Southern Ukraine Research Articles

Seeds’ similarity of cultural and natural flora under chloride load in conditions of southern Ukraine

Saline soils make up almost 25% of the entire earth’s surface. Their areas, unfortunately, have a steady tendency to expand due to the aridization of the climate and the global increase in the average annual air temperature of the planet. The increased concentration of salts in the soil limits the diversity of cultural and conditions the poverty of natural flora, forms areas of risky agriculture in the south of Ukraine. Seeds are a unique product of evolution, the main generative organ of plants, characterized by a number of morphological, physiological and biological features, among which there is adaptation heterogeneity. It is established that by the number of germination days (the seeds of the cultural flora sprouts for 7–10 days, and in wild representatives this indicator extends to 10–12 days) the plants can be arranged in the following order: seven days –Secale cereale L., Triticum durum L., Avena sativa L., Hordeum vulgare L., Helianthus annuus L., Matricaria recutita L.; ten days – Beta vulgaris L., Phaseolus vulgaris L. and twelve days – Valeriana officinalis L. It is found that the most optimal for germination is the aquatic environment, so the plants are arranged according to the list: Helianthus annuus L. → Avena sativa L. → Triticum durum L. → Matricaria recutita L. → Secale cereale L. → Hordeum vulgare L. → Beta vulgaris L. → Valeriana officinalis L. → Phaseolus vulgaris L. It is proved that Na+ and Cl–ions differentially affect the seed germination energy: at a concentration of 0.1% NaCl – Triticum durum L. → Helianthus annuus L. → Hordeum vulgare L. → Secale cereale L. → Phaseolus vulgaris L. → Avena sativa L. → Matricaria recutita L. → Beta vulgaris L. → Valeriana officinalis L.; at a solution concentration of 0.2% NaCl – Secale cereale L. → Triticum durum L. → Helianthus annuus L. → Avena sativa L. → Matricaria recutita L. → Hordeum vulgare L. → Phaseolus vulgaris L. → Valeriana officinalis L. → Beta vulgaris L. The results obtained indicate that the chloride load in the seeds of plants manifests itself in the form of distress as well as eustress. It has been proved that the diagnostic features of chloride hermesis were more clearly manifested in the representatives of the cultural flora than the natural ones.

Chromosomes of Pelophylax ridibundus Pallas, 1771 in different population systems of southern Ukraine

This paper provides the comparative morphological analysis of P. ridibundus chromosomes in different population systems of southern Ukraine. A certain variability and heteromorphism of individual homologs and of whole chromosome pairs was established. The chromosomes of P. ridibundus in populations consisting of a single species (Crimea, Zalisne, Arabat Spit) are relatively stable in quantitative and qualitative terms. Karyotypes are more variable in the lower reaches of the Dnipro River and Kharkiv Region, where the hybridogenic taxon P. esculentus lives together with P. ridibundus. It is assumed that such a relative constancy of chromosomes of southern Ukrainian P. ridibundus in pure RR-systems indicates both a high potential of their resistance to factors and an intraspecific genetic balance. This study is especially important in terms of conservation and enhancement of genetic and biological diversity, which mainly ensures the sustainability of ecosystems functioning.

