Vol 46, No 10 (2019)

Abstract—The results of the study of 23 natural cenopopulations of Cephalaria uralensis (Murr.) Schrad. ex Roem. et Schult., a rare subendemic species of the Eastern European steppe zone, in the Trans-Volga and Cis-Urals regions (Republic of Bashkortostan, Samara and Orenburg regions) are presented. The indices of the density, age structure, and demographic features of the population have been studied and compared. The total density varies from 2.2 to 10.3 ind./m². The average ontogenetic spectrum of C. uralensis is centered. According to the delta–omega classification, C. uralensis populations are distributed from young to aging. In most populations of that species, restitution and aging indices are very low. The studies suggest that the populations of C. uralensis in the South Urals, Trans-Volga, and Cis-Urals regions are in a satisfactory state. A threat to the species is the disturbance of its habitats due to excessive cattle pasture.

Abstract—As a result of our comparison of winter routing with a similar (in terms of purpose) band record, a clear interpretation of the factor π/2 = 1.57 is given. This multiplier is shown to be the proportionality coefficient that maps the number of tracks crossed by the route to the total length of track lines on the recording band of a certain width. The geometric meaning of this factor has been established, and the effective width of the counting band for winter routing was determined. In the course of our modeling, the random nature of the proportionality coefficient was fully revealed, and its statistical characteristics for samples of various sizes were studied. The applicability range of the winter routing formula was outlined.

Abstract—A differentiated assessment of blood cells and types of micronuclei in the erythrocytes of marsh frogs (Pelophylax ridibundus) living in reservoirs of the Nizhny Novgorod region was performed. The water reservoirs differ by origin, morphology, and chemical composition. The specific abiotic conditions (a peat bog) and anthropogenic load resulted in the most pronounced change in the leukocyte differential count, corresponding to the neutrophilic type of leukemoid reaction, and in an increased micronucleus fraction in the erythrocytes. A moderate positive correlation between the increase in the number of disintegrated micronuclei and the content (mg/L) of nitrites in the reservoir was found (r = 0.72, p = 0.0179). The complex action of high concentrations of technogenic chemical pollutants (copper, chromium, and oil products) caused the activation of erythropoiesis and humoral immunity, which was confirmed by the nature of the leukemoid reaction of a lymphatic type. The cellular and humoral types of immune reaction aimed at self–foreign molecule differentiation provided stability of the frog ontogenesis under anthropogenic pressure. Integral leukocyte indexes, such as the blood cell indicator, the neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio, the lymphocyte–granulocyte index, and the index of leukocyte shift, which reflect the level of the body’s general reactivity, can be considered as population markers of the immune status of amphibians.

Abstract—Spring migrations of the Whooper swan and Bewick’s swan were studied on farmland near the town of Olonets during the years 1997–2017. Usually the majority of swans crosses the territory of the agricultural landscape in transit, and only a small portion of the birds stayed in it for feeding for 1–2 days. In 2017, swans formed a mass migration stopover in the fields, 340 to 1328 individuals per day were counted on it for 11 days, the majority of which (about 90%) were Bewick’s swans. It was established that such a high concentration of swans in the fields was a result of an unfavorable ecological situation in the region at the beginning of their mass migration. The places of traditional migration stopovers in shallow waters of Lake Ladoga were closed by floating ice, and unusually cold weather in the second half of April and ice-covered water bodies in the northern part of the migratory route hindered the migration of birds to their breeding grounds. In the current situation, the swans were forced to look for new places of feeding and concentrated in the most favorable (for this purpose) grounds of the agricultural landscape.

