European Russia Research Articles

Synoptic conditions linked to different Eurasian blockings modulate the anomalous surface wind speed over China

Understanding the impact of various weather systems on surface wind speed (SWS) holds immense importance in enhancing the efficiency of wind power generation. Among the many systems that affect regional weather patterns, atmospheric blocking stands out as a key influencer. Here, we explored the influence of winter blocking in Eurasia on SWS changes over China. We found that the majority of blockings over Eurasia occurred around the Okhotsk Sea and Europe and that the blockings that occurred at different locations significantly influenced regional SWS changes. The blockings that occurred in western Russia and eastern Okhotsk consistently influenced most of China, increasing the SWS by 0.2–0.5 m/s and decreasing it by −0.4 to −0.2 m/s, respectively. The blocking that occurred over Russia also generally increased the SWS, and the areas with elevated SWS were mainly concentrated on the Tibetan Plateau and southeastern China. The influence of other blockings on SWS showed significant regional differences. Blockings influence SWS mainly through the weather conditions they control, whereas the intensity and duration of blockings have negligible effects on SWS variations.

Status of Reintroduced Marmot Populations in Two Forest–Steppe Reserves of European Russia

Status of Reintroduced Marmot Populations in Two Forest–Steppe Reserves of European Russia

RCR-RFLP approach for identification of cryptic species of Bombus lucorum-complex in Northern European Russia

RCR-RFLP approach for identification of cryptic species of Bombus lucorum-complex in Northern European Russia

The Morphological and Molecular Characterization of the Avian Trematodes Harrahium obscurum and Morishitium dollfusi (Digenea: Cyclocoelidae) from the Middle Volga Region (European Russia).

The taxonomic status of many species of the family Cyclocoelidae is still unclear. Two species of cyclocoelids, Harrahium obscurum and Morishitium dollfusi, were collected from the air sacs of birds (Turdus merula and Tringa ochropus) inhabiting the Middle Volga region (European Russia). Here, we provide the first detailed morphological description of these cyclocoelids and combine it with the first molecular phylogenetic analysis of Cyclocoelidae from birds in Russia based on partial sequences of their 28s rDNA and coI mtDNA genes. Specimens of both flatworm species from different host individuals differ slightly in body shape and size, which probably reflects host-induced intraspecific variability. For the first time, we have shown that a stable morphological character such as the length of the vitelline fields in the studied digeneans is variable at the species level and cannot be used in their morphological diagnosis.

Summer chiropteran community in the Sergievka Park with the unique dominance of Pipistrellus nathusii on the northern periphery of its distribution range

The study of species on the periphery of their ranges is especially relevant for long-term research in protected areas. The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that Pipistrellus nathusii on the northern periphery of its range has a clumped distribution with long-term viable breeding centres. The species composition and relative abundance of bats in the park were determined through capturing them with mist nets during the 1997–1998 and 2020–2022 survey periods. Within the 2nd survey period the use of an ultrasonic detector was additionally involved. Stability of the bat species composition in the protected area and a significant difference in the relative abundance between the surveys were revealed (χ2 = 47.31, p < 0.05). During both periods, the bat community in the park exhibited a pronounced dominance of P. nathusii and stable values of its relative abundance (40.7 and 44.2%, respectively). Perennial nursery colonies of Myotis daubentonii, Nyctalus noctula, and P. nathusii have been discovered in the park, which are arguably among the northernmost findings (59.89° N, 29.88° E) in European Russia. The catch rate (6.3 bats per net-night) and acoustic activity of the Chiroptera (16.6 active minutes per detector-hour) on the pond was significantly higher than on the alley and glade. This pattern is typical for all frequently recorded bat species – P. nathusii, N. noctula and Eptesicus nilssonii. According to the results of multiple analysis of variance, the effect of species on acoustic activity was the greatest (η = 24.59%, F = 15.52, p < 0.001). The impact of the habitat and the time since sunset, as well as the pairwise combined impact of these three factors, was also significant and reliable. The sizes of the nursery colonies were determined, which in P. nathusii were record high for the northern periphery of the breeding range, 212 individuals. Evening departures of P. nathusii from the nursery colony on the alley were characterized by their beginning before sunset, and from the nursery colony in the glade after sunset. The intensity of P. nathusii departure from the colony in the forest part of the park is significantly higher (5.3 bats/ min) than in the glade (1.4 bats/min). The fact that large nursery colonies of P. nathusii have existed for decades locally at 60° N latitude suggests the species may have a wider distribution in Eastern Fennoscandia in transformed areas containing old trees. Keywords: bats; South-Eastern Fennoscandia; relative abundance; nursery colonies; acoustic activity; circadian rhythms