Cross and multiple herbicide resistance across Ukraine

Goal. Identify resistance to herbicides in weed species on the crops of leading agricultural companies in the regions of Ukraine and identify ways to counteract the emergence of resistant weed biotypes.
 Methods. The research of herbicide effectiveness was carried out in production and vegetation experiments. Control plants were collected on non-arable land. Statistical analysis was performed using StatPlus software from AnalystSoft Inc.
 Results. Field and greenhouse studies in 2014—2023 identified herbicide resistance in highly damaging biotypes of monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous weed species in Ukraine. In 2022—2023, herbicide-resistant ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) affected sunflower crops, the main crop that ensures the profitability of crop production in the country. Imidazolinone resistance in Ambrosia was identified in 2015. In 2023, multiply resistance to herbicides — acetolactate synthase inhibitors and protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitors (ALS+PРO) — was identified in A. artemisiifolia in large areas of sunflower in central and southern Ukraine. In previous years, resistant to the action of herbicides — acetolactate synthase inhibitors of the imidazolinone class ‒ imazapyr and imazamox biotypes of monocot Echinochloa crus-galli var. crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv., and dicot Amaranthus retroflexus L., and Chenopodium album L. have been identified. Cross-resistance to herbicides: monocot to sulfonylurea (nicosulfuron), and triazole pyrimidines (penoxsulam); dicots to sulfonylurea foramsulfuron, iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium, thifensulfuron-methyl, tribenuron-methyl; to sulfonylaminocarbonyl triazolinone derivative — thiencarbazone-methyl; to triazole pyrimidine derivatives — florasulam, and flumetsulam were established. The multiple resistance of Echinochloa crus-galli, Amaranthus retroflexus, and Chenopodium album to herbicides of the classes of glycine derivatives — glyphosate, monocot to graminicide pinoxaden, and dicot species to phenoxy carboxylic derivatives — 2.4-D, benzoic acid — dicamba; triketones — topramezone; diphenyl ethers — aclonifen have not been established. It was shown that herbicide compositions under the influence of the ammonium pool can increase the level of controlling resistant weed biotypes effectiveness. In 2018—2021, in rice crop rotations in the South of Kherson region, the emergence and spread of a cereal multiply resistant (ALS + ACC) species, Eragrostis spp. was detected.
 Conclusions. The identification of highly harmful resistant Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Echinochloa crus-galli, Amaranthus retroflexus, Chenopodium album, and Eragrostis spp. in the South and Central part of the «grain belt» of Ukraine shows the limited effectiveness of weed control exclusively with herbicides with one mechanism of action and requires a significant revision of the principles of crop rotation formation and methods of weed control in the state to maintain high levels of profitability and productivity of agrophytocenoses. Solving these issues is urgent in order to preserve Ukraine’s potential as one of the guarantors of world food security.

Volodymyr Bakhtov’s Creativity in the Context of the «New Archeology» of the Late 1980s to 2000s

The article is dedicated to the work of one of the interesting contemporary Ukrainian artists – Volodymyr Bakhtov. His creative path began in the mid – 1970s in the field of graphics, in which the artist bypassed the influence of socialist realism, immediately defining his main theme: the history and culture of Southern Ukraine. His series of etchings, which were awarded numerous international and domestic awards, metaphorically reproduced and figuratively interpreted the layering of cultural epochs that influenced the culture of the region. At the end of the 1980s, he turned to the contemporary artistic practices – land art, performance art, art objects, and later – to original light actions in the author’s technology «geliograffiti», which together are part of the «new archeology» that marked an important trend in contemporary art. Its emergence is connected with the idea of «revision» of culture, analysis of its experience. Similar searches are directed to the expansion of the cultural space, actualization of its historical layers in the public consciousness. The theme of V. Bakhtov’s «artistic research» was the antique heritage of the Northern Black Sea region, in particular the ancient Greek city of Olbia, which is now an archaeological reserve, and the disappeared monuments of architecture and history of the region. The artist’s long-term creative project in his own figurative way «reconstructs» the ancient heritage within the culture of Ukraine, connects it with the great European oecumen, emphasizes the role and importance of the ancient cities of the Northern Black Sea region in the formation of the Ukrainian cultural space. V. Bakhtov’s works represent artistic research and reconstruction of cultural and natural features of the historical landscape, thus combining archaeological and ecological intentions, and the language of modern art makes it possible to emphasize the special dialogic nature of the author’s expression, actively involving the viewer in participation. The artist’s work synthesizes historical-research and figurative-metaphorical components.

The risk of an epidemic outbreak in southern Ukraine.

The humanitarian crisis that followed the military aggression against Ukraine is getting worse. The war which has continued since February 2022 has already caused irreparable health damage in the local community, which is affected by such acts of Russian terror as the destruction of the Kakhovka dam on the Dnieper River. As a result of the explosion and destruction of the dam, which occurred on 6 June 2023, over 2,500 square kilometres of land were flooded and around 17,000 residents had to be evacuated.

Frost hardiness of Finnish plus tree progenies of Scots pine from seed orchards in Finland and Ukraine

