The gypsy moth Lymantria dispar (L., 1758) is a widespread and damaging forest pest in the Republic of Tyva. Outbreaks of the phytophage lead to chronic weakening of trees and reduction in their growth and seed germination capacity. From 1950 to 2004, studies of gypsy moth in Tyva were carried out by researchers taking part in forest health surveys headed by such scientists as O. A. Kataev, V. P. Grechkin, G. I. Golutvin, V. A. Sevastyanyuk, N. I. Berdnikov, V. V. Popov, A. A. Liberman, and others. The researchers have described the phenology of the gypsy moth and its regional morphological and bioecological features. The present work attempts, based on the generalization of the accumulated data on gypsy moth in Tyva, to restore the chronology of pest outbreaks, show their spatial coverage, and propose approaches to their reconstruction over a longer period in the Republic of Tyva. The results of the study showed that in Tyva, four outbreaks of gypsy moth, which occurred in 1950, 1969–1983, 1993–2004, and 2018, were detected. Outbreaks were of a protracted nature and simultaneously covered up to 80 % of forest districts (in some years, the area affected by the pest reached half a million hectares or more). The most intense outbreaks were observed in the central part of the Republic, in the warm conditions of larch and birch forests – in the Kaa-Khem, Tandinsky, Tes-Khem, and Shagonarsky forest districts
Global warming occurs the fastest in polar latitudes, increasing their economic accessibility and, consequently, entailing risks of technogenic contamination. Heavy metals (HM) are among the most common technogenic pollutants that may negatively affect the functioning of the Arctic's soil-based terrestrial ecosystems. There is almost no research on the actual HM content in the soils of Novaya Zemlya (NZ), and the purpose of this work is to assess the HM content in the soils of Severny Island in the NZ archipelago. The study was performed at Russkaya Gavan, Ledyanaya Gavan, Blagopoluchiya Bay, and Cape Zhelaniya. The soil cover in the northern part of Severny Island has a mosaic structure. On Severny Island, Cryosols (Loamic) are the most common soils among the soils studied in this work. Soils of the study regions on Severny Island are mostly loamy and clayey. The proportion of physical clay increases down the profiles. All study soils of NZ are alkaline and highly alkaline. In general, study soils have an acceptable level of HM contamination. The weighted average HM gross content in them varies insignificantly; however, the following elements exceed their threshold concentrations: Fe (1.1 clarke) – Russkaya Gavan bay; Fe (1.2 clarke), Cr (1.1 clarke), V (1.1 maximum permissible concentration (MPC)), Ti (1.1 clarke) – Blagopoluchiya bay; Fe (1.3 clarke) – Ledyanaya Gavan bay. This, apparently, is caused by their high contents in the soil-forming rock. The results obtained confirm the necessity to monitor the study territories in order to be able to assess the degree of pollution and prevent the risk of an environmental disaster in the future
Guidelines for computer analysis of images obtained by scanning zooplankton samples using ImageJ / Fiji and ilastik software have been developed. Instructions are given for post-processing of the primary pre-scanned material, which includes segmentation of zooplanker images and creating collections for subsequent recognition in the Object Classifiction / ilastik module. Creating these collections optimizes the work with large high-resolution image files and simplifies constructing a classifier. The method proved effective for studying spatial distribution of size structure in the population of copepod Arctodiaptomus salinus in Lake Shira. The technique was also tested on samples of natural zooplankton from lakes in the northern part of Minusinsk Lowlands (Republic of Khakassia) which have different species compositions and abundance of planktonic organisms. The capacity of bioimage analysis (BIA) for identification of zooplankton species is limited. However, in combination with traditional microscopy, it can be also used for studying the taxonomic structure of zooplankton. Based on the research results, the advantages, limitations and implications of BIA methods for processing zooplankton samples are discussed
Secondary active transport is one of the most important mechanisms controlling cytokinin distribution between shoots and roots which enables the adaptive growth reaction of barley. Concentrations (ng/g of fresh mass) and contents (ng/organ) of different forms of cytokinins were determined in shoots and roots of barley plants by immunoassay. It was shown that under phosphate deficit the maintenance of root growth, inhibition of root branching and decline in shoot mass of barley plants (Hordeum vulgare 'Prairie') was due to decline in shoot cytokinins and their accumulation in the roots. Protonophore carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone as an inhibitor of secondary active transport leveled off hormonal reaction to phosphate deficit: it prevented accumulation of cytokinins in roots, increased their content in shoots and changed the percentage of zeatin and its derivatives in total cytokinin content in roots and shoots. A data analysis showed that in roots, protonophore did not change significantly the content of ribosides and nucleotides of zeatin, while uptake of free zeatin by cells was significantly affected by the protonophore and its content decreased dramatically. The role of secondary active trans-membrane transfer is discussed in the context of cytokinins transport from roots to shoots under phosphate deficit