Complex trait susceptibilities and population diversity in a sample of 4,145 Russians

The population of Russia consists of more than 150 local ethnicities. The ethnic diversity and geographic origins, which extend from eastern Europe to Asia, make the population uniquely positioned to investigate the shared properties of inherited disease risks between European and Asian ancestries. We present the analysis of genetic and phenotypic data from a cohort of 4,145 individuals collected in three metro areas in western Russia. We show the presence of multiple admixed genetic ancestry clusters spanning from primarily European to Asian and high identity-by-descent sharing with the Finnish population. As a result, there was notable enrichment of Finnish-specific variants in Russia. We illustrate the utility of Russian-descent cohorts for discovery of novel population-specific genetic associations, as well as replication of previously identified associations that were thought to be population-specific in other cohorts. Finally, we provide access to a database of allele frequencies and GWAS results for 464 phenotypes.

Assessment of Global Antibiotic Exposure Risk for Crops: Incorporating Soil Adsorption via Machine Learning.

The overuse and misuse of antibiotics could significantly increase their accumulation in soils. Consequently, antibiotics possibly enter food chain through crop uptake, posing a threat to global food security. Assessing the exposure risks of antibiotics for crops is crucial for addressing this global issue. In this study, we assessed global antibiotic exposure risk for crops, incorporating a machine learning adsorption model based on 4893 data sets from nine antibiotics. The optimized machine learning adsorption model, using the eXtreme Gradient Boosting algorithm and the class-specific modeling strategy, demonstrated relatively good performance. Notably, we introduced unsaturated soil conditions and considered spatiotemporal variations in soil moisture and temperature for the first time in such a risk assessment. Global distributions of antibiotic exposure risk for crops were predicted for March, June, September, and December. The results indicate that soil moisture significantly influences the exposure risk assessment. Relatively high exposure risk for crops was observed during months with colder local temperatures: generally June for the Southern Hemisphere and December for the Northern Hemisphere. The resulting map highlights high-risk agricultural regions, including southern Canada, western Russia, and southern Australia.

Russia as a Frontier of Europe in the British Educational Games of the Georgian Age

In the eighteenth century, an entertainment industry grew in England, including educational games such as playing cards, puzzles, and board games. The educational aspect implied that the game was not only a way of entertainment, but also a source of knowledge. The author examines the image of the Russian Empire shaped by British games of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. He gives special attention to the problem of the player’s interaction with the game reality, analyses the implicit properties of geographical spaces, which manifest themselves when, depending on the characteristics of the “place”, the player is asked to perform a certain action. The author divides the games of the period under review into three types, namely card games, board games designed as geographical maps, and board games with an individual playing field and booklet. He concludes that, regardless of the game format, the traditional early modern division of Russia into Asian and European parts was reflected in its image in all the games under consideration. The European part of Russia, as a rule, was described in the same tones as other regions of Europe. Asian Russia could be endowed with a variety of qualities. In some games it could be described as inhabited by ignorant nomadic tribes of Tartaria, in others – as frosty and deserted Siberia. Sometimes these characteristics were combined, but it is clear that the fragmentation into the “European” and “Asian” worlds presented in British educational games influenced significantly the formation of identification patterns among British youth of the Georgian era.

Differential phenological responses to temperature among various stages of spring vegetation green-up

Abstract Vegetation green-up is occurring earlier due to climate warming across the Northern Hemisphere, with substantial influences on ecosystems. However, it is unclear whether temperature responses differ among various green-up stages. Using high-temporal-resolution satellite data of vegetation greenness and averaging over northern vegetation (30–75° N), we found the negative interannual partial correlation between the middle green-up stage timing (50% greenness increase in spring–summer) and temperature (RP = −0.73) was stronger than those for the onset (15% increase, RP = −0.65) and end (90% increase, RP = −0.52) of green-up during 2000–2022. Spatially, at high latitudes, the middle green-up stage showed stronger temperature responses than the onset, associated with greater low-temperature constraints and stronger control of snowmelt on green-up onset as well as greater spring frost risk. At middle latitudes, correlations with temperature were similar between the onset and middle stages of green-up, except for grasslands of the Mongolian Plateau and interior western USA, where correlations with temperature were weaker for the middle stage due to water limitation. In contrast, the end of the green-up showed weaker temperature responses than the middle due to insufficient water and high climatic temperature during the end of the green-up in most of the study region, except for cold regions in the interior western USA, western Russia and the Tibetan Plateau, where temperature was still a main driver during end of green-up. Our findings underscore the differences in temperature responses among green-up stages, which alters the temporal alignment between plants and environmental resources.

