Current information on the program executing

The research program “Fauna inventory of the Kurgalsky Peninsula: biodiversity and biological risks, 2019” is carried out under a contract between

          Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences (ZIN) and

           Nord Stream 2 AG Company.

Nord Stream 2 AG Company ordered Zoological Institute to develop and implement a current scientific program in order to obtain the most reliable information on the state of the Kurgalsky Peninsula terrestrial fauna, taking into account the Zoological Institute many years of monitoring studies in this territory and the presence of highly qualified specialists in various groups of animals.

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.

Performers of the Program

Scientific advisor of the project: Oleg N. Pugachev, DSc, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Project manager: Leonid L. Voyta, PhD, Deputy Director.

Work Performers:

1. Aibulatov, Sergei, Senior Researcher (parasitology);
2. Andreeva, Svetlana, Senior Collection Keeper (entomology);
3. Bublichenko, Andrey, PhD, Senior Researcher (theriology);
4. Dianov, Mikhail, Chief of the IT-Department (Information System);
5. Fadeev, Kirill, Research Intern (entomology);
6. Golynsky, Eugeny, Senior Collection Keeper (GIS);
7. Khalikov, Roman, Senior Engineer of the IT-Department (Information System);
8. Khalin, Alexey, PhD, Senior Researcher (parasitology);
9. Kijashko, Pavel, PhD, Senior Researcher (malacology);
10. Kovalev, Alexey, PhD, Researcher (entomology);
11. Matov, Alexey, PhD, Senior Researcher (entomology);
12. Medvedev, Sergey, DSc, Main Researcher, Chief of the Parasitology Department (parasitology);
13. Milto, Konstantin, PhD, Senior Researcher (herpetology);
14. Mirin, Denis, PhD, Chief of the Geobotanic Cathedra of the Saint Petersburg State University (GIS-analysis);
15. Myasnitsyn, Aleksandr, Engineer of the IT-Department (Information System);
16. Paramonov, Nikolai, PhD, Researcher (entomology);
17. Platonov, Vladimir, Junior Researcher (theriology);
18. Polyanina, Kristina, Research Intern (parasitology);
19. Razygraev, Alexey, PhD, Senior Researcher (parasitology);
20. Ryss, Alexander, DSc, Principal Research Scientist (parasitology);
21. Sedikhin, Nickolai, Senior Collection Keeper (theriology).

Study timeline

The research program is carried out from March 11 to December 25, 2019.

Environmental Law Compliance

The research program “Fauna inventory of the Kurgalsky Peninsula: biodiversity and biological risks, 2019” involves specifying the species composition of invertebrates (insects and molluscs) by material collecting on the territory of the Kurgalsky Peninsula (Kingisepp District, Leningrad Region).

According to the provisions of the Federal Law "On the Animal World" on 04.24.1995 No 52-FZ, the collecting of wildlife objects belonging to species listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation is allowed in exceptional cases in order to preserve wildlife, control the status of their populations, regulation of their number, protection of human health.

Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences in April 2019, received permissions from the Committee for the Protection, Control and Regulation of the Use of Fauna of the Leningrad Region for collecting the specimens of 99 species of terrestrial invertebrates under the current program of 2019.

Permissions to Research Conducting and Specimen Collection

Permission to research the territory of the Kurgalsky reserve

Permits for the collecting of coleopteran species (Coleoptera)

Permits for the gathering of lepidopteran species (Lepidoptera)

Permits for the gathering of terrestrial molluscs (Mollusca)