Temperate Zone Of Europe Research Articles

Enhancement of antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of Fomitopsis pinicola mycelium extract

BackgroundFomitopsis pinicola is one of the most common fungi found in temperate zone of Europe, widely distributed spread in Asia and North America. Fungus has a wide range of therapeutic activity: antitumor, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antifungal, hepatoprotective, hemostatic action. A number of studies have confirmed the significant antioxidant activity of F. pinicola fruiting bodies. However, the controlled cultivation conditions that influence fungal growth and metabolite production of F. pinicola, particularly the mycelial growth and biosynthesis of metabolites in its culture broth, as well as the antioxidant activity of its mycelium, remain poorly understood.ResultsThis study investigated the impact of cultivation conditions on F. pinicola mycelium growth, phenols synthesis and antioxidant activity. Difference in the biosynthetic activity of F. pinicola under tested cultivation conditions was established. A highest value of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH•) inhibition (78.2 ± 0.9%) was found for a mycelium cultivated at 30 ºC, while cultivation at a lower temperature (20 ºC) was suitable for biomass growth (8.5 ± 0.3 g/L) and total phenolic content (TPC) 11.0 ± 0.6 mg GAE/g. Carbon and nitrogen sources in a cultivation broth significantly influenced the studied characteristics. Xylose supported the highest DPPH• inhibition (89.91 ± 0.5%) and TPC (16.55 ± 0.4 mg GAE/g), while galactose yielded the best biomass (4.0 ± 0.3 g/L). Peptone was the most effective nitrogen source for obtaining the mycelium with high potential of DPPH• radical inactivation (90.42 ± 0.5%) and TPC (17.41 ± 0.5 mg GAE/g), while the maximum biomass yield (7.8 ± 0.6 g/L) was found with yeast extract in cultivation medium. F. pinicola demonstrated the ability to grow and produce bioactive metabolites across a wide pH range from 2.5 to 7.5. Shaking cultivation resulted in the highest TPC (21.44 ± 0.10 mg GAE/g), though the same level of antioxidant activity (93%) was achieved under both shaking and static cultivation on the 7th and 28th days, respectively.ConclusionControlling cultivation parameters makes it possible to regulate the metabolic and biochemical processes of F. pinicola, facilitating the balance needed to obtain optimal biomass, phenols and antioxidant activity. The findings show the potential to increase phenol production by 2.25 and 2.23 times under shaking and static conditions, respectively, while maintaining a high level of activity.

Temporal Patterns of Vegetation Greenness for the Main Forest-Forming Tree Species in the European Temperate Zone

In light of recently accelerating global warming, the changes in vegetation trends are vital for the monitoring of the dynamics of both whole ecosystems and individual species. Detecting changes within the time series of specific forest ecosystems or species is very important in the context of assessing their vulnerability to climate change and other negative phenomena. Hence, the aim of this paper was to identify the trend change points and periods of greening and browning in multi-annual time series of the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) of four main forest-forming tree species in the temperate zone: pine, spruce, oak and beech. The research was conducted over the last two decades (2002–2022), and was based on vegetation indices data derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). To this end, several research approaches, including calculating the linear trends in the moving periods and BEAST algorithm, were adapted. A pattern of browning then greening then constant was detected for coniferous species, mostly pine. In turn, for broadleaved species, namely oak and beech, a pattern of greening then constant was identified, without the initial phase of browning. The main trend change points seem to be ca. 2006 and ca. 2015 for coniferous species and solely around 2015 for deciduous ones.