To avoid the surrounding pollination, seed orchards of Finnish plus trees have been established in Ukraine, i.e., far from their natural distribution. However, it is unknown whether the pollination site affects the frost hardiness (FH) of the progenies and thus their use in forest regeneration in Finland. Using whole-plant freezing tests, we examined the FH of plus tree seed orchard progenies in Finland and Ukraine, with three lots of seeds from each orchard, twice during cold acclimation in controlled conditions. The FH of needles, as assessed immediately after the freezing tests, was higher in the Finnish than Ukrainian seed orchard progenies. The variation in the FH of needles was high among the progenies, ranging from − 44 to − 79 °C by relative electrolyte leakage (REL), and from − 29 to − 46 °C by chlorophyll fluorescence (CF). However, when FH was assessed based on the growth of shoots and roots in the greenhouse after three weeks, the differences between the progenies and orchards disappeared. The FH was then between − 10 and − 15 °C based on shoot growth, between − 6 and − 12 °C based on root growth, and between − 8 and − 16 °C based on the number of new root tips. The results imply an epigenetic effect on FH of needles but no effect of progeny or orchard on FH of roots. In summary, it seems to be possible to use seed produced in southern Ukraine in practical reforestation actions in southern Finland.

Issues of forage quality under industrial milk production in the south of Ukraine

The purpose of the article is to determine the average quality of traditional forage (maize silage and alfalfa haylage) and innovative dietary components – rye silage on the example of average milk production farms in Odesa Oblast with moderate and intensive levels of technological process and to determine the impact of the risky land use zone in the South of Ukraine against the background of global warming on the quality of these dietary ingredients in order to determine further directions of forage production in the southern region of Ukraine. Scientific and economic experiments were conducted in Odesa Oblast according to the methods generally accepted in dairy farming, and laboratory studies of corn silage, alfalfa haylage, rye silage samples in a specialized laboratory for forage research using the NIRS technique were used to assess the quality of forages. NIRS has been successfully used in the prediction of nutritional value through direct scanning of forage samples. The analysis of corn silage shows that the basic indicators of its quality, such as dry matter content, metabolizable energy concentration, pH, level of digestibility of organic matter as a percentage of total dry matter, and starch content are below the existing standards, because due to hot weather conditions, silage is often forced to be harvested during the suboptimal phase of its maturity. An assessment of the mineral composition of corn, rye and alfalfa silage shows that the indicators are typical, taking into account the specifics of each crop in the southern region of Ukraine, so the existing deficit of manganese, cobalt, zinc and copper can be covered with the use of specialized premixes. Due to the difficulties of agrotechnical cultivation of corn silage and alfalfa haylage, which has recently developed in the risky land use zone of southern Ukraine and against the background of global warming, fodder crops have to be grown in more favorable (wet) seasons of the year, such as winter rye or triticale, etc. or their combination with corn silage and alfalfa haylage.

CRITERIA FOR RECOGNIZING THE BOUNDARIES OF STRATIGRAPHIC DIVISIONS OF THE SOUTHERN MEOTIC REGION OF UKRAINE FOR OSTRACODS

Problem Statement and Purpose. Generalized results obtained in the implementation of the state topic IV‑1–18: «justification of the boundaries of regional and local stratigraphic divisions of the Phanerozoic of Ukraine for geological maps of the new generation» are. Criteria for recognizing the boundaries of stratigraphic divisions of the meшotic regioyarus of southern Ukraine by ostracods are established. Ostracod complexes were used to characterize the boundaries of stratigraphic divisions of the meotic region of southern Ukraine: ─ according to the leading species of ostracod (upper meotis ─ lower Pont); ─ by paleoecological characteristics of ostracod species (upper Sarmatian-lower meotis; lower-upper meotis). Data&Methods. Thus, complexes of meiotic ostracods were studied on the Kerch Peninsula: Yanysh-Takyl Mulda (Zavetne village), in the Crimea (Alminskа depression: Well. No. 302 (northern outskirts of Rivnopollye village), in the Black Sea depression: (Berezneguvate village (Mykolaiv region). When stratifying various deposits of the meotic regioyarus, it is very important to know the maximum possibility of practical use of ostracod complexes. Stratigraphic resolution of deposits of the meotic regioyarus of southern Ukraine by ostracod complexes-regiopidyarus, i.e. ostracods allow us to distinguish the lower meotic and upper meotic regiopidyarus. Thus, meotic ostracods allow us to distinguish two ostracod complexes in the lower meotic region-complex No. 1 (lower) and complex No. 2 (middle), and in the upper meotic region-complex No. 3. Results. The border between the upper Sarmatian and lower Meotic regions (complex No. 1 (lower)) is distinguished by paleoecological characteristics of ostracod species: Lower meotic region-complex (complex No. 1 (lower)): as noted earlier (Kovalenko, 2001), study of the species composition of lower meotic ostracods of complex No. 1 (Kerch Peninsula. The southern wing of the Yanysh-Takyl Mulda (Zavetne village)) gave grounds to assert that at that time there was a basin in the studied area that was very close in its bionomic conditions to the Kherson (upper Sarmat) one. The late Sarmatian ostracod fauna inherited by this early meotic Basin did not undergo significant changes, and the late Sarmatian ostracods Loxoconcha rimopora Suzin continued to exist; Euxinocythere suljakensis Suzin; Xestoleberis (Xestoleberis) maeotica Suzin; X. (X.) advena Schneider; X. (X.) goretski Golovko; X. (X.) irregularis Schneider and others. However, the appearance of meotic ostracodes, such as Loxoconcha obsoleta Ljuljev and Euxinocythere retituberculata Suzin, allows us to date these deposits to early meotis. The boundary between the lower meotic (complex No. 2) and upper meotic (complex No. 3) regions is distinguished by the paleoecological characteristics of ostracod species. For the first time for the Kerch Peninsula, the appearance of brackish ostracods of the Pontic type (Second migration wave) (Caspiocypris candida (Livental); Tyrrhenocythere pontica (Livental in Agalarova et al.), juv; Euxinocythere (Maeotocythere) praebacuana (Livental); Loxocorniculina diaffarovi Schneider, Loxoconcha praemitridata Agalarova, Camptocypria acronasuta (Livental). The boundary between the upper meotic (complex No. 3) and lower Pontic (complex No. 1) regions is recognized by the leading ostracod species (appearance of the Pontic type of ostracod fauna-genera Loxocorniculina Krstic, 1972; Camptocypria Zalanyi, 1959; Bacunella Schneider, 1958; Pontoniella Mandelstam, 1956; Caspiocypris Mandelstam, 1956 and others.

