The local populations of the fungus Schizophyllum commune Fr. as drivers of its biodiversity

Changes that occur on the local level can explain the processes on the population level and, at the same time, are the driving force of species adaptation. This manuscript reports data about genetic diversities of the fungus Schizophyllum commune on the level of a local population. Objects of the study were dicarious cultures of S. commune collected from 38 basidiocarps grown on the territory of Holosiivskyi National Nature Park, Lysa Hora Regional Landscape Park and Feofaniya forest parcel (Ukraine). Results showed similarity of genetic variability of S. commune in different local populations. The heterozygote deficiency of some loci that was discovered might have resulted from new forms of allozymes that have not become widespread or due to small population sizes. The degree of differentiation of genes between local studied populations was moderate due to the high flow of genes. The absence of spatial structuration of genotypes is established, and the Mantel test showed a lack of interconnection between the genetic component and the geographical coordinates of the samples. It has been suggested that wind direction and terrain are the factors that influence the genetic structure of local populations.

The damage caused by wind in middle-aged Scots pine stands on permanent thinning experimental plots

In July 2002, the very strong hurricane appeared in northern Poland, which caused destruction of forest cover of area more than 10,000 ha. The permanent thinning research plot in a 53-year-old pine stand located in Myszyniec forest district (150 km north of Warsaw) was lying on the edge of damaged area. The following treatments were tested on this plot: 1) control plot (without thinning); 2) schematic cut in 20-year-old stand, selective thinning to 40 years, then thinning from below; 3) schematic cut in 20-year-old stand, then selective thinning; 4) selective thinning in young stand (20–40 years), then thinning from below and 5) selective thinning all the time. A significant part of this plot was completely destroyed and in the other part of the plot, some trees survived. A small part of the plot resisted the wind attack. An analysis of the amount of destroyed trees (measured by basal area) showed no differences between particular silvicultural treatments. The level of damage differed between particular parts of the plot. Another plot located in Ostrów Mazowiecka forest district (100 km NE of Warsaw) with the same thinning treatments was touched by heavy wind in July 2011 when the stand was 62 years old. Unlike the hurricane of 2002, this storm did not destroy the experimental plot which was located outside the zone of heaviest calamity. Therefore, damage on this plot had point and group character. Although on particular measurement units, share of broken or fallen trees did not exceed 10% of total basal area, it can be observed that the lowest level of damage was noticed on plots with selective thinning in young age and thinning from below in older stand.

Successive processes at quarry waste dumps of various ages

This work is dedicated to the study of the succession processes in quarries of different ages in the territory of the Russian Federation and neighbouring countries, namely, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. In selected soil samples from the areas studied, certain physical and chemical properties, the quantitative composition of microbial communities and the diversity of floral species from the quarries were studied. The pH values for the Kuzbass area were found to decrease to 4.8, and in the area of the younger quarries – Inguletsky and Sokolovsky – higher pH values were recorded. The basal soil respiration rate of the Kuzbass quarry was approximately 0.2 mg CO2/g/h. The CO2 carbonate content ranged from 0.05% to 0.6%. The microbial biomass in Kuzbass soil was from 0.87 to 5.10 μg C/g soil, while its quantity in other quarries was 6 times lower, which is associated with the relatively young age of these sites. The study of the diversity of floral species in the Kuznetsk coalfield identified 120 species of upper plants belonging to 34 families. Among them, cereals, legumes and mosses, lichens and algae were predominant. In the territory of Inguletsky and Sokolovsky quarries, the diversity of plant species was much poorer. In this regard, further research will focus on increasing the rate of succession and maintaining ecosystem stability by increasing the share of microorganisms. Also, the study of the possibility to accelerate the restoration of younger flora in the discharges of age careers at the expense of the mycorrhizal communities formation is of high relevance.

Juniperus excelsa s. str. in crimea – differentiation and history inferred from genetic and morphological markers

