Home – Home – Jornals – Contemporary Problems of Ecology 2016 number 5

This study was conducted to analyze the habitat preference of six major mammals for various environmental factors based on 100 random points within a mountain area in South Korea. In-situ presence and absence data for the mammals were surveyed and collected, and twelve explanatory variables related to topography, water, greenness, and anthropogenic influence were applied to create a habitat distribution model. The best combination of variables was determined using Moran’s I coefficients and Akaike criteria information, and applied to estimate the habitat preference for each species using GRASP v.3.0. The predictive map showed that wildlife animals in this study were mainly categorized into two groups: Group I (Korean squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris , mole, Talpa micrura and water deer, Hydropotes inermis ), showed equal preference for all mountainous areas; Group II (weasel, Mustela sibirica , leopard cat, Felis bengalensis and raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides ) showed different preferences in a mountain.

Bird species diversity of the altitudinal belts of the Eastern Himalaya was analyzed in the early spring of 2005 and 2014. The species richness is decreasing from the belt of subtropical mixed and coniferous forests to the alpine belt. Specific species not beyond the borders of the appropriate belt are characteristic of three of four altitudinal belts. Avifauna of two adjacent belts also has a lot of common species. One hundred thirty three bird species registered in both seasons belong to 6 faunal complexes, the majority of species are Himalayan endemics and subendemics, as well as Palearctic species. Abundance of background species was determined for each altitudinal belt.

Spatial heterogeneity of mycobiota species composition has been studied. There are clavarioid fungi used as a model group for mycobiota zonation of Northern Eurasia. The differences in the classification results of these fungi depending on used coefficients of similarity, aggregation algorithms and opinions of different interpreters are shown. A combining method of different classifications is proposed. Further study on a larger number of fungal groups will allow a more representative circuit that will help to create a unified biogeographic zonation of Northern Eurasia.

The analysis of the available data on the various adaptations of the woolly mammoth to cryoarid conditions of the Ice Age is represented. Mammuthus primigenius had a set of specific anatomical-morphological ideoadaptations (thick long three-row wool, small ears, short tail, adipose “hump”, “hood”-like extension on the trunk, wide soles of the feet) and physiological ones (reduced sensitivity to cold, specific kind of lipid metabolism) providing safe existence and wide distribution of this species in the Northern Holarctic for a long time. Current data let to suggest that the woolly mammoth was a highly specialized species of the Mammoth biome.

The first results of the horizontal distribution of the cell abundance and toxicity of Microcystis in the hypereutrophic Moroccan reservoir Lalla Takerkoust are reported. An unexpected spatio-temporal heterogeneity has been shown between Microcystis abundance and microcystins concentrations. The principal determining factors were analyzed in order to identify the most likely sites for the proliferation and/or accumulation of Microcystis in this reservoir. The horizontal heterogeneity seems to be mainly influenced by the wind direction and inflows. The results can serve as reference data for monitoring cyanobacterial water blooms and associated cyanotoxins in the lake.

The genetic diversity of microbial communities developed naturally within the system of ore heap-solution of heap leaching process was studied. The difference of the microbial community structure was identified. It was found that phylotypes Serratia and Achromobacter dominated within the ore heap and Hydrogenophaga and Acinetobacter dominаted in the solution. Phylogenetic anаlyses revealed that there were microorganisms among the closest homologues which were able to destruct toxic compounds and/or exhibit their enzyme activity at low temperature. It was shown that aerobic organoheterotrophs were the most promising for isolation from autochthonous microbial communities of technogenic complexes in East Siberia, study of their destructive potential and use of them for bioremediation.

The adaptation of living organisms to the environmental conditions is formed and manifested at different levels - from the molecular to the biocenotic. Nowadays, the metabolic antioxidant system (AOS) is considered to be the key part of adaptive processes, and its activation is regarded as a general response of biota to the negative impact of the environment. The usage of AOS components as biomarkers of stressful influence on hydrobionts has good prospects and is actively applied in the monitoring system of aquatic ecosystems. In this paper the kinetics of free radical formation in various zoobenthos representatives from the Yenisei River (amphipods, oligochaetes, leeches, chironomids) and in amphipods from the Us River (a small mountain river, the Yenisei tributary) is analyzed. Parameters of kinetics of radical formation were registered using the method of luminoldepended chemoluminescence under the initiation of oxidative stress with hydric dioxide in vitro in homogenates of hydrobionts tissues. It was revealed that in amphipodes, as opposed to other invertebrates, the process of antioxidative activity is characterized by two chemiluminescent flashes. What is more, interspecies and age-related differences in parameters of the kinetics of free radicals formation were noticed in amphipodes. In Gmelinoides fasciatus Stebb. the intension peak of the formation of free radicals and their total number during the 60-minute registration period authentically exceeded these parameters for Gammarus sp. and Eulimnogammarus viridis Dybowsky. With age, the increase in volume of production of free radicals in E. viridis and Gammarus sp. and its decrease in G. fasciatus were observed. The authentically higher value of volume of production of free radicals in G. fasciatus and E. viridis inhabiting the zone of the Yenisei River with heightened anthropogenic load was marked.

