Scientists of Yamal are researching animals, birds and plants in the district of the Yerkuta River

The integrated scientific expedition will start on the 15th of June in Yamal in the district of the Yerkuta River. There, during 16 seasons the researchers conduct study of terrestrial ecological systems.

The team of scientists from Russia, Norway, Spain and Finland will go to the expedition this year. Also the team includes students and postgraduates from the town Perm and Saint-Petersburg. Natalia Sokolova and Alexander Sokolov from the town Labytnangi are the heads of the trips for fieldwork. The Laptander family from the national trading station Yerkuta helps scientists on the location of the fieldwork already during 15 years. By the information given to IA "Sever-Press" in the press-service of the governor of Yamal, the field season on the Yerkuta River will last till the 15th of August. The researchers will collect detailed data about state of population of mammals and birds and also plants and herbs. Among the objects of this research there are the following: the rough-legged buzzard, the peregrine falcon, the snowy owl, three species of skua gulls, the polar fox, the fox, the wolverine, the rabbit, the partridge, the reindeer, waterfowl and shorebirds, and tundra vegetation - lichens, mosses, grasses, sedges and shrubs. In order to understand how different groups of herbivore animals influence on vegetation cover of tundra, the scientists will build special fences. They will prevent from access to lemmings and voles, hares, partridges and reindeer to some locations with vegetation resources of tundra. The experiment will allow the scientists to come closer to answers on questions, how fast vegetation free from pressing of different groups of herbivore animals will restore, how species diversity of plants changes, in what habitat areas this restoration takes place faster and other questions.