Landscape Parameters Research Articles

Ecosystem diversity of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in a remnant of Atlantic Forest, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil

AbstractUnderstanding mosquito biodiversity in the Atlantic Forest is important for assessing changes in the distribution of mosquito populations, which have been considered predominantly to be sylvatic. An observational study of Culicidae was conducted in a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in the Poço das Antas Biological Reserve, Silva Jardim municipality, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, to evaluate species diversity and the influence of climatic factors (temperature, relative humidity and rainfall) on species distribution. Two types of light trap were used: an automatic CDC trap baited with CO2 and a Shannon trap. Collections were also made using a manual suction tube. Overall, 15 700 Culicidae specimens were collected belonging to two subfamilies, 12 genera and 41 species. The most common species were Coquillettidia chrysonotum, Mansonia titillans and Coquillettidia venezuelensis. Principal component analyses indicated a major association between sampling site six and the species Anopheles albitarsis, Mansonia titilllans, Cq. chrysonotum and Cq. venezuelensis. Furthermore, diversity indices indicated that sampling sites 1, 6 and 4 displayed higher diversity and a more uniform species abundance. Culicidae abundance was positively correlated with temperature. Landscape units exhibited contrasting community compositions of mosquitoes at multiple scales, with the community composition more similar in sites with similar landscape parameters. The importance of constant entomological monitoring is underscored by the diversity of mosquito species in this reserve and their potential role in the transmission of pathogens, combined with intermittent flow of visitors to the area.

Through-classification of zoning-landscape object-spatial environmental systems in the structure of stopping spaces

Landscape and zoning-landscape systems in the structure of stop-territorial spaces of cities and settlements of different levels of hierarchy are considered. Purpose of the article is to define the through classification of these landscapes, stop-landscape and zoning-landscape systems. These systems are considered from the standpoint of the hierarchical manifestation of the constituent elements of the stop-territorial spaces. In the general case, each landscape, stop-landscape and zoning-landscape system takes into account the peculiarities of perception and disclosure of stop-territorial spaces. The stop-landscape system is generalized in the case of zoning-landscape object-spatial environmental ZLOSE-system. The latter, in turn, is a subsystem of the universal ZLOSUE-system. In the ZLOSE-system, at least one more parameter (for example, light-color or sound) of the universal space of sensations of the “average” person is added to the consideration of landscape, stop-landscape and zoning-landscape parameters. According to the generalized 9-zone distribution of “stop space”, 9 generalized types of landscape, stop-landscape and zoning-landscape systems of “stop space” are formed accordingly. These are the following ZLOSE-systems: I) landscape, stop-landscape and zoning-landscape systems of the “ultra-zone”; II) landscape, stop-landscape and zoning-landscape systems of "core"; III) landscape, stop-landscape and zoning-landscape systems of “stop space”; IV) landscape, stop-landscape, “landscape” and zoningovo V) landscape, stop-landscape and zoning-landscape systems “near-stop space”; VI) landscape, stop-landscape and zoning-landscape systems “around-stop space”; VII) landscape, stop-landscape and “landscape systems zones”, VIII) landscape, stop-landscape and zoning-landscape systems of the “red zone”; and IX) landscape, stop-landscape and zoning-landscape systems of the “infra-zone”. Conclusion. The harmonization of space on the basis of consideration and harmonization of light-colored object-spatial environmental systems and their subsystems in the structure of stop-territorial spaces contributes to the harmonization of the living environment of the population of demo-ecosystems. In turn, this harmonization contributes to improving the quality of life of the population (in particular, users of the stop and the entire stop-territorial space).

Effects of management cessation on hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) across Austrian and Swiss mountain meadows

Abstract. Extensively managed grasslands, particularly in mountain regions, are considered to be one of the most diverse agroecosystems worldwide. Their decline due to land use abandonment affects the diversity of both plants and associated pollinators. Extensive grasslands constitute an important habitat type and food resource for hoverflies (syrphids); however, not much is known about the effects of abandonment on this important pollinator group. In the present study, we investigated how abandonment affects species richness and the composition of syrphids in mountainous meadows. We recorded the richness of vascular plants, vegetation cover, flower cover and the surrounding landscape to examine whether and how syrphids are affected by plant and landscape parameters. We investigated the species richness, abundance and species composition of syrphids by sweep netting and by using observation plots in 18 semidry meadows across two Austrian regions and one Swiss region. For each region, we selected three meadows abandoned for more than 20 years and three annually mown non-fertilized meadows. Abandonment or mowing had no significant effect on the total number of syrphid species or individuals or on the number of aphidophagous and non-aphidophagous species and individuals. However, the total number of species and the number of non-aphidophagous species significantly increased with the increasing number of plant species. The surrounding landscape and other plant parameters showed no association with the assessed syrphid parameters. Although syrphids were unaffected by abandonment, higher syrphid species numbers in response to a higher plant richness in annual mown meadows suggest that the management of mountain meadows is beneficial in preserving syrphid richness.