The study addresses the species composition of zooplankton in five mineralized water bodies located in the Turan-Uyuk basin (Tyva). Lake Beloye is a regional natural landmark. In total, 36 species of 22 genera, 9 families, 4 orders were identified. Cladocera constitute 67 % of the species. The major species are Daphnia magna, Brachionus plicatilis, Daphnia pulex, Daphnia longispina, Megacyclops viridis, Ceriodaphnia reticulata, Chydorus cf. sphaericus, Simocephalus expinosus, Acanthodiaptomus denticornis, Arctodiaptomus baсillifer, Moina macrocopa, Keratella quadrata, Brachionus quadridentatus brevispinus, and Daphnia hyalina. The main abundant species in two lakes, Beloye and Arzhaan, is D. magna, which has been the dominant species in Lake Beloye for decades. The zooplankton of Lakes Beloye and Arzhaan include Macrotrix tabrizensis, a rare species, which is known to occur only in one Russian region – Tyva. Tretocephala ambigua lives in Lake Beloye. In the study period, we observed an increase in the abundance of zooplankton: by a factor of 6 in Lake Beloye and by a factor of 2 in Lakes Kisloe and Arzhaan. We believe that this is a consequence of an increase in organic load on water bodies, resulting from shallowing of the lakes and human impact. The occurrence of the species such as Moina macrocopa and Brachionus quadridentatus brevispinus, which inhabit water bodies rich in organic matter and have not been previously detected in the study lakes, confirms this assumption. Cladocerans, which have a high filtration capacity, remain dominant in Lakes Beloye and Arzhaan, and this is beneficial for the lakes. The increasing abundance of Brachionus plicatilis in Lake Kisloye performs a compensatory function in the processes of natural self-purification. At the same time, the fact that species rare for the fauna of Russia have been constantly found in the study lakes indicates the presence of favorable conditions for their development and life, which further increases the value of these unique natural environments
The Aleksandrovskiy wildlife area (95830.2 ha) reserved for a sanctuary is located in sub-taiga of the western part of Vikulovo District, Tyumen Oblast. A complete floral survey of the area is unattainable at present because it is a vast wetland with very few roads. The study is aimed at evaluating the current state of local flora and vegetation, and identifying plants and plant communities that require protection. Main types of phytocenoses in the Aleksandrovskiy wildlife area were described, which include small-leaved, light-coniferous and broad-leaved forests, willow coppices, cereal-forb dry meadows, sedge-reed floodplain meadows mixed with halophyte communities, pine-subshrub-sphagnum raised bogs (riams), and semi-aquatic vegetation. Birch, aspen and aspen-birch bracken, forb and cereal-forb meadows predominate in the surveyed area. The floral diversity of the site amounts to 410 species of vascular plants, with 80 found in Vikulovo District for the first time. New sites for 10 vascular plants, one moss and one lichen species included in Red Data Book of Tyumen Oblast were found, among them Cypripedium calceolus L., Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. included in Red Data Book of the Russian Federation. Fourteen species which are relatively rare in Tyumen Oblast were registered. All found species were described with a reference to their habitats, geographical coordinates of the collection sites and the date of collection. Additionally, the Red Data Book species description included their rarity status and the condition of the coenopopulations. The results allow to define the species distribution areas in Transuralia
A facility for disposal of toxic substances had been functioning in Kirov Oblast between 2006 and 2015. Destruction of phosphorus-containing substances resulted in formation of inorganic phosphorus compounds, which could enter the environment as components of gaseous emissions. The aim of the present work was to study the spatial patterns of accumulation of phosphorus compounds in the needles of Pinus sylvestris L. in the production area. The study was carried out at monitoring sites, which were represented by forest communities (southern taiga subzone) located at different distances from the pollution source (0.96–9.63 km). The total phosphorus in second-year pine needles was determined by the spectrophotometric method. During the research period (2011–2017), total phosphorus in the needles of P. sylvestris varied between 730 and 2229 