Arid Ecosystems最新文献

{"title":"On the Taxonomic Status of Vorontsov’s Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus vorontsovi): Bioacoustic Analysis","authors":"O. V. Brandler,&nbsp;A. A. Nikol’skii","doi":"10.1134/S207909612570043X","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S207909612570043X","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A comparative analysis has been conducted on acoustic alarm calls of Vorontsov’s ground squirrel (<i>Spermophilus vorontsovi</i>) and other species of red-cheeked ground squirrels within the <i>erythrogenys</i> group, which inhabit arid and semi-arid ecosystems. The absence of biphonation is a key distinguishing feature of <i>S. vorontsovi</i> and <i>S. erythrogenys</i> s. str. from other related species of the group. The alarm call of Vorontsov’s squirrel features a unique frequency modulation that differs slightly from the signal of the geographically close <i>S. erythrogenys</i> s. str., and this vocal difference correlates with the genetic proximity of the two species on a multilocus phylogenetic tree. The wide variation in alarm calls of the <i>S. erythrogenys s. str.</i> population in Eastern Kazakhstan could be due either to the presence of a large amount of pre-existing genetic variation from its ancestors (ancestral polymorphism) or to the limited gene flow from the left bank of the Irtysh River to the right bank. The divergence of signal traits among species within the <i>erythrogenys</i> group followed a model of geographic speciation, driven mainly by geographic barriers—specifically, large rivers.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"15 4","pages":"493 - 499"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147579445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of Fluctuations of the Caspian Sea Level on Its Biodiversity and Bioproductivity","authors":"A. F. Sokolsky,&nbsp;N. I. Rabazanov,&nbsp;E. A. Sokolskaya","doi":"10.1134/S2079096125700507","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096125700507","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Data are presented on changes in the Caspian Sea water level over the last 180 years. During the regression phase, the sea area decreases sharply, while salinity increases, especially in the shallow northern part of the basin. One of the primary drivers of sea-level decline is the reduced discharge of its tributary rivers. Changes in seawater salinity have led to a restructuring of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and benthic communities. As a result, the development of freshwater and brackish‑water species has declined, while the abundance of marine species has increased. This restructuring of planktonic and benthic communities has reduced their total biomass, so the overall sea productivity has decreased. This, in turn, has resulted in deterioration of fish resources, and fish populations have fallen into a depressed state. However, with the onset of transgressive phases, the species composition of plankton and benthos communities should recover; their abundance and biomass can increase sharply, and the biological productivity of the sea may return nearly to its initial level. Sustaining fish stocks requires artificial replenishment of populations with juvenile fish. To achieve this, it is proposed to expand marine fishing in feeding areas while gradually reducing both the zone and intensity of riverine fishing in spawning areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"15 4","pages":"548 - 554"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147579434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Innovative Techniques for Suppression of Deflation and Restoration of Desertified Pasturelands of the Caspian Region by Means of Phyto-Amelioration","authors":"A. S. Manaenkov","doi":"10.1134/S2079096125700490","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096125700490","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In the arid and semi-arid regions of the Caspian region, pasture degradation is widespread due to the unravelling of the soil cover and the formation of fine sand dunes. In order to suppress areas of deflation and restore vegetation cover, low-energy technologies for phytomelioration were developed and tested over a large area 30–40 years ago. The aim of this research is to analyze the results of this work and improve the scientific and technological foundations for accelerating it and increasing its efficiency. Studies of secondary vegetation cover were carried out in large modern deflation areas in the Black Earth Nature Reserve in Kalmykia using generally accepted methods in phytomelioration, geobotany, and processing of field materials. It has been established that the development of foci should be carried out within the boundaries of blowout basins. The fundamental condition for the success of this work is a sharp reduction in the intensity of sand transfer by increasing the roughness of the eroded soil by cutting furrows and creating windbreaks made of lyme grass (<i>Leymus arenarius</i> L.) or juzgun (<i>Calligonum aphyllum</i> Pall.), and their acceleration with creation of locations of regenerative–fodder