РЕЗУЛЬТАТИ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ФАУНИ ВОГНІВОК (LEPIDOPTERA, PYRALOIDEA) ПРИРОДНОГО ЗАПОВІДНИКА "МИХАЙЛІВСЬКА ЦІЛИНА"У 2022 РОЦІ

The Algerian steppe is of great interest in terms of vegetation, mainly in the Naâma region. This steppe vegetation is generally composed of annual and perennial grasses and other herbaceous plants, as well as, bushes and small trees. It is characterized by an arid Mediterranean climate where the average annual precipitation (100 to 250 mm) is insufficient to ensure the maintenance of the vegetation, in which the potential evaporation always exceeds the precipitations. This aridity has strong hydrological effect and edaphic implications from which it is inseparable. Water losses are great than gains due to the evaporation and transpiration from plants (evapotranspiration). The wind moves soils for one location to another, and causes a strong evapotranspiration of the plants, which is explained by a strong chronic water deficit of climatic origin of these compared to the potential evapotranspiration, opposed to a humid climate. Evapotranspiration is certainly closely linked to climate factors (solar radiation, temperature, wind, etc.), but it also depends on the natural environment of the studied region. Potential evapotranspiration (PET) data estimated from Thornthwaite’s method for the three stations (Mécheria, Naâma and Ainsefra). The average annual value of potential evapotranspiration is of the order of 807 mm in Mécheria, of 795 mm in Naâma de and in Ainsefra of 847 mm. It is more than 3 times greater than the value of the rainfall received. This propels it globally in the aridity of the region and from which the water balance of plants is in deficit. The potential evapotranspiration of vegetation in arid areas is very important due to high temperature and sunshine. During the cold season, precipitation covers the needs of the potential evapotranspiration and allows the formation of the useful reserve from which the emergence of vegetation. From the month of April there is an exhaustion of the useful reserve which results of progressive deficit of vegetation. Faced with this phenomenon of evatranspiration, the steppe vegetation of the region then invests in “survival” by reducing the phenomena of evapotranspiration, photosynthetic leaf surfaces, in times of drought. These ecophysiological relationships can largely explain the adaptation of steppe species (low woody and herbaceous plants) to the arid Mediterranean climate. Mechanisms and diverse modalities were allowing them to effectively resist for this phenomenon. The adaptation of the steppe vegetation by the presence of a root system with vertical or horizontal growth or both and seems to depend on the environmental conditions, and by the reduction of the surface of transpiration, and by the fall or the rolling up of the leaves, and by a seasonal reduction of transpiration surface of the plant to reduce water losses during the dry season (more than 6 months) of the year. Some xerophytes produce “rain roots” below the soil surface, following light precipitation or during dew formation. Other persistent sclerophyllous species by which decreases transpiration by the hardness of the leaves often coated with a thick layer of wax or cutin.

ABSTRACTFire is known to facilitate the invasion of many non‐native plant species, but how invasion into burnt areas varies along environmental gradients is not well‐understood. We used two pre‐existing data sets to analyse patterns of invasion by non‐native plant species into burnt areas along gradients of topography, soil and vegetation structure in Yosemite National Park, California, USA. A total of 46 non‐native species (all herbaceous) were recorded in the two data sets. They occurred in all seven of the major plant formations in the park, but were least common in subalpine and upper montane conifer forests. There was no significant difference in species richness or cover of non‐natives between burnt and unburnt areas for either data set, and environmental gradients had a stronger effect on patterns of non‐native species distribution, abundance and species composition than burning. Cover and species richness of non‐natives had significant positive correlations with slope (steepness) and herbaceous cover, while species richness had significant negative correlations with elevation, the number of years post‐burn, and cover of woody vegetation. Non‐native species comprised a relatively minor component of the vegetation in both burnt and unburnt areas in Yosemite (percentage species = 4%, mean cover < 6.0%), and those species that did occur in burnt areas tended not to persist over time. The results indicate that in many western montane ecosystems, fire alone will not necessarily result in increased rates of invasion into burnt areas. However, it would be premature to conclude that non‐native species could not affect post‐fire succession patterns in these systems. Short fire‐return intervals and high fire severity coupled with increased propagule pressure from areas used heavily by humans could still lead to high rates of invasion, establishment and spread even in highly protected areas such as Yosemite.