Coherency and time lag analyses between MODIS vegetation indices and climate across forests and grasslands in the European temperate zone

Abstract. Identifying the climate-induced variability in the condition of vegetation is particularly important in the context of recent climate change and plants' impact on the mitigation of climate change. In this paper, we present the coherence and time lags in the spectral response of three individual vegetation types in the European temperate zone to the influencing meteorological factors in the period 2002–2022. Vegetation condition in broadleaved forest, coniferous forest and pastures was measured with monthly anomalies of two spectral indices – normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI). As meteorological elements we used monthly anomalies of temperature (T), precipitation (P), vapour pressure deficit (VPD), evapotranspiration (ETo), and the teleconnection indices North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and North Sea Caspian Pattern (NCP). Periodicity in the time series was assessed using the wavelet transform, but no significant intra- or interannual cycles were detected in both vegetation (NDVI and EVI) and meteorological variables. In turn, coherence between NDVI and EVI and meteorological elements was described using the methods of wavelet coherence and Pearson's linear correlation with time lag. In the European temperate zone analysed in this study, NAO produces strong coherence mostly for forests in a circa 1-year band and a weaker coherence in a circa 3-year band. For pastures these interannual patterns are hardly recognisable. The strongest relationships occur between conditions of the vegetation and T and ETo – they show high coherence in both forests and pastures. There is a significant cohesion with the 8–16-month (ca. 1-year) and 20–32-month (ca. 2-year) bands. More time-lagged significant correlations between vegetation indices and T occur for forests than for pastures, suggesting a significant lag in the forests' response to the changes in T.

Variability and determinants of vascular plant species composition in patches of old managed oak forest stands dispersed within Scots pine monocultures

In the temperate zone of Europe, Scots pine forests are expected to occupy the poorest habitats which are unfavourable for deciduous trees. However, as a result of deforestation of the most fertile habitats and the preference for Pinus sylvestris in silviculture, pine forests have become the dominant feature of the landscape in Central Europe. As a result, the area of optimal habitat for deciduous forest flora has been significantly reduced. Nevertheless, remnant patches of deciduous forest persist as habitat islands within extensive pine forest complexes and may serve as important refugia for meso- and eutrophilic forest species. However, the factors that contribute to the variation in species composition of such habitat islands and their role in maintaining biodiversity remain poorly understood. This paper aims to fill this knowledge gap.The studied deciduous (oak) stands exhibited a diverse vegetation, with species composition influenced by overstorey attributes, oak age, patch location, and the area and circularity of the deciduous forest. Species traits related to environmental variables included mainly preferences for closed or open forests, requirements for soil moisture, reaction, and fertility, and requirements for light conditions. The key message from our research is that oak islands are not simply patches of trees that are different from the surrounding area. Instead, they represent distinct plant communities that have developed to adapt to the prevailing environmental conditions by recruiting species with particular traits. The presence of oak islands within Scots pine monocultures is therefore important for increasing the diversity of the forest complex.The most relevant recommendation from our research for forest management is to maintain as many patches of deciduous tree stands as possible within a single pine forest complex, as even small habitat islands can make a significant contribution to the biodiversity of the forest complex.

Profile of tree-related microhabitats in the primeval Białowieża Forest: A benchmark for temperate woodlands

Tree-related Microhabitats (TreMs) are a key structural element having a significant impact on the biodiversity and functioning of forest ecosystems. Although forests enjoying long-term protection host richer and more abundant TreMs compared to managed stands, the quantity and quality of such microstructures in primeval temperate forests are unknown. This study investigates for the first time the assemblage of TreMs in the Białowieża Forest (BF), which is regarded as the last surviving fragment of pristine lowland forests in the temperate zone of Europe. Relatively undisturbed by human activity since the last glacial period, the BF ecosystem has remained remarkably intact, which may have given rise to its unique TreM assemblage. Here, we show that a primeval forest is characterized by an exceptionally high richness and density of TreMs compared to previously studied natural forests, and that the richness, density and diversity of TreMs are spatially heterogeneous at the micro-scale but homogeneous at the macro-scale. This indicates that adjacent small fragments of habitat (0.05 ha) may have different TreM profiles, but large patches of forest (several ha) host similar assemblages of TreMs. Our profile of TreMs depends on the basal area and density of living trees, the basal area of dead standing trees and the dominance of specific TreM-hosting tree species in a stand. Our study suggests that both the ecological continuity and complexity of a forest supporting many different tree species and the diversity of TreM-forming biota that typically occurs in primeval temperate forests are factors that appear to contribute to the observed profile of TreMs. The results of our study set a benchmark for the quantity and quality of TreMs in broadleaved temperate forests and indicate that the long-term spontaneous natural processes occurring in primeval forests lead to the emergence of ultra-rich, complex assemblages of TreMs.

