Transformation of an Oligotrophic Sphagnum Bog during the Process of Rewetting

The vast peatlands of the European North of Russia were drained in the 20th century. Some of the drained areas were left without management and maintenance, which led to re-waterlogging. The current trend towards peatlands restoration requires an understanding of all the changes that have taken place in such ecosystems. The study aims to assess the changes in vegetation cover relative to changes in peat deposits in the rewetted oligotrophic bogs. The objects of research were located on the south-White Sea oligotrophic bogs. The studies were carried out using generally accepted geobotanical and geoecological methods in conjunction with the authors’ method for studying the group chemical composition of peat organic matter. The species diversity, structure and spatial distribution of the vegetation cover, the structure and composition of the peat, as well as the composition of the peat organic matter have been studied. It was shown that the transformation of an oligotrophic bog during the process of rewetting manifests itself in a significant change in the vegetation species diversity, somewhat reversible concerning ecologically tolerant species. Changes occurring in the peat deposit are irreversible. That limits the possibility of restoration of species of oligotrophic habitats to the initial state.

Mongolian peatland documents 5000-year pollution history and a baseline of Pb and Tl in northeastern Asia

<p>Peat records of trace metals pollution history over thousands of years are not widely reported in northeastern Asia, although the mining/metallurgy have already started in the past 5000 years. Peat core was collected in September 2015, from the Nur Sphagnum bog, in Selenge province, in the NW part of the Kenthii Mountains, Mongolia. The Nur Sphagnum bog (49°39’N; 107°48’E; 1250 m.a.s.l.) is the largest wetland located in the mountain taiga forest of Mongolia in the northern part of the Hentei highlands. The mean January and July temperatures are -27.1°C and 18.3°C respectively, while mean annual precipitations are 288 mm. The peatland is composed of than 10 species of Sphagnum, while herb layer is dominated by Carex rostrata, and several species of Sphagnum. The dominant tree species are composed of Betulaplatyphylla, Pinussylvestris, Piceaobovata and Abiessibirica. As for the Nur bog, no research on elemental or isotopic geochemistry was undertaken currently. Our preliminary geochemical study established a baseline for typical heavy metal, Pb, 1.1 mg kg-1, which is reasonable to represent a pre-industrial background value in Mongolia, even in northeastern Asia. The average Pb content through the cores was 2.2 mg kg-1, which was significantly lower than the level in northeastern China and showed that the it was still typical area of pristine ecosystem in northern Mongolia. However, the elevation of Pb and Tl contents in the near surface layers was also observed, with an enrichment factor of 6, which suggested that the anthropogenic impact was approaching in this region and more attention should be paid to safeguard its nature heritage.</p>

The first information about algae in water bodies of the Koigorodsky National Park (southern taiga, Komi Republic)

The algal communities of water bodies of the Koygorodsky National Park, created in 2019 with the aim of preserving the unique massif of virgin forests of the southern taiga, were investigated. Algological collections were carried out in the summer of 2021 in two watercourses (the rivers Suran and Mytets – refer to the Volga river basin) and in a grass-sphagnum bog. 73 species of algae from 6 divisions were discovered: Cyanophyceae/Cyanobacteria – 18, Cryptophyta – 1, Euglenophyta – 2, Chlorophyta – 25, Ochrophyta (Xanthophyceae – 2, Chrysophyceae – 2, Bacillariophyceae – 13), Charophyta – 10 species. The basis of species diversity is formed by the periphyton communities. Complexes of dominants of different ecological groups of algae have been identified.

On the flora of chrysophytes from the state nature reserve “Pasvik”

In June 2019 16 species of chrysophytes from Paz river and a sphagnum bog were recorded. Among them several species, Neotessella lapponica, Kephyrion starmachii and Chrysastrella paradoxa, are rare for Russian algal flora and they are the new records for Murmansk Region. Some taxa (e.g., Synura sp. and Chrysosphaerella sp.) were not identified and probably they are new species for science.

