ОХРАНЯЕМЫЕ, РЕДКИЕ И МАЛОИЗВЕСТНЫЕ НАСЕКОМЫЕ ПАМЯТНИКОВ ПРИРОДЫ «ЧЕЛЯБИНСКИЙ (ГОРОДСКОЙ) БОР» И «КАШТАКСКИЙ БОР» (ЧЕЛЯБИНСКАЯ ОБЛАСТЬ)

of the Southern Urals, candidate of biological sciences, senior researcher at the laboratory of Geobotany and Plant Resources of the Ufa Institute of biology of the Ufa Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, honored ecologist of the Russian Federation Albert Akramovich Muldashev in connection with his 70th anniversary, which was celebrated on August 25, 2024. The species Potentilla muldaschevii Kniaz. et Semerikov (family Rosaceae) is a narrow-local endemic of the Southern Urals (Uchalinsky Uplands). This species was described in 2006 from the territory of the Republic of Bashkortostan (RB) by famous scientists from Yekaterinburg M.S. Knyazev and V.L. Semerikov [2006]. The species is included in the Red Data Book of the RB 3rd edition [2021] with the regional protection status: 1) rarity status category: 1 – endangered species; 2) endangered status category: endangered species (EN – Endangered); 3) conservation status: II priority (it is necessary to implement one or more special measures to preserve the species in the Southern Urals). This species is very rare. In the RB, the species is known from 3 points in the Uchalinsky district: the Maly Irendyk ridge west of the village Tungatarovo (locus classicus), ridges to the north and south of the village of Polyakovka [Knyazev, Semerikov, 2006; materials of the LE Herbarium and the SVER Herbarium; Red Data Book…, 2021]. In the Chelyabinsk region, the species is found on the limestone Ustinovskie cliffs along the right bank of the Miass River (Miass district) [materials of the CSUH Herbarium; Knyazev, Semerikov, 2006; Red Data Book…, 2017].

The bush cricket Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771) is distributed from Southern France to Central Asia (in Western and Central Europe - up to 45°N latitude, in Eastern Europe - up to 50°N latitude, in southern Siberia - up to 54°30' N latitude); in Ukraine - to the south of the line connecting the village of Bovshiv, Halytskyi district, Ivano-Frankivska province, the city of Kaniv, Cherkaska province, and the village of Stepove, Lebedynskyi district, Sumska province (Червона…, 2009). At the northern boundary of its distribution in Central Europe, this species has been found in four countries (Hungary – ca. 80, Slovakia – 20, Austria – 14 and Czech Republic – 4 localities) (Krištín, Kaňuch, 2007). In the west of Ukraine, Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771) was discovered for the first time in 18.07.1926 by M. Kłapacz (1928) on Kasova Hora Mt. near the town of Burshtyn, Ivano-Frankivska province (Fig. 1). This species was found for the second time by A.M. Zamoroka in the same place 77 years later, in 2003 (2 specimens), and even later in 2008 (1 specimen), and in 2014 (2 specimens) (Заморока та ін., 2017). In Transcarpathian Lowland Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771) was discovered for the first time by O.Yu. Mateleshko and V.V. Mirutenko during their entomological research in Berehovo Volcanic Hills (Berehovo district, Zakarpattia Region) on the 1st and 6th of June 2018, when two nymphs of this species were recorded. Both specimens were found in abandoned rock quarries in Haiesh mountain massif, between villages Muzhiievo and Bene [Dobrosillia] (Mateleshko, Mirutenko, 2018). Although, one more find from Transcarpathian Lowland by O. Vavra (Vavra, 2018) was made earlier, on 20.05.2018, during his field work on the southern slope of Chorna Hora Mt. (Vynogradivskyi district), due to the protected status of this species, only its photo was taken (Vavra, 2018). The species is threatened and listed in Appendix II of the Bern Convention, IUCN Red list, and Annex IV of the Habitats Directive of Natura 2000, Red Data Book of Ukraine with the status rare one (Червона, 2009). The bush cricket Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771) is a parthenogenetic species highly sensitive to environmental changes, facing threats from forest expansion and agricultural intensification; prefers dry, open habitats with sparse vegetation, and its pronounced thermo-heliophily makes it an indicator of xerothermic habitats (Della Rocca, Repetto, De Caria, Milanesi, 2025). The generation of the species is annual. It overwinters in the egg phase. First instar larvae appear in May. Larval development lasts from a month to a month and a half, and they are up to eight instars. In early to mid-July, adults appear and live until the fall. Eggs are laid in the soil in the evening and at night from the end of July. Clutches consist of about 7 eggs. Ambush predator, catches insects (locusts, beetles, bugs) (Червона…, 2009). Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771) individuals at the northern boundary of their distribution were expected to be smaller and lighter because of suboptimal ecological conditions there; however, the body size of individuals from those areas were similar to the average value for the whole area (Krištín, Kaňuch, 2007). It is protected in reserves and national parks of the steppe zone of Ukraine (Безхребетні…, 2024; Проект…, 2016), and in the west of Ukraine – in the Halytskyi National Nature Park (Kasova Gora Mt.) and the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve (Chorna Hora Mt.) (Різун, Коновалова, Яницький, 2000). As Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771) is widely distributed across Europe, its conservation strongly relies on transnational efforts and coordinated conservation planning that require a large-scale (Ancillotto, Labadessa, 2023). There is an urgent task to be done – to integrate conservation strategies that would address both habitat preservation and landscape connectivity, emphasizing the importance of existing suitable habitats for the survival of Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771) populations (Della Rocca, Repetto, De Caria, Milanesi, 2025).

