Steppe Zone Research Articles

To the Ecology of Bumblebees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Bombus) in Talysh

The Talysh zone (Lenkoran natural area), due to different types of landscapes and climate, has a rich fauna and flora, many of which are endemic. There are 28 species of bumblebees living here, belonging to 7 zoogeographical complexes, which makes up 55% of the bumblebee fauna of Azerbaijan. In the lowlands and in foothill landscapes up to an altitude of 1000 m, where a humid subtropical climate prevails, only 4 species of bumblebees were found. In the zone of dry steppes and settled meadows, at approximately an altitude of 1400 to 2400 m, where a dry continental climate prevails, bumblebees are represented by 18 species. Bumblebees, with their perfect social life, are active throughout the season. As a result of studying the phenology of bumblebees’ flight, it was revealed that in the study area they begin flying from the beginning of April (4 species). During the summer months the number of species reaches its maximum (an average of 25 species). From the beginning of autumn, the growing season of flowering plants ends, and the number of bees decreases, but the number of bumblebee species is comparatively greater.

Ecological methods of weed control in paulownia (Paulownia tomentosa) plantations

Goal. To study the dynamics of weed infestation in young paulownia (Paulownia tomentosa) plantations and develop a weed control system that ensures the successful growth and development of paulownia plantations. To investigate the possibility of using environmentally friendly methods of weed control in the paulownia plantations in the Forest Steppe zone of Ukraine.
 Methods. Field methods were used in the experiment. The statistical processing of the experimental data was performed using Microsoft Office Excel.
 Results. The experiment was carried out to study weed control methods and ensure efficient use of soil water. The soil in the plant zone was mulched with straw (10 cm layer), covered with black polyethylene (25 mkm) film or spanbond (100 g/ m2). In the young paulownia plantations of the 10th year of cultivation, where no weed control measures were applied, the active growth of weeds was observed. The highest number of weeds was represented by Setaria glauca L. (17.5 plants/ m2), Echinochloa crus-galli (25.2 plants/ m2), Chenopodium album (15.1 plants/ m2), Elymus repens (21.2 plants/ m2), Sinapis arvensis (7.0 plants/ m2), Convolvulus arvensis (6.7 plants/ m2), and others.
 Conclusions. It was found that the mulching of young paulownia plantations with straw (10 cm layer) is an effective practice that ensures a high productivity of paulownia, with a plant height of 166 cm. The most effective method was covering the soil with black polyethylene film, with a plant height of 173 cm.

Simulation of the vulnerability of the steppe landscape and climate zone of Ukraine to climate changes based on space image data

Now, the whole world, including Ukraine, is facing one of the biggest environmental problems, namely, climate change. The steppe landscape-climate zone is one of the territories considered the most sensitive to Ukraine's current and future climate change threats. Studying the vulnerability to climate change of the steppe zone of Ukraine based on data from space surveys requires analysing a large amount of objective data, namely the products of remote sensing data processing. The article presents the results of combining remote sensing, geographic information systems, and multi-criteria decision analysis to identify vulnerable areas to the impact of climate change in the steppe landscape-climatic zone. This information will be used to recommend adaptation systems to modern conditions and reduce the impact of adverse climate changes. The proposed decision-making structure was developed in three stages: 1) collection and processing of available data from space surveys; 2) development of a model of vulnerability to climate change of the steppe landscape-climatic zone of Ukraine based on the method of analysis of hierarchies; 3) construction of the resulting map, which includes degrees of vulnerability to climate changes of the studied territory. Modern cloud processing methods for space survey data provide access to a large number of geo-informational products, including the characteristics of the earth's surface and the spatial distribution of climatic indicators accumulated over a long period. These products allow the processing of these data for large areas to be implemented quickly. This technique allows, based on expert assessments, to assess the combined impact of the most significant characteristics of the earth's surface and regional climate, prioritise their impact on the studied territory's vulnerability to climate changes, and implement its quantitative multi-criteria assessment.

