Home – Home – Jornals – Contemporary Problems of Ecology 2025 number 6

The results of a long-term study of the bird population of Central Siberia, including their route surveys with a length of 11.2 thousand km in 685 biotopes, are summarized. It has been established that the population density of birds increases from the Arctic deserts to the southern tundra, decreases markedly in the forest tundra, and then increases sequentially to the forest steppe. The species richness also increases in the southern direction, but reaches its maximum in the middle taiga, where species with a more northern or southern distribution are located on the periphery of their ranges. In the dominant composition of ornithocomplexes, it is characteristic that 1-4 species do not go beyond the boundaries of their “own” zones, and 1-2 species are common to neighboring zones. As a result of changes in the composition and ratio of species, the differences between the ornithocomplexes of the Arctic deserts and tundras, as well as the forest-tundra and taiga zones, become the most significant. Differences in the bird populations of the forest tundra and tundra, as well as the forest-steppe and taiga zones, are poorly expressed due to the distribution of the most widespread species. Altitude-belt changes in the bird population are reduced to a sharp decrease in the number of species and individuals during the transition from each lower to the overlying belt. The bird communities of the high-altitude belts from the foothills to the peaks of the mountains are increasingly different from each other and those of the adjacent lowland zones and subzones, which is determined by the increasing autonomy of their formation.

In the article, based mainly on the materials collected by N. V. Tupikova and contributors of the Data Bank of the Zoological Monitoring Laboratory of the Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals SB RAS from 1955 to 2014, some methodical and methodological problems are solved, in particular, the research result dependence: 1. on the method of collecting material with crushers - route, one-time or stationary (with three repetitions every two weeks from mid-July to the end of August). 2. on the interpreter, volume and standardization of data during collection. 3. on the joint use of data collected with crushers and ditches, after recalculation per 1 km2. This article is dedicated to these problems.

In the subarctic regions of Krasnoyarsk Krai in 2022-2023, the population of ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) was studied at different distances from sources of anthropogenic impact. In the vicinity of Norilsk, the impact of metallurgical enterprises was studied; near Dudinka, the change in the ground beetle population along the urbanization gradient was studied; in the south of the Gydan Peninsula, the impact of gas condensate fields was assessed. The least impact on the ground beetle population was noted in the area of the fields. Urbanogenic impact in the vicinity of Dudinka affected ground beetle communities at a distance of up to 2-3 km. The complex impact of Norilsk facilities (industrial enterprises, urban infrastructure, etc.) on ground beetle communities was traced at a distance of up to 10-15 km. Near sources of anthropogenic impact, the number of ground beetle species in communities, their overall dynamic density, and the density of individual genera and species of ground beetles decrease: especially large-sized representatives (genus Carabus) and specialized arctic species of the subgenus Cryobius from the genus Pterostichus, associated with moss-lichen cover. These parameters can be used as indicators of environmental disturbance.

The population structure of snow sheep groups in the Kodar Ridge is characterized based on trail camera and visual observation data. The population range is isolated and limited to this mountain range. The studies were conducted after the establishment of a national park within a part of the Kodar snow sheep range (in 2018). The main observations were made in the central, most important part of the range in the Sredny Sakukan and Apsat river basins both in the national park and in the adjacent territory. On average, the ratio of adult females/yearlings/last year’s animals/young males/mature males in July-September on summer pastures used by females is 10/9/4/3/1. A significant number of males stay in summer in areas outside the pastures of females and young animals. The fertility of the Kodar sheep during the study period is higher than that noted in the 1990s. For one adult female of 2019-2024 in the first 2-3 months after lambing, there were 0.87 yearlings and 0.44 last year’s lambs. High fertility also confirms the optimal structure of the studied groups of Kodar snow sheep. Information was obtained on the timing and characteristics of the seasonal change of habitats, with the exception of the winter period. On summer pastures, the population is characterized by low herd size: 3.0 for groups of females, 1.3 for males and the same for separated last year’s lambs. Over 6 years of observations after the creation of the national park, the herd size indicator did not change significantly, and changes were observed in the sex and age structure associated with an increase in the proportion of last year’s lambs and young males.

