A diverse Miocene fish assemblage (Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes) from the Pécs-Danitzpuszta sand pit (Mecsek Mts, Hungary)

Chondrichthyans and osteichthyans are widely reported from marine sediments of the Central Paratethys, not only by sporadic occurrences, but also by complex, diverse fish assemblages. Here we present a rich fish fauna from the upper Miocene (Pannonian, Tortonian) lacustrine sediments exposed in the Pécs-Danitzpuszta sand pit, in the SW Pannonian Basin. Altogether 22 227 specimens were investigated, and they could be classified into 17 chondrichthyan and 16 osteichthyan taxa. Among the chondrichthyans Odontaspididae (55.51%) and Myliobatidae (14.4%) are the most abundant, while the bony fishes are dominated by the Sparidae (77.07%). The limonitic, yellow, coarse-grained, gravelly sands yielded an extremely large amount of isolated fish fossils. A considerable part of the vertebrate material of the sands is likely reworked from older, middle Miocene (Badenian and Sarmatian, i.e. Langhian and Serravallian) sediments. The late Miocene calcareous marls underlying the sands also yielded a variety of fish remains. From these remains, associated and articulated latid bones are coeval with the sediment and suggest freshwater and brackish conditions in the area, in accord with other biotic data. Other, isolated fossils, namely teeth, otoliths, cycloid scales and jaw elements of Gadidae, Gobiidae, Sparidae and Latidae could be reworked and thus have a very limited paleoecological significance. Based on habitat preferences of extant relatives, all chondrichthyans and most osteichthyan taxa found in the sands must be of Badenian origin. The abundant remains allow for some conclusions on the environmental conditions during the Badenian. They refer to a shallow, coastal environment with tropical-subtropical climate with connection to more open water habitats. Remains of some osteichthyan taxa were found in coprolites, showing that these taxa were part of the food chain as prey items. Sirenian ribs and odontocete limb bones bearing tooth marks refer to trophic relations between marine mammals and large sized macropredatory sharks. The Pécs-Danitzpuszta record of shark-attributed bite marks on bones of marine mammals is the second of the Badenian of the Central Paratethys. Acipenserids and latids of the sands, linked to brackish and/or freshwater environments, could originate from any Miocene stratigraphic units.

Two new species and new records of lichen-feeding darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Helopini) from Turkey with notes on bionomics and trophic relations

Turkonalassus mavi M. Nabozhenko & B. Keskin, sp. n. and Odocnemis rufocruralis M. Nabozhenko & B. Keskin, sp. n., two distinctive darkling beetle species of the tribe Helopini, are described from the Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey, based on both their external morphology and genital structures. Turkonalassus mavi sp. n. differs from all congeners by the bluish dorsal surface of the body, the pronotum widest before middle, and wide merged baculi of the median lobe of the aedeagus. Odocnemis rufocruralis sp. n. belongs to the praelonga species-group. Odocnemis rufocruralis sp. n. is similar to O. torosica Nabozhenko & Keskin, 2016, O. terminassianae (Nabozhenko, 2011) and O. kakunini Nabozhenko & Keskin, 2016 but differs from all three taxa by the reddish-brown body with red legs, male apical maxillary palpomere wider than in female, elevate and narrowly separate male protrochanters, and the structure of the very long and narrow apical piece of the aedeagus. New data on distribution, bionomics, and trophic relations of several species of Helopini from Turkey are given. Host lichens are determined for nine species. The majority of studied adult beetles feed on lichens from the families Physciaceae and Parmeliaceae. Some examined taxa feed on Cladoniaceae. Feeding on crustose lichens is registered for the first time for Coleoptera, specifically Odocnemis rufocruralis sp. n. was observed to feed on Pertusaria sp. (on Prunus) in Mardin Province.

Influence of the combined application of physiotherapeutic factors on microhemodynamic parameters and the level of oxygenation of tissues of the peri-implant zone in inflammatory complications in patients with orthopedic constructions on dental implants

The article analyzes the role of microcirculatory disorders in the pathogenesis of inflammatory complications (peri-implantitis) in patients with orthopedic constructions on dental implants and substantiates the possibility of a complex course application of low-intensity infrared laser therapy and low-frequency electrostatic therapy. It was shown that the initial state of patients with peri-implantitis is characterized by significantly low values of the level of general perfusion and its intensity, as well as the predominance of shunt mechanisms that reduce the values of the nutritive link of blood flow. The cause of the revealed disorders is the low level of functioning of the vasodilation mechanisms, caused by inflammatory and destructive processes in the peri-implant tissues. The use of a complex of physiotherapeutic exposure was characterized by a more pronounced corrective effect on the parameters of microcirculation and oxidative metabolism in comparison with standard dental treatment. The observed dynamics of microcirculatory systems of tissues of the peri-implant zone under the conditions of the complex influence of physiotherapeutic factors is aimed at the formation of adaptive reactions of local hemodynamics to the local needs of soft and bone tissues experiencing an inflammatory process around the implant, as well as strengthening the mechanisms of long-term adaptation of trophic relations in tissue peri-implant microregions. Taking into account the pathogenetic significance of microhemodynamic disorders in the formation of clinical manifestations of peri-implantitis, the revealed activating effect of the technology of the combined use of a laser and low-frequency electrostatic therapy serves as an objective proof of its therapeutic efficacy.