The role of aphyllophoroid macromycetes as indicators of forest ecosystem disruption and reducers of biomass accumulation

Aphyllophoroid macromycetes are a key link in natural and artificial biocenoses, in particular, forest ecosystems. Their peculiarity is due to the variety of morphological forms and the ability to colonise various substrates. The establishment of fundamental issues of the biotic organisation of this group of fungi, which considers both their specific features and integration into general ecological patterns, forms the necessary basis for their further research, protection, and practical use (in particular, when indicating and monitoring the state of forest biocenoses). The purpose of the study was to establish the species composition, taxonomic structure, and distribution (by mycohorizons) of aphyllophoroid macromycetes of forest stands in Zhytomyr Polissia. In the course of the study, classical phytopathological and forestry-inventory (biometric) analysis methods were used. Special methods of mycology, in particular, mycoindication, were also used in terms of identifying and examining aphyllophoroid macromycetes. Mycoflora of aphyllophoroid macromycetes of forest stands of Zhytomyr Polissia has 27 species belonging to 17 families, 8 orders of the Agaricomycetes class of the Basidiomycota division and is typical for the European temperate zone. The systematic component of the group under study is represented by the following orders: Polyporales (40.7% of their total number), Hymenochaetales (18.5%), Agaricales (14.8%), Russulales (11.2%), Cantharellales, Thelephorales, Auriculariales, and Gomphales (3.7% each). Analysis of the food structure of aphyllophoroid macromycetes shows that most of the mycoflora is represented by a complex of saproxilotrophic species, to a lesser extent parasite fungus (for example, Inonotus hispidus, Phellinus robustus, Heterobasidion annosum) and humus saprotrophs (Thelephora terrestris) are noted. The distribution of macromycetes by mycohorizons identifies that more than 70% of all finds were located in the subsurface mycohorizon, and the root mycohorizon is characterised by the smallest number of finds and species of macromycetes. There is a gradual decrease in the species diversity of aphyllophoroid macromycetes in the forest edge areas, which demonstrates fundamentally different stages of forest ecosystem degradation processes. The investigation of historical relationships between woody plant species and aphyllophoroid macromycetes, which act as biological indicators of the state of forest ecosystems, will further allow forming the of “maps of disruption of the integrity of forest biocenoses” for the analysis of sanitary risks, which should be implemented in the practice of forest protection

Determinants of chironomid species richness in mid-European temperate rivers – Environmental factors, regional influences, diversity, and seasons