According to the data obtained, the Mordovian fauna of diurnal lepidopterans comprises 75 species, including Hesperiidae (7 species), Papilionidae (5), Pieridae (10), Satyridae (10), Nymphalidae (27), and Lycaenidae (16). Based on the quantitative assessments, the species were characterized as rare (1–5 ind. in the collection), scarce (6–30), common (31–170), and abundant (171–940). Species with temperate (52 species or 69.3%) and subboreal (12 species or 16.0%) ranges predominated in the latitudinal distribution pattern. The total and background species diversity of the Diurna was the highest in the forests (63 species) and meadows (52), and the lowest on the steppe slopes (6). Among the species revealed, 14 were rare: Iphiclides podalirius, Zerynthia polyxena, Parnassius apollo, Driopa mnemosyne, Colias erate, Coenonympha hero, Neptis sappho, Apatura iris, Limenitis populi, Nymphalis antiopa, Fixsenia pruni, Lycaena helle, Cupido minimus, and Maculinea arion.

The solution of transnational environmental problems in the field of the protection of threatened species and conservation biology directly depends on the level of international communication, which can significantly decrease due to differences in Red Lists and Red Data Books of different levels. In order to identify the similarities and differences in approaches to the assessment of national Red Lists and Books of the Baltic Sea region countries (Russia, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Finland, Poland and Sweden) with the IUCN Red List, a comparative analysis was carried out. It was determined that the level of discrepancy between Red Data Lists and Books varies considerably, with differences in the scales of species categories, species lists and categories. Most of the threatened species at the national level are not listed under the IUCN Red List, while species in a more stringent category at the national level prevail (37% and 3% on average, respectively). However, national Red Lists and Red Data Books do not take into account the global trend of the risk of extinction of species. The percentage of species with insufficient information to define a category at the national or global level ranges from 6% to 28%. These discrepancies make it difficult to exchange data on threatened species and create a unified database with information on protected species at different levels and, therefore, reduce the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation activities at regional and international levels. The results also demonstrate that countries have an international responsibility to conserve a species, and the cases identified can provide useful additional information to guide a national conservation strategy.