Abstract—Tengmalm’s Owl (Aegolius funereus caucasicus But.) inhabits dark coniferous, pine, and deciduous forests in the mountains of the North Caucasus in the range from the city of Tuapse in the west to Inner Dagestan in the east, rising to pine forests to a height of 1900–2000 m above sea level. During its winter wanderings, it occasionally occurs in the foothills, but almost does not go out to the piedmont plains. Winter records in the steppe regions of Ciscaucasia may refer to nomadic specimens of a nominate subspecies (A. f. funereus L.), which is common in Voronezh oblast and in northern Rostov oblast. The bird finds the most optimal conditions in old dark coniferous and mixed forests of the Western Caucasus, and its maximum abundance is noted in the Teberda Nature Reserve (1 pair/10 km²). In the Central and Eastern Caucasus, it lives in old deciduous forests (mountains with a low elevation) and in pine forests (mountains of average height). The population of Tengmalm’s Owl in the North Caucasus is considered relatively stable, and its total number is now estimated at 1000–2000 pairs, including 200–400 pairs living in Karachaevo-Cherkessia and 20–30 pairs living in Adygea. Tengmalm’s Owl is ecologically closely connected with the Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius), whose old hollows it usually nests in. The birds display from January to May, but most actively in mid-April. In late April, they lay eggs and fledglings appear in June–July.

Abstract—A comparative analysis of the biological properties of several subtypes of mountain and plain chernozems in the Central Caucasus (within Kabardino-Balkaria) has been performed. Statistically significant differences between the parameters of biological activity in the top horizons (from 0- to 20-cm-thick) of the studied soils have been determined. Mountain chernozems are characterized by increased humus content (by 38%, on average), the activity of dehydrogenase (by 42%) and urease (by 35%), and the values of all microbial parameters (by 12–53%). The invertase activity is higher in plain chernozems (by 47%, on average). The dispersion analysis has shown that the effect of soil-forming conditions (mountain or plain) is a more significant factor for some of the parameters studied as compared to features of the studied soils at the subtype level. The effect of the factor of genetic differences is in the range of 1–5%, while the impact of soil-forming conditions ranges from 15 to 33%. The total biological activity of the top horizons of mountain and plain chernozems has been evaluated by an integral index of the ecological–biological soil status (IIEBSS), which shows a higher biological activity of the top horizons in mountain soils (IIEBSS varies within 5–18%).

Abstract—This study presents the results of four years of observations of Bulbocodium versicolor (Ker-Gawl.) Spreng. populations in Saratov and Volgograd oblast. A low ecological plasticity of the species was established. Although the species is confined to steppe phytocenoses that vary in composition and structure, the morphology of specimens was rather conservative, which can be explained by the homogeneity of the vegetation conditions over the studied part of the range during active vegetation and flowering. It was shown that, in the Lower Volga region, B. versicolor is characterized by a reduced stress component of its life strategy and a low index of size plasticity. The species uses a patient strategy. Under stress conditions at the morphological level, plants react by miniaturizing the traits of the generative sphere, i.e., redistributing efforts from developing the generative sphere to maintaining the vegetative sphere. The ecotopic and phytocenotic tolerance of B. versicolor is manifested as the capacity to retain the occupied territory for a long time and to avoid competition by selection of the range. According to the conservation priority index, the majority of B. versicolor populations in the Lower Volga region are in a state close to endangered and their preservation requires immediate action. The main factors limiting the number of species in the region are probably aridization of climate and direct anthropogenic impact, which is reflected in the conversion of wildlands into arable land. There is no obvious negative impact on the species by intensive grazing and collection in bouquets. This may be attributed to the secluded location of the remaining species’ habitats that makes the species practically inaccessible in the period of massive flowering. This is primarily due to the fact that the remaining habitats of the species are relatively far from settlements and that during the period of mass flowering of the species they are virtually inaccessible to an impact from these factors due to the remote location.

