ECOLOGICAL SPECIFICITY OF PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY OF FUTURE CIVIL PROTECTION PROFESSIONALS

The article investigates that the process of formation of ecological culture has passed from primitive society through primitive form, slave, feudal (adaptive-regressive form), to modern society with progressive-adaptive form of ecological culture. In the process of evolution, these changes led to coevolution associated with the development of man and society, and with the evolutionary development of nature itself. It is proved that in the conditions of global deterioration of ecological situation the new vision of the person consists that it is seen not as the owner, and is an organic part of the nature. The idea of priority cooperation with nature is being developed, and the search for ways to achieve these goals begins. The human community is approaching the initial stage of forming a holistic environmental culture. It is revealed that as a new historical type, a new stage of culture of society has the following structure: industrial culture (culture of industrial type), post-industrial or information culture (culture of information society) and ecological culture as a new type (period) of culture; environmental culture, which implies a new stage in the development of culture in general, associated with a change in the goals of production, its reorientation to the preservation of nature and humanity itself.

Orchid Reintroduction Based on Seed Germination-Promoting Mycorrhizal Fungi Derived From Protocorms or Seedlings

Orchids are among the most endangered in the plant kingdom. Lack of endosperm in their seeds renders orchids to depend on nutrients provided by orchid mycorrhizal fungi (OMF) for seed germination and seedling formation in the wild. OMF that parasitize in germination seeds is an essential element for orchid seedling formation, which can also help orchid reintroduction. Considering the limitations of the previous orchid reintroduction technology based on seed germination-promoting OMF (sgOMF) sourced from orchid roots, an innovative approach is proposed here in which orchid seeds are directly co-sown with sgOMF carrying ecological specificity from protocorms/seedlings. Based on this principle, an integrative and practical procedure concerning related ecological factors is further raised for re-constructing long-term and self-sustained orchid populations. We believe that this new approach will benefit the reintroduction of endangered orchids in nature.

Estimation of the Productivity Potential of Mountain Sites (Mixed Beech-Coniferous Stands) in the Romanian Carpathians

Research Highlights: This study highlighted the possibility of estimating the productivity of mountain sites (mixed beech-coniferous stands) based on tree and stand dendrometric characteristics. Background and Objectives: The mountainous region of Romania offers suitable conditions for the formation and development of mixed beech-coniferous stands with complex, multi-aged structures. Based on the dendrometric characteristics of the trees, established indicators were used to estimate the productivity of the sites, with other quantitative indicators being proposed to better capture the particularities of mixed multi-aged stands. Materials and Methods: To evaluate the productive potential of the sites, a combined in situ mapping method was applied. Laboratory analyses of soils, and information provided indirectly by indicator plant and tree overstories, led to the characterization of soil types and the identification of forest sites for study. The productivity of the sites was estimated using quantitative indicators established based on the dendrometric characteristics of the trees and stands. Results: Indicators based on stand production and growth are relevant for multi-aged stands of mixed beech-coniferous formation. The ratio between tree volume and the basal area is the result of basal area and height increments, both of which are variable and depend on the quality of the site. Thus, a form height stand can be used as an indicator to characterize the productivity of the site in mixed multi-aged stands. Conclusions: Knowing the ecological specificity of sites in the formation of mixed beech-coniferous forests is a first condition necessary to achieving stable stands that are able to continuously fulfill multiple functions. The favorability of forest sites for a certain assortment of species is a fundamental character of the sites, which is essential for the management of these forest formations.

Features of the main elements of organic farming in agro-landscapes contaminated with 137CS (on the example of the Chernobyl accident)

It is shown that the use of mineral fertilizers in areas contaminated with radioactive cesium has a radio-ecological specificity, caused by the need to obtain the guaranteed normatively safe agricultural product. The radiological effectiveness of mineral fertilizers is differentiated depending on the belonging of plants to different biological species. In conditions of sod-podzolic soils of Polissya it is much higher than on chernozems.

Seasonal and ecological structure of the avifauna of the "Cape Martyan" Nature Reserve

The paper presents the list of birds of the Cape Martyan Nature Reserve, compiled in accordance with the international concepts of the taxonomy and nomenclature of birds in North-Eastern Eurasia, with a species-specific characteristic of a phenological status and an ecological specificity. It was found that 179 species of the modern avifauna of the territorial-aquatic complex belong to 51 families and 19 orders. Six orders (Passeriformes, Charadriiformes, Anseriformes, Falconiformes, Ciconiiformes, Gruiformes) unite 149 species (or 83.3% of the reserve's avifauna). The main part of the fauna is a group of migratory birds (134 species, or 74.9%), which include transit migrants (78), nesting migrants (16) and species whose local populations are sedentary (4). 39 species nest, 88 winters, including 24 sedentary ones. On summer grounds 21 species were recorded, on migrations - 9 ones. In the ecological structure of the avifauna of the reserve dendrophils (40.2%) and limnophiles (38.5%) dominate, the share of sclerophils is 12.3%, campophiles - 7.8%. Analysis of the seasonal spectrum of the ecological structure showed that limnophiles (42.5%) and dendrophils (35.8%) predominate among migrants, 12.7 and 10.4% are among sclerophils and campophiles respectively. The structure of the wintering complex repeats the migration aspect, and in the nesting complex after dendrophils (64.1%), the second place is occupied by sclerophils (25.6%).