Multiscale determinants of riverine chironomid species richness were assessed in seven rivers in Central Poland, an area representative of the European temperate climatic zone. The impact of environmental factors, seasonality, as well as the concepts of gamma diversity, i.e. habitat species richness (HSR), alpha diversity, i.e. local species richness (LSR), and the relationships between these, i.e. beta diversity, were studied.One site in each river was defined as a habitat and monthly LSR time series data were obtained at each site over a full annual cycle for analysis. No strong trend in the time series was detected. The autocorrelation function (ACF) indicated that the time series were uncorrelated white noise.A stepwise forward regression model with no HSR indicated that depth, Substrate Index (SI), velocity and dissolved oxygen were significant factors of LSR values in the studied area, explaining together with summer (as a dummy variable) 67.01% of LSR variance (R2adj = 0.66). Seasonality was noticeable in the impact of summer on increase in species richness. When HSR was included in a similar model then it explained, together with benthic particulate organic matter (BPOM), SI, depth, and velocity, 70.90% of variability in LSR variance (R2adj = 0.69), HSR alone accounting for 58.95% in LSR variance (R2adj = 0.59).In both the annual cycle and in given seasons, HSR strongly positively correlated with the minimum, maximum, and mean LSR values, and there was no saturation of the rivers by chironomid species, i.e. other chironomid species were still able to inhabit the rivers beside the present ones. HSR did not correlate with beta diversity when measured by two widely used setwise beta diversity indices, or by three pairwise beta diversity indices. The exception was in autumn, where one setwise and two pairwise beta diversity measures correlated with both alpha and gamma diversity measures, which suggests a greater stability of larval chironomid assemblages in that season. This larval stability was not associated with greater stability of environmental factors in autumn, hence the stability seems to be related to undisclosed biotic mechanisms.Seasonality was also a strong factor in predicting the exchange of species. Turnover index between seasons ranged from 0.133 (spring vs summer) to 0.261 (autumn vs winter) and UPGMA clustering determined least chironomid similarity between winter and other seasons.

No such Thing as Bad Birding Weather, but Depends on Personal Experience

Weather importantly affects leisure, especially outdoor activities, like birding, which can be recognized as serious leisure. Outdoor attractive and feasible activities throughout the year, also in adverse weather conditions, are extremely sought after by therapists and leisure organizers. Then, we asked 388 Polish birders how their activity was related to weather and then analyzed how experience, age and gender may modify birding behavior. As might be predicted, more advanced birders not only ignored bad weather but also enjoyed observations during storms and other bad weather events. We discuss how teaching birding and making this activity are potentially useable for leisure organizations, and they may recommend birding places as available also during bad weather. Obviously, our study has limits: a correlational character and the results were obtained in the temperate zone of Europe, and the situation in other places in the globe may look much different.

Flora of the Vidlič Mt (Southeastern Serbia)

The flora of the Vidlič Mt, which is relatively spacious limestone massif, located mostly in Southeastern Serbia, was studied. The vascular flora was investigated in the period 2003 – 2013. Based on the analysis of the collected material during field studies, and data from the literature, it was noted that the flora of Vidlič Mt is represented by 1264 species and subspecies, distributed in 55 orders, 93 families and 444 genera of plants. The majority of plant taxa belongs to the Euroasian area type (42%) followed by taxa of the Mediterranean- Submediterranean area type (20%). The biological spectrum of the flora in the study area was shown, and it was compared with the biological spectrum of the flora of Serbia, Balkan Peninsula, Mediterranean region and temperate zone of Europe. Vidlič Mt is characterized by high presence of hemicryptophytes (46%), which fits into the range of Serbian flora, and it is closer in ecological sense to the floras of the temperate zone. In the flora of Vidlič Mt, the 25 balkan endemic taxa were recorded, which is 8.71% of the total number of balkan endemic taxa in Serbia.

The Effects of Different Management Methods on Restored Grasslands in Potential Temperate Forest Zones

The European temperate forest zone has great importance, in terms of maintaining the habitats of not only forests but also anthropogenous grasslands, which were formed as a result of habitat reconstruction. These habitats have great importance, by means of nature conservation, landscape use, economy, and forest and grassland use. The mosaic-like habitat complexes that consist of these grasslands and forest patches help to increase biodiversity and supply the habitat for forest game. In this survey, changes in the vegetation of the temperate forests (Fagetum) of the Mátra Mountains of Hungary were investigated after reconstruction. In 2012, shrub cutting was carried out in the area of Parádóhuta, and then three different management methods (abandoning, mowing, and grazing) were utilized. Our goals were the following: to perform a vegetation survey of the sample areas (i); surveying the natural regeneration of the grassland and analyzing its biodiversity, nature conservation, and economical value (ii); and analyzing the vegetation in terms of nature conservation and valuing its life form spectrum, economy values, and livestock-feeding ability (iii). According to our results, systematic mowing and a less-intensive grazing had a significantly positive effect on biodiversity and the coverage of species, thus increasing the naturalness of the studied grassland habitats, while wild game were able to act as ecological engineers.

