Structure of Herpetobionts Communities in Volga-Kama State Reserve

The study of the herpetobiont community was conducted in two remote sectors of the Volga-Kama Reserve, located in the sub-taiga (Raifa sector) and broadleaf forest (Saraly sector) landscape subzones, during the spring and autumn periods of 2024. Various forest habitats of the reserve and meadow of the protection zone were explored. Taxonomic composition was diverse (8-16 taxa), with a higher dynamic density of herpetobionts in humid floodplain areas ("channel" and "willow thicket") (21,9 and 42,2 ind./10 trap-days), significantly lower in pine forests, birch forest, and meadow (12,2-13,8 ind./10 trap-days). In most habitats, the activity of herpetobionts decreased by autumn. The trophic structure differed, with an increase in the role of saprophages in humid habitats. In the pine forest with linden the proportion of predators and saprophages was approximately equal, while in the dark coniferous forest with spruce, predators dominated. The similar trend was observed in the grass meadow with Silene viscaria Jess., 1879. Multivariate analysis of the data showed that the greatest influence on the structure and population of herpetobionts was local habitat features. To a lesser extent habitat type, then seasonality and even less zonality influenced communities structure of herpetobionts.