phytocenoses from teresken (<i>Eurotia ceratoides</i> L.), forage kochia (<i>Kochia prostrata</i> (L.) Schrad.), and perennial forage cereals on 10–15% of the area. Using the soil moisture reserve, in the first years they produce a large mass of vegetative organs and seeds, expand, and form a multilayered vegetation cover—forest pastures. This allows for a 2- to 3-fold reduction or more in energy and material costs for phytomelioration of desertified lands. Subsequently, forest pastures remain attractive to animals for several decades, but gradually degrade and require reconstruction. The shrub layer lasts longer under moderate grazing pressure. On shallow sands, locations with teresken have an advantage. They expand and rejuvenate through self-seeding, producing more nutritious food.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"15 4","pages":"542 - 547"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147579444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Problems of Optimizing the Structure of the Agrolandscape of Belgorod Oblast for “Carbon-Neutral Farming” and Steppe Protection","authors":"A. S. Nekrich,&nbsp;O. E. Sukhoveeva,&nbsp;A. A. Tishkov","doi":"10.1134/S2079096125700489","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096125700489","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Based on statistical data and the 2021 agricultural census of Belgorod oblast, the modern structure of agricultural landscapes in key areas of the region and the factors that determine it have been identified. The ecological and economic state, structure, and degree of transformation of agroecosystems are characterized. Environment-stabilizing elements have been identified (protective ecosystems) of the agricultural landscape, and their contribution to maintaining sustainability was analyzed. Mechanisms for using the RothC (Rothamsted Long Term Field Experiments Carbon Model) carbon model, previously successfully verified using the example of chernozems in neighboring Kursk oblast, are proposed. For this purpose, carbon flows in the agricultural landscape of the region were estimated based on the calculation results for virgin steppes, fallow lands, and five key crops. Data on transformed and stabilizing ecosystems were compared, which will subsequently allow the development of a formula for calculating the spatial optimization of the structure of the agricultural landscape for “carbon-neutral agriculture” and the protection of the steppes in the region.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"15 4","pages":"532 - 541"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147579432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Wild Camel (Camelus ferus Przewalski, 1878) of Central Asia","authors":"A. A. Lushchekina,&nbsp;T. Yu. Karimova,&nbsp;V. M. Neronov","doi":"10.1134/S2079096125700428","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096125700428","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;Despite agricultural intensification and the use of advanced technology, camels still play a vital role in the livelihoods of millions of households in more than 90 arid countries. Modern research methods, primarily molecular genetic ones, make it possible to clarify some important aspects of the biology of these amazing animals. Most of the evolution of camelids since the Eocene (about 45 million years ago) took place in North America, from where about 6.5–7.5 million years ago the ancestors of the Old World camels crossed the Bering Land Bridge into Eurasia and Africa and spread widely across these continents. There are currently three types of camels: the domesticated one-humped &lt;i&gt;Camelus dromedarius&lt;/i&gt; Linnaeus, 1758; the two-humped &lt;i&gt;C. bactrianus&lt;/i&gt; Linnaeus, 1758, whose wild ancestors became extinct; and the only remaining wild Bactrian camel, &lt;i&gt;C. ferus&lt;/i&gt; Przewalski, 1878. The first description of this animal as a species was given by N.M. Przhevalski during his second journey to Central Asia in 1878. For specialists, the differences in the structure and general appearance, behavior, and habits of wild and domestic camels have always been clearly visible, which in recent years has been confirmed by genetic research. Currently, the range of wild camels consists of four separate areas, with a total area of about 110 000 km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;. In Mongolia, this is the territory in the Trans-Altai Gobi; in China, Gashun Gobi in Gansu province, the Taklamakan desert in Xinjiang, and the area of Lop Nur Lake. According to expert estimates, in 2008 the number of animals was approximately 1250 individuals, of which 700 lived in China and 550 in Mongolia. One of the main reasons for the reduction of the species' range and its numbers was the anthropogenic factor. This is not just poaching. Mining, other industrial and infrastructure development, increasing livestock numbers, and the loss of “free” water sources are leading to the fragmentation and degradation of wild Bactrian camel habitats. The wild camel was listed in the first edition of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, prepared in 