This work presents the results of the analysis of literature sources and the results of own research on the Lepidoptera of the Nature Reserve “Mykhailivska tsilyna”. In total, during 2019-2023, about 800 specimens of lepidopterans were collected on the reserve territory. The work presents a generalized list of lepidopteran species documented on the territory of the reserve which is supplemented by the results of research over the past three years. Since the Nature Reserve foundation in 2009, livestock grazing has been banned and haying areas have been limited, which has led to significant overgrowth and forestation of reserve’s territory. In some places the crown closure of the new stands reaches more than 70%. The data obtained by us on the group of pyralid butterflies of the reserve indicate a small proportion of the steppe component in their fauna. Unfortunately, we are not able to compare the data over a long period of time - before 2015, even if there were any studies on this group, they were of a non-systematic nature. Currently, the fauna of the lepidoptera registered by us in the Nature Reserve “Mykhailivska tsilyna”, as well as those reported in the literature, includes 340 species from 18 family groups.
 The work planned in the territory organization project to reduce tree growth and remove forest strips are likely to reduce biodiversity in this area. At the same time, further overgrowth of the steppe will reduce the number or loss of butterfly species whose development is associated with steppe vegetation. In our opinion, it is necessary to stop and prevent further forestation of the reserved area. This can be done by applying one of the following methods: periodic mowing of the steppe areas that are still preserved; moderate cattle grazing; release of a wild population of large ungulates into the territory and ensuring their living conditions; periodic controlled burning of certain areas in the fall. However the current environmental legislation prohibits the use of all of the above methods on the territory of nature reserves.

The characteristic landscape features of Central Anatolia (Turkey) include large ovasi and basins, which are naturally bare of forests and woodlands, but were formerly occupied by steppe vegetation. These steppes evolve under a pronounced continental climate, which is extremely cold in winter and dry and hot during summer. Rainfall is less than 300 mm/year, favouring treeless steppe vegetation dominated by well-adapted dwarf-shrubs, a few herbs, and a larger number of geophytes and annuals. We review the present knowledge on Central Anatolian steppe vegetation (Onobrychido armenae-Thymetalia leucostomi, Astragalo-Brometea) and provide insight into the complex structure and species composition of today’s primary and secondary steppes and their replacement communities. In addition, the changes in vegetation due to the long-lasting human impact such as grazing and agricultural activities (ca. one-third of Turkey’s grain production concentrates in the former steppe area) are shown, which generally led to a loss of species and a massive decline of the diversity in the area. Finally, we outline some perspectives that may stop the continuing soil erosion and degradation and re-establish a natural equilibrium in the remaining steppe fragments of Central Anatolia.