The article presents a review of data on a rare endemic species of the flora of the Republic of Bashkortostan (RB) – Pimpinella tomiophylla (Woronow) Stank. (Apiaceae). The species is included in the third edition of the Red Data Book of the RB [2021] in the following status: category 2 – a species that is declining in abundance and/or distribution; vulnerable species (VU); II priority (Bashkir Cis-Urals). The article provides the following information about the species: conservation status; nomenclature reference; morphological description; distribution in the republic; brief ecological and phytocenotic characteristics; features of biology; modern data on condition of the local population; limiting factors; measures for the protection. The species was first described for science in 1931 from Mount Tratau (RB, Ishimbai district) according to herbarium collections in 1915 and 1926 (LE) [Voronov, 1931; Flora of the USSR, 1950]. In the republic, P. tomiophylla is a poorly studied species and is located within a narrow local range. At present, the species is reliably known only from one point – the territory of the natural monument «Mount Tratau» (UFA) [The Red Data Book…, 2021]. The species occurs in plant communities with typical petrophytic species. It grows mainly in the lower part of the western and southwestern slopes of the mountain. The known population of the species is numerous. In recent years, the recreational load on the populations of rare species on Mount Tratau, including the species P. tomiophylla, has increased, which will inevitably lead to a reduction in the area and number of its population. The necessity of a set of additional measures for the protection of P. tomiophylla in situ and ex situ is substantiated.

Monitoring of protected fungi species by methods of modern information technologies

Georgia is an important ecoregion with biodiversity, endemism and relict species. It is ranked 36th in the world according to BDI, and first in Europe according to ABI. According to WWF standards, it is included in the 200 regions, biodiversity of which is unique and needs care. Georgia is included among the 15th and 30th "hot spots" of world biodiversity. Endemics of Georgia are protected by CITES and Bonn Conventions. Georgia's biodiversity is threatened by many dangers, among which the following are relevant: destruction of habitats, their fragmentation, excessive extraction of species, the influence of introduced species on aboriginal ones, environmental pollution, and other risk factors. Based on the collection of existing materials and their analysis, it is determined that today 139 species of animals and 56 species of plants are included in the "Red List", and 6 species of animals and 161 species of plants are included in the "Red Book". Some endemics of Georgia are included in the "Red List" of IUCN. According to the results of the research, it is determined that the biodiversity of Georgia is at risk of extinction, the above species are endangered or vulnerable. The situation is due to the imperfect functioning of biomonitoring, insufficient inventory of forests, ichthyofauna wetlands, biomes, and less convincing ecological assessment. Outdated evidence from the "Red Book" and "Red List" that cannot reflect the current situation. Solving the existing problems requires protection of the country's resource potential, its reasonable use, and full mobilization of scientific potential.   

The article contains the data on distribution, population, habitats and phenology of 16 species of lepidopteran insects (Insecta: Lepidoptera), inhabiting the landscape reserve “Zvanets” (Belarus, Brest region) and listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus: Rhyparioides metelkana, Pericallia matronula, Callimorpha dominula, Arytrura musculus, Diachrysia zosimi, Chariaspilates formosaria, Scopula caricaria, Gagitodes sagittata, Lycaena dispar, Euphydryas aurinia, Eu. maturna, Melitaea phoebe, M. diamina, M. aurelia, M. britomartis, Coenonympha oedippus. The data conserning the habitat of Parnassius mnemosyne in the reserve are proposed to be considered unreliable. The study also provides the information on Polyommatus daphnis which had previously been a protected species.It was found that the preferred habitat for C. oedippus, Ch. formosaria, Rh. metelkana, A. musculus, D. zosimi is fen mire. It is possible that for Rh. metelkana and A. musculus the reserve “Zvanets” is the key area concerning their preservation in Europe. On the background of the ongoing extinction of these two species in Europe and in connection with burning of vegetation practised in “Zvanets”, the further study of Rh. metelkana and A. musculus, it is particularly relevant for the development and implementation of action plans for their saving.The widespread burning of vegetation on swamps affecting mineral islands (especially small ones) has negative impact on the Papilionoidea species. In larger forest areas which burn only fragmentary the Lepidoptera population is quickly restored in burnt places due to the resettlement from the areas not affected by fire. It requires the development of special protection measures for the Papilionoidea in the reserve area.With the legalization of target burnings in the reserve “Zvanets” the best way out of this situation is the differentiation of ways to fight the bush encroachment and overgrowth of reeds. It is expedient to split the reserve into a number of areas which will be subject to burning alternately in different years. To localize the fire they must be separated by pre-cutting of the low dividing strips. To prevent any further damage by fire to the mineral islands and margins of swamps and dams the unwanted vegetation along the margins of swamps, near the channels and on the borders of swamps with mineral islands should be removed by mowing and cutting out where possible.Key words: Lepidoptera, protection, Red Data Book, wildlife area, burning of vegetation, Belarus.