CONSEQUENCES OF THE VIRGIN LAND MEGAPROJECT: VIRGIN LAND SPACE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT

The results of studies of the eastern sector of Eurasia's steppe zone from the Volga region to the Altai on the subject of the dynamics of the steppe titularity are presented. The rapid and almost complete replacement of zonal steppe ecosystems on the plains with grain fields, which was produced by the Soviet Virgin Land Megaproject, formed a specific virgin space in the steppe zone. As a result of subsequent transformations, it developed into a post-virgin space, then transformed into an agro-export one. The leading factors of the formation of these spaces, their main qualitative characteristics, and specific features are described. The totality of the Virgin Land megaproject and the mass abandonment of fields, which has shown the self-restoring potential of the steppes, are considered as a unique experiment in the renewal of steppe grass stands. Taking into account the existing and new trends, we suggest an outline of the transition to a compromising space organized according to the principle of optimum economy and natural communities.

The nomenclatural cases of Veronica steppacea and V. menthifolia (Plantaginaceae), with notes on the status of provisional names and type designation

A nomenclatural and taxonomic analysis is provided for the name Veronica steppacea Kotov (Plantaginaceae: Veronica subg. Pseudolysimachium) and some associated names of plants occurring mainly in the Steppe and Forest-Steppe physiographic zones of southeastern Europe, especially Ukraine. In particular, it is confirmed that the name V. steppacea was validly published in 1954. The first publication of that name in 1927 was invalid because it was published with “the mere mention of the subordinate taxa included in the taxon concerned” (Art. 36.2 of the ICN). Following the current provisions of the ICN, the specimen KW000058110 collected by Kotov in 1949 (“1948” in the protologue is a typo or error) in southeastern Ukraine (Donetsk Region, Volnovakha District, Starohnativka) is designated here as the lectotype of the name V. steppacea, one of three specimens at KW annotated by the author as “types” and belonging to one gathering. A list of main synonyms of V. steppacea (including V. borysthenica, V. cretacea, V. donetzica, V. tzvelevii, etc.) is provided. A corrected type designation is published for the name V. menthifolia H. Schott ex Roem. & Schult.: the illustration in Clusius (1601) is designated as the lectotype and the specimen from the herbarium of H. Schott (BP 348066) is designated as the epitype. Most probably V. menthifolia is conspecific with V. barrelieri (referring to an eastern Submediterranean European taxon), and thus the name V. steppacea should be used for related southeastern European plants. Several potential amendments of the ICN are briefly considered based on the nomenclatural cases discussed in the article.

СОЗДАНИЕ ИНФОРМАЦИОННОЙ БАЗЫ ДАННЫХ ПО КАЧЕСТВЕННЫМ ПОКАЗАТЕЛЯМ ВИНОГРАДА НА ФОНЕ КОМПЛЕКСА АГРОКЛИМАТИЧЕСКИХ ПАРАМЕТРОВ И ИНДЕКСОВ, ХАРАКТЕРИЗУЮЩИХ ТЕПЛООБЕСПЕЧЕННОСТЬ ТЕРРИТОРИИ, ПРИМЕНЯЕМЫХ ДЛЯ ВЫДЕЛЕНИЯ ТЕРРУАРОВ КРЫМА

Climate is one of the main factors determining the possibility of grape cultivating and influencing its growth and development. Climatic factors have a huge impact on obtaining high-quality products of grape processing. In the process of work, in order to create an informational database, the archival data on the content of sugars and titratable acids in grapes from the vineyards of Crimea were collected and systematized. According to the criteria necessary for this study, we have selected the information on 8 varieties from the Steppe zone for 11 years, 1 variety from the Piedmont zone for 3 years, and 4 varieties from the South Coast zone for 6 years. By collecting and nonlinear interpolating of long-term observations from Crimean weather stations using geoinformation and mathematical modeling methods, the values of agroclimatic factors were calculated for each selected vineyard on the dates of determining the quality indicators of grapes during their ripening at the location points of the vineyards. For this purpose, 10 agroclimatic indicators characterizing the heat supply were selected. Based on the research results, basic principles for creating an informational database of agroecological resources and quality composition of grapes were developed. Informational database can be further modified and extended with various agroclimatic indicators. Subsequently, the accumulated array of database information will be used to identify patterns reflecting the influence of agroecological conditions on the formation of grape quality parameters for various types of production, which will serve as a basis for establishing viticultural and winemaking terroirs. Key words: CLIMATIC FACTORS, ZONES OF THE CRIMEAN PENINSULA, HEAT SUPPLY INDICATORS, GEOINFORMATION MODELING, MASS CONCENTRATION OF SUGARS, MASS CONCENTRATION OF TITRATABLE ACIDS