μg/g. Based on results of cluster analysis, the sites were classified into two groups, which differed in levels of phosphorus accumulation in the needles of Р. sylvestris. The first group included sites with increased accumulation of total phosphorus in pine needles, which were located near the source of pollution in the direction of the prevailing winds. In sites belonging to the second group, the needles contained reduced amounts of phosphorus compounds. During the research period, variations in the amount of phosphorus in pine needles followed a similar pattern. From 2011 to 2016, the accumulation of phosphorus in the needles increased at monitoring sites of both groups. A decrease in total phosphorus in needles in 2017 was caused by a decrease in the release of phosphorus compounds to the environment and the involvement of accumulated phosphorus in the life processes of P. sylvestris. The increased accumulation of phosphorus compounds in needles in the sites near the source of air pollution was not favorable for vital processes of P. sylvestris needles and resulted in a reduction in their lifespan. Thus, the needles of P. sylvestris can be used as an accumulative indicator in areas affected by industrial air pollution by phosphorus compounds
The influence of the environment on the studied characteristics can be determined when growing genetically similar plants in different environmental conditions. The medicinal plant Leonurus quinquelobatus Gilib. (five-bladed motherwort) belongs to a group of plants that are most responsive to changes of environmental conditions. Plants were grown from genetically uniform seeds in trial plots in three different southern regions of West Siberia (Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, and Kamlak Village, Altai Republic). Measurements were performed for 10 model live plants in each trial plot three times per growing season during three years. Variability of 23 vegetative and generative traits was studied based on linear, quantitative, and calculated data. The following traits correlated significantly with the phase of development: height of plant; branching of first-order shoots; length of the generative parts; inflorescence size share in plant height; width of generative part of the shoot; number of generative internodes of the first-order shoot; numbers of internodes with buds, flowers, and fruit; flowering index; fruiting index. The following traits changed significantly in different habitats: plant height; branching of first-order shoots; all generative traits studied. The branching and flowering indices changed due to the interaction of factors. The projection area of the aboveground part and the number of third-order shoots on a second-order shoot did not depend significantly on either the development phase or the growing region. For further research, the number of morphological traits under study could be reduced depending on the aims of the research
The Ob River basin is the last large fragment of the range of native Euro-Siberian poplar (Populus nigra, Populus alba) forests where these forests remain intact. The taiga section of the Ob River is occupied by the association Anemonidio dichotomi-Populetum nigrae Taran 1993, and the subtaiga, forest-steppe, and steppe sections are occupied by the association Equiseto hyemalis-Populetum nigrae Taran 1997. The purpose of the study is to determine the syntaxonomic status of poplar forests growing at the junction of the southern taiga and subtaiga subzones and to provide a detailed bryofloristic characterization thereof. Based on the Braun-Blanquet approach, we studied poplar forests located near the south border of the Ob River southern taiga section (Krivosheinsky district, Tomsk Oblast, Russia, surroundings of the Kaybasovo research station, 57º14′44″N, 84º11′05″E). In the forests, average species saturation by vascular plant species is 32.3 species per 100 m2, and its range is 13–56 species/100 m2. Moss flora includes 51 species. Average species saturation by mosses is 15.4 species per 100 m2, and its range is 10–21 species/100 m2. Based on the new data, total moss flora of the Ob poplar forests has increased from 73 species to 86 species and 1 variety (by 19 %), moss flora of the poplar forests of the taiga zone – from 59 species to 81 species and 1 variety (by 39 %). We identify Kaybasovo poplar forests as the new variant, Stellaria bungeana, of the subassociation Equiseto hyemalis-Populetum nigrae betuletosum pubescentis Taran 1997 (Equiseto hyemalis-Populion nigrae Taran 1997, Salicetalia purpureae Moor 1958, Salicetea purpureae Moor 1958)
