Forest Belt Research Articles

Aerosol technology for edge treatment of a field for the destruction of weeds and pests

BACKGROUND: The subject of the study is the technological process of spraying weeds and pests in the edge area of the field with polydisperse drops from an air-dispersed system created by a fan with a nozzle and slotted liquid sprayers.
 AIMS: Justification of the technological process of spraying weeds and pests during the edge treatment of a field with a polydisperse aerosol.
 METHODS: There was a device for a mounted boom sprayer of plants used for edge treatment of a field by the main method of spraying weeds and pests with the required size and number of drops from an air-dispersed jet created by an axial fan with a hydraulic drive and a nozzle equipped with slotted sprayers of liquid located along its generatrix for supplying spray cones into the initial section of the jet. Based on the developed method, the results of tinted liquid spraying subject cards fixed in a certain position in compliance with the GOST 34630 on tablets and located perpendicular to the motion direction of the sprayer on soil and hills.
 RESEARCH NOVELTY: The aerosol technology for edge treatment of a field for the destruction of weeds and pests was proposed for the first time.
 RESULTS: Using eight LU-015. AD-015 (color code - green) slotted sprayers on the nozzle generatrix of the device, the number of drops deposited per 1 cm2 on the surface at a distance from the nozzle up to 15 m satisfies the agrotechnical requirements for the use of herbicides, as well as insecticides and fungicides. Throughout the height of the cards at a distance of 10 m from the nozzle, the number of drops per 1 cm2 decreases, and especially with an increase in the height of their location. Large drops of the polydisperse system settle on the soil earlier to kill weeds, while small ones move to the forest belt to kill pests at the base.
 CONCLUSIONS: With theoretical calculations and experimentally, the aerosol technology of combined edge treatment of a field and field-protective plantings with the environmentally friendly cold aerosol using slotted liquid sprayers was justificated. The performance of rational technology is ensured by: the technical unit motion velocity of 3 km/h, the spraying width of 10 m, the working fluid pressure of 4 bar, the productivity of 3 ha/h, the working solution flow rate of 108.8 l/ha.

МАТИЦА В ТРАДИЦИОННЫХ ПРЕДСТАВЛЕНИЯХ И ОБРЯДНОСТИ УДМУРТОВ

One of the most significant structural elements in the dwelling of the Udmurts, as well as of other Finno-Ugric, Turkic and Slavic peoples of the Russian forest belt, was the cross beam log (matitsa) - a supporting beam supporting the ceiling. Semantics and symbolism of the traditional East Slavic dwelling, including matitsa, are considered in detail by A.K. Bayburin. His theoretical conceptions were successfully approved by G.K. Shklyaev and P.A. Orlov in the Finno-Ugric (Udmurtian) material and by A.K. Salmin and V.V. Medvedev in the Turkic (Chuvash) material. The importance of the functions of matitsa is due to the presence of a number of symbolic meanings attributed to it, the set of beliefs and rituals associated with it, its role is brightly reflected in folklore, especially in the riddles. A large number of building rituals called to ensure well-being, prosperity and warmth in the home are associated with matitsa. The integrity of the home and the success of life in it depended on the correctness of its installation. Laying the mat was interpreted as the birth of a house. There were many symbolic meanings attached to it. Matitsa is the very first, internal boundary separating the mastered space from the outside world. Its boundary functions determined its susceptibility to the influence of other forces. Therefore rituals were performed under it when there was a need to contact with the beyond. There were also special protective techniques to limit its permeability. The ceiling beam is the topographic center of the house and guardian of its inhabitants. It is also a vivid symbol of the world tree, which is seen in building ceremonies. The matitsa is the symbolic equivalent of the whole house, the point of unfolding and winding up the ritual space. All these symbolic meanings, representations and rituals are based on the deep roots of the ancient house-building traditions that developed in the area during the construction of wooden dwellings. In connection with the beginning of construction of houses from new materials, the matitza is falling out of use. But part of the rituals associated with it is preserved. In the article the available data are generalized and new empirical material on this topic for the Udmurts is introduced.

