Coal mine spoil heaps are man-made substrates characterized by increased concentration of heavy metals. Specialized microbial communities that survive under adverse conditions are formed in them. This makes them promising objects for studying natural remediation processes. The objectives of this study were to isolate and identify microorganisms from gray-yellow rock from the spoil heap of JSC Lviv Coal Company (Ukraine) and to determine the effect of copper, lead, zinc, and chromium compounds on their growth. Microorganisms were isolated by inoculation on 1:10 MPA dilution. Pure cultures were obtained by repeated streak plate and the serial dilution methods. Morphological properties were studied using Gram, Peshkov, ZiehlNeelsen staining, and electron microscopy. Motility was determined in a semiliquid medium; catalase activity was assessed by placing cells in hydrogen peroxide; acid formation from glucose was revealed in a medium containing bromothymol blue; and salt resistance was assessed on nutrient agar containing 5% sodium chloride. Identification was based on sequencing the 16S rRNA gene of the strains and their properties. The effects of heavy metal salts on growth were studied in a nutrient broth containing glucose and calcium nitrate under aeration conditions. It was established that two strains belong to the genera Brevibacillus and Acinetobacter. Brevibacillus sp. CEF-2 were observed to grow at moderate concentrations of copper(II) chloride (1.7 mM), zinc nitrate (0.7 mM), and potassium dichromate (0.25 mM), while lead nitrate did not cause strong growth inhibition and at 1.6 mM increased biomass accumulation. Copper (II) chloride at a concentration of 3.6 mM, zinc nitrate at 0.9 mM, and potassium dichromate at 7.5 mM almost completely inhibited the bacterial growth. The detection of bacteria of the genus Brevibacillus in the spoil heap substrate suggests their potential role in forming stable plant-microbial communities in technogenic territories. The sensitivity of Brevibacillus sp. CEF-2 strain to elevated concentrations of heavy metals provides grounds for considering it a promising bioindicator for monitoring the condition of technogenic substrates and the level of their contamination with heavy metals.
The genus Calamobius contains a single species, Calamobius filum, a widespread longhorn beetle whose larvae bore into Poaceae stems and can cause significant economic losses in cultivated cereals. During the last two decades, the species has undergone a rapid northward expansion across Europe, raising concerns regarding its increasing agricultural importance. Despite its broad distribution, the evolutionary history and phylogeographic structure of Calamobius have remained poorly understood. This study investigated the continental-scale genetic diversity, phylogeography, taxonomy, and historical biogeography of Calamobius using mitochondrial COI DNA barcodes. Seventy-seven barcode sequences from Europe, Asia Minor, and the Middle East, including newly generated sequences from Spain, Türkiye, and Ukraine, were analyzed using maximumlikelihood phylogenetic reconstruction and haplotype network analysis. Ecological niche modeling was applied to reconstruct potential Last Glacial Maximum refugia, postglacial range dynamics, and future distribution under climate warming scenarios. Morphological comparisons of adult external characters and male genitalia were conducted to evaluate taxonomic boundaries. Phylogenetic analyses revealed two deeply divergent evolutionary lineages separated by approximately 6–7% mitochondrial sequence divergence. These lineages comprise five haplogroups that exhibit strong geographic segregation corresponding to major European mountain systems and Mediterranean basins, indicating prolonged historical isolation. The molecular divergence is accompanied by morphology and distinct behavioral traits, supporting recognition of two cryptic species within Calamobius. Consequently, the western lineage is restored as Calamobius tenuis Blanco-Fernández, 1859, stat. et nom. res., whereas the eastern lineage retains the name Calamobius filum (Rossi, 1790). Within these species, five geographically coherent subspecies are recognized: Calamobius tenuis tenuis, Calamobius tenuis decoripes comb. et stat. nov., Calamobius filum filum, Calamobius filum gracilis comb. et stat. nov., and Calamobius filum alasiyae Zamoroka ssp. nov. Species distribution modeling indicates that both species survived the Last Glacial Maximum in several southern refugia. However, mitochondrial phylogeography demonstrates that the two widespread northern haplogroups are absent from Mediterranean refugia, suggesting their origin in extra-Mediterranean refugial areas, most probably southern France and the Danube Basin. These findings challenge the traditional hypothesis that postglacial recolonization of Europe originated exclusively from Mediterranean refugia. Instead, they highlight an important role of northern refugia in shaping the present-day distribution of European longhorn beetles. Historical and contemporary distribution data demonstrate exceptionally rapid climate-driven range expansion. Over approximately the last two decades, Calamobius filum has expanded its northern distribution by about 500 km in Eastern Europe, while Calamobius tenuis stat. et nom. res. has advanced approximately 300 km in Western Europe. Ecological niche models further predict continued expansion toward the Baltic region and southern Fennoscandia under moderate warming scenarios. Additionally, DNA barcoding revealed secondary contact between both species in the Rhine Valley, suggesting a developing contact zone requiring further investigation using nuclear genomic markers.
