Department of Fauna and Systematics of Vertebrates

Department of Fauna and Systematics of Vertebrates was established in 1957, as structure subdivision of Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology.

Nowadays the Department comprises 16 research scientists, of which 9 PhD researchers.

Structural parts of the Department are the following:

Ukrainian Bird Ringing Centre
Laboratory of Ornithology of South of Ukraine (within joint Azov-Black Sea Ornithological Station established by Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and Melitopol State Pedagogical Bohdan Khmelnytsky University, Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine).

Basic scientific direction of the Department is ecological and faunistic studies of vertebrate complexes mainly warm-blooded animals in different natural areas and landscapes of Ukraine in systematics, zoogeography, history, sozology and economy aspects. Activities of workers of the Department are pointing on:

Study of species composition and ecological structure of mammal and bird faunistic complexes in different areas of Ukraine, as well as their changes in result of transformation of ecosystems under influence of economy activity and other anthropogenic impacts;
Investigation of theoretical and applied aspects of seasonal bird passages forming main flyways in the territory of Ukraine;
Monitoring of current state of game warm-blooded animal populations in different landscapes and climate zones in Ukraine, including semifree maintenance with intention of optimization of rational use and reproduction of hunting resources;
Problems of conservation and reproduction of rare species and communities of vertebrates included in national and international Red Data lists and convention on conservation of nature;
Phenomenon of development of recent avifauna in different natural areas and some regions of Ukraine and prospects of further changes of avicomplexes;
Study of dynamics of migration processes and wintering bird gatherings in south of Ukraine to solve problems of conservation of valuable avicomplexes and management of important wetlands;
Importance of nature conservation areas and national ecological network in maintenance and enriching of animal diversity in Ukraine;
Peculiarities of development of mammal and bird faunistic complexes in Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, as well as elaboration of proposals for conservation of faunistic diversity;
Research of influence of technogenic objects (hydroelectric power stations, wind power plants, power lines, minerals mining careers etc.) on faunistic complexes.

Staff of the Department

	Kutsokon Yuliya Head of the Department, candidate of biological sciences Present status of ichthyofauna in Ukraine, alien and vulnerable species, morphometrics and aberration in external fish body carassius1@ukr.net Personal page
	G. G. Gavris PhD, Senior research scientist Е-mail: gavris@izan.kiev.ua Scientific interests: Ornithology, faunistics and systematics, conservation and reproduction of rare vertebrates, nature conservation areas of Ukraine, formation of fauna, influence of technogenic activity on faunistic complexes, paleornithology, preservation and rational use of game animals, zoogeography. Personal page
	A. M. Poluda Head of the Ukrainian Bird Ringing Centre, PhD, Senior research scientist E-mail: polud@izan.kiev.ua Scientific interests: faunistics and systematics, bird migration, ecology of rare bird species, demography of widespread bird species, questions of preservation of biodiversity, conservation of Red Data Book bird species, problems of ornithological safety in airports.
	Yu. O. Andriushchenko Head of the Laboratory of Ornithology of South of Ukraine, DSci, Senior research scientist E-mail: anthropoides73@gmail.com Scientific interests: rare steppe bird species and important areas supporting their, ecology and biology of rare Gruiformes birds, seasonal aspects of wetland avifauna. Google Scholar Profile
	V. M. Smahol Head of the Scientific Group of Hunting Resources of Ukraine, PhD, Docent E-mail: v.smagol@gmail.com Scientific interests: faunistics and systematics, fauna of game animals, ecological and economy aspects of preservation and rational use of Artiodactyla and Perissodactyla.
	R. M. Chernichko PhD, Senior research scientist E-mail: chernichko-raisa@rambler.ru Scientific interests: population ecology of birds, faunistics, conservation of bird, ecological popular enlightenment and ecotourism, problems of colonyality of birds. Google Scholar Profile
	I. V. Davydenko PhD, Research scientist E-mail: i_davidenko@ukr.net Scientific interests: fauna and ecology of birds of wetlands, changes in avifauna under the influence of global environmental changes, conservation and rational use of hunting fauna. Personal page
	H. V. Fesenko Junior research scientist Е-mail: h.fesenko@gmail.com Scientific interests: faunistics, biology of birds, urban ornithology, rare bird species, protection diversity and conservation of environment, questions of development of state cadastre of animals, problems of national ornithological nomenclature, connection of seasonal bird migrations with phenology of plants, changes of dates of bird migration in conditions of anthropogenic impact.
	O. A. Diadicheva Junior research scientist E-mail: azov.black.station@gmail.com Scientific interests: faunistics, migrations of waders and Passeriformes, ecology of Passeriformes birds of reedbeds. Google Scholar Profile
	A. O. Markova PhD, research scientist E-mail: anna-markovka@i.ua Scientific interests: Ethology; sociobiology; animals behavior evolution, birds daily activity and aggressive behavior; interspecific and intraspecific interactions of Passeriformes birds. Personal page
	Yu. V. Kuzmenko PhD, Junior research scientist E-mail: strix-nebulosa@ukr.net Scientific interests: faunistics, ecology and biology of Strigiformes and Falconifirmes, conservation of bird predators.
	V. S. Dupak PhD, Junior research scientist E-mail: valeriadupak13@gmail.com Scientific interests: birds in human settlements; changes in bird abundance caused by anthropogenic influence; corvid birds: dynamics of the abundance, temporal and spatial changes, winter aggregations; collection of feathers of Ukrainiand birds.
	V. M. Tyshchenko PhD, Junior research scientist Scientific interests: fauna, ecology and conservation of chiropterans, diversity of forest therio- and ornitofauna, ecophytocenological peculiarities of habitats of mammals and birds, management of nature protection areas, changes in theriofauna caused by environmental changes, monitoring of game mammals.
	Anastasiia Shukh PhD student, junior research scientist Scientific interests: invasive fish of Ukraine, life-history traits of fish. Personal page
Former staff:
	O. M. Tsvelykh PhD, Senior research scientist E-mail: TSV@izan.kiev.ua Scientific interests: faunistics, systematics of subspecies, population ecology of birds, Pleistocene and earl Holocene avifauna, bird migration, flight biology and adaptation variability of wing shape of birds.
	V. M. Popenko PhD, Junior research scientist E-mail: azov.black.station@gmail.com Scientific interests: faunistics, ecology and biology of Passeriformes, migrations and wintering of Anseriformes, biodiversity of wetland avicomplexes.
	V. P. Boiarchuk Junior research scientist Scientific interests: ecology, nesting, breeding and feeding of birds, feeding relationships of mammal and bird populations in habitats, biochemical composition of feeding components, processes of sinanthropization of fauna.
	R. A. Rozhko Leading engineer E-mail: taхidermist@bigmir.net Scientific interests: rational use and conservation of hunting fauna, rare species of birds and mammals, taxidermy.