Juniperus excelsa s. str. (Greek juniper) in Crimea is a relic species on the limits of its range, and represents the Mediterranean flora in the Sub-Mediterranean part of the peninsula. Its origin and history in this area remains unresolved. We aimed to analyze phylogeny and potential demographic expansion of the juniper in the Crimea as well as to study its morphological differentiation. We analyzed plant material from 59 trees inhabiting eight populations. Genetic variation assessments were based on the four non-coding chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) fragments and the nuclear internal transcribed spacer region ITS1-5,8S-ITS2 (ITS). To examine the morphological differentiation, eight measured/counted traits of cones, seeds, and shoots were chosen and eight ratios were calculated. Morphological parameters were compared using ANOVA, Student’s t test, discrimination analysis and Kruskal-Wallis and U Mann-Whitney tests. Two cpDNA fragments were polymorphic and, in total, 10 cpDNA haplotypes were found. Haplotype diversity (Hd) ranged from 0.0 to 0.9. Based on both cpDNA and ITS sequences variation, phylogenetic analyses revealed a close relationship of the Crimean junipers to the individuals from other parts of the species range. In general, our molecular results confirmed the low level of genetic differentiation of J. excelsa individuals inhabiting different parts of the species range, likely resulting from a common ancestry. Only slight morphological differences were found between populations with different geographic location or habitat. The analyzes showed the distinctness of the populations from the southern part of the coast. Some unique morphological and molecular features of southern coastal populations imply that they are remnants of Late Pleistocene abundant forests. We suggest that the recent fragmentation of the Juniperus populations in the Crimean Peninsula could have arisen during the Atlantic period of the Holocene.

Expected harmfulness of gnawing phyllophagous insects in urban stands of Kharkiv city

Urban stands are becoming increasingly important in improving the environmental health and liveability of cities. However, they weaken as a result of technogenic air pollution and become vulnerable to pests, particularly to non-native forest insects. The aim of this research was to assess potential harmfulness (bionomically determined harmfulness [BDH]), environmentally determined harmfulness (EDH) and generally expected harmfulness (GEH) of the gnawing phyllophagous lepidopterous insects in the green stands of Kharkiv (Ukraine). All supplementary parameters were assessed by analysis of publications and the own experience of authors. BDH was evaluated as a product of the duration of larvae nutrition (p1) and an index of larvae nutrition (p2). An index of larvae nutrition (p2) was considered being proportional to their imago wingspan. EDH was evaluated as a product of the value of damaged tree species (p3), location of plant damage (p4), the period of loss decorative effect (p5) and the prevalence of certain insect species in the stands (p6). GEH was estimated as a product of BDH, EDH and the ability of insect species to the outbreaks (p7). A modified approach for evaluation BDH, EDH and GEH was suggested and implemented, considering phyllophagous leaf miner insects and phyllophagous insects with open lifestyle in the deciduous stands of streets, parks, and Forest Park of Kharkiv city. EDH of insects with an open lifestyle depends on their size and prevalence in the stand. EDH and GEH of all revealed insects with an open lifestyle increase from streets to Forest Park. Among the insects with an open lifestyle, Lymantriidae and Notodontidae had the highest BDH due to the large size and long feeding period of larvae. Among the insects with hidden lifestyle, Cameraria ohridella had the highest BDH due to the highest prevalence and the large duration of feeding period with its several generations.

Can standardisation of the unit costs of wood extraction be applied in the financial system of the State Forests?

The paper presents a method for grouping forest districts that are characterised by similar natural and forest conditions and the results of standardisation of wood extraction costs for forest districts and regional directorates of the State Forests. The adopted standard costs referred to the costs which determine the reasonable level of costs necessary to perform a specific management task in the given natural, forest and economic conditions of forest districts. Forest districts were grouped based on the forest habitat types and the land diversity index (Wtri), which were determined with statistical methods to be the factors that shape wood extraction costs. In order to determine the standard unit costs of wood extraction, source materials for the year 2017 have been used, which had been obtained from the State Forests Information System for all forest districts in the country. The method of standardising wood extraction unit costs on the basis of forest district groups with similar natural and forest conditions was reduced in 2017 to the designation of eight uniform forest district groups in terms of forest habitat type structure and Wtri index. Standard unit costs of wood extraction, determined on the basis of the methodology presented in the paper, should be used in the State Forests’ financial system.

Accumulation of heavy metals in soil and litter of roadside plantations in Western Polissia of Ukraine

The article presents the results of a study on the influence of roadside forest belts of different species composition on the accumulation of heavy metals in soil and litter along roads of international and national importance in the conditions of Western Polissia of Ukraine. Mobile forms of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in soil and forest litter samples were determined in ammonium acetate extract buffer by atomic absorption spectrometry. The analysis of the content of heavy metals, their comparison with the maximum allowable concentrations depending on the composition of plantations and the category of the highway have been done. It is confirmed that roadside forest belts perform important functions in the accumulation of heavy metals in soil and forest litter. It is confirmed that roadside forest belts perform important functions in the accumulation of heavy metals in soil and forest litter. Among all the pollutants studied, the concentration of cadmium was the lowest and that of zinc the highest (especially in forest litter). Lead and copper in this indicator occupied an intermediate position. Despite the different species composition of plantations, the coefficient of concentration of heavy metals in the soil did not exceed the maximum allowable concentrations and was on average in the range of 0.10–0.20 of these indicators. The greatest effect of delaying the migration of heavy metals was observed in forest litter. Therefore, in order to effectively use the biological barrier along the roads, it is necessary to create linear protective belts of deciduous species with Acer platanoides, Betula pendula, Carpinus betulus and Tilia cordata, which give a rich annual litterfall.