Insects, as the most diverse group of invertebrates, are often unfairly underrepresented in Red Lists of threatened taxa. Despite the significant biodiversity and ecosystem functionality of this group, regional Red lists of taxa often ignore truly threatened species and, conversely, include species that are quite common in adjacent regions. The paper presents the results of long-term monitoring of rare insect species in 14 regions of European Russia (Vladimir Region, Volgograd Region, Voronezh Region, Lipetsk Region, Moscow Region, Nizhny Novgorod Region, Penza Region, Ryazan Region, Republic of Mordovia, Republic of Tatarstan, Samara Region, Saratov Region, Tambov Region, Ulyanovsk Region). The aim of the study was to summarise the results of long-term research of rare species listed in regional Red Data Books and the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation. A wide variety of insect collection and census methods were used. To characterise regional Red Data Books during the research, the taxonomic lists, which were actual at the time of the research, were used. The information resulted in 96 insect species from eight orders (one from Odonata, three from Orthoptera, seven from Hemiptera, 64 from Coleoptera, two from Neuroptera, one from Raphidioptera, 13 from Lepidoptera, 5 from Hymenoptera), included in the Red Data Books of the studied regions; of these, 18 species are also included or were included in the recent (2021) or previous (2001) edition of the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation, respectively. Between one and three species listed in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation were recorded for the first time in seven regions. The number of species included in the regional Red Data Books ranges from 47 species in the Volgograd Region to 261 species in the Voronezh Region. It is assumed that 30 species from the studied taxa do not require special protection measures and should be excluded from protected lists of regional Red Data Books. Justification for such recommendations is provided in each specific case. Leptura aurulenta is proposed to be included on the list of the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation.

Plant conservation and the red book

The investigation of drivers leading to species extinction is relevant task in global biodiversity conservation. Despite of the large area of Russia, there is a remarkable lack of biodiversity data from this country. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the threats proved for threatened plant taxa according to 59 regional Red Data Books of Russia. For each Red Data Book species, we identified threats, i.e. drivers leading to species extinction, according to sections “Limiting factors” or “Limiting factors and threats” of regional Red Data Books. To identify relation of extinction drivers to natural conditions, we indicated, which biomes are located within each region using scheme of ecoregions. We found that in 59 Russian regions, the total taxonomic list of Red Data Book plants contained of 3390 taxa belonging to 152 families and 869 genera. The biogeographical position of regions was reflected in the similarity of lists of the Red Data Book species on the basis of Jaccard index. In regards of extinction drivers, we found that among 12 of them habitat degradation (16.5%), grazing (14.6%), urbanization (13.5%), and hydrological disturbance (10.8%) were the most impactful factors affecting the Red Data Book plant species in Russian regions. Then, we found that in certain level, the geographical position of a region is correlated with the drivers leading to plant species extinction in Russia. We recommended to continue more detail research to reveal factors affected or led to plant species extinction in Russia as a large and highly diverse country of Eurasia.

The species diversity of the insects of Nimphalinae subfamily (Lepidoptera order), which are stored in the entomological collection of The Botany and Zoology Department of Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University were studied. The insects were collected by the students during their teacher training and also by the amateur entomologists during 2000–2020. These insects are in the collections of The Botany and Zoology Department. The species composition of the collected insects was analyzed. There are 202 individuals of Nimphalinae subfamily. Identified insects belong to five genus (Vanessa, Inachis, Agаlis, Polygonia, Nymphalis). The largest number of individuals of this subfamily was calculated (Inachis io –75, Vanessa atalanta – 52, Cynthia cardui – 45). Also 13 individuals of Agаlis urticae and 12 individuals of Polygonia c-album were found. All species of Rhopalocera of European fauna are in The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Most of them are classified as Least Concern (LC). Widespread, numerous and common species of the Nimphalinae subfamily were found in the funds of The Botany and Zoology Department. Identified species belong to the LC category of The IUCN Red List. The Compton tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vaualbum) is included in The Red Data Book of Ukraine (2009). Its conservation status is invaluable. Nymphalis vaualbum was not found in the entomological collections of The Botany and Zoology Department of TNPU.