The problem of the steady food supply to the population is becoming particularly pressing in the face of a projected decrease in the specific area of agricultural land per resident. In an effort to increase crop yields, agriculture depends mainly on chemical plant protection agents (PPAs), which produce strong negative effects. The research activities need to be concentrated on developing the alternative plant protection technologies that will ensure a sufficient crop yield increase. Based on statistical data of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and studies and analytical reviews on protection of agricultural crops, the present work describes current market trends in the global crop protection industry: the volume and dynamics of the global PPA market, the regional distribution of this market, and the consolidation of key producers. Recent years have seen a decrease in the number of new chemical PPAs entering the market due to the greater research effort devoted to novel crop protection technologies, in particular genetically modified crops (GM crops), biological PPAs, and other alternative technologies, which are being developed and put on the market in response to increasingly stringent regulations in agrochemistry and ecology. Recommendations are made to producers of agrochemicals that will allow them to remain competitive and contribute to satisfaction of the growing demand for agricultural products
Biopolymers are all the macromolecular materials formed in nature or produced using bio-monomers. Biopolymers are extremely diverse materials, which have unique properties. Unfortunately, the general cost of biopolymers production is about 25 % higher compared to similar materials from petrochemical sources. Therefore, scientists must continuously pursue the search for differentiated applications for these materials. These new applications, especially those with enhanced added value, are essential for extending the use of these unique materials. In this context, the Biopolymers & Sensors Lab. (LaBioS) of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro has been operating since 2008 in research related to the production of biopolymers. LaBioS works on the chemical modification and the nanomodification of these biopolymers. These were the strategies found by the group to increase the added value of these systems, allowing their use in several applications that positively impact human well-being. Therefore, we dedicate this work to describing the state of the art in biopolymers via text mining study of the content produced on this great subject from the year 2008 to the year 2021. In addition, we present here short case studies developed by the team that currently composes LaBioS. These cases cover several areas, ranging from drug release, through environmental recovery, to food security
The paper presents the results of a feasibility study of long-term herbicidal and fungicidal preparations deposited with a degradable microbial poly‑3-hydroxybutyrate polymer base. Deposited pesticides, tribenuron-methyl and tebuconazole, were introduced into soil simultaneously with seeds of spring wheat Novosibirskaya 15. The control included a pre-sowing treatment of grain with the commercial fungicide «Bunker» and spraying the crops in the tillering phase with the herbicide «Mortira». The feasibility studies have shown that pre-emergence soil application of deposited pesticide preparations ensured cost savings in wheat production of 327.34 roubles per 1 ha, decreased the cost price of the product and increased the profitability of production by 66.1 % as compared with the traditional use of commercial pesticide preparations. Thus, elimination of pre-sowing seed treatment and spraying crops with herbicides during the growing season accompanied by a wheat yield increase resulted in reduced costs of production. Additionally, application of deposited pesticides may reduce the risk of uncontrolled spread and accumulation of xenobiotics in the biosphere
Cryptophyte algae are an important trophic link in many aquatic ecosystems, but they remain insufficiently studied in terms of trophic interactions with other components of ecosystems. They are better quality food than most other algae and, therefore, can be subject to selective grazing by zooplankton; thus, direct measurements of the dynamics of their concentration in lakes may give very low productivity indicators. One way to assess the consumption of cryptophyte algae by zooplankton is to determine the content of alloxanthin, a carotenoid specific for cryptophyte algae, in zooplankton. The present study investigated the alloxanthin content of sedimentary silts, sedimentation traps, and zooplankton of Lake Shira using high performance liquid chromatography. A significant correlation was found between the abundance of some zooplankton species capable of consuming cryptophyte algae and the flux of precipitated alloxanthin recorded in sedimentation traps. Analysis of zooplankton samples (the largest contribution to the biomass of which was made by the copepod Arctodiaptomus salinus (Daday, 1885)) for the content of carotenoids during the spring-summer season showed the presence of alloxanthin amounts reaching 80 μg/g, which decreased by the end of the season, and that correlated with the biomass of cryptophyte algae in the lake. Carotenoids associated with other groups of algae were observed in considerably smaller amounts. Thus, the copepod A. salinus exhibits high selective consumption of cryptophyte algae, which may serve as a confirmation of a close trophic relationship between them
