The genus Megastylus Schiødte (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Orthocentrinae) in China with a key to the species of China and Oriental Region

Three new species of Megastylus Schiødte, 1838 (Ichneumonidae, Orthocentrinae), M. (Dicolus) mentouense Sheng & Li, sp. nov. collected from Mentougou, Beijing, M. (D.) flavicornis Sheng & Li, sp. nov. from Shennongjia National Natural Reserve, Hubei and M. (Megastylus) yindianense Sheng & Li, sp. nov. from Minquan, Henan, are described and illustrated. A taxonomic key to the species of Megastylus known from China and the Oriental Region is provided.

Geological Resource Planning and Environmental Impact Assessments Based on GIS

The purpose is to study the geological resource planning and environmental impact assessments based on the geographic information system (GIS). In this study, the land resources of Yinan County in southeastern Shandong Province are taken as the research object. Based on a GIS, the current situation of land resource development is analyzed, land resource planning is carried out, and environmental impact mitigation measures are evaluated and analyzed through the environmental impact. The results obtained depict the distribution of cultivated land; the development area is 1617.31 hm2, of which 577.32 hm2 is cultivated land, 30.43 hm2 is garden land, 399.66 hm2 is forest land, 40.87 hm2 is urban and rural construction land, 10.11 hm2 is traffic water conservancy and other construction land, and 558.92 hm2 is natural reserve land. In the layout of the construction land, the development area is 841.94 hm2, of which 175.44 hm2 is cultivated land, 47.88 hm2 is garden land, 100.54 hm2 is forest land, 0.1 hm2 is other agricultural land, 90.45 hm2 is urban and rural construction land, 3.66 hm2 is traffic water conservancy and other construction land, 11.33 hm2 is water area, and 412.54 hm2 is natural reserve land. The impact of the implementation of planning on most indicators is positive and beneficial, while the impact of negative indicators is relatively small. It is revealed that the implementation of the plan has little impact on most of the ecological environment indicators. Construction and cultivated land development further improve the level of urbanization. In the process of planning implementation, corresponding measures should be taken to slow down or eliminate the negative development of the ecological environment.

Two new species of Cymodusa Holmgren (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) with a key to species known from China and Oriental region

Two new species of genus Cymodusa Holmgren, 1859, C. culaiica Sheng, Li & Sun, sp.nov. collected from Culaishan Natural Reserve, Shandong province and C. melana Sheng, Li & Sun, sp.nov. collected from Guiyang and Fanjingshan National Natural Reserve, Guizhou province, are described and illustrated. A taxonomic key to the species of Cymodusa from China and the Oriental region is provided.

Genetic profiles of three Cinchona species in Junghuhn Natural Reserve, Indonesia

Cinchona species were widely used as ancient medicines for different diseases because they contain the active component quinine and its derivatives. However, studies on the molecular aspects of cinchona, including its genetic diversity, have not been reported because most previous works focused on the administration of the antimalarial cinchona alkaloid. Quinine is also being tested as alternative compound for the treatment of Covid-19. The Junghuhn Natural Reserve in Indonesia contains three different types of cinchona plants, namely, Cinchona calisaya, Cinchona pubescens, and Cinchona sp. Given that the genetic diversity and kinship of these species have never been studied, collecting data on the cinchona gene pool has become imperative. This study analyzed the genetic diversity of the cinchona species in the Junghuhn Natural Reserve, Indonesia, by using eight RAPD markers, i.e., OPA-2, OPA-9, OPB-02, OPB-03, OPB-04, OPB-05, OPB-7, and OPJ-07, during 2020 at the University of Jenderal Soedirman, Purwokerto-Indonesia. Polymorphic band data were obtained. Then, phenogram analysis was conducted by using UPGMA and maximum parsimony with MEGA7. The RAPD profiles of Cinchona species (C. calisaya, C. pubescent, and Cinchona sp.) revealed polymorphism with different markers, i.e., OPA-2 (90%), OPB-2 (75%), OPB-5 (75%), OPB-3 (66.66%), OPB-4 (66.66%), OPB-7 (66.66%), OPJ-7 (66.66%), and OPA-9 (58.33%) sequentially with total polymorphism (70.62%). C. calisaya was identified as the most distinctive species. UPGMA yielded a coefficient of 0.200 and two distinctive groups: Group I, which comprised C. pubescens and Cinchona sp. with the p-distance value of 0.333, and Group II, which contained C. calisaya. Ixora sp. was treated as an outgroup plant. The topology of the dendrogram was consistent with that of the UPGMA dendrogram. Results may be used for the further exploration of the genetic diversity of cinchona species.

