protection of natural areas are studying at school within the discipline of "Natural".Kandalaksha Reserve - is no exception.It is spread over an area of more than fifty eight thousand acres in the Murmansk region and is considered a reserve for the protection of many waterfowl.Most of it - the Barents Sea.About the birds in this protected territory of the state, do not write only in textbooks.Native flora and fauna is considered in detail the famous writer V. Bianchi.
story of
Like many reserves and national parks of Russia, Kandalaksha was created in order to preserve certain species of animals and birds.In this case, common eider, which is famous for its down and has great value abroad.In 1932, when the illegal killing of birds, the destruction of its nest and egg collection for sale reached destroying scale, and was created by the reserve.Initially, it was considered a scientific basis on which ornithologists have studied the birds that live in this region.Gradually the number of water birds has been increasing.
value
After some time, the Kandalaksha State Nature Reserve was transferred to the Office of the relevant committee.This has led to an increase in control over the protected area and the expansion of its borders up to the present.
At the moment, it is difficult to overestimate the international importance of the Kandalaksha Reserve, located in the waters of the Gulf of the same name, for the preservation of habitats of aquatic birds.
geographical conditions
This natural protected area is located on the coast of the Barents Sea and the White in a small bay.Sun Kandalaksha not happen until eight days in a row, on the adjacent Seven Islands - about forty.However, even during the polar night wintering animals provided daily normal life.
Kandalaksha Reserve is located in the climatic zone, is influenced by the flow of Murmansk.The peculiarity of the natural conditions of the water area is large temperature drops, so sharp cooling and warming observed in all seasons.
Relief
geological structure of the area that has gripped the Kandalaksha State Nature Reserve, interesting well-preserved rock formations that are more than three billion years.The terrain was formed under the influence of repeated glaciations.Incredibly beautiful beach, wave breaking and shafts formed from roll sea pebbles and boulders.Total Kandalaksha Nature Reserve owns thirty-five geological objects with the status of natural monuments.
It consists of nearly four and a half hundreds of islands with different shapes and structures, many types of vegetation - from the naked rocks and covered with dense forest to the sites.Streams and lakes in the reserve bit.All of them are quite small.The largest - Big Kumyazhe and Serkinskoe - in depth of up to ten meters.
Flora
Kandalaksha Reserve in its vegetation cover has more than six hundred thirty species.On the coast of the White Sea and the islands is dominated by pine and spruce.There are many plants typical of the seaside - sedges, grasses and Asteraceae.
Marshes Nature Reserve subdivided into sedge, cotton grass and shrub - depending on the vegetation, they are dominant.However, the reservoirs are not rich in large grass species.Even growing along the banks of a reed never forms dense thickets.
In areas where accumulated offshore and herring gulls, the vegetation is very diverse, as the soil in these areas is well fertilized.Here you can see large-chamomile, chickweed, eyebright and sorrel, buttercup, etc.
Animals
Kandalaksha Reserve has about one hundred and sixty species of the local fauna.Of these, twenty-one species of mammals, one hundred thirty four - birds, two species of reptiles and three - amphibians.
Predatory animals such as lynx, wolverine and wolf, are more common on the island of Grand.However, there are not permanently inhabited, because for them, this area is too small.
In neighboring Grand section has two or three bears.The reserve is constantly inhabited by a fox and marten, weasel and ermine and mink.Their population can not be called numerous: it depends on the presence of small rodents.
hare - the most widely used animal fur, he dwells on all the islands of the reserve.In the coldest winters sometimes appear, and polar bears.On the lakes, where the rich vegetation is found muskrat swims from one to another island and choose the most suitable place to live.
From small mammals are common voles and lemmings that appear on the territory of the protected area only during their mass migrations.
Birds
live here all year round capercaillie, black grouse, grouse and partridge, as well as some species of titmice, woodpeckers and cuckoos.In the spring, when there are migratory birds, forests in the reserve come alive.Especially numerous flocks of birds along the coast, in sparse pine and spruce.Here you can meet, Redwing blackbird, grouse, partridges, predators such as the kestrel, merlin and hawk owl.On the marshes grow roots and wood sandpiper sandpipers, snipe and great ulit.
Protected plants
And though all the biological species that inhabit the Kandalaksha reserve shall be preserved, however marked here many rare species included in the Red Book of both Russia and the Murmansk region.They have special protection official.
From the Red Book of the Murmansk region are mentioned about forty two percent of the total number of endangered species, five of which - it mushrooms, thirty-four - lichens, liverworts and twenty, the same leafy moss.Among the vertebrate animals are six specially protected fish species, two representatives of reptiles and amphibians, and forty-two birds and some mammals.
plants found on the territory of the Kandalaksha Bay, and nowhere else in the world are grown mainly in protected areas.Among them grit island, Arctic and sunflower beloyazychkovy dandelion.
Protected animals
in the reserve and twenty seven species.For Atlantic gray seals, as well as for large and crested cormorants Atlantic Kandalaksha Reserve - the main habitat and breeding in all of Russia.Besides, here nest Common Eider (for which, in fact, was originally created this protected area), the golden eagle, osprey, peregrine falcon, white-tailed eagle, merlin and the Scandinavian Ring Ouzel.Specially Protected marine mammals considered several species of whales and dolphins, as well as the common seal, polar bear and walrus.
Research
Kandalaksha Reserve, researchers who spend their work since its inception, initially positioned as a place in whatever was needed to keep the population of common eider.In a short pre-war period is the first ever conducted extensive research on seabirds, which later became a classic.After the war
range of work has been gradually expanded.In addition to continuing the study of ecology of some sea birds here began a systematic process of describing the reserve, vegetation and intertidal marine communities.
Since the results of all standard observations are combined into an annual reporting document, referred to as follows: "Chronicle of Nature in Kandalaksha reserve."He is a current summary of the biological monitoring, and includes data on the development of bioprocesses season.The document describes the terms of vegetation and flowering and fruiting at the different plants, the beginning and end of the spring or fall migration, the process of breeding animals and information about their numbers.
