Current State of Natural Conditions and Ecosystems in Pamir-Alay

Research relevance in this article given analyzes the current state of the natural conditions of the Pamir-Alai ecosystem in Kyrgyzstan, where live over 2500 plant species, 20 mammal species and 288 bird species. Research objectives: Studying and preserving the general species diversity are the main conservation tasks. Research materials and methods: This article provides analysis of the current state of the natural conditions of the Pamir-Alai within Kyrgyzstan, where over 2500 species of plants, 20 species of mammals, 288 species of birds live. Research results: It is highlighted that the following species included in the Red Book of Kyrgyzstan are present in the Alai fauna: Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), snow leopard (Uncia uncia), mountain sheep (Ovis ammon), stone marten (Martes foina). Conclusions: Considering the economic, scientific, natural value of flora and fauna, we must find an approach to the conservation, restoration and protection of wildlife.

Small cave bear (U. ex gr. savini-rossicus) as a game species of prehistoric man

Imanay Cave is located in the Southern Urals (53°02' N, 56°26' E), at 420 m.a.s.l. A 9.5 m2 trench was exca-vated in the grotto in the inner part of the cave to examine the sediments. The accretion thickness was 1.2 m. The taphocoenosis of the Imanay Cave is of the Pleistocene age and contains about 10,000 specimens of bone re-mains of large mammals. They mostly belong to small cave bear (U. ex gr. savini-rossicus), and the remaining bones — to species of the mammoth faunal complex (Lepus sp., Castor fiber, Marmota bobak, Canis lupus, Cuon alpinus, Vulpes vulpes, V. corsac, Meles sp., Gulo gulo, Martes sp., Mustela sp., Ursus kanivetz, U. arctos, U. thibetanus, Panthera ex gr. fossilis-spelaea, Mammuthus primigenius, Equus ferus, Coelodonta antiquitatis, Alces alces, Bison priscus, Saiga tatarica, Ovis ammon). In the layer with the bones, Middle Paleolithic stone artifacts were found, including several bifacial points. These tools have analogies in the Middle Paleolithic sites of the Caucasus region and Crimea. During excavations of the cave, the skull of a cave bear with artificial damage was found. The study of the artificial perforation on the skull was the purpose of the present paper. On the basis of dimensional and morphological features, it was established that the skull belongs to a small cave bear (U. ex gr. savini-rossicus). The skull was directly AMS radiocarbon dated to 34 940 ± 140 BP, IGANAMS-5652. Analysis of the growth layers in the teeth revealed that the animal died in winter at an age of 9-10 years. Trace evidence analysis showed, that the hole in the parietal region of the skull was made by a sharp bifacial flint point similar to the Middle Paleolithic points found in the cultural layer of the cave. The animal was killed during winter hiberna-tion, most probably by stabbing with a spear. This is the first direct evidence of human hunting of a small cave bear. With the abundance of cave bear bones, the skull with the hole in it is the only evidence of human impact on this animal. There are no bones with traces of butchering and harvesting of the bone marrow.

Analysis of parameters characterizing argyrophilic zones in intact lymphocytes of domestic sheep (Ovis aries L., 1758) and their hybrids with argali (Ovis ammon L., 1758)

Relevance and research material. The study of the characteristics of the nucleolus in cells of various tissues allows us to assess the intensity of the processes of protein proliferation and biosynthesis in animals. In interphase cells, the nucleoli correspond to argyrophilic zones (AgNOR) stained with silver nitric acid. The purpose of this study is to determine the characteristics of AgNOR in sheep interphase lymphocytes of different genotypes based on computer analysis and to select parameters for functional evaluation of nucleoli. AgNOR status was studied in peripheral blood lymphocytes from hybrid sheep four genotypes: purebred Romanov sheep, and their F1 hybrids with argali (groups 1 and 2), hybrids, bearing 3/4 of Romanov sheep blood and 1/4 blood argali (group 3), and hybrids that had 7/8 of domestic sheep and 1/8 blood argali (group 4). The number of argyrophilic zones (AgNOR), their total area (SSNOR), their average color density (DNOR), and the average color density of the core (DN) and its AgNOR-free area (DF) were taken into account.Results. Image processing and analysis were performed using the Image Scope 1.0 program. The average AgNOR value in the studied groups of sheep ranges from 2.64 (group 1) to 3.50 in hybrids in groups 2 and 3. There were no significant differences in the value of SSNOR between the groups. In terms of DN and DF, all hybrids were significantly inferior to purebred sheep (р < 0.001). In terms of DNOR, the sheep of group 2 were significantly inferior to the animals of the other groups (р < 0.001). When evaluating the state of the nucleolus-forming system, it is advisable to take into account the AgNOR number, as well as the average optical densities DN and DF.

