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Contemporary Problems of Ecology

2015 year, number 3

Comparative Ecology of the Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris flava Gm.) and the Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis L.) in the Subarctic and Arctic Zones

V. N. RYZHANOVSKY
Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, 620144, Ekaterinburg, 8 Marta str., 202
Keywords: Arctic, horned lark, snow bunting, adaptation, habitat

Abstract

The ecological features of snow buntings and horned lark were discussed. Their ecology has so much in common that they become the only representatives of the Passeriformes order in polar deserts and arctic tundra. Under the climate conditions of the Arctic there is no northern range limit for snow buntings. The northern range limit of the horned lark is determined by biotopic factors, food supply and temperature; these factors don’t allow the horned lark to occupy a considerably large part of the Arctic zone. Southern limits of distribution of horned larks and snow buntings are probably determined by the light regime in the region - outside the polar day zone the birds do not come into a state of breeding. An additional requirement of snow buntings to their breeding area is the mean July temperatures below 10 °С.