In order to effectively protect rare and endangered plants, 27 provincial-level administrative regions in North Asia (the Asian part of Russia) have compiled and published local Red Data Books. In this study, the names (with synonyms) of vascular plants in the 27 provincial Red Books were digitalized and merged into a database of rare and endangered vascular plants in North Asia. The purpose is to reflect the species composition, geographic distribution pattern, and protection level of these plants and their inclusion in the national Russian Red Data Book and the IUCN Red List, and provide a reference for formulating conservation strategies. The dataset has a total of 2079 species, 160 subspecies, and 53 varieties belonging to 667 genera and 143 families. It contains data on 2292 taxa, including family name, genus name, species name and synonyms, protection level, and other information. We also analyzed the main influencing factors, existing problems of rare and endangered vascular plant species, and suggestions for addressing them. We conclude that, to date, the IUCN criteria have not been applied consistently in all regions, leading to an excessive number of species being recorded in the Red Data Books of Asian Russia; specifically, one-third of all floral species are in the regional Red Data Books.

The article discusses the monitoring of rare plants listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine that grow in the Ternopil region, in particular in the Kremenets Mountains, the Medobory Reserve, the Holytsia Botanical and Entomological Reserve, as well as in the territories of Opillya and Transnistria. The study used data from V. Besser, H. Kukovytsia, T. Andrienko, B. Zaverukha, S. Zelinka, R. Yavorivsky, M. Barna, and V. Cherniak, scientists who analyzed plant populations in the Ternopil region. The main goal of the work was to establish the habitats of Red Book plants in the Ternopil region, to study the populations of a number of species, and to conduct taxonomic, systematic, chorological, and biomorphological analysis in order to develop ways to protect these plants. The research was conducted from 2018 to 2023 in the Ternopil region, using herbarium specimens from the collections of the M.T. Kholodny Institute of Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (KW), the M.M. Hryshko National Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (KWHA), the Lviv Museum of Natural History of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (LWS), the Volodymyr Hnatiuk Ternopil National Pedagogical University, and museums in Kremenets and Ternopil. The research found that 34 species of plants grow in the Kremenets Mountains, 28 species in the Medobory Reserve, 37 species in the Holytsia Botanical and Entomological Reserve and its surroundings, and other plants are found partially in the Ternopil Plateau, Opillya, and Transnistria. In particular, 12 endemic, 22 relict, 7 relict-endemic, and 30 rare species have been identified. In addition, the region is home to 7 species of plants included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, which are globally endangered. The categorical analysis of Red Data Book species shows that 20 species are classified as endangered, 49 as vulnerable, 30 as rare, and 1 species as uncertain. In nature conservation, it is important to study the anthropogenic impact on certain species of species, as well as the creation of new reserves and protected tracts to preserve their natural environment.

The dataset of the Red Data Book vascular plants of Transbaikalia was created based on the latest editions of the Red Data Book of the Republic of Buryatia and the Red Data Book of the Zabaikalsky Krai (Russia). The dataset provides the most updated information regarding the distribution of 271 rare vascular plants (2920 distribution records). The distribution of the studied species was recorded during field surveys using GPS navigators, georeferenced from herbarium specimens, and digitised from printed distribution maps. Each entry in the dataset has various attributes, including belt zone, distribution, ecological, and life-form group features. Distribution patterns for various groups of rare and endangered species were analysed by means of QGIS 3.10 software. Our study has revealed a number of localities of vascular plants listed in the Red Data Book and clarified their distribution within the federal Protected Areas of Transbaikalia, among which Tunkinsky National Park has the highest diversity. Distribution of some rare and endangered species fall under federal protection, but some plants, including endemic species, require better protection. Analysis of various belt zones and distribution groups showed their distinct spread within the study region. Among the studied species, mesophytes and short rhizome perennial plants prevailed. It is also important to preserve vascular plants in the Red Data Book outside Protected Areas. Hence, information from our dataset can be useful for conservation monitoring programmes. Our study provides a basis for future conservation activities and can be applied in the establishment of new Protected Areas or Important Plant Areas in Transbaikalia.