Пространственное распределение птиц Алданского нагорья.

The results of bird route censuses, conducted on the territory of the Aldan Highland in the first half of summer and generally covering the period from 2000 to 2019, were analyzed. The total length of the routes was about 2815 km. A total of 116 initial variants of the bird population were used. Based on the results of multivariate factor analysis for 160 species registered in these censuses, a hierarchical classification of their preference for habitats was drawn up. The classification showed that 45 % of birds prefer forests, woodlands and burned areas, 26.2 % - water bodies and their banks, 13.8 % - bogs and meadows, 9.4 % - villages and cities, 5.6 % - mountain tundra. A comparative analysis with a similar classification for the Altai Highland has been performed. The main differences in the territorial distribution of bird species in the Aldan Highland and Altai lie in a smaller number of identified types of preferences in our region. Due to the homogeneity of forest biotopes and the absence of the steppe, forest-steppe, subnival, and nival zones in the Aldan Highland, the corresponding landscapes are not represented here, which determines the absence of the steppe, forest-meadow-steppe, meadow-bog, and subnival types. Similarly to Altai, the forest, tundra and synanthropic types of preference are distinguished in the Aldan Highland.

A recent find of Ophrys insectifera (Orchidaceae) in Ukraine – will it survive another 100 years?

Here I report the first find of Ophrys insectifera in Ukraine since 1920. A single individual was found at its last recorded site, Chortova Hora near Rohatyn (Ivano-Frankivsk Region). The species occurs in a steppe meadow habitat situated in the lower part of a steep northern slope. Local vegetation may be classified to a broadly circumscribed association Brachypodio pinnati-Molinietum arundinaceae from the alliance Cirsio-Brachypodion pinnati (class Festuco-Brometea). I discuss possible causes of the long-term neglect of O. insectifera at the site, its habitat conditions and suitable conservation management. To ensure the continued occurrence of this poor competitor and other rare species, it is necessary to prevent accumulation of litter and successional changes of the grassland. Mowing, low-intensity grazing, controlled early spring burning or their combination may be suitable ways to achieve this.

Patterns in steppe meadow vegetation at the border of Forest-steppe and Steppe zones of the Southern Ural

The patterns (mosaicity) in steppe meadow vegetation were characterized at the border of Forest-steppe and Steppe zones of the Southern Ural by hierarchical continuum concept theory for Troitskiy state natural complex preserve example. It has been established that the discordant natural region bring about mosaicity destruction micro-patterns are fuzzy, parcels are not formed and coenotics (12,0 m) level is identified only. The steppe meadow vegetation is characterized by coenotic level continuum coenotic patterns have almost identical dominant and co-dominant species composition, phytochorologic units form combination of four meadow grasses with middle and weak contagious spatial distribution and most species have random spatial distribution. But the steppe meadow biotopes are characterized by specifics of abiotic factors. The significant factors, influencing coenotic patterns and biotopes of steppe meadow, are soil calcium and nitrogen regime, soil aeration, moistening and its variability.

The structure of Adonis wolgensis Stev. coenopopulation in the conditions of Northern Kazakhstan

The article presents the study results made on the Adonis wolgensis coenopopulation in Northern Kazakhstan (2018–2019). The materials have been gathered in the course of field research taking into account the literary data. The age structure of the coenopopulations is provided on the basis of detailed route studies. There have been studied eight coenopopulations located in Akmola, Pavlodar, and Kostanay regions. A. wolgensis is a short-stem herbaceous polycarpic of Northern Kazakhstan. A. wolgensis coenopopulations are found in three main habitats: steppe, meadow-steppe, and forest communities. The study of A. wolgensis coenopopulations in the latitudinal direction from Ekibastuz in the east to the Kostanay region in the west has revealed a high recovery index in steppe ecotopes. In other coenopopulations it is less than one. It is especially low in forest habitats. Most coenopopulations have a normal character according to the spectrum of age conditions, and they are maturing. This fact proves no negative impact of environmental and anthropogenic factors on the structure of coenopopulations and ensures their recovery and preservation.

The greater mole-rat (Spalax microphthalmus) and humans: facets of interaction in the Middle Volga Region

In Mordovia, there is a relict local population of the greater mole-rat (Spalax microphthalmus). Similar isolated populations of the greater mole-rat have been preserved only in a few regions of the Volga Region. They are confined to refugia of steppe vegetation. In these regions, the greater mole-rat needs protection. However, people violate the animals' habitats and destroy them. This is also typical for Mordovia, where a stable small population has existed for a long time. The aim of the paper was to study changes in the impact of human activity on the population of the greater mole-rat at the northern border of the species’ range. The impact of human activity on one of the settlements in the local population was studied. This territory was a hotbed from which there was a settlement to adjacent suitable sites. Since 1974, this territory has been a complex natural monument “Levzhenskiy Landscape Reserve.” Twenty-five individuals (13% of the total population in the region) lived in the area of human impact. The settlement of animals in the direction of the city due to plowing the steppe meadow was revealed. It was noted that the greater mole-rat appeared near roads, houses, and gardens where they had not been recorded before. Individual mounds were found between the extreme houses of the village of Levzhenskiy and this plowed area. In addition, fresh mounds from one burrowing system were found in a narrow strip (3 meters) between the road and the plowed area. In both cases, we are talking about individual survivors. In comparison with cattle grazing, plowing of a steppe meadow is a significant negative impact on the greater mole-rat since it is the destruction, first of all, the food base. Earlier, greater mole-rats did not migrate massively from their plots because of cattle grazing. This impact has not only changed the state of the population, but may be one of the reasons for the disappearance of the population in general. Paleontological findings within the city limits confirm the former wider distribution of the greater mole-rat.