Abstract—The foraging behavior of the blackbird and fieldfare in the city of Kaliningrad was studied. The similarity of the feeding habitats used by the thrushes is noted. The main type of fodder habitats during the reproductive period are lawns with low vegetation cover, rarefied as a result of human influence, while they are squares and gardens with fruit bushes and trees during the autumn and winter period. The use of fodder habitats and fodder objects of anthropogenic origin is noted for the blackbird out of its period of reproduction. The differences in nutrition behavior consist in the frequency and sequence of the use of foraging acts and are associated with the thrushes’ use of various quantities of objects from the soil and from its surface. During the breeding season, sweeping motions of the beak are the most characteristic for the blackbird, and digging up objects from the soil is typical for the fieldfare. The differences in the foraging behavior of the thrushes in Kaliningrad (in contrast to natural habitats) are expressed as an increased variety of the foraging methods used and a significantly prolonged duration of examination for the blackbird and fieldfare, respectively. These differences are due to the manifestation of specific features in specific places of feeding.

Abstract—The influence of lighting conditions on the reproductive characteristics of Cypripedium calceolus L. was studied on the territory of the Komi Republic, where the species is located on the northern border of its habitat. The study was carried out in the southern part of the region (within the Vychegda-Mezen’ Plain) in 2017. Eight cenopopulations of the species in areas with various light intensities were examined, among which three cenopopulations were in swamps and five were in forests with varying degrees of closeness of the canopy. We used the index of “canopy closure” as a measure of light conditions in the areas of growth of C. calceolus. To evaluate this index, the method of analysis of digital hemispherical photographs obtained using a 180° ultra-wide-angle Fish-eye lens was used. Photographs were processed and analyzed using the Gimp 2.8 graphical package (GNU Image Manipulation Program, GIMP Team). Open habitats (with an index of canopy closure of less than 65%) were shown to be more favorable for the seed reproduction of C. calceolus. The pollination efficiency, real seed productivity, and the number of juvenile plants of seed origin are higher in such places. In addition, the later vegetation start in swamps allows the plants to avoid damage by late spring frosts. In more shaded habitats, the vegetative renewal of C. calceolus comes to the fore; all studied cenopopulations of the species in such conditions were more stable and aimed at survival.

Abstract—The effect of copper on the germination of seeds of several agricultural crops, such as common vetch (Vicia saliva L.), white mustard (Sinapis alba L.), and cultivated oat (Avena sativa L.), has been studied in the presence of Rhodoccocus-biosurfactants. According to the copper resistance, all the crops studied can be placed in the following series: cultivated oats > white mustard > common vetch. Copper concentrations equal to 50 MIC or higher provide a strong suppressing effect on the germination of seeds. According to the results of this study, preliminary treatment of seeds with Rhodococcus-biosurfactants, as well as seed germination in the presence of such biosurfactants under conditions of copper contamination provide a significant (up to 4.5-fold) increase in the germination rate, germinating energy, and viability of the seedlings of all three crops. Thus, a new environmentally friendly method for reduction of the toxic effect of copper on the growth of A. sativa, S. alba, and V. sativa by the use of Rhodococcus-biosurfactants has been developed.

Abstract—The morphological variability, lipid peroxidation (LPO) rate, and photosynthetic pigment content in leaves of Aegopodium podagraria L. were studied in four cenopopulations of urban ecosystems on soils differently contaminated by heavy metals (HMs): Pb, Zn, Cu, and Cr. The increased HM content in soil causes a drop in the terminal leaflet size, in the mean number of phens (various variants of leaf shape), and in the chlorophyll b content in leaves. On the contrary, the percentage of rare phens increases. Parallel to this, the LPO rate decreases, which is not typical for plants under stress conditions. The level of chlorophyll a and carotinoids drops under moderate contamination and becomes normal at the highest one. The data obtained testify that the morphological and biochemical parameters of goutweed leaves differently characterize the status of this plant species under an increase in the level of soil contamination by HMs. Such conditions result in the impoverishment of the phenofund of A. podagraria cenopopulations and in the domination of plants with smaller leaves. Nevertheless, their LPO rate and the content of some pigments may remain close to normal. The results of our study show that A. podagraria is a species that is able to maintain biochemical homeostasis under the conditions of soil contamination by heavy metals. Thus, contrary to the biochemical parameters studied, the morphological features more accurately characterize the adverse changes in cenopopulations of goutweed, which is important for the bioindication of ecosystems under anthropogenic contamination.