THE BOTTOM RELIEF OF VYZYRKA POND (ODESSA REGION, ODESSA DISTRICT)

Problem Statement and Purpose. For arid conditions of southern Ukraine, the problem of preservation and use of the local water resources has been relevant for a long time. One of the types of adaptation of economic activity to the natural conditions of the area is artificial water bodies’ creation. Operation of ponds without repair work led to reduction of the water surface area of most of them, siltation, reduction of depths, overgrowth, as a result of which the ponds from water accumulators turned into evaporators. The publications review devoted to ponds and artificial reservoirs showed that their hydrochemical, hydrobiological regime, hydrological elements and ecological condition are mainly studying. The purpose of the research is to establish the regularities of the relief structure of the bottom of the pond in the village of Vyzyrka. Data & Methods. Field research was conducted in July 2021–2022. From two reservoirs, located within the village of Vyzyrka, the larger one was investigated. Work in the water area was carried out from the rowing boat Kolibri. The depths were determined with a Garmin Echo 200 echo sounder a geodetic rail. The use of the echo sounder made it possible to visually trace the relief of the bottom changes on the tacks and choose typical underwater points during relief measurements (ND31– 7.002.-2005). The depths were determined at 60 points, located evenly across the water area. The coordinates of measurement points were determined using a Garmin GPS72H GPS receiver. The journal of points was exported to Garmin Base Camp software. Results. Vyzyrska Pond has existed as an artificial reservoir since 1923. The relief has a trough-like shape inherited from the beam relief. Three areas are distinguished in the structure of the bottom relief: flat bottom of the northern part; underwater continuation of concave coastal slopes; the central depression stretches along the axis of the reservoir from southeast to northwest. The creation and use of artificial reservoirs leads to the development of geomorphological processes associated with the interaction of the native relief, which was formed in other physical and geographical conditions, with the water environment. Further studies of the pond are aimed at establishing the spatial distribution of hydrological elements in the water area of the pond in order to establish patterns of their change, which are important for the aquatic biota development.

Identification of a herbicide-resistant biotype of Echinochloa crus-galli in Ukraine

Ukraine is one of the world’s guarantors of food security and has the potential to further increase agricultural production. However, the vast majority of herbicides used on crops are acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors, which poses a threat of herbicide-resistant weed species. The emergence and spread of herbicide-resistant weed biotypes can significantly increase the cost of growing crops to the point of loss of profitability. Herbicide resistance in barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli var. crus-galli) has been studied in long-term field and greenhouse experiments. Resistance of E. crus-galli to the ALS herbicide triazolopyrimidine derivative ‒ penoxsulam was identified. Expressed resistance was observed in weed plants grown from seeds collected under production conditions in Kherson region in 2015–2016 and 2020–2021. Cross resistance was observed for imidazolinone and sulfonylurea derivatives. It should be noted that the level of cross resistance to ALS herbicides was slightly higher for plants derived from weed seeds harvested in 2020–2021 compared to those harvested in 2015–2016. The introduction of a herbicidal composition of a herbicide mixture ‒ an inhibitor of 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) (an enzyme in plants in the chain of carotenoid synthesis) ‒ mesotrione with an ALS-inhibitor (nicosulfuron) allowed effective control of the weed, which indicates the absence of multiple resistance to herbicides ‒ inhibitors of carotenoid synthesis. The high efficiency of E. crus-galli control was established by the application of herbicides ‒ inhibitors of fatty acid synthesis (graminicides). The highest level of efficiency in the experiments was observed with the application of fluazifop-butyl and somewhat less ‒ with pinoxaden. A tendency to reduce phytotoxicity to barnyardgrass from the south of Ukraine was observed with the introduction of tepraloxydim and quizalofop-ethyl. A lower level of phytotoxicity of fenoxaprop-p-ethyl on E. crus-galli should be noted compared to the effect of pinoxaden. No multiple resistance was observed with glyphosate (5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase inhibitor) and reglone (photosystem I inhibitor), allowing control of vegetative weeds at the beginning and end of the growing season. It has been established that monocot weed species have significantly increased their presence and harmfulness in agrophytocenoses in Ukraine and in the world since the 1950s with the widespread introduction of selective dicotyledonous species control with aryloxyphenoxyacetic, propionic and benzoic acid derivatives. This trend has been maintained until recently ‒ barnyardgrass is one of the dominant weed species in modern agrophytocenoses of Ukraine. Therefore, the identification of the ALS-resistant biotype of barnyardgrass complicates weed control in the following crops in rotations in the southern regions of the country: in maize crops with cross resistance to nicosulfuron, in sunflower ‒ to imidazolinones (imazamox, imazapyr), and also makes it impossible to use penoxsulam in rice production. Traditionally, the use of synthetic auxins, phenoxyacetic acid derivatives, etc. is used to control ALS-resistance. However, in Kherson region of Ukraine, already in the third year of application of rinskor (florpyrauxifen-benzyl), some weed plants were found on rice fields affected by ALS-resistant barnyardgrass, which recovered after the use of synthetic auxin. Therefore, the control of ALS-resistance (penoxsulam, etc.) in E. crus-galli with the application florpyrauxifen-benzyl in the Kherson region of Ukraine is already limited. An obvious and economically feasible preventive measure against the emergence of resistant weed biotypes is the implementation of GAP (Good Agricultural Practice, FAO) approaches: in particular, the use of high quality seeds without weed impurities, increasing the proportion of agrotechnical weed control measures, restoring and expanding crop rotations with mandatory rotation of herbicides with different modes of action, introducing dicotyledonous/leguminous crops into rotations, and using herbicides with different modes of action in crops separately or in mixtures. At the same time, agrotechnical measures and the preservation of biodiversity in agrophytocenoses should be the main factor in controlling resistance in weeds. The use of herbicides and their mixtures with different modes of action is of secondary importance. The identification of highly damaging ALS-resistant E. crus-galli in southern Ukraine indicates the insufficient effectiveness of weed control exclusively with herbicides with a single mechanism of action and requires a significant revision of the principles of crop rotation and ways of weed control in the country to maintain high levels of profitability and productivity of agrophytocenoses. Solving this problem is urgent for the preservation of Ukraine's potential as one of the guarantors of global food security.

Modelling Salvia sclarea L. yields depending on plants spacing, mineral fertilisers and depth of ploughing in the irrigated conditions of cold Steppe zone