1966 by the Species Survival Commission. Until recently, it was listed there as an endangered species. The governments of Mongolia and China pay great attention to the protection and conservation of the wild Bactrian camel, creating specially protected natural areas on their territories: Zone A of the Great Gobi Nature Reserve in Mongolia and three protected natural areas in China (Lop Nur National Nature Reserve for the Conservation of Wild Camels, West Lake Dunhuang National Nature Reserve, Gansu Annanba National Wild Camel Nature Reserve). To increase the population of wild camels and prevent their extinction, as well as to study them, breeding centers were established—two in Mongolia and one in China. Successful breeding in them made it possible to release camels into the wild to restore natural populations. The conservation of the wild camel within it","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"15 4","pages":"483 - 492"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147579438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Study of the Impact of Oil and Oil Product Pollution on the Biological Properties of Soils in Arid Territories","authors":"A. A. Buluktaev,&nbsp;A. B. Ad’yanova,&nbsp;R. A. Mukabenova,&nbsp;S. S. Mandzhieva","doi":"10.1134/S2079096125700325","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096125700325","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The significant volumes of hydrocarbons and associated pollutants released into the environment during the development of oil and gas resources mean that this type of pollution is becoming a priority for many oil production areas. In the Republic of Kalmykia, the soil cover is particularly strongly affected by oil pollution. The aim of this study is to determine changes in the biological properties of brown semi-desert soil, light chestnut soil, and the southern chernozem depending on the nature of the pollutant and its concentration in the soil. Zonal soils of Kalmykia were selected as objects of study. Laboratory and analytical studies, as well as sampling, were carried out using methods generally accepted in biology and soil science. The petroleum products used were commercial and crude oil, as well as fuel oil, kerosene, and gasoline. As a result of this study, it was established that the most informative soil enzymes regarding pollution by oil products are catalase and urease, the activity of which is significantly reduced and depends on the concentration of the pollutant. Phosphatase activity also decreases when contaminated with oil products, but not as significantly; invertase activity is stimulated by low concentrations of oil products and inhibited by high ones. All soils contaminated with petroleum products exhibit high phytotoxicity towards test plants, but the exception is brown semi-desert soil, in which, when contaminated with low concentrations of fuel oil and kerosene, the length of shoots and roots increases.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"15 3","pages":"401 - 410"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146027243","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamics of Changes in the Long-Term Climatic Indices and Hydrothermal Conditions in Astrakhan Oblast","authors":"N. V. Tyutyuma,&nbsp;G. K. Bulakhtina","doi":"10.1134/S2079096125700192","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096125700192","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The results of research work conducted at the Caspian Federal Agricultural Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, in Astrakhan oblast in 2024 are reported. The aim of this work was to identify climate changes and to determine their trend in the region. The quantitative climate indices were calculated based on the datasets containing average monthly air temperatures and monthly sums of precipitation for the period of 1978–2023. The evaporative capacity was calculated according to the methods of A.I. Budagovskii, G.T. Selyaninov, and N.A. Shumova. As a result of this study, a negative trend in the Selyaninov hydrothermal coefficient and the Vysotskii–Ivanov moisture coefficient was revealed. The analysis of the meteorological data for 46 years showed that the region is experiencing actual climate change leading to arid warming.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"15 3","pages":"285 - 289"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146027285","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mitigation of the Stages of Arid Soil Degradation Under the Influence of Tree Plantations","authors":"R. M. Adamova,&nbsp;M.