Post fire ground vegetation development over 25 years

Fire has been a part of natural disturbance regime in boreal and to some extent also hemiboreal forests, affecting soil and light conditions, seedbanks, trees and ground vegetation. The most significant factors affecting occurrence, severity and size of forest fires are anthropogenic, weather and the environment, all of which are changing due to human-caused climate change. This paper discusses medium term (25 years) vegetation development in five different biotopes after fire disturbance. Sample plots were established in Slitere Reserve (now National park) in north-western Latvia on areas affected by large fire in 1992. Data were collected in 1993, 2002 and 2017. The aim of the study was to characterize the regeneration and succession of ground vegetation after the fire. In 1993, species such as bog-rosemary (Andromeda polifolia), heather (Calluna vulgaris) and cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus) were observed in the ground vegetation a year after the fire. In 2002 liverworts appeared, indicating that the bog has acquired more stable and wetter conditions, but in 2017, liverwort mosses were no longer present and the percentage cover of Rubus chamaemorus decreased significantly and Calluna vulgaris, sphagnum sp., and Betula pendula were present in large quantities in the bog. Comparing these studied years, it can be concluded that all these years the biotopes and species have continuously developed and are regenerating.

ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIRADICAL ACTIVITY IN VITRO OF EXTRACTS FROM THE LEAVES OF RUBUS CHAMAEMORUS L. (ROSACEAE)

Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus L.) is the leader among northern berries in the content of phenolic compounds, which can cause a wide range of biological activity. Currently, there is an increased interest in the study of the antioxidant activity of plant extracts in order to search for promising sources of raw materials for the pharmaceutical and food industries. The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of interpopulation and gender differences in antioxidant and antiradical activities in vitro of cloudberry leaf extracts growing on the territory of the Republic of Belarus. Classical spectrophotometric methods were used for determination: phosphomolibdenic method, Fe + 2-chelating activity, NO-inhibiting activity, inhibition of hydroxyl radicals (OH), method of superoxide radical inhibition in an alkaline solution of dimethylsulfoxide, DPPH, ABTS. Differences in the content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in the alcoholic extracts of leaf blades of Rubus chamaemorus L. It was found that the population of the Bolshoi Mokh preserve possesses the highest inhibition rates of hydroxyl radicals and superoxide radicals. The maximum iron-chelating activity was exhibited by the extracts of the male plant of the Bolshoy Moh preserve. The least inhibitory activity of Rubus chamaemorus L. leaf extracts was shown to the nitrogen-oxide radical. The established values of antioxidant and antiradical activities, as well as the content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids of the leaf blades of Rubus chamaemorus L. may be important for the development of measures to preserve the species and specific populations on the southern border of the habitat.