The freshwater crayfish of the genus Pontastacus are ecologically and commercially important components of inland water ecosystems, yet the populations inhabiting the water bodies of the Fergana Valley remain poorly characterised. This study examined the morphometric characteristics, length and weight parameters, length-weight relationship, and allometric growth pattern of Pontastacus sp. collected from a lake in eastern Andijan (Khodjaabad, Uzbekistan). A total of 42 crayfish specimens were analysed in April and May of 2025 and 2026, comprising 8 males and 34 females. Total body length of the examined specimens ranged from 44.7 to 95.0 mm and body weight from 2.0 to 11.0 g, with mean values of 70.51 ± 12.39 mm and 5.83 ± 2.37 g, respectively. The highest individual variability was recorded for body weight and for the lengths of the left and right chelae. Although certain morphometric differences between the sexes were observed, they were not statistically significant; because of the strongly unbalanced sex ratio and the limited number of males (n = 8), this result should be interpreted with caution. The length-weight relationship was estimated by linear regression of logtransformed data. In females the relationship was described by the equation W = 0.0643L2.284, and in males by W = 0.0228L2.797. Negative allometric growth was statistically confirmed for the pooled sample (b = 2.378; t = −5.43) and for females (b = 2.284; t = −5.89), whereas in males the growth type did not differ significantly from isometry, most probably because of the small sample size (n = 8). Total body length showed strong positive correlations with body weight and with the other principal morphometric characters. Fulton's condition factor averaged 1.62 ± 0.31 and did not differ between the sexes. These results provide the first morphometric and growth data for this lake population of Pontastacus sp. and may serve as a baseline for further taxonomic, ecological, and monitoring studies of astacofauna in the eastern Fergana Valley.
This study provides one of the first comprehensive field-based assessments of the effects of foliar application of magnesium nitrate (applied alone or in combination with trinexapac-ethyl [TE]) on the functional state of the photosynthetic apparatus, leaf optical parameters (SPAD, chlorophyll content, flavonol and anthocyanin content, nitrogen balance index [NBI]), and the productivity of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The efficiency of the photosynthetic apparatus and the plants’ mineral nutrient supply are key factors in achieving high winter wheat productivity. Chlorophyll, flavonol, and anthocyanin content, as well as the NBI, serve as informative markers of plant nitrogen status, photosynthetic intensity, and adaptation to adverse conditions. Therefore, the objective of the study was to determine the effect of foliar application of magnesium nitrate, either alone or in combination with TE, on the leaf pigment complex, NBI, and the productivity of the winter wheat variety Kyivska 19. Field studies were conducted during 2023–2025. Plants were treated at BBCH 37–39 with magnesium nitrate (5.0 kg/ha), TE (0.6 L/ha), and a tank mix of both. Measurements of SPAD values, chlorophyll content, flavonol content, anthocyanin content, and NBI in the flag and lower-canopy leaves were taken using portable optical sensors. All treatment variants increased chlorophyll content relative to the control, with the greatest effect observed with the combined application of magnesium nitrate and TE. The SPAD value in the lower-canopy leaves reached 53.8 relative units, which was 45.8% higher than in the control. At the same time, a decrease in flavonol and anthocyanin content and an increase in NBI were observed, indicating improved nitrogen nutrition, maintenance of high photosynthetic activity, and reduced physiological stress. A trend toward lower temperatures in the lower-canopy leaves was also observed, which may be associated with increased thermal resistance and the manifestation of the stay-green effect. The combined foliar treatment with magnesium nitrate and TE produced the highest yield (12.6 t/ha), exceeding the control by 10.5%. The results indicate that the combined treatment with magnesium nitrate and TE helps maintain photosynthetic efficiency (stay-green effect), improves nitrogen utilization, and limits the accumulation of stress-induced phenolic compounds. It has been demonstrated that the combined foliar application of magnesium nitrate and TE is an effective agronomic practice for optimizing plant physiological conditions and increasing winter wheat yield, and it can be recommended as a component of modern grain crop cultivation technologies. The combined application of agrochemicals with complementary effects may contribute to the sustainable development of crop production under resource limitations and climate change.