ВЛИЯНИЕ БИОФУНГИЦИДОВ В СМЕСИ С РЕГУЛЯТОРАМИ РОСТА НА ПРОДУКТИВНОСТЬ НОВЫХ СОРТОВ ОЗИМОЙ ПШЕНИЦЫ

Research was carried out to study the possibility of reducing the harmfulness of pyrenophorosis, increasing the yield and quality of winter wheat grain using growth regulators and fungicides. The work was carried out in 2020-2022 in conditions of insufficient and unstable moisture in the steppe zone of Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. Two experiments were carried out using growth regulators (without treatment; Albit, TPS; Bigus, VR; Tsircon, R; Epin-Extra, R; Ribav-Extra, R), as well as chemical (Spirit, SK) and biological fungicides (Fitolavin, VRK Baksis, Zh Kasumin 2L, VR Vitaplan, SP) in combination with the growth regulator (Gumi, R). As a result of the studies, the following indicators were studied: biological productivity, weight of 1000 grains, gluten content, susceptibility to yellow spot - Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Died.) Drechsler, biological effectiveness of drugs. When using Epin-Extra, P, the weight of 1000 grains in the Yuzhanka variety was 40.7 g, when applying Bigus, BP on Pamyati Shatilov’s wheat - 42.4 g, Albit, TPS on the Taulan variety - 42.1 g with an average value of the indicator in the variant without drugs for all studied varieties was 37.8 g, with drugs – 40.4 g. On the Pamyati Shatilov variety, the growth regulator Albit, TPS, stood out, with the use of which the productivity was 6.0 t/ha, the increase over the control was 0.6 t/ha. The biological effectiveness of the chemical fungicide Spirit, SK on the Yuzhanka variety was 84.8%, and on the Pamyati Shatilova variety 89.1%. For the biofungicides Kasumin 2 L, VR and Fitolavin, VRK against pyrenophorosis, it was equal to 9.6% and 18.4%, respectively, which is much lower than for the chemical fungicide.

Analysis of intervarietal soybean hybrids at the initial breeding stages

The results of the study of recombinant soybean hybrids in terms of the degree of heterosis effect, phenotypic dominance and transgressive variability in economically valuable traits with the subsequent selection of the most promising hybrid combinations are presented. The study was conducted from 2018 to 2022 in the laboratory of soybean breeding in the conditions of the steppe zone of the Primorsky Territory. Of the ten hybrid combinations obtained, the maximum effect of heterosis in the first generation was observed in the combinations Primorskaya 1385 × Kofu, Primorskaya 1385 × Dong nong 690, Hei He 38 × Taifun. Phenotypic overdominance of inheritance of indicators (from 1.6 to 76.7) was recorded in all hybrids. Transgressive variability of intervarietal soybean hybrids in the second and third generations varied by combination and generation. High values of the degree of transgression in the third generation were observed in the combinations Primorskaya 1385 × Kofu and Hei He 38 × Talppod-Fisk, in terms of the number of seeds per plant – Primorskaya 1385 × Taifun and Kofu × Taifun, in terms of seed weight per plant – Dong nong 690 × Taifun and Hei He 38 × Taifun. A decrease in the frequency of transgression of hybrids by the third generation was found. The highest values of the degree and frequency of transgression in plant height were observed in the hybrid combinations Hei He 38 × Taifun and Hei He 38 × Talppod-Fisk. Based on the results of the study of the promising soybean genotypes, recombinant hybrids with high productivity and 1000-seed weight in the combinations Kyoto × Dong nong 690 and Monsoon × Taifun were isolated. The hybrids tested had different ripeness groups. Not always the manifestation of high effect of heterosis and transgressive variability in the first – third generations serves as a guarantee of further obtaining samples with high economically valuable indicators.