Опыт проведения контроля эффективности барьерной зимней дератизации на территории природного очага геморрагической лихорадки с почечным синдромом в Республике Башкортостан

The first experience of specialists of the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Republic of Bashkortostan to control the effectiveness of large-scale barrier winter deratization around settlements with high morbidity of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is presented. For the first time in the territory of the Republic of Bashkortostan, barrier deratization was carried out in the winter period (February – March 2023) in order to improve the natural focus of HFRS on epidemic indications. Zoological, statistical, and epidemiological methods of research were used in the collection and analysis of data. According to zoological observations in the fall of 2022, the number of rodents in stationary points was 24.4 % per 100 trap-days, 2 times higher than in the fall of 2021. The peculiarity of weather conditions is high snow cover (up to 40 cm) and frost (up to minus 26 °C). The peculiarity of work: snowmobiles compacted snow in order to pass to the forest belt for spreading poisoned baits and setting traps. New data on the methodology of work – preliminary geocoding – determination of work sites (deratization and subsequent assessment of infestation after deratization) on the basis of mapping, according to the data of infection sites of patients with HFRS were presented. Features of the work are: participation of employees of different specialties (disinfectologists, biologists, zoologists, entomologist, assistants of medical epidemiologist), large-scale (4830 traps), compressed timing of work (February – March), 1030 days after winter deratization, interaction with the administration of the settlement. The technical complexity of setting traps to the level of "ground" in snow is described. Practical assistance of employees of research institutes, anti-plague institution, Reference centers for HFRS was noted. According to the results of external control of effectiveness after barrier deratization in winter, the number of small mammals in the farmsteads of settlements in 10–30 days after its completion did not exceed the normative index of 3 %, and in the forest belt around settlements did not exceed the normative index of 7 %. Keywords: small mammals, efficacy, trap-day, winter barrier deratization, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, personal protective equipment.

Spatial distribution of physico-chemical parameters of chestnut soils in small watersheds under the influence of forest strips

The soils of agricultural land are degraded, which affects their productivity. Soil properties reflect the ability of soil to prevent the processes of degradation. The article presents materials on the study of chestnut soils of Volgograd region in the system of protective forest belts on arid agricultural lands. The purpose of the study, conducted in 2021, was to establish the spatial impact of protective forest strips on the physico-chemical parameters of the soil in the conditions of a low steepness of the slope of the eastern exposition. To achieve this goal, we investigated theoretical and methodological materials on the experimental plot and studied the selected samples by conducting laboratory analyses of the main indicators (granulometric composition, soil structure coefficient, soil density, organic carbon). As a result of the study of samples from points near the forest belt and within it the following was revealed: high content of organic matter (up to 1.47%) and high density (up to 1.53 g/cm3), sandy loam soil with a light granulometric composition and high content of agronomically valuable aggregates (0.25-10 mm), the structure factor above 1.6. Outside the forest belt and up the slope low carbon content (not more than 0.84 %) low density (not more than 1.32 g/cm3), soil has heavy granulometric composition, structure coefficient decreases to 0.86.

Soil bacterial community composition and function play roles in soil carbon balance in alpine timberline ecosystems

PurposeSoil microbial communities and related key ecological processes play critical roles in timberline delineation and soil carbon balance in alpine ecosystems, which are highly vulnerable to climate change. Accordingly, understanding their geographical differentiation will facilitate recognition of ecosystem functions and improve soil carbon models. In this study, we explored the biogeographic patterns of soil bacterial communities and their mechanisms in maintaining soil carbon balance in an alpine timberline ecosystem of the Sygera Mountains, Southeast Tibet.Materials and methodsSoil samples were collected from typical forest belts above and below the timberline. The abundance and composition of bacterial communities, as well as functional genes, were assessed using the gene chip technology. The relationship of key microbial taxa, functional genes, and soil carbon maintenance was investigated using random forest analysis, multi-model inference, and structural equation modeling.Results and discussionThe shrubland soil bacterial community exhibited greater diversity compared with the coniferous forest community, with higher Shannon Index and more functional genes at the taxonomic and functional levels, respectively. Bacterial community composition differed between the two forest types, with copiotrophic bacteria more abundant in shrubland, and oligotrophic bacteria more abundant in coniferous forest. The shrubland community was also more efficient at utilizing labile organic carbon, while the coniferous forest community utilized recalcitrant organic carbon more efficiently. Genes related to labile carbon degradation were more intense in shrubland, while genes related to recalcitrant carbon degradation were more concentrated in the coniferous forest. Soil temperature and C:N ratio were dominant drivers of bacterial community composition and function. Besides key soil-environment and microbial properties, certain bacterial taxa and functional genes also exerted unique roles in soil carbon variation.ConclusionsSignificant differences exist in soil bacterial community composition and functions between the two forest types above and below the timberline of the Sygera Mountains. These differences may be attributed to soil temperature and soil C:N ratio. Coupling these microbial variables into the earth system model can improve the predictive power of the carbon feedback process in terrestrial ecosystems.