Statistical procedures for quantifying the relationships between the community structure and abiotic variables start with selecting a minimum set of uncorrelated environmental factors that determine the ecological conditions essential for each of the species. This is especially important when constructing models of spatial distribution of species which are key to ecology of communities and conservation of nature. The aim of the study is to explore whether some applications of information theory can be used to rank environmental factors with respect to their contribution to the formation of the ecological structure of aquatic communities. We consider the applicability of the instability index, which is a special case of the Kullback-Leibler entropy divergence and reflects the information gain from the displacement of a particular realization of a random variable relative to its mean value. Using of instability indices allows to reduce multidimensional data sets on species structure of communities and abiotic factors to lower dimension sets of commensurate standardized variables and to explore the relationships between the latter. The initial data we used were the results of the long-term (1990–2019) hydrobiological survey of benthic communities in small and medium-sized rivers in the Middle and Lower Volga regions. We consider the indices of instability calculated for each of 147 taxa of macrozoobenthos and 8 geophysical and hydrochemical indicators. Based on these data, we constructed random forest regression models and calculated potential weights of environmental factors that determine ecological preferences of species. The most significant explanatory variables were used to construct distribution maps of «virtual species», which were compared with the corresponding empirical data. A habitat suitability map of chironomids (Diptera, Chironomidae), the Prodiamesinae subfamily, is presented. Instability indices can be effectively used for exploratory analysis of various ecosystems, e. g. ranking habitats according to the degree of environmental instability and / or species associations, selecting the most informative abiotic variables that determine the population density of the taxa, etc.
Traditionally, the abundance, cell size distribution and species identification of algae are determined by microscopic counts. In recent years, various rapid methods have been developed for routine algal studies. However, each of these methods has its drawbacks. It is important for aquatic ecologists to understand the advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of these methods. We compared the sensitivity of three rapid methods (multichannel fluorimeter FluoroProbe, imaging flow cytometer FlowCam, and CASY particle counter) to changes in cell abundance of three algae species (Chlorella vulgaris Beyerinck, Arthrospira platensis Gomont, and Nostoc sp.). We also assessed the ability of rapid methods to estimate the cell abundance of different species in the mixed samples. All instruments showed high sensitivity to changes in the cell abundance of different algae species and a mixture of these species. Any one of these methods, once calibrated, can be reliably used to estimate the abundance of a single-species/laboratory culture of microalgae. At the same time, FlowCam, without preliminary calibration, recorded the cell abundance closest to microscopic counts. When analysing a mixture of three microalgae differing in their cell sizes and spectral characteristics, FluoroProbe showed the highest accuracy in assessing the proportions of species in the mixture and FlowCam – in assessing their abundance. To study mixtures of algae and/or natural phytoplankton communities, it is advisable to use jointly a flow cytometer and a multichannel fluorimeter. The images of algae saved by the flow cytometer, if necessary, can be used to identify them, with a certain accuracy, to the species. Information on cells size and spectral characteristics obtained by two methods will be detailed enough to perform such common tasks as studying trophic interactions between phyto- and zooplankton or creating warning systems to inform of unwanted blooms of phytoplankton and their individual groups (for example, cyanobacteria)
Biobased and biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are promising alternatives to common plastics. Due to their high production costs, only a minimal share of global plastic production is composed of PHA. A major contributor to the high costs minimizing the potential to occupy a larger market share is the downstream process. To obtain high recovery yields and pure products, most approaches rely on large amounts of solvents. While short-chain-length PHA (scl-PHA) is poorly soluble in nonhalogenated solvents, medium-chain-length PHA (mcl-PHA) was shown to be soluble in nonhalogenated solvents. In this study, an approach to recover poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate) with acetone and 2-propanol was scaled up 30-fold to 300 g of lyophilized cells per recovery cycle. High PHA purities of 90–100 % were reached from extractions at moderate temperatures from 30–58 °C. In two-stage extractions, up to 100 % PHA was recovered, while the molecular weight was not reduced. Solvents were recovered by distillation in a concentration step and after precipitation. Furthermore, the material properties were analyzed. PHA recovered from the distillation bottom had an increased HHx content compared to the first and second extractions using recovered solvents and was of low purity, indicating efficient and pure precipitation of the recovered PHA during the 2-stage extractions
