Demographic and spatial structure at the stage of expansion in thepopulations of some alien land snails in Belgorod city (CentralRussian Upland)

Studying of the demographic characteristics of populations of alien species at the stage of expansion makes it possible to assess their invasive potential. Field studies of alien terrestrial gastropods Xeropicta derbentina (Gastropoda,Stylommatophora, Hygromiidae), Brephulopsis cylindrica (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Enidae) and Harmozica ravergiensis (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Hygromiidae) have been carried out in Belgorod city, the southern part of the Central Russian Upland (Russia). All studied species are native to the Black Sea region and the Caucasus; in the southern part of the Central Russian Upland, they have been registered over the past ten years. The population density, demographic structure, and spatial structure have been analyzed for three years of observations (2017, 2019, 2020). During this period, the changes in the population density have been noted for all studied species. The most pronounced changes have been observed in X. derbentina, whose population density has significantly decreased, and the spatial structure has changed from clustered type to random distribution. In addition, the age structure of X. derbentina population had a pronounced change at the beginning of the snail activity season of 2020. The expansion of the other two invaders, B. cylindrica and H. ravergiensis, is proved as more successful. At the same time, H. ravergiensis is distributed throughout the city. This species has stable population density and random type of spatial population structure on most sites. B. cylindrica has the highest population density: in 2020, it has reached 406 ind./m2 on average, with the maximum of 1215 ind./m2.Meantime, the species keeps the clustered spatial structure, which is explained by both high population density and adaptation to the arid conditions of its natural range.

SELECTION EVALUATION OF THE SOURCE MATERIAL OF FESTUCA RUBRA L. OF THE LAWN DIRECTION

The aim of the research was to assess the breeding value of the source material of F. rubra of the lawn direction obtained under conditions of various ecotopes of the south of the Central Russian Upland with a predominance of carbonate substrate. In total, 106 numbers of red fescue of various genetic and geological-geographical origin were evaluated in the experiment: 4 varieties and 102 breeding samples. Tests of the breeding value of the collection numbers were carried out in comparison with the zoned varieties of domestic selection (‘Veselka’, ‘Gostenka’, ‘Iskrinka’) and foreign selection (‘Gondolin’). The forms of F. rubra have been identified, approaching erect in shape, having a high shoot-forming ability, pronounced antocian color of inflorescences, whitish bloom on the leaves, which increases the overall decorative effect of lawn herbage. According to a number of important traits for breeding for seed productivity, the forms selected in natural habitats with a predominance of carbonate substrate have wide limits of variation and can serve as genetic sources of individual breeding traits for obtaining new varieties of lawn management with high seed productivity and decorativeness.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS FOR METHODS OF BUILDING DIGITAL ELEVATION MODELS FROM TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS USING GEOINFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

The article considers the question of estimating the accuracy of interpolation methods for building digital elevation models using Soviet topographic maps. The territory of the Kursk region of the Russian Federation was used as the study area, because it is located on the Central Russian Upland and characterized by the complex structure of the vertical and horizontal dissection of the relief. Contour lines automatically obtained using a Python algorithm were used as the initial elevation data to build a digital elevation model. Digital elevation models obtained by thirteen different interpolation methods in ArcGIS and Surfer software were built and analyzed. Special attention is paid to the ANUDEM method, which allows to obtain hydrologically correct digital elevation models. Recommendations for the use of one or another method of interpolation are given. The results can be useful for professionals who use topographic maps in their work and deals with the design using digital elevation models.

The variety trial of lawn red fescue in the Western Caucasus and Central Chernozem Region