Evaluation of the Level of Farmland Infrastructure Based on High-Resolution Images of UAV

The evaluation of the level of farmland infrastructure is a necessary objective condition for the use of arable land and agricultural development. In order to investigate the evaluation index system and method of farmland infrastructure level, this article uses the Kenli District of the Yellow River Delta as the research region. In the study region, six typical observation sample areas are chosen. Each area receives high-resolution UAV photos, which are then used to extract information about the farmland infrastructure of the field. A farming infrastructure evaluation index system was built, consisting of 10 indexes for four aspects, including farmland roads, field plots, ditches, and forest belts, using the 100 m by 100 m grid method to divide the evaluation units. The comprehensive index technique was used to calculate the farmland infrastructure score of each unit and identify the degree of excellent, good, and poor farmland infrastructure. The weight of each indication was decided by the hierarchical analysis method. There were 20 excellent grades, 77 good grades, and 29 poor grades among the 126 evaluation units in the study area, with excellent and good grades accounting for 79.13% and area proportions of 14.29%, 64.84%, and 20.87%, respectively. Among the six sample areas, sample areas E and F had the highest percentages of excellent grades, sample area A had 82.62% of the good grades, and all sample areas except A and C had a percentage of poor grades that was higher than 20%. Regularity of the fields, average size of the fields, and the agricultural plot’s slope are the dominant indexes of farmland infrastructure in each observation sample area, and the indexes of the ratio of the perimeter of roads to the perimeter of fields, density of ditches, and the ratio of area of agricultural forest networks to area of fields need to be optimized and improved. The spatial distribution of each grade differs significantly. The evaluation results are consistent with the real situation in the study region and have positive reference meaning for the development and management of farming infrastructure, according to the study’s proposed evaluation system and methodology.

Response of the Radial Growth of Woody Plants in the West Siberian Plain and Adjacent Mountainous Territories to the Characteristics of the Snow Cover

The dependence of the width of annual rings of woody plants on the characteristics of the snow cover is analyzed in various natural zones of the West Siberian Plain and adjacent mountainous areas: the maximum depth and water reserve for the entire winter period and for individual months, the dates of disappearing, establishment, and duration of the occurrence of a stable snow cover. It has been shown that the role of the depth and water content of snow cover for the radial growth of trees is differentiated by geographical location. On the plain, it intensifies in the forest-tundra and dry steppe. The response of radial growth to snow cover in the upper and lower parts of the forest belt is often the opposite. Dates of establishment of stable snow cover are more important for tree growth compared to dates of disappearance. Dates of disappearance of stable snow cover are more significant in the southern regions than in the northern ones. The value of the duration of the period with stable snow cover for tree growth is higher in the southern regions.

Epizootic in gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) population in the field protective forest belts of State Hunting Enterprise Balchik in 2022

Biological control of gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) was carried out in 2021 in the field protective forest belts at the territory of the State Hunting Enterprise Balchik by introducing the entomopathogenic fungus Entomophaga maimaiga (Entomophthorales: Entomophthoraceae). In the same year a mortality rate of 26.1% of the pest population was registered. In 2022 E. maimaiga and multiple nuclear polyhedrosis virus of L dispar (LdMNPV) caused a population collapse of the pest in the region. Azygospores of E. maimaiga were reported in the cadavers of about 5% of middle- and late-instar dead host larvae with LdMNPV polyhedra, which is an indirect indication of initial infection by the fungal pathogen. The epizootic of gypsy moth in the Balchik region is the first recorded case of coinfection by E. maimaiga and LdMNPV in Bulgaria. 