Swampy mesotrophic peatmoss spruce forests of European Russia and Urals

На основе выборки из 130 геоботанических описаний, сделанных авторами в 1995-2019 гг. или взятых из литературы, проведена доминантно-детерминантная классификация топких мезотрофных (Picea abies s.l.) ельников сфагновых, развивающихся при подтоплении либо периодическом затоплении в Европейской России и на Урале. Ценотическое разнообразие этих сообществ определяется спецификой названных процессов в сочетании с климатическими факторами, тогда как роль почвообразующих пород почти не выражена. Выделено 6 ассоциаций с 6 субассоциациями и 2 вариантами, всего 11 синтаксонов (табл. 1). В их числе подтопленные ельники вейниковые сфагновые с господством Calamagrostis purpurea s.l. и Equisetum sylvaticum в травяном ярусе (4 субассоциации в разных подзонах тайги либо долготных секторах), вздутоосоковые с Carex rostrata и C. vesicaria и вахтовые с Menyanthes trifoliata (2 субассоциации). Кроме того, выделены эндемичные для Южного Урала ельники малоцветковоосоковые с C. pauciflora и Rubus chamaemorus, развивающиеся на поверхностном дождевом стоке (2 варианта), приречные северотаежные водноосоковые с Carex aquatilis и затопленные южно- и подтаежные белокрыльниковые с Calla palustris. Для большинства синтаксонов характерны Swampy mesotrophic peatmoss spruce forests, dominated by Picea abies s.l. and originated due to inundation or periodical flooding, have been classified in European Russia and the Urals using the dominant-determinant approach to vegetation. The data set involves 130 relevés made by the authors in 1996-2019 or taken from the published sources. 11 syntaxa are totally recognized (see Table 1). Inundated reedgrass-peatmoss (with the dominance of Calamagrostis purpurea s.l. and Equisetum sylvaticum in the field layer; 4 subassociations in different subzones or longitudinal sectors), sedge-peatmoss (with Carex rostrata and C. vesicaria), and trefoil-peatmoss (with Menyanthes trifoliata; 2 subassociations) spruce forests are recognized. In addition, one can distinguish sedge-cloudberry-peatmoss spruce forests with Carex pauciflora и Rubus chamaemorus in the subalpine belt of the Southern Urals, developing due to surficial rain flow, also riverine northern-boreal sedge-peatmoss forests with Carex aquatilis and flooded southern- and hemiboreal calla-peatmoss spruce forests with Calla palustris. The observed syntaxonomic diversity is governed by inundation/flooding intensity and longevity together with latitudinal zonation and climate continentality, whereas the role of bedrock type influence is minimal. Multi-dominance and mutual replaceability are typical for peatmosses in most of the syntaxa.

THE NAMES OF BERRIES IN THE KOMI-PERMYAK LANGUAGE OF THE LATE 18th CENTURY (ON THE MANUSCRIPTS OF ANTONY POPOV)

The article deals with fifteen Komi-Permyak names of berries noted at the end of the 18th century: ди́каꙗ ка́лина [díkaya kálina] ‘elderberry (Sambucus racemosa L.)’, е́жевика [ézhevika] ‘European dewberry (Rubus caesius L.) (?)’, же́лнегъ [zhélneg] ‘rose hip (Rosa L.)’, жи́молость [zhímolost'] ‘honeysuckle (Lonicera L.)’, жо́ [zhó] ‘viburnum (Viburnum L.)’, л ѣ ́ мъ [lém] ‘bird cherry (Prunus padus L.)’, мы́рпонъ [mýrpon] ‘cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus L.)’, на́мыръ [námyr] ‘stone bramble (Rubus saxatilis L.)’, о́зъ [óz] ‘strawberry (Fragaria L.)’, пу́лъ [púl] ‘cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.)’, ря́бина [ryábina] ‘rowan (Sorbus L.)’, сэ́тэръ [séhtehr] ‘currant (Ribes L.)’, с ѣ ́ ́ла о̀зъ [séla òz] ‘creamy strawberry (Fragaria viridis (Duch.) Weston)’, ту́ри моль [túri mol'] ‘cranberry (Vaccinium subgen. Oxycoccus (Hill) A. Gray)’, э́мидзь [éhmidz'] ‘raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.)’. The research is based on the material of two handwritten Komi-Permyak-Russian dictionaries (alphabetical and thematic) of 1785 authored by the archpriest of the Peter and Paul Cathedral in Perm Antony Popov (1748-1788). The purpose of this study is to establish the history, etymology and ethnocultural features of the Komi-Permyak names of berries noted in A. Popov’s manuscripts. Among the methods and approaches used in this study: a) methods of historical knowledge; b) the empirical method; c) methods and techniques of comparative historical and comparative linguistics. The names of berries from A. Popov’s dictionaries are compared with the material of other later sources on the Komi-Permyak language, and are also compared with the data of the Komi-Permyak literary language and modern Komi dialects. The ethnolinguistic data and versions about the origin of all the considered Komi-Permyak words are given. Etymological analysis has shown that the native names of berries originated in ancient times, most of them belong to the pre-Permic (Finno-Permic, Finno-Ugric, Uralic) era; also there is a possible substrate heritage. Some words have lost the ability to be used independently, while others can now be classified as archaisms, dialectisms, and passive vocabulary.

