DEPENDENCE OF GERMINATION OF SEEDS OF FODDER CROPS ON THE DURATION OF STORAGE IN A GAS ENVIRONMENT

The research was carried out in the laboratory conditions of the Federal Williams Research Center of Forage Production and Agroecology on the seed material of nineteen varieties of the selection of VIC, stored since 1986 in a gas environment. The viability of the seeds was determined after 33 years of storage. The laboratory germination rate of the samples after storage varied from 0.7 to 90.3%. Aging of cereal grasses is faster. After storage in a gas environment for 33 years germination of more than 80% was observed in four samples of the legume family and one of the cereals. After being removed from the CSG and placed in normal conditions for a year, most of the samples retained their economic validity, with the exception of forage cereals: brome grass, meadow and reed fescue, and cocksfoot.

Current condition of populations and spatial-environmental features of habitats of russet ground squirrel Spermophilus major

The russet ground squirrel (Spermophilus major ) is known in the literature as a numerous widespread ground squirrel species. In recent decades, a decline in its abundance was found in some parts of its range. We have assessed the condition of this species in most parts of its distribution area based on our observations and interviews with local people. Spatial, landscape and vegetation cover parameters of S. major settlements have been studied. The research results showed a decline in the number, disappearance of settlements and a decrease in suitable habitats for this species. Small and medium-sized settlements with relatively low density of burrows, associated with low grass meadow communities typical for pastures and cattle grazing, prevail among the found settlements. One of the main factors for the decline in the number and disappearance of settlements of russet ground squirrel is, apparently, a decrease of pasture cattle grazing intensity. The continuing trend of degradation of pasture ecosystems may pose a threat to the existence of this species.

Extent of Sedge/Grass Meadow in a Lake Michigan Drowned-River-Mouth Wetland Dictated by Topography/Bathymetry and Lake Level

Water-level fluctuations are critical in maintaining the diversity of plant communities in Great Lakes wetlands. Sedge/grass meadows are especially sensitive to such fluctuations. We conducted vegetation sampling in a sedge/grass-dominated Lake Michigan drowned-river-mouth wetland in 1995, 2002, and 2010 that followed high lake levels in 1986 and 1997. We also conducted photointerpretation studies in 16 years dating back to 1965 to include responses to high lake level in 1952 and 1974. Topographic/bathymetric data were collected to assess their influence on areal extent of sedge/grass meadow. Dominant species in short emergent and submersed/floating plant communities changed with water availability from 1995 to extreme low lake levels in 2002 and 2010. Sedge/grass meadow was dominated by Calamagrostis canadensis and Carex stricta in all years sampled, but Importance Values differed among years partly due to sampling in newly exposed areas. Photointerpretation studies showed a significant relation between percent of wetland in sedge/grass meadow and summer lake level, as well as the number of years since an extreme high lake level. From the topographic/bathymetric map created, we calculated the cumulative area above each 0.2-m contour to determine the percent of wetland dewatered in select years following extreme high lake levels. When compared with percent sedge/grass meadow in those years, relative changes in both predicted land surface and sedge/grass meadow demonstrated that accuracy of lake level as a predictor of area of sedge/grass meadow is dependent on topography/bathymetry. Our results regarding relations of plant-community response to hydrology are applicable to other Great Lakes wetlands.

PSXI-14 Enteric methane and nitrogen emissions in cattle consuming tanniferous and non-tanniferous legumes, grass or a ration

Incorporation of legumes into forage systems has been a widely adopted strategy to increase pasture productivity and forage nutritive value, while reducing N inputs. In addition, some legumes contain beneficial chemicals like condensed tannins (CT), which could enhance the efficiency of energy and protein use in ruminants relative to other forages. We assessed (i) animal performance, (ii) methane emissions (SF6 technique), and (iii) concentration of nitrogen in urine and blood in cattle grazing a CT-containing legume (birdsfoot trefoil; BFT), a legume without tannins (cicer milkvetch; CMV), a grass (meadow brome; MB), or in cattle fed a total mixed ration (TMR). Fifteen Angus heifers were randomly assigned to one of three treatment pastures: (1) BFT, (2) CMV, and (3) MB. Each treatment had 5 spatial replications, randomly divided into three paddocks (64 × 57m), seeded with BFT, CMV or MB, and one heifer was assigned to each paddock. Five Angus heifers were randomly assigned to individual adjacent pens and received a TMR ration (25% of alfalfa hay, 25% corn silage and 50% chopped barley) during the same period. Response variables were analyzed as a split-plot design, with experimental units as the random factor and treatment as a fixed factor with day as the repeated measure. Cows grazing BFT (1.9% condensed tannins) or fed the TMR showed greater weight gains than cows grazing CMV or MB (P = 0.0006). Methane emissions did not differ among treatments (P > 0.05; Table 1). Blood urea nitrogen concentrations were similar in cows grazing BFT or CMV (P = 0.1202), but greater than in animals grazing MB or fed TMR (P < .0001). Urinary nitrogen concentrations were similar among treatments (P = 0.5266). These results suggest grazing tanniferous legumes enhanced BW gains with similar methane and urinary nitrogen emissions to grass and confinement alternatives and greater levels of production than grass or CMV.

