Distribution of millipedes along an altitudinal gradient in the south of Lake Teletskoye, Altai Mts, Russia (Diplopoda)

• Published in: ZooKeys
• Main Authors: Julia S. Nefedieva, Pavel S. Nefediev, Miroslava B. Sakhnevich, Yuri V. Dyachkov
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Pensoft Publishers 2015
• Subjects: Zoology; QL1-991; taiga
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.510.8855; https://doaj.org/article/ae2c0eb3198944119e03b920709df794

The distribution of millipedes along an altitudinal gradient in the south of Lake Teletskoye, Altai, Russia based on new samples from the Kyga Profile sites, as well as on partly published and freshly revised material (Mikhaljova et al. 2007, 2008, 2014, Nefedieva and Nefediev 2008, Nefediev and Nefedieva 2013, Nefedieva et al. 2014), is established. The millipede diversity is estimated to be at least 15 species and subspecies from 10 genera, 6 families and three orders. The bulk of species diversity is confined both to low- and mid-mountain chern taiga forests and high-mountain shrub tundras, whereas the highest numbers, reaching up to 130 ind./m², is shown in subalpine Pinus sibirica sparse growths. Based on clustering studied localities on species diversity similarity two groups of sites are defined: low-mountain sites and subalpine sparse growths of P. sibirica ones.