#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. Andrey Przhiboro, candidate of biological sciences at the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, spoke about the study of invertebrates on the territory of the Putoransky nature reserve and its protected zone. Scientists from the Taimyr Nature Reserves directorate and Lomonosov Moscow State University took part in the expedition.
This season, for the first time, it was possible to carry out full-fledged expeditionary work in the eastern part of the Putorana plateau. In recent years, researchers are just beginning to study the fauna of invertebrates, primarily insects of the plateau.
“When the expedition began its work, lake Harpicha was still covered with ice, and northern spring reigned all around. And when we completed our field work, summer was already coming to an end. We spent five weeks – from late June to early August – in the vicinity of the remote lake Harpicha in the eastern part of the Putorana mountains.
The objectives were to conduct more complete and diverse faunal collections in this new unexplored area. This applied both to the taiga zone, located in the lake valley and on slopes up to an altitude of 700–800 meters, and to the tundra and mountain desert zones located higher, up to an altitude of 1450 meters”, the scientist noted.
In total, it was possible to survey more than 120 points, covering the main landscapes and habitats. When collecting invertebrates, special attention was paid to small reservoirs and watercourses.
Preliminary results indicate that the area’s entomofauna is poor compared to the western parts of the plateau, but may include a number of interesting and unusual finds. Hundreds of unique samples collected during the expedition now await further study.
Earlier, on the Putorana plateau, scientists found an ancient mystery leech. In 2024, the Putorana nature reserve will begin to be cleared of accumulated man-made waste.
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Text: Angelika Stepanova, Photo: Olga Zaderyaka and Andrey Przhiboro