Ecological restoration can accelerate the resilience of degraded dry grasslands. Among the ecological restoration techniques used, soil transfer has already given promising results for restoring species-rich plant communities by providing the ability to recreate rapidly a habitat that corresponds to the reference ecosystem (the non disturbed dry grasslands). However, soil transfer is a destructive method, since it involves the use of non-renewable resources such as grassland soils of the donor sites that are the produce of centuries of interactions between climate, plants and animals. In south-eastern France, the plain of La Crau is an example of Mediterranean dry grasslands where the resilience of the steppe vegetation is extremely slow after land use changes which have impacted soil and vegetation. On 7th August 2009, a major oil leak occurred in the steppe center, destroying more than 13 acres of steppe vegetation. As a consequence, in 2010, the polluted soil was excavated and evacuated in a specialised dump. This operation was, then, combined with various in situ experiments of soil transfer, with exclusion of traditional sheep grazing management, to test (i) the importance of respecting the vertical organization of the main soil horizons and (ii) some opportunities to save this non-renewable resource. In May 2011, just after the soil transfer (72,000 tons) was achieved in April 2011 from a nearby quarry which extension had been authorised prior to the oil leak, different quadrats were materialized in the reference steppe vegetation around and in the restored site, with at the soil surface: the organic layer (top-soil, treatment ABC) with or without compaction (treatment ABCnc), the mineral layer (sub-soil, treatment BC) or the altered bedrock only (treatment C). After three years of vegetation monitoring, all the different treatments of soil transfer resulted in a rapid resilience of steppe vegetation in terms of floristic composition and plant species richness. Indeed, in 2013, the treatment with the transfer of mineral layer only at the soil surface, showed no significant difference in terms of plant species richness with the reference steppe plant community. Furthermore, there was a significant higher species richness for the treatments with the transfer of organic layer, compacted or not, in comparison with the reference steppe plant community. In addition, between 2011 and 2013, the natural colonisation by some ruderal opportunistic species was very low. Nevertheless, the reference steppe plant community organization was not restored for none of the different soil transfer treatments, as revealed by the calculation of the Bray-Curtis index. In addition, species abundances in the uncompacted organic layer, mean vegetation height and plant cover were significantly higher, than in the reference steppe plant community. Our results show that after only 3 years, the results of the different soil transfer treatments seem very promising. It appears from this three year monitoring that soil transfer of a mixture of the organic (top soil) and mineral (sub soil) layers, without final compaction, could be sufficient to boost the natural resilience of the typical plants of the reference steppe plant community. It might also be possible to increase the surface where the soil will be spread according to ratios of 1 to 2 or 1 to 3, instead of 1 to 1. This method will allow the protection of the steppe soil that is still a non-renewable resource. Because none of the different soil transfer treatments has allowed for the restoration of the integral steppe plant community, it seems now necessary to reinstall the traditional sheep grazing system with the aim to increase the restoration of the reference steppe plant community spatial organization.

The research has been carried in the steppe zone of the Minusinsk Hollow and forest-steppe of the Altai Ob Region. The paper presents the results of studying the efficiency of erosion protection methods using biologizing agriculture and technologies of soil treatment. The authors have analyzed long-term data provided by numerous research institutions located in different agro-ecological conditions in the forest-steppe and steppe areas of cultivated land. Long-term field experiments carried out to study and make a comparative analysis of soil treatment technologies in green manure fallows have shown different soil conservation efficiencies in various soil climatic conditions of the Middle Siberia. In the steppe area of cultivated land, in the case of erosion-hazard soil, it is worth using stubble mulch tillage treatment, which allows preserving plant residues on the soil surface in order to increase the soil protection efficiency of green manure fallows. After this type of treatment no removal of fine soil by wind was observed on black soil, while in the case of tillage the soil removal amounts to 2,5 - 8,1 tons per hectare per year. In the steppe area on slope lands, winter stubble residues allow one to completely prevent the soil wash out in spring. The number of days with dust storms after the Virgin Lands Campaign in Khakassia in 1961 – 1965 amounted to 5 – 13. At present, with the decreased areas of strongly eroded plough land and increased volume of fallow land, dust storms do not occur. A fallow grown crop (summer planted oats) and, on the slope lands, mulching with rape completely prevented the spring wash out. The grain yield from a hectare of the crop rotation area in the case of sweet clover tillage and stubble mulch plowing was almost the same: 1,64 and 1,76 tons per hectare, respectively. Treatment of the deposit land followed by spraying with Tornado herbicide in August reduces soil erosion 2.2 times compared to its introduction in June.