Comparison of neuroglobin expression in the retina of Tibetan sheep (Ovis ammon or argali ) and domestic sheep (Ovis aries )

Neuroglobin (Ngb) is a member of the globin member that is mainly expressed in the brain and retina. The expression in the retina is greater than it is in the brain because of the high demand for oxygen by the retina. This protein reversibly binds oxygen and is involved in oxygen transport or protection against oxidative stress. The study aims to explore the pattern of Ngb expression in Tibetan sheep (Ovis ammon or argali ) living in a plateau region and domestic sheep (Ovis aries) dwelling on low land. The study also provides detailed insight into the morphological characteristics of Ngb distribution closely related to oxygen metabolism in the retina of Tibetan and domestic sheep. Immunohistochemical staining procedures were performed to detect the Ngb protein expression in the retinae of both sheep, while the Inter’s integrated performance primitives (IPP) semi-quantitative analysis was employed to compare the quantities of Ngb expressed in the retinae of the two types of sheep. The outer nuclear layer and the outer segment of the photoreceptor showed a negative Ngb expression, while a weak positive expression was observed in the inner core layer and ganglion cell layer, while a strong positive expression was found in the other layers. The independent T-test revealed that the expression intensity in the nerve fiber layer, inner and outer plexus layers, inner segment of the photoreceptor, and superior pigment cortex were significantly higher in the Tibetan sheep as compared to the domestic sheep. The overall Ngb expression in the Tibetan sheep was higher than the domestic sheep. The study emphasized that the different Ngb expression in the Tibetan and domestic sheep may influence their adaptation to the respective environments. The stronger Ngb expression in the retina of Tibetan sheep may indicate that Ngb is closely related to the oxygen metabolism of these animals and has a function during oxygen transport.

Seasonal Daytime Activity Budget of Mongolian Gobi Argali Sheep (Ovis ammon)

Activity patterns provide insight into the overall relationship between a species and its environment. Despite declines in populations of argali and some attention on ecological questions, limited information exists on argali behavior. We measured diurnal activity budgets of argali for 12 months by recording behavior (i.e., foraging, bedding, standing, traveling, other) with instantaneous scan sampling at 5-minute intervals. Argali exhibited seasonal differences in activity budgets. The greatest proportion of daytime in winter was spent foraging. The greatest proportion of daytime in summer was spent bedding. Argali reduced all other behaviors in winter in favor of foraging. In summer argali reduced their foraging to a seasonal low and increased bedding. Behavior was constrained by forage in winter and by temperatures in summer. Females fed more than males in all seasons. Other behaviors varied according to season and reproductive periods. Females demonstrated highest vigilance in spring and summer, while males exhibited highest vigilance during the autumn rut. These data are the first regarding detailed behavior of argali and are valuable to their management and conservation by providing information on constraints faced by the species.

