Laboratory of Fish Population Biology

BORATORY OF POPULATION BIOLOGY

HEAD Valery A.PARENSKY, Dr. Sci. Biol.

STAFF numbers 28 , including 1 Dr. Sci., 8 Cand. Sci.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: Study of the mechanisms that regulate the structure and abundance of populations of fish, mostly salmon species, and investigation of the evolutionary biology of fish.

A comprehensive monitoring of the sockeye salmon subpopulation of Lake Azabachye, Kamchatka, initiated by S.M.Konovalov in the 1970s, has made it possible to reveal the major factors and mechanisms regulating the structure and abundance of populations of the Pacific salmon. Using pink salmon as an example, a new model of the population organization of fish has been suggested - “a system of fluctuating stocks”. The population structure of chum and masu salmon of the Russia Far East has been studied. Evolutionary patterns, phylogeny and system of salmonid fishes of the genera Oncorhynchus and Coregonus are investigated with the use of morphological, karyological and molecular methods. One subfamily, two genera and three species of salmonid fishes have been established as new for science.

Phone: 31-09-30; 31-11-42