Based on daily examination of phytoplankton in the Yenisei River downstream of Krasnoyarsk НPS within a four-year period the share of living and dead cells is evaluated and the dimensional structure of phytoplankton is described. It has been established that in spite of being affected by the passage through the turbines of the high-pressure dam, the high water flow rate and discharges of water from the HPS, living algae predominate over the dead ones in the thickness of water of the studied part of the Yenisei River practically during the entire year with rare exception of several dates in late autumn and winter. Microphytoplankton (20-64 mkm) and nanophytoplankton (2-20 mkm) ammounting to 83 % of all algae passed the blades of the turbines of the dam largely in the intact form and the share of their living cells varied from 21 % (in the winter period) to 96 % (in the spring-summer period).

The water and hydrochemical balance of Shira and Itkul lakes located in the arid (steppe) zone in the Khakasia Republic (Russian Federation) has been calculated. Existence of hydraulic connection of these lakes is shown. Lake Itkul can be considered as flowing reservoir. Outflow of water from Itkul to Shira is 6791 thousand m3/year, and outflow of the dissolved salts is 35 697 tonn/year. In this case, Lake Shira can be only considered as unflowing reservoir with transpiration mechanism of water chemical composition formation. Lake Itkul appears to be a flowing reservoir. In Itkul salt concentration is not such as occurs in Lake Shira because of less influence of evaporation and time of water-rock interaction. This mechanism may be similar for other arid zones in Northern and Central Asia.

The results of long-term studies on the status of arginine in coniferous plants are summarized. The characteristics of amino acid metabolism in coniferous species, the annual and daily dynamics, effects of temperature, light and mineral nutrition on its accumulation in organs and tissues are described. Methods for increasing Arg content in conifers by regulating mineral nutrition are considered.

At the beginning of the growing season in the I age class stand of Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) in the Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe controlled burning was carried out to simulate moderate ground fire. The structure of the annual rings of wood and trophic supply, cambial zone antioxidant system condition, the content of photosynthetic pigments in the needles of the suppressed and dominant trees on the experimental and control plots after 3 hours, 5 days and 2.5 months after the fire were studied. The fire narrowed the width of the annual wood ring due to decrease of number and size of early and late tracheids. The primary reactions to the pyrogenic heat shock were sharp decrease in chlorophyll content in needles, manifestation of oxidative stress in stem cambial zone - elevated level of hydrogen peroxide and activity of most antioxidant enzymes, reduction of non-structural carbohydrates pool. Restoration of cambium function after fire was promoted by increasing activity of amylase, invertase and peroxidase.

The reasons for Siberian pine and fir decline were analyzed by remote sensing techniques, dendrochronology, GIS technology and in situ observations in Baikal region (Khamar-Daban). It was found that since the 1980s, there was a decrease in the value of the growth index ( R ² = 0.69) and an increase of aridity of the climate SPEI ( R ² = 0.72). In the mid-2000s, the increase in aridity led to the division of Siberian pine trees in two cohorts, “survivors” and “decliners”. The spatial distribution of these cohorts is different: dead and declining stands are located mainly on the relief elements with an increased risk of water stress (steep, convex slopes, southwest exposure). The growth index of the trees is closely related to the dryness index in June ( r ² = 0.55). In addition to water stress, drying trees are exposed to stem pests and plant pathogens. The primary cause of Siberian pine decline is water stress due to increasing aridity. Weakened water-stressed trees are sensitized to pathogens. Synergism of climatic and biotic impacts led to observed decline of Siberian pine stands. In general, within the Khamar-Daban region heavily damaged and dead stands (> 50 % dying and dead trees) make up 8-10 % of the total area of dark needle conifers.

Population dynamics, density and aggregation size of tuberoid orchids were identified based on mapping, electronic maps construction with application of “point processes”, Ripley function and pair-correlation function. Discrete and discrete-continuous types of spatial structure dominate in populations in optimal ecological conditions. Bounded aggregations of levels I (radius 0,45-0,75 m) and II (radius 1,2-2,5 m) are formed at 3 to 7,5 m. Spatial pattern depends on generative specimens which are related with “group effect”. The microloci have full ontogenetic structure and may be regarded as elemental populations. They form larger aggregations of levels III and IV with random spatial distribution and continuous bounds. Aggregations of higher level are not formed in worse ecological conditions. Random spatial distribution and incomplete ontogenetic spectrum of microloci are indicators of critical population status.

New quantitative indicators of ecosystem fragmentation based on remote sensing, ground research and GIS-analysis have been developed. Density of trails and the extent of their influence on forest ecosystems were estimated. A new approach was tested in the forest area nearby Novosibirsk Akademgorodok.

The content of 30 macro- and microelements has been studied and assessed by statistical, hygienic and biochemical criteria in soils and Achillea millefolium L. as a forage and medicinal plant. The study has been conducted in the territories of Novosibirsk agglomeration contaminated by waste of industry and transport. In the soil-plant system the relationships have been determined between elemental and biochemical compositions of Achillea millefolium L.

In the process of conducting analytical work regional features of lithostratos and soils: increased total content of hexavalent chromium (700 MPC or more) and trivalent iron (more than 18000 mg/kg) were revealed. This is due to the relationship of the geochemical background of the area with natural and anthropogenic factors in the conditions of monsoon climate promoting emergence of process acidogenesis.