Thousands of Caspian seals (Phoca caspica) died in the Caspian Sea from April to August 2000. Lesions characteristic of morbillivirus infection were found in tissue specimens from dead seals. Canine distemper virus infection was identified by serologic examination, reverse transcriptase- polymerase chain reaction, and sequencing of selected P gene fragments. These results implicate canine diste...

The Caspian tiger (Panthera tigris virgata) flourished in Central Asian riverine forest systems in a range disjunct from that of other tigers, but was driven to extinction in 1970 prior to a modern molecular evaluation. For over a century naturalists puzzled over the taxonomic validity, placement, and biogeographic origin of this enigmatic animal. Using ancient-DNA (aDNA) methodology, we genera...

The Caspian seal (Pusa caspica) has declined by more than 90% since 1900 and is listed as endangered by IUCN. We made the first quantitative assessment of Caspian seal by-catch mortality in fisheries in the north Caspian Sea by conducting semi-structured interviews in fishing communities along the coasts of Russia (Kalmykia, Dagestan), Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. We recorded a documented minim...

in this study, 160 fishes were randomly collected from commercial catch by a cone net in babolsar port from january to october 2010. the biological features of specimens were measured. 2 + years old fishes made the dominant age group with 33.75% and 1 + and 5 + years old had the least frequency (8.75%). relationship between length and weight indicated negative allometric growth pattern (b=2.581...

Black caviar is often thought to be a typically Russian luxurious food product. Recently, its production has extended due sturgeon aquaculture development. The analysis of the geographical affinities full-cycle companies and their aquaculture-sourced black implies that majority them employs Caviar brand and/or refers traditions history. However, names, brands, product positioning several tend m...

Undoubtedly, during the post-Cold War era, the fields of political competition changed and with the change in the political geography of the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus and Central Asia, as the Soviet Union collapsed and new countries emerged, the field of competition for a change in power balance not only expanded but took on a new form. Economic benefits, diversification of fossil fuels and new...

the concept of land use transition highlights that land use change is non-linear and is associated with other societal and biophysical system changes. changes in human systems has resulted in changes in the natural system such as changes in land use. land use change causes not only environmental factors like geography and topography are important, but social factors examined such as population ...

The article considers the original results of observations and analysis catches atherina (Atherina boyeri caspia (Eichwald)) by months stationary nets in Terek-Caspian fishery subarea (Republic Dagestan). size-weight age indicators spawning stocks have been characterized. For first time recent years conditions for western part Middle Northern Caspian are described. All biostatistical obtained (...