ANALYSIS OF FLAVONES C-GLYCOSIDES AND AND STEPWISE HYDROLYSIS OF THEIR ACETATES IN THE LEAVES OF RUBUS CHAMAEMORUS L.

The C-glycoside embinin and its mono- and diacetate derivatives have immunotropic and cardiotonic activity, which makes the search for plants that contain them interesting. Embinin and its acetate derivatives were previously isolated only from some plants of the genus Iris, the habitat and growing conditions of which are very different from those of the genus Rubus. As a result of the study, the structure of seven C-glycosides, embinin derivatives, isolated from the leaves of Rubus chamaemorus L. (Rosaceae) was established. Using HR-ESI-MS, HPLC-MS, as well as one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, the structure of three substances isolated in individual form was established: embinin (1) and its diacetyl derivatives – 2''',3'''-diacetylembinin (5) and 3''',4'''-diacetylembinin (7). The method of stepwise hydrolysis of C-glycoside acetate residues proposed in this study, followed by HPLC analysis of the resulting hydrolysis products, made it possible to establish the structure of minor flavone C-glycosides contained in the leaves of Rubus chamaemorus L.: 2'''-acetylembinin (2), 3'''-acetylembinin (3), 4'''-acetylembinin (4) and 2''',4'''-diacetylembinin (6). All these compounds were found in the leaves of Rubus chamaemorus L. for the first time. The C-glycosides - embinin and its acetate derivatives are rare metabolites of higher plants, the presence of which is determined by the peculiarity of their physiology, and the biological activity determines the prospects for medical use.

Interspecific and intraspecific variation in leaf toughness of Arctic plants in relation to habitat and nutrient supply

Leaf toughness is an important functional trait that confers resistance to herbivory and mechanical damage. We sought to determine how species composition, climate, seasonality, and nutrient availability influence leaf toughness in two types of tundra in northern Alaska. We measured leaf toughness as force to punch for 11 species of Arctic plants in tussock tundra and dry heath tundra at 17 sites distributed along a latitudinal gradient. Rubus chamaemorus and the graminoids occupied opposite ends of the leaf toughness spectrum, with R. chamaemorus requiring the least force to punch, while one of the graminoids, Eriophorum vaginatum, required the most. Leaf toughness increased with mean summer temperature for E. vaginatum and Betula nana, while it declined with warmer temperatures for the other species. Toughness of mature leaves of E. vaginatum did not vary through the growing season but declined significantly after senescence. Application of N and P fertilizer in an experimental site decreased leaf toughness in three species but had no effect on four others. Leaf toughness of four out of five species in dry heath was greater than for the same species in tussock tundra, but there was no difference in community-weighted mean toughness between tussock tundra and dry heath.

Фитохимический анализ вторичных метаболитов полифенольной природы в листьях морошки обыкновенной (Rubus chamaemorus L.)

В результате фитохимического исследования листьев морошки были выделены и установлены структуры одного нового (1) и четырех известных природных соединений (2 – 5). Соединение 1 – 4-О-α-L-арабинофуранозилэллаговая кислота и соединение 2 — (-)-эпикатехин относятся к классу таннинов. Соединения 3 – 5 представляют собой глюк- уроновые гликозиды флавоноидов — кверцетин-3-O-β-D-глюкуронид (3), кверцетин-3-O-β-D-2″-галлоилглюкуронид (4) и кемпферол-3-O-β-D-глюкуронид (5). Соединения 4 и 5 были идентифицированы и выделены из сырья Rubus chamaemorus L. впервые. Прогноз спектров биологической активности для выделенных соединений 1 – 5 с применением программы PASS позволил определить наиболее перспективные направления экспериментальных исследований их биологической активности.