Ukraine has favourable natural conditions for the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants, but there is a lack of scientific knowledge and practical guidelines for their cultivation. Clary sage is a valuable and prospective crop for the South of Ukraine and deserves special attention. This study is aimed to investigate theoretical mechanisms of clary sage productivity formation on the irrigated lands of the Southern Ukraine. The experimental basis for the study is the data on crop inflorescence yields, collected during field investigation of clary sage cultivation technology in the dripirrigated lands of the Kherson Oblast during 2013-2018. Theoretical study on the yield formation depending on the cultivation technology elements was performed through rank correlation and heteroscedasticity analyses, while the mathematical model for the crop yield prediction was developed using multiple regression. As a result, the null hypothesis about the influence of the factors studied on crop yields was denied according to the Breusch-Pagan and Glejser tests, although the results of the analysis of variances revealed no significant effect of the depth of the plough and the spacing of the crop on the yields. Rank correlation analysis revealed that the highest influence on crop yield is attributed to phosphorus fertilisers. In addition, information on the influence of each agrotechnological factor on the yield of clary sage was determined, namely: 1 kg of nitrogen fertilisers applied per ha reduces the yield by 6.34 kg; 1 kg of phosphorus fertilisers applied per ha increases the yield by 156.44 kg; 1 extra cm of row spacing reduces the yield by 3.33 kg; 1 cm deeper ploughing improves the yield by 56.56 kg. The model has moderate fitting quality (correlation coefficient 0.5885) and reasonably good yield prediction accuracy (mean absolute percentage error 24.12%). The study has no analogues in Ukraine or in the world and provides novel theoretical and practical insights on the formation of clary sage productivity in the cold Steppe zone

ANXIETY AMONG SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN IN WAR-AFFECTED AREAS IN UKRAINE AND WAYS TO REDUCE IT: PARENTS’ VIEWS

The Ukrainian-Latvian team of researchers are dedicated to commit their research to finding out parents’ views on whether school-age children experience anxiety in war-affected areas in Ukraine and ways to reduce it. The research also enables to identify the most common signs of anxiety. The data collection instrument includes a web-based questionnaire developed by researchers from Ukraine using Google Forms. All researchers are involved in sharing the developed web-based questionnaire via social media networks. The research sample includes 1346 parents of school-age children from all the parts of Ukraine, namely, Central, Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern Ukraine and Kyiv. Research findings demonstrate the urgent need to implement targeted psychological and pedagogical influences (the use of technologies, methods and techniques aimed at reducing the level of anxiety in school-aged children) in the educational process of general secondary schools, regardless of whether this process is carried out face-to-face, remotely or in a blended learning format. The conducted research makes it possible to substantiate the necessity of creating a web-based support system for educators to reduce anxiety among school-age children. The current research is carried out within the project “Web-based Support System for Educators to Reduce Children’s Anxiety in War-affected Areas” (Registration No GPK-07/2022).

Prevalence and distribution of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genotypes among ixodid ticks in three regions of Ukraine

To improve our understanding and to develop strategies to control Lyme borreliosis, this study focused on assessing the prevalence of clinically relevant Borrelia genotypes in ixodid ticks collected from different regions of Ukraine. Ixodid ticks were collected from vegetation and animal hosts in Kyiv, Cherkasy, and Mykolaiv regions of Ukraine (2021). The ticks were then tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of the B. burgdorferi sensu lato complex and genotyped using primers for B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. afzelii, and B. garinii. In total, 1132 ixodid ticks were examined. In Kyiv region, Ixodes ricinus was the most common species (79.7%), in Cherkasy region, Dermacentor reticulatus was most common (72.7%), and in Mykolaiv region, Hyalomma marginatum was the most common species (76.4%). PCR analysis showed that I. ricinus and D. reticulatus are the main vectors of the B. burgdorferi sensu lato complex, especially in Kyiv and Cherkasy regions, where I. ricinus had a significantly higher total Borrelia infection rate (29.2%) than D. reticulatus (15.9%). In Mykolaiv region, Borrelia was not detected. Genotypic analysis revealed a significantly higher prevalence of the B. afzelii (15.6%) over the B. burgdorferi sensu stricto genotype at 9.3%. The B. garinii genotype was not detected in this study.This study analyzes the prevalence of ixodid ticks and genotypes of the Lyme borreliosis pathogen in Northern, Central and Southern Ukraine. In general, the results of the study indicate a widespread presence of borrelia in the northern and central regions, while no Borrelia were detected in the southern region. In addition, the B. afzelii genotype prevailed in Kyiv and Cherkasy regions.

