Russian Journal of Ecology最新文献

Abstract

The growth and productivity, rhythm of development, and ontogenetic and spatial structure of cenopopulations of the Sosnowsky’s hogweed (Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden.) on the territory of the Komi Republic were studied. The duration of the growing season of the H. sosnowskyi was 180–190 days due to the early spring germination of seeds and the long autumn growing season of pregenerative individual plants. The studied H. sosnowskyi CPs were characterized by left-sided ontogenetic spectra and high recovery indices. These properties characterized them as young and self-renewing plants. The greatest and the lowest numbers per the unit area had the juvenile and the generative plants (710–1700 and 1–3 individuals/m², respectively). The average density of the immature and virginile individuals was 4–7 pcs/m² and 12–16 pcs/m², respectively. The absence of seedlings during the flowering period of the plants was discovered, resulting from of the synchronous germination of mericarps and the rapid passage of the post-emergence development stage. Plants began to flower at the age of 2–6 full years, and the maximum lifespan of the individuals was 7 years. H. sosnowskyi plants were characterized by high productivity. They formed up to 15 kg/m² of wet phytomass, half of which was produced by generative individuals. The main part of the leaf area of the generative individuals was located in the upper layers (similarly to an “inverted pyramid”) and absorbed about 70% of the incoming PAR. The identified mechanisms of the CP self-maintenance mediate the spread and retention of territories which are occupied by H. sosnowskyi plants on the northern border of the invaded range.

Abstract

An invasive plant, Solidago canadensis is quickly encroaching across Eastern China and has become a crucial concern in the alteration of native ecosystem structure and function. However, the impact on invaded soil from S. canadensis litter is still under consideration. This study evaluated the effects of different levels of litter mass (Control: L0, 5 g: L5, 10 g: L10, 15 g: L15, and 20 g: L20) of invasive S. canadensis on the functional traits of two congeneric plant species (S. canadensis and S. decurrens), as well as resulting variations in soil nutrient levels. Our results indicated that shoot and root length, fresh and dry biomass, leaf chlorophyll and leaf nitrogen were significantly higher at L15 compared to the other treatments in the experiment. Additionally, in the L20 treatment all traits were decreased drastically, although these were higher than the control treatment, i.e. L0. Soil nutrients increased as the level of litter mass was raised in the soil. Furthermore, our study showed that high litter mass from S. canadensis can adversely impact the functional traits of both plant species. Further studies are required to assess the allelopathic effect of litter mass, as well as biological and physicochemical properties of field soil where high quantities of the invasive plant litter are found.

Abstract

A new technique for assessing functional diversity is proposed, which is essentially a way to calculate Rao’s quadratic entropy. In contrast to the original method of calculating entropy, the new method takes into account intraspecific variability and allows us to evaluate other useful aspects of functional diversity, such as functional richness, functional evenness, the uniqueness of each species, and the contributions to functional diversity of intraspecific variability of each species and each trait separately. However, due to the peculiarities of the calculation, the proposed technique can only be applicable for an absolute count of all organisms within the “island” community or when collecting material based on a fixed sampling effort. The article provides an example of the application of the proposed technique to real rodent trapping data.

Abstract—

Hazardous weather events, which are increasing in frequency with global climate change, pose a threat to forest ecosystems over large areas. Heavy and destructive ice rain occurred in the south of Primorye on November 19, 2020. As a result of the breaking of branches and trunks on the territory of Russky Island, which is part of the Vladivostok urban district, 9.4 ± 1.7 m³/ha of dead fallen wood, which amounted to 4.8% of the total stock of stem wood, was produced. More than a third of all trees lost 50% of their crown. Specific losses of crown phytomass, calculated using regional allometric equations, were estimated at 12.2 ± 2.1 t/ha. The species that were most vulnerable to ice rain (Tilia amurensis and Betula dahurica) were represented by the largest trees, with a wide crown and a large proportion of branches in the total biomass. Lower canopy species (Carpinus cordata and Acer mono) were less affected. The share of the fallen stock of the forest stand (in relation to the total stock) was positively related to the height above sea level (R² = 0.54, p = 0.039), and the average diameter of the stand significantly correlated with the phytomass of the fallen part of the crowns (R² = 0.51, p = 0.047). NDVI vegetation index values obtained from MODIS images for the 2020 and 2021 seasons (before and after the disturbance, respectively) differed significantly.

Abstract

The generation abundance of peled has been assessed at the lower reaches of the Ob’ River. Based on data on the number of larvae migrated downstream from spawning grounds, obtained in 1981–2021 on the main spawning rivers, current population structure of peled at the lower reaches of the Ob’ River is described, the influence of anthropogenic factors and of the water content of the Ob’ River floodplain on peled reproduction is analyzed. The Severnaya Sos’va River definitely plays a decisive role in the reproduction of peled. In recent years, there has been an increase in the contribution of the Voikar and Sob’ rivers. Seven-year cycles have been identified (between the peaks in the larvae number); their maximums coincide with the peaks of water content at the lower reaches of the Ob’ River with a 1-year lag, which supports the world’s largest river peled population abundance. The presence of such cycles makes it possible to predict phases of high fish abundance. An equation describing the dependence of the generation size of peled at the lower reaches of the Ob’ River on the average water level of Ob’ River in June–August at the Salekhard gauging level in the previous year is proposed.

Abstract

Changes in the skull size of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes L.) along the eastern macroslope of the Ural Range from the forest-tundra to the steppe are analyzed. The sizes varied from minimum in the north to maximum in pre-forest-steppe pine-birch forests. Further south, the size of the skull decreased again. The average fox population density changed similarly. Based on these data, it was concluded that the sizes change in accordance with the optimum rule, and not with Bergman’s rule. Probably, microevolutionary adaptations to living conditions are influenced by general factors that influence both body size and the population density of the species.

Abstract

The features of the horizontal spatial pattern of multi-aged open forests of Gmelin larch (Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr.), forming the northern limit of tree vegetation in the forest-tundra ecotone in the Eastern part of the Taimyr Peninsula, are considered. It was found that all studied tree stands are characterized by a mosaic structure, in which areas occupied by woody vegetation alternate with open spaces, the area of which ranges from 37 to 50%. In all cases, the composition of the tree layer includes both single trees and their aggregations (biogroups), share of which varies from 17 to 32%. Pair aggregation of trees predominates in biogroups, amounting to 83%. The predominance of the random nature of the location of trees in the formation of the horizontal pattern has been shown, but the specific type of spatial distribution is also determined by the stage of ontogenesis in which the cenopopulation is located.

Abstract

We studied the accumulation and localization of metals in the foliose lichens Lobaria pulmonaria, Hypogymnia physodes, and Peltigera aphthosa, living in the impact zone of the Sredne-Timansky bauxite mine. A significant accumulation of Al (16–19 g/kg), Fe (16–20 g/kg), and Ti (0.3–0.7 g/kg) by thalli was revealed. From 29 to 82% of the total content of these metals is localized in dust particles weakly attached to the surface of the thalli. The total proportion of intra- and extracellularly bound Al, Fe, and Ti did not exceed 11%, 15–56% of these metals were found in the residual fraction. An increase in the content of Cu, Pb, Co, and Ni was detected in thalli collected in the impact area. It has been shown that the localization of metals in thalli depends both on the studied element and on the morphological and anatomical characteristics of the thalli: in L. pulmonaria, fine mineral particles were localized on the surface of the thalli; in the thalli of P. aphthosa, which do not have a lower cortex, mineral inclusions were found throughout the entire thickness of the thalli.

Abstract

The paper presents new paleobotanical data in combination with the results of radiocarbon dating obtained from organomineral deposits of the northern shore of Pechevalavato Lake (70°13′22.3″ N, 71°50′57.6″ E) in the Seyakha River basin and characterizing the dynamics of vegetation in the northern part of Central Yamal in the Holocene. It has been shown that a tree birch (Betula sect. Betula) grew in Yamal in the early Holocene (10.2–8.7 cal kyr BP) no less than 400 km north of the modern northern limit of distribution of Betula pubescens ssp. tortuosa. Favorable conditions for the existence of birch woodlands at this time were provided by a higher temperature of the growing season, exceeding the modern parameters of the warmest month of the summer season by approximately 3–4°C. At the end of the early Holocene (after 8.5 cal kyr BP), forest vegetation began to degrade, and open landscapes with diverse plant communities of the subarctic tundra and single trees in the river valley spread. About 6.5 cal kyr BP, the northern subarctic tundra began to form the zonal appearance of the study area in climatic conditions close to modern ones.

Abstract—Sakhalin Island is located in a zone of cold-temperate monsoon climate with oceanic influence, which causes heavy snow cover in winter. The influence of such conditions on plants and plant communities has been studied in a number of works [1–3]. The mechanisms of acclimatization of foreign plants and adaptation of native species to local natural and climatic features have been identified. Generally favorable local factors include heavy snow cover, weak soil freezing and a decrease in temperature contrasts under the canopy of spruce-fir forests. During cryostadial periods, cooling and aridization occur with a sharp decrease in snow cover thickness. The response of species adapted to the Sakhalin climate to such conditions has been poorly studied. An opportunity for its study is provided by abnormally low-snow winters, which occur approximately once every 20 years. Knowledge of plant responses to anomalies can make it possible to assess the significance of adaptations that exist in native species to certain local factors. Such comparisons can be productive in comparing the responses of native species with non-native species, especially those originating from warmer climates. In this work, we tested the hypothesis that the winter hardiness of Sakhalin shrubs during an abnormal winter decreased more than the winter hardiness of shrubs from other regions.