Restoration of an oak forest in east-central Missouri: Early effects of prescribed burning on woody vegetation

CAU 561 comprises 10 CASs: (1) 01-19-01, Waste Dump; (2) 02-08-02, Waste Dump and Burn Area; (3) 03-19-02, Debris Pile; (4) 05-62-01, Radioactive Gravel Pile; (5) 12-23-09, Radioactive Waste Dump; (6) 22-19-06, Buried Waste Disposal Site; (7) 23-21-04, Waste Disposal Trenches ; (8) 25-08-02, Waste Dump; (9) 25-23-21, Radioactive Waste Dump; and (10) 25-25-19, Hydrocarbon Stains and Trench. The purpose of this CADD/CR is to provide justification and documentation supporting the recommendation for closure of CAU 561 with no further corrective action. The purpose of the CAI was to fulfill the following data needs as defined during the DQO process: (1) Determine whether COCs are present; (2) If COCs are present, determine their nature and extent; and (3) Provide sufficient information and data to complete appropriate corrective actions. The following contaminants were determined to be present at concentrations exceeding their corresponding FALs: (1) No contamination exceeding FALs was identified at CASs 01-19-01, 03-19-02, 05-62-01, 12-23-09, and 22-19-06. (2) The surface and subsurface soil within the burn area at CAS 02-08-02 contains arsenic and lead above the FALs of 23 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) and 800 mg/kg, respectively. The surface and subsurface soil within the burn area also contains melted lead slag (potential source material [PSM]). The soil within the waste piles contains polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) above the FALs. The contamination within the burn area is spread throughout the area, as it was not feasible to remove all the PSM (melted lead), while at the waste piles, the contamination is confined to the piles. (3) The surface and subsurface soils within Trenches 3 and 5 at CAS 23-21-04 contain arsenic and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) above the FALs of 23 mg/kg and 0.74 mg/kg, respectively. The soil was removed from both trenches, and the soil that remains at this CAS does not contain contamination exceeding the FALs. Lead bricks and counterweights were also removed, and the soil below these items does not contain contamination that exceeds the FAL for lead. (4) The concrete-like material at CAS 25-08-02 contains arsenic above the FAL of 23 mg/kg. This concrete-like material was removed, and the soil that remains at this CAS does not contain contamination exceeding the FALs. Lead-acid batteries were also removed, and the soil below the batteries does not contain contamination that exceeds the FAL for lead. (5) The surface soils within the main waste dump at the posted southern radioactive material area (RMA) at CAS 25-23-21 contain cesium (Cs)-137 and PCBs above the FALs of 72.9 picocuries per gram (pCi/g) and 0.74 mg/kg, respectively. The soil was removed from the RMA, and the soil that remains at this CAS does not contain contamination exceeding the FALs. (6) The surface and subsurface soils at CAS 25-25-19 do not contain contamination exceeding the FALs. In addition, lead bricks were removed, and the soil below these items does not contain contamination that exceeds the FAL for lead. The following best management practices were implemented: (1) Housekeeping debris at CASs 02-08-02, 23-21-04, 25-08-02, 25-23-21, and 25-25-19 was removed and disposed of; (2) The open trenches at CAS 23-21-04 were backfilled; (3) The waste piles at CAS 25-08-02 were removed and the area leveled to ground surface; and (4) The remaining waste piles at the main waste dump at CAS 25-23-21 were leveled to ground surface. Therefore, NNSA/NSO provides the following recommendations: (1) No further action for CASs 01-19-01, 03-19-02, 05-62-01, 12-23-09, and 22-19-06; (2) Closure in place with an FFACO use restriction (UR) at CAS 02-08-02 for the remaining PAH-, arsenic-, and lead-contaminated soil, and the melted lead PSM. The UR form and map have been filed in the NNSA/NSO Facility Information Management System, the FFACO database, and the NNSA/NSO CAU/CAS files; (3) No further corrective action at CAS 23-21-04, as the lead bricks and counterweights (PSM) have been removed, and the COCs of arsenic and PCBs in soil have been removed; (4) No further corrective action at CAS 25-08-02, as the COC of arsenic in soil has been removed, and the lead-acid batteries have been removed; (5) No further corrective action at CAS 25-23-21, as the COCs of Cs-137 and PCBs in soil have been removed, and the cast-iron pipes have been removed and disposed of; (6) No further corrective action at CAS 25-25-19, as the lead bricks (PSM) been removed; (7) A Notice of Completion to the NNSA/NSO is requested from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection for closure of CAU 561; and (8) Corrective Action Unit 561 should be moved from Appendix III to Appendix IV of the FFACO.