В 2017–2020 годах проведены экологические испытания существующих сортов и новых селекционных образцов овсяницы красной, созданных на основе исходного материала, полученного из местных популяций, произрастающих в различных экотопах мелового юга Среднерусской возвышенности. Объектом изучения были сорта овсяницы красной газонного типа Россинант (стандарт), Гостёнка, Искринка, Везёлка и 14 селекционных образцов, выделившихся в селекционном питомнике по комплексу морфо-биологических признаков, характерных для сортов газонного направления. Опыты проводили в трёх экологических точках: г. Геленджике (Краснодарский край); пгт Новомихайловский (Туапсинский район Краснодарского края); с. Драгунское (Белгородский район Белгородской области). Изучали продуктивность побегообразования, выраженную в среднем количестве сформированных побегов в год, и урожайность зелёной массы. Установлено, что исходный материал обладает высокой побегообразующей способностью и невысокой надземной продуктивностью, сопоставимыми с сортами, широко используемыми в газонных культурфитоценозах. Анализ корреляции между изучаемыми признаками показал, что в условиях юга Среднерусской возвышенности (экологическая точка «Белгородская область») с высокой вероятностью можно вести селекционную работу и отбор ценных генотипов овсяницы красной для условий Черноморского побережья Западного Кавказа по признаку «Среднегодовой прирост побегов». Показана корреляционная связь этого признака между экологическими точками «г. Геленджик» и «Белгородская область», подтверждённая достоверной корреляцией рангов Спирмена средней силы (rs = 0,446, P > 0,05). Не установлено тесной связи между урожайностью зелёной массы в экологической точке «Белгородская область» и экологических точках Западного Кавказа. В связи с этим для оценки селекционного материала необходимо проводить широкие экологические испытания исходного материала в экологических точках регионов, в которых предполагается использовать перспективные сорта. Сделано заключение о возможности использования исходного селекционного материала мелового юга Среднерусской возвышенности для создания сортов газонного направления для условий Западного Кавказа. The variety trial for red fescue genotypes tool place in 2017–2020. Local populations growing in the south of the Central Russian Upland were used as parental material to obtain the genotypes. The following lawn varieties were tested: “Rossinant” (standard), “Gostenka”, “Iskrinka”, “Vezelka” as well as 14 other genotypes carrying the number of valuable traits. Plants were grown in three different locations: Gelendzhik; the Tuapse region; the Belgorod region. The trial tested the average number of shoots formed in a year as well as green mass productivity. Parental lines actively formed shoots but had low productivity similar to widely cultivated lawn varieties. Red fescue genotypes with high annual shoot yield were widely spread in Gelendzhik and the Belgorod region (rs = 0.446, P > 0.05). The correlation between green mass productivity and the Belgorod region were insignificant same as for the Western Caucasus. It is highly important to test parental lines in the area of respective cultivation. Parental material from the south of the Central Russian Upland can be used to develop lawn genotypes for the Western Caucasus.

Grass ecosystems in agrolandscapes of the Yeletsky District of the Central Russian Province forest-steppe zone of the Central Chernozem Region of Russia

In order to study the spatial distribution of biological and ecological patterns of grass ecosystems, we conducted an agrolandscape-ecological zoning of the territory of the Central Chernozem Region of Russia (CCR) on the basis of the author’s methodology. According to the zoning data, it is established that 75% of the territory of the CCR belongs to the forest-steppe zone. The Central Russian province of the forest-steppe zone covers 67% of the territory of the CCR. Yeletsky district occupies the eastern spurs of the Central Russian upland. The area of the district is 1929.7 thousand hectares. Most of the district (90%) is located in the Lipetsk region, 10% – in the Kursk region. In the past, the watersheds of the district were occupied by meadow steppes and partly oak forests. Currently, more than 80% of the district’s territory is occupied by agricultural land (arable land, pastures, hayfields). The structure of land is dominated by arable land-67% of the total area of the district, pastures occupy 11%, hayfields – 3%, forests – 7%, shrubs – 2%, under water and swamps – 1%, other land – 8%. The grass ecosystems of the meadow steppes preserved along the gullies and slopes are mainly used as natural grasslands (NG) and make up 79% of all NG of the Yelets District. The most common are the downed tipchak pastures on the slopes of different steepness. The yield of these pastures is 8–12 centners per hectare of dry eaten mass.

Genetic structure of the water frog (Pelophylax esculentus complex) populations in the south of the Central Russian Upland

BACKGROUND: The water frog (Pelophylax esculentus complex) is hybrid in composition. In view of the fact that a large number of data on the species composition of the water frog and very scarce material on the genetic structure of populations are available in the literature, we aimed to analyze the genetic structure of populations of the water frog in the southern part of the Middle Russian upland, which was one of the refugia for many species during the glacial epoch and the center of dispersion in the postglacial time, based on DNA microsatellite markers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved 36 local populations. DNA variability was analyzed by multiplex SSR-PCR. Seven loci (Res 14, Res 15, Res 17, Res 22, Rrid059A, Rrid082A, and Rrid171A) were used for amplification. Fragment analysis of PCR products was performed on an ABI PRISM 3500 automated capillary DNA sequencer (Applied Biosystems, USA). RESULTS: The total number of alleles detected ranged from 13 to 41. The effective number of alleles (Ae) averaged 4.569 0.219, the Chenon index (I) 1.567 0.04, level of expected heterozygosity (Не) 0.68 0.01. According to Wrights model, the greatest contribution to genetic variability is made by the heterogeneity of individuals within populations, some of which are of a hybrid nature (Fis = 0.281 0.069, Fit = 0.413 0.053, Fst = 0.180 0.017). The average indicator of the intensity of gene exchange between populations (Nm) was 1.212 0.142 individuals per generation. The calculation of the effective abundance using the LD method indicates a high level of viability of the studied groups of the frogs. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated a high level of genetic diversity and viability of most of the studied groups, which, due to the intense gene exchange between them, can represent a single panmictic population. The data of the genetic analysis support the active adaptation of P. esculentus complex to living in an urbanized environment.