Intermediate disturbances are a key driver of long-term tree demography across old-growth temperate forests.

Disentangling the relative influence of background versus disturbance related mortality on forest demography is crucial for understanding long‐term dynamics and predicting the influence of global change on forests. Quantifying the rates and drivers of tree demography requires direct observations of tree populations over multiple decades, yet such studies are rare in old‐growth forest, particularly in the temperate zone of Europe. We use multi‐decade (1980–2020) monitoring of permanent plots, including observations of mode of mortality and disturbance events, to quantify rates and drivers of tree demography across a network of old‐growth remnants in temperate mountain forests of Slovenia. Annual rates of mortality and recruitment varied markedly among sites and over time; census intervals that captured intermediate severity canopy disturbances caused subtle peaks in annual mortality (e.g., >2%/year), while rates of background mortality in non‐disturbed intervals averaged about 1%/year. Roughly half of the trees died from modes of mortality associated with disturbance (i.e., uprooting or snapped‐alive). Results of a Bayesian multilevel model indicate that beech (Fagus sylvatica) had a higher likelihood of disturbance related mortality compared to fir (Abies alba), which mainly died standing, and there was a notable increase in the odds of disturbance mortality with increasing diameter for all species. Annual recruitment rates were consistently low at sites (<0.5%) that lacked evidence of disturbance, but often exceeded 3% on sites with higher levels of past canopy mortality. Recruitment was dominated by beech on sites with more diffuse background mortality, while the less shade tolerant maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) recruited following known disturbance events. Our study highlights the important role of stand‐scale, partial canopy disturbance for long‐term forest demography. These results suggest that subtle climate‐driven changes in the regime of intermediate severity disturbances could have an important influence on future forest dynamics and warrant attention.

The COVID-19 incidence in Italian regions correlates with low temperature, mobility and PM10 pollution but lethality only with low temperature.

Background: The aim was to verify whether the density of particulate matter (PM10), the climate, and the mobility of people can influence the pandemic in the 19 regions and in the two autonomous Italian provinces as incidence rate and lethality.Design and Methods: The incidence rates per 100,000 inhabitants and the case fatality ratio (CFR) (dependent variables) in all Italian regions were calculated in January 2021 at John Hopkins University Coronavirus Center. The independent variables were: Minimum average temperatures in the same month (January) of 2020; average pollution of PM10 in the air in each region in the last year available reported on a 0-10 scale to 0 = total absence of PM10 to 10 maximum pollutions; number of places in hotels occupied per inhabitants in 2020. Linear regression and Multiple Regression Analysis were carried out.Results: The spread of the COVID-19 in the Italian regions seems to be related to pollution of PM10, the number of beds occupied in hotels (as an index of mobility and temperature (indirect correlation). On the contrary, the CFR correlates inversely with temperature but not with pollution. Measuring the concomitant effect of two independent variables by means of Multiple Regression Analysis, temperature and pollution show a synergistic effect on COVID-19 incidence.Conclusions: The study seems to confirm the literature on the influence of temperature on the lethality of COVID-19 but adds the new results of an inverse relationship between the spread of the virus and low temperature in regions between the Mediterranean area (which includes southern Italy and Sicily and Sardinia islands) and the cold European temperate zone which includes the northern regions under the Alps. A new date also concerns the summation effect of the risk between cold weather and PM10 air pollution was found. Due to several methodic weakness the study has an exploratory than conclusive relevance. Significance for public health This paper has an exploratory value because a homogeneous population is taken into account. Presented results that basically contain the combined effect of cold climate (and pollution by PM10) on COVID-19 must be confirmed.