Landscape epidemiology of neglected tick-borne pathogens in central Europe.

Studies of tick-borne diseases (TBDs) in Europe focus on pathogens with principal medical importance (e.g. Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis), but we have limited epidemiological information on the neglected pathogens, such as the members of the genera Anaplasma, Rickettsia, Babesia and Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis. Here, we integrated an extensive field sampling, laboratory analysis and GIS models to provide first publicly available information on pathogen diversity, prevalence and infection risk for four overlooked zoonotic TBDs in the Czech Republic. In addition, we assessed the effect of landscape variables on the abundance of questing ticks at different spatial scales and examined whether pathogen prevalence increased with tick density. Our data from 13,340 ticks collected in 142 municipalities showed that A.phagocytophilum (MIR=3.5%) and Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis (MIR=4.0%) pose geographically uneven risks with localized hotspots, while Rickettsia (MIR=4.9%) and Babesia (MIR=1.1%) had relatively homogeneous spatial distribution. Landscape variables had significant effect on tick abundance up to the scale of 1km around the sampling sites. Questing ticks responded positively to landscape diversity and configuration, especially to forest patch density that strongly correlates with the amount of woodland-grassland ecotones. For all four pathogens, we found higher prevalence in places with higher densities of ticks, confirming the hypothesis that tick abundance amplifies the risk of TB infection. Our findings highlight the importance of landscape parameters for tick vectors, likely due to their effect on small vertebrates as reservoir hosts. Future studies should explicitly investigate the combined effect of landscape parameters and the composition and population dynamics of hosts on the host-vector-pathogen system.

Analytical volume model for optimized spatial radar bat detection in onshore wind parks.

To develop mitigation measures for the protection of bats in close proximity to onshore wind turbines, new detection techniques covering large-scale environments and techniques, which are able to track individuals are required. Radar based observations, successfully applied in ornithological studies, offer a promising potential, but come with challenges regarding the comparability of measurements and noise interference (ground clutter) from objects within detection range. This paper presents improvements of a commercially available inexpensive pulse radar for 3D spatial detection of bat-sized objects in onshore wind parks. A new analytical spatial detection volume model is presented incorporating calibrated radar data and landscape parameters such as clutter. Computer simulation programs to process the analytical spatial detection volume model were developed. For model calibration, the minimum signal power of the radar was experimentally determined with the radar cross section (RCS) of an artificial bat (similar to Nyctalus noctula), resulting in a maximum detection range of 800 m and a corresponding RCS of 12.7 cm². Additionally, the spatial volume for radar detection was optimized with a clutter shielding fence (CSF). Adjusting the volume model by incorporating a theoretical model of the CSF, an extension of the detection volume by a factor of 2.5 was achieved, while the total volume of a 105° horizontal angular radar image section yields 0.0105 km³. Extrapolation and comparison with state-of-the-art acoustic bat detection result in a 270 times larger volume, confirming the large-scale detection capabilities of the pulse radar.

Kinetic Monte Carlo Study of Triplet-Triplet Annihilation in Conjugated Luminescent Materials

It is well known that in organic solids the collision of two excitons can give rise to delayed fluorescence (DF). Revived interest in this topic is stimulated by the current endeavor towards the development of efficient organic optoelectronic devices such as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and solar cells, or sensitizers used in photodynamic therapy. In such devices, triplet excitations are ubiquitously present but their annihilations can be either detrimental, e.g., giving rise to a roll-off of intensity in an OLED, or mandatory, e.g., if the sensitizer relies on up-conversion of long-lived low-energy triplet excitations. Since the employed materials are usually noncrystalline, optical excitations migrate via incoherent hopping. Here, we employ kinetic Monte Carlo simulations (KMC) to study the complex interplay of triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) and quenching of the triplet excitations by impurities in a single-component system featuring a Gaussian energy landscape and variable system parameters such as the length of the hopping sites, i.e., a conjugated oligomer, the morphology of the system, the degree of disorder (\ensuremath{\sigma}), the concentration of triplet excitations, and temperature. We also explore the effect of polaronic contributions to the hopping rates. A key conclusion is that the DF features a maximum at a temperature that scales with $\ensuremath{\sigma}/{k}_{B}T$. This is related to disorder-induced filamentary currents and thus locally enhanced triplet densities. We predict that a maximum for the TTA process near room temperature or above requires typically a disorder parameter of at least 70 meV.

