Patterns of Transformation of the Fauna of Weevils (Coleoptera, Curculionoidea) in an Urban Environment (by the Example of the City of Izhevsk)

On the basis of the research of 1995–2024, a high level of species richness was established (310 species from four families; 60% of the fauna of Udmurtia) and a comprehensive analysis of the fauna of weevils (Curculionoidea) was carried out in Izhevsk, a large industrial city located in the east of the European part of Russia. Comparison of weevil complexes of the city’s ecological zones and biotope types differing in the degree of urbanization made it possible to identify the main trends in the transformation of fauna in the urban environment. It is shown that, in the residential area, subject to high mosaicism of the environment and preservation of residual natural biotopes, the species richness of weevils is not lower than in the green zone of the city, but the composition and structure (range and ecological) have significant differences. A sharp depletion and cardinal transformation of the fauna structure (predominance of ruderal and eurybiont species, a noticeable proportion of species of steppe origin) are observed in the areas of urban development. Qualitative changes in the fauna during urbanization are also manifested in the appearance of a significant group of adventive species (37; 12% of the fauna). Most of them are nearby invaders that penetrated into the city following the weed-ruderal vegetation from the valleys of large rivers in the south of the republic or the forest-steppe zone of the Trans-Volga region. The main vector of invasion is self-dispersal through anthropogenically transformed biotopes. Unintentional import from remote regions with planting material or soil can be assumed for four species of weevils (Otiorhynchus smreczynskii, Polydrusus formosus, Exomias pellucidus, Pho-licodes sp.).