Tacheometric Survey and 3D-Model Building of Fortification Objects in the South of Western Siberia

Purpose. The most objective planigraphy of the earthen fortifications is one of the initial conditions for the reliability of the description of these objects and the subsequent analysis of their defensive capabilities. One of the most common devices for the instrumental surveys in modern archaeological research is a total station. The purpose of the tacheometric survey was to build 3D-models of the earthern fortifications of various types (cape settlements – Chultukov Log-9, ostrogs and redoubts (Umrevinsky, Salt Turn). The work at these objects included two stages – an instrumental survey of the monument and subsequent processing of the survey results with the 3D-models buildings and objects indication.Results. The tacheometric survey was carried out in various landscape zones (the Altai mountains, the northern forest-steppe of the Upper Ob, the steppe zone of the Middle Irtysh) within the river valleys of the Katun, Ob and Irtysh. The wide chronological framework of the sites (the Chultukov Log-9 settlement, the Umrevinsky ostrog, the Salt Turn redoubt) corresponds to the period from the beginning of the 1st millennium AD up to the first quarter of the 18th century and provide an opportunity for the most objective assessment of the tacheometric survey results.Conclusions. The result of the work was the building of the 3D-models of various earthen fortification objects (hillforts, ostrogs, redoubts). Both previously untraceable defensive structures (ditch), and the characteristics of the fenced areas of these structures, previously recorded in written sources, have been identified.

Оценка состояния государственных защитных лесных полос Саратовской области на основе данных дистанционного зондирования Земли и геоинформационных технологий

The geographical location of the Saratov oblast enables detailed studying the factors influencing the condition of forest plantations. The territory stretches from northwest to southeast in forest-steppe, steppe and semi-desert zones. Average annual precipitation there ranges from 450 mm per year in the northwestern regions to 250 mm in the southeast. On the right bank of the Volga, the most common soils are

The case of a mass death of livestock in the Early Iron Age in the steppe zone of Kazakhstan

A mass burial of complete and almost complete cattle and small ruminant skeletons found in a pit within the Early Iron Age settlement of Abylai in Central Kazakhstan (49°15'N, 75°07'E) has been studied. The results of archaeological research and archeozoological contexts have shown that the animals’ burial was a single event. The aim of the work was to determine the reasons for the formation of this accumu-lation. The analysis of skeletal element composition, animal age composition, and the season of their death has been performed. A com-parison of species composition, skeletal element composition, age composition, season of animals’ death and taphonomic features be-tween samples from the pit and the cultural layer of the settlement has been made. Significant differences between these samples have been revealed. The animals from the settlement layer were slaughtered during late autumn-winter, while animals from the pit died in early spring. The bones from the pit were almost all intact, while those from the settlement layer had characteristics typical of household waste. Bones from the “layer” have significantly more postmortem modifications than those from the “pit”. The age composition and the skeleton parts ratio between the samples are different. The analysis of the obtained data shows that in the beginning of spring 89 small ruminant and 6 cattle individuals were buried in the pit in a short period of time. According to ethnographic data, this could possibly be interpreted as the burial of animals who died as a result of spring jute. In the steppe zone of Eurasia, jute is the most frequent extreme event leading to mass death of ungulates. Jutes can happen in summer, when grass burns out with drought. But the most large-scale and frequent are winter jutes, when, due to catastrophic snowfalls, grass becomes inaccessible to animals, and spring jutes, when frosts come after a thaw. During jute, many animals die from starvation in a short time. Small ruminants are the most vulnerable because they are the least adapted to breaking ice crusts with their hooves. Cattle are less vulnerable, and even less so are horses. The following archaeological situation has been observed: all animals died in early spring; many of them were buried in a short time; the remains of small ruminants prevail, there are few cattle and no horses; most animals were probably skinned. This picture is most consistent with the burial of animals killed by jute. As an alternative hypothesis, a sacrificial nature of death of the animals has been considered. However, the combination of characteristics of the archaeological and archeozoological contexts of pit filling allows us to reject the latter hypothesis.