Vegetation of the Dniester Canyon and assessment of its adaptive potential

Syntaxonomy of the natural vegetation of the Dniester Canyon, including 20 classes, 30 orders, 44 alliances, and 71 associations, is presented. The natural vegetation of the canyon is formed by communities of the classes Carpino-Fagetea sylvaticae, Quercetea pubescentis, Quercetea robori-petraeae, Alno glutinosae-Populetea albae, Crataego-Prunetea, Festuco-Brometea, Trifolio-Geranietea sanguine, Molinio-Arrhenatheretea, Sedo-Scleranthetea, Phragmito-Magnocaricetea, Bolboschoenetea maritimi, and Isoëto-Nanojuncetea. Grassland vegetation is characterized by the highest syntaxonomic diversity. Quantitative assessment of syntaxonomic diversity in the three-dimensional system of ecological strategies of species according to Ramensky-Grime (CRS) was carried out. Adaptive capabilities, i.e. the potential for possible further development of forest, shrub and grassland habitats, have been assessed. It has been found that the dynamics of forest shrub, grass meadow and steppe communities is determined by successive endoecogenetic processes. In petrophytic communities, fluctuation changes are not manifested and successional changes are rather limited. Significant fluctuations are inherent in floodplain grasslands that depend on the sharp variability of moisture during the growing season. At the same time, it is emphasized that actual realization of these processes depends on influences of external drivers that can be considered as regulatory factors in possible development of syntaxa.

Construction and design of F. Hundertwasser green roofs

The article presents the main provisions of the philosophy and theory of plant integration into the architecture of the Friedensreich Hundertwasser building: forest, grass, meadow roofs, tenant trees. Indicated on their purpose and role in improving the ecology and aesthetics of the city. Data from a field survey of the green roofs of famous Hundertwasser buildings are given. For the first time in domestic landscape science, data on the structures and materials of green roofs used since the 70-s of the last century for the implementation of Hundertwasser projects has been studied and presented, which is of both theoretical and practical interest for the development of this area of landscape architecture.

Sexual and ontogenetic structures of gynodioecious Geranium pseudosibiricum J. Mayer (Geraniaceae) in Altai Mountains

Geranium pseudosibiricum J. Mayer. is a gynodioecious North and Central Asian species. The study was conducted in a grass meadow on the edge of larch forest in the Altai Republic. The aim was to study the sexual and ontogenetic structures of the coenopopulation of G. pseudosibiricum. The generative individual consists of shoots of only one sexual form: hermaphrodite with bisexual flowers and female with pistillate flowers. There are significant differences in the length of corolla: the length of bisexual flowers is 12.2 ± 0.29 mm, pistillate flowers 6.7 ± 0.19 mm. The bisexual flower has well-developed stamens and anthers; the pistillate flower has stamens with underdeveloped anthers. There are no significant differences between hermaphrodite and female individuals in the number of generative shoots and the number of flowers per individual. The ontogenetic structure of the coenopopulation of G. pseudosibiricum is dominated by pregenerative individuals − 53%. Good seed germination contributes to maintenance of sexual structure of the coenopopulation. The female frequency is 55% of the total number of generative plants. The detected morphological differences between bisexual and pistillate flowers and the high female frequency may indicate a high degree of sexual differentiation of G. pseudosibiricum.

Biochemical composition and productivity of reindeer pastures in the Arctic tundra subzone of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

Northern domestic reindeer breeding in the Arctic zone of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is a traditional and ethnos-preserving industry of the indigenous peoples of the North living there. Anabarsky national (Dolgan-Evenki) district is a place of compact residence of one of the small peoples of the North – the Dolgans. They have preserved their unique traditional method of keeping and breeding of domestic reindeer. Northern vegetation, especially Arctic vegetation is very vulnerable and tender. The problem of ecological and floristic researches of pasture plants in the North-East of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is one of the most important tasks. Domestic reindeer are kept on natural pasture feed, so the urgent task is the rational exploitation of reindeer pastures, which is based on the study of productivity, changes in plant diversity under the influence of grazing and man-made impacts. These factors of influence on the state of deer pastures (degradation and loss of the main feed of deer-lichens) remain poorly studied at present. The purpose of the researches was to provide scientific justification for the rational use and protection of reindeer pastures, to study the feed supply of natural reindeer pastures in the Arctic tundra subzone of the Anabarsky national (Dolgan-Evenki) district of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The results of researches have shown that the maximum yield has been observed in the camp #2: willow-grass meadow – 38 centner/ha DM and grass meadow – 41,3 centner/ha DM. Herbages 5 camps (herb-cotton-grass meadow, mixed grass-meadow of mossy plants, willow-grass meadow, grass meadow, forb-grass meadow, sedge meadow of mossy plants) reindeer pastures have been characterized by a high nutritional value feed, allowing to develop and strengthen the feed base for the development of reindeer breeding in the subzone of the Arctic tundra of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia).