THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DEGREE OF SCARCITY OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FAMILY OF Chenopodiaceae IN THE FERGANA VALLEY

In the Republic of Uzbekistan, 13 species of representatives of this family are considered rare and are listed in the Red Book, of which 4 species (Gamanthus ferganicus, Anthochlamys tianshanica, Salsola drobovii, Halimocnemis lasiantha) are distributed in the Fergana Valley, mainly in the Fergana region. In this article, it is precisely these 4 species' rarity that have been studied theoretically comparing to each other, and that representatives of the family, which are widely distributed mainly in the steppe region, have been preserved in the mountainous area and have an idea of the growth environment.

Diet composition of the Pharaoh Eagle Owl, Bubo ascalaphus (Strigiformes, Strigidae) in a Steppe region of Algeria

The diet composition of Pharaoh Eagle Owl (Bubo ascalaphus) was investigated in a semiarid area of North-western Algeria. A total of 65 pellets regurgitated by the B. ascalaphus were analysed, 288 food items were composed primarily of mammal remains (4 rodents, 1 bat and insectivore, 93.7%), and 1 bird species (passerine, 6.3%). The most frequent prey among the mammals were rodents (83.3%), which included Mus musculus (59.7%), Meriones shawi (11.1%), Meriones libycus (11.1%) and Jaculus jaculus (1.4%). The rodents were the most important prey items in biomass (91.4%), M. shawi made up to 41.9% of the total biomass. We may conclude that the Pharaoh Eagle Owl relies, in its feeding, very broadly on small mammals, completed by other groups.

Pastoralism and Millet Cultivation During the Bronze Age in the Temperate Steppe Region of Northern China

Eastern and Western Asia were important centers for the domestication of plants and animals and they developed different agricultural practices and systems. The timing, routeway and mechanisms of the exchanges between the two centers have long been important scientific issues. The development of a mixed pastoral system (e.g., with the rearing of sheep, goats and cattle) and millet cultivation in the steppe region of northern China was the result of the link between the two cultures. However, little detailed information is available about the precise timing and mechanisms involved in this mixture of pastoralism and millet cultivation. To try to address the issue, we analyzed the pollen, fungal spores and phytolith contents of soil samples from the Bronze Age Zhukaigou site in the steppe area of North China, which was combined with AMS 14C dating of charcoal, millet and animal bones. A mixed pastoralism and millet agricultural system appeared at the site between 4,000 and 3,700 cal yr BP, and the intensity of animal husbandry increased in the later stage of occupation. Published data indicate that domestic sheep/goats appeared across a wide area of the steppe region of northern China after ∼4,000 cal yr BP. A comparison of records of sheep/goat rearing and paleoclimatic records from monsoon area in China leads us to conclude that the mixture of pastoralism and millet cultivation was promoted by the occurrence of drought events during 4,200–4,000 cal yr BP. Moreover, we suggest that mixed rainfed agriculture and animal husbandry increased the adaptability and resilience of the inhabitants of the region which enabled them to occupy the relatively arid environment of the monsoon marginal area of northern China.

Genomes From Verteba Cave Suggest Diversity Within The Trypillians In Ukraine

The transition to agriculture occurred relatively late in Eastern Europe, leading researchers to debate whether it was a gradual, interactive process or a colonization event. In the forest and forest-steppe regions of Ukraine, farming appeared during the fifth millennium BCE, associated with the Cucuteni-Trypillian Archaeological Complex (CTCC, 4800-3000 BCE). Across Europe, the Neolithization process was highly variable across space and over time. Here, we investigate the population dynamics of early agriculturalists from the eastern forest-steppe region based on analyses of 20 ancient genomes from the Verteba Cave site (3789-980 BCE). The results reveal that the CTCC individuals’ ancestry is related to both western hunter gatherers and Near Eastern farmers, lacks local ancestry associated with Ukrainian Neolithic hunter gatherers and has steppe ancestry. An Early Bronze Age individual has an ancestry profile related to the Yamnaya expansions but with 20% ancestry related to the other Trypillian individuals, which suggests admixture between the Trypillians and the incoming populations carrying steppe-related ancestry. A Late Bronze Age individual dated to 980-948 BCE has a genetic profile indicating affinity to Beaker-related populations, detected close to 1,000 years after the end of the Bell Beaker phenomenon during the Third millennium BCE.

Ecological and biological features of taxa of the Cupressaceae family in dendrological collections of the dry-steppe region