Understanding population baselines: status of mountain ungulate populations in the Central Tien Shan Mountains, Kyrgyzstan

We assessed the density of argali (Ovis ammon) and ibex (Capra sibirica) in Sarychat-Ertash Nature Reserve and its neighbouring Koiluu valley. Sarychat is a protected area, while Koiluu is a human-use landscape which is a partly licenced hunting concession for mountain ungulates and has several livestock herders and their permanent residential structures. Population monitoring of mountain ungulates can help in setting measurable conservation targets such as appropriate trophy hunting quotas and to assess habitat suitability for predators like snow leopards (Panthera uncia). We employed the double-observer method to survey 573 km2 of mountain ungulate habitat inside Sarychat and 407 km2 inside Koiluu. The estimated densities of ibex and argali in Sarychat were 2.26 (95% CI 1.47–3.52) individuals km−2 and 1.54 (95% CI 1.01–2.20) individuals km−2, respectively. Total ungulate density in Sarychat was 3.80 (95% CI 2.47–5.72) individuals km−2. We did not record argali in Koiluu, whereas the density of ibex was 0.75 (95% CI 0.50–1.27) individuals km−2. While strictly protected areas can achieve high densities of mountain ungulates, multi-use areas can harbour meaningful though suppressed populations. Conservation of mountain ungulates and their predators can be enhanced by maintaining Sarychat-like “pristine” areas interspersed within a matrix of multi-use areas like Koiluu.

Діелектричні показники сосни звичайної в умовах напіввільного утримання ратичних (cervidae, bovidae) на території Західного і Центрального Полісся

Використання електрофізіологічних показників (імпедансу (R) і поляризаційної ємності (C)) є перспективним методом індикації стадій впливу мисливської фауни на лісові насадження, особливо у вольєрах. Досліджено сезонні зміни діелектричних показників сосни звичайної (Pinus sylvestris L.) на території найбільших вольєрів Західного і Центрального Полісся, користувачами яких є: ТОВ "ВУЛФ-К" (Cervus elaphus), МСК "Сокіл" (Cervus elaphus, Dama dama, Ovis ammon musimon) та СФГ "Земля Полісся" (Cervus nippon). Площа вольєрів становить 243,4 га, 382,3 га та 228,0 га відповідно. Встановлено, що ступінь впливу на лісові насадження у вольєрах різний: МСК "Сокіл" – середній вплив, ТОВ СФГ "Земля Полісся" – слабкий, "ВУЛФ-К" – відсутній. Закладено 18 пробних площ (дев'ять з яких – контрольні) у чистих соснових деревостанах віком 22-101 рік, які зростають за ІА-ІІ класом бонітету. Пробні площі розташовані у чотирьох типах лісу (В2-дС, В3-дС, С2-гдС, С3-гдС). Вимірювання діелектричних показників виконано у березні, липні та жовтні 2019 р. аналоговим приладом Ф4320 на частоті 1 кГц за методикою Г. Т. Криницького. З'ясовано, що діелектричні показники мають чітко виражену динаміку та характеризують сезонні зміни інтенсивності процесів життєдіяльності. Поляризаційна ємність на пробних площах змінювалася у березні в межах 5,15±0,18-6,87±0,14 nF (достовірність різниці з контрольними показниками tф=0,08-0,73; t05=2,02), у липні – вона зросла до 13,90±0,71-16,78±0,89nF (tф=0,07-0,51; t05=2,02), а у жовтні – знизилася до 4,54±0,34-8,97±0,27 nF (tф=0,31-1,42; t05=2,02). Коефіцієнт варіації на дослідних ПП у березні становив 9,1-23,5 %, у липні 16,5-28,7 %, у жовтні 13,3-33,8 %. Показники імпедансу впродовж сезону спочатку знизилися від 28,55±1,86-45,75±3,47 кОм (tф=0,12-1,08; t05=2,02) до 11,80±0,44-15,52±0,95 кОм (tф=0,21-0,56; t05=2,02), а потім зросли до 20,82±0,84-44,80±3,40 кОм (tф=0,09-1,19; t05=2,02). Коефіцієнт варіації імпедансу на дослідних ПП у березні становив 16,5-37,4 %, у липні – 16,6-32,0 %, у жовтні – 13,3-44,1 %. Відсутність достовірної різниці (t-критерій Ст'юдента) між діелектричними показниками дослідних і контрольних насаджень сосни звичайної свідчить, що не встановлено помітного впливу напіввільного утримання мисливських тварин на життєдіяльність дерев. Показники поляризаційної ємності та імпедансу мають високу індивідуальну мінливість для окремих модельних дерев, хоча загалом варіювання діелектричних показників є середніми.