Comparative characteristic of the ways of development of the Kaniv natural reserve and “Khortytsia” national reserve

The purpose of the article is to assess the degree of development of the Kaniv reserve from the point of view of the modern concept of development of the reserve management. The methodology. In the research we used a historical approach, a systematic approach, a comparative method was used as a main one. It is the comparative method that makes it possible to assess the state of reserves and their development prospects, to determine their strengths and weaknesses. The results. On the example of the Kaniv natural reserve, there are significant gaps in the systemic development of the organization of the work of the reserve. Kaniv reserve was founded on July 30, 1923, and Khortytsia national reserve — much later, in 1965. Both reserves are characterized by the presence of a significant number of both natural and historical and cultural sites. However, the history of the creation of the two institutions was different. If the initial stage of their existence in both cases was characterized by the complexity of nature conservation and works on the protection of monuments, then in further history one can find differences in attitudes towards historical and cultural monuments and their research. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the identification of shortcomings and omissions in the vector of development of nature reserves in Ukraine, in particular, Kaniv natural reserve. The Khortytsia national reserve retains its complexity and constantly improves the forms of study and popularization of historical and cultural monuments and their museums. Unfortunately, there is no museum in the Kaniv reserve and in general archaeological monuments are not used in the excursion work of the reserve. This article studies this problem and suggests the ways to resolve it. The practical significance of the article is to determine the possibilities of intensifying and improving the work of the reserve, in particular, increasing the level of tourism potential.

THE PROBLEM OF USAGE OF ELEMENTS OF NATURAL RESERVE AND MUSEUM HERITAGE IN TOURISM (ON THE EXAMPLE OF IVANO-FRANKIVSK REGION)

In terms of pandemics, tourism gained a huge loss. However, the background for a qualitatively new restoration of the branch has appeared. One of the actual scientific and practical problems is an estimation of the condition of usage of elements of natural and historical-cultural heritage in tourism in terms of probable growth of domestic tourism during quarantine. In the article was analyzed the potential of natural heritage and museums as elements of the historical-cultural heritage of the Ivano-Frankivsk region in the context of their usage in tourism and dynamics of tourism visits of these objects which testify about the existence of the number of barriers of growth. As of 26.01.2020 region`s natural reserve fund counts of 482 territories and objects of the total area of 218,9 thousand hectares which is 15.7% of the total region`s area. It can be stated that the Ivano-Frankivsk region is a popular tourist destination due to the tourist visits of the territories of the national parks. On the background of national parks visit increase, the problem of the statistic visits data collection and low park`s service commercialization because of an absence of fee collection mechanism on the whole park`s territory. Was observed uneven distribution of tourist flow in national parks. Various institutional affiliations of the natural reserve establishments and the absence of tourism branch specialists in establishments, and the fact that tourism is only one of the different branches of these establishments complicates the organization of tourism activities. The level of national park`s promotion as tourism destinations stays low. None of the nature reserves of the region has a marketing strategy to promote them in the tourism market, so the level of advertising activity of the parks is reduced to printing booklets. Park sites focus the attention of park visitors, mainly on the results of their activities, and little attention is paid to tourist information. Most sites do not have a comprehensive section for tourists with the full range of tourist services and the possibilities of the park to provide them. Excursion activities are one of the main activities of museums as elements of cultural heritage. Every year the museums of Ivano-Frankivsk region are visited by more than 400 thousand people, however, there is a negative dynamics of attendance, the vast majority of visitors (in 2017 – 277, 5 thousand people) are local students, ie not tourists. The decrease in attendance may be due to an increase in the number of non-state and other public museums, which are mainly collections of private collections (more than 210 in the region), as well as the emergence of other tourist attractions of this type. The problems of tourist use of museums as tourist objects of cultural heritage are the low promotional activity of museums, the lack of additional services for tourists and outdated, of little interest to the average tourist exhibitions, the lack of additional hospitality infrastructure. Improving museum expositions, updating existing ones and creating modern expositions – providing material and technical equipment (premises, music, multimedia centers, purchase of modern office equipment) will increase the attractiveness of museums as tourist attractions. Lack of marketing strategies, experience of cooperation with all stakeholders of the tourist process also significantly slow down the development of tourism based on the use of elements of natural and historical and cultural heritage of the studied region. Promotion of museum services in the market of tourist services – creation of an informative catalog about museums, which is periodically updated, distribution of information publications, booklets, holding various events that will promote museums, such as exhibitions, celebrations, coverage of museums in the media, organization of a series films for television, creation of museum websites and targeted advertising, involvement of educational institutions, tourism specialists in the promotion of museums. The measures proposed by the authors for more effective use of elements of natural and historical and cultural heritage in tourism can be successfully applied in other tourist destinations of environmental nature and museum institutions of the country. Keywords: nature reserves, elements of museum heritage, tourism, tourist destinations.