Species composition and zoogeographic characteristics of winter gnats (Diptera, Trichoceridae) in the center of the European part of Russia

This article examines the species composition of winter gnats Diptera, Trichoceridae) found in the European part of Russia. This group of dipterans includes small insects that can be observed in natural biotopes from September to April. The bulk of the collections that served as material for this message were carried out by us in the Vladimir Oblast. Insects were collected in various natural communities using Barber traps installed there, as well as by route method. At the time of collection, environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and light were recorded. The last revision of this group of dipterans for Russia was carried out in 2013 by A.V. Petrashiyunos and N.M. Paramonov. According to their data, the trichocerid fauna of Russia at that time consisted of 27 species. As a result of our research, 11 species of mosquitoes from the genus Trichocera were discovered in the European part of Russia. These are Trichocera hiemalis, Trichocera inexplorata, Trichocera major, Trichocera parva, Trichocera recondita, Trichocera regelations, Trichocera saltator, Trichocera sparsa, Trichocera brevis, Trichocera implicata, Trichocera altipons. For the first time in Russia, three species were identified: Trichocera brevis, Trichocera implicata, Trichocera altipons. Having analyzed the habitats of the studied group of trichocerid species, we found that 1 species has a circumpolyzonal type of habitat, 1 species has a sub-holarctic type of habitat, 1 species has a transpalearctic polyzonal type of habitat, 2 species have a trans-eurasian polydisjunctive type of habitat and 6 species have a European type of habitat.

Morphology of <i>Caragana arborescens</i> Lam., introduced in the Volgograd Oblast and the status of its cover herbaceous plant communities

The study of the shrub status in the South-East of the European Russia is relevant due to the need to maintain the necessary material for protective afforestation. The study of their cover plant communities provides valuable information about the ecological aspects of the introduction and successful adaptation of shrubs in a place of mass planting. The aim of the study was to assess the condition of Caragana arborescens, imported from Eastern Siberia and planted in the arid territories of the Volgograd Oblast, as well as the ecological characteristics of its cover herbaceous plant communities. In the study area we selected two groups of plants, those growing on ordinary soil and on soil with a high content of salts, zinc, and a low content of manganese. In the latter case, C. arborescens had a relatively smaller size, a rarer crown, a reduced ability to generate shoots and resistance to diseases and pests. C. arborescens are sensitive to the anthropogenic stress, but within the analyzed territory this is not accompanied by progressive succession of the ecosystem. Under the crown of C. arborescens at various sites and sites, we found in various phenophases from 8–10 to 24 species of higher sapiens with a predominance of one- and two-year-old forms. Nine species have consistently claimed the role of dominant and subdominant of plant communities, most often representatives of the Asteraceae and Mareaceae families. The discovered communities showed clear signs of anthropogenic impact, but without the development of progressive ecosystem succession.

Ecological characteristics of biotopes and the structure of communities with <i>Globularia</i> L. (Plantaginaceae, Magnoliopsida) within the Eastern European fragment of its range

The paper presents an assessment of the ranges of ecological conditions in which Globularia bisnagarica L. and G. trichosantha Fisch. & С. A. Mey species exist in communities growing in European Russia. Studies were carried out in 25 communities with G. bisnagarica and 4 ones with G. trichosantha, respectively. Our assessment of the ecological regimes of phytocenoses according to D. N. Tsyganov’s scales has shown that both species live in very narrow ranges of climatic, soil factors and lighting, being stenovalent. For G. bisnagarica, the thermoclimatic and light factors were the most limiting ones. Few soil characteristics such as salinity and nitrogen richness were the limiting factors for G. trichosantha. According to the spectrum of ecomorphs, the communities of the two species were similar. The vast majority of species are classified as steppe ones. Hemicryptophytes were the predominant type of biomorphs. In relation to trophicity, more than half of the species was mesotrophic. According to the temperature regime, the meso- therms were the predominant group. The range of moisture regimes in the habitats of communities contributes to the growth of xerophytes and meso-xerophyte species to a greater extent. Due to certain specificity of the habitats of communities with Globularia on open slopes, most species were heliophytes. Our analysis of regularities of changes in the species composition of the com- munities in relation to environmental factors at global scale has shown that temperature factors make the greatest contribution.

GENETIC DETERMINANTS OF CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM: INTRA- AND INTERETHNIC VARIABILITY OF THE LACTASE LCT, TREHALASE TREH AND SUCRASE-ISOMALTASE SI GENES IN THE EVENKI AND OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF SIBERIA

Introduction. The authors consider the features of genetic determinants of disaccharide assimilation as the corollary of adaptation to the environment. The aim of the study was to assess the polymorphism of the genes that determine activity of disaccharidase enzymes lactase (LCT, rs4988235), trehalase (TREH, rs2276064) and sucrase-isomaltase (SI, rs781470490) in different territorial groups of Evenks. Materials and methods. Biomaterial samples from 1365 unrelated individuals representing 15 ethno-territorial population groups in European Russia, Siberia, and the Far East of the Russian Federation were genotyped. "Focus" groups include "Western" (N=65), "Transbaikal" (N=50), and "Okhotsk" (N=81) Evenks (Krasnoyarsk Krai, Northern Transbaikalia, Okhotsk-Aldan region). The other study groups allow us to assess the specificity of the distribution of genetic determinants of disaccharide assimilation in populations that differ from racial, ecological, and subsistence perspectives. Results. The Evenki territory subgroups do not differ from each other in terms of allele frequencies and genotype distribution of LCT (p>0.2) and TREH (p>0.8) and are similar to Yakuts, Buryats, Mongols, and populations of the Far East and Chukotka. The SI delAG deletion was not found in the Western Evenki subgroup. Discussion. A question of similarity between taiga hunters Evenks to cattle breeders Buryats, Mongols, and Yakuts in terms of C*LCT frequencies requires further elaboration. Possible explanations may include a weakening of selection for the T*LCT allele due to the shift in traditional diet toward replacement of fresh milk with fermented dairy products, high activity of specific intestinal microflora, or the existence of other lactase synthesis genetic determinants, besides LCT*C/T-13910. The evolutionary origins of the clinal variation in the TREH gene allele frequencies, which appears to be associated with the expression of the Mongoloid ancestral component in the gene pool of populations in Northern Eurasia, remain unclear. It seems appropriate to conduct genetic screening in the indigenous populations of the Russian Far East in order to assess the prevalence of SI delAG deletion as an inducer of the sucrase-isomaltase deficiency.

Alphacoronaviruses from bats captured in European Russia in 2015 and 2021 are closely related to those of Northern Europe

IntroductionBats are considered the natural reservoirs of several viruses including coronaviruses (CoVs), two genera of which, alpha- and betacoronaviruses, infect humans. Despite widespread screening of bat samples for novel viruses, information on the diversity of coronaviruses in bats inhabiting Russian territory remains scarce. Here, we analyzed the presence and diversity of alphacoronaviruses (Alpha-CoVs) in bats from European Russia.MethodsFourty three fecal samples from bats of 8 species: P. nathusii, P. kuhlii, M. brandtii, M. daubentonii, N. noctula, V. murinus, M. dasycneme, and P. auritus were taken to study.Results and discussionWe detected Alpha-CoV RdRp gene fragments in 30% (13/43) of samples examined in 75% (6/8) of species sampled. Phylogenetic analysis of RdRp showed that most of the identified Alpha-CoV sequences fall into clades within the Pedacovirus subgenus, with minor clusters of nyctacoviruses or myotacoviruses. We assert that closely related pedacoviruses have been circulating for a long time (from 2015 to 2021) in a large region from European Russia to Northern Europe. We propose that closely related pedacoviruses collected from common areas represent a separate species, which we name NE-Alpha coronavirus, with its host being bats of the genus Pipistrellus that inhabit a region from the European part of Russia to Northern Europe. Among the animals sampled, 4.6% (2/43) carried two Alpha-CoVs related to different subgenera (pedacovirus/myotacovirus or pedacovirus/nyctacovirus) simultaneously. We confirmed the presence of two different Alpha-CoV subgenera related to pedacovirus and nyctacovirus in P. kuhlii captured in 2021 and kept in captivity using whole genome sequencing of these viruses. The presence of two or more coronaviruses in one individual animal host is an essential prerequisite for recombination to occur. We also obtained two Alpha-CoV whole genomes from two specimens of P. nathusii captured in 2015. The genomic organization of BatCoV/MOW15-21 and BatCoV/MOW15-23 was similar to other Alpha-CoVs, but the assembled genomes contained a long insertion in the ORF1ab gene which has not been described in other Alpha-CoVs, except for a single sequence from P. nathusii captured in the Netherlands. We propose that the insertion encodes a previously undescribed domain of unknown function, probably related to the SEA domain superfamily.

