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The diet spectrum of the great tit (Parus major L., 1758) was studied in transformed forests of northeastern Ukraine. Four forest ecosystems were surveyed: four model sites in oak woodlands and in a pine–oak forest with different stages of recreational digression. Forty-seven taxa of invertebrates (n = 325) were detected in the ration of great tit chicks. Insecta (72.4%): Lepidoptera (seven families, 35.9%), Hymenoptera (two families, 21.0%), Diptera (seven families, 2.7%) and Coleoptera (four families, 1.8%) were among them. In terms of the qualitative composition of invertebrates (20 species, 42.6%) and the proportion of seized food objects (159 objects), phytophages prevailed. The food composition of great tit chicks was the most similar in territories MS1 and MS4. It contained six common taxa for these territories (Stugren–Radulescu Index = 0.7, Jaccard = 0.2, Sorensen = 0.3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex of necrobionts in the littoral zone in lakes of Karelia of different trophy states is considered. Forty-seven invertebrate species belonging to six classes and four types have been recorded on carcasses. The composition of necrobionts depends on the mass of carcasses, skin structure, and type of waterbody. Data on the rate of utilization are presented. The succession of necrobionts during the process of decomposition is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biology of Scopelocheirus hopei , a deep-sea (500 m) scavenging amphipod that lives on the continental slope of Mediterranean canyons, was studied. Animals were collected using a baited trap. A new method was developed for reproducibly measuring the exact length of the animals. All the categories of individuals were always present in the samples. The emergence of offspring occurs in successive cohorts. Individuals of the two sexes do not grow at the same rate: the males grow more quickly than the females, but their lifespans are shorter. The males are always less numerous than the females. Two production cycles occur. The females produce offspring all year round. The mean fecundity was found to be 218 eggs per female. The growth pattern was modelled. A strong correlation was observed between the length and the weight of the animals collected. Several hypotheses are proposed to explain the results obtained. La biologie et le cycle de vie d'un Amphipode nécrophage, Scopelocheirus hopei , vivant sur la pente continentale, ont été étudiés. Les animaux ont été récoltés au moyen d'un piège appâté placé par 500 m de fond. Une nouvelle technique de mesure des animaux a été mise au point. Toutes les catégories d'individus sont toujours présentes au cours du cycle de prélèvements. Les jeunes sont émis en cohortes successives. Les individus des deux sexes ne grandissent pas à la même vitesse, les mâles grandissent plus vite que les femelles, mais leur durée de vie est plus courte. Les mâles sont toujours moins nombreux que les femelles. Il existe deux cycles de production qui sont surimposés. Les femelles donnent des jeunes tout au long de l'année. La fécondité moyenne serait de 218 œufs par femelle. Un modèle de croissance a pu être établi. Il existe une étroite corrélation entre la taille et le poids des animaux. Différentes hypothèses sont avancées pour comprendre les résultats des observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]