Issues of conservation of rare and endangered animal species are considered one of the main ecological problems of recent decades and are included in the “Ecological Doctrine of the Russian Federation” and “Principles of the State policy in the area of environmental development of the Russian Federation for the period up to the year 2030”. The distribution of terrestrial vertebrates listed in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation in the mountainous regions of Russia has been studied for the first time. A biome approach was used: the division of the territory, according to the similarity of the biota, including the analysis of its latitude, longitude and altitude changes. For each of the 31 mountain biomes identified in the territory of Russia, lists of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians from the Red Data Book are given, and the abundance of these protected objects is quantified. Regions with high diversity of such terrestrial vertebrates have been identified. Mammals, reptiles, and amphibians have the greatest similarity in the location of orobiomes with the maximum number of species. The regions of their greatest diversity are confined to the Caucasus. For mammals, this is its eastern part; for reptiles and amphibians - the biomes bordering the Black Sea coast. The maximum diversity of breeding birds is confined to the south of the Far East. Maps with the distribution of the number of such rare species in the mountain biomes of Russia have been prepared. The results obtained make it possible to optimize conservation measures for rare and vulnerable vertebrates.

The study focuses on the activity of proteolytic enzymes and the effect of trematode infestation on the size and mass parameters and activity of these enzymes in three species of mollusks: Lithoglyphus naticoides (C. Pfieffer, 1828), Viviparus viviparus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Lymnaea stagnalis (Linnaeus, 1758). Pepsin-, trypsin-, and chymotrypsin-like activity was found in all mollusks, indicating a wide range of protease activity in these animals. Differences in the levels of protease activity in shellfish are most likely related to the type of diet. Shellfish infection affects the studied parameters in different ways. Thus, in infected Lithoglyphus naticoides, the shell height and mass are greater than in uninfected individuals. In Viviparus viviparus, these parameters do not display significant differences. In Lymnaea stagnalis, the shell height does not differ in uninfected and infected mollusks, and the mass is greater in infected specimens. The activity of a particular group of proteases varies depending on the mollusk species and the parasite development stage. Trematode infection has the greatest effect on protease activity in Lithoglyphus naticoides.

In the studied populations of Rana arvalis Nilsson, 1842 (ranging from the western macroslope of the Middle Urals to the Ishim Plain), ten parasite species were identified, with the nematodes Oswaldocruzia filiformis (Goeze, 1782) and Rhabdias bufonis (Schrank, 1788) being dominant. A two-component (hurdle) model-combining binomial regression (infection probability) and gamma regression (infestation intensity) -provided the best biological and statistical fit for nematode infestation patterns. Both infection probability and intensity increased with host age, peaking at 3-4 years: each unit increase in log₂-transformed age [log₂(Age+1)] raised the odds of infestation 6.2-fold (95 % CI: 4.9-7.8) and intensity 1.4-fold (1.2-1.5). Intensity also increased 2.1-fold (1.8-2.5) per additional nematode species. Geographic trends revealed latitudinal and longitudinal variability: infestation odds decreased 2.1-fold (1.5-2.7) per degree northward, while intensity increased 1.14-fold (1.1-1.2) per degree eastward. Neither host morph (striata/maculata) nor sex significantly influenced nematode infestation parameters.

The paper presents the results of the study of the role of environmental factors (abiotic and microbiological) in the formation of groundwater quality in the river bank filtration zone under cyclic freezing/thawing (CFT). Groundwater samples from the Tunguska field (Priamurye) taken in the fall period from different aquifer depths from wells located at different distances from the river bank filtration zone were used. CFT was performed in vitro in the presence of different carbon sources at two temperatures: slow thawing from -18 °C to +4 °C; rapid thawing from -18 °С to +23 °С. The activity of microbial communities (MC) from groundwater and river water after CFT was confirmed by their ability cultured on a readily available carbon source (peptone) and hard-to-mineralize sodium humate (HNa), as well as under conditions of their co-metabolism. Maximum activity after CFT at a thawing temperature of 4 °С in the presence of HNa was shown by MC from a depth of 41 m from boreholes 1500 m away from the shore. At a thawing temperature of 23 °С, microorganisms from river and groundwater from wells close to the shore were highly active regardless of the composition of carbon sources during the CFT period. MC growth activity from offshore wells at 23 °С thawing temperature was dependent on the depth of water sampling and the presence of readily available co-substrate. It was shown for the first time that after CFT, thawing temperature influenced the changes in the spectral characteristics of humic substances as a result of their microbial transformation