AN ANNOTATED LIST OF FRUIT FLIES (DIPTERA: DROSOPHILIDAE) OF THE REPUBLIC OF MORDOVIA

An annotated list of 44 species in 12 genera of the drosophilid flies of the Republic of Mordovia is given. Among them Drosophila picta Ztt. is recorded in Russia for the first time, D. bondarenkoi Sidorenko is found in European Russia for the first time and 8 species are new to the fauna of the Republic of Mordovia. The drosophilid fauna of Mordovia is compared with Voronezhskaya oblast.

Impact of economic growth, energy consumption, and trade openness on carbon emissions: evidence from the top 20 emitting nations

ABSTRACT The study focuses on the top 20 carbon emission-increasing nations across continents from 2000 to 2021 and the effects of gross domestic product, energy consumption, and trade openness on carbon emissions. The study uses a panel dataset and multiple linear regression analysis to pinpoint the significant factors influencing each nation's carbon emissions. The findings indicate that China, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea in Asia; Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, and the Seychelles in Africa; Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Chile, and Panama in America; Albania, Belarus, Lithuania, and Russia in Europe; and Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu in Oceania have a highly significant impact on carbon emissions in their respective regions. Energy consumption significantly increases carbon emissions in all countries except Panama and Kazakhstan, where it only significantly impacts GDP-related carbon emissions. These insights lay the groundwork for policymakers to prioritise sustainable development, reduce carbon emissions in their decision-making processes, and establish comprehensive strategies that reconcile ecological concerns with socioeconomic goals by understanding the intricate dynamics between gross domestic product, energy use, trade openness, and carbon emissions.

Narratives, Knowledge Objects, and the Making of Great Power Competition

Abstract What makes great power relations more (or less) competitive? One key argument in International Relations (IR) is that interpretations matter and shape how competitive great power relations are. This article seeks to further develop this argument. Drawing on objectual IR and the sociology of expectations, it proposes a constructivist framework that unpacks two crucial, yet surprisingly little studied aspects of the making of great power competition: (i) the constitution and organization of great power relations as a contest over scarce goods and (ii) the interplay of narratives and knowledge objects that underpins it. To illustrate the framework and contribute to theory development, the article reconstructs the dynamics of two prominent dimensions of great power competition in the past decade: The tensions between NATO and Russia in Europe and the economic competition between the United States and China. It shows that the making of great power competition involves three interrelated elements: the framing of relations among powerful states as contests over some valued goods, the production of knowledge about the distribution of these goods, and governance arrangements stipulating rules for the contests. What underpins the three elements is an interplay of narratives and knowledge objects: General narratives of what the competition is about and what is at stake preconfigure which knowledge objects are regarded as pertinent. The pertinent knowledge objects, in turn, shape the specific narratives that are told about how the competition unfolds.

