Research Program Purposes and Time Schedule

Main target

An inventory of the terrestrial fauna of the Kurgalsky Peninsula with an assessment of the model populations conditions, medico-biological and socio-economic risks.

Objectives:

1. Inventory of the fauna of terrestrial invertebrates (Insecta: Coleoptera, Lepidoptera; Mollusca: Gastropoda) with clarification of the species composition, distribution characteristics and biology of rare species, as well as the assessment of the stability of their populations;
2. Inventory of the fauna of terrestrial vertebrates (Amphibia, Reptilia, Mammalia) with an assessment of the numbers and density of their populations, including rare and invasive species;
3. Determination of the species composition of phytopathogenic stem nematodes (Nematoda: Tylenchomorpha) and identification of nematode vector species (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae, Curculionidae);
4. Clarification of the species composition of blood-sicking insects (Culicidae) and Ixodes ticks (Ixodidae), assessment of the infection of their populations with pathogens of especially dangerous natural focal diseases;
5. Application of the latest GIS analysis technology to identify the spatial patterns of distribution of blood-sicking insects and ticks;
6. Creation of specialized tools for storage and subsequent analysis of primary data, with selective WEB-publication of the results of analyzes and forecasts.

Key words: biodiversity, animals, fauna, rare species, invasive species, parasitology, phytopathogenic animals, natural focal diseases, GIS-modeling, information and analytical systems.

The Main Timelines

From 15 March till 30 June 2019 - 1st Stage of the Program

Topics:

• Field investigations on Kurgalsky Peninsula;
• Preliminary GIS-modeling used parasitology archive 2005-2009 for Culicidae;
• Developing of an information-analytical system, IAS;
• Report preparing.

From 1 July till 30 September 2019 - 2nd Stage of the Program

Topics:

• Field investigations on Kurgalsky Peninsula;
• GIS-modeling by the fresh data of 2019 for mosquitoes and ixodid ticks;
• Developing and testing IAS applications;
• Oral presentation of 2nd Stage results in the Nord Stream 2 AG AG Office;
• Report preparing.

From 1 October till 25 December 2019 - 3rd Stage of the Program

Topics:

• Final field investigations on Kurgalsky Peninsula;
• Final GIS-modeling of the distribution of blood-sucking insects (Culicidae) and ixodid ticks;
• Final stage of developing IAS;
• Final report preparing.