Актуальность связана с расширением зеленого строительства на новых территориях в разнообразных и нередко тяжелых природных и агротехнических условиях возникла потребность в широком и разнообразном по биологическим и техническим свойствам ассортименте древесных пород и разработке дифференцированных методов их выращивания. Интродукция должна быть основана на обстоятельном изучении существующего опыта интродукции и знании стран – источников интродукции, истории формирования того или иного вида, учета экологических особенностей местообитаний, вертикальной зональности, существования географических и эдафических форм. Цель исследования заключалась в изучении эколого-биологических особенностей таксонов семейства Cupressaceae Bartl. в дендрологических коллекциях сухостепного региона. Исследованы шесть древесных вида семейства Cupressaceae, произрастающие в дендроколлекциях ФНЦ Агроэкологии РАН: Juniperus virginiana L., J. communis L., J. sabina L., Thuja occidentalis L, Platycladus orientalis(L.) Franco, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Milb) Franco. Изучены естественные ареалы объектов исследования. Выявлено, что виды подсемейства Thujoideae встречаются как в северном, так и в южном полушарии, виды подсемейства Juniperoideae (род Juniperus) – в умеренных областях северного полушария. Фенологические наблюдения выявили, что рост хвои у можжевельника обыкновенного начинался одновременно с ростом побегов в конце марта - начале апреля (на 1-1,5 месяца раньше, чем на родине), Период роста хвои продолжался 2-2,5 месяца, побегов – 135-180 дней. В ходе наблюдений за динамикой роста сеянцев, были получены метрические показатели сеянцев, 1-летние сеянцы Platycladus orientalis – 16-18 см, Thuja occidentalis – 9-14 см, J. communis – 10-15 см, J. sabina – 14-16 см, Juniperus virginiana – 14-16 см высотой. Анализ изменчивости морфологических признаков и биоэкологических свойств, адаптаций в новых условиях среды имеют большое значение для биоэкологического обоснования введения в культуру древесных таксонов семейства Cupressaceae. Этот анализ затрагивает оценку природного разнообразия растений с таких важных сторон, как скорость роста, устойчивость и декоративность, сведений о которых в засушливых условиях крайне мало. The urgency is connected with the expansion of green construction in new territories in diverse and often difficult natural and agrotechnical conditions, there is a need for a wide and diverse assortment of tree species in terms of biological and technical properties and the development of differentiated methods of their cultivation. The introduction should be based on a thorough study of the existing experience of introduction and knowledge of the countries - sources of introduction, the history of the formation of a particular species, taking into account the ecological features of habitats, vertical zonality, the existence of geographical and edaphic forms. The aim of the study was to study the ecological and biological features of the taxa of the Cupressaceae Bartl family. in dendrological collections of the dry-steppe region. Six woody species of the Cupressaceae family growing in the arboretum collections of the Federal Research Center of Agroecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences were studied: Juniperus virginiana L., J. communis L., J. sabina L., Thuja occidentalis L, Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Milb) Franco. The natural areas of the objects of study have been studied. It was revealed that the species of the subfamily Thujoideae are found in both the northern and southern hemispheres, the species of the subfamily Juniperoideae (genus Juniperus) – in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Phenological observations revealed that the growth of needles in common juniper began simultaneously with the growth of shoots in late March - early April (1-1.5 months earlier than at home), the period of growth of needles lasted 2-2.5 months, shoots - 135-180 days. During observations of the growth dynamics of seedlings, metric indicators of seedlings were obtained, 1-year-old seedlings Platycladus orientalis - 16-18 cm, Thuja occidentalis - 9-14 cm, J. communis - 10-15 cm, J. sabina - 14-16 cm, Juniperus virginiana - 14-16 cm tall. Analysis of the variability of morphological features and bioecological properties, adaptations in new environmental conditions are of great importance for the bioecological justification of the introduction of woody taxa of the Cupressaceae family into culture. This analysis affects the assessment of the natural diversity of plants from such important aspects as growth rate, stability and decorative properties, information about which is extremely scarce in arid conditions.

National Academic Conference “Ivan Bunin’s Russia and the Culture of the Russian Sub-Steppe” (dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Ivan Bunin) (Yelets, September 24–26, 2020)

The academic event was dedicated to two anniversaries: 150th birthday of the Nobel prize winner Ivan Bunin and the 20th anniversary of the transformation of Yelets State Pedagogical Institute into Yelets State Ivan Bunin University. The key objective of the conference was to discuss new trends in the study of the artistic heritage of the great Russian writer, analyze the academic and creative achievements of outstanding persons of literature, philosophy, education, and culture connected with the Russian sub-steppe. Participants’ papers were devoted to the study of literary, journalistic and correspondence heritage of Ivan Bunin and other writers in the context of cultural and artistic continuum of the Russian sub-steppe region.

Effect of shading on the English oak (Quercus robur L.) seedlings water regime

Shading is a common urban stress in the city due to the light block from buildings. Oaks stands are found as part of park areas, forests and in point gardening in many large cities of the world. In this work we examined anatomical and physiological aspects of the adaptation of oak seedlings to the lack of light. To determine the intensity of transpiration, leaf hydration, and water deficiency, the weight indicators of the leaves were measured. Anatomically, the analysis of the leaf epidermis was carried out by microscopy of varnish prints. Changes were revealed in the anatomical structure of the leaf and were irreversible in the water regime undo shading. It was found the correlation between stomatal apparatus of the leaves and incoming solar radiation amount. With the optimal combination of hydrometeofactors, the evaporation rate in the heavily shaded leaves during the day did not exceed 15 ± 0.9 g/(m2h), which was 30…35% of the transpiration intensity in the well-lit control leaves. Then, shading by 80% reduced transpiration by 50…65 %. The influence of the degree of shading on the water regime of oak seedlings is shown for the first time at forest-steppe region.

THE REASONS FOR THE FAILURE OF THE MISSIONATY POLICY OF RUSSIAN TSARISM IN THE KAZAKH STEPPE

The article analyses the objective reasons of the failure of the missionary policy of Russian Tsarism on the territory of the Kazakh Steppe In order to determine the activities of missionary policy in the steppe region, methodological methods are used, such as historical-genetic, historical comparative, concrete-historical, which have been widely used in historical science. This paper identifies factors that influenced the implementation of missionary policy tasks in the region. The use of imperial documents, such as reports of the heads of dioceses, allows us to study the degree of government`s support for the confessional policy. In the paper, attention is also paid to the position of the highest authorities and the intelligentsia regarding the policy in question. It is concluded that the reason for the adoption of a foreign religion by the poor Kazakhs was the aggravation of the agrarian problem. However, the missionary policy didn’t achieve what it want. The lack of sufficient land plots for the neophytes and the extent of government measures to prevent problems of adaptation to the new environment reduced the motivation for orthodoxy.