GIS-Modeling of Island Hopping Through the Philippines Demonstrates Trade-Offs Migrant Grey-Faced Buzzards During Oceanic Crossings

Migration can be costly with consequences that can influence population trajectories. These costs and consequences are especially heightened during over-water travels, which can be high-risk events for birds. We created spatial models to evaluate potential migratory responses of “oceanic”, island-hopping grey-faced buzzards that encounter variation in landscape parameters and weather as they move through and out of the Philippine archipelago. We constrained the modeled routes to enter the island chain at Basco and to use one of four potential exit points in the south of the country, either Balabac, Bongao, Balut Island, or Cape San Agustin. We used all possible combinations of our three external parameters (stopover sites, water crossings and wind direction) to model alternative migratory routes for each of the four exit points (n = 20 migratory routes). Modeled grey-faced buzzard routes were between 1,582 and 2,970 km. Routes overlapped over eastern and central Luzon, along a leading line created by the Sierra Madre Mountains. Routes also overlapped and suggested unavoidable over-water crossings between Mindoro and Palawan, Negros and Zamboanga del Norte, and Leyte and Surigao. Our models suggest that the optimal migratory strategy for these birds is to find the shortest route to an exit point with the greatest possible access to stopover habitats and fewest open-water crossings under wind resistance. Understanding how each of these external factors affected the geography and characteristics of the migratory routes helps us to understand the context for different migratory strategies of birds that face dangerous open-water crossings on migration.

Landscape diversity and field border density enhance carabid diversity in adjacent grasslands and cereal fields

Permanent grasslands have declined across Europe since the agricultural intensification. Grassland vicinity, landscape heterogeneity and vicinity of hedgerows are enhancing factors for farmland carabid (ground beetle) diversity. However, interrelation between grassland and cropland communities needs to be better known in various landscape context. In this study we disentangle the effects of different landscape indicators carabid communities of adjacent grasslands and cereal fields to assess mutual benefits of these two land cover types. We sampled carabids in three agricultural plains of southeastern France, each associated with a gradient in grassland coverage. We used regression models to point out effects of landscape indicators on the separate, overall and common carabid species richness of paired cereal crops and grasslands. Landscape Shannon diversity and field border density explained best gamma species richness. In grasslands, we found a higher species richness when the landscape diversity increased, except in the study region dominated by grasslands. In cereal crops, the landscape parameters showed no significant effect on carabid richness. Finally, the common species richness from cereal fields and grasslands was explained by higher density of field borders between them, but also by higher grassland coverage where grasslands were the scarcest. Our results suggest that cropland carabid communities may benefit from the habitat and resource complementation provided by grasslands. This finding pleads for the preservation of grasslands in cropped landscapes to favor carabids and illustrates the potential for enhanced biological control in future cropping systems with reduced pesticide inputs.

Reliable extraction of energy landscape properties from critical force distributions

The structural dynamics of a biopolymer is governed by a process of diffusion through its conformational energy landscape. In pulling experiments using optical tweezers, features of the energy landscape can be extracted from the probability distribution of the critical force at which the polymer unfolds. The analysis is often based on rate equations having Bell-Evans form, although it is understood that this modeling is inadequate and leads to unreliable landscape parameters in many common situations. Dudko and co-workers [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 108101 (2006)] have emphasized this critique and proposed an alternative form that includes an additional shape parameter (and that reduces to Bell-Evans as a special case). Their fitting function, however, is pathological in the tail end of the pulling force distribution, which presents problems of its own. We propose a modified closed-form expression for the distribution of critical forces that correctly incorporates the next-order correction in pulling force and is everywhere well behaved. Our claim is that this new expression provides superior parameter extraction and is valid even up to intermediate pulling rates. We present results based on simulated data that confirm its utility.

