ARKHANGELSK, June 11. /TASS/. The Laverov Federal Research Center for Integrated Arctic Studies (the Russian Academy of Sciences' Urals Branch, Arkhangelsk) will cooperate with Azerbaijan's Institute of Zoology of the Ministry of Science and Education, the Center's press service told TASS. The agreement was signed by the Center's Director Ivan Bolotov and the Institute's Director Aladdin Gismet oglu Eyvazov.

"The Federal Research Center for Integrated Arctic Studies named after Academician Laverov of the Urals Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences has signed a cooperation agreement with the Institute of Zoology of the Republic of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Science and Education," the press service reported. "The agreement provides for joint research aimed at inventory of the fauna of freshwater invertebrates of Azerbaijan, various groups of insects, arachnids and other animals. Joint ichthyology research is promising - the study of sturgeon fish common in reservoirs of Russia's European North and of Azerbaijan."

In July 2023, biologists of the Center's Museum of Biodiversity, together with Azerbaijani experts, conducted the first expedition and sampled freshwater fauna in reservoirs of the Caspian Sea basin: the Viravulchai, the Kura, the Lankaran and others rivers. The close attention to fauna in Azerbaijan was caused by the invasion of corbicula mollusks alien to Russia's European North - previously they lived in reservoirs of Eurasia's more southern regions, including the Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Arkhangelsk has become the northernmost point where corbicules were found.

Research plans

The Northern Dvina is home to a local population of sterlet, the Pechora River is home to acclimatized sterlet from the Northern Dvina and Siberian sturgeon from the Ob basin. Several species of sturgeon live in Azerbaijani reservoirs and they are interesting for biological and zoogeographic studies. Ichthyologists plan to study the population specifics of sturgeon within their natural habitats and beyond them. Arkhangelsk scientists will assist Azerbaijani specialists in carrying out molecular, genetics, morphology and anatomy tests of animals and in interpretation of obtained data. This way, specialists will identify rare and new to sciences species of animals, will clarify the taxonomic status of known species, which is important when compiling lists of protected animals.

In cooperation with scientists from Azerbaijan, the Center's experts will make a comparative analysis of freshwater ecosystems of the Caspian, White and Barents Seas basins, will study the biology of local and invasive fauna species, will see mechanisms of their distribution, and will assess and minimize the impact from alien species' invasion.

The cooperation is relevant in the context of climate change impact and the increasing anthropogenic impact on biodiversity and natural systems. Species living in the Black, Azov and Caspian Seas have been increasingly found in Central Russia and have been penetrating northbound. One of such species is the Dreissen mollusk (Dreissena polymorpha), which moved into the Northern Dvina basin more than 100 years ago. It is among top 100 most hazardous invasive species in Russia.