Ecological conditions of growth and variability of the main morpho-biological indicators of wild forms of Kuban grapes

The purpose of this scientific work was to find and study the diversity of wild grapes as future promising sources of breeding and valuable traits on the example of the territory of the natural reserve “Krasnyy les”. Scientific novelty. Analysis of modern scientific literature on the study of the biodiversity of the Vitaceae Juss family. He showed that there is practically no scientific information on the Kuban wild forms and autochthons of grapes. This article is the beginning of a new large research work on the study of wild grapes of Kuban, studied in the territory of the Krasnodar Territory, in particular, in the state nature reserve “Krasnyy les”. Methods. The following methods were used: route-reconnaissance (during expeditions), traditional geobotanical and ampelographic, analytical. Results. 5 isolated populations of wild grapes were found on the territory of the natural reserve “Krasnyy les”. These forms were first studied and described according to the ecological and geographical conditions of growth and morphological features of the vegetative and generative spheres of grape plants. Significant variability of some indicators was revealed, for example: the openness of the crown of a young shoot and its degree of spider pubescence, the degree of bristly and spider pubescence of the underside of the formed leaf, the shape and corrugation of the leaf blade, etc. At the same time, the clusters of the studied wild forms of grapes are small, loose; the berries are also small, mostly black in color with a sweet tart taste. The presence of damage by pests and diseases is not visually detected. These isolated grape populations may hypothetically belong to Vitis vinifera ssp. Silvestris Gmel. or its varieties var. Tipica Negr. (wild forest grapes). Samples were taken for further genetic analysis in order to confirm or refute the above hypothesis. This study was conducted within the framework of the RFBR grant project (Contract No. 19-416-230025). Practical significance. The studied wild-growing forms of grapes can be used as promising sources of economically valuable breeding traits in the creation of new varieties, hybrid or clonal forms of grapes that are resistant to abiotic and biotic environmental factors.

New and little known species of moth flies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Psychodinae) from Nicaragua

The male of a new species Arisemus venustus sp. n. from Nicaragua, the Cerro Musun Natural Reserve, is described. A. atrasetus (Rapp, 1945) and Platyplastinx tango Quate et Brown, 2004 (Diptera: Psychodidae: Psychodinae) from Nicaragua are redescribed and illustrated on the basis of male morphological characters.

Rare inventory of trematode diversity in a protected natural reserve

In the face of ongoing habitat degradation and the biodiversity crisis, natural reserves are important refuges for wildlife. Since most free-living organisms serve as hosts to parasites, the diverse communities in protected areas can be expected to provide suitable habitats for a species-rich parasite fauna. However, to date, assessments of parasite diversity in protected nature reserves are rare. To expand our knowledge of parasite communities in natural habitats, we examined 1994 molluscs belonging to 15 species for trematode infections in a central European natural reserve. The parasitological examination revealed an overall prevalence of 17.3% and a total species richness of 40 trematode species. However, the parasite diversity and prevalence did not differ markedly from trematode communities in non-protected environments, which might be partly explained by a dilution effect caused by a high number of non-host organisms in our study system. The proportion of complex and long life cycles of parasites in the present study is high, indicating complex biotic interactions. We conclude that life cycle complexity, in addition to parasite diversity and trematode species richness, can provide valuable information on ecosystem health and should therefore be considered in future studies.