Effects of landscape heterogeneity and breeding habitat diversity on rice frog abundance and body condition in agricultural landscapes of Yangtze River Delta, China.

Amphibians play a key role in structuring biological assemblages of agricultural landscapes, but they are threatened by global agricultural intensification. Landscape structure is an important variable influencing biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. However, in the Yangtze River Delta, where a "farmland-orchard-fishpond" agricultural pattern is common, the effects of landscape construction on anuran populations are unclear. In this study, we examined the effects of agricultural landscape parameters on the abundance and body condition of the rice frog (Fejervarya multistriata), which is a dominant anuran species in farmland in China. Employing a visual encounter method, we surveyed rice frog abundance for 3 years across 20 agricultural landscapes. We also calculated the body condition index (BCI) of 188 male frog individuals from these agricultural landscapes. Landscape variables, comprising landscape compositional heterogeneity (using the Shannon diversity index of all land cover types except buildings and roads), landscape configurational heterogeneity (using landscape edge density), breeding habitat diversity (using the number of 5 waterbody types available as breeding habitats), and areas of forest were also measured for each 1-km radius landscape. We found that the amount of forest in each agricultural landscape had a significant positive relationship with rice frog abundance, and breeding habitat diversity was positively related to the BCI of male rice frogs. However, body condition was negatively impacted by landscape configurational heterogeneity. Our results suggested the importance of nonagricultural habitats in agricultural landscapes, such as waterbodies and forest, to benefit rice frog population persistence.

Landscape and coloniality are robust predictors of White Stork nest habitat selection in a coastal urban environment

Understanding factors influencing the nest site selection of birds in coastal cities is a major topic in urban ecology, with important management and conservation implications. We investigated the White Stork (WS, Ciconia ciconia) nest habitat use in the coastal city of Rabat, Morocco. We used data on a series of topographic, landscape, coloniality and spatial parameters to identify the best predictors of nest presence using generalized linear models. These variables were measured at nest supports (n = 107) and supports with no nests (n = 107) within 1.5 km radius landscape. The results showed a high probability of WS nest presence on a 4° slope, an exposition between 148 and 172 °N, elevation above 130 m, near roads, approximately 2300 m from the nearest river, from 5 to 28% agricultural areas, and a cover of villas with tall-trees higher than 60%. WS nest presence occurs also in buffers with more than 20 nests and those with less than 500 m between nest supports. Variation partitioning analysis revealed that the joint effect of landscape and coloniality (17%) and landscape, coloniality and space (17%) are important for nest site selection by WS. In Rabat, WS nests are mainly established in the villa zone with trees and also in the already occupied areas. These results will have important implications for the Rabat urban environmental managers in managing this coastal city while considering the needs of breeding storks.

Hydrology and Ion Sink of the Arctic River Alazeya

The features of hydrology and flow of dissolved substances of the Alazeya River located above the Arctic Circle in the area of continuous distribution of permafrost are considered. As starting materials the results of field studies and laboratory analyses of water samples made by the complex research expedition were used. The Alazeya River in hydrological and hydro chemical relation is a little-studied river of the Arctic zone. The river basin is characterized by minimal human pressure. The territory of the Alazeya basin is one of the hard-to-reach Arctic regions of the North-East Yakutia with natural complexes. Precipitation, groundwater and underground ice of active layer and permafrost are the primary power supply of surface waters. Annually 0.5 million tons of dissolved substances are removed by the processes of fluvial denudation from the Alazeya basin to the East Siberian Sea. Module of the ion sink is very low - 6.8 tons/km2. It is typical for the sluggish rivers of the Arctic regions. Minimum value is a result of the Arctic climatic and landscape parameters affecting the intensity of chemical weathering of rocks. The ion sink of the Alazeya River is almost independent from human influence and determined by the geochemical properties of elements, lithological features of rocks and soil composition of the river basin, climatic conditions, and vegetation

Shipwrecks and the Maritime Cultural Landscape of the Gulf of the Farallones

The waters of the Gulf of the Farallones are a diverse and expansive maritime cultural landscape that includes at least 400 historically documented shipwrecks. This article summarizes a multiyear scientific mission to assess shipwreck sites in the Gulf of the Farallones and nearby waters. A series of sites were identified not only through archaeological dive surveys, but also through newly available nineteenth-century archival records that speak to the value of using these sources in maritime archaeological research. In all, twelve sites were documented. The project characterized these sites within the parameters of a regional maritime cultural landscape.

