F:\ALCES\Supp2\PAGEMA~1\Rus 26s ALCES SUPPL. 2, 2002 ROSHCHEVSKY – MOOSE RELATIONS WITH BIOTIC COMMUNITIES 113 MOOSE RELATIONS WITH BIOTIC COMMUNITIES AND MAN IN SAMARSKAYA LUKA NATIONAL PARK Jury K. Roshchevsky Samarskaya Luka National Park, 446350, Zhiguliovsk, Samara Region, Russia ABSTRACT: During 1985–1990 the density of the moose (Alces alces) population in the peninsular territory (Samarskaya Luka National Park and Zhiguliovski Reserve in the middle Volga Region) was studied. It was found that the natural cyclicity of the population differed between regions. The lowest intensity of oscillation in moose density was in the population nucleus, where the wavelength equaled 5 years. In the interflow areas the wavelength was 2–4 years. Oscillatory dependence of the moose density in the nucleus on the density of other trophic level mammals such as the mountain hare (Lepus timidus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), wolf (Canis lupus), and pine marten (Martes martes) was also evident. ALCES SUPPLEMENT 2: 113-117 (2002) Key words: moose, natural cycle, population dynamics In the forests of the Samarskaya Luka National Park prior to 1985, the moose p o p u l a t i o n w a s s t u d i e d o n l y i n t h e Zhiguliovski Reserve (1/7 of the regional area). Information about moose density, number, and mortality in the reserve was scarce (Belanin 1977, 1980, 1981; Korotaev 1983). STUDY AREA The study was conducted in Samarskaya Luka National Park. This is a peninsular territory in the mid Volga Region (Fig. 1). It is surrounded by the Volga River and reser- v o i r s . T h e Z h i g u l i o v s k i R e s e r v e (Zapovednik) (Fig. 1b, 1e) and Samarskaya Luka National Park lie on the peninsula. The Reserve was established in 1966 and the Park in 1985. The total area is 160,000 ha. The area of the Reserve is 23,000 ha; the area of Park is 128,000 ha. The geography of the peninsula is quite varied. There are low mountains (Zhiguli) which do not rise above 375m in elevation. These mountains cover an area of 22,152 ha of which 41.3% are in the Reserve (Central Zhiguli, Fig. 1b) and 58.7% are in the Na- tional Park (Western, Fig. 1a and Eastern Zhiguli, Fig. 1c). Zhiguli is the mountain forest area. T h e a r e a o f t h e f o r e s t p l a t e a u (Charokayski forest) is 41,069 ha (Fig. 1e, 1d). Only some of this region (13,010 ha) is included in the reserve (Fig. 1e). Other natural areas of the Samarskaya Luka lie only in the park. The area of the Bolshoi Riazanski forest is equal to 2,703 ha (Fig. 1i). The area of the Bolshoi Chuvashski forest is 3,702 ha (Fig. 1j). The well– balanced forest–steppe (46% forested) cov- ers 12,757 ha, including the Bahilovski for- est–steppe (Fig. 1f) and Eastern forest– steppe (Fig. 1f, 1g). The Askulskaya for- est–steppe, which occupies 51,814 ha (Fig. 1h), is more open (15.5% forested). The mean forest stand size here is 53 ha. The flood plain areas (Fig. 1m) occupy 7,427 ha (65% forested). The Podgorki area (Fig. 1k) is Volga lowland and is not moose habitat. The total area of the National Park forest is 62,499 ha, comprised of lime (29,181 ha), oak (15,443 ha), aspen (10,802 ha), and, ALCES SUPPL. 2, 2002 ROSHCHEVSKY – MOOSE RELATIONS WITH BIOTIC COMMUNITIES 117 Symposium on Ungulates of USSR (Moscow, 24–26 December 1979). Nauka, Moscow, Russia. (In Russian). . 1981. Mammals of Zhiguliovski State Preserve. Pages 89–103 in Eco- logical and faunistic research in pre- serves. Moscow, Russia. (In Russian). KOROTAEV, G. P. 1983. The status of the population of ungulates and large preda- tors in Zhiguliovski State Preserve. Pages 108–110 in Problems with the management and protection of natural areas in Samarskaya Luka. Kyibyshev, Russia. (In Russian). LUBVINA, I. V. 1982. The impact of oil production on the functional status of biocenoses. Pages 27–43 in Ecology and animal protection. Kyibyshev, Rus- sia. (In Russian). MIRKIN, B. M. 1989. Further considera- t i o n s a b o u t t h e o r g a n i s m i n phytocenology. Botanical Journal 74:3– 13. (In Russian). different trophic levels and the formation and oscillations of free populations. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS V. Zhukov, I. Belikov, G. Belikova, N. Savin, M. Kochetkov, V. Vehnik, T. S a z o n o v a , V . S h e b a r s h e n k o , E . Shebarshenko, and other research workers of Samarskaya Luka National Park and Zhiguliovski Reserve conducted ground and aerial surveys. The ground surveys were conducted by Kyibyshev (Samara) Univer- sity students (The Detachment for Nature Protection). REFERENCES BELANIN, V. N. 1977. Ungulates of Zhiguliovski State Preserve. Pages 21– 24 in Hunting and management of pre- serves. Moscow, Russia. (In Russian). . 1980. Data on ungulate mortality in Zhiguliovski State Preserve. Pages 122–123 in Ungulates of USSR fauna. Proceedings of the Second All–Union