The urgency of handling plastic waste is escalating every year and the problem can be only solved using an integrated approach. Replacing non-degradable materials synthesised from fossil fuels with carbon-neutral biopolymers can reduce non-biodegradable waste, CO2 emissions and energy use. However, even completely biodegradable biopolymer materials will stay in the environment for a long time since the rate of their biodegradation depends on many factors. The paper evaluates the influence of edaphoclimatic and microbiological factors on the biodegradation rate of biopolymer films from the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] when exposed to soddy-carbonate, cryogenic, and agrogenically transformed Siberian soils. A principal component analysis showed that in different soils, characterised by specific temperature, moisture content, pH values, biogenicity and abundance of microorganisms, the kinetics of mass loss of P(3HB)-films were primarily determined by the temperature- precipitation ratio and it increased as the content of humus in soil increased. The maximum rates of film mass loss of 0.63 ± 0.09 and 0.93 ± 0.01 mg ∙ day-1 were detected in agrogenic soils. No correlation between mass loss of the films and the total number of microorganisms was found. A phylogenetic analysis revealed differences in the composition of primary P(3HB)-degrading microorganisms in different soil types
Salinity largely determines the species diversity and structure of the food web in lake ecosystems. Many studies have been focused on the salinity tolerance of various plankton species. There are fewer studies investigating the modifications in the food web interactions under the effect of salinity. An appropriate system for such studies is closely located lakes of different salinity. We took samples during the summer stratification and analyzed the physicochemical and biological characteristics of 20 lakes (salinity 0.1-35 g/l) in southern Siberia in order to provide general description of this system and to test a number of hypotheses about the effect of salinity on the structure of the food web. The analysis revealed two key factors structuring ecosystems of the studied lakes. The species composition of zooplankton was determined by salinity, with a decrease in the number of species and the transformation of the community from a diverse community of zooplankton (salinity up to 3 g/l) to the dominance of large daphnia (3-8 g/l), copepods (> 8 g/l), small cladocerans and rotifers (20-30 g/l), and Artemia (> 30 g/l). The top predator (fish) was eliminated at salinity above 10 g/l. The biomass of zooplankton did not depend on salinity, but significantly increased in lakes with an increased nutrient load. The nutrient load also had a significant effect on the concentration of total phosphorus, turbidity and transparency of water, and the concentration of chlorophyll “a”. Thus, we recorded the structuring effect of the nutrient load (bottom-up control) on the biomass of the trophic levels and the parameters of water transparency, while salinity transformed the trophic chain from the top, leading to the disappearance of fish and a change in the dominant species of zooplankton. At the same time, salinity did not affect the biomass of the trophic levels. In order to detect top-down effects in the ecosystems of saline lakes, it is necessary to perform a comparative analysis of the seasonal dynamics of ecosystems of lakes with different salinity
A theoretical and experimental verification of a simple hypothesis was carried out in this study to determine if features of the anatomical structure of coniferous annual rings (in a case study of pine trees from moisture-deficient growth conditions in the steppe zone) quantified in tracheidograms of annual rings can be used to reconstruct the kinetics of seasonal growth. During two sharply different growth seasons, sampling was performed periodically, and seasonal growth of tree rings was measured where the forming annual ring was separated into zones (cambium, extension zone, zone of cell wall thickening, zone of mature tracheids). Based on these data and total tracheidograms, a simple scheme for converting the variability of the radial cell sizes into cumulative and differential cell production curves was proposed. Statistical analysis revealed both correspondence and discrepancies between theoretical and experimental data, showed the prospects of the proposed approach, and suggested the need for longer seasonal observations
