Latvian forests are not very generous to mushroom pickers this autumn, however, if you get lucky you might stumble upon the rare but impressive species of this month - hen of the woods (Grifola frondosa).
Hen of the woods can be recognized by its many tongue-shaped caps, which have grown together on a single base. These mushrooms are one of the largest ferns and they can even exceed 60 cm in width. Each of the small mushroom caps varies between 3 - 14 cm. The surface of the mushroom varies between grayish-green and grayish-pink.
The species grow on live or very recently fallen trees. Unfortunately, this fungus can be parasitic and cause damage to the tree it has chosen as its home.
This species is protected and very rare. If you come across this species while going mushroom picking, take a picture and tell us about it! While still young, this mushroom is considered edible (it must be cooked beforehand), however, due to its status, it would be better to leave it in the forest.
At the end of August, LIFE for Species project team visited several LIFE projects in Sweden to share the experience of the project team, as well as to learn from representatives of the Swedish projects.
On the first day of the trip, the project team visited the Swedish Species Information Center in Uppsala, which is part of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). The tasks of the information centre include the evaluation of the threat to species according to IUCN criteria, the analysis of data on the diversity of species, as well as other tasks related to the protection of species.
The head of the information center introduced the project team to the Swedish species evaluation system. The first species threat assessment in Sweden, using the methodology developed by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), was completed in 2000 - it includes approximately 60,000 species and is renewed every five years. The last assessment was published in 2020, and it lists 22,000 species, of which around 4,700 are recognized as threatened.
During the meeting, experts from both countries shared their experiences and gave presentations on trends in the assessment of endangered species and their results. In general, changes to the list of protected species are very rare in Sweden, as it is a very complex process involving several institutions, companies and even political parties. Unlike Latvia, no "micro-sanctuaries" are created for the protection of species, but perhaps their introduction could be considered in the future.
The second day of the visit was spent meeting with representatives of two Swedish LIFE projects and visiting the locations of these projects. The first of the projects was the LIFE Bridging the Gap project, which aims to improve and restore 30 valuable oak groves in south-eastern Sweden, as well as to improve and create suitable habitats for several rare invertebrate species. They would serve as transfer points or "stepping stones" in space (i.e. between distant habitats of a species) and time (i.e. in one habitat where, due to the age structure of trees, a lack of suitable micro-habitats has been observed or expected in the future). The aforementioned solutions were discussed during the meeting during a visit to the Natura 2000 area in Tinnerö and Åtvidsnä nature reserve.
Anneli Lundgren, manager of the LIFE RestoRED project, presented the essence of this project to the representatives of LIFE for Species. Its aim is the restoration of habitats of European importance in Sweden and the promotion of populations of rare and protected species of invertebrates and lichens. To achieve this, various methods are used - reduction of spruce monoculture plantations, shading of old broad-leaved trees, mainly common oaks, planting of flowering plants, grazing of meadows, etc. In total, the project has 79 activity sites in the southern and central parts of Sweden, where it is planned to restore grasslands of EU importance in an area of approximately 11,000 ha.
On the third day of the visit, a meeting was held with Magnus Melander, representative of the Swedish LIFE project Taiga. During the meeting, several pilot territories of the LIFE Taiga project were visited, where controlled burning was carried out as part of the project, with the aim of restoring forest habitats. During the visit, the role of fire in transforming the forest and providing habitats for various species was discussed, as well as an insight into the advantages of the controlled burning method and the specifics of its use.
Controlled burning as a forest management and habitat restoration measure in Sweden is also included in the national FSC standard, and is also relatively widely used within projects, therefore there are individual service providers in Sweden who are specialized in performing such work. Often, even local government administrations have personnel trained to perform such work. In comparison, this method is practically not used in Latvia.
LIFE Taiga project ended in 2020, but the initiated activities will be continued on an even larger scale within the LIFE Taiga 2 project starting in the fall of 2022.
The networking trip was concluded with a visit to LIFE RestoRED project site "Hagebyhög". It is a Natura 2000 area, where large-scale works are planned to restore the calcareous herb marsh habitat and the Vertigo snail habitat included in the Habitats Directive. The site is bordered by a good-quality calcareous herb bog, where the management experience of this habitat type in Latvia and Sweden was discussed. It is important that various rare and protected species (various orchids, mosses, etc.) also grow and live in the swamp.
