Fungi have been used by humans since prehistoric times. Informal structures or groups for knowledge exchange regarding mushrooms and lichens probably existed for ages. Only recently, mycological activities have been structured in formal organizations. And where until a few centuries ago there were only learned societies and naturalists’ clubs, nowadays also mycological societies and citizen scientists have joined the landscape. However, the history of mycological organizations and activities in Europe is difficult to track. Here, we initiated two surveys to characterize the current landscape of mycological organizations focused on fungal diversity across Europe and to collate citizen science activities mapping fungi. The surveys were shared on social media and sent to mycologists in 49 countries in Europe. Responses of the surveys allowed us to present the history, geographical distribution, and structure of mycological organizations in Europe as well as their types of activities, including the publication of journals and magazines, the organization of meetings and educational initiatives, and citizen science projects. In addition to the surveys, local mycologists presented expert knowledge for a more comprehensive overview. Our data show that the mycological landscape in Europe is diverse and heterogeneous. We discuss ways to overcome economic, cultural, and linguistic barriers towards better integration of mycological communities, activities, and data in Europe. Mycological societies focused on studying fungal diversity can be leveraged towards common goals that include raising public awareness, data integration, uniting academics and non-academics, and developing common standards for research and communication.
Fire blight, caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, is a destructive disease that threatens global apple production and the native forests of Malus sieversii in Kazakhstan, the primary progenitor of domesticated apples. To identify sources of genetic resistance, we screened ten native M. sieversii genotypes using an in vitro shoot inoculation assay with a virulent local isolate of E. amylovora. Disease severity was measured as the percentage of lesion length (PLL). Genotype 6.1 exhibited complete resistance (0 % PLL), whereas three other genotypes (1.2, 5.3 and 6.2) were highly resistant. In contrast, genotypes 1.1 and 5.1 were highly susceptible to infection. Molecular screening for sequence-characterised amplified region (SCAR) markers linked to the major fire blight resistance locus, FBF7, revealed that the highly resistant genotype 5.3 was positive for the AE10-375 marker. However, the completely resistant genotype 6.1 and the other highly resistant individuals lacked both FBF7-linked markers. These results demonstrate the presence of the known FBF7 locus and suggest the existence of potentially novel genetic resistance sources in this wild population.
A composite material with magnetic properties, which consists of nanosheets of graphene-like carbon nitride and iron oxide, that is, Fe3O4/g-C3N4, was synthesized. The nanocomposite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetry. The obtained material was used as an adsorbent to remove phosphate anions from aqueous media. The influence of process parameters (pH, initial phosphate anion concentration, contact duration, adsorbent dose, and temperature) on its efficiency was investigated. The adsorption mechanism was examined based on the analysis of surface potentials under different acidity conditions. A comparative study of the applicability of the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models for the description of experimental phosphate adsorption isotherms was carried out. The thermodynamic parameters of the process were calculated. The highly stable material can be easily removed from aqueous solutions using an external magnet after the completion of the adsorption experiments and reused in five to six cycles while continuing to demonstrate a high adsorption efficiency.
The influence of superstoichiometric Pb and Sn with concentrations up to 1.0 at.
Freely meandering rivers flow through gently sloping plains composed of loess and fluvial sediments. Low-gradient alluvial plains are formed without the influence of landscape features such as rock outcrops or other features that distort the flow path. The channel configurations of such rivers, and in particular the size of meanders and oxbow lakes, depend on the average long-term water discharge. Large rivers form large meanders, while small rivers form correspondingly small ones. Morphological analysis of river channel configurations can offer a metric for estimating the average long-term water discharge of a river based solely on the sinuosity of its channel. The study examined six freely meandering rivers in Kazakhstan, with discharges ranging from 4.5 to 760 m3/s and channel slopes from 0.005 to 0.06%. The morphological analysis of river channels was based on the Relative Elevation Model, specifically its version based on the Copernicus Global Digital Elevation Model, with a spatial resolution of 30 m. River channel configurations were approximated using a set of inscribed circles, the diameters of which formed the basis for the river’s average long-term water discharge metric. The largest diameter circles, which could support the river channel with a sector of at least 135°, were expertly inscribed into river bends. The diameters of the inscribed circles within these sets varied from four times for small rivers to ten times for large rivers. These sets of circles, sorted by size, can characterize the average long-term water discharge of the analyzed rivers. For example, a sample of average median values of inscribed circle diameters has a high correlation with the average long-term water discharge, with a linear approximation reliability of R2 = 0.997. The scope of the developed method for assessing the average long-term water discharge of freely meandering rivers includes retrospective analysis of changes in average long-term average long-term water discharge. This can provide significant historical depth of analysis, spanning centuries and millennia, since the analysis is based on describing the results of very slow processes of natural deformation of river channels. Thus, the method proposed in this study for assessing the average long-term water discharge of freely meandering rivers based on morphological analysis of their channel configurations expands the arsenal of tools for reconstructing certain paleoclimate elements related to the hydrology of territories.