CONDITIONS OF THE OAK FORESTS GROWTH AND CULTIVATION ON THE TOP SURFACES AND SLOPES OF THE NEAR-VOLGA AND ERGENI UPLANDS AND THE PLAINS OF THE SAL-MANYCH INTERFLUVE

Planted oak forests in the south of European Russia are of great conservation and economic importance. The widespread practice of their creation in dry steppes and semideserts dates back to the 1950-1970s and allows to form oak (Quercus robur L.) plantations with longevity up to 40-60 years. The aim of the study is to investigate the growth features of oak trees under different soil-climatic and biocenotic conditions and to suggest methods to increase their longevity.The research was carried out in 2011-2016 in the south of the Near-Volga Upland, the northern part of the Ergeni Upland and lowland plains of the Sal-Manych interfluve at 28 temporary sample plots using common methods of forest inventory and regression data analysis.It has been established that the viability of oak is limited by unfavorable topographic position of plantations, increased climate dryness (HC 0,4-0,6), high content of soil carbonates and shallow-lying horizon of their accumulation, as well as the presence of shrub layer and other competitors for moisture. Under these conditions, afforestation of depressions on the plains and shady slopes with pure plantations of oak and other species without shrubs should gain advantage. The methods of their creation should be modified depending on the topographic position of particular forest area and the climate dryness.So, the main soil cultivation in depressions could last 1-2 years, applying the system of black fallow with plantation plowing. It is advisable to keep 3,5-4,0-meter row spacing, frequent tending, and intensive clearing of young tree stands. Maturer plantations need careful sanitary-selective cuttings, mainly the low-type ones, and preservation of high canopy density. Poor water availability and deterioration of plantations should be prevented by construction of dams.Reclamation plantations of low marketability are created on flat areas after 2-3 years of deeper basic tillage. The carbonate horizon should be loosened and a large moisture reserve is needed. Row spacing of 2,5-3,0 meters is reasonable, accelerating the canopy closure. The area of tree nutrition is expanded by low-intensive uniformly selective cuttings, forming more open stands. The longevity of oak in already existing plantations could be increased by eliminating its competitors, such as living ground cover, shrubs and associated species.

Population status and host fishes of the freshwater pearl mussel in the eastern part of the Onega Peninsula, Northern European Russia

Four populations of freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera were studied at lower sections of three river basins of the eastern part of the Onega Peninsula, Northern European Russia: the Bol’shaya Syarta, the Ust’-Yaren’ga and the Lopshen’ga (including Kamenny Stream). One of the populations from the Lopshen’ga River was discovered for the first time. Here we present preliminary data on the population status of M. margaritifera, its host fishes and glochidia infestation in the studied river basins. Living juvenile mussels and fishes infested by glochidia were recorded only in two waterbodies, i.e., the Bol’shaya Syarta and Ust’-Yaren’ga rivers. The pearl mussel population from the Bol’shaya Syarta River seems to represent the most prosperous among studied ones. The average density of visible mussels was small in the lower section of the river, but the proportion of young mussels was rather high (33.1 %) and intensity of glochidia infection reached 865 glochidia per fish. The highest average density was recorded in the pearl mussel population from the Kamenny Stream, Lopshen’ga River basin. However, only one juvenile mussel and none of host fishes infested by glochidia were recorded in this watercourse that may indicate the population aging and decrease of reproduction. Morphological analyses revealed significant differences between four studied populations of M. margaritifera towards the shell convexity index (SCI) and shell elongation index (SEI). In all studied basins, salmonid fishes were also infested by other parasites, mainly flatworms and their cysts. This factor may negatively impact the salmonid host fish populations that require monitoring of the current situation. The data obtained and future studies will allow to develop a system for protecting and monitoring of populations of a rare species such as the freshwater pearl mussel M. margaritifera.

Succession as a Natural Tool for Restoration of Oak—Lime Forests on Aspen-Covered Clearcuts

The genus Quercus, including species like pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.), can play a key role in maintaining climate-resistant mixed forests due to its broad ecological spectrum and drought tolerance. Unfortunately, in some parts of Europe, clearcutting has drastically reduced the oak population. An example of this event is our survey of heritage Oak—Lime forests in European Russia, which were transformed into pure aspen stands. The aim of our study was to provide forecasts and silvicultural recommendations for the passive restoration of these forests. We took a chronosequence approach to assess changes associated with natural succession over 60 years. In our survey of the development of oaks, limes and accompanying tree species (aspen, birches, maples, elms), we used 190 plots ranging across a wide spectrum of forest disturbance due to clearcutting. We demonstrate that aspen reproduce rapidly by root suckers after cutting and occupy more than 60% of the space. But the dominance of aspen decreases continuously from the age of 30, and then the lime trees begin to dominate. Oak does not show successful natural regeneration. Therefore, we recommend planting oak seedlings or sowing acorns, i.e., active restoration, in combination with the natural restoration of lime.