Assessment of the Risks of Toxic Effects of Atmospheric Air Pollution for Humans (On the Example of Cities in Southern Ukraine)

Assessment of the Risks of Toxic Effects of Atmospheric Air Pollution for Humans (On the Example of Cities in Southern Ukraine)

Hepatitis C Virus in people with experience of injection drug use following their displacement to Southern Ukraine before 2020

BackgroundDue to practical challenges associated with genetic sequencing in low-resource environments, the burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in forcibly displaced people is understudied. We examined the use of field applicable HCV sequencing methods and phylogenetic analysis to determine HCV transmission dynamics in internally displaced people who inject drugs (IDPWID) in Ukraine.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we used modified respondent-driven sampling to recruit IDPWID who were displaced to Odesa, Ukraine, before 2020. We generated partial and near full length genome (NFLG) HCV sequences using Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) MinION in a simulated field environment. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods were used to establish phylodynamic relationships.ResultsBetween June and September 2020, we collected epidemiological data and whole blood samples from 164 IDPWID (PNAS Nexus.2023;2(3):pgad008). Rapid testing (Wondfo® One Step HCV; Wondfo® One Step HIV1/2) identified an anti-HCV seroprevalence of 67.7%, and 31.1% of participants tested positive for both anti-HCV and HIV. We generated 57 partial or NFLG HCV sequences and identified eight transmission clusters, of which at least two originated within a year and a half post-displacement.ConclusionsLocally generated genomic data and phylogenetic analysis in rapidly changing low-resource environments, such as those faced by forcibly displaced people, can help inform effective public health strategies. For example, evidence of HCV transmission clusters originating soon after displacement highlights the importance of implementing urgent preventive interventions in ongoing situations of forced displacement.

Simulation of irrigation in southern Ukraine incorporating soil moisture state in evapotranspiration assessments

The paper studies the accuracy of modeling moisture transport under the conditions of sprinkler irrigation using evapotranspiration assessment methods that take into account the soil moisture conditions. Appropriate modifications of the Penman-Monteith and the Priestley-Taylor models are considered. Moisture transport modeling is performed using the Richards equation in its integer- and fractional-order forms. Parameters identification is performed by the particle swarm optimization algorithm based on the readings of suction pressure sensors. Results for the two periods of 11 and 50 days demonstrate the possibility of up to ~20% increase in the simulation accuracy by using a modified Priestley-Taylor model when the maintained range of moisture content in the root layer is 70%-100% of field capacity. When irrigation maintained the range of 80%-100% of field capacity, moisture content consideration within evapotranspiration assessment models did not enhance simulation accuracy. This confirms the independence of evapotranspiration from soil moisture content at its levels above 80% of field capacity as in this case actual evapotranspiration reaches a level close to the potential one. Scenario modeling of the entire growing season with the subsequent estimation of crop (maize) yield showed that irrigation regimes generated using evapotranspiration models, which take into account soil moisture data, potentially provide higher yields at lower water supply.

Вовк (Canis lupus) у степовій зоні України на зламі ХХ–ХХІ ст. та динаміка його чисельності

The article presents data on the extirpation of the wolf in southern Ukraine in the 18th to the 20th century, which was financially supported by landowners and the state. This contributed to keeping the wolf population at a low level and then led to a reduction in its range. In the 1970s, in the steppe and forest-steppe zones, wolves permanently lived only in Moldova; in the north of Odesa Oblast; in the Pavlohrad district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast; in Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts, as well as in the north of Poltava Oblast. From here, they spread to neighbouring territories, where they were quickly extirpated. The level of wolf decline was so significant, that in 1970 only 18 wolves were recorded in the steppe zone, and 270 in the whole of Ukraine. This contributed to the dispersal of the roe deer, wild boar, and elk to the south. After the reduction in the size of wolf hunting premiums, hunting pressure on wolves also decreased. Since there is a significant positive correlation between wolf population and hunting pressure (r = 0.93), the wolf's range and population began to grow rapidly. While in 1970 it was found in 14 regions, in 1976 it was already recorded in 18, and in 1981 in 21; in 2000, the wolf occurred in all regions of mainland Ukraine, and in 2003 it entered the Crimea. The process of restoring the wolf's range was accompanied by the emergence of wolf–dog hybrids, some of which are still occurring. Despite the harvest of 616.8 ± 102.68 wolves per year in 1970–1981, the wolf population increased by 6.5 times in Ukraine, and by more than 10 times in the steppe zone. A significant increase in its numbers was facilitated by a decrease in hunting pressure due to the adoption of the USSR Law ‘On the Protection and Use of Wildlife’ in 1980, which prohibited the use of inhumane methods in hunting on wild animals. In 1982–1992, the volume of wolf culling in Ukraine reached 71.1% (45.3–81.5), and in 1993–1999 was equal to 43.1% (34.9–49.3) per year. Naturally, due to the decrease in wolf hunting, there was a sharp increase in the wolf population, which in the steppe zone increased by 1.51 times from 2000 to 2010, and in our country in general by 1.03 times. The process of intensive growth of its population stabilised only at the beginning of the 21st century, when the annual take increased from 34.9% (2000) to 84.0% (2009).

