Riistaeläinten populaatioiden dynamiikka Pohjois-Euroopassa: tiivistelmä : 7. kansainvälinen symposium. 24. – 28. Syyskuuta

We have studied Black Grouse population abundance and its dynamics in large regions of North-Europe and Urals’ taiga (Finland, Russian Karelia, Murmansk, Arhangel, Kirov and Komi regions and). The data is based on Winter Track Counts (WTC, Priklonski, 1973), where all grouse sightings are recorded. We also studied the longterm Black Grouse abundance changes in Russian and Belarus Natural Reserves (by “Chronical of Natural” Programme, including summer counts of forest grouses): Pinezhsky, Pechoro-Ilychskiy, National Park "Mechera", Nature Reserve "Kivach", "Bryansk Forest", Kostomuksha Nature Reserve Volzhsko-Kamsky National Nature Biosphere Reserve and Visimskiy State Nature Reserves. The highest and most stable abundances of Black Grouse were recorded from East Fennoscandia (Karelia – 3.6 birds per 10 km; Finland – 4.4, coefficient of variation – 12% and 27%, respectively), whereas in the Murmansk and Arkhangelsk Regions and Komi republic, e.g. the species abundance indices were 0.5, 2.5 and 1.1 birds per 10 km, respectively. The “Peak” and minimal abundance years do not concur in different regions of north-European taiga. In Komi in the period from 2001 to 2013, the number of the black grouse declined twice, in Arhangel in the period 30 years – decreased fivefold. In Tatarstan Republic (Volzhsko-Kamsky National Nature Biosphere Reserve) after 1980 abundance decreased rapidly and at last 10 tears – disappeared. In Central Siberia BG are small in numbers and rare. The data suggest Black Grouse abundance varies significantly across Northern Eurasia and among years. One may presume there are some factors acting in different directions: towards convergence and towards divergence of the trends.Peer reviewe

Breast cancer incidence following low-dose rate environmental exposure: Techa River Cohort, 1956–2004

In the 1950s, the Mayak nuclear weapons facility in Russia discharged liquid radioactive wastes into the Techa River causing exposure of riverside residents to protracted low-to-moderate doses of radiation. Almost 10 000 women received estimated doses to the stomach of up to 0.47 Gray (Gy) (mean dose=0.04 Gy) from external γ-exposure and 137Cs incorporation. We have been following this population for cancer incidence and mortality and as in the general Russian population, we found a significant temporal trend of breast cancer incidence. A significant linear radiation dose–response relationship was observed (P=0.01) with an estimated excess relative risk per Gray (ERR/Gy) of 5.00 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.80, 12.76). We estimated that approximately 12% of the 109 observed cases could be attributed to radiation

Phenological shifts of abiotic events, producers and consumers across a continent

Ongoing climate change can shift organism phenology in ways that vary depending on species, habitats and climate factors studied. To probe for large-scale patterns in associated phenological change, we use 70,709 observations from six decades of systematic monitoring across the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Among 110 phenological events related to plants, birds, insects, amphibians and fungi, we find a mosaic of change, defying simple predictions of earlier springs, later autumns and stronger changes at higher latitudes and elevations. Site mean temperature emerged as a strong predictor of local phenology, but the magnitude and direction of change varied with trophic level and the relative timing of an event. Beyond temperature-associated variation, we uncover high variation among both sites and years, with some sites being characterized by disproportionately long seasons and others by short ones. Our findings emphasize concerns regarding ecosystem integrity and highlight the difficulty of predicting climate change outcomes. The authors use systematic monitoring across the former USSR to investigate phenological changes across taxa. The long-term mean temperature of a site emerged as a strong predictor of phenological change, with further imprints of trophic level, event timing, site, year and biotic interactions.Peer reviewe

THE GENESIS AND EVOLUTION OF THE FRANCE’S CULTURAL DIPLOMACY THROUGH CENTURIES

The historical roots and the development of external cultural action of France are considered in the article as an attribute of the so called “diplomacy of influence” or “smart power”. The traditionally important place of culture in the French foreign policy is underlined as a part of its strategy aimed at increasing its global influence. The worth of both the history and the culture of France- homeland of the Enlightenment, freethinking and Declaration of Human Rights- keeps, no doubts, a honourable place not only in the European but in the world storehouse of spiritual values. However, if the splendour and attractiveness of the French culture succeeded to tide over the reverses of times, it happened first of all owing to a streamlined cultural policy pursued through ages by ruling circles of this country –from luminous monarchs to modern presidents. In that sense the cultural policy as a target oriented action by the State aimed at the preservation and protection of national cultural particularity is a purely French “invention”, a phenomena which takes its roots in the depths of the national history and maintains its continuity through centuries. Up to now, France remains unique among the developed countries with its thoroughly elaborated and diligently carried on cultural policy leaned on a strong organisational machinery. The facts taken from many latest foreign publications illustrate the narration

Significant Asia-Europe divergence in the middle spotted woodpecker (Aves, Picidae)

Population divergence could be strongly affected by species’ ecology and might not be a direct response to climate-driven environmental change. We tested this in the middle spotted woodpecker (Dendrocoptes medius), a non-migratory, low-dispersal habitat specialist associated with old deciduous forests of the Western Palearctic. We present the first phylogeographic study of this species integrating genetic data (three mitochondrial loci, one autosomal and one Z-linked intron) with species distribution modelling. Based on this species’ ecology, we predicted that the middle spotted woodpecker could have colonized its current range from multiple Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) refugia and that strongly structured populations could be expected. Indeed, we discovered a strong genetic divergence between Asian and European populations, with a split estimated at around one million of years ago. This was surprising given only slight intraspecific variation in plumage and morphology. Although there was no significant phylogeographic structure within the Asian and European groups, we cannot exclude the possibility of multiple refugia within either group during the LGM. This has to be further investigated with more extensive geographic sampling and larger number of variable independently evolving markers. Future studies should also investigate potential differences in vocalizations and ecology between the two groups. Lineages showing similar level of genetic differentiation including woodpeckers are often treated as species-level taxa. Comparison of our results with the phylogeographic history of other woodpeckers, suggests that sympatric species with similar life-histories might have idiosyncratic phylogeographic patterns probably resulting from different ecological requirements or historic stochasticity