The results of a long-term study (2006-2024) on the phenology of 25 species of herbaceous plants, represented by 33 accessions from natural populations in the Russian Far East - Primorye, Sakhalin, and the Southern Kurils, under the conditions of the forest-steppe of Western Siberia (Novosibirsk), are presented. The study revealed the features of seasonal rhythms for most accessions: spring growth occurs in early to mid-terms (April - first decade of May), and the onset of flowering is timed to summer periods (June - mid-July), with a phenorhythmotype classified as spring-summer green. Therefore, based on their primary rhythmic characteristics, the Far Eastern accessions correspond to herbaceous perennials of the regional flora. At the same time, a complete and regular seasonal cycle, as an indicator of biological sustainability, is observed in 16 accessions (48 %), while the others are unstable or weakly stable in the new environmental conditions. Using linear phenological trends, the main patterns of phenological shifts were established: a delay in the dates of the vegetation start (6-13 days / 10 years) and an advance in the dates of vegetation end (6-16 days / 10 years). There is also a later start for flowering (up to 6 days / 10 years), and an earlier end for flowering (3 days / 10 years), as well as a significant reduction in the duration of all interphase periods. Significant intraspecific variability of phenological events depending on the provenance of materials was demonstrated. The findings indicate an accelerated seasonal development of Far Eastern perennials when adapting to a continental climate.

Herbs layer aboveground phytomass of the association Trollio asiaticae - Populetum tremulae (absolutely dry weight) and its species structure was determined. It was found that from 37 collected species two dominant species made 80 % of total phytomass. Moreover, only five species have more than 1 % of total phytomass each and the rest of species cover only 6,7 %. Comparison with published data about phytomass of the different layers and fractions of plant communities showed that phytomass of the herbs layer is equal or even more than photosynthetically active phytomass of the tree layer. So, in this ecosystem there are two equal layers of photosynthetic activity - herbs layer and tree layer.

This article examines the problem of environmental adaptations of plants to the conditions of the supralittoral and littoral of the Barents Sea coast. The article is devoted to a comprehensive study of the anatomical features of the leaf blades Honckenya peploides (L.) и Cochlearia officinalis (L.). The study used plants collected in the budding phase. The collected leaves were fixed in 70 % ethanol. Measurements of the elements of the anatomical structure were carried out using a light microscope. It has been established that the environmental conditions of the coastal zone determine the formation of specific anatomical features in these plants. H. peploides is characterized as a more highly specialized species with pronounced xeromorphic features: amphistomatic leaves, a developed cuticle layer and an isolateral mesophyll structure. C. officinalis is a heterogeneous species. In supralittoral conditions, the plant exhibits mesomorphic features such as sinuous cell walls, hypostomatic leaves, clear differentiation of the mesophyll into columnar and spongy layers, as well as the presence of large intercellular cells in the spongy mesophyll. On the upper littoral, C. officinalis acquires xeromorphic features: an increase in the thickness of the leaf and cuticle, as well as amphistomaticity. Probably, the combination of meso- and xeromorphic features favored the distribution of C. officinalis in a wider range of the coastal zone. The data obtained confirm the close connection of the anatomical structure of the leaves with environmental conditions and reflect the specific adaptations of each species to the environment.

