Birds of Siberian-pine (Pinus sibirica) forests of the south-east part of Western Siberia (Tomsk Region)

Abstract

The article examines the fauna and bird population of Siberian-pine forests in Tomsk Region (the south-east part of Western Siberia) in the summer period. The article is based on data collected by the authors over many years in 12 areas of Siberian-pine forests in various forest subzones. The taxonomical structure of avifauna, the landscape and ecological structure, and species distribution are examined. A comparison has been made of species diversity and population density for birds of sub-taiga Siberian-pine forests in the southern and middle taiga. The authors have identified the leading species of birds in terms of population density in various forest subzones. A tendency towards latitudinal changes in species diversity and population density in Siberian-pine forests has been discovered. The authors have identified the species of birds whose diet includes the nuts of Siberian pines. Data on the bird species of Siberian-pine forests listed in the Red Data Book of Tomsk Region have been included.     

Species diversity of blood-sucking mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Tomsk Region

Abstract

This article describes the results of studying the Culicidae species composition in Tomsk region, during 8 years, 2008–2015. The survey revealed 31 mosquito species of five genera, namely Anopheles, Culex, Culiseta, Coquillettidia, Aedes. Dominant, numerous, common and rare species of Aedes genus were detected. The complete list of Culicidae species in Tomsk region was recorded. Ae. annulipes and Ae. sticticus were included in the species composition of Siberia; their presence in Tomsk region had previously been doubted. Some other species were deleted from the list because they were absent at the present time.     

Sphagnum mosses on the mires of the Altai-Sayan Mountains region

Abstract

Sphagnum mosses are a characteristic component of plant communities in the mountain mires of the Altai-Sayan region. The genus Sphagnum L. ranks first in the species diversity and includes 32 species, accounting for 57.1% of the species diversity of sphagnum mosses of Russia and 62.8% of the species diversity of sphagnum mosses of the Asian part of Russia. Twenty-five species of sphagnum moss are revealed in the mires of the Western Sayan and Altai, listed in this paper; 28 species occur on the Kuznetsky Alatau mires. Rare species are Sphagnum aongstroemii, S. auriculatum, S. contortum, S. platyphyllum, S. pulchrum, S. subfulvum, S. tenellum.     

Genetic diversity of honeybees in different geographical regions of Siberia

Abstract

An assessment of the genetic diversity of nine microsatellite loci in honeybees of different origin (evolutionary lineages M, C, and hybrids) from different geographical regions of Siberia was conducted in order to find the genetic markers of the Siberian ecotype of dark-coloured forest bee (Apis mellifera mellifera). The greatest genetic diversity (both in the number of alleles and the calculated expected heterozygosity) was shown for loci A008, A113, Ap049, and A043 in honeybees from the Tomsk region, as bees from the southern districts had higher genetic diversity than bees from the northern districts. Honeybees from the Eastern region of Siberia (Yenisei population) had the lowest level of genetic diversity on these loci compared to Tomsk bee populations. Allele 162 pb of the locus A008, allele 126 bp of the locus A043, and allele 218 bp of the locus A113 can be considered as genetic markers of the A. m. mellifera Siberian ecotype.     

Reference community Siberian pine forests of Western Siberia as a local example of rational environmental management: anthropogenic disturbance analysis

The article describes geo-botanic characteristics of three massifs of community (situated in the vicinities of settlements) Siberian pine forests, both reference and valuable wood forests with dominance of Pinus sibirica Du Tour., growing in the mid- and southern taiga subzones of the Western Siberia natural taiga zone, Tomsk region. The results of the comparative analysis of the degree of anthropogenic disturbance in Siberian pine forests ecosystems’ composition and plant species communities’ participation are presented based on a hemerobiality scale.     

First list of macromycetes forming ectomycorrhizas in cedar and pine forests of Tomsk region of West Siberia

Abstract

The study was conducted during 2004–2015 in West Siberia natural forests. The Tomsk region mycobiota is almost unstudied though this region is considered to be an accumulation zone for North American, European, and Far East fungi species. Sampling was implemented in pure cedar or pine stands. Molecular data and microscoping identified 283 macromycetes species, which form ectomycorrhizas with Pinus sibirica and Pinus sylvestris.     