Abstract—The toxic effect of a metal/carbon copper nanocomposite (Me/C Cu NC) on higher plant seeds and the Ecolum-8 bacterial sensor was evaluated. A significant inhibitory effect of 0.1% nanomaterial on the seedlings of radish seeds was established. Some stimulating effect on the development of the roots of this culture was found at a concentration of 1 × 10^–8%, but it was insignificant (by 11.3%). When wheat was used as a test object, its root growth was inhibited when the seeds were treated with the nanocomposite at a concentration of 0.1 and 0.01% (a decrease of 30.2 and 79.6%, respectively). No stimulating effect on the wheat root system was revealed. The preparation also had no effect on the development of the aerial part of wheat seedlings, with the exception of 60.0% growth inhibition in the option of treatment with a 0.1% Me/C Cu NC solution. Lyophilized cells of the Escherichia coli K12 TG1 strain (pXen7) containing the full lux-operon of Photorhabdus luminescens were used as a second biotesting object. Based on bioluminescence analysis, it was found that all studied concentrations of the copper nanocomposite were highly toxic for the bacterial strain (toxicity index >70%). The value of the toxicological parameter EC₅₀, corresponding to the concentration of the substance that causes 50% inhibition of the luminescence of the sensory microorganism as compared with the control, turned out to be lower than the minimum tested concentration of the MeC NC Cu solutions. The calculation was made mathematically, and the likely value of EC₅₀ was equal to 0.016 μg/mL.

Abstract—Experts of the Tsentrokhotkontrol’ (Central Hunting Inspection of Russia) predicted another reduction in the ungulate (in particular, elk) population size in Russia after 2007–2010 due to the natural cyclical patterns of the climate. The decrease is predicted to “lead to the next significant minimum of the population size on a 100-year scale” in the 2020s (2014–2015 in Central Russia). However, the actual population size is increasing steadily for most species, including the elk, European and Siberian roe deer, red deer, sika deer, and reindeer, regardless of the “trophiclimatic” forecast. The decrease in the wild boar population is not due to climatic changes, but rather to excessive killing of the animals in view of the epizootic outbreak of African swine fever. However, the increase in the ungulate population size is unacceptably slow (less than 3% per year) and the available resources are approximately five times scarcer than the potential. The main factors that restrain population growth are unreasonably active authorized hunting, excessive poaching, and predation. The hunting policy of the government, game management, and resource management are still far from reasonable. Therefore, the ungulate population is not guaranteed against new large-scale decreases in animal numbers.

Abstract—The aquatic surface microlayer at the interface between the atmosphere and the hydrosphere occupies 70% of the Earth’s surface, covering all water bodies. The surface microlayer is about 50 μm thick. The special microbial community formed here is referred to as neuston. The total bacterial abundance in the surface microlayer (SML) and underlying waters (UW) of Lake Baikal was studied by epifluorescence microscopy. The physicochemical features of the surface microlayer of Lake Baikal have been established for the first time. SML was sampled throughout all of Lake Baikal in May–June of 2013–2016 and in August of 2013, 2015, and 2016. SML samples were taken from a boat with Garret’s metal mesh screen (26.5 cm in diameter) mostly in calm weather. The average values of total bacterial abundance in SML varied from year to year within the range of (0.93–1.49) × 10⁶ cells/mL in May–June and (1.73–2.24) × 10⁶ cells/mL in August; in the UW (at a depth of about 15–20 cm), these values were 0.79–0.89 × 10⁶ cells/mL in May–June and 1.15–1.4 × 10⁶ cells/mL in August. There was a significant difference and direct relationship between the total abundances of neuston and plankton bacteria of Lake Baikal in the summer period. The differences in chemical composition between the surface microlayer and the subsurface water layer were revealed in all the seasons under study. The surface microlayer was enriched in \({\text{PO}}_{4}^{{3 - }}\), total organic carbon, and suspended particulate matter compared to the underlying water layers. There was a direct relationship between bacterial numbers in the surface microlayer and the concentration of suspended particulate matter.