Current state and silvicultural and reclamation efficiency coniferous field-protective forest belts of the Khakass anti-erosion station

Field-protective forest strips are the basis of the ecological framework of agricultural territories. Siberian larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.), Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) are the main tree species used in field-protective afforestation of the Shirinskaya steppe of the Republic of Khakassia. The studies were carried out in forest belts consisting of coniferous tree species of ordinary and staggered planting methods. Here, using modern techniques, temporary trial plots were laid. The aim of the work was to study the current state of forest belts, consisting of coniferous tree species, and their silvicultural and reclamation efficiency in the area where the Khakass anti-erosion station is located. The features of the sanitary condition and silvicultural and reclamation efficiency of forest stands on trial plots are analyzed depending on the planting methods growing on different types of soils. It has been established that a good and satisfactory condition of trees (1.0-1.2 points) and the highest silvicultural and reclamation score (5a) 34-55 years after planting are observed in larch forest belts with a rare staggered arrangement of trees growing on the southern and ordinary chernozems. The unsatisfactory condition of the trees (2.3-3.0 points) and the reduced silvicultural and reclamation assessment (4a) 55-58 years after planting are noted in pine and larch forest belts with rows of trees growing on chernozem-like sandy loamy soil and southern medium loamy chernozem. These features must be taken into account when designing a new generation of coniferous forest belts in other areas of the Khakass anti-erosion station, where they have not been created before. Measures have been planned to extend the service life of the steppe coniferous field-protective forest belts in the near future.

The current state and silvicultural and reclamation efficiency of deciduous field-protective forest belts of the Khakass anti-erosion station

The current state and silvicultural and reclamation efficiency of deciduous field-protective forest belts of the Khakass anti-erosion station

Edge Treatment of the Field and Field-Protective Forest Plants from Weeds and Pests

The design of the device for a hinged rod sprayer of plants for edge processing of the field by the main method of spraying of litter and pests is proposed. The average number of droplets deposited on the surface per 1 cm2 at a distance of up to 15 m meets the agrotechnical requirements for the use of herbicides, as well as insecticides and fungicides. According to the height of the cards at a distance of 10 m from the nozzle, the number of drops per 1 cm2 decreased, and especially with an increase in the height of their location from 69.7 to 17.5 and 31.7 pcs/cm2. At a distance of 15 m from the nozzle, the droplets were small and practically did not settle on the cards. When the vehicle is moving 7.2 km/h (2.0 m/s), the total mass flow of the working fluid of 2 slot sprayers LU-04.AD-04 (color code – red) and 2 slot sprayers LU-02.AD-02, (color code – yellow) at a pressure of 4 The bar was 45.5 g/m linear. It took 45.5 liters of working fluid to work 1 km of the forest belt. For example, a capacity of 600 liters is sufficient for edge processing along the perimeter of a field with a length of 13.2 km. The developed technical means will ensure the effective treatment of protective forest plantations from weeds and pests.

The mammal fauna of the Mykhailivska Tsilyna Nature Reserve: assessment of diversity and factors of its support

