Fauna

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Fauna

Fauna

The diversity of Vertebrates (animals with the spine) of the Pasvik Nature Reserve and its surroundings

290 species,
176 genus,
70 families,
32 orders.

Fishes: 16 species;
Amphibians: 1 species;
Reptiles: 2 species;
Birds: 239 species;
Mammals: 32 species.

Fishes

Fish species diversity of the Pasvik River basin is not high in all the bordering countries: Finland, Norway and Russia. The foundation of the fish diversity are salmonids as well as whitefishes, percidae and pikes.

Special environmental conditions and hydroelectric power plants

The construction of the Pasvik Cascade of dams and hydropower plants impacted fishes' life cycle. Distribution and reproduction of atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and some other species was limited. The construction of the Pasvik Cascade of dams resulted in reservoirs emerging and the river was divided into parts. Then populations of fish species were split up and it impacted their genetic diversity, ecological characteristics and the ecosystems they live in. Seasonal and annual changes in flow of Lake Inari and the Pasvik River are the major limiting factors for fish species.

Birds

Bird species composition of Pasvik Nature Reserve and its surroundings is known quite well.

The most up-to-date information on bird species diversity and their life cycle characteristics you can find in an article "Birds of Pasvik Nature Reserve and Surrounding Area" (Zatsarinny and colleagues, 2018) and a monograph "Vertebrates of Pasvik Nature Reserve" (2018).

These papers are the result of analysis of the field data collected since the nature reserve’s foundation, thematic literature and archive data about the birds of Fennoscandia’s extreme north.

The data in the previously mentioned articles was significantly updated in comparison with:

the first edition of the vertebrates inventory of Pasvik Nature Reserve (Makarova and colleagues, 2003), a joint monograph "Bird of Pasvik" (Khlebosolov and colleagues, 2007)

and the following publications were taken into account:

the list of bird species of the Pasvik River valley (Günther, Zatsarinny, 2014) and a joint monograph "Hans Schaanning. The first ornithologist of Pasvik" (2014).

These publications are subject to systematic updates and clarification. The Science and Research Department of the nature reserve updates them annually. They let us characterize the bird diversity of the nature reserve and its surrounding area most accurately.

The data in the previously mentioned articles was significantly updated in comparison with:

the first edition of the vertebrates inventory of Pasvik Nature Reserve (Makarova and colleagues, 2003), a joint monograph "Bird of Pasvik" (Khlebosolov and colleagues, 2007)

and the following publications were taken into account:

the list of bird species of the Pasvik River valley (Günther, Zatsarinny, 2014) and a joint monograph "Hans Schaanning. The first ornithologist of Pasvik" (2014).

These publications are subject to systematic updates and clarification. The Science and Research Department of the nature reserve updates them annually. They let us characterize the bird diversity of the nature reserve and its surrounding area most accurately.

The bird diversity of Pasvik Nature Reserve and its surrounding area also includes:

species not observed in the nature reserve and the Russian part of the Pasvik River valley, but in recent years have been observed in the bordering protected area in Norway. The information about these species is included into the summary list of bird species of the Pasvik River (Günther, Zatsarinny, 2014).
species not mentioned in earlier publications (Zatsarinny and colleagues, 2018), information about those was disclosed recently (Buzun and colleagues, 2018, 2018а).

Mammals

Systematic research on mammals species in the Pasvik River valley had been conducted before the nature reserve was founded. The research was connected with planning of Pazovskiy State Refugee (1989−1991). On the Norwegian bank of the river research on mammals was conducted too and the list of mammal species was made. The data from both countries was put together after the nature reserve was founded and scientists from both countries started cooperation.

Small mammals

Monitoring of the population of small mammals in the nature reserve has been carried out since 1993.

From 1993 to 2018 the population of bank voles (Myodes glareolus) varied from year to year with a 4−5-year interval from 14.0 to 0.2 ind./100 trap-days.

The population of the common shrew (Sorex araneus), a common species of insectivorous mammals, varied irregularly: it increased in 1997, 2001, 2006, and 2010 and decreased in 1993, 1998, and 1999.

Small mammals

Monitoring of the population of small mammals in the nature reserve has been carried out since 1993.

From 1993 to 2018 the population of bank voles (Myodes glareolus) varied from year to year with a 4−5-year interval from 14.0 to 0.2 ind./100 trap-days.

The population of the common shrew (Sorex araneus), a common species of insectivorous mammals, varied irregularly: it increased in 1997, 2001, 2006, and 2010 and decreased in 1993, 1998, and 1999.

Large mammals

The nature reserve collects information about large mammals during winter route counts, special research during the snowless season (brown bear, elk, etc.) and in situ observations within the Nature Chronicles program. All the information about locations of large and medium-sized mammals is recorded in the special list.

The analysis uses observations received from researchers and inspectors of the nature reserve during field work, from local residents, the border service officers and invited experts of various profiles working in the nature reserve and its surrounding area.

The information from bordering protected areas in Finland and Norway is also taken into account.

Invertebrates

The diversity of invertebrates (animals without the spine) is less known than the diversity of vertebrates:

Freshwater molluscs: 1 species (the freshwater pearl mussel);
Crustaceans: 53 species;
Arachnids: more than 150 species;
Insects: 942 species of 8 orders, the most known are Hymenoptera (181 species), Flies (543 species), Beetles (158 species)