The first report on the oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) in tundra of the Chunatundra Mountains on the Kola Peninsula, Russia

The aim of this research was to obtain initial data on the fauna and abundance of the oribatid mites from the main types of the mountain tundra habitats of the Chunatundra Mountains. Four plots, including two lichen tundra plots, one dwarf shrub tundra plot and one sphagnum bog in the belt of mountain tundra were investigated. Multidimensional scaling and discriminant function analysis were used to identify trends in the fauna and abundance of oribatid species through the explored plots. A total of 70 species and one subspecies from 37 genera and 24 families were found during the course of this investigation. Nine species, one subspecies, one genus and one family of oribatid mites have been added to the fauna of the Kola Peninsula. The families Brachychthoniidae, Oppiidae and Suctobelbidae are the most diverse in the discovered local fauna. According to literature data, the first two families are characteristic of the low tundra communities, the third family is more common for the boreal zone. The discovered oribatid fauna is similar to the fauna of other tundra sites of the Kola Peninsula studied previously and is significantly different to the local oribatid mite faunae of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The abundance of the adult oribatid mites reached 39 080 ind./m2 in the lichen tundra and 56 200 ind./m2 in the dwarf shrub tundra. The minimum abundance of oribatid mites, 18 640 ind./m2 was found in the sphagnum bog. Differences in the oribatid mite complexes of lichen tundra, dwarf shrub tundra and the sphagnum bog were found. The species Carabodes labyrinthicus, Nothrus borussicus, Sellnickochthonius immaculatus, Mycobates sarekensis, and Tectocepheus velatus were associated with the lichen tundra habitats. Nanhermannia sellnicki, Chamobates borealis and a few species of Oppiella and Suctobelbella were associated with the dwarf shrub tundra. Mucronothrus nasalis, Limnozetes ciliatus, Platynothrus peltifer, Trimalaconothrus foveolatus, Limnozetes cf. rugosus, and Trimalaconothrus maior are most characteristic of the sphagnum bog. The family Suctobelbidae was represented by a large number of species, while the families Ceratozetidae and Camisiidae were much less diverse. The low diversity of Ceratozetidae, a high diversity of Suctobelbidae and relatively high abundance of oribatid mites in the explored tundra habitats may be explained by an ambivalent nature of the oribatid community, which combines boreal and arctic features due to marine climate. Also, this result may be a feature of a local mountain tundra which is surrounded by the underlying belts of the mountain forests that are a source of the increasingly diversity of species.

INTERESTING FINDINGS OF ORIBATID MITES (ACARI: ORIBATIDA) FROM A SPHAGNUM BOG IN WESTERN SIBERIA

This work deals with six species of oribatid mites recovered from a sedge-moss bog (Carex–Eriophorum–Sphagnum association), located in the south of Western Siberia, Russia. Two species, Banksinoma exobothridialis and Banksinoma longisetosa (Thyrisomidae) are new to the fauna of Russia. This finding is interesting in regards to the biogeography and the habitat ecology of both species. Two other relatively rare species of Trhypochthoniidae have been found: Mainothrus badius, which is recorded for the first time in Asia; and Trhypochthonius nigricans, recorded for the first time in Western Siberia. In addition, Holarctic species Suctobelbella palustris (Suctobelbidae) and Limnozetes ciliatus (Limnozetidae) are reported with supplementary descriptions and illustrations. In this article, we discuss the distribution and habitat ecology of each of the above species.

Genome Sequence of Methylotrophic Azospirillum sp. Strain B2, Isolated from a Raised Sphagnum Bog

ABSTRACT Azospirillum sp. strain B2 is a soil bacterium which was originally isolated from the Sosvyatskoe raised Sphagnum bog in Russia. Here, we present the approximately 8-Mb draft genome sequence of Azospirillum sp. B2, with the aim of providing insight into the genomic basis of its ecological success in peatland settings.

Observation of an Eastern Wolf (Canis sp. cf. lycaon) Caching Food in a Sphagnum Bog in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario

We report summer caching of a partial carcass of a White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawn by an Eastern Wolf (Canis sp. cf. lycaon) in a Sphagnum bog in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. The microhabitat conditions in bogs (i.e., low temperature, acidity, and organochemical compounds) likely inhibit food spoilage, making bogs potentially important sites for food caching. Wolves in Algonquin Park experience low summer food availability and high pup mortality from starvation. Caches likely serve as necessary reserve food stores for adults and pups. Recent research has shown that wetland habitats are important den and rendezvous sites for Algonquin Eastern Wolves based on prey availability and, we suggest, perhaps for food storage and accessibility. This caching behaviour was recorded on video. We recommend that future research investigate Eastern Wolf selection of food-caching sites, as a complement to other spatial ecology studies.