The North African steppe areas represent a heritage of great economic and ecological importance. These areas, which were once prosperous, are currently experiencing significant degradation and a decrease in productivity due to several factors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of the steppe vegetation, identify the responsible factors, and present perspectives for their management and restoration. The methodological approach adopted for the characterization of climatic and socioeconomic conditions and the analysis of vegetation dynamics combined classical geomatics methods with a data mining method by mobilizing several sources and on important temporal horizons. This study was optimized by using the Google Earth Engine platform. Results showed that steppe areas are characterized by their plant richness and great potential for resilience despite their low vegetation cover. The analysis of the dynamics of change has highlighted a regressive trend in steppe vegetation during the study period (1995–2020). This study has been able to highlight the extent of the dynamics of the steppes in the study area during the last 26 years and to identify the human activity as the main trigger for the transformation that steppe areas are currently undergoing. Such results improve our knowledge of these areas and open perspectives for their management.

Steppes are large ecosystems and diverse in plant composition and soils-climatic conditions. Steppes have been used for pastoralism for centuries. Few studies have considered interactive effects of grazing intensity and topography on steppe productivity, plant composition and soil properties. The study was conducted at no grazed, moderately and freely grazed sites of two steppe areas located at 1500-1800 m a.s.l. of south-east slope of Mt. Aragats. Slope exposition, slope inclination, mean temperature and precipitation for steppe areas were also assessed. Aboveground biomass and plant and soil chemical analysis were done by the national standard methods, and influencing factors were extracted by RDA. Results showed that the steppe aboveground biomass decreased significantly with the grazing intensity increasing (55-70%), no matter of soil type as was shown by RDA analysis. Vegetation height responds to grazing intensity independently of topography and environmental factors. Nitrogen content in plants was mainly affected by grazing and increased in freely grazed sites, while it had no effect on phosphorus and potassium content. Grazing intensity and topography and environmental factors did not affect soil physicochemical properties. Only litter content was higher at moderately grazed sites on chernozem like soils. Comparative analysis of the two steppe areas highlighted notable shifts in productivity and key soil properties, primarily driven by grazing pressure rather than environmental conditions. Therefore, effective conservation strategies and controlled grazing management are essential for sustainable land use and mitigating degradation in these ecosystems.

Regional prediction of carbon isotopes in soil carbonates for Asian dust source tracer

Climate change and land use change are two major elements of human-induced global environmental change. In temperate grasslands and woodlands, increasing frequency of extreme weather events like droughts and increasing severity of wildfires has altered the structure and dynamics of vegetation. In this paper, we studied the impact of wildfires and the year-to-year differences in precipitation on species composition changes in semi-arid grasslands of a forest-steppe complex ecosystem which has been partially disturbed by wildfires. Particularly, we investigated both how long-term compositional dissimilarity changes and species richness are affected by year-to-year precipitation differences on burnt and unburnt areas. Study sites were located in central Hungary, in protected areas characterized by partially-burnt, juniper-poplar forest-steppe complexes of high biodiversity. Data were used from two long-term monitoring sites in the Kiskunság National Park, both characterized by the same habitat complex. We investigated the variation in species composition as a function of time using distance decay methodology. In each sampling area, compositional dissimilarity increased with the time elapsed between the sampling events, and species richness differences increased with increasing precipitation differences between consecutive years. We found that both the long-term compositional dissimilarity, and the year-to-year changes in species richness were higher in the burnt areas than in the unburnt ones. The long-term compositional dissimilarities were mostly caused by perennial species, while the year-to-year changes of species richness were driven by annual and biennial species. As the effect of the year-to-year variation in precipitation was more pronounced in the burnt areas, we conclude that canopy removal by wildfires and extreme inter-annual variability of precipitation, two components of global environmental change, act in a synergistic way. They enhance the effect of one another, resulting in greater long-term and year-to-year changes in the composition of grasslands.

Steppe is among the most endangered biomes of the world, especially in Eastern Europe, where more than 90 % of original steppes have been destroyed due to conversion into croplands, afforestation and other human activities. Currently, steppe vegetation is often restricted to places unsuitable for ploughing, such as ancient burial mounds called kurgans. The aim of our study was to collect and synthesise existing knowledge on kurgans by a review of research papers and grey literature. The proportion of kurgans covered by steppe vegetation increases from west to east and from lowlands to uplands. Despite their small size, kurgans act as biodiversity hotspots and harbour many red-listed species. High overall species richness and a high proportion of grassland specialists are maintained by a pronounced fine-scale environmental heterogeneity. The main factors threatening the biodiversity of kurgans are intensified agriculture and construction works. We conclude that kurgans can play a crucial role in preserving steppe vegetation, especially in intensively used agricultural landscapes in the western part of the steppe zone. Despite the vital role of kurgans in sustaining steppe vegetation, we identified serious knowledge gaps on their distribution, vegetation, flora and fauna and their potential role in steppe restoration.

Inundation and fire can affect the structure of riparian vegetation in wetlands. Our aim was to verify if there are differences in richness, abundance, basal area, composition and topographic preference of woody species in riparian forests related to the fire history, flooding duration, or the interaction between both. The study was conducted in the riparian forests of the Paraguay River some of which were burned three times between 2001 and 2011. We sampled trees with a girth of at least 5 cm at breast height in 150 5 × 10 m plots (79 burned and 71 unburned). We also measured height of the flood mark and estimated the flooding duration of each plot. We performed Generalized Linear Mixed Models to verify differences in richness, basal area, and abundance of individuals associated to interaction of fire and inundation. We used an analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) and indicator species analysis to identify differences in composition of species and the association with burned and unburned area according to different levels of inundation. Finally, we used a hierarchical set of Generalized Linear Models (GLM), the so-called HOF models, to analyse each species’ specific response to inundation based on topography and to determine their preferred optimal topographic position for both burned as well as unburned areas. Richness was positively associated with elevation only in burned areas while abundance was negatively influenced by inundation only in burned areas. Basal area was negatively associated with time of inundation independent of fire history. There were 15 species which were significant indicators for at least one combination of the studied factors. We found nine species in burned areas and 15 in unburned areas, with response curves in HOF models along the inundation gradient. From these, five species shifted their optimal position along the inundation gradient in burned areas. The interaction of fire and inundation did not appear to affect the basal area, but it did affect the richness, number of individuals, success of some species, and seemed to shape the boundary of these forests as shown by the difference in the positioning of these species along the inundation gradient.

Purpose – Farm Credit is a major provider of credit to agricultural producers in Oklahoma and nationally. The decision to place a new Farm Credit office reduces borrower search and travel costs and should increase loan volume. The purpose of this paper is to model the new loan volume as function of distance from east central Oklahoma county centroids to Farm Credit offices. The model is then used to predict the impact of placing new offices in underserved areas. Design/methodology/approach – County aggregate new loan volume is regressed on distances to Farm Credit branch and field offices and other variables expected to impact agricultural loan volume. The estimated model is used to predict new loan volume impact of adding additional branch and field offices in counties that did not have these offices. Confidence intervals are used to measure the significance of predicted loan volumes. Findings – Distances from county centroids to both branch and field offices were found to significantly reduce new loan volume. The results were used to simulate the addition of new branch and field offices. The simulation predicted the added annual new loan volume associated with office additions. Practical implications – Using spatial models, Farm Credit of east central Oklahoma and other agricultural lenders can better plan for expansion (or consolidation). These models indicate counties where annual new loan volume will likely be higher (or lower for consolidation) than other nearby counties. The result can be improved borrower access and system financial performance. Originality/value – While spatial modeling has been utilized in other sectors, little has been done relative to agricultural credit access and impact on loan volume. The model here explicitly models the impact that distance to Farm Credit offices have on annual new loan volume.