Southern Cis-Urals Research Articles

ЗАКОНОМЕРНОСТИ ФОРМИРОВАНИЯ ФЛОРЫ КЛАДБИЩ В ГОРОДАХ ЮЖНОГО ПРЕДУРАЛЬЯ РЕСПУБЛИКИ БАШКОРТОСТАН

ЗАКОНОМЕРНОСТИ ФОРМИРОВАНИЯ ФЛОРЫ КЛАДБИЩ В ГОРОДАХ ЮЖНОГО ПРЕДУРАЛЬЯ РЕСПУБЛИКИ БАШКОРТОСТАН

Закономерности процесса синантропизации растительного покрова городов южного Предуралья (Республика Башкортостан)

Increase of anthropogenic pressure on nature ecosystems leads to synanthropization of flora and vegetation. A replacement of native species in communities with synanthropic ones, including alien species, takes place as well as a change of native plant communities by synanthropic ones, decrease of biodiversity, simplification of structure, decrease in efficiency and stability of plant communities (Gorchakovskij, 1999). Synanthropization as an indicator of anthropogenic transformation of vegetation is a traditional object of studies (Sudnik-Wojcikowska, 1988; Abramova, 2010; Abramova, Mirkin, 2000; Abramova, Mikhailova, 2003; etc.). The ratio of synanthropic and native flora species for an assessment of synanthropization level is usually used. The assessment of synanthropization level is the most important element of monitoring as it helps to estimate a degree of ecosystems disturbance and to develop a system of their rational use and protection. Processes of synanthropization are most expressed in the towns. The towns are the heterotrophic ecosystems including uniform group of anthropogenically transformed communities formed on the residential, industrial, transport, agrarian, recreational territories where the florogenesis and the phytocoenogenesis are highly specific (Burda, 1991; Ilminskikh, 1993). The urban environment can have the leveling impact on climatic factors therefore the floras of towns in different nature zones quite often have the common features (Ilminskikh, 1993). An increase of a syntaxonomic variety due to destruction of native vegetation is compensated by increase of synanthropic syntaxa number from the synanthropic classes of vegetation, and also communities of aggressive alien species which are combined with species of local flora. The regularities of synanthropization of urban flora and vegetation are less studied (Kowarik, 1990; Burda, 1991; etc.). Due to a growth of urbanization process around the world the studying of anthropogenic transformation of ve­getation cover is required. The article is devoted to the analysis of regularities of synanthropization of plant cover in towns of the southern Cis-Urals belonging to the Southern industrial zone of Bashkortostan Republic. 3 towns — Sterlitamak, Salavat and Ishimbay representing different categories by their population size were chosen for an assessment of synanthropization level.

On the fauna and ecology of phytophagous beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomeloidea, Curculionoidea) of the Trans-Volga and Cis-Ural areas

Data on the distribution and bionomics in the east of European Russia are reported for 77 species of phytophagous beetles (25 species of Chrysomelidae, 5 species of Bruchidae, 4 species of Apionidae, 1 species of Nanophyidae, and 42 species of Curculionidae). Fifty species are recorded for the first time for the forest-steppe zone of the Trans-Volga and Cis-Ural regions. Of these, 5 species (Phyllotreta procera, Aphthona kuntzei, A. franzi, Bruchidius cinerascens, Lixus canescens, Gymnetron sauromatum) and one intraspecific form of an obscure taxonomic rank (Coptocephala chalybaea chalybaea) are new to the east of European Russia. Three steppe species (Cryptocephalus halophilus, Aphthona tolli and Ceutorhynchus tesquorum) are new to the European fauna, and Cryptocephalus halophilus, previously known only from Kazakhstan and recently found in the steppe zone of the Southern Cis-Urals (Orenburg Province), is new to the Russian fauna. New host plants are reported for 25 species of beetles.

New male reproductive organs of gymnosperms Permotheca colovratica sp. nov. from the Lower Permian of the Ural Mountains

A new species of male gymnosperm reproductive organs, Permotheca colovratica sp. nov. from the upper part of the Kungurian Stage (Lower Permian, Irenian Horizon, Koshelevskian Formation) of the Middle Cis-Urals and from the Kazanian Stage of the southern Cis-Urals and Volga River Basin, is described. These organs are rosette-like synangiate aggregations of microsporangia consisting of four sporangia fused at their bases. The adaxial surface of the synangia has a disc of attachment. The in situ pollen grains are of Falcisporites type. The morphologically similar genera Falcisporites Leshik emend. Klaus, Alisporites Daugherty emend. Nilsson, and Vesicaspora Shemel emend. Wilson et Venkatachala are analyzed. The morphogenetic trend in the evolution of the androphores Permotheca is discussed.

State of the reproductive system of populations of species of the genus Glycyrrhiza L. (Fabaceae)

Reproductive features of the valuable medicinal herbs Glycyrrhiza glabra L., G. uralensis Fisch., and G. korshinskyi Grig. were investigated; an assessment was made of the state of the reproductive systems of populations located under introduction conditions in the Central Urals and in the zone contact of the species ranges in the southern cis-Urals. The states of the male and female reproductive systems, seed productivity elements, pollination features, and the viability of seeds produced by different pollination treatments were studied. For the three Glycyrrhiza species, the seed productivity indices were found to decrease considerably starting from the early stages of development of the female reproductive system and continuing to seed maturity. A quantitative analysis of seed productivity elements taking into account the flowering duration of the species showed that the seed production system of the species is very efficient; even in the introduced populations located north of the range, it is able to produce viable seeds in years with favorable growing conditions. Qualitative and quantitative indices of the reproductive system were used to characterize samples from the zone of contact between the ranges. Embryological analysis confirmed the possibility of interspecific hybridization and the prevalence of hybrid forms among the samples. A broad distribution of interspecific hybridization in Glycyrrhiza in various parts of the ranges is assumed. Glycyrrhiza species are characterized by seed and vegetative reproduction. Vegetative reproduction is limited in space but efficiently ensures reproduction of individuals and formation of vegetative clones. Seed reproduction is characterized by indices such as amphimictic seed formation, strict entomophily, and interspecific compatibility. Seed reproduction is a factor that controls the possibility of wide propagation of the genetic material in space and, hence, the formation of mixed and hybrid populations leading to a higher intraspecific and interspecific diversity of the genus.

Formation of the Runoff of Small Rivers in the Southern Ural Region

The formation of the runoff of small rivers in different natural zones of the cis-Urals Region is analyzed. Correlation between variations in the flood flow of small rivers and changes in the system of agricultural land use in 1936–1995 in the Southern cis-Urals is shown. The dependence of the balance of melt water on the topography and type of farming lands on the slope is discussed. The effect of fall plowing on the coefficient of snowmelt runoff is assessed.