At the time of the creation of the Mykhailivska Tsilyna Nature Reserve (1928), it was a completely forestless steppe area with an area of 202.2 hectares. Presumably, 17 mammal species from 11 families and 5 orders were distributed in its territory, and 1 species (steppe marmot) had already disappeared. Of them, 8 species belonged to the steppe faunal core, 3 species were confined to floodplain meadows, and 6 species were widespread. Fifteen species occurred permanently and two species were recorded with a varying frequency. In the early 1950s, substantial changes took place in and around the nature reserve. A ditch was dug around the perimeter of the reserve and a forest belt was planted. Two much bigger and deeper ponds were created on the site of a small pond. A house and a brick stable were built on the steppe area, and apple trees and an alley of ornamental shrubs were planted. After the reserve was granted republican status in 1947, its environmental protection regime changed, and this had a notable impact on the vegetation. After grazing and mowing were banned, a thick layer of dead plant remains on the ground surface, reaching 5–10 cm in thickness, appeared in most of the reserve’s territory. At that time, an absolute protected regime was established on an area of about 100 hectares. The rest of the area was periodically mowed. In the early 1980s, the ponds were heavily overgrown with aquatic and wetland vegetation, and the banks were overgrown with trees and bushes. Fish were introduced into the ponds. The woody vegetation in the forest belt also grew substantially and became dense. Since 1998, the nature protection regime in the reserve has changed: the ‘periodically mowed steppe’ was mown annually for four years, and there was a break in the fifth year. All this affected the fauna and mammal population of the reserve. In 2009, the area of the reserve was increased to 880 hectares. As a result, a pond (300 x 33 m) appeared in its territory, located near the village of Stepove. A small pond (70 x 12 m) was formed in a ravine in the northern part of the reserve because of the activity of beavers. As of 2023, 24 mammal species from 16 families and 5 orders were recorded here. Of them, 4 species belong to steppe species, 2 to hydrophilic species, 5 to forest species, 12 species are widespread, and there is 1 synanthropic species. Eighteen species occur permanently in the reserve, five species visit the reserve regularly, and one synanthropic species settles in during the warm period of the year.

Pepper fruit (Dennettia tripetala [annonaceae]) seed inhibits uterine contractions via blockade of intracellular calcium release and extracellular calcium influx in ex vivo studies

Dennettia tripetala (DT) is a tree found in rain forest belt of Nigeria, Cameroon and Ivory Coast. The seed is commonly used in preparing food for mothers after delivery because it is believed to play a role in postpartum uterine contraction. There is however no scientific evidence validating this claim. Hence, the study aimed to investigate the effects of DT seed on non-pregnant and pregnant uterus using mouse model. The dried seeds of DT were macerated in methanol and the effects of DT extract were investigated on uterus tissues isolated from non-pregnant and pregnant mice. DT extract was examined on spontaneous uterine contraction, contractions induced by oxytocin, and high potassium chloride (KCl)-induced depolarization. Its effect was also evaluated on calcium ion (Ca2+) release from internal stores. The DT extract suppressed spontaneous uterine contractility in both pregnant and non-pregnant uterus in a concentration-dependent manner. It significantly inhibited uterine contractions elicited by high KCl and oxytocin-induced contractions in both pregnant and non-pregnant uterus. The extract also inhibited uterine contractility induced by oxytocin in the Ca2+-free medium in pregnant and non-pregnant uterus. The study has provided scientific evidence that DT seed extract has uterine relaxing effect in both pregnant and non-pregnant mouse uterus possibly by blocking intracellular Ca2+ released and influx of extracellular Ca2+. The result has shown that DT has no benefit in reducing the risk of post-partum hemorrhage, however, it may have potential benefits in management of dysmenorrhea and preterm labour in non-gravid and gravid uteri respectively.

Пространственное распределение гнёзд врановых птиц (Corvidae) в компонентах урбанизированной среды (на примере Кировского района г. Саратова)

This study is dedicated to the nest placement peculiarities of four species of the Corvidae family: the Jackdaw, Rook, Hooded Crow, and Eurasian Magpie – in the urbanized environmental components on the territory of the Kirovsky district of Saratov. The following methods were used in the work: route and areal accounting, cartographic modelling, plotting isolines based on cartographic data, assessing the reliability of differences in the number of corvid nests using Pearson’s chi-squared test, determining the rate of urbanization of various areas of the model area based on the method used by E. L. Lykov, assessing the dependence of the number of nests on the rate of the territory urbanization using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. The distribution of 652 nests according to the biotopes was analyzed, the assessment of the corvid nesting density in various urban environmental habitats was carried out. The nest placement density reaches its maximum in the areas with abundant green places, a large number of nesting sites, both of natural and anthropogenic origin and low rate of human disturbance, being in the areas with low-rise buildings, in the forest belts, in the natural park “ Kumysnaya polyana”and in the old Voskresenskoe cemetery. The Jackdaw and the Rook are the most selective for breeding sites species, their nests being located in human buildings and on closely placed tall trees. The Hooded Crow nests most evenly and successfully occupied the habitats of Saratov. The Magpie’s nesting areas are more associated to large groups of woody vegetation, the highest density of its nest placement was observed in the natural and natural-anthropogenic components of the urban environment. The negative relation between the quantity of nests of the two species – the Hooded Crow and the Magpie – and the rate of the territory urbanization was revealed. The nesting of the Jackdaw and the Rook are affected mostly not by the urbanization rate, but the availability of breeding sites.