Marija Gimbutas and the Ethnic Origin of the Baltic Nation

Birutė Marija Alseikaitė-Gimbutienė (English Marija Gimbutas), is one of the most prominent and well-known archaeologists of the 20th century, pioneer of archaeomythology, creator of new theories in archaeology. In her scientific research, she paid a great attention to the ethnic origins and development of nations.This article analyzes the Theory of Baltic Ethnic Origins formulated by Gimbutas. The solution to this important scientific problem involves two main research stages. The first stage is formulation of the Theory of Indo-European homeland, named the Kurgans Theory. The second stage is formulation of the Theory of the origins of Balts. According to Gimbutas, a few cultural systems participated in the formation of the Balts: the indoeuropeans and substrat culture, that is Indo-Europeanized people of Central Europe. The Indo-Europeans migrated from their homeland, located in the steppe zone north of the Black and Caspian seas, in three waves between 4400/4200 and 3000/2800 BC, ultimately reaching Europe and Indo-Europeanizing it.A secondary Indo-European Homeland was formed in Central Europe, from which the Indo-European culture spread to the Baltic region and other European regions.The last, third wave of newcomers, from around 3000–2800 BC, had the greatest influence on the southeastern and eastern Baltic region and the surrounding territories. During several centuries of assimilation between local inhabitants and newcomers, around 2500–2000 BC, in the territory between the Vistula River in the west and the Volga and Oka rivers in the east, several cultural groups of Proto-Balts were formed. During further ethnocultural processes, around 2000 BC. the Baltic ethnos was formed. In the 2nd and 1st millennium BC. and in the first part of the 1st millennium AD the Balts inhabited a huge area in the North Eastern part of Europe.

Episootological features of tularemia in the Donetsk region

Objective: to evaluate epizootic monitoring of tularemia in the Donetsk region.Materials and methods: methods of retrospective, statistical, and comparative analysis were used. The sources of infection were investigated using serological and biological methods. The data of industry statistical reporting on form No. 40-annual of the department of especially dangerous infections of the Donetsk regional Sanitary and Epidemiological Station (since 2013 — SSESU, since 2015 — Republican Center for Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Service of the Ministry of Health of the DPR) were used. 20 "Maps of epizootological and epidemiological examination of the focus of zoonotic disease" (F.391/y) were studied.Results: since 1987, the number of enzootic territories in the Donetsk region has increased annually: from 2 settlements in 1987 to 79 (in 4 cities and 16 districts) in 2023. With the beginning of active hostilities, the epidemic process of tularemia in Donbass has sharply intensified. Antibody titers (1:80 and 1:160) for tularemia were detected in environmental samples: in the North Steppe zone — 6.2%, Donetsk-Kryazhnaya — 10.4%, Primorsko-steppe — 15.8%. In the study of mouse-like rodents, 6 cultures of Francisella tularensis holarctica biovar II era R were isolated, resistance of the strain to ampicillin, cefotaxime, erythromycin, clindamycin, polymyxin was established; sensitivity to gentamicin, fluoroquinolones, rifampicin, doxycycline, levomycetin.Conclusions: the activation of epizootic processes of tularemia in the DPR is associated with the conduct of hostilities. High titers of antibodies to tularemia in environmental samples are noted in the south of the Donetsk region.

Seasonality of Oestrus ovis infection in sheep in the steppe zone of the Stavropol Territory

The purpose of the research is to study the seasonality of Oestrus ovis infection in sheep depending on the management conditions in the steppe zone of the Stavropol Territory.Materials and methods. The research to study the botfly flight seasonality was conducted on two farms in the Apanasenkovsky District and two farms in the Ipatovsky District of the Stavropol Territory. The number of sheep botflies was studied in the entire flight season by regular inspection and counting of the parasite adult stage on the outer surfaces of sheephouse walls and the side walls of sheds with a 15 day-interval.Results and discussion. The sheep botfly flight season was 5.5 months (from May 25–30 to October 31–November 11). Two increases in the number of botflies were observed during this period: in July and September–October. Infection of sheep with oestrosis in 1971 had two peaks (the first, May to June; the second, August to November). Due to the earlier spring 2022, the first peak started in the second half of March and lasted until the first half of July, and the second peak was observed from the second half of August to the end of November.

