East up to and including Sakhalin, and in the north to 61 - 63 degrees north latitude. Inhabits forest and forest-steppe zones, preferring mixed forests with clearings, swamps, overgrown burnt areas, banks of rivers, lakes and streams. The placement of snake foci is usually determined by conditions suitable for wintering. As a rule, vipers are sedentary, do not move further than 60 - 100 m, and the area of a pair of snakes is 1.5 - 4 hectares.

They overwinter in the ground, below the frost layer, at a depth of 40 cm to 2 m, most often in burrows of rodents, moles, in the passages of rotten tree roots, in the voids of peat bogs, under haystacks, etc. The temperature in wintering areas does not fall below 2 - 4 degrees. More often, vipers spend the winter alone, but in suitable places, concentrations of up to 200–300 snakes are known. Males are the first to leave wintering areas, when there is still a lot of snow in the forest in some places. In spring, vipers stay in well-warmed places, using solar radiation and contact with warm soil, heated stones, etc.

The optimal temperature for males is 25 degrees, for females – 28 degrees. Above 37 degrees, vipers experience rigor and death. Mouse-like rodents and frogs form the basis of nutrition throughout the active period, except for the beginning of summer - the period of mass hatching of chicks of small birds. Occasionally the viper catches lizards.

Vipers mate 2-4 weeks after leaving wintering grounds, usually in mid-May. The gestation period is about 3 months. In the northern part of the range, breeding does not occur annually. During molting, snakes hide in shelters and do not feed.

Female vipers become sexually mature at the age of five with a total length of 54-55 cm, males at the age of four, having a length of about 45 cm. Life expectancy is 11-12 years.

Woodpeckers, a family of birds in the order Pyciformes. About 210 species, grouped into approximately 40 genera. The woodpecker family consists of small and medium-sized birds: body length from 9 to 56 cm. The color of the plumage of woodpeckers is varied, but in most species it is quite bright. The plumage is hard. The wings are of moderate length, wide and rounded - “forest” type; primary flight feathers 10. The tail consists of 12 pointed at the end, with very thick and springy trunks of tail feathers. The body of woodpeckers is ridged, stocky, and in the vast majority of species it has a characteristic chisel-shaped beak. The legs are short, with two backward-facing and two forward-facing toes, armed with prehensile claws.

Almost all woodpeckers are diurnal, forest-associated birds. The vast majority of species in this family are typical climbing birds, whose entire life is spent in trees. And woodpeckers are well adapted to such a life: in most species, the tail is more suitable for climbing trees than for flying. The tail feathers of woodpeckers overlap each other in a tiled manner - the middle pair, naturally, is on top. This creates a good support, which woodpeckers always use when climbing, for example, on a vertical tree trunk. Woodpeckers fly reluctantly, but quickly. Their flight is difficult and at the same time swift: the bird makes a sharp flap of its wings, lifting it up, then folds them and quickly, like a thrown spear, flies for some distance, quickly losing altitude, then flaps its wings again, etc.