Abstract—The effect of gamma radiation doses of 2.5, 5.5, and 7.5 Gy received by Artemia cysts on hatching of nauplii and postnauplial survival of crustaceans has been studied at salinities of 0, 9, 18, 36, 54, 62, 78, and 88 g/L. Under the same salinities, the above parameters are estimated without irradiation. It has been found that the rate of nauplii hatching from cysts depends primarily on the salinity, the coefficient of determination being equal to 90%. The radiation dose does not affect nauplii hatching at any salinity, except 54 g/L, when a significant negative relationship is found between the proportion of hatched nauplii and the radiation dose. The survival of crustaceans appearing from irradiated cysts depends on the salinity. In the salinity range of 9–52 g/L, it is significantly less than in the range of 62–88 g/L (2.5 and 5.5 Gy). The crustaceans emerged from cysts which received 7.5 Gy do not survive to day 12 at the salinity of 88 g/L. The minimum post-nauplial survival of crustaceans is recorded at a salinity of 54 g/L under all irradiation doses; such salinity may be considered critical for Artemia at which the osmoregulation mechanism reconfigures. Ecological effects in Artemia populations can occur starting from a dose of 2.5 Gy. The studied radiation doses may have remote consequences for Artemia populations in hypersaline water bodies. To quantify the effect of these doses on Artemia populations correctly, it is necessary to study not only the generation of crustaceans immediately hatched from irradiated cysts but also 2–3 subsequent generations.

Abstract—The results of studies conducted by the sanitary and epidemiological service in the Voronezh oblast from 1959 to 2013 were analyzed. Records of small mammals (SMs) were carried out by snap traps with wire hooks for baiting. Standard bait (black bread pieces flavored with sunflower oil) was used. Traps were placed in lines. The numbers of SMs were calculated as the percentage of animals that fell into 100 traps per day. The data obtained were analyzed using conventional statistical methods, including the method of standard deviations. The results were considered in the territory of two regions: the Oka–Don lowland plain and the Central Russian upland in fields from May to September (the “warm” period) and in stacks and ricks from August to March (the “cold” period). It is shown that the situation in fields in the warm period and that in ricks and stacks in the cold period allow us to judge the future abundance of SMs in these localities. It is assumed that the described trends can be used for short-term prognoses of the abundance of SMs and as substantiation when planning antiepizootic, epidemiological, and phytosanitary measures. One should take into account the degree of synanthropy of certain SM species and their epidemic significance. In addition, for this purpose, it is necessary to carry out seasonal counts of SMs in the analyzed habitats constantly. Despite the reduction in the numbers of stacks and ricks in recent years, data on the numbers of SMs in these habitats are still of particular interest for analysis of the situation.

Abstract—The results of studies conducted in Romanovskii district of Saratov region during the period of mass flowering of Orchis militaris L. and Dactylorhiza incarnate (L.) Soo (June 2–16, 2017) are presented. Descriptions of the habitats of the species (a hollow and a pasture), differing in the projective cover and dominants, are given. Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski, Carex vulpina L., and Potentilla anserina L. dominated in the hollow; Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski, Festuca pratensis Huds., and Festuca valesiaca Gaudin dominated in the pasture. The ontogenetic structure of populations of these species is shown. In the hollow, juvenile individuals of O. militaris were absent, while immature (23.1%), verginyl (34.0%), and generative individuals (42.9%) were found. In the pasture, juvenile and immature individuals of O. militaris accounted for 6.8 and 9.3%, respectively, and verginyl (36.8%) and generative individuals (47.1%) prevailed. The age spectra of both populations are of the right-sided type. In the age spectrum of the D. incarnata cenopopulation, the proportion of age groups of the pregenerative and generative periods was 52.9%. The high recovery and efficiency indices indicate a steady status of cenopopulations of O. militaris and D. incarnate. Annual monitoring is necessary for assessing the status of the cenopopulations and forecasting their development.