Acta Biologica Sibirica

Acta Biologica Sibirica 7: 593-607 DOI: 10.3897/abs.7.e78450 Authors: Alexander A. Chibilyov Jr, Dmitry S. Meleshkin, Dmitry V. Grigorevsky Abstract: The ecological-economic security [EES] and the landscape-ecological stability of the steppe regions of Russia are the main factors of national security and indicators of the sustainability of socio-economic development. Therefore, it is advisable to consider them based on large-scale studies. The study territory is a mesoregion, including the steppe zone of Russia. A comprehensive analysis of the economic development, social sector, and ecological condition of the territory became the basis for assessing the EES of the regions. We assessed landscape-ecological stability by calculating the coefficient of ecological stability of the landscape. Based on reliable information, we formed a database that comprises 37 indicators for 18 steppe regions of Russia. Using the coefficients and integral indices, we compiled an integrated schematic map. As a result, we established that the level of stability of the ecological landscape increases to the northeast of the studied territory. We observed the maximum value of the ecological and economic security index (1.8) in Krasnodar Krai, the Republic of Bashkortostan, and Novosibirsk Krai. Furthermore, we characterized the regions where the coefficient of ecological landscape stability exceeded 1 by indicators of ecological and economic security, presented in the ratio 1/1.5/2. HTML XML PDF

Acta Biologica Sibirica 7: 573-591 DOI: 10.3897/abs.7.e79236 Authors: Natalya N. Barsukova, Olga P. Bazhenova, Larisa G. Kolesnichenko Abstract: The species composition, taxonomic structure, and the dominant complex of algae, and the distribution of phytoplankton abundance in the studied watercourse were identified based on data obtained for phytoplankton from the Ob River (from Tomsk to Salekhard) in summer 2019. Green algae (division Chlorophyta) make up the basis of the phytoplankton abundance in the river. The dominant complex is represented mainly by centric diatoms (genera Aulaсoseira, Cyclotella, Stephanodiscus) and non-heterocyst forms of cyanoprokaryotes (genus Aphanocapsa). The numbers and biomass of phytoplankton gradually decrease downstream of the Ob River; below the confluence of the Irtysh River, the edge effect occurs: increase in the diversity and density of organisms at the boundaries of ecosystems. Compared to the previous studies, the proportion of green and euglena algae, and cyanoprokaryotes in the taxonomic spectrum of phytoplankton increased, the composition of the dominant complex enriched, including due to non-heterocyst forms of cyanoprokaryotes, and the trophic status of the river increased to the category of eutrophic waters. HTML XML PDF

Acta Biologica Sibirica 7: 559-572 DOI: 10.3897/abs.7.e78598 Authors: Evgeny A. Beljaev, Svyatoslav A. Knyazev Abstract: New founds of 4 species of East Asian Geometridae: Megabiston plumosaria (Leech, 1891), Photoscotosia lucicolens (Butler, 1878), Callabraxas fabiolaria (Oberthür, 1884), and Dysstroma cinereata (Moore, 1867) in the extreme southwest of the Russian Far East are presented and discussed due to the actual distribution and its current trends. From them Ph. lucicolens is recorded from Russia and China (Jilin) for the first time. Identity of specimens of "Photoscotosia atrostrigata" and "Dysstroma cinereata" in Barcode of Life Database is revised to Ph. lucicolens and Paradysstroma corussaria (Oberthür, 1880) respectively. These founds probably indicate northern expansion of ranges of geometrid moth in accordance with the current climatic trend of global warming. Potential harmfulness of M. plumosaria in RFE is assumed. The validity of Dysstroma cinerea cesa Koçak & Kemal, 2001, as a substitute name for Dysstroma cinereata japonica (Heydemann, 1929) is substantiated. HTML XML PDF

Acta Biologica Sibirica 7: 545-558 DOI: 10.3897/abs.7.e78477 Authors: Elena I. Popova Abstract: Currently, the phytocenoses of the Irtysh floodplain are experiencing intense anthropogenic pressures due to the intensive development of the oil and gas industry, as well as the urbanization of the territory. This paper focuses on the structure and species composition of the 27 studied areas in the floodplain ecosystems of the Ob-Irtysh basin. As a result of the research, we found 111 species of vascular plants from 33 families in plant communities. The areas belong to meadows and forest vegetation are represented by (1) birch forests (33%), (2) pine forests (10%), (3) fir forests (8%), (4) aspen forests (4%) and (5) associations of meadows (45%). Furthermore, we conducted a comparative analysis of the studied phytocenoses according to the Drude scale. To determine the anthropogenic transformation of the flora and individual plant communities, we determined the synanthropization index (the ratio of synanthropic species to the total number of species). In the synanthropic flora fraction, we distinguished 45 species belonging to 12 families, with the most multispecies being Apiaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Compositeae, Ranunculaceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, Plantaginaceae. The synanthropization index of the studied phytocenoses ranges from 6.6% to 81.2%. The largest number of synanthropic species occurs in meadow associations, the content of synanthropes is greater than 50%, the structure is becoming more superficial, and the productivity and stability of plant communities are changing. The study of the horizontal structure of grass stands of meadow phytocenoses makes it possible to find the variability of different years, the change of dominant species and the stability of the species composition. Currently, researchers are paying considerable attention to the analysis of the structure of the herbage, since its study is of great theoretical and practical importance in clarifying phytocenotic relations. HTML XML PDF

Acta Biologica Sibirica 7: 529-544 DOI: 10.3897/abs.7.e78936 Authors: Alexey S. Prokopyev, Mikhail S. Yamburov, Olga D. Chernova, Tatyana N. Kataeva, Elena S. Prokopyeva, Elena Yu. Machkinis, Alexander A. Kuznetsov Abstract: AbstractThe paper presents the results of the comprehensive study of Rhodiola rosea L. in natural populations in the Altai Mountains. The phytocoenotic confinement, demographic structure, and morphological characters of coenopopulations of Rh. rosea were studied in different ecological and coenotic conditions in the Chemal and Kosh-Agach regions of the Republic of Altai. Correlation between the morphometric parameters and their calculated values for the shoot and sex of the studied individuals, as well as environmental factors, was revealed. Rhodiola rosea L. is a valuable medicinal plant used for functional diseases of the central nervous system. At present, the natural reserves and areas of natural growth of the golden root have decreased significantly. The species is included in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation (2008) and many regional Red Data Books of Siberia. In the Altai Mountains, Rh. rosea is widespread throughout the highlands, where it has occupied a wide range of habitats. The study showed that the highest values of ecological and effective density are characteristic of coenopopulations which are part of various hygrophytic variants of alpine and subalpine miscellaneous herbs with a high total projective cover of the herbaceous layer (CP 1, 2, 3, 4). The lowest values were found for coenopopulations growing in communities with a scarce herbaceous layer or dense shrub layer, and on steep gravelly slopes with crumbling soil and nonuniform moisture distribution (CP 5, 6, 8, 9). The studied coenopopulations are normal, full-membered, or incomplete-membered (some of them lack postgenerative individuals). In terms of the ontogenetic spectra, they are mainly left-sided, with a predominance of young generative individuals (CP 4, 5, 7) or bimodal, with an additional peak for old generative individuals (CP 2, 3, 6, 8). Male and female individuals Rh. rosea differ in many morphometric characters of the generative shoots. In some coenopopulations (CP 2, 3, 6, 9), male and female individuals show multidirectional deviation of characters compared to the totality, which indicates that in different environmental conditions these characters are not only genetically determined but can also be related to the sex of individuals. HTML XML PDF