Ecological data in Darwin Core: the case of earthworm surveys

This sampling-event dataset provides primary data about species diversity, age structure, abundance (in terms of biomass and density) and seasonal activity of earthworms (Lumbricidae). The study was carried out in old-growth broad-leaved and young forests of two protected areas ("Kaluzhskiye Zaseki" Nature Reserve and Ugra National Park) of Kaluga Oblast (Russia). The published dataset provides new data about earthworm communities in European Russia. We propose a new schema according to Darwin Core for the standardisation of the soil invertebrates survey data.

Communities of ground beetles (Carabidae, Coleoptera) in broad-leaved forests of protected and urban areas of the Kaluga Oblast (European Russia)

This sampling-event dataset provides primary data about species diversity, population and seasonal activity of ground beetles (Carabidae, Coleoptera). The study was carried out in broad-leaved forests of protected ("Kaluzhskiye Zaseki" Nature Reserve and Ugra National Park) and urban areas (the Kaluga City) of the Kaluga Oblast. Carabids were collected from April to October during 1995-1998 by pitfall traps. In total, 108,000 adult individuals of the Carabidae family were sampled; 105 species from 38 genera were counted. This dataset is the first sampling-event dataset about the Carabidae family for the European part of Russia. It provides biodiversity data for new territory (Kaluga Oblast) and contributes to filling gaps in the global biodiversity distribution of the Carabidae family. Part of the data was collected from unique old-growth broad-leaved forests.

Determination of the Force Required for Stripping the Wheat Ear

Introduction. The force required for stripping the ear is one of important parameters characterizing the process of stripping. The force varies within certain limits depending on the type of plant, grain moisture, and structural and morphological parameters of the ear. A series of experiments was carried out to determine forces of different types of wheat stripping. Materials and Methods.Experimental studies were carried out in the Kaluga Oblast in the fields of Kaluga Research Institute of Agriculture. The study dealt with wheat varieties “Kasar”, “Moskovskaya 56”, and “Moskovskaya 40”. Ear parameters were estimated directly before testing as structural and morphological parameters of the ear can change significantly depending on growing conditions. It was suggested that such parameters as the width and thickness of the ear affect the process of the latter interaction with stripping fingers. Results. Forces of stripping the said wheat varieties were obtained using stripping fingers with a gap of 5–7 mm. Stripping forces of the “Kasar” wheat varied from 17,4 to 24,2 N, under conditions of the gap of 6 mm, and from 13,4 to 16,8, with the gap of 7 mm. Discussion and Conclusion. Dependence of the stripping force on the gap width of stripping fingers was confirmed by results of our experiments. Forces varied in the range of 16,5–20,6 N when stripping off “Moskovskaya 40” wheat in the case of the gap of 5 mm and 8,1–14 N in the case of the 7-mm gap. The effect of such ear parameters as the width, thickness and density was established.