Analysis of the adventitious fauna of terrestrial molluscs in the centre of the Russian Plain

The terrestrial mollusc fauna of the central part of the Russian Plain has been analysed with respect to its species composition and the proportion of adventitious species. The classification of adventitious species follows that accepted in Russia. Considerable changes in the fauna took place in the period 2016–2020. Helix lucorum Linnaeus and Cornu aspersum (O. F. Müller) were added to the terrestrial malacofauna of the area. Within the last four years, Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon colonised anthropogenic habitats and its spread continues. Krynickillus melanocephalus Kaleniczenko, Arianta arbustorum (Linnaeus), and Helix pomatia Linnaeus are now firmly established in natural ecosystems. Populations of A. vulgaris, K. melanocephalus, and A. arbustorum have become so abundant that now they cause significant damage to agricultural crops. In both natural and anthropogenic habitats K. melanocephalus and A. arbustorum displace Succinea putris (Linnaeus), Deroceras laeve (O. F. Müller), D. sturanyi (Simroth), D. invadens Reise, Hutchinson, Schunack et Schlitt, 2011, D. agreste (Linnaeus), D. reticulatum (O. F. Müller), Fruticicola fruticum (O. F. Müller) and Euomphalia strigella (Draparnaud). Interactions between invasive species are discussed. The proportion of alien species in several European countries and in Central Asia is compared.

Biomorphological structure of the flora of the ancient settlements of the Lower Dnipro

The biomorphological analysis of the flora of eighteen ancient settlements of the Lower Dnipro as a potential "islands" of steppe biodiversity has been introducing. Based on the most commonly used linear systems of life forms by K. Ranquier and by V.M Golubev there have been presented the results of the analysis of biomorphs. In addition to the main biomorph, the following characteristics were taken into account: multiplicity of fruiting, main types of vegetation, type of underground shoots, type of aboveground shoots, type of root system. Domination in the general spectrum of life forms of the studied flora of herbaceous plants was determined (455 species or 86.8 % of the total number), among which perennials made up the majority (259 species or 49.4 %). The second and third groups are occupied by annuals (148 species or 28.2 % of the total) and biannuals (48 species or 9.2 % of the total), respectively. According to the multiplicity of fruiting, the participation of polycarpics (328 species; 62.6 %) is significant. However, it should be noted, that the high share of herbaceous monocarpics (196 species; 37.4 %) can be explained by the invasion of adventitious species from neighboring agricultural fields and existing settlements. By type of vegetation, summer-green species represent almost half of the total list of flora (231 species), while that of the group of summer and winter green plants was represented by 168 species or 32 %. By type of aboveground shoots, the predominance is given to semi-rosette species (276 species; 52.7 %), and by type of underground shoots - to caudex (201 species; 38.4 %) and plants without rhizomes (196; 37.4 %). Our study confirmed that biomorphological structure of the flora of ancient settlements are quite typical for the flora of the steppe zone and the flora of the Holarctic in general, as evidenced by the predominance in the respective spectra of perennial grasses, hemicryptophytes, polycarpics, plants with caudex type of underground shoots and rod type. Transformation of the zonal spectrum as a result of anthropogenic impact is manifested in a significant percentage of trees, annuals, monocarpics and species of rhizome structure.

Morphological variability of Veronica arguteserrata Regel & Schmalh. – new adventive species in Dnipro area

