Hair Design with Natural Motifs Using Pantone Colors

In this study, natural motifs were extracted based on the trend colors selected by Pantone in 2018-2021, and the image was shaped to produce hair design works that reflected the trend colors. In Artwork I, the ultra violet color has a wisteria motif, and the hair color is expressed using the ombré technique. Artwork II Living Coral color has a coral reef in the sea as a motif, and the hair color is expressed in a two-tone technique. Artwork III Classic blue color has a blue zebra-patterned seashell as a motif, and hair color is expressed using weaving and balayage techniques. Artwork IV Illuminating and Ultimate Gray color are inspired by autumn birch trees, and hair color is expressed using weaving and two-tone techniques. In this way, it was confirmed that creative and diverse design expressions are possible by completing trendy hairstyles with various techniques by incorporating each Pantone color into nature.

TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND RITES OF SHESHKUPS / SHESHKUMS ACCORDING TO THE DATA OF FIELD ETHNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS OF THE XX–XXI CENTURIES

Данная статья посвящена исследованию вопроса о традиционных воззрениях и обрядах этнографической (диалектно-локальной) группы шёшкупов/шёшкумов. На основе анализа исследовательской литературы и полевого этнографического материала, собранного разными исследователями-селькуповедами, были выявлены факты о предназначении священных мест в окрестностях д. Иванкино. В данном исследовании удалось определить особенности религиозных верований среднеобских селькупов: они оставляли кузова с семейными лозами не только на чердаках, но и в труднопроходимой кочкарной согре, «подвешивали» духов на березе. Собранные сведения позволяют говорить о сохранении традиционных верований (представлений о домашних духах-помощниках, культовых местах) у местных жителей до конца ХХ в., о чем свидетельствуют материалы, записанные от информантов из д. Иванкино даже в XXI в. This paper is devoted to the study of the issue about traditional views and rituals of the ethnographic (dialectal-local) group of Sheshkups / Sheshkums. Facts about the purpose of sacred places in the vicinity of the village Ivankino, based on the analysis of research literature and field ethnographic material collected by various researchers-selkupologists, were revealed. In this study, it was possible to determine the peculiarities of the religious beliefs of the Middle Ob Selkups: they left baskets with family figures of spirits-helpers not only in attics, but also in almost impassable hillock sogra, and “hung” spirits on birch trees. The collected information allows speaking about the preservation of traditional beliefs (ideas about domestic spirits-helpers, places of worship) among local residents until the end of the 20th century, as evidenced by materials recorded from informants of the village Ivankino even in the 21st century.

Effect of Drought and Heavy Metal Contamination on Growth and Photosynthesis of Silver Birch Trees Growing on Post-Industrial Heaps

Silver birch trees (Betula pendula Roth) are a pioneering species in post-industrial habitats, and have been associated with an expansive breeding strategy and low habitat requirements. We conducted ecophysiological and dendroclimatological studies to check whether there are any features of which the modification enables birch trees to colonise extreme habitats successfully. We characterised the efficiency of the photosynthetic apparatus, the gas exchange, the content of pigments in leaves, and the growth (leaf thickness and tree-ring width) of birch trees on a post-coal mine heap, a post-smelter heap, and a reference site. Birch growth was limited mainly by temperature and water availability during summer, and the leaves of the birch growing on post-industrial heaps were significantly thicker than the reference leaves. Moreover, birch trees growing on heaps were characterised by a significantly higher content of flavonols and anthocyanins in leaves and higher non-photochemical quenching. In addition, birches growing on the post-coal mine heap accumulated a concentration of Mn in their leaves, which is highly toxic for most plant species. Increasing the thickness of leaves, and the content of flavonols and anthocyanins, as well as efficient non-photochemical quenching seem to be important features that improve the colonization of extreme habitats by birches.

Interrelations of Wood Physical and Mechanical Properties and Patterns of Their Change within the Birch Stem

