Faunal and Ecological Features of Blood-Sucking Arthropods of the Family Ixodidae in Biocenoses of the Lower Volga Region

Ecological and faunal changes caused by physical and geographical changes, climatic, anthropogenic impacts, lead to an increase in the number and spread of Ixodes mites. The above mentioned factors have a significant impact on the formation of the fauna of bloodsucking arthropods in bio and agrocenoses, as well as in settlements. The study of the mechanisms that impact on the spatial distribution, timing of breeding and mass attack of the bloodsuckers on proximately, the change of life the schemes of the parasites in different climatic and geographic areas is of considerable theoretical and practical interest for veterinary and medical practices. For ixodid distinctive relationship with a particular landscape type and occurrence within certain habitats. That is why hese types of blood-sucking ectoparasites are able to pass to parasitism on new feeders. The development of civilization is accompanied by an active transformation of nature, as a result of which large areas disappear landscapes previously untouched by human hand. Naturally, such transformations, accompanied by the creation of anthropogenic landscapes, can not in one way or another affect the nature of the spread of zoonoses and, above all, natural focal infections, most closely related to the environment. The obtained data can be used by veterinary and medical services, as well as biologists of profile appointment in the planning of preventive measures of diseases associated with blood-sucking arthropods.

Water Supply Basins of São Paulo Metropolitan Region: Hydro-Climatic Characteristics of the 2013–2015 Water Crisis

São Paulo metropolitan region experienced an acute water crisis between 2013 and 2015. According to the Brazilian and international press, it was due to climatic, anthropogenic, and water management factors. This paper assesses the hydro-climatic characteristics of the crisis by focusing on the Alto-Tietê basin and the headwater of the Piracicaba-Capivari-Jundiaí (PCJ) basin that supply 70% of the water consumed in the metropolis. Based on 16 rain-gauge stations, 5 runoff-gauge stations, and several statistical analyses carried over the 1951–2015 period, this assessment shows that the 2013–2015 hydro-climatic crisis resulted from a large number of days without rain in the north of the Alto-Tietê basin and to less intense precipitation events in the headwaters of the PCJ basin during the austral spring 2013 and the year 2014. It also defines a return period of 98 years for observed river flows in 2014. Despite the rare nature of this hydrological drought, the need for efficient water saving policies is brought forward.

Contribution to the interpretation of the role of geoenvironment in extreme discharges of the Rosomack River - Visok kraj

Annex to the interpretation of the role of geoenvironment in the formation of extreme discharges of the Rosomacka River provides exact and empirical evidence of the significance and the need for its knowledge. For hydrologically unstudied watercourses, especially for those which do not have continuity of discharges, the knowledge of the role of geoenvironment in the emergence of their extreme discharges contributes to a more realistic response to practical water management issues, protection against adverse effects of waters, defining the ecological aspect of watercourses under the influence of various changes in the near future (climatic, anthropogenic, hydrological), preserving the quality of river water, meeting the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive 2000. The aim of the paper is to understand better the river systems and their runoffs in the form of high and low waters or complete drying up of hydrologically unstudied but also of hydrologically studied watercourses, and through the representation of the role of geoenvironment. On the concrete example of the Rosomacka River, a hydrologically unstudied watercourse, the significance of geoenvironment in the interpretation of its extreme discharges was emphasized. The contribution of the following elements of geoenvironment of the basin area was analyzed: lithological, neotectonic, hydrogeological and morphological. The research method is based on field research, quantitative geomorphological analysis, systematization and synthesis of the obtained results, as well as the analysis of published papers. Additionally, the contribution is reflected in emphasizing the need for communication between experts of various specialties dealing with hydrographic systems.

Soilscape evolution of aeolian-dominated hillslopes during the Holocene: investigation of sediment transport mechanisms and climatic–anthropogenic drivers

Here we study the soilscape (soil-landscape) evolution of a field site in the semiarid zone of Israel. This region, like similar regions around the world, was subject to intensive loess accumulation during the Pleistocene and early Holocene. Today, hillslopes in this region are dominated by exposed bedrock with deep loess depositions in the valleys and floodplains. The drivers and mechanism that led to this soilscape are unclear. Within this context, we use a soilscape evolution model (mARM5D) to study the potential mechanisms that led to this soilscape. We focus on advancing our conceptual understanding of the processes at the core of this soilscape evolution by studying the effects of fluvial and diffusive sediment transport mechanisms, and the potential effects of climatic and anthropogenic drivers. Our results show that, in our field site, dominated by aeolian soil development, hillslope fluvial sediment transport (e.g., surface wash and gullies) led to downslope thinning in soil, while diffusive transport (e.g., soil creep) led to deeper and more localized soil features at the lower sections of the hillslopes. The results suggest that, in this semiarid, aeolian-dominated and soil-depleted landscape, the top section of the hillslopes is dominated by diffusive transport and the bottom by fluvial transport. Temporal variability in environmental drivers had a considerable effect on soilscape evolution. Short but intensive changes during the late Holocene, imitating anthropogenic land use alterations, rapidly changed the site's soil distribution. This leads us to assume that this region's soil-depleted hillslopes are, at least in part, the result of anthropogenic drivers.

