The birds of Pasvik / E. I. Khlebosolov, O. A. Makarova, O. A. Khlebosolova [et al. ; English transl. Nikita Chernetsov]. - Ryazan : Golosgubernii, 2007. - 175 с. : ил., портр.

N.V. Polikarpova Surveys o f waterfowl and shorebirds on the Pasvik River are conducted together by Russian and Norwegian ornithologists. and in m oun tain tundra. The counters moved on cro ss-coun try skies and by motorised sledge. Additional data on tetraon id numbers were extracted from regis­ trations during excursions (Annals o f N atu re... 1997, 1998a, 1998b, 1999, 2000, 2 0 0 1 ,2003a, 2003b,2005a, 2005b). Waders were surveyed in model wetlands by mapping th e ir breeding territories. The living conditions and the pattern o f spatial distribution o f birds in small w et­ lands and different areas w ithin larger wetlands were recorded annually (Annals o f Nature... 2001, 2003b, 2003b, 2005a, 2005b). Passerines were surveyed during the breeding period by tran sect coun ts w ith unlim ited recording stripe. Breeding density was calculated taking into account the mean detection distances (Ravkin & Chelintsev 1990, 1999). Transects were made across different forest, wetland and m oun tain tund ra habitats, and through the Pasvik river coastal habitats. We recorded relief features, vegetation structu re, amount o f moisture and other environm ental variables th a t influence the specific composition, numbers and spatial distribution o f birds in ou r study area. For some birds absolute counts were made by territory mapping. Mechanisms o f formation and functioning o f avian comm un ities were studied by comparative analysis o f the structure o f the ecological niche and the pattern o f ecosystem relationships o f birds in natural ecosystems o f Pasvik. Modern approaches and methods make it possible to describe objectively the ecological niche o f birds and determ ine th e ir place in the natu re. The holistic approach to the study o f the structure o f the ecological n iche in birds, based on the concept o f unidimensional hierarchic niche, finds a broad recogn ition in o rn ith o - 22