Biodiversity of the vascular plants in the young fluvioglacial landscapes in the Severo-Chuiskiy centre of present-day glaciation (the Central Altai)

Abstract

This article reports the species richness of vascular plants in the young fluvioglacial landscapes in the Severo-Chuiskiy centre of present-day glaciation using the example of the fluvioglacial deposits of the mountain-glacial basin Aktru. These landscapes are four well distinguished classes of habitats: open pebble fields with minimal vegetation, young larch forests on elevated parts of the relief, shrub thickets on the banks of the Aktru river, and sites with ground-frazil near the valley slopes. There are 132 species of vascular plants in the young fluvioglacial landscapes. These include 36 families and 77 genera. There are 3 species of pteridophytes (only Equisetum), 4 species of gymnosperms, and 125 species of angiosperms. The highest species diversity was recorded for Asteraceae, Poaceae and Salicaceae families, and for Salix, Poa, and Carex genera. The highest species richness – 100 species – were recorded for open pebble fields. There were 76 species in the young larch forests, and 58 species occurred in shrub thickets. The lowest richness is characterised for the sites with ground frazil, where 31 species were recorded.     

Cryopetrophyte communities of the West Sayan Ridge

Abstract

The paper presents research in eco-coenotic features of cryopetrophyte communities of the Osevoi Ridge in the Western Sayan Mts. All communities studied are in the association Saxifrago oppositifoliae–Rhodioletum quadrifidae. This association includes all communities with a predominance of alpine and arctalpine petrophytes, which are largely facultative and obligate calciphile plants. The coenoflora of the association Saxifrago oppositifoliae–Rhodioletum quadrifidae is represented by 54 species of higher vascular plants. The dominant species in its structure are those of Holarctic distribution and species generally confined to the Altai-Sayan mountain region, with Papaver pseudocanescens, Poa smirnowii, Sajanella monstrosa, Saussurea foliosa and Saxifraga melaleuca being endemics. In the structure of the belt-zonal groups, arctalpine and alpine species dominate. Among ecological groups, obligate and facultative petrophytes, generally cryophytes, are dominant. The predominance of some particular belt-zonal and ecological groups of species indicates greater specificity of the environmental conditions in which the communities were formed and are currently being formed.     

Cold resistance of three species of earthworms (Oligohaeta,Lumbricidae) in Western Siberia

We studied cold resistance of Lumbricus rubellus, Octolasion lacteum, Dendrodrilus rubidus tenuis earthworms of Western Siberia (Tomsk) populations. Worms of these species turned out to be not resistant to low temperatures (100% mortality at ?3?°C), while cocoons, on the contrary, survived ?35?°C (L. rubellus) or below ?40?°C (D. rubidus tenuis). The worms’ populations under study do not have specific cold resistance. Their main characteristics are similar in Western Siberia and other geographically remote areas according to our studies. Due to their very high cold resistance, cocoons are indifferent to winter temperatures. Hibernation of the studied species of worms in the severe conditions of the West Siberian climate is possible only in the warmest habitats where minimum soil temperature in hibernation horizons does not fall below ?2?°C. Apparently, the proportion of such habitats in the region is high as 5 out of 12 surveyed biotopes had minimum temperature above the maximum tolerated by worms at a depth of 15?cm.     

ANTICIPATED AIR POLLUTION TOLERANCE OF SOME PLANT SPECIES CONSIDERED FOR GREEN BELT DEVELOPMENT IN AND AROUND AN INDUSTRIAL/URBAN AREA IN INDIA: AN OVERVIEW

Vegetation naturally cleanses the atmosphere by absorbing gases and some particulate matter through leaves. Plants have a very large surface area and their leaves function as an efficient pollutant‐trapping device. Some plants have been classified according to their degree of sensitivity and tolerance towards various air pollutants. Sensitive plant species are suggested to act as bio‐indicators. Levels of air pollution tolerance vary from species to species, depending on the capacity of plants to withstand the effect of pollutants without showing any external damage. In this study, the air pollution tolerance index (APTI) of 30 plant species has been evaluated. High values of APTI were recorded in Mangifera indica, Moringa pterydosperma, Cassia renigera and Ailanthus excelsa. The anticipated performance index (API) of 30 plant species has also been evaluated for green belt (GB) development in and around an industrial urban area in India. Using APTI and this performance rating, the most tolerant plants have been identified.     