Protective Role of Ice Barriers: How Reproductive Organs of Early Flowering and Mountain Plants Escape Frost Injuries

In the temperate zone of Europe, plants flowering in early spring or at high elevation risk that their reproductive organs are harmed by episodic frosts. Focusing on flowers of two mountain and three early-flowering colline to montane distributed species, vulnerability to ice formation and ice management strategies using infrared video thermography were investigated. Three species had ice susceptible flowers and structural ice barriers, between the vegetative and reproductive organs, that prevent ice entrance from the frozen stems. Structural ice barriers as found in Anemona nemorosa and Muscari sp. have not yet been described for herbaceous species that of Jasminum nudiflorum corroborates findings for woody species. Flowers of Galanthus nivalis and Scilla forbesii were ice tolerant. For all herbs, it became clear that the soil acts as a thermal insulator for frost susceptible below ground organs and as a thermal barrier against the spread of ice between individual flowers and leaves. Both ice barrier types presumably promote that the reproductive organs can remain supercooled, and can at least for a certain time-period escape from effects of ice formation. Both effects of ice barriers appear significant in the habitat of the tested species, where episodic freezing events potentially curtail the reproductive success.

Antiviral and Immunomodulation Effects of Artemisia.

Background and Objectives: Artemisia is one of the most widely distributed genera of the family Astraceae with more than 500 diverse species growing mainly in the temperate zones of Europe, Asia and North America. The plant is used in Chinese and Ayurvedic systems of medicine for its antiviral, antifungal, antimicrobial, insecticidal, hepatoprotective and neuroprotective properties. Research based studies point to Artemisia’s role in addressing an entire gamut of physiological imbalances through a unique combination of pharmacological actions. Terpenoids, flavonoids, coumarins, caffeoylquinic acids, sterols and acetylenes are some of the major phytochemicals of the genus. Notable among the phytochemicals is artemisinin and its derivatives (ARTs) that represent a new class of recommended drugs due to the emergence of bacteria and parasites that are resistant to quinoline drugs. This manuscript aims to systematically review recent studies that have investigated artemisinin and its derivatives not only for their potent antiviral actions but also their utility against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Materials and Methods: PubMed Central, Scopus and Google scholar databases of published articles were collected and abstracts were reviewed for relevance to the subject matter. Conclusions: The unprecedented impact that artemisinin had on public health and drug discovery research led the Nobel Committee to award the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2015 to the discoverers of artemisinin. Thus, it is clear that Artemisia’s importance in indigenous medicinal systems and drug discovery systems holds great potential for further investigation into its biological activities, especially its role in viral infection and inflammation.

Experimental study of newly described avian malaria parasite Plasmodium (Novyella) collidatum n. sp., genetic lineage pFANTAIL01 obtained from South Asian migrant bird

BackgroundAvian malaria parasites are microorganisms parasitizing erythrocytes and various tissues of the birds; they are common and distributed worldwide. These parasites are known to infect birds of different taxa and be the cause of the deaths of birds in the wild and in captivity. The species of parasites with the ability to colonize new territories and infect local non-migratory birds are of particular interest. This scenario is likely in temperate zones of Europe, because of climate change and its contribution in spreading vectors of southern origin, which can be involved in the transmission of malaria parasites. In the present study, a tropical Plasmodium parasite from a naturally infected long-distance migrant bird was isolated and tested for its ability to develop in common species of mosquitoes and European short-distance migrant birds.MethodsPlasmodium sp. (pFANTAIL01) was isolated on the Curonian spit of the Baltic sea coast from the naturally infected Common rosefinch, Carpodacus erythrinus in June 2019. The parasite was described based on the morphological features of its blood stages, the partial mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and development after experimental infection of birds and mosquitoes. The parasite was inoculated into Eurasian siskins, Carduelis spinus. Parasitaemia, haematocrit and weight of birds were monitored. At the end of the survey, internal organs were collected to study exoerythrocytic stages of this parasite. Experimental infection of mosquitoes Culex pipiens form molestus and Culex quinquefasciatus was applied to study sporogonic development of the parasite.ResultsBased on morphological features, the parasite was described as a new species, Plasmodium collidatum n. sp., and attributed to subgenus Novyella. It was revealed that the obtained pFANTAIL01 lineage is a generalist parasite infecting a wide range of avian hosts and most likely is transmitted in South and Southeast (SE) Asia and Oceania. In Europe, this strain was recorded only in adult migratory birds wintering in South Asia. This parasite developed high parasitaemia in experimentally infected siskins and caused 25 % mortality. Exoerythrocytic stages of pFANTAIL01 were found in the lungs, liver, spleen and kidney of the deceased birds. Sporogonic development did not occur in Cx. pipiens form molestus and Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes.ConclusionsPlasmodium collidatum is a highly virulent for Eurasian siskin and completes its development in these birds, which can be considered as a potential vertebrate host if the transmission of the infection starts occurring in Europe and temperate zones.