The knowledge, information and contacts established during the trip will be valuable in the further implementation of the LIFE FOR SPECIES project.
At the end of August, the lamprey festival is celebrated in Latvia, in honor of which we will look at the river lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) as the species of the month.
The river lamprey is quite famous - a postage stamp is dedicated to it, and it can also be seen in the coat of arms of Carnikava parish. But did you know that the river lamprey is a specially protected species of European importance? In Latvia, the river lamprey has the status of a specially protected, limited use species. However, lamprey populations in the northern part of the Baltic Sea are less threatened, as a result, lamprey fishing is allowed in Latvia, Sweden and some other countries. Since 1960, lampreys have also been artificially propagated in Latvia.
The river lamprey is about 51 cm long and has a snake-like body without scales. The upper part of the back and sides of the river lamprey can be dark blue-green, blue-gray or greenish-brown. The river lamprey has three eyes - two of them are located on the sides of the head, and the third is located on top of the head, hidden under the skin. The third eye has remained in the mask stage and is able to perceive only signs of brightness of light.
River lampreys spawn at the age of 4-7 years, once in their lifetime, and die after spawning. Lamprey eggs hatch into 3-4 mm long larvae, or grubs, which spend several years buried in the ground. After metamorphosis, lampreys become free-swimming predators that go to sea. The river lamprey spends 1-3 years in the sea, after which it goes to spawning grounds in rapid rivers. Pike enter the rivers already from the end of July, this can continue until the spawning time of the following June.
In June and July, we are featuring two species of rare and protected longhorn beetles - Tragosoma depsarium and the Sawyer (Prionus coriarius L.).
Latvian Society of Entomology chose to nominate Tragosoma depsarium as the species of the year and rightfully so. Tragosoma depsarium is one of the indicator species of forests important for natural diversity, as it is found in old, sunny pine forests, where suitable dead wood can be found. The Tragosoma depsarium beetle is a large, massive beetle whose body length can exceed three centimetres. At the front of the body, the beetle has one well-defined and outwardly protruding spine on each side. The beetle is dark brown, with yellowish to reddish-brown hairs on the head and prothorax, while the upper surface of the elytra is less prominent. It can be found in old, sunny pine forests where old, medium- to large-sized pine stands are found. If there are no such suitable forests, the beetle can sometimes also be found in clearings and new growths, where some suitable burrows have been preserved. On warm summer nights, you may get lucky and see the rare beetles flying and crawling along the slopes.
This species does not live on living, growing trees, nor is it interested in fresh, wind-blown or broken trees. It needs dead trees that have been lying on the ground in the forest for at least several years, losing their bark over time and acquiring their characteristic greyish hue, as well as burnt and dead trees. The beetles first look for large, well-lit and warmed by the sun. Larvae live inside the crypt for 3-4 years until they incarnate there.
Other longhorn beetle species living in Latvia may be similar to the Tragosoma depsarium, including more common beetles. As the species of the month for July, we have decided to feature one of them – the Sawyer (Prionus Coriarius L.). This beetle is also massive and can reach a length of more than three centimetres, and members of this species also have saw-shaped tentacles on their heads.
Larvae of the Sawyer live in rotten hardwood and softwood. The female lays her eggs on the trunks of dead trees, while the hatched larvae bore into the wood and enter the roots, which are the larvae's main food source. If the food resources in one root are depleted, the larvae are able to move through the soil to reach the roots of nearby trees. After 3-5 years, the larvae form a cocoon, which is the size of a chicken egg! Adult beetles can be found in forests from July to September. Although this species is also very rare in Latvia, it is possible that you will be able to meet it in the afternoon or around dusk near the falls.
Thanks to Kristaps Vilks and Dmitrijs Telnovs for information and help in developing the material.
Author of species distribution maps: Jānis Ukass
The main venue of the International bryology seminar 2022 will be in Daugavpils University Study and Research Center “Ilgas”. Center is located in Skrudaliena parish located in the nature park “Silene”. It is a modern complex of training and scientific laboratories, where researchers, students and guests can conduct research using the most modern equipment and collection rooms. The seminar field trips are planned in each day in different regions and habitats of Eastern Latvia.