The importance of sediment and submerged aquatic vegetation as potential habitats for persistent strains of enterococci in a subtropical watershed

Recent evidence of extended survival of fecal indicator bacteria in sediments and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) has raised concerns about using indicator bacteria to reliably detect fecal contamination. We monitored enterococci densities and population structure in water, sediment and SAV simultaneously at sites across a subtropical watershed (Tampa Bay, FL, USA) over one year to determine the extent to which each matrix serves as a potential reservoir of enterococci. SAV harbored significantly higher mean densities of enterococci than sediments, which harbored higher densities than water. Mean enterococci densities were also greater at sites located further upstream in the watershed. The population structure assessed by BOX-PCR genotyping was relatively dissimilar in each sample, although some similarities among samples suggested grouping by location. Strain diversity ranged from very high to negligible, with lowest overall diversity in lake samples taken during the summer. Several strains were highly abundant and cosmopolitan (found across sites, seasons, and matrices) and were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as the Enterococcus species casseliflavus, faecalis, faecium, hirae, and mundtii. The proportional dominance of certain strains suggests the existence of persistent and possibly naturalized indicator bacteria populations that are not directly related to pollution events.     

Method for obtaining root nodules of the Baikal relict legumes in laboratory pot experiments

Abstract

Many relict and endemic legumes are often rare and endangered species, located in remote and almost impenetrable areas. This makes it difficult to study their symbiosis with nodule bacteria. The aim of this work was to obtain root nodules under laboratory conditions of Hedysarum zundukii, Oxytropis popoviana, Oxytropis triphylla, Oxytropis tragacanthoides, Astragalus chorinensis and Glycyrrhiza uralensis belonging to the Miocene-Pliocene relicts, usually growing in restricted habitats of the Baikal Lake region. A pot experiment was conducted with soils and seeds collected in distribution areas of these legumes. The collected soils had low content of N and P, suggesting importance of nitrogen-fixing symbiosis for successful maintenance of plant populations. The symbiotic nodules were observed on roots of all plant species tested and 52 bacterial strains assumed as root nodule bacteria (rhizobia) were isolated from nodules. The proposed method avoids collection of native plants and prevents decrease in plant populations. The isolated bacteria will be used to search for ancestral genes responsible for the specificity and efficiency of rhizobia-legume symbiosis and can contribute to the conservation of rare and endangered species of relict legumes in the Baikal region.     

Small Decisions in Suburban Open Spaces: Ecological Perspectives from a Hotspot of Global Biodiversity Concerning Knowledge Flows between Disciplinary Territories

Abstract

What are some of the ‘small decisions’ in the life of new suburbs and how can small decisions engage with up-to-date knowledge to obtain the best ecological outcomes? Topography and soils, plant species and species selection, safety, and light, were taken as cases of small decisions in suburban development and ecological knowledge related to them is discussed. For each example, the sites of decision-making and knowledge were mapped in the context of academic and workplace ‘knowledge tribes and territories’. Mapping revealed disconnections between where each small decision was made and where knowledge was held which, if addressed, could lead to better ecological outcomes. Ways of countering or moderating the tension between the disparity in the position of decision-making and the knowledge-sources are suggested for small decisions about landscapes.     

The ecology of a land drainage channel—II : Biology, chemistry and submerged weed control

Shallow land drainage channels lying behind a seawall were found to contain slightly brackish eutrophic water, and certain species of the flora and fauna were characteristic of such conditions. Five study lengths were dominated by the angiosperms Myriophyllum spicatum L. and Potamageton pectinatus L. The herbicide diquat was applied to three sites in mid and late summer to control submerged plants. Certain plant species were eliminated, though slow plant decomposition was noted after midsummer applications. There were no coincident effects amongst the fauna.     

On the idea of ex ante and ex post normalization of biproportional methods

Biproportional methods project a matrix A to give it the column and row sums of another matrix; the result is R A S, where R and S are diagonal matrices. As R and S are not identified, one must normalize them, even after computing, that is, ex post. This article starts from the idea developed in de Mesnard (2002) – any normalization amounts to put constraints on Lagrange multipliers, even when it is based on an economic reasoning, – to show that it is impossible to analytically derive the normalized solution at optimum. Convergence must be proved when normalization is applied at each step on the path to equilibrium. To summarize, normalization is impossible ex ante, what removes the possibility of having a certain control on it. It is also indicated that negativity is not a problem.Received: October 2002/Accepted: June 2003     

Resources of medicinal plants in the Kuznetsky Alatau

The paper aims to study the resources of medicinal plants in the the Kuznetsky Alatau. Eighty-four species of vascular plants applied in scientific medicine have been identified, 35 of which have industrial reserves of raw material (resources of categories I and II). The remaining 49 species are not recommended for industrial procurement. Reserves of raw materials have been ascertained for 12 commercial species among which Paeonia anomala (9138 t), Polygonum bistorta (3200 t), Bergenia crassifolia (571 t), Sorbus sibirica (346 t), Veratrum lobelianum (342 t) and Rhaponticum carthamoides (328 t) have been assessed to have the biggest volumes of raw materials’ reserve. Five commercial species of medicinal plants, namely B. crassifolia, P. bistorta, Bupleurum multinerve, P. anomala and R. carthamoides, and a rare valuable medicinal plant Rhodiola rosea are confined to mountain habitats. We determined the optimal part of the cenocomplex, the conditions of habitation and the density of reserves for these species. The paper makes recommendations for their sustainable use. Despite the relatively small territory of the Kuznetsky Alatau, it is considered to have great potential for harvesting of medicinal plants.     

House fire: A source of dioxins

This article is reprinted with permission fromRisk Analysis, Plenum Publishing Co.,10,1, 1990.     

Rue and Brazilian peppertree essential oils inhibit the germination and initial development of the invasive plant lovegrass

ABSTRACT

Lovegrass (Eragrostis plana) is the most important invasive plant in pastures of southern Brazil. The research evaluated the potential of Ruta graveolens (rue) and Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian peppertree) essential oils (EOs) to inhibit germination and initial development of lovegrass. The in vitro treatments tested were control (distilled water), alcohol control, 0.001, 0.005, 0.01, 0.05 and 0.1% (v/v) of both EOs. Higher concentrations of these EOs were applied to germinated plants under greenhouse conditions. The EOs of both species were effective in reducing lovegrass germination, with emphasis on rue. Height and shoot dry mass, at greenhouse conditions, were significantly reduced by both EOs, especially when applied at a concentration of 1%. The results point to the potential of rue and Brazilian peppertree EOs for the formulation of natural herbicides.     

Fire Emissions into the Atmosphere

The amount of various pollutants per year emitted into the atmosphere from fires in Sweden is estimated. The pollutants considered in detail are CO₂, CO, HCN, NO_x, SO₂, HCl, unburned hydrocarbons, and particulate matter. The emission of N₂O, aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins, and heavy metals, is discussed qualititavely. The estimate is based on the number of fires in buildings and vehicles in Sweden a typical year. Emissions from wildfires have not been included.The results indicate that the amount of combustible material consumed by fire each year is approximately 12 kton, although it should be noted that during certain years, industrial fires may inflate this number. The emission of particulate matter and unburned hydrocarbons is approximately equivalent to that expected from the combustion of 2 Mton of solid fuel in a combustion plant, corresponding to energy production of approximately 15 TWh, which is of the same order of magnitude as that expected from heavy transport in Sweden each year. The emission of the other species studied is negligible relative to other sources. Measurements of species that have not been studied in detail (such as dioxins) under realistic conditions are necessary for determining the amount of these species emitted per year.     

Factors influencing species diversity of ferns and fern allies in fragmented forest patches in the Kyoto city area

We investigated the relationship between species diversity of pteridophytes and the environmental factors of 39 fragmented forest patches in the Kyoto city area. There was a significant correlation between the number of species and the micro-landform diversity, artificial habitat diversity, and logarithm of the area of the forest patch. When we performed a multiple regression analysis to identify the best-fit model so as to optimize the amount of variation in species diversity explained by using stepwise selection, three species diversity indices (species richness or Shannon’s diversity index, logarithm of inverse Simpson index) had significant positive partial correlations with the logarithm of area of the forest patch, and negative correlations with the logarithm of isolation distance from mountain forest. Therefore, we conclude that pteridophyte species diversity depends on patch size and isolation distance from mountain forests. Comparison of the woody plant species–area curve with the pteridophyte species–area curve showed that the rate of increase of species number (inclination) with area was the same, but the Y-intercept of the pteridophyte species–area curve was lower than that of the woody plant curve. Therefore, the minimum conservation area required for ferns and fern allies is greater than that for woody plant species.