To the hoverflies fauna (Diptera: Syrphidae) of the high mountains of Eastern Sayan in Siberia

A list of 101 species of hoverflies recorded from three high altitudinal belts in the Eastern Sayan mountain region is given. Most species belong to the subfamilies Syrphinae (60 species) and Eristalinae (38 species), while Pipizinae and Microdontinae are presented by two and one species, respectively. Totally, 96 species were found in the forest zone, 37 species were found in the mountain tundra and only Platycheirus chilosia has been caught in the golsty belt. New synonymy is established: Melangyna arctica (Zetterstedt, 1838) = Melangyna soszynskii Mielczarek, 2013 syn. n., = Melangyna tsherepanovi (Violovitsh, 1965) syn. n.

Response of altitudinal vegetation belts of the Tianshan Mountains in northwestern China to climate change during 1989–2015

Within the mountain altitudinal vegetation belts, the shift of forest tree lines and subalpine steppe belts to high altitudes constitutes an obvious response to global climate change. However, whether or not similar changes occur in steppe belts (low altitude) and nival belts in different areas within mountain systems remain undetermined. It is also unknown if these, responses to climate change are consistent. Here, using Landsat remote sensing images from 1989 to 2015, we obtained the spatial distribution of altitudinal vegetation belts in different periods of the Tianshan Mountains in Northwestern China. We suggest that the responses from different altitudinal vegetation belts to global climate change are different. The changes in the vegetation belts at low altitudes are spatially different. In high-altitude regions (higher than the forest belts), however, the trend of different altitudinal belts is consistent. Specifically, we focused on analyses of the impact of changes in temperature and precipitation on the nival belts, desert steppe belts, and montane steppe belts. The results demonstrated that the temperature in the study area exhibited an increasing trend, and is the main factor of altitudinal vegetation belts change in the Tianshan Mountains. In the context of a significant increase in temperature, the upper limit of the montane steppe in the eastern and central parts will shift to lower altitudes, which may limit the development of local animal husbandry. The montane steppe in the west, however, exhibits the opposite trend, which may augment the carrying capacity of pastures and promote the development of local animal husbandry. The lower limit of the nival belt will further increase in all studied areas, which may lead to an increase in surface runoff in the central and western regions.

Grassland bird species in mountain pastures Zaprikraj and Zapleč in the southern Julian Alps, Slovenia

Grassland birds were surveyed in two mountain pastures (Zaprikraj and Zapleč) in the southern part of the Julian Alps, Slovenia. The survey was carried out during the mornings between 26 and 30 June 2005. Due to the incomplete survey (only one visit, no nocturnal or targeted surveys and late season survey), the surveyed birds’ breeding density is only a rough estimate. 167 pairs belonging to 12 species were counted, with Tree (average density of 1.64 p/10 ha) and Water Pipit (average density of 1.60 p / 10 ha) being the most abundant. Both were observed in all altitudinal belts. The highest density in individual altitudinal belt was calculated for Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio (3.78 p/10 ha) and Water Pipit (3.61 p/10 ha). In well preserved grasslands in the study area, most species reached high breeding densities compared to other parts of Slovenia and all were recorded higher than during the 1992 survey, although still mostly within limits of the elevations elsewhere in Slovenia. Breeding density of Skylark Alauda arvensis decreased with the elevation. Whinchat Saxicola rubetra, Skylark and Red-backed Shrike used significantly gentler slopes, while Pipits showed no preference for particular slopes.

Rare plant communities of the northern range of Zhetysu Alatau Mountains

Data on rare plant communities in the Zhetysu Alatau northern slope are presented. They include 14syntaxa of rare plants and communities of altitudinal belts. The most part of rare plant phytocoenoses are protected in thelimits of Zhongar Alatau national park. Natural steppe communities are least provided with protection, which requires theconservation status of these territories.

Altitudinal zonation of mosses in west of the Sierra Nevada of Cocuy, Boyacá, Colombia

ABSTRACT This study was carried out with bryophyte populations in order to study the presence of populations and how they change over altitudinal gradients. Mosses were chosen as a model to do this study because they have a high sensitivity to climatic conditions and wide distribution. The western region of the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy, Boyacá, Colombia has a wide range of climate and ecosystems due to its complex topography. Plots were sampled every 200 m from the peak of Mount Mahoma at 4,200 m a.s.l. south to the Chicamocha River canyon at 1,200 m a.s.l. Diversity and cover are analyzed in each plot from soil, rock and bark substrates. We found 80 species distributed in 29 families, with Pottiaceae and Brachytheciaceae the most diverse families. Ours results show a tendency of the diversity and the coverage to increase with altitude, and we observed five altitudinal belts with three populations defined by mosses species. The Páramo and Superpáramo belts are the richest ones.

ECOLOGICAL AND CENOTIC ANALYSIS OF PTERIDOFLORA SPECIES REGISTERED ON THE TERRITORY OF THE ABKHAZIAN FLORISTIC REGION OF THE CAUCASUS

The geographical, ecological and cenotic analysis of pteridoflora species registered on the territory of the Abkhazian floristic region of the Caucasus is carried out. In this region Polypodiopsida is represented by 4 monophyletic orders, 8 families, 25 genera and 55 species. Fourteen types of geoelements are identified there. Five endemic species grow within the region, local endemics include Asplenium woronowii Christ., Polystichum woronowii Fomin, Asplenium hermanii-christii Fomin and Dryopteris alexeenkoana Fomin. In environmental terms, humidity regime is the limiting factor for pteridoflora. Mesomorphic structure is typical for 44 species, of which 31 species belong to mesophytes, 13 – to hygromesophytes. According to the phenorhythmotype, 12 species of ferns are evergreen, 27 species are summer-green, 9 are winter-green. Forty-three species were recorded in the forest. The second place is taken by rocky ecotopes: 21 species grow in forest edges, meadows, highlands. The largest number of pteridoflora was observed in mixed (24 species), oak-hornbeam (23 species), beech (22 species), alpine zone (19 species) and dark coniferous (14 species) forests. Rock substrates are found in all types of vegetation and mountain belts, where several types can be distinguished: Moraenapetrophyton, Schistopetrophyton, Petrophyton, Pratopetrophyton and Sylvapetrophyton. Coenotic variability and distribution in altitudinal belts of the types of pteridoflora is considered.