Planktonic communities in a small post-peat reservoir (Ustka Forest District, Poland)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the present state of a small (area of 0.2 ha), shallow (mean depth of 2 m) and approximately 30-year-old post-peat reservoir located in Bruskowskie Bagno, a Baltic raised mire in northern Poland. The study was conducted during all seasons of the year (August 2019–July 2020). The reservoir was characterised by a yellow to brown water colour, low pH (5.4) and quite low conductivity (40.4 μS cm-1), which are the main features of dystrophic water bodies. Similar to natural, dystrophic lakes and ponds, the phytoplankton was mainly composed of mixotrophic species like Dinobryon sp. and Gonyostomum semen. The only numerous non-flagellate group within the phytoplankton was desmids, which indicated that the water was influenced by the mire. The reservoir was characterised by a high abundance of ciliates (annual mean of 55.6 cells ml-1) and a very high abundance of rotifers (annual mean of 3.72 ind. ml-1). Among ciliates, the most important were prostomatids, accounting for 53% of the mean annual ciliate abundance. The results of our study indicate that artificial, approximately 30-year-old, post-peat reservoir resembled a natural dystrophic water body.

The proposal of a new provisional border of range of the acidophilous oak forest Calamagrostio arundinaceae-Quercetum petraeae Hartm. 1934 Scam. et Pass. 1959 in central Poland

The range of acidophilous oak forest from Quercetea robori-petraeae Br-Bl. et Tx. ex Oberd. 1957 in Central Europe depends largely on the syntaxonomical concept used and is still provisional. The most continental association from this class occurring in Poland is Calamagrostio arundinaceae-Quercetum petraeae Hartm. 1934 Scam. et Pass. 1959. It is present in western and central Poland, but its eastern boundary is not well known. The aims of the study were to survey and document new patches of Calamagrostio-Quercetum in central Poland, to check the internal variation of the association and to summary the known distribution of it in lowlands of central-western and central Poland. 23 phytosociological relevés were made within new stands together with soil sampling. New relevé data was subjected to the numerical Wards classification together with acidophilous oak forests datasets from western Poland and oak-pine forests ones from eastern part of the Country. The new dataset was similar to Calamagrostio-Quercetum. Three subassociations were distinguished. Soil parameters and oak site index did not differ from acidophilous oak forest stands from other parts of Poland. The provisional range of Calamagrostio-Quercetum in central Poland was proposed to be moved by circa 60–90 km to the north-east (approximately as far as the Vistula river line) in order to include south-western part of Mazowsze.

Slope aspect and altitude effect on selected soil organic matter characteristics in Beskid Mountains forest soils

In the era of dynamic climate change, it is important to have knowledge on the interactions between climatic factors and processes occurring in the soil environment. The present study aimed to determine how slope aspect and altitude above sea level influence carbon and nitrogen accumulation and dehydrogenases activity of forest soils. The study was conducted in the Beskid Żywiecki in the south-facing part of Poland. Soils of the same texture, with similar vegetation species composition, in different altitude variants (600, 800, 1000 and 1200 m above sea level) and different north-facing and south-facing slope aspect were selected for the study. For each height and slope aspect variant, samples were collected from the surface horizons of soils for further analyses. The basic chemical properties and dehydrogenases activity of the soil samples were determined. Carbon and nitrogen stocks in the surface horizons of the soils were calculated. The analyses confirmed the influence of location conditions on the carbon and nitrogen stocks in mountain forest soils. The stock of carbon and nitrogen increased with the height up to 1000 m a.s.l. In the soils at the highest altitude, the reserve of carbon and nitrogen decreased regardless of the slope aspect variant. There were no statistically significant differences in carbon and nitrogen stocks between slope aspect variant. The highest dehydrogenases activity was associated with the organic horizons of the soils at the lowest altitude in height gradient. In our study, higher dehydrogenases activity was observed in the north-facing slope soils, and this finding can be explained by more stable thermal conditions.