-R. A. Kaziev,&nbsp;U. M. Galimova","doi":"10.1134/S2079096125700295","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096125700295","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In natural biological systems, living organisms function as a system responsible for soil, botanical, climatic, and hydrological changes, as well as for the conditions created by the organisms themselves. Today, when the climate is changing and human activity is intensified, while biological resources are severely depleted, arid ecosystems are unable to regulate the contradictions in the relationships between natural and anthropogenic factors using their own resources. The dynamic escalation of these emerging contradictions results in increasing deviations from the background level with a significantly expanding range of these changes. According to our evaluation, the common system of soil cover indicators for the tree plantations of the Botanical Garden of Dagestan State University is represented by two zones: (1) the zone of a suppressed state with the beginning of a mitigated aridization process and (2) the zone of the destabilization of drought-resistant tree species, such as the English oak and tillet. The start of the negative influence of aridization stages is mainly associated with a deficiency of moisture and nutrients. One can state that the beginning of the desertification process represents mitigated desiccation of the soil profile, when the moisture content in the root-inhabited layer has decreased to 18–20% and the content of hydrolysable nitrogen is 25–30 mg/100 g of soil. Due to changes in the existing tree cultivation technology, mineral fertilizers are applied in insufficient volumes and with a lack of periodic irrigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"15 3","pages":"382 - 386"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146027284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ecosystems of the Northeastern Caspian Sea Region: Spatial Pattern and Specific Features of the Plant and Soil Cover","authors":"L. A. Dimeyeva,&nbsp;V. N. Permitina,&nbsp;A. F. Islamgulova,&nbsp;R. T. Iskakov","doi":"10.1134/S2079096125700246","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096125700246","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A map of ecosystems, reflecting the spatial patterns and diversity of the soil–plant cover within the boundaries of landscape units, has been compiled for a test plot of the Caspian Lowland located at the contact of the Early Khvalyn and the Late Khvalyn sea plains. The heterogeneity of the plant and soil cover of this area is related to the microrelief, conditions of soil moisture, and soil salinity, which results in the formation of a complex pattern. The distribution of ecosystems in the Ural River valley is determined by the distance from the riverbed, the relief, and the moisture regime: groups of willow and poplar shoots are replaced by woodreed–poplar floodplain forests and forbs meadows. Vegetation undergoes anthropogenic transformation. The impact of fires is the strongest with respect to the affected area, and technogenically disturbed lands occupy a smaller area. Overgrazing areas are allocated to wells and wintering places. Regardless of the transformation factors, weedy vegetation (of annual saltwort and ephemerals) is formed in disturbed areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"15 3","pages":"329 - 337"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146027271","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of the Informativeness of Spectral Vegetation Indices for Satellite Mapping of Open Sands and Deflated Territories of the Northwestern Caspian Sea","authors":"S. S. Shinkarenko,&nbsp;S. A. Bartalev,&nbsp;A. B. Biarslanov","doi":"10.1134/S2079096125700210","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096125700210","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Unfavorable hydrothermal conditions and irrational use of agricultural land, including excessive grazing pressure, lead to the degradation of steppe and desert landscapes up to the complete loss of vegetation and upper soil horizons. This serves as a prerequisite for the intensification of deflation processes and the emergence of dust storms, which provoke further growth in the area of open (moving, blowing) sands and areas devoid of vegetation. Remote sensing data, including spectral vegetation indices obtained on their basis, are widely used to monitor the prerequisites and consequences of intensive deflation processes. This study aims to assess the information content of 45 different vegetation indices calculated using Sentinel-2 and Landsat satellite data for mapping open sands in the Northwestern Caspian region, where degradation processes of pastures on sandy and sandy loam soils have intensified in the last decade. As a result of comparison with aerial survey data on three test sites with a total area of 23.1 hectares, which was carried out three times during 2023, the most informative vegetation indices were established. For Sentinel-2 data with a spatial resolution of 10 m, NDVI and spectral radiance coefficients in the visible range are recommended, and for data with a resolution of 20 m and Landsat, vegetation indices based on the visible and shortwave infrared ranges (NDSAI, BUI, NBR2, BAEI) are recommended. The results of this study can be used in mapping open sands using satellite remote sensing data and developing automated methods for their classification, including those based on machine learning.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"15 3","pages":"303 - 313"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146027294","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}