In the Dnipro area, Veronica arguteserrata is a new adventitious species of Asian origin from the family Plantaginaceae Juss., growing in the same ecological conditions – in shaded areas with moderate anthropogenic impact due to trampling, on loose soils and on parchment plots. The species is ephemeral: begins to grow in the second half of April, blooms in mid-May, bears fruit at the end of the same month, turns yellow in June and dies. We used 160 plants to study the morphological and ecological variability of Veronica arguteserrata. For analysis, we measured plant height, root length, length of the first and second internodes, length and width of leaf blade, number of peduncles, number of flowers, width and length of bract, corolla diameter, length and width of the fruits, number of seeds in the nest and number of fruits on the plant. The average values of all components were determined, the errors and population density, the number of individuals per 0.01 m2 were determined. Using a grid of 20 × 10 cm, divided into eight squares 5 × 5 cm, calculated the density of plants in tenfold repetition. The accuracy of density estimation, calculated as the ratio of error of the arithmetic mean to the arithmetic mean and expressed as a percentage, was 3.8–6.3%. The accuracy of assessment of other traits ranged from 2.2 to 7.5%, which is quite acceptable for field research. Analysis of the data showed that Veronica arguteserrata in the study area forms a fairly dense density of grasses, in which almost no other species are immersed. With increasing density, there is a tendency to increase the length of the first internode and reduce the area of the leaf blade, the number of peduncles, flowers and fruits on individuals. Within the parks, the plants were mowed at the end of the growing season. Probably due to mowing, as well as a slightly greater impact of trampling, the density of park populations is lower than on the highway near buildings. Synecological analysis showed that in the conditions of Dnipro area Veronica arguteserrata is a xeromesophyte, mesotroph, sciogeliophyte and ruderant. In the studied phytocenoses with increasing population of Veronica arguteserrata there is a tendency to decrease plant height, length of the second internode, length and width of the leaf blade, number of peduncles and flowers, length and width of bracts, peduncle length, corolla diameter and corolla diameter increase and box length. The highest variability was observed in the following signs from the vegetative sphere of Veronica arguteserrata plants: root length, leaf blade length, in the generative sphere: the number of flowers and of fruit on the plant. It is these features that make the largest share in the morphological variability of the studied species and determine its overall ecological and morphological plasticity. As a result of analysis of variance, the influence of population density on morphometric characteristics of plants was statistically proved. The population density has the greatest influence on the following features of the vegetative sphere: the length of the first internode and the length of the leaf blade; in the generative sphere: the diameter of the corolla and the length of the bract. Thus, the variability of these traits can be considered as a mechanism of intra-population morphological adaptations of the new adventitious species Veronica arguteserrata in the Dnipro area. The new adventitious species needs further monitoring studies to assess the level of impact on the ecosystems of Dnipro area.

New Results of Using the Light Trap for Collecting Beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) in the Urban Environment (on the Example of Saratov)

The article presents the results of research of the using light traps (luminescent lamp Actinic 6W) for collecting Coleoptera in the Saratov city. Entomological material was collected by the second author in the period from 1.06 to 2.10.2019. In 2019, 52 species of Coleoptera of 22 families from different ecological groups were recorded. A relatively high proportion of adventitious species remains in 17.3– 30.7% of the presented fauna was presented. For two years the 14 species of alien and cryptogenic Coleoptera species were observed, that is 24.5% of the adventive fauna of the Saratov Province. Among invasive species Attagenus smirnovi, Stegobium paniceum, Atomaria lewisi, Harmonia axyridis, Gnatocerus cornutus, and Orchestes steppensis were record for the first time in 2019. It to use bringing on light as one of the available and low-cost ways to identify alien and cryptogenic organisms in urban areas is recommended.

Ecological and coenotic characteristic of Cyclachaena xanthiifolia (Nutt.) Fresen. in the flora of Ukraine

The flora of Ukraine includes Cyclachaena xanthiifolia adventitious species, which is dangerous for humans and animals. It got out of human control and spread widely throughout the whole territory, but its environmental features have not been studied enough. We found that Cyclachaena xanthiifolia is the eurytopic species in Ukraine, that is, it has wide ecological amplitude. It grows well and develops in wide weather and climatic divides: from semi-ombrophytic climate (1000 mm, Pre-Carpathian, Transcarpathia) to arid one (less than 350 mm, Prysyvashshia) in terms of climate humidity; from hemioceanic climate (Western Ukraine and the Black Sea coast) to subcontinental one (Dry-steppe and South-steppe zones) in terms of climate continentality. Its habitats are confined to flat, lowered, but well-drained and low areas. We did not find it at the altitudes of more than 500 m. This is heliophyte, a short-day plant. According to temperature requirements, it occupies an intermediate position between submesothermal and macrothermal plants that grow well when the amount of heat in April-October is from 1780 to 2620 kcal/cm2 and the sum of effective temperatures is from 2850 to 3750ºC. When it comes to demand on soil moisture, it is predominantly mesophytic plant; with regard to soil solution reaction, it is neutrophilic or subacidophilic plant; with respect to soil fertility, it is eutrophic humifilous eunitrophilic plant on ruderal habitats, and oligotrophic agumyl or sub-agumyl heminitrophilic plant on technogenic ones. The highest frequency of occurrence, abundance and the best morphological plants’ parameters were found on black earth, chestnut, and meadow soils, and the worst plants’ parameters were found on sod-podzol, brown forest, sand, saline and bog soils. In relation to landscapes cultivation, this plant is euhemerobe or polyhemerobe. It grows in the Ambrosio artemisiifolia-Chenopodietum albi, Ambrosio artemisiifolia-Cirsietum setosi, Amaranto retroflexi-Setarietum glaucae, Amaranthetum blitoidi-Echinochloetum grusgalli, Poligono-Chenopodietea communities and others in segetal biotopes. It grows in the Ivaetum xanthiifoliae, Atriplicetum tataricae, Chenopodietum glauco-rubri, Chenopodio-Аtriplicetum hastatae, Ambrosio artemisiifoliae-Xanthietum strumariae communities and others in ruderal biotopes.