Response of Soil Microbial Communities to Warming and Clipping in Alpine Meadows in Northern Tibet

In order to explore responses of soil microbial communities among different alpine meadows under warming and clipping, soil microorganisms of three alpine meadow sites (low altitude: 4313 m, alpine steppe meadow, 30°30′ N, 91°04′ E; mid-altitude: 4513 m, alpine steppe meadow, 30°31′ N, 91°04′ E; and high altitude: 4693, alpine Kobresia meadow, 30°32′ N, 91°03′ E) were measured using the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) method. Both warming and clipping significantly reduced PLFA content and changed the community composition of soil microbial taxa, which belong to bacterial and fungal communities in the alpine Kobresia meadow. Warming significantly reduced the soil total PLFA content by 36.1% and the content of soil fungi by 37.0%; the clipping significantly reduced the soil total PLFA content by 57.4%, the content of soil fungi by 49.9%, and the content of soil bacteria by 60.5% in the alpine Kobresia meadow. Only clipping changed the total fungal community composition at a low altitude. Neither clipping nor warming changed the microbial community composition at a moderate altitude. Soil temperature, soil moisture, and pH were the main factors affecting soil microbial communities. Therefore, the effects of warming and clipping on soil microbial communities in alpine meadows were related to grassland types and soil environmental conditions.

The relative controls of temperature and soil moisture on the start of carbon flux phenology and net ecosystem production in two alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Aims Variations in vegetation spring phenology are widely attributed to temperature in temperate and cold regions. However, temperature effect on phenology remains elusive in cold and arid/semiarid ecosystems because soil water condition also plays an important role in mediating phenology. Methods We used growing degree day (GDD) model and growing season index (GSI) model, coupling minimum temperature (Tmin) with soil moisture (SM) to explore the influence of heat requirement and hydroclimatic interaction on the start of carbon uptake period (SCUP) and net ecosystem productivity (NEP) in two alpine meadows with different precipitation regimes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). One is the water-limited alpine steppe-meadow, and the other is the temperature-limited alpine shrub-meadow. Important Findings We observed two clear patterns linking GDD and GSI to SCUP: SCUP was similarly sensitive to variations in preseason GDD and GSI in the humid alpine shrub-meadow, while SCUP was more sensitive to the variability in preseason GSI than GDD in the semiarid alpine steppe-meadow. The divergent patterns indicated a balance of the limiting climatic factors between temperature and water availability. In the humid meadow, higher temperature sensitivity of SCUP could maximize thermal benefit without drought stress, as evidenced by the stronger linear correlation coefficient (R2) and Akaike’s information criterion (AIC) between observed SCUPs and those of simulated by GDD model. However, greater water sensitivity of SCUP could maximize the benefit of water in semiarid steppe-meadow, which is indicated by the stronger R2 and AIC between observed SCUPs and those of simulated by GSI model. Additionally, although SCUPs were determined by GDD in the alpine shrub-meadow ecosystem, NEP was both controlled by accumulative GSI in two alpine meadows. Our study highlights the impacts of hydroclimatic interaction on spring carbon flux phenology and vegetation productivity in the humid and semiarid alpine ecosystems. The results also suggest that water, together with temperature should be included in the models of phenology and carbon budget for alpine ecosystems in semiarid regions. These findings have important implications for improving vegetation phenology models, thus advancing our understanding of the interplay between vegetation phenology, productivity and climate change in future.

Features of the development of xylorhizomes in a dwarf subshrub Scutellaria mongolica K. Sobol.

The development of individuals of the endemic Scutellaria mongolica in the shrubbed meadow steppe and steppe meadow in the Kemerovo region was studied. It was established that the species forms an implicit polycentric dwarf subshrub life form with xylorhizomes. In adulthood, individuals form a clump, which includes three variants of xylorhizomes, differing in the time of occurrence, the origin and type of formation shoots. In the young generative state, epigeogenic xylorhisomes of two variants develop, and in the mature generative state, hypo-epigeogenic xylorhisomes develop. In different habitats, multivariance of the development of adult individuals is observed. On a plain habitats in a steppe meadow, xylorhizomes branch in the third year, they are short, very thickened, and their life expectancy reaches 16 years. On the steep slopes in the shrubbed meadow steppe, xylorhizomes branch in the first year of their occurrence, they are long, slightly thickened, and their life expectancy is from 4 to 8 years. It was shown that the difference in the formation of xylorhisomes is one of the mechanisms for the sustainable existence of the species in different ecologo-phytocenotic conditions.