Sytuacja epidemiczna i działalność portowych oddziałów kwarantanny na terenach obecnej południowej Ukrainy od XVIII do początku XX w.

The article aims to draw attention to the epidemic situation in the southern Ukrainian lands from the 18th to the beginning of the 20th century and to analyze the activities of port quarantine departments of the Black and Azov Seas during this period. The research employs problem-chronological, comparative-historical, statistical and biographical methods. The analysis is based on the sources from the Regional Archives of the Mykolaiv Region and relevant scientific literature. The study reveals the condition of the epidemic-driven country in the period in question, the activities of quarantine departments at the ports of the Russian Empire, as well as how the state and local authorities fought the infections. Reading from archival sources, the author discusses the level of hygiene on military ships, the methods of fighting epidemics, and people’s reactions to quarantine, especially in the Mykolaiv region at the beginning of the 20th century. The epidemic situation in the southern Ukrainian lands from the 18th to the beginning of the 20th century resulted from an imperfect policy of the Russian Empire - poorly-developed medical, social, and cultural spheres. It should be noted that during this period, infectious diseases often came to Ukrainian lands from the east. Their spread was facilitated by increased urban population, the movement of military contingents, water contamination by municipal and industrial waste, and insufficient knowledge of social and personal hygiene almost until the end of the 19th century. The main method of preventing epidemics was the introduction of quarantine. It meant full isolation of potentially dangerous ships arriving in port, inspecting them and supplying passengers and crew with quarantine measures.

East vs West: Geopolitical Orientations and Language Practices of Residents of Central and Southern Ukraine

The paper based on quantitative and qualitative analysis on data on language attitudes and geopolitical orientations obtained in Central and Southern Ukraine shows significant differences between two regions. The assessment of linguistic changes occurred after the collapse of the USSR in both regions is unequivocal: most participants in open interviews noted a positive trend for the Ukrainian language, including the expansion of functional spheres of its use (on television, in politics, in education) and its higher prestige in society. Post-Soviet changes toward the expansion of the use of the Ukrainian language were viewed positively even by predominantly Russian-speaking respondents, who opposed “Ukrainization” in other aspects. Based on the answers to the questions in the “Geopolitics” and “Identity” blocks of questionnaire, two types of respondents were identified using cluster analysis: (1) “pro-European” and (2) “pro-Russian.” The language preferences of respondents belonging to different clusters differed in the regions studied: while more Ukrainian speakers, both in the Center and in the South, mainly belonged to the first cluster, and more Russian speakers (to a somewhat lesser extent) to the second, speakers who used a mixed idiom known as Surzhik in the Center, were more “pro-Russian,” and in the South, more “pro-European” oriented. That can signal of differences in language attitudes and labeling regarding Surzhik in those regions of Ukraine.

General characteristics of organized crime in the Black Sea region of Ukraine

The article is devoted to the study of the general characteristics and peculiarities of organized crime in the Black Sea region of Ukraine. The relevance and practical significance of research on this type of crime is proven, the essence of the strategic importance of the Black Sea region in the context of the spread of the investigated type of crime is determined. Establishing the specificity of the phenomenon of organizedcrime in the Black Sea region is methodologically carried out through the definition of the concept and signs of organized and regional crime. Socio-economic prerequisites for the determination of crime in the border region of Southern Ukraine are indicated. It is proved that at the present time, organized crime in the South of mainland Ukraine is characterized by professionalization, armed forces, cross-border connections, the presence of well-established corruption schemes of interaction with representatives of the power sector, and a pronounced economic component of self-interest.Statistical data on the spread of organized crime on the territory of Ukraine for the period of the last five years (2018-2022) are analyzed. The primary influence of historical, geographical and cultural systems of territorial factors of crime on the peculiarities of the development of regional crime in the Black Sea region is noted. The author suggests that such factors include geographical location, features of formation, specifics of transportand industrial infrastructure, demographic features, traditions and customs of the local population, etc.It is argued that organized crime in the Black Sea region acts as an independent complex phenomenon, which is characterized by criminal practices of weapons distribution, traffic and distribution of a wide range of narcotic and psychotropic substances, smuggling, economic and corruption criminal offenses.