Materials for the ecological-geographical analysis of Kuznetsov Mountain (Samara Region) vascular plants flora

According to the results of the ecological-geographical analysis, the aboriginal fraction of the vascular plant flora of Kuznetsov Mountain (Samara Region) is presented Eurasian (74,8% of species from the composition of the aboriginal fraction), Pluriregional (14,5%) and European (10,7%) geographical elements. The largest number of species have Eurasian (32,2%), European-West Asian (14,4%), Holarctic (12,1%), Euro-Siberian (10,3%), European (8,8%) and European-West Siberian (8,4%) longitude areal types. The latitudinal component of the areal is dominated by plurizonal (36,9% of the natural fraction of the flora), boreal-nemoral (21,5%), forest-steppe (15,4%) and nemoral (12,1%) plant species. The adventive fraction of flora is mainly formed by species of the Mediterranean, the North American (28,3% each of the composition of the adventive fraction) and the Iranian-Turanian (24,5%) origin. The current geographical distribution of a significant part of the adventitious species is associated with Holarctic (30,2%), Eurasian (22,6%), Hemicosmopolitan (17,0%) and European-West Asian (11,3%) areals. The endemic species ( Crataegus volgensis Pojark.) and 8 relict species [ Anemone altaica Fisch. ex C.A. Mey., Bupleurum aureum (Hoffm.) Fisch. ex Hoffm., Laser trilobum (L.) Borkh., Pulmonaria mollis Wulfen ex Hornem., Geranium robertianum L., Caragana frutex (L.) C. Koch, Aconitum septentrionale Koelle, Corydalis solida (L.) Clairv.] have been identified in the flora of the vascular plants of Mountain Kuznetsov. The boundaries of the areals of 7 flora species [ Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.) Todaro, Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth, Aconitum septentrionale Koelle, Crataegus volgensis Pojark., Bupleurum aureum (Hoffm.) Fisch. ex Hoffm., Campanula latifolia L., Anemone altaica Fisch. ex C.A. Mey.], represented on Mountain Kuznetsov, pass through the territory of the Samara Region.

Invasive leafminer moths (Gracillariidae stainton, 1854) in fauna of the Botanical Garden of Oles Honchar Dnipro National University

History of Lepidoptera adventitious species invasion on territory of the Botanical Garden of the Oles Gonchar Dnipro national university dates back over 15 years. During this period, four invader species belonging to leaf blotch miner moth family (Gracillariidae Stainton, 1854) were found: horse-chestnut leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella Deschka et Dimić, 1986), lime leaf miner (Phyllonorycter issikiimama, 1963), black locust leaf miners (Parectopa robiniella Clemens, 1863 and Phyllonorycter robiniella Clemens, 1859). Spectrum of trophic relationships of leaf-mining lepidoptera invasive complex on territory of the Botanical Garden was established, invading species of the family Gracillariidae were found on horse chestnut leaves (Aesculus hippocastanum L., 1753), Norway maple (Acer platanoides L., 1753), and linden european (Tilia ×europaea L., 1753). Assessment of leaf damage status was provided. The largest damages were registered on horse chestnut, up to 80% trees of which were completely defoliated by the end of summer period, which eventually leads to drying out and subsequent death of the trees. Of particular concern is outbreak of black locust leafminer moths complex. For the first time their mines were registered in 2007. Since then, it can be stated that all Robinia trees growing in the botanical garden were settled with the miners. Statistical processing data obtained during the morphological studies of mines of both species indicate a their great ecological plasticity. The most recent invasion of adventitious species Gracillariidae can be considered the emergence of Phyllonorycter issikii. The first registrations were carried out in 2015; since then the species is recorded annually on Tilia cordata. For all the time of observation, this species did not show a tendency to increase in numbers, and it has not been registered on other Tilia species.

A taxonomic revision of the genus Buddleja (Buddlejeae, Scrophulariaceae) in Brazil

In this work, we revise the taxonomy of Buddleja in Brazil. This genus has 16 native and two introduced cultivated and adventitious species in the country. We present here descriptions, distribution and habitat information, flowering and fruiting periods, taxonomic remarks, photographs and propose a conservation status for each species.