VARIABILITY OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF RUSSIAN PLAIN: EVOLUTIONARY, ECOLOGICAL AND PRESERVATION ASPECTS

Transcription

1 VARIABILITY OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF RUSSIAN PLAIN: EVOLUTIONARY, ECOLOGICAL AND PRESERVATION ASPECTS G.A. Lada Derzhavin Tambov State University

2 Amphibians and reptiles play a great role in trophy relations in ecosystems, and exercise sufficient influence on biosphere. Therefore, an investigation igation of variability of their morphological and ecological characters in connects with h natural and anthropogenic conditions, is of great importance for theoretic and a practice biology.

3 Russian Plain as studying area completely meets all requirements.. This region is characterized by considerable diversity of physical geographical conditions and numerous fragmented (forest and steppe) landscapes. It connects with natural causes (for example, partially-wooded steppe in south part of area) and human activities (intensive felling of forest and ploughing up of steppe from XVIII century).

4 Purposes of project are: a) investigation of taxonomic diversity and geographic distribution of amphibians and reptiles of the Russian Plain; ; b) integrated analysis of geographic variation of some model species with consideration of environment specific features; c) research of nonn on-orthodox orthodox (hybridogenetic( and cryptic) speciation; d) valuation of anthropogenic influences on amphibians and reptiles.

5 Field study was carried out in in twenty eight administrative regions of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova.

6 Morphological, cytogenetic, biochemical and ecological methods were used.

7 Fire-bellied toad Bombina bombina Common toad Bufo bufo Pool frog Rana lessonae Geographic variation of some model species of amphibians and reptiles was studied. Sand lizard Lacerta agilis Grass snake Natrix natrix Adder Vipera berus

8 Common frog Rana temporaria European pond turtle Emys orbicularis Steppe-runner Eremias arguta New data on distribution, morphology and ecology of some amphibians ans and reptiles in the north or south of specific ranges were obtained. Tessellated snake (Natrix( tessellata): specimens from Samara (left) and Lipetsk (right) northern isolated populations

9 Rana lessonae Rana ridibunda Rana esculenta A special attention was paid to hybridogenetic Rana esculenta complex. These amphibians demonstrate hybridization, hemiclonal inheritance and polyploidy. They can regarded as example of reticular evolution in vertebrates.

10 Hybridogenesis Green frogs characterized by special mode of reproduction, so called hybridogenesis.. The scheme of this process for diploid (left) and triploid (right) animals is demonstrated in figures.

11 Distribution of hybrid R. esculenta in region: 1 localities of R. esculenta (on DNA-cytometry data); 2 localities of introduced R. ridibunda in Latvia and Leningrad Province; ; 3 north border of specific range of R. ridibunda; ; 4 border of specific range of R. lessonae (on DNA-cytometry data).

12 Population systems (different combinations of parental and hybrid species) of green frogs (Rana esculenta complex) on the Russian Plain are characterized by significance diversity and certain geographic distribution.

13 The zone of distribution of polyploid Rana esculenta in East Europe (along the Seversky Donets River within Ukraine and Russia) was found and studied.

14 The study of ecological differentiation of each species of green frogs reveal the existence of distinctions on biotopes, helminthes fauna and food composition.

15 Pelobates fuscus (green) and P. vespertinus (red) A special attention was paid to distribution of two cryptic genome forms of spade- foot toads (Pelobates( fuscus complex). The contact zone between them was found and studied in the Kursk Province. It made it possible to establish the parapatry of these forms in this region and came to preliminary conclusion on their taxonomic status: independent cryptic species P. fuscus and P. vespertinus.

16 Overwhelming majority of natural ecosystems and landscapes of Russian Plain characterized by considerable transformation owing to intensive human activity. As a result, all species of amphibians and reptiles are problem from the point of view of theirs populations state.

17 Alsophylax pipiens So called Vipera nikolskii adder (Vipera berus) from partiallywooded steppe areas. Only two forms of reptiles inhabiting Russian Plain include in Red Data Book of Russia.

18 Sunwatcher Phrynocephalus helioscopus Sand boa Eryx miliaris nogaiorum Large whip snake Hierophis caspius Six taxa include in Supplement to the Red Data Book of Russia Pallasian rat snake Elaphe sauromates Montpellier snake Malpolon monspessulanus Renard viper Vipera renardi

19 Common tree frog Hyla arborea European pond turtle Emys orbicularis Crested newt Triturus cristatus But three widely distributed rare species are not include in the Red Data Book of Russia.

20 All other species are characterized by problem populations in some regions of Russian Plain. They need protection on regional level.

21 I thank all colleagues for field assistance. The study was supported partly by the Russian Foundation for Fundamental Research (grants No a 00945a and a) and Federal Aim Program Scientific and scientific- educational personnel of innovatory Russia on (grants No. P2014 and P268).

22 I thank for attention!