Assessment of the Consequences of Forest Fires in 2020 on the Territory of the Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve

The article presents the consequences of fires that occurred on the territory Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve in April 2020. Research shows that the results of these events characterized as catastrophic. The condition of forests after fires was assessed using satellite data and field trips to review the condition of forests affected by wildfires. The total area affected by the fire in 4 foci was 51,806.5 hectares. The total area of fires in the exclusion zone is 66,222.5 hectares. About 25% of the territories affected by the fires have changed. To preserve the landscape diversity and mosaic of areas covered and not covered with forest vegetation, it is impractical to conduct afforestation (afforestation of fallows) on the territory of the reserve. Among the forests affected by fires, the majority has a high ecological and forestry potential and, accordingly, a high potential for natural recovery (81.6%). In dead forests, the share with a high potential for natural reforestation is slightly lower and amounts to 66.8%. The share of forests with low natural recovery potential is low and amounts to 1.9% and 4.8% in forests affected by fires and dead, respectively. Significantly damaged, and sometimes destroyed, were a number of rare settlements, which are not only important for nature conservation, but also classified by the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention (Resolution 4) as particularly valuable settlements, as well as the “Green Book of Ukraine” (2009). 2 groups were marked as excessively damaged on the territory of the reserve. It should be noted that there is a slight general violation of the protected core of this object of the nature reserve fund, which will allow it to preserve its environmental potential and the functions of protecting and reproducing biodiversity. Most of the areas of the reserve affected by fires have a high forestry potential and are able to recover independently, so they do not require intervention in natural processes for reforestation. The degree of transformation of the ground cover in pine and oak-pine forests of the reserve under the influence of pyrogenic factor is determined by the intensity of the fire. Reforestation in areas with low forest potential should be carried out with clear planning

Rare plant species in Zavodska hromada (Myrhorod district, Poltava region, Ukraine)

According to our own observations, literature data and herbarium data, we compiled a list of rare plant species of Zavodska hromada (Myrhorod district, Poltava region, Ukraine) including the information on the findings of them. We have posted plant observations on iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/people/igor_olshanskyi. There are two species that are included in Annex I of the Bern Convention [according to the oflcial translation into Ukrainian: https:// zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_032#Text] (Jurinea cyanoides and Salvinia natans), five species that are listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine (2009) (Anacamptis palustris, Astragalus dasyanthus, Dactylorhiza incarnata, Gladiolus tenuis and Salvinia natans) and eight species are rare in Poltava region (Amygdalus nana, Convallaria majalis, Inula helenium, Nymphaea alba, Sanguisorba officinalis, Utricularia vulgaris, Valeriana officinalis, Vinca minor). On the territory of Zavodska hromada, rare plant species are more common in rivers, meadows and swamps in the floodplains of the rivers Sula, Artopolot and Bodakva. Also, they grow on steppe slopes and in forests.

Improving the Knowledge on Distribution, Food Preferences and DNA Barcoding of Natura 2000 Protected Species Paracossulus thrips (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) in Romania

Paracossulus thrips (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) is one of the locally distributed and endangered species. In Europe, it is also one of the few protected moth species, through Annexes II and IV of the Council Directive 92/43/EEC, Annex II of the Bern Convention. To date, little is known about the biology and ecology of this species. Our study was conducted in Transylvania, Romania. Romania hosts some of the strongest populations of the species in the European region. As part of the study, we conducted field observations, vegetation analyses, and genetic analyses. In our paper, we show the habitat types where we encounter P. thrips in Transylvania and confirm Phlomis tuberosa as a host plant. Furthermore, a piece of important information for habitat conservation is given. In this paper, we present the eggs and larvae of P. thrips, the first DNA barcoding sequences, and four new populations of P. thrips in Romania. Our study provides baseline knowledge about the biology and ecology of P. thrips, which is important for conservation and establishing management measures.

SYSTEMATIC POSITION AND VULNERABILITY OF SABANEJEWIA BALCANICA IN THE BALKAN AREA

UDK: 597.551.2(497) Sabanejewia balcanica is a fish species that belongs to Cobitidae family and it is the endemic of the Balkan Peninsula. It is present in the tributaries of the Danube and Aegean waters. Systematics of this species has experienced certain changes that are related to the systemic instability of the entire Cobitidae family, so there has been a change in the name of the genus of this species. The genus Sabanejewia was separated from the genus Cobitis in the last century, but this name was generally used much later. According to data of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, this species is still not endangered, but is assigned a status of least concern (LC). Sabanejewia balcanica is in the Annex II of the Habitats Directive and Annex III of the Bern Convention which basically require the protection of this species and its habitats. In the proposal to create a red list of fauna of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, has been concluded that there is not enough information on the population characteristics of this species. The aim of this article is to present data on exploration of Sabanejewia balcanica in the Balkan area as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, thereby contributing to the determination of its status of vulnerability and protection of its natural habitats.

The state of Moldavian viper (Vipera Ursinii Moldavica) in the context of the action plan for their conservation (annexed to the Bern convention)

Based on the generalization of data from previous publications and own results, regarding the distribution of Meadow Viper (Vipera ursini) in the Dniester - Prut interfluve, the current species state in the context of the Action Plan for conservation, annexed to the Bern Convention, is characterized. The need to complex study of local habitat status and to take measures for their conservation is discussed. The influence of some anthropogenic and climatic factors upon the habitats and the problems of their conservation in the current conditions of agrolandscape are analyzed.

New data on the distribution of the threatened Scarce fritillary, Euphydryas maturna (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), in southern Romania

Euphydryas maturna is a highly endangered species listed on the Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive as well as on the Annex II of the Bern Convention. Despite being reported from almost all the historical regions of Romania, there are only two published records from Oltenia so far. Several specimens spotted in the Bungețu forest (near Bălcești, Vâlcea county) in late May 2021, are filling this gap in the known distribution of the Scarce fritillary in Romania.

State-organized crime and the killing of wolves in Norway

While scholars of state crime and organized crime have frequently explored the intersection of these fields with green criminology, for the most part they have not brought the two together as organized state criminality as a means to explore environmental destruction. Of the few explorations of organized state green crime that do exist, most do not embrace a non-speciesist perspective. In this article, we develop a non-speciesist theory of organized state green crime to explain the Norwegian state-licensed killing of wolves, a phenomenon that we analyze through the use of the concept ideological inertia. Our main argument is that the underlying cultural, political and economic interests that were prioritized up to the 1970s in Norway continue to have a counteracting effect on the protection of large carnivores, which the country committed to as a signatory to the Bern Convention.