On the basis of our own and published materials, a glossary of terms on thermoregulation of reptiles as ectothermic animals has been compiled. The theoretical basis for this generalization was the idea of the process of physiological regulation through negative feedback. Various methods of thermoregulation and a variety of forms of thermoregulatory behavior are considered. Classification of indicators of body temperature of animals is carried out. The group of thermoecological indicators mainly reflects the intensity of the impact of environmental thermal factors on the body. Thermophysiological parameters characterize the state (temperature) of an individual at the time of the implementation of a particular reaction to heat. Methods for constructing parameters for individual acts of thermoregulation are discussed. Promising ways of research on thermoregulation of reptiles are outlined.

The aim of this study was to compare the parameters of the parasite species richness in common shrew Sorex araneus during the periods of its highest and lowest population abundance. The analysis was based on a comparative assessment of parasitic infracommunities and accumulation curves of helminth species richness. The significance of the observed differences was determined by analyzing the coefficients of the power regression equation modeling the dynamics of accumulation of species richness of parasitic communities. It has been shown that with an increase in the number of common shrews, there is a decrease in the average values of species richness of parasitic infracommunities, while their β-diversity increases. Differences in the accumulation curves of parasite species richness at low and high host abundance are determined by the peculiarities of the distribution of species richness in helminth infracommunities. During the period of relative depression in the number of S. araneus, the structure of parasite infracommunities was dominated by individuals with average values of species richness. During years of high shrew abundance, their population is characterized by a predominance of individuals with a poor species richness of parasites.

Ключевые слова: метод максимальной энтропии MaxEnt экология гадюка половой диморфизм Аннотация: В статье рассматриваются логические и вычислительные основы метода максимальной энтропии, который использует программа MaxEnt, позволяющая строить модели размещения разных видов животных и растений.Предметом анализа служит метод максимальной энтропии как критерий успешности подбора модельных параметров

The article describes the structure and methods of filling and using the information system created to accumulate data from long-term surveys of small mammals at the Gomselga Biological Research Station of the Institute of Biology KarRC RAS. The data obtained in the period from 1994 to 2022 total 5404 records on individual animals and 668 records on sampling lines. The relational database on small mammals is linked to the GIS which maps of the spatial distribution of animal habitats and the locations of sampling lines. The information system permits storing different types of data in separate interlinked tables which make the source material more visual and easily verifiable. Data are shared between different program environments using the simple csv format. The database and GIS tables are linked via a composite key field facilitating accurate matching of objects (individuals) to unique samples (lines). To acquire a certain subset the user makes a multistage query which is both easily editable and enables control at each stage of data selection and integration. The proposed structure of the information system is universal in nature and applicable whenever series of samples are collected simultaneously in a given locality. The system can be used in the MS Excel, Access, LO Calc, Base, R, and QGIS program environments. The formats of data presentation in tables and links between tables and GIS layers are discussed; the structure and types of queries are presented. Sample queries for acquiring data for subsequent processing by quantitative methods and for illustrations are provided.

The geographic distribution of the common viper, Vipera berus (L. 1758), was believed to be limited in the north and northeast by an assumed lack of hibernacula with temperatures exceeding 0°C, because the species is not freeze-tolerant. To test this hypothesis, we measured in the laboratory the cold resistance of vipers that inhabit Kizhi Island (Lake Onega, Karelia, Russian North), and compared the results obtained with the temperatures in the hibernacula and soils of the region. Freezing of the adults happened at an average temperature of −3.0°C (ranging from −2 to −3.9°C). Vipera berus failed to tolerate complete freezing, but could withstand short-term (1–8 hours) partial freezing. At subzero temperatures (−2 to −2.2°C), animals remained supercooled for 23–121 days. Vipers remained active at temperatures dropping down to −1.5°C, moving in experimental containers; this possibly happens in overwintering places as well. Our study allows us to conclude that the species’ ability to withstand long-term supercooling (up to four months) is one of the key determinants of the adaptive strategy of the common viper in cold regions. The critical temperature of the species in overwintering sites must be considered to be not 0°C, but −2°C. This threshold temperature can be a factor limiting the geographic distribution of V. berus . Temperatures in hibernacules on Kizhi Island (heapes of stones) and also possibly in all soils of Karelia are favorable for the species’ overwintering, leading to its great abundance levels.

The results of processing the data of continuous recording of body temperature using loggers obtained with the enclosure keeping 23 individuals of the common viper Vipera berus L. in Karelia (62.068310°N, 33.958824°E) are presented. Nine temperature characteristics, subdivided into 2 groups, were quantitatively evaluated – thermoecological, describing the dependence of the course of the viper’s body temperatures on the heat flux of the medium, and thermophysiological, stable parameters of thermoregulation. The factors that determine the variability of temperature characteristics are considered: time of day, weather conditions, morphometric indicators of an individual. A wide individual variability of thermoecological indicators and low variability of thermophysiological indicators were revealed, which was not associated with significant differences in different individuals. The parameter “maximum voluntary temperature”, which characterizes body temperature while avoiding overheating, is the closest to the physiological parameter of thermoregulation; obtaining such data is a very laborious process associated with deciphering the snake’s behavior from video recordings. An indicator that gives close values to the maximum voluntary temperature, which has a very simple calculation algorithm – “median active temperature (for a sample of temperatures above 30°C)”; however, it requires a volumetric series of continuously recorded temperature records for analysis. An accurate, statistically robust “maximum typical temperature” parameter gives an idea of the true maximum temperature characteristic of a species, but has a complex calculation method. These thermophysiological parameters are recommended to be used for intrapopulation and interspecies comparisons.

The maximum body temperature has meaning as the upper limit of temperature tolerance. Our statistical analysis made it possible to identify five indicators of the maximum body temperature: critical, highest, typical, average, and voluntary. An analysis of field measurements of the body temperature using a mercury thermometer and the data on aong-term continuous monitoring of the body temperature utilizing loggers was carried out. At the same time, video records were made to report the main moments of thermoregulatory behavior. The sampled “mean maximum values” turned out to vary widely depending on the observation conditions and were not suitable for comparing intraspecific groups. The indicators “maximum typical temperature” (37.9 ± 0.2°С) and “maximum voluntary temperature” (33.9 ± 1.8°С) were statistically more stable and differed by about 4°С. To study thermoregulatory behavior, the use of loggers is recommended, taking the “typical maximum temperature” indicator as a stable thermoregulation parameter.

Summary: We present the analysis of long-term studies of the thermobiology of the common viper, including the use of loggers, mini-sensors for recording the body temperature of a living individual. A series of traditional and original indicators characterizing the ability of the common viper to regulate its body temperature is considered. It is shown that the so-called thermoecological indicators characterize to a greater extent the conditions of stay of animals