The physical and mechanical properties of standing wood are not constant along the tree height and diameter. They also differ depending on the tree species and conditions of its growth. So, the research purpose is to identify patterns of change and interrelations between the parameters of density, compressive strength and sound propagation velocity along the wood fibers inside the stem of a birch tree growing in the forests of the Middle Volga region of Russia, where such research had never been conducted before. The work was carried out on two sampling areas laid out by standard methods in birch forests of natural origin with average productive capacity on the territory of the Scientific-Experimental Forest District of the Volga State University of Technology in the Mari El Republic. The average age of the birch trees is about 70 yrs, breast height diameter is 30 cm, and height is 28.5 m; 14 sample trees were studied; 0.5 m long chucks were cut out from their stems at a height of 1.3 m from the butt end and at relative heights of 0.25H, 0.5H, and 0.75H. Experimental work was carried out in a laboratory environment with modern technical facilities using standard procedures. Mathematical models describing the changes in the parameters stated above and the interrelations between them with regard to the stem diameter at relative heights were obtained. The research results generally confirmed the findings of other researchers on densitograms and other physical and mechanical properties of wood within the tree stem. However, the features listed above were revealed for birch trees growing under such conditions; in particular, it concerns the ratio of strength and density, as well as the wood strength and the velocity of sound propagation through the fibers. The results obtained have both scientific and practical value as a basis for the development of a non-destructive method for predicting technical properties of standing wood as well as timber for producing assortments for special purposes. For citation: Fedyukov V.I., Chernov V.Yu., Chernova M.S., Tsoy O.V. Interrelations of Wood Physical and Mechanical Properties and Patterns of Their Change within the Birch Stem. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2021, no. 6, pp. 150–159. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2021-6-150-159

Forest recultivation of overburden dumps of the Kingisepp phosphorite field

The article is devoted to the study of the stages of forest recultivation of overburden dumps of the Kingisepp phosphorite field’s breed located in the North-West of the Russian Federation. 5 test areas with a total area of 63.7 hectares were laid to study the different stages of recultivation. In the course of the study, the author’s team identified four conditional stages of the formation of the spruce community of the forest recultivation of overburden dumps breed. The first stage, which has the conditional name ‘10 years’ is newly planted spruce trees on the recultivation territory. The second stage of the formation of the spruce community (‘20 years’) is that the European spruce passes into the stand. The third stage of community formation (‘30 years’) consists in the growth of all plantings to the level of a stand and in the creation of a birch-spruce or spruce-birch forest, since at the age of more than 30 years European spruce in recultivation by itself territories can occupy up to 50% of the stand. At the fourth stage, spruces displace birch trees from the community, remaining almost the only representative of the tree layer.

Изменение сукцессионных систем палеофитоценозов на границе межледниковья и ледниковья позднего эоплейстоцена в пыльцевой записи оз. Эльгыгытгын (Центральная Чукотка)

Lake El'gygytgyn is located beyond the Arctic Circle in Chukotka at 67°30' N, 172°05' E and formed following a meteorite impact that occurred 3.6 million years ago (core interval 45.79-43.65 m). In its sediments, 5 palinologic zones are distinguished; they reflect changes in paleosuccessional systems and are consistent with MIS 33, 32, and 31 (1.114-1.062 mya). During warmings, thickets of birch trees and alder were widely spread. Cliseries, caused by macroclimate changes in cold substages, are characterized by a significant reduction in tree and shrub vegetation as well as by expansion of the arctic and subarctic tundras. Grass tundras dominated and were replaced by forest tundra communities in the valleys of the Anadyr Plateau surrounding the lake. The most abrupt change of phytocenosis succession systems is observed at the border of 32 and 31 isotopic stages. The succession processes are primarily expressed in a sharp increase of birch-shrub communities in the vegetation cover and in the appearance of late succession edificators (Carpinus, Corylus, Myrica, Quercus) forming forest climax associations.

Response of Background Herbivory in Mature Birch Trees to Global Warming

Given the time scale based on the duration of exposure to global warming, natural climate-gradient studies and experimental manipulations have detected long-term (decades to centuries) and short-term (years to decades) ecological responses to global warming. Combination of these two complementary approaches within a single study may enable prediction of the likely responses of ecological processes to global warming. To understand how global warming affects plant–herbivore interactions within a canopy of Erman’s birch, we combined an elevational gradient study and a warming experiment involving mature birch trees in which the soil and tree branches were warmed separately. In the elevational gradient study, herbivory by chewing insects and plant growth increased as elevation decreased, and the concentrations of condensed tannins and total phenolics in the leaves decreased. In the warming experiment, soil warming alone increased herbivory, and the addition of branch warming amplified the effect on herbivory. Soil warming alone decreased the tannin concentration, and the addition of branch warming led to a further reduction. The variation in herbivory was best explained by the tannin content of leaves. Our experimental results demonstrate that the decreased tannin content of leaves due to a combination of soil and branch warming was an important driver of increased herbivory in the canopy of the mature birch trees. The similar tendencies in the short- and long-term responses imply that global warming is likely to increase background herbivory in mature birch trees by decreasing the tannin content of leaves in the canopy.

