Research activities in the Reserve is focused at studying natural systems and long-term monitoring of dynamics of natural processes to assess and forecast environmental conditions, developing scientific bases of nature protection, conserving biological diversity of the biosphere, reproducing natural resources and their sustainable use.
In accordance with the Programme on Scientific-Research Works of Daghestan State Nature Reserve in 2010 there were performed research works to evaluate the fish commercial importance of the section ‘Kizlyar Bay’ and carried out censuses of breeding, migrating and wintering waterbirds. Ornithological studies and monitoring of populations and groups of birds in the sections ‘Kizlyar Bay’ and ‘Barchan Sarykum’ as well as in the territories subordinated to the Reserve – ‘Agrahanski Zakaznik’, "Samurski Zakaznik’ and ‘Tlyaratinski Zakaznik’ - were done in collaboration with colleagues from other reserves of the North Caucasus, universities, scientific institutions and non-governmental nature conservation organizations of Russia. Together with Russian Bird Conservation Union and the Scientific-Research Institute for Landscape Ecology and Biogeography of Daghestan State Pedagogical University it was provided monitoring of Important Bird Areas. In January 2010 in Daghestan (including waters of Kizlyar Bay, Agrakhanski Bay and the coast of Samur Zakaznik), there were carried out mid-winter census of wintering waterbirds together with A.N.Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution and Russian Bird Conservation Union. The collaborative research involved scientists from A.N.Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution and the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve.
October 8-10, 2010 in the village of Kochubey (Tarumovka district of Daghestan) it was held the scientific-practical conference of ornithologists dedicated to reserves and national parks of the North Caucasus. The conference was organized by Daghestan State Nature Reserve together with Russian Bird Conservation Union and the Scientific-Research Institute for Landscape Ecology and Biogeography of Daghestan State Pedagogical University. The participants included scientists from Sochi National Park, the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve, Institute of Ecology of Mountain Territories, Kabardino-Balkar Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Teberda Reserve, the North Ossetian Nature Reserve. Among other participants were Director of the Breeding Centre of Rare Birds ‘Filin’, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, the Scientific-Research Institute for Landscape Ecology and Biogeography of Daghestan State Pedagogical University, Russian Bird Conservation Union, animal photographers and experts on bird-keeping, representatives of local authorities, administration and staff of the Daghestan Reserve.
In 2010 it was prepared and published the third edition of the Transactions of the Daghestan Reserve, focused on the results of fauna studies in the Reserve and other natural protected areas of Daghestan. (Transactions of the Daghestan State Nature Reserve. Issue 3. - Makhachkala, 2010. - 143 p.). The Reserve provided practical trainings for 154 students of Daghestan State Pedagogical University and Daghestan State University. On the basis of the collected materials the students wrote 6 diploma theses and 14 term papers.
The Reserve actively develops cooperation with Daghestan State Pedagogical University and its Scientific-Research Institute for Landscape Ecology and Biogeography, with Dagestan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve, Russian Bird Conservation Union, Daghestan Department of Russian Geographical Society, Dagestan Branch of KaspNIRKh, etc.