Weak impact of landscape parameters and rock lithology on Mg isotope composition of the Yenisey River and its tributaries

Constraining the mechanisms controlling the riverine flux of major cations and their isotopes including that of Mg to the World Ocean is one of the challenges in Earth surface isotope geochemistry. In an attempt to identify the main factors affecting the Mg isotopic composition of large rivers including vegetation, climate and lithology of the watershed, we studied the largest, in terms of discharge, Siberian river, Yenisey, and 20 of its main tributaries, during spring flood, summer flow and winter. The working hypothesis was that the influence of bedrock composition is most pronounced in winter, when the soils are frozen and the rivers are fed by deep underground waters. Thus, we anticipated that the presence of permafrost will help to distinguish the impact of surface processes, linked to biological uptake and release, and deep soil/underground transport of Mg from mineral sources. In contrast to these expectations, no sizable differences in the Mg isotope composition of the river water (±0.1‰) for both the Yenisey tributaries and its main channel has been observed between the spring flood (May) and the winter (March) period. Those two periods are characterized by the differences of discharge and degree of lithological impact on element source in the river water. Regardless of the season, there was no straightforward control of lithology (relative abundance of carbonates, basalts, granites and sedimentary rocks) on δ26Mg in the main tributaries of the Yenisey river. Our findings suggest that the use of riverine Mg isotope signature for tracing weathering mechanisms and dominant lithological impact is not straightforward at the scale of large rivers whose watersheds present multiple lithologies, variable climatic conditions and vegetation types.

Attribution Analysis of Runoff Change in Min-Tuo River Basin based on SWAT model simulations, China

To consummate watershed data and better quantify the impact of climate changes and human activities on runoff, we examined the changes and response mechanisms of runoff in the Min–Tuo River Basin, China. In the examination, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used to simulate possible evapotranspiration, actual evapotranspiration, and runoff in 1980, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015 under different land-use conditions. SWAT weather generator was used to supplement the missing meteorological data. This study presents a quantitative analysis of the climatic and anthropogenic factors contributing to the runoff alteration in the Min–Tuo River Basin using the Budyko methods. The results suggested that the reduced precipitation was the main cause of runoff reduction. The contributions of precipitation, possible evapotranspiration, and underlying surface alterationsof runoff were 56.18%, 37.08%, and 6.74%, respectively. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the runoff alteration was most sensitive to changes of landscape parameters. The aridity index and all the elasticities showed a spatial variations in the Min–Tuo River Basin. The influence of the three factors on runoff reduction varied with seasons. During the high-flow period, changes of the precipitation and possible evapotranspiration and underlying surface had the greatest effect on runoff reduction, while changes of underlying surfaces had the least effect.

Habitat area and connectivity support cavity-nesting bees in vineyards more than organic management

The expansion and intensification of agriculture are the main causes of current insect declines. Pollinators like cavity-nesting bees can be limited by reduced nesting and feeding opportunities in farmland. As insects constitute the bulk of terrestrial biodiversity and fulfill important ecological functions, there is an urgent need to identify ways to combine agricultural land use and insect conservation. Perennial crops like grapevine can provide permanent habitats for numerous beneficial organisms including various pollinators. With their dominating character in viticultural areas and >7 million ha covered by vines globally, their potential to contribute to nature conservation should be more widely considered. We compared effects of organic management, inter-row vegetation characteristics and landscape parameters on the abundance and species richness of cavity-nesting bees in Central German vineyards. In a paired study design, we assessed cavity-nesting bees in 15 pairs of organically and conventionally managed vineyards along a gradient of landscape complexity. We found that organic management, even though it enhanced flower availability in the vineyards, was only partially beneficial for cavity-nesting bee abundance. Abundance and species richness were enhanced by either semi-natural habitat area or proximity of woody elements like hedges or forest remnants, most likely due to the nesting demands of this particular group of pollinators. We conclude that vineyards can help to sustain cavity-nesting bee abundance, given that landscapes are managed accordingly. We recommend maintaining or establishing woody elements between vineyards, which is likely to also benefit additional groups of organisms such as breeding birds in viticultural landscapes.