The International bryology seminar 2022 will start with introduction of Ilgas Study and Research center and bryophytes in surroundings. Here we will see highly abundant logs with Nowellia curvifolia. In a vicinity outside of the forest we will visit transient mire with Drepanocladus lycopodioides. Next day we will visit Naujenes grava with Anomodon sp. and transient mire with Mesoptychia rutheana, Paludella squarrosa and Straminergon stramineum. On the fourth day we will go to Teiči Strict Nature Reserve (https://www.daba.gov.lv/en/teici-strict-nature-reserve), where we will be introduced to different Sphagnum species in bogs. On fourth day we will go to Lubāna mitrājs Nature Reserve (http://www.lubanamitrajs.lv/home/), where in forest habitats can be found Trichocolea tomentella and Crossocalyx hellerianus. Our last seminar field trip will be in Pilskalnes Siguldiņa Nature Reserve, where Dicranum viride are distributed in slope forests.
The seminar is funded by the LIFE project LIFE FOR SPECIES “Threatened species in Latvia: improved knowledge, capacity, data and awareness” Project No.: LIFE19GIE/LV/000857
More information: https://du.lv/en/news/international-bryology-seminar-2022/
Dr. Anna Mežaka, email: anna.mezaka@du.lv (Latvia)
PhD Steffen Caspari, email: steffen.caspari@t-online.de (Germany)
The XXVI International Congress of Entomology was held in Helsinki (Finland) from July 17 to 22, 2022. The congress was very ambitious - 168 symposia were held within it, while around 2,500 participants from all continents of the world registered to attend it.
A special LIFE program project symposium "LIFE program: Funding direct action to protect Europe's threatened insects" was also organized within the congress, the purpose of which was to introduce the congress participants to the LIFE program and the wide range of opportunities that it offers for the research and protection of invertebrates.
Dmitrijs Teļnovs, a species expert from the Latvian University and head of the invertebrate species group, also participated in the congress symposium with an verbal report and a poster report "Contribution by the 'LIFE FOR SPECIES' project to the protection of endangered entomofauna in Latvia”. Congress participants were introduced to the purpose, tasks, activities and main planned results of the project in relation to rare, endangered and protected species in Latvia.
Co-authors of the report: G. Čekstere (LU), J. Dzenis (DAP).
More information about the congress and symposium is available here:
Photo credits: Dmitrijs Teļnovs, Panos Fetsis, Rūta Rozenfelde
On behalf of the Organising Committee, we invite you to participate in the 11th International Conference on Biodiversity Research (ICBR) to be held in the Daugavpils University, Latvia, on 20 – 22nd October, 2022.
The ICBR is a well-established international meeting (previously called International Conference "Research and conservation of biological diversity in Baltic Region") for scientific exchange of knowledge and ideas bringing together conservation biologists, population biologists and researchers of related fields. The meeting is known for its friendly atmosphere which gives inspiration for new investigations and promotes collaboration between scientists.
At the beginning of June, the project team visited several LIFE projects in Slovenia to learn about the protection of the species, as well as to share the experience and vision of the LIFE FOR SPECIES project in the field of species protection.
At the beginning of June, the LIFE FOR SPECIES team went on an exchange trip to Slovenia. A good introduction to the trip was a visit to the Slovenian Museum of Natural History, which is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year and looks back on the museum's work through the ages. A comprehensive story on the protection of the species was given by the zoologist, Dr. Boris Kryštufek. It was revealed that historically an important source of food in Slovenia in autumn and winter was the fat dormouse (Glis glis), which is a rare and specially protected mammal species in Latvia. Dormouse meat can still be bought in the autumn in Slovenia.
During the visit to the LIFE NarcIS project, we got acquainted with the process of establishing the Slovenian species protection system and how the species catalog and the Red Book are being created. At the same time, we shared our experience about the natural data management system OZOLS, project goals, objectives and communication.
During the day we joined an international seminar co-organized by two LIFE projects - LIFE Lynx and LIFE WolfAlps EU, where we studied the large carnivore exposure in Mashun, as well as participated in research demonstrations to monitor lynx activities - towing and searching for lynx prey. At the end of the day we got to know Lake Cerknica, where the restoration of the hydrological regime has been carried out, observation towers have been installed, as well as safe waste containers for bears. At the foot of the lake observation tower, the lesser Butterfly-orchid bloomed brightly, but even four black storks could be seen above the lake, which is also a rare species in Slovenia.
