Theriologia Ukrainica (Jul 2022)
Fifty years of the Theriological Society in Ukraine: key milestones
Abstract
Information on the formation and development of mammal research in Ukraine in the format of the activity of a scientific society is summarized. The beginning of systematic research was determined by such events as the formation of academic programs and research groups for the study of mammalian fauna (study of fauna composition, distribution, taxonomy, morphology, and population dynamics), the economic importance of mammals (game species, pests, and role in zoonoses), study of the history of fauna and some systematic groups (palaeontology, archaeozoology, and phylogenetics), and analysis of fauna changes (synanthropy, alien species, red book, environmental and climate changes). Such directions were formed in the academy of sciences, universities, nature reserves, anti-plague and sanitary-epidemiological and plant protection stations, especially in 1950–1960, which led to the formation of relevant scientific schools, state programs, specialties, publications, and conference cycles. In June 1972, with the participation of Ukrainian academician I. Pidoplichko, the creation of the All-Union Theriological Society (AUTS) was initiated, and he became its vice-president. Over the next 10 years, theriological research in Ukraine expanded significantly, and in March 1982, the Ukrainian Branch of the AUTS (UB) was created, with 4 sections: paleozoology, morphology, game management, and ecology. In the spring of 1992, the UB was reorganized into the Ukrainian Theriological Society (UTS), and two more its sections were created: medical theriology and the Theriological School. The latter has focused on research carried out in the network of protected areas and biostations and has dealt with the organization of seminars for the exchange of experience and improvement of the qualification of colleagues, and soon it became the main form of activity of the UTS. Within its framework, several new groups were formed (monitoring of bats, large carnivores and small mammals, standardization of scientific terminology and nomenclature). In 1994 to 2022, 26 therioschools and 12 seminars were held, the website Therioshkola was created, dozens of issues were published, and the newsletter Novitates Theriologicae and the journal Theriologia Ukrainica (23 volumes) were established. To the 50th anniversary of the UTS, issues of the bulletin dedicated to the history of theriology have been prepared, which include encyclopaedic information about 183 people and an overview of scientific centres and regional studies.
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