Modelling the drivers of natural fire activity: the bias created by cropland fires

Wildland and cropland fires, which differ considerably in fire regime characteristics, have often been evaluated jointly to estimate regional or global fire regimes using satellite-based fire activity data. We hypothesised that excluding cropland fires will change the output of the models regarding the drivers of natural fire activity. We modelled MODIS fire activity data of western and southern Turkey for the years 2000–2015 using binomial generalised linear models in which many climatic, anthropogenic and geographic factors were included as predictor variables. For modelling, we used different datasets created by the exclusion of various cropland and vegetation land cover classes. More fire activity was observed as the number of cropland-dominated cells increased in a dataset. The explained deviance (%) of the binomial GLM differed substantially in the separate datasets for most of the variables. Moreover, excluding croplands gradually from the overall dataset resulted in a substantial decrease in the explained deviance (%) in the models for all variables. The results suggest that cropland fires have a significant effect on the output of fire regime models. Therefore, a clear distinction should be drawn between wildland and cropland fires in such models for a better understanding of natural fire activity.

Soilscape evolution of aeolian-dominated hillslopes during the Holocene: investigation of sediment transport mechanisms and climatic-anthropogenic drivers

Here we study the soilscape (soil-landscape) evolution of a field-site at the semiarid zone of Israel. This region, like similar regions around the world, was subject to intensive loess accumulation during the Pleistocene and early Holocene. Today, hillslopes in this region are dominated by exposed bedrock with deep loess depositions in the valleys and floodplains. The drivers and mechanism that led to this soilscape are unclear. Within this context, we use a soilscape evolution model (mARM5D) to study the potential mechanisms that led to this soilscape. We focus on advancing our conceptual understanding of the processes at the core of this soilscape evolution by studying the effects of fluvial and diffusive sediment transport mechanisms, and the potential effects of climatic and anthropogenic drivers. Our results show that in our field site, dominated by aeolian soil development, hillslope fluvial sediment transport e.g. surface wash and gullies, lead to downslope thinning in soil while diffusive transport e.g. soil creep lead to deeper and more localized soil features at the lower sections of the hillslopes. The results suggest that, in this semiarid, aeolian-dominated and soil depleted landscape, the top section of the hillslopes is dominated by diffusive transport and the bottom by fluvial transport. Temporal variability in environmental drivers had a considerable effect on soilscape evolution. Short but intensive changes during the late Holocene, imitating anthropogenic landuse alterations, rapidly changed the site's soil distribution. This leads us to assume that this region's soil depleted hillslopes are, at least in part, the result of anthropogenic drivers.

The Problems of Preserving Zones of Monuments in Urban Structure and Natural Environment in Republic of Armenia

The artistic expressions, constructive techniques, national cultural values of monument buildings, their succession and maintenance problems are especially perceptible and appreciable when observed in their historical environment.Monuments can be observed in two main groups according to their location: natural and urban landscape groups. Naturally, landscape changes over years undergoing construction development and different natural or anthropogenic influences. Of course much more structural problems are notable in urban contexts, since they are much more susceptible to dynamic changes in urban environment.The above mentioned problems are various in Republic of Armenia (RA): as a result of spontaneous development and incorrect land use monuments often lose their vitally important natural environment, perspective and landscape silhouette.This article mainly deals with the structural and panoramic problems of landscape, emerged in the environments of monument buildings in RA. They have been studied by comparative analysis based on the examples of existing monuments both in urban structure and natural landscape.Based on photographical comparison, analysis of literature, software and metric gauging methods it will be possible to reveal the planning, climatic, anthropogenic negative, neutral and positive factors affecting the modification of protection zones of monuments in RA.As a result it becomes possible in particular situations to neutralize much of the existing negative factors. The study will give an opportunity to solve some problems of already modified environments or landscape continuous degradation by developing rehabilitation projects, providing new interesting solutions related to the aesthetic and technological aspects, as well as the materials that are being used.

The Earth’s Critical Zone Science and its Research Progress

A promising and involving interdisciplinary concept-the earth’s critical zone science is introduced in this paper. Within the earth’s Critical Zone, the coupled chemical, physical and biological processes which define Earth’s weathering engine are driven by climatic, anthropogenic, and tectonic forcing. Followed by the concept and specific questions related to the critical zone were given. Finally, current research in order to understand the Critical zone was reviewed.

Health condition of spruce stands in the Orlické hory Mts. in relation to climatic, anthropogenic and stand factors

In stands with the majority of spruce and aged over 70 years, 35 sample plots were laid out (in total 700 trees) in the vicinity of Anenský vrch Hill at altitudes over 800 m above sea level. In the course of the growing season 2005, the following parameters were determined: total defoliation, defoliation of the primary structure, percentage of secondary shoots, presence and extent of yellowing and browning. In 10 selected trees, branches were taken from crowns for morphological analyses and annual length increments of branches and numbers of secondary shoots in the particular years were determined. Total defoliation and the occurrence of yellowing were related to slope orientation and position of the plot towards the ridge. The number of shoots produced in the given year correlated with the level of annual NO₃ deposition. The determined difference in the occurrence of yellowing between limed and unlimed plots cannot be interpreted unambiguously because limed and unlimed plots differ in exposure at the same time. The determined importance of slope orientation for the health condition of a stand shows that under the simultaneous air pollution load climatic factors are a factor deciding on the resulting effect of the synergetic action of stressors on forest stands.