SUBRECENT POLLEN ASSEMBLAGES IN ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS OF THE DON AND KUBAN RIVERS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE FOR PALAEOGEOGRAPHIC RECONSTRUCTIONS

The paper presents the results of studying modern alluvial deposits of the Don and Kuban rivers by the pollen analysis method. The study was carried out to clarify methodological issue, including the movement of pollen and spores by flowing waters. The obtained data show that pollen assemblages of river sediments formed in the process of pollen mixing by water and air characterize the composition of the regional vegetation cover rather than local nearriver plant groups. According to the results for the subrecent sediments of the Don River the transfer of pollen grains and spores by water was insignificant, which can be clearly seen at the border of the forest-steppe and steppe zones. Pollen assemblages of the forest-steppe zone contain 50% of tree species pollen, while in the steppe zone, including its northern part, tree species make up less than 30-35%. Sporadic forest elements such as Picea pollen, Lycopodium species spores and Sphagnum mosses in alluvial deposits of the steppe section of the Don River, as well as in the subrecent sediments of the Sea of Azov, could be neglected in the palaeoreconstructions. The composition of subrecent pollen assemblages of the Kuban River sediments is less variable from the middle course to the mouth with rather stable ratio of components. Pollen of the Caucasian flora elements (Fagus orientalis, Carpinus caucasica) is poorly dispersed by water from high and midmountain landscapes of the upper reaches of the river. The comparison of pollen assemblages from alluvial and marine (the Sea of Azov) sediments have shown that the distortion of fossil assemblages’ composition due to material input by water is minimal

Biomorphological features and antioxidant activity of mint species of non-hybrid origin growing in the North Caucasus region

Introduction. Modern researchers note the role of antioxidants in the correction of fat and carbohydrate metabolism, so the search for new raw materials for obtaining substances with antioxidant activity is relevant. Polyphenolic compounds are considered the most powerful natural antioxidants. Our attention was drawn to non-hybrid mint species growing in the North Caucasus region. Objective. Study of biomorphological features and economically valuable characteristics of the species Mentha L. (Lamiaceae), their phytochemical characteristics based on the content of essential oil and some phenolic compounds, determination of antioxidant activity to substantiate the prospects for use in medicine and pharmacy. Material and methods. The studies were carried out according to the methods of the State Pharmacopoeia (SP) XIV and XV editions. Samples of raw mint (M. arvensis L.), watermint (M. aquatica L.), longleaf mint (M. longifolia (L.) Huds.), flea mint (M. pulegium L.), m spicata (M. spicata L.), harvested in forest-steppe and steppe zones, as well as on mountain slopes, damp places, sometimes in wastelands, in North Ossetia – Alania, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria and the Stavropol Territory in their natural places of growth (end of July–August 2021–2023). Objects were dried using the air-shadow method. Antioxidant activity was determined by amperometric and titrimetric methods. Results. Non-hybrid mint species growing in the North Caucasus contain essential oils, hydroxycinnamic and triterpene acids, flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds. The established antioxidant properties of hydroalcoholic extracts of mint species, in addition to the traditionally known choleretic and antispasmodic effects, can be considered significant for reducing body weight. Conclusion. The content of essential oil and polyphenolic compounds in various types of mint, as well as the established antioxidant properties of aqueous-alcoholic extracts, in addition to the traditionally known choleretic and antispasmodic effects, can be considered significant for weight loss.

The Impact of Pre-Crops on the Formation of Water Balance in Winter Wheat Agrocenosis and Soil Moisture in the Steppe Zone

The Impact of Pre-Crops on the Formation of Water Balance in Winter Wheat Agrocenosis and Soil Moisture in the Steppe Zone

Modeling soil carbon accumulation in irrigated agricultural systems

In contemporary circumstances characterized by climate change and increased pressure on agricultural ecosystems, determining the impact of irrigation levels on soil carbon dynamics becomes a pertinent task. This study aims to determine the impact of irrigation rates on soil carbon dynamics using agricultural system modeling. The simulations were conducted by LPJ-GUESS Education 3.0. The results were analyzed using the analogy method. Changes in soil carbon accumulation were quantified in three agricultural systems representing the desert, semi-desert, and steppe zones of Russia. Results show an increase in soil carbon accumulation in all biomes and a decrease in ecosystem carbon exchange. These findings suggest that irrigation rates developed for desert, semi-desert, and steppe biomes were effective. The results of this study can be applied to irrigated and rainfed agriculture. The obtained data not only corroborate the positive influence of irrigation levels on carbon accumulation in soil across various biomes but also unveil prospects for the development of sustainable agricultural practices. This study aims at optimizing the utilization of water resources, which may contribute to fostering ecosystem resilience within the agricultural sector.

