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Registration Number

0224U032916, (0124U003702) , R & D reports

Title

Parasites and the Sixth Extinction: a study of the state of parasites communities and populations of the model groups of animals under the current crisis of biodiversity

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Аналіз наявних даних про стан паразитарних угруповань, підготовка та проведення експедицій для збору зразків

Head

Kuzmina Tetiana А., Кандидат біологічних наук

Registration Date

11-12-2024

Organization

Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

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This project aims to study the species diversity and structure of parasite communities and populations in model vertebrate groups to detect changes in natural and transformed ecosystems and determine the main directions of these changes. Analysing of contemporary and previously collected parasitological data will significantly update species diversity databases, comprehensively assess ecosystem biodiversity, and develop predictive models of ecological changes for the coming decades.

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 At the first stage of the Project, we carried out an assessment of the current state of biodiversity of parasitic communities of model groups of vertebrate animals based on the analysis of literature sources. More than 150 literature sources were processed, 181 helminth species were detected, in particular, in amphibians – 48 helminths species, in reptiles – 84, and in birds – 72. A list of the main species of helminths of the model vertebrates was created. A series of expeditions to natural and transformed ecosystems in the Kyiv, Poltava, and Lviv regions of Ukraine were carried out; 83 amphibian specimens and more than 3,500 helminth specimens were collected. All helminths were primarily processed and fixed in 70% ethanol for further examinations. The electronic Database of collections and parasitological dissections of model animal groups in the form of an Excel table, as well as the Database of photographs of collected animals and their parasites were established. The Collection "Helminths of model vertebrate species of Ukraine" was launched; the collection includes 458 storage units (tubes and permanent slides); Databases and Collection will be supplemented at the next stages of the Project. Additionally, we identified helminths from individual species of amphibians (Bufo bufo, Pelophylax ridibundus, Pelobates fuscus), reptiles (Darevskia armeniaca and D. dahli) and birds (Sturnus vulgaris). The negative aspect of anthropogenic impact on terrestrial amphibians and reptiles and the depletion of the toad helminth fauna in urban conditions were confirmed. Role of P. fuscusin the circulation of parasites of terrestrial vertebrates was revealed for the first time. The data of our study of the invasive rock lizards helminth fauna confirmed the “Enemy Release Hypothesis” for invasive animals; these results were submitted for publication to an scientific journal indexed by Scopus and Web of Science. Data on starling helminth fauna are being prepared for publication.

Product Description

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Antipova Kateryna H.
Hreben Oksana B.
Dmytriieva Ivanna V.
Dupak Valeriia S.
Marushchak Oleksii Yu.
Nechai Andrii O.
Svitin Roman S.
Syrota Yaroslav Yu.

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2024-12-11