The trip ended in one of the most beautiful natural gems of Slovenia - Triglav National Park, learning about the current protection of peat bogs, as well as the protection of the species in the LIFE project Peatbogs in Triglav National Park, Pokljuka plateau. The tourism cognitive infrastructure created by the project is now being restored by the national project VrH Julijcev, which is working to improve the conservation status of various species (e.g. three - toe woodpecker, capercaillie, hazel grouse) in Triglav National Park. Conservation measures include, for example, the establishment of quiet areas in the most important areas of the park, marking them accordingly, as well as limiting the park's tourist load and closing roads to private transport as an alternative to offering public transport services.
April and May are the months of Pasqueflower bloom. In Latvia, spreading and meadow Pasqueflower can be found - both are very beautiful and decorative species, but endangered and specially protected.
In the spring, when the brown color still dominates in nature, in April or early May in the dry and sunny pine forests blooms spreading Pasqueflower Pulsatilla patens. It is more common in the eastern part of Latvia. The plant is softly hairy throughout and stands out with very decorative, bright purple flowers. Spreading Pasqueflowers bloom first and only later do the leaves appear.
Spreading and meadow Pasqueflowers are threatened by flower picking, as well as the habitat loss by overgrowth of light, sparse forests with bushes and the development of a thick layer of moss.
Representatives of the project LIFE FOR SPECIES Daugavpils University participated in Daugavpils Environment Day on May 5, as well as the awarding of the youth competition "Nature in my city" took place.
Representatives of the LIFE FOR SPECIES project from Daugavpils University participated in the Environment Day and activities dedicated to the opening of the Europe Direct South Latgale Center on May 5 by organizing an educational environmental workshop "Living Creatures of Dubrovina Park". Visitors to the workshop were introduced to the species of lichens and invertebrates found in the park.
Daugavpils cultural and educational institutions participated in the events dedicated to the Environment Day. Throughout the day, more than 1,500 students from 18 educational institutions in Daugavpils were offered various educational activities related to the environment and the European Green Deal.
Within the framework of the Environment Day, the conclusion of the youth competition "Nature in my city" organized by LIFE FOR SPECIES project took place, in which four youth teams from different Daugavpils schools presented their work. In the category "Environment" was presented one work "Daugavpils Traffic public transport ticket collection solution with further processing ", while in the category" Biodiversity" four works were received, of which three were presented and awarded:" Preservation of Biodiversity in the Recreation Area of Daugavpils City ", "Protection of the brown lon-eared bat population in the territory of Daugavpils" and "Bird habitat".
All participants of the competition, as well as work consultants - teachers - received valuable prizes: the books "Big Latvian Mushroom Book" and "Bird guide" published by SIA "Jāņa sēta".
We are happy for active young people who are interested in nature protection and for meeting in nature!
Category 'BIODIVERSITY
Idea: “Preservation of biological diversity in the recreation area of Daugavpils city”
Daugavpils 3rd Secondary School, 11th grade, Evita Teivāne, Kristīne Šervašidze
Consultants: Olga Kovaļova, teacher of natural sciences and geography, Sergejs Zabarovskis, teacher of biology
Idea: "Brown lon-eared bat"
Daugavpils Center Secondary School, 10th grade, Simona Hana Rasnače
Consultants - Tatjana Baranovska
Idea: “Protection of the brown elephant population in the territory of Daugavpils”
Daugavpils Center Secondary School, Anna Sedača, Viāna Bebriša, Romāns Streļčuks, Kirils Protņikovs
Consultant - teacher Tatjana Baranovska
Idea: "Birds' habitat"
Daugavpils 13th Secondary School, 10/11 class, Yevgeny Timofeyev, Yegor Ivanov
Consultants: biology teacher Jūlija Kanto
ENVIRONMENT category
Idea: Daugavpils Traffic public transport ticket collection solution with further processing
Daugavpils Secondary School of Technology lyceum, 11th grade students Olga Ļubarska and Katerīna Novaka
Consultant: biology teacher Inguna Kostenko
The Project “Threatened species in Latvia: improved knowledge, capacity, data and awareness” LIFE19 GIE/LV/000857 LIFE FOR SPECIES is implemented with the financial support of the LIFE Programme of the European Union and Latvian State Regional Development Agency. This publication reflects only authors’ view. Neither CINEA (European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency) nor European Commission are responsible of any use that may be made, or the information contained therein.