Overexpression of high affinity K+ transporter from Nitraria sibirica enhanced salt tolerance of transgenic plants

Nitraria sibirica Pall is a halophytic shrub growing in desert steppe zones. It exhibits extraordinary adaptability to saline–alkali soil, drought, and sand burial. In this study, the high-affinity K+ transporter NsHKT1 was identified and found to play a key role in salt tolerance in N. sibirica. NsHKT1 was used to improve salt tolerance in a poplar hybrid. The expression characteristics of NsHKT1 were analyzed by transforming Arabidopsis and poplar with the β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene driven by the NsHKT1 promoter. The results showed that NsHKT1 expression was induced by various abiotic stresses and phytohormones. GUS expression was also detected in the reproductive organs of transgenic Arabidopsis, indicating its function in regulating plant reproductive growth. Transgenic 84 K poplar plants overexpressing NsHKT1 exhibited less damage, higher antioxidant capacity, higher chlorophyll and proline levels, and lower malondialdehyde content compared with non-transgenic plants under salt stress. These results are consistent with the salt tolerance results for transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing NsHKT1, indicating that NsHKT1 plays a key role in salt tolerance in herbaceous and ligneous plants. Inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry showed a significantly lower leaf Na+ content in transgenic poplar than in the non-transgenic line, revealing that NsHKT1, as a member of HKT family subclass 1, was highly selective to Na+ and prevented shoot Na+ accumulation. Transcriptome analysis indicated that differentially expressed genes in transgenic poplars under salt stress were associated mainly with the isoflavonoid, cutin, suberine, wax, anthocyanin, flavonoid, and cyanoamino biosynthesis pathways, as well as the MAPK signaling pathway, indicating that NsHKT1 not only regulates ion homeostasis but also influences secondary metabolism and signal transaction in transgenic plants.

Rare faction of flora of the designed landscape reserve “Balka Shchurovka”

The article is devoted to the study of the modern distribution of certain rare plant species within the "Balka Shchurovka" beam system (near the settlements of Dniprovske, Novomykolaivka of the Verkhnyodniprovska OTG of the Dnipropetrovsk region) and substantiation of the prospects for granting the object the status of a nature conservation area. The natural diversity of the vegetation cover of the designed reserve consists of zonal steppe vegetation, bairach forests, psamophilic and petrophilic communities, and meadow vegetation. According to indicators of biodiversity, the territory b. Shchurovka is one of the most valuable within the borders of Verkhnyodniprovska OTG of Dnipropetrovsk region. In the process of researching the flora of the planned reserve, a number of new locations of species rare for the region and the region were discovered. 26 regionally rare plant species grow here, 13 species listed in the Red Book of Ukraine, 3 species from Resolution 6 of the Berne Convention and Annexes of the Habitats Directive, presented in the flora of Ukraine, 1 species from the World Red List. The list of plants of the Dnipropetrovsk region included in the Red Book of Ukraine includes 56 species of vascular plants, of which 13 species grow within the b. Rat, which is 23% of the total number of red book species of Dnipropetrovsk region. An important and interesting feature of the layer of sand exposed on the right slope of the gully is the presence of blocks of red sandstone enriched with iron oxides. Near the sandstone outcrops, a characteristic complex of flora has formed on sandy soil with the participation of Sempervivum ruthenicum Schnittsp. & C.B. Lehm, Pulsatilla pratensis (L.) Mill. s.l., Thymus pallasianus Heinr.Braun, Peucedanum arenarium Waldst. & Kit. (Taeniopetalum arenarium (Waldst. & Kit.) V. N. Tichomirov), Achillea leptophylla M. Bieb. Jurinea cyanoides (L.) Rchb and Pulsatilla patens (L.) Mill grow here. s.l. - rare species from the Annexes of the Habitats Directive, Annex I of the Berne Convention, which prefer biotopes with an intact structure as part of rare coenoses. The study of the rare fraction of the flora of the beam system in the context of the conservation of biodiversity of the Right Bank Steppe of the Dnieper region can become the basis of the nature conservation concept of sustainable development of the region.