The main ore and associated elements contamination level of the tailings dumps substrates of the Altai Mining and Processing Plant (AMPP), soils of their reclaimed surfaces and soils located in the zone of technogenic impact is studied. Heavy metals in the upper horizons of soils and grounds were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. Single pollution indices and complex soil contamination indices of the territory are calculated. A comparison with 18-year-old data is made. It is found that the metal content in the upper layers of dumps in areas where at least single plant species grow and in the soils of adjacent landscapes vary widely: Zn - from 164 to 1287 mg/kg, Cd - from 0.50 to 6.97 mg/kg, Cu - from 67 to 1516 mg/kg, Pb - from 69 to 1827 mg/kg and significantly exceed the background values. The highest Zn and Cd content is detected in the substrate on the new dump surface of the near the spontaneous dump of household waste. The highest Cu and Pb concentrations, tens of times exceeding the background contents in the chernozems of the Northwestern Altai, are found in meadow soils of landscapes geochemically associated with the dumps tailings, containing toxic material washed up from the eroded sides of the tailings ponds. Their upper horizons are characterized by extremely hazardous (Z _c = 165) and high (Z _c = 79) levels of total metal contamination. High metal contamination (especially Cd and Pb) is established for the upper horizon of ordinary chernozem at a distance of 2 km from the dumps to the north, in the direction of the southern winds prevailing in the region, which is explained by additional airborne dust saturated with heavy metals brought to this territory from the unreclaimed surfaces of the AMPP dumps. The lowest single pollution indexes of soil and substrate and the smallest proportion of samples with their high values are established for zinc. Pollution of soils and substrates of tailings with lead and copper, judging by single pollution indexes, is the most significant. Compared to 2005, a decrease in the concentration of heavy metals in the substrates of dumps of those areas where plants grow is noted.

Rare endemic plant species are most sensitive to changes in ecosystems, which can negatively affect the state of populations. The study of various ecological parameters in natural locations is most important for their monitoring and conservation. Megadenia bardunovii is a relic species of the Tertiary period vegetation with a restricted area. In Russia, two small populations are known in the Tunka Valley (Republic of Buryatia). In this work, the composition of water and soil in the natural location, the area of populations, phylogenetic relationships were studied, an introduction experiment and seed reproduction assessment were carried out. The confinement of populations to freshwater springs and loose, fertile sod-carbonate soils was revealed. It was shown that the populations occupy an area of 408 and 564 mІ. Seed germination is low, vegetative reproduction predominates. Analysis of nuclear (ITS) and chloroplast (rbcL, matK, trnL-trnF, trnH-psbA) markers revealed the absence of genetic diversity in the two studied populations. Analysis of chloroplast DNA showed that the populations from the Tunka Valley represent a separate evolutionary lineage, significantly different from all other Megadenia populations in China and the Russian Far East. The introduction experiment showed that an adult individual is a perennial creeping-root polycarpic plant and consisting of a complex of rosette shoots formed from adventitious buds on roots. In the introduction experiment, the morphometric parameters of plants were close to those in situ. Under cultural conditions, the species is of medium promise for introduction and has average resistance during long-term cultivation; it does not withstand competition from other species. Biological features determine the species strategy - rapid capture of territory using adventitious buds on the roots. The studied populations can be characterized as relatively stable under existing conditions. The developing and maintenance of a reserve fund is relevant. The obtained results supplement the data on the ecology and biology of the species and determine the parameters for monitoring and preserving the species in natural habitats.