Graft-Transmissible Diseases of Ribes - Pathogens, Impact, and Control.

This article provides an up-to-date review of disease-causing viruses and phytoplasmas of currants including symptoms, transmission, detection, economic impact, and control measures. Currants are widely cultivated in more than 30 countries in the temperate zones of Europe, Asia, South America, Australia, and New Zealand. Ribes spp. can be infected by more than 20 virus species and four Candidatus Phytoplasma species, with more to be described in the future. High-throughput sequencing opened a new era of deciphering virus variants and mixed infections, leading to the characterization of several new species. The use of clean propagation material is the basis for control of Ribes graft-transmissible diseases, but this has become a challenging task given the ever-growing number of newly discovered pathogens.

The role of ecological groups in the formation of cyanobacterial communities in the ecosystems of the North Azov region (Ukraine)

The role of Cyanoprokaryota ecological groups in the ecosystems of the North Azov region was revealed in this work. On the territory of Pryazovskyi National Nature Park, 9 experimental polygons were studied, which covered steppe areas or slopes, salt marshes, coastal sandy soils and water bodies (rivers, lakes, estuaries, sea bays, lagoons). As a result of research on the territory of Pryazovskyi National Nature Park, 124 species of cyanoprokaryotes were identified, which include 127 intraspecific taxa. It was proved that the procedure of canonical correspondence analysis is the most suitable for the analysis of the species matrix. The axes identified as a result of the ordination procedure, which indicate the coordinated dynamics of the species, correlated with both synecological characteristics, such as diversity indicators, and with autoecological characteristics, such as ecotypes of cyanoprokaryotes in relation to habitat types or types of adaptation to salinity conditions. The first four canonical axes together explain 47.5% of species matrix variability. Canonical axis 1 explains 18.0% of the variability of the species matrix and is mostly marked by aqual subaerophytes and eurybionts. This axis indicates the presence of a gradient of salinity conditions where the most saline conditions correspond to the positive values of the axis, and the negative values correspond to less saline. Canonical axis 2 describes 12.1% of species matrix variability. This axis differentiates aquatic ecosystems from others. Canonical axis 3 explains 10.0% of the communities’ variability. This axis distinguishes freshwater ecosystems from saline ecosystems. Markers of freshwater communities are stenotopic halotolerants, which are narrow-range, common mainly in the temperate zone of Europe. The canonical axis 4 explains 7.3% of variability of the matrix of species and is able to differentiate sand ecosystems. The ecotopic structure and geographic range width of community species have the greatest independent value among the considered sources of variation. The independent role of adaptation to the salinity conditions of the ecotope and the role of the type of ecosystems is somewhat smaller. The interaction between the sources of variation is important in the variation of the structure of communities. The interaction between the ecotopic structure and the geographic range width of species and the triple interaction between the ecotopic structure of a community, the width of the geographic range of species and the ecosystem type plays the greatest role in the variation of community structure. Ecotopic groups, which indicate the preference of a particular habitat, correlate with the species composition of the communities. It is shown that the ratio of ecototopic groups in a community is a characteristic that reveals the features of the community as a whole.