MICROBIOTA OF URBAN SOILS OF GREEN PLANTATIONS OF KYIV WITH THE ADDITION OF SILICON-CONTAINING COMPOUNDS

Problem. Intensive human pressure on urban ecosystems in big cities, such as Kyiv, leads to cenotic and trophic relations disbalance, agronomically useful microbiota and microfauna inhibition, plant resistance to any stressors decrease and disruption of normal soil formation. Therefore, it is important to find new effective, economically viable and environmentally safe methods to overcome soil sickness in city plantations. Aim. To study the structural and functional peculiarities of organization of soil microbial groups in anthropogenically disturbed zones of Kyiv green plantations in order to overcome soil fatigue with the use of natural substances - silicon-containing mineral analcime. Methods. Investigations were carried out on the basis of the National Botanical Garden M.M. Gryshko NAS of Ukraine, Department of Allelopathy. Six research regions in the most сontaminated and anthropogenically disturbed green areas of the Kyiv Obolonsky district were selected as objects. Twice a year, samples of root soil were taken at 0-20 cm depth before application (May) and 3.5 months after application of silicon-containing mixture (analcime) (September). The selection of soil samples, preparation and saving for the study of aerobic microbiota were carried out in accordance with ISO 10381-6-2001. The quantity of microorganisms of main ecological and trophic groups, direction of microbiological processes, identification of soil micromycetes were determined by conventional microbiological methods. Results. The results of this work showed that 3.5 months after the addition of the silicon-containing mixture, there were significant changes in the structure of the soil microbiocenosis. The increase in the number of microorganisms involved in the transformation of nitrogen compounds and the reduction of phytotoxic forms of soil fungi were detected, which indicates favorable conditions for the synthesis of humic compounds. The biggest changes were observed on the side of the highway with active emissions from automobiles and in the park, where higher content of iron ions was determined in the water for irrigation. Conclusions. The conducted research made it possible to estimate the structural and functional organization of microbial groups of the soils in a separate Kyiv district under different anthropogenic influence before and after the addition of silicon-containing mixture.

Foliage-browsing Lepidoptera (Insecta) in deciduous forests of Ukraine for the last 70 years

As insect development depends on temperature, so the change in biology, behavior habits, frequency, and severity of outbreaks of foliage-browsing insects considered pests can follow the climate change. The reactions of species to the same climate changes can be specific, therefore, an unpredictable change in their ratio in the community will affect the consequences of climate change. The details of such changes must be studied to quantitatively assess future trends and the threats to deciduous forests. The aim of this research was to evaluate the representation in deciduous forests the foliage-browsing lepidopterous insects if different groups of size, lifestyle, voltinism, trophic relations, and ability to mass propagation in different periods of assessment for recent 70 years. In the analysis, we used a list of 118 lepidopterous species of foliage-browsing insects of deciduous forests, compiled on the basis of archival data from 1940–1975, and in the course of our own field research from 1975 to the present in the forests of Ukraine. Following trends were expected to be confirmed for these time intervals: to increase the number of species of small size, the number of species with hidden lifestyle, multivoltine species, polyphagous species, and so-called indifferent species. For each species, all these parameters were identified and proportions of species of each category for certain time intervals (1940–1950, 1960–1970, 1980–1990, and 2010–2020). Their distribution for size, voltinism, lifestyle, trophic features, and outbreak potential at these time intervals was compared using χ2-test. Among lepidopterous foliage-browsing insects of deciduous forests of Ukraine, the increase for recent 70 years was proved for the proportion of indifferent species (do not able to mass propagation), small species (with wingspan below 20 mm), as well as species with hidden (leaf-miners) and semi-hidden lifestyle (leaf-rollers). All trends are expressed the most obviously in 1940–1950 and further periods. The hypothesis about decrease the proportion of the univoltine and monophagous species for this period is not supported statistically.

Frugivorous bat (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) community structure and trophic relations in Atlantic Forest fragments

We evaluated the structure of a community of frugivorous bats using composition and abundance patterns, niche amplitude and food overlap of these animals in four Atlantic Forest fragments, each one exposed to different conservation realities. For twelve months, we captured six bat species and found the seeds of 13 species of pioneering plants in 158 fecal samples. The most abundant bat species were Artibeus planirostris (25.4%), Artibeus lituratus (24.1%) and Carollia perspicillata (23.9%). Only one fragment (Fazenda Unida), the most conserved area, exhibited a significantly different composition and abundance of species. We found low trophic niche amplitude values (<0.60), associated to high food overlaps. Our results suggest that bats can adjust their foraging strategy to deal with food availability variations. By favoring pioneering plant species, the fragmentation process noted of the studied areas creates an attractive environment for bats more tolerant to this type of disturbance. The sampled areas represent important secondary forest remnants in southern Brazil that require attention to avoid an even greater loss of bat diversity.

Trophic resources of the edaphic mesofauna: a worldwide review of the empirical evidence

Ecosystem sustainable use requires reliable information about structure and functioning. Accurate knowledge of trophic relations is central for the understanding of ecosystem dynamics, essential to develop sustainable use practices. This review gathers the information available worldwide about the trophic resources within the soil mesofauna. From over 130000 hits of the initial search on soil mesofauna, only a total of 78 published works relate particular species, genera, and families to particular trophic resources, the majority of them dealing with soils of the Paleartic region. Thirteen trophic resource categories were identified for six of the main orders of soil Acari and Collembola, using a combination of eight different methodologies. Out of 2717 records relating specific taxonomic groups to their trophic resources, 515 mention saprophytic fungi as a food resource, 381 cite nematodes, 308 mention bacteria, 286 litter and 256 cite mychorrizae. The available information is also highly skewed, for 68.16% of all the available information comes from Acari, and within these, 44.5% correspond just to Sarcoptiformes. For Collembola, the information available in the literature is much scarce the majority of it from Arthropleona. This review shows the general lack of information relating species, genera, and families of the soil mesofauna to specific trophic resources, with Collembolans largely unexplored in this regard. It also highlights the studies mostly come from European soils, with the use of trophic resources by the mesofauna of majority of the soils in most of the world still largely unknown.