The paper considers meadow and saline wormwoods, which constitute an original element in the vegetation of intrazonal landscapes of river valleys and intermountain depressions of Buryatia. They are represented by both typically saline Central Asian (with Artemisia schrenkiana, A. nitrosa) and meadow both East Asian (with A. selengensis), and Holarctic (with A. vulgaris, A. mongolica). According to phytocenotic confinement, it is necessary to note the contrast of ecological conditions in the floodplain-terrace complexes of the Dzhida River and saline depressions in the Ivolga valley, reflected in the composition and structure of plant communities. Thus, meadow, meadow-shrub communities on the Dzhida terraces are distinguished by a high projective cover (up to 80 % and more), often have a thicket character with an abundance of A. selengensis. The floristic composition of the communities is characterized by North Asian and South Siberian elements (Achnatherum sibiricum, Potentilla tanacetifolia), and in the group of specific species, East Asian ones - A. selengensis, Ribes diacantha. Phytocenoses of the saline vegetation of the Ivolginskaya valley have a low projective cover of grass - at the initial stage of vegetation 30 %, by mid-summer, in the phase of the beginning of flowering, the participation of wormwood reaches 60 % or more. In terms of floristic composition, the communities are poor and monotonous (up to 14-17 species on test sites). They are composed by the desert-steppe Central Asian elements - Achnatherum splendens, Plantago salsa, Artemisia nitrosa, as well as Eurasian saline-steppe species - Limonium gmelinii, Saussurea amara and others. The studied wormwoods of Buryatia have in common the absence of α-thujone and zingeberene in the essential oils, unlike the same species from other regions. The fact of division of wormwood essential oils by belonging to the subgenera Artemisia (A. vulgaris, A. selengensis) and Seriphidium (A. schrenkiana, A. nitrosa) was revealed. Due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, wormwood essential oils can be used to treat cardiovascular diseases, digestive disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, and acute respiratory diseases.

This study is devoted to the assessment of pine plants of urban and suburban plantings in Moscow and Beijing in order to diagnose the adaptation of three pine species (Pinus sylvestris L., P. mugo Turra and P. tabuliformis Carr.) to abiotic stress occurring in urban environments. Non-invasive biochemical measurements of pine needles using Raman spectrometry (Raman microscopy-spectroscopy), allowed us to register changes in their biochemical composition that are not yet manifested externally. The accumulation of carotenoids, anthocyanins and polyamine spermine was observed in the needles of P. sylvestris under prolonged abiotic stress (anthropogenic air pollution). The observed response of pine plants to in vivo stress was further confirmed by common destructive chemical extraction methods. The accumulation of macro- and microelements was observed in the needles of P. sylvestris growing on the territory with maximum anthropogenic load compared to background values: maximum levels of Fe, Cu, Mn, Cr, Cr, Ni, Ag, Pb, Ba and Cd exceeding background values by 2.7-23.5 times. The analysis of Raman spectra allows us to recommend the method of microsopy Raman spectroscopy for high-throughput stress phenotyping of urban pine plantations. The ranking of the analyzed species by resistance to urban conditions resulted in the following series Pinus tabuliformis → Pinus sylvestris ≈ Pinus mugo.

The article presents an analysis of pollution of surface waters of the middle reaches of the Gazimur River by heavy metals in the area of the Bystrinsky mining and Processing Plant (Zabaikalsky Krai, Russia). Plants have been studied as indicators of pollution: Fontinalis antipyretica Hedw, Ranunculus circinatus Sibnt., filamentous algae - Cladophora fracta (Müll. ex Vahl) Kütz. and Ulothrix zonata (Web. et. Mohr) Kütz., from fish - Rhynchocypris lagowskii (Dybowski, 1869), which are the most common macroscopic hydrobionts in the studied area. Heavy metals (HM) in water and hydrobionts were determined by atomic emission and mass spectral analysis methods. It was found that the values of the TM concentration in the studied organisms were close to the values from the watercourses of other regions of the Trans-Baikal Territory. At the same time, high concentrations of TM in the aquatic moss of F. antipyretica were detected for the watercourses of the Gazimur river basin, which was confirmed by calculating the coefficient of biogeochemical activity of the species. The calculation of the total pollution index in the indicator species showed that F. antipyretica has high values for rivers draining catchments with mining sites. For Rh. lagowskii, the highest coefficient values were determined in watercourses remote from mining areas. The results of water biomonitoring studies using hydrobionts make it possible for them to be constantly included in routine monitoring of the state of aquatic ecosystems along with existing hydrochemical monitoring of surface waters. In the future, attention should be paid to comparing the cumulative properties of aquatic plant species with other aquatic organisms to monitor the spread of TM pollutants through trophic chains.