Assessing forest cover vulnerability in Uttarakhand, India using analytical hierarchy process

Forests are the most important terrestrial ecosystems providing sustenance not only to biodiversity but also to the rural communities. These resources are subjected to constant degradation and exploitation due to anthropogenic activities and changes in the climatic phenomena. Thus, present study examined the inherent forest vulnerability in one of the important Himalayan state, Uttarakhand in India. Site specific landscape parameters were chosen to analyze the vulnerability. GIS based analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was utilized to identify the important drivers of forest vulnerability in the study area. Findings revealed that of the total forested area, most of the area (61%) was under very high vulnerability followed by high vulnerability (36%). AHP analysis revealed that the main drivers of the inherent forest vulnerability were open forest cover, high disturbance in the forested areas, low biological richness and high road density. Findings of this study may help in understanding of the inherent forest vulnerability and adapting sustainable forest management strategies to control further forest degradation in the study area.

Сравнение и отображение на картах и в графике территориальных ресурсов крупнейших стран мира и их основных городов

The largest countries of the world are inevitably involved in various global processes, both natural and socio-economic. These countries have common features and characteristic differences in the state of their territorial resources; the study of these characteristics is of interest for the global prospects of sustainable development. A large territory provides a variety of natural conditions and resources for the country; however, not in all countries it is possible to effectively use them in the economy throughout the all country. An analysis of their territorial resources was carried out for the six largest countries of the world according to the following parameters: area, efficiency, environmental load on the territory of the country, number, density, forecast of population growth or decline for 2050, main agricultural land (arable land, pastures, the provision of the population, degradation and pollution of the soils), forest resources (including security per capita, share in the area of countries), fresh water resources (including per capita provision and availability), greenhouse gas emissions, including per capita, the proportion of mammals endangered, proportion of areas of preserved ecosystems. The data obtained was displayed on the maps; a common legend is built for them in tabular form. A number of other parameters of the state of territorial resources and the environment were also studied. In the process of research, the most important cities of these countries were also studied and diagrams showing their similarities and differences in a number of indicators were constructed: area, population and population density, time of foundation, climatic and landscape parameters, the presence of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, high-rise construction parameters. The developed methodology is effective for assessing a variety of data on territorial resources that can be used to build models of sustainable development of the largest countries and regions of the Earth.

ГЕОЭНЕРГЕТИКА И ЭМЕРДЖЕНТНОСТЬ СОВРЕМЕННЫХ ПРИРОДНО-АНТРОПОГЕННЫХ ЛЕСНЫХ ЭКОСИСТЕМ И ЛАНДШАФТОВ

The article defines and calculates the geoenergetics of modern natural and anthropogenic forest ecosystems and landscapes. The geoenergetic approach and the developed technique were used for a detailed description and analysis of energy flows of the forest-steppe landscape of Pridnestrovien. On the example of the ecological network of oak tracts in the north of Pridnestrovien, the emergence of the forest is quantified, taking into account the spatial location. The forecast is made, taking into account the scenarios of economic development, quantitative changes in the emergence of forest ecosystems over time. Applying the geoenergetic matrix, the characteristic is given to the qualitative parameters of the forest-steppe landscape, affecting the formation of stability and self-organization of the natural system.

SKIN MICROBIAL LANDSCAPE AND IMMUNE-ENDOCRINE PARAMETERS IN PATIENTS WITH PSORIASIS BY USING NARROWBAND UVB PHOTOTHERAPY

The aim: The study of skin microbial landscape and immune-endocrine parameters as well as improvement of treatment efficiency in patients with different clinical course of psoriasis by using narrowband UVB phototherapy. Materials and methods: We examined 89 patients with psoriasis (51 men and 38 women) aged 18-60. The comparison group consisted of 43 psoriasis patients comparable by age, sex and clinical course with those from the main group (46 patients). Cytokine levels IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, TNFα, thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and thyroglobulin (Tg) autoantibodies and microbial flora of skin were determined in patients with psoriasis. Results: The study finds that conventional therapy does not have sufficient corrective impact on immune-endocrine disorders and the use of narrow-band light therapy has shown that it has a focused corrective impact on cytokine production and modulating effect on the level of TPO and Tg autoantibodies and the state of skin automicroflora of lesions in patients suffering from psoriasis. Conclusions: Using UVB (311 nm) therapy in patients with psoriasis allows improving efficiency of treatment and limiting clinical signs in the form of achieving remission and significant improvement in patients' health without any negative dynamic changes.