Intra-Annual Variation of Stem Circumference of Tree Species Prevailing in Hemi-Boreal Forest on Hourly Scale in Relation to Meteorology, Solar Radiation and Surface Ozone Fluxes

(1) Background: Continuous monitoring of the tree stem increment throughout the year is crucial for the understanding of trees’ reactions to changes in meteorology, solar radiation and surface ozone and evaluating the adaptive capacity of prevailing tree species to recent environmental global changes; (2) Methods: Data on tree intra-annual sequences based on electronic dendrometer data of Picea abies (L.) Karst, Pinus sylvestris L., Betula pendula, and Betula pubescens, growing under different nutritional and humidity conditions in the north-eastern part of Lithuania, together with their stem sap flow intensity, common meteorology and O3 fluxes, were used to meet the objectives of the study; (3) Results: Stem shrinking/contraction during the day, due to transpiration, and the swelling/expansion during the night was significantly related to meteorology, sun activity and O3 flux intensity. These variations were negatively related to current time and temperature, but positively to precipitation and relative humidity. O3 fluxed through the stomata stimulated the shrinking process more intensively than it inhibited the swelling process, but only for pine and birch trees. Spruce trees demonstrated the highest sensitivity to O3 impact due to its significant effect on the stem swelling process. Pine trees were less sensitive to O3 damages and birch trees were the least sensitive. An over-moisture regime at measoeutrophic organic soil forest site increased the significance of the effect of O3 on the tree increment of the considered tree species; (4) Conclusion: The most intensive tree ring formation of Scots pine trees in relation to recent environmental changes indicated their high resiliencies and adaptations to a local specific condition. Reduced tree growth intensity and weak relationships between the birch tree radios increment and main meteorological parameters indicated the lowest adaptive capacity of this tree species to recent environmental changes.

Molecular Genetic Characteristics of Different Scenarios of Xylogenesis on the Example of Two Forms of Silver Birch Differing in the Ratio of Structural Elements in the Xylem

Silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) is an economically important species in Northern Europe. The current research focused on the molecular background of different xylogenesis scenarios in the birch trunks. The study objects were two forms of silver birch, silver birch trees, and Karelian birch trees; the latter form is characterized by the formation of two types of wood, non-figured (straight-grained) and figured, respectively, while it is currently not clear which factors cause this difference. We identified VND/NST/SND genes that regulate secondary cell wall biosynthesis in the birch genome and revealed differences in their expression in association with the formation of xylem with different ratios of structural elements. High expression levels of BpVND7 accompanied differentiation of the type of xylem which is characteristic of the species. At the same time, the appearance of figured wood was accompanied by the low expression levels of the VND genes and increased levels of expression of NST and SND genes. We identified BpARF5 as a crucial regulator of auxin-dependent vascular patterning and its direct target—BpHB8. A decrease in the BpARF5 level expression in differentiating xylem was a specific characteristic of both Karelian birch with figured and non-figured wood. Decreased BpARF5 level expression in non-figured trees accompanied by decreased BpHB8 and VND/NST/SND expression levels compared to figured Karelian birch trees. According to the results obtained, we suggested silver birch forms differing in wood anatomy as valuable objects in studying the regulation of xylogenesis.

Resources of birch trees and their productivity for honey collection in conditions of the Leningrad region

The Leningrad Oblast has a rich food base for bees on forest land. Still, currently, there is no regulatory basis for assessing the honey resources of birch forest land at the regional level. Therefore, forest areas with woody, shrubby or herbaceous plants as part of the woody, shrubby or herbaceous layer are used as a forage base for bees. The birch forests of the Leningrad region are the second largest in terms of the area covered. The research aims to carry out an inventory of honey resources and determine honey productivity for the primary honey plants under the birch canopy and forest edges. We used a proven survey methodology for counting plants of the understorey at the experimental sites. The study presented 71 species from 31 families of melliferous plants of blueberry, wormwood and herb-meadow birch forests. Significant melliferous plants under the birch canopy are Aegopodium podagraria L. (herb-twine and sagebrush birch, 57 kilograms/hectare); Vaccinium myrtillus L. (birch bilberry and acidic birch, 27 kilograms/hectare); Veronica chamaedrys L. (acidic birch, 24 kilograms/hectare). Rubus idaeus L. (107 kg/ha) has maximum honey production in the forest margins. The honey yield of Frangula Alnus Mill. and Chamaenerion angustifolium (L.) Scop is 50-60 kg/ha; the honey yield of Trifolium medium L. is 32 kg/ha. The evaluation of the birch woodlands showed that the studied components of the forest phytocenosis are characterized by a significant number of honey-bearing plant species that have a wide range of honey productivity.