Different trends and divergent responses to climate factors in the radial growth of Abies georgei along elevations in the central Hengduan Mountains

Climate change has been unprecedented in the last half-century. Tree growth dynamics and responses to climate warming at different elevations vary by study area due to regional diversity in site-specific climatic conditions in the central Hengduan Mountains. A. georgei is the dominant species in high-elevation montane forests in the central Hengduan Mountains. To study the response of A. georgei radial growth to climate and identify tree growth trends at different elevations, tree-ring width chronologies at four elevations across the subalpine A. georgei forest belt were built and growth-climate relationships were analyzed. The primary findings of this study were as follows: (1) radial growth rates of A. georgei decreased with elevation; (2) warming alleviated the limitation of low temperatures and abundant precipitation on tree radial growth at the highest sampling site; and (3) unlike at other elevations, the trend of trees basal area increment (BAI) at the lowest sampling site showed a significant decline over the past 20 years. This suggests the presence of an elevational inflection point, likely between 3800 m and 4000 m, where tree growth trends diverge. These results confirmed that A. georgei at higher elevation in the central Hengduan Mountains currently benefits from higher temperatures. However, the effects of drought on A. georgei at lower elevations would cause radial growth to decrease with climate warming. Therefore, it is critical to establish effective management strategies based on how A. georgei responds to climate change at various elevations.

Sileneisabellae (Caryophyllaceae), a new campion species from serpentine soils of Albania.

The new species Sileneisabellae is described and illustrated from the Skënderbëut mountain range of central Albania. It grows on the ultramafic mountain slopes around Qafë Shtamë, in the understorey of open Pinusnigra forests and in the rocky grasslands above the forest belt, at 1000-1600 m a.s.l. Sileneisabellae is a serpentine endemic likely belonging to section Elisanthe (Fenzl ex Endl.) Ledeb. and shows affinities with the widespread European species S.noctiflora L. It is sharply distinct from the latter species in habit, stem and leaf pubescence, morphology, and biology of the flowers and length of the carpophore. Moreover, the ecology of the two taxa is also contrasting, being S.noctiflora a synanthropic-ruderal, mostly in lowlands. Weaker similarities were also observed with the south European subalpine taxa of the group of S.vallesia L. of section Auriculatae (Boiss.) Schischk., though these are not likely to reflect a real systematic affinity.

Construction and Optimization Strategy of County Ecological Infrastructure Network Based on MCR and Gravity Model—A Case Study of Langzhong County in Sichuan Province

Against the backdrop of rapid urbanization, there is a passive adaptation state shown in urban and rural ecological spaces. Due to the shrinking of ecological patches and the fracture of corridors, problems such as the obstruction of ecological processes, the decline of ecosystem services, and the loss of biodiversity occur. Considering that county ecological space is the key level to undertake provincial ecological security patterns and implement ecological demonstration projects, the construction of a county ecological infrastructure (EI) network is beneficial to the protection of regional ecological security, the improvement of the structures and functions of farmland ecosystems, and the enhancement of the quality of human settlements. In this study, taking Langzhong County in Sichuan Province as an example, a method path for an EI network construction was explored, and an optimization strategy for ecological patterns was proposed. Firstly, morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) and a patch importance index were employed to identify ecological sources. Secondly, by constructing a landscape resistance surface and adopting a minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model, potential EI corridor paths were extracted. Thirdly, the interaction force values between ecological sources were calculated with a gravity model and important ecological corridors were identified for priority protection and restoration. Finally, an EI corridor network was optimized by combining network structure indexes (α, β, and γ) with the field situation, and stepping stone patches and ecological breakpoints were identified. Based on the analysis results, an ecological protection pattern, which involved three vertical and two horizontal ecological belts, four ecological control zones, and six clusters of EI networks in Langzhong County, was put forward, aiming at protecting 50 ecological sources, repairing 105 ecological corridors of different grades, adding 9 stepping stone patches near long-distance corridors and 15 at the intersection of ecological corridors, and repairing 18 ecological breakpoints. This study has guiding significance for the optimization of county ecological patterns, the construction of farmland forest belts, and site selection of ecological restoration projects.