Colonisation dynamic and diversity patterns of Holocene forest snail fauna across temperate Europe: The imprint of palaeoclimate changes

The development of biotic communities since the last glaciation has been shaped by both dramatic climate changes and pathways of species colonisation from glacial refugia. Although the growing body of literature has emerged recently on possible scenarios of postglacial colonisation, less is known about the effect of climate. We analysed the dynamics of Holocene mollusc succession with an undetected human impact using three well-dated sequences from spring tufa deposits across temperate Europe. For the first time, the detailed Holocene mollusc successions can be compared with climate parameters in the corresponding time windows. High-resolution palaeoclimate data accompanied the species data, and the data derived from stable isotope analyses. The number of closed-canopy forest species that colonised the sites until 5000 cal BP and the maximum number of species per sample systematically increased towards the interior of the continent. We also observed earlier colonisation of forest snail species in the Western Carpathians. While the aridity index was the best predictor of local species richness in Normandy and Luxembourg, minimum January temperature drove the variation in snail data in Slovakia. The short period of an abrupt cooling and drying around 8500 cal BP was found to stop the colonisation, sharply reducing the number of local species across the continent. Our results document the importance of climate for the colonisation and development of forest biota during the first half of the Holocene, both at continental and local scales. They also elucidate processes shaping the current distribution of forest snail fauna across the European temperate zone.

Post-marital residence patterns in LBK: Comparison of different models

Many ideas about post-marital residence rules in the society of the first farmers in the European temperate zone (Linear Pottery Culture, ca. 5500–4900 cal BC) have been proposed. The prevailing hypothesis is patrilocality and community exogamy, based on strontium isotope, modern DNA, ancient DNA, linguistic and anthropological evidence. However, presenting several different anthropological models and comparing them with strontium isotope results from two LBK cemeteries (Vedrovice and Nitra), we argue that other post-marital residence rules such as ambilocality, avunculocality, shifting residence or predominant matrilocality were also possible. Arguments set in contradiction to one-sided interpretation of strontium isotope results include a possible practice of polygyny, abduction of young women and non-inhumation burials. A hypothetical model combining patrilocality and matrilocality on different social and geographical levels is proposed.

Population and community‐level compositional patterns shape the realized niche of the rare arctic‐alpine species Carex lachenalii Schkuhr

The ability for vegetative growth and development of generative organs often reflects an adaptation to the environment and may be a suitable proxy for understanding population dynamics of rare relict species. An example of such a plant is Carex lachenalii Schkuhr, an arctic‐alpine species, in the temperate zone of Europe only occurring in isolated localities of high‐elevation mountain ranges. We aimed to assess whether there were relationships between flower production and clonal growth of C. lachenalii, both at the tuft and plot level, and how co‐occurring vegetation could modify this relationship. In the study we focused on population‐level traits of C. lachenalii, vegetation traits and components of functional diversity. At the tuft level we found that the proportion of flowering ramets of C. lachenalii decreased with increasing diameter of the tuft. At the plot level, in snowbed vegetation C. lachenalii produced more flowering ramets. We suggest this is due to higher environmental stress, expressed by high importance of habitat filtering (low functional dispersion) in shaping species composition of co‐occurring vegetation. In granite grasslands and milder environment (expressed by higher functional dispersion), C. lachenalii produced more vegetative ramets, which we suggest is a result of a more competitive environment. While in snowbeds investment in flowering ramets could promote successful persistence of C. lachenalii, survival of subpopulations occurring in the highly competitive conditions of granite grasslands may be uncertain due to potentially weak adaptation to competition with graminoids and dwarf shrubs.