Cyprinidae of central Amur in floodland waters of the Zabelovsky cluster of the Bastak reserve

В статье рассмотрены результаты изучения ихтиофауны поймы реки Амур на территории кластера «Забеловский» заповедника «Бастак» (Еврейская автономная область). Освещены вопросы разнообразия, распространения и экологической специфики рыб семейства Cyprinidae (Карповые) в водоёмах кластера. Приведены биологические характеристики представителей массовых видов рыб: сазана, серебряного карася, пёстрого коня, толстолоба, белого амура, амурского язя, уклея за период наблюдений с 2000 по 2018 год. Сведения являются новыми для исследуемого района. Here I consider the results of studying the ichthyofauna of the Amur River floodplain in the area of the Zabelovsky Cluster of the Bastak Reserve (Jewish Autonomous Region). Issues of diversity, distribution, and ecological specificity of fish of the family Cyprinidae (cyprinids) in the water bodies of the Cluster are highlighted. The biological features of representatives of common fish species such as Cyprinus carpio haemotopterus, Carassius gibelio, Hemibarbus maculatus, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Ctenopharyngodon idella, Leuciscus waleckii are given for the observation period from 2000 to 2018. The information is new for the study area.

Ecological specificity of the metagenome in a set of lower termite species supports contribution of the microbiome to adaptation of the host

Background Elucidating the interplay between hosts and their microbiomes in ecological adaptation has become a central theme in evolutionary biology. A textbook example of microbiome-mediated adaptation is the adaptation of lower termites to a wood-based diet, as they depend on their gut microbiome to digest wood. Lower termites have further adapted to different life types. Termites of the wood-dwelling life type never leave their nests and feed on a uniform diet. Termites of the foraging life type forage for food outside the nest and have access to other nutrients. Here we sought to investigate whether the microbiome that is involved in food substrate breakdown and nutrient acquisition might contribute to adaptation to these dietary differences. We reasoned that this should leave ecological imprints on the microbiome. Results We investigated the protist and bacterial microbiomes of a total of 29 replicate colonies from five termite species, covering both life types, using metagenomic shotgun sequencing. The microbiome of wood-dwelling species with a uniform wood diet was enriched for genes involved in lignocellulose degradation. Furthermore, metagenomic patterns suggest that the microbiome of wood-dwelling species relied primarily on direct fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, while the microbiome of foraging species entailed the necessary pathways to utilize nitrogen in the form of nitrate for example from soil. Conclusion Our findings are consistent with the notion that the microbiome of wood-dwelling species bears an imprint of its specialization on degrading a uniform wood diet, while the microbiome of the foraging species might reflect its adaption to access growth limiting nutrients from more diverse sources. This supports the idea that specific subsets of functions encoded by the microbiome can contribute to host adaptation.

New for Lithuania aphid species of the tribe Eulachnini (Hemiptera: Aphididae, Lachninae): is there any threat to local coniferous forests?

Information about Eulachnini species in Lithuania concerns fragmentary faunistic data, therefore, their diversity, abundancy and ecological specificity is insufficiently studied. The aim of this work was to present available information on the new to Lithuania Eulachnini aphid species detected on coniferous plants in Lithuania in 2004 - 2017, with special regard to their potential impacts on forestry. Partial COI sequences (652 bp) were used to confirm morphology-based identification of new to Lithuania Eulachnini species and to investigate their genetic diversity and relationships with samples collected in other countries. Twenty-seven aphid species of the tribe Eulachnini were detected in 2004 – 2017 in Lithuania. Eight of them are reported from Lithuania for the first time: Cinara (Cinara) brauni, C. (C.) kochiana, C. (C.) neubergi, C. (C.) laricis, C. (C.) pectinatae, C. (C.) piceae, Eulachnus brevipilosus and E. nigricola. Five species of Eulachnini (C. (C.) piceae, C. (C.) nuda, C. (C.) piceicola, C. (C.) pinea, and C. (C.) pini) appeared to be most promising honey dew producers because their host plants, Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris, are the most common conifers in Lithuania. Although five species of Eulachnini were listed in the identification key of forest pests in Lithuania, none of them were of particular importance for now. Out of the recently reported species, only Cinara piceae may be a potential forest pest as it appeared to be rather common in Lithuania and it has been reported as a pest of firs in nurseries of Czech Republic and Northern Caucasus. Most of the samples from Lithuania represented COI haplotypes, which were not previously detected in other countries.

Ecological specificity of the metagenome in a set of lower termite species supports contribution of the microbiome to adaptation of the host

BackgroundElucidating the interplay between hosts and their microbiomes in ecological adaptation has become a central theme in evolutionary biology. A textbook example of microbiome-mediated adaptation is the adaptation of lower termites to a wood-based diet, as they depend on their gut microbiome to digest wood. Lower termites have further adapted to different life types. Termites of the wood-dwelling life type never leave their nests and feed on a uniform diet. Termites of the foraging life type forage for food outside the nest and have access to other nutrients. Here we sought to investigate whether the microbiome that is involved in food substrate breakdown and nutrient acquisition might contribute to adaptation to these ecological differences. We reasoned that this should leave ecological imprints on the microbiome.ResultsWe investigated the protist and bacterial microbiomes of a total of 29 replicate colonies from five termite species, covering both life types, using metagenomic shotgun sequencing. The microbiome of wood-dwelling species with a uniform wood diet was enriched for genes involved in lignocellulose degradation. Furthermore, metagenomic patterns suggest that the microbiome of wood-dwelling species relied primarily on direct fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, while the microbiome of foraging species entailed the necessary pathways to utilize nitrogen in the form of nitrate for example from soil.ConclusionOur findings are consistent with the notion that the microbiome of wood-dwelling species bears an imprint of its specialization on degrading a uniform wood diet, while the microbiome of the foraging species might reflect its adaption to access growth limiting nutrients from more diverse sources. This supports the idea that specific subsets of functions encoded by the microbiome can contribute to host adaptation.