Влияние лесополос на валовое содержание Pb и Сd и их обменные соединения в черноземах выщелоченных

The creation of artificial forest belts is an effective method of land reclamation. Forest belts have a positive impact on prevention of erosion processes, formation of heat and moisture regimes, reduction of turbulent exchange in the surface air layer and reduction of carbon dioxide share in the atmosphere. An important feature of forest plantations is the prevention of soil contamination with heavy metals (HM). It occurs due to profile redistribution of HM and partial remediation of soils. The obtained data confirm this position. Reliable transformation of leached chernozems under the influence of different-age forest belts in comparison with arable soils on the territory of All-Russian Research Institute of Sugar Beet and Sugar named after A.L. Mazlumov was revealed. Forest vegetation type contributes to more sustainable ecosystems due to stabilization of humus content and its uniform distribution throughout the soil profile. Correlation analysis revealed a close relationship between content of humus, soil solution pH and the gross content, as well as the exchangeable compounds of HM. An increase in the concentration of HM in the upper layer of arable chernozem was revealed; it was caused by active emissions of exhaust gases from agricultural machinery and the application of mineral fertilizers. The design of forest belts in order to restore contaminated soils is planned in the territory of Sichuan Province (southwest China). This project needs additional research, which is planned to be carried out in the future.

Economic efficiency of an investment project for the laying (restoration) of protective forest strips in the Dinsk district

The purpose of the study is to substantiate the economic efficiency and riskiness of an investment project for laying (restoring) shelterbelts on the example of the municipality Dinskoy district of the Krasnodar Territory, located on the territory of the fifth alluvial-loesslike flat landscape with plowed steppes. An analysis was made using GIS technologies of the current state of the existing field-protective forest belts in the territory under consideration, the areas of their laying and the volume of necessary repair work were determined. A project for laying (restoring) a system of field-protective forest belts has been developed, the amount of necessary capital investments in forest reclamation measures has been determined, and expected indicators of efficiency and riskiness of investments have been calculated. In the course of the study, it was taken into account that without timely work to restore forest belts, the yield of winter wheat, the main agricultural crop in the region, could be reduced by 30–70 % in the long term, which would result in large losses in cash receipts and profits for commodity producers. It has also been proven that for the effective implementation of the proposed project, it is important to provide state subsidies for at least 30 % of the amount of capital investments incurred

The Impact of Management Practices on the Stability of Meadow Communities on a Mountain Slope

Europe is currently experiencing a huge decline in biodiversity, with the greatest reduction observed in plant species associated with grassland areas. There is therefore a need for more appropriate land management practices that do not endanger native populations. The focus of our research was to assess the modification of the species composition of the phytocenoses found in sloping meadows in the mountain–forest belt using organic and mineral fertilization and by reseeding cultural swards (with a mixture of Poaceae or Trifolium repens L.), while applying various meadow usage methods: multipurpose use (cut four times) and hay production (cut two times). The highest botanic richness (41 species from 16 families and 90% of perennial plants) was observed from the multipurpose usage of the meadow, which resulted in 28.1% more species than the haymaking usage. With regard to species stability, the most appropriate fertilization of the meadows was P30K60, regardless of the usage method. Fertilization with nitrogen fertilizers improved the yield of meadows but reduced the number of species. When meadows were reseeded with P. pratense and F. Pratensis and fertilized for haymaking, the number of families and species reduced, with a 25% decline in the number of T. repens families. This study concludes that to maintain the richness of plant species in these grasslands, farmers must receive financial subsidies to limit fertilization and plant cultivated species.