Arid Ecosystems最新文献

{"title":"Harmonization of the Results of Soil Salinity Chemical Study","authors":"K. O. Prokopyeva,&nbsp;M. V. Konyushkova","doi":"10.1134/S2079096123030095","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096123030095","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Soil salinization is one of the main environmental factors that limits the growth and productivity of many plants. Soil salinity is assessed by different methods in various countries of the world: by the method of water extracts in Russia and a number of other countries and by electrical conductivity of extracts from soil pastes all over the world. These methods are time consuming, thus short-cut methods are used for mass analysis. For example, the salt status of soils is often assessed by the leading toxic ion (chlorine or sodium) in Russia or by electrical conductivity for different soil to water ratios (1 : 1, 1 : 2.5, 1 : 5, and 1 : 10) in a number of other countries. In this work, we compare different methods to substantiate the use of electrical conductivity measured in a suspension 1 : 5. The following approaches are analyzed: 1—determination of the specific electrical conductivity in water suspension (1 : 5); 2—measurement of pNa and pCl in water suspension (1 : 5) by ion-selective electrodes; and 3—determination of sodium in water extract (1 : 5) by atomic absorption spectrometry. Salinization is evaluated in samples of light clay soils of the dry steppe zone mainly of chloride-sodium salinity. The results show the strongest correlation between measurements of the specific electrical conductivity (by conductometer) and sodium activity (by ion-selective electrodes). A rather close relationship between the specific electrical conductivity and the content of sodium ions in water extract has been revealed, and a conversion function of these parameters has been obtained: ЕС_1 : 5 = 0.213Na_1 : 5 + 0.17 (with a free term) and ЕС_1 : 5 = 0.23Na_1 : 5 (without a free term). It is proposed to use the following criteria to assess the salinity by electrical conductivity (dS/m) in water suspension (1 : 5): 0–0.4, nonsaline; 0.4–0.6, slightly saline; 0.6–1, medium saline; 1–1.9, strongly saline; and &gt;1.9, very strongly saline. The comparison of different gradations of soil salinity by cross tables, using the chi-square test and the Kappa index, shows statistically significant correlation, which enables the use of various analytical methods to assess soil salinity.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"13 3","pages":"257 - 266"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46479185","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 Current State of Cenopopulations of Some Endemic and Rare Species of the Genus Tulipa L. (Liliaceae) in the Tashkent Region (Uzbekistan)","authors":"N. Yu. Beshko,&nbsp;O. S. Abduraimov,&nbsp;U. Kh. Kodirov,&nbsp;F. M. Madaminov,&nbsp;A. V. Mahmudov","doi":"10.1134/S2079096123030034","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096123030034","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The study of the ontogenetic structure of the coenotic populations of vulnerable, endemic, and rare plant species makes it possible to assess their state under the conditions of anthropogenic transformation of ecosystems and develop the scientific basis for their protection. Central Asia is one of the centers of origin and species diversity of the genus <i>Tulipa</i> L. In the flora of the Republic of Uzbekistan, there are 34 species of tulips, of which 19 species (55.88%) are endangered due to the collection of flowers and bulbs and overgrazing and habitat destruction. These are listed in the national Red Book. This article is devoted to the assessment of the current state of 13 coenotic populations of five rare and endemic species of the genus <i>Tulipa</i> (<i>T. borszczowii, T. butkovii, T. dubia, T. greigii, T. korolkowii</i>), growing in the Tashkent region of Uzbekistan in areas with different environmental regimes and levels of anthropogenic pressure. It has been established that eight studied cenopopulations are normal and full-membered; five populations are incomplete, they lack senile individuals, which is a biological feature of the genus <i>Tulipa</i>. Six cenopopulations belong to the left-sided type, their ontogenetic spectrum coincides with the characteristic spectrum of the genus <i>Tulipa</i>; four coenopopulations have a centered type of spectrum, while three are bimodal. The low proportion of juveniles in some of the cenopopulations studied is due to the influence of overgrazing, as well as high competition with other species in the community. It is recommended that a rare endemic of the Central Asian deserts be included in the next edition of the Red Book of Uzbekistan <i>Tulipa borszczowii</i> and national endemic, narrow-local endemic of the Chatkal ridge <i>Tulipa butkovii.</i> It is recommended to create a protected area (zakaznik or natural monument) to preserve the relic sandy massif Dalverzinskie sands in the Tashkent region.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"13 3","pages":"294 - 304"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47394038","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 Positions of the Channels of the Volga Paleodelta at the End of the Khvalynian Time According to Geomorphological Data","authors":"D. M. Lobacheva,&nbsp;E. N. Badyukova,&nbsp;R. R. Makshaev","doi":"10.1134/S2079096123030071","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096123030071","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Many geological sections along the Lower Volga valley have been actively studied since the end of the 19th century. The results of field work showed that in all the studied Quaternary sections along the Lower Volga valley, alluvial deposits of the Khvalynian time (the end of the Late Pleistocene) are absent. Geomorphological mapping was carried out and many outcrops along the Volga valley and on the Baer knolls were studied. In the Khvalynian time, the Volga most likely did not flow in its present position. The purpose of this article was to determine the locations of the paleochannels of the Volga on the basis of geomorphological data, in particular, the spatial location and morphology of the Baer knolls. A large multi-branched delta (about 200–210-km wide), probably similar in size to the modern Lena delta, was located significantly to the north of the modern one. The delta existed in the form of a series of small and large branches; on the site of the modern Volga-Akhtuba there was probably a small central branch, the Sarpa branch was located in the west, and the Elton-Khaki branch was located in the east. At the beginning of the Holocene, the Sarpa and Khaksky branches began to die off, and most of the water began to rush along the central branch, forming the modern Volga-Akhtuba valley. The Sarpa-Davan channel system continued to be active in the period after the formation of the Baer knoll complex, that is, at the beginning of the Holocene during the Mangyshlak regression.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"13 3","pages":"248 - 256"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44588939","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":"Current Climatic Trends in Evaporation and Soil Moisture Changes in the South of European Russia","authors":"T. B. Titkova,&nbsp;A. N. Zolotokrylin,&nbsp;E. A. Cherenkova","doi":"10.1134/S2079096123030150","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096123030150","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The influence of climate parameters on evaporation during the period of active vegetation of plants in the forest-steppe, steppe, and semi-desert in the south of European Russia in the period 1980–2021 was studied. The linkage between evaporation and soil moisture have been considered. At the beginning of the growing season, the change in evaporation in the forest and steppe is largely determined by a positive linkage with temperature and wind stress. In the middle of the growing season, the role of precipitation and wind increases. From July, the linkage between evaporation and temperature becomes negative due to the increasing moisture deficit in the regions that are characterized by dry sub-humid and semi-arid climates. The linkage between evaporation and moisture content of the upper soil layer is negative at the beginning of the growing season with minimal evaporation from the still unheated soil cover in the forest-steppe and steppe, and is positive in the semi-desert due to already heated soil. From the middle to the end of the growing season the linkage between evaporation and soil moisture is positive from forest-steppe to semi-desert landscapes. At the beginning of the growing season, continued warming leads to an increase in evaporation; in the middle and at the end of the growing season, evaporation trends are significantly negative, since the lack of moisture at high temperatures leads to the drying of the soil cover and premature withering of vegetation. The greatest decrease in evaporation is observed in the steppe and dry steppe, which was affected by the drying up of the area with an increase in temperature, a decrease in the amount of precipitation and the average wind speed. Topsoil moisture trends are mostly negative throughout the south of European Russia, with the maximum moisture loss in the broad-leaved-forest and forest-steppe, which are more humid than dry-steppe and semi-desert. In the semi-desert, changes in soil moisture are minimal over the entire growing season.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"13 3","pages":"239 - 247"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43751530","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 Patterns of the Distribution of Allergenic Plants in the Plains Biomes of Russia","authors":"T. V. Dikareva,&nbsp;V. Yu. Rumyantsev,&nbsp;M. S. Soldatov,&nbsp;S. M. Malkhazova","doi":"10.1134/S2079096123030058","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096123030058","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This article analyzes a set of species of allergenic plants in the lowland biomes of Russia. Their species diversity was revealed, a statistical analysis of the relationships between the number of allergenic plant species in regional biomes and climatic indicators was carried out, and the corresponding maps were built and their analysis was given. It is shown that the distribution of the number of allergenic plant species in the spring reflects their clear predominance in broad-leaved forest and forest-steppe biomes, while in the summer allergenic plants predominate in forest-steppe and steppe biomes. The closest positive relationship has been established between the number of allergenic plant species that bloom in the summer and the average annual air temperature, as well as between all allergenic plant species and the average annual air temperature. However, the relationship between the number of allergenic plant species in the biome and the aridity index turned out to be low.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"13 3","pages":"285 - 293"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46614163","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 Spatial and Taxonomic Structures of Microbial Communities in Dry Steppe Zone Soils of the Selenga Highlands (Western Transbaikal Region)","authors":"E. P. Nikitina,&nbsp;L. B. Buyantueva,&nbsp;O. A. Baturina,&nbsp;A. B. Gyninova,&nbsp;E. V. Lavrent’eva","doi":"10.1134/S2079096123030083","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096123030083","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study is concerned with soil microbial communities within the confines of the dry-steppe zone of the Selenga Highlands. The natural and climate conditions of the region, including a prolonged cold period and the low amount of precipitation and their uneven distribution throughout the growing season, govern the formation of the primarily chestnut soils of light granulometric composition, thin humic horizon, and low contents of humus and nitrogen. This work presents data on seasonal dynamics and spatial structure of microbial communities in the studied soils. The number of various ecological–trophic groups of aerobic chemoorganotrophic bacteria was found to vary between several thousand and several million CFU/g. The population parameters were the highest in second half of summer. The examined soil profiles were rather similar in their trends of spatial distribution of the culturable portion of the microbial community. The highest population parameters were recorded from humic horizons for hydrolytic bacteria and middle horizons for oligotrophic bacteria. The high-throughput sequencing method was used to perform full-profile analysis of the taxonomic structure and diversity in prokaryote communities of the light-humic and chestnut quasi-gley soils. Bacteria were dominant at a level of domains with the archaea level being insignificant. At the level of phyla, the structure of bacterial communities was largely made up of species of <i>Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Verrucomicrobia,</i> and <i>Gemmatimonadetes</i> with actinobacteria and acidobacteria being dominant. Diversity indices were estimated in prokaryote communities from the genetic horizons of the studied soils. The Shannon index and Pielou evenness indices were found to be directly correlated with contents of humus and nitrogen. Assessment of the beta diversity revealed that in the analysis at the level of orders and lower taxonomic ranks, microbial communities formed two nonoverlapping clusters, which clumped humic and mineral horizons of soils.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"13 3","pages":"331 - 341"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44475371","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 Nitrogen Balance in the Soil–Plant Cover of Arid Ecosystems in the Northwestern Caspian Region","authors":"T. A. Asvarova,&nbsp;G. N. Gasanov,&nbsp;K. M. Gadzhiev,&nbsp;R. R. Bashirov,&nbsp;K. B. Gimbatova,&nbsp;A. S. Abdulaeva","doi":"10.1134/S2079096123030022","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096123030022","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The research data on the accumulation and translocation of phytomass by blocks of plant matter and on nitrogen concentration and reserves are given. Compensation of nitrogen balance in light chestnut and meadow-chestnut soil and typical solonchak in grass ecosystems of the Northwestern Caspian Region under conditions of aridization and desertification is assessed.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"13 3","pages":"267 - 275"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47268458","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 Structure of a Soil Nematode Community in Dry Steppe Phytocenoses of Vodnyi Island (State Biosphere Reserve Rostovskii) during the Spring Period","authors":"V. Yu. Shmatko,&nbsp;L. P. Il’ina,&nbsp;T. A. Sokolova","doi":"10.1134/S2079096123030125","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096123030125","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This paper presents the results of study of the structure of a soil nematode community from key sites (index plots) on Vodnyi Island of the State Biosphere Reserve Rostovskii in the spring. A total of 76 genera from 41 families and nine orders were identified with 39 species common for 2 months (April–May). A number of characteristics of soil nematode fauna in spring were shown to manifest themselves in the genus diversity, occurrence frequency, and dominance of particular ecological–trophic groups and genera. The total number of species on index plots varied between 17 and 33; with the number of nematodes ranging from 230 to 994 individuals per 100 cm³ of soil in April and from 134 to 1043 individuals per 100 cm³ of soil in May. The order Dorylaimida, which included 29 genera, proved to be the most diverse by the genus composition followed by Tylenchida with 19 and Rhabditida with 11 genera. An increase in the number of nematodes from phytotrophic group in the spring was directly related to an increase in the fresh aboveground phytomass, as confirmed by correlation analysis (the coefficient of correlation has very high values: <i>r</i>_April = 0.86, <i>r</i>_May = 0.96 at <i>p-</i>level &lt; 0.05).</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"13 3","pages":"321 - 330"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48145829","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":"Interference Competition between Wild and Domestic Ungulates at Watering Sites of Gobi Desert, Mongolia","authors":"Francesco Raimondi,&nbsp;Davide Sogliani,&nbsp;Marta Cimini,&nbsp;Luciano Atzeni,&nbsp;Claudio Augugliaro","doi":"10.1134/S2079096123030101","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096123030101","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Desertification processes in Central Asia are largely dependent on soil degradation induced by excessive livestock grazing, besides climate changes. Desertification represents a threat to wildlife species living in arid environments, since reduced accessibility to water strongly affects their distribution and behavior. Moreover, livestock presence exacerbates competition with wildlife for scarce water resources. Given their crucial importance to wildlife persistence, water sources in arid environments are critical to the study of wildlife behavior and interspecific competition. The Small Gobi A is one such environment of Mongolia, characterized by high grazing pressure despite low human presence. Between September and October 2017, we conducted camera trapping surveys at two waterholes identified as potential drinking sources for wildlife. We aimed to explore the spatio-temporal interactions among large domestic ungulates (<i>e.g.</i>, Bactrian camel <i>Camelus bactrianus</i>), and wild ungulates (<i>e.g.</i>, Asian wild ass <i>Equus hemionus,</i> and goitered gazelle <i>Gazella subgutturosa</i>), which are among the most iconic and threatened ungulates of Mongolia. The results showed a complete spatial segregation between domestic and wild ungulates, and a high temporal segregation among wild ungulates. This study confirms spatial and temporal niche partitioning as a strategy adopted by wild species to reduce competition and allow species coexistence. We recommend enhanced management measures of free-roaming livestock to reduce the pressure on wild species at drinking sites.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"13 3","pages":"305 - 313"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47067755","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":"A Method of Iteration of Averages in Ecological Research","authors":"Yu. I. Sukhorukikh,&nbsp;S. G. Biganova","doi":"10.1134/S2079096123030149","DOIUrl":"10.1134/S2079096123030149","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The study and conservation of biological diversity is one of the global contemporary environmental problems of world significance. The goal of the study is to propose a method for identifying promising plants based on iteration of average values. For this purpose, nine trial plots were laid in the steppe, forest-steppe, and mountain zones of the Northwestern Caucasus in protective and forest stands. Based on well-known methods, the height, trunk diameter, crown radius, abundance of fruiting, weight and selection value of nuts were studied. We studied the change in the average values of the indicators at different numbers of iterations. A method for identifying promising individuals based on the values of the average of iterations 4 and 5 was proposed. The proposed method was compared with the known method based on the values of the sum (difference) of the mean and double standard deviation. With a statistically normal distribution of indicators, the known and proposed methods give close values in the direction of increase or decrease in the indicator. Using the known method with a statistical distribution that differs from normal in some cases gives meaningless values. The proposed method based on the average value of iterations 4 and 5 in the direction of increase or decrease in the studied indicator allows one to use it to select objects with a statistical distribution that differs from normal.</p>","PeriodicalId":44316,"journal":{"name":"Arid Ecosystems","volume":"13 3","pages":"342 - 347"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46406077","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}