Viable Community Research Articles

Barentsburg and Longyearbyen in times of socioeconomic transition: Residents’ perceptions of community viability

AbstractGeopolitical interventions since the end of the 1980s—such as the collapse of the Soviet Union, a decline in the activities of state-owned coal companies, and governmental initiatives to increase tourism activities—have affected the community viability of two main settlements on Svalbard: Barentsburg and Longyearbyen. This paper explores how the residents of these settlements (with different cultural backgrounds) perceive the effects of socioeconomic transitions on community viability. The analysis of qualitative interviews with residents of Barentsburg (n= 62) and Longyearbyen (n= 36) reveals the residents’ perceptions of the pace of the transition and the changing community composition. New types of commercial activities, such as tourism, contribute to local value creation and socioeconomic development but come with concerns grounded in community fluctuation, environmental protection, economic prioritisation, and power relationships. Compared to Longyearbyen, Barentsburg has undergone relatively minor demographic and social changes and remains stable in terms of culture, language, and management practices. We conclude that the viability of Longyearbyen and Barentsburg during the transition was affected by community dynamics and fluctuations, social relationships within and between communities, and local institutional practices.

Landscape and settlement diversity in the high himalayan regiona case study of Har Ki Dun

The high mountain settlements are often described by the diversity of their geographical spaces. This diversity is defined by differences in land use. In fact, the landscape shapes the land use and it gets shaped by the land use. The rural communities adopt a diversity of livelihood strategies and adapt the land use according to the diversity of the landscape. Therefore, every village has a diversity of landscapes with a diverse mosaic of land use. The multifunctionality of the landscape adds to the sustainability of mountain settlements. These landscapes are shaped to enhance economic possibilities or opportunities. The economic possibilities or opportunities of the mountain settlements are further enhanced by the spatial organization of settlements at different landscapes. Landscape diversity influences livelihood diversification and diversity of crop production and animal husbandry. It enhances the economic viability and sustainability of the mountain communities and also the settlements.This research presents the spatial and functional diversity of the high mountain settlements. This research also presents the relationship between landscape diversity, adaptability, in the form of land use diversity and consequent sustainability of mountain settlements. To present the relationship between spatial and functional diversity of mountain settlements it makes an intensive study of the mountain settlements of Harki Dun (Uttarakhand Himalayas).

European experience in institutionalization of the agricultural complex in contact with processes of the development of rural areas

The agro-industrial complex of Ukraine is one of the most relevant segments of the national economy, which ensures the appropriate level of food security of the regions and the country in general, and also forms its significant export potential. The authors of the article investigated the essence of modern EU agrarian policy and the necessity of its implementation in our country. Methodological approaches to assessing the impact of agro-industrial enterprises on the comprehensive development of territorial communities in the conditions of decentralization of power have been developed. Solving the problem of food security, both at the national and global levels, primarily depends on the effectiveness of the use of mechanisms to ensure the functioning of the agrarian sector of the economy and related areas. The authors indicate that European agricultural policy is characterized by a long period of its formation. The prerequisites for its formation and implementation were the complex problems of ensuring food security. The author points out that the transformation of the policy for the development of agro-industrial production and rural areas emphasized the formation of a new quality of the rural landscape and ensuring the viability of rural communities, the diversification of the economy of rural areas, the improvement of the quality and safety of food products, the improvement of access to public services, the application of the policy of equalization of regional development. What contributed to the expansion of the circle of participants interested in increasing the efficiency of the economic, social and ecological development of rural areas, creating prerequisites and forming partnerships between state and private organizations, civil society with application to the principle of subsidiarity. The article indicates that the development of agro-industrial production and rural areas. First of all, it concerned the balancing of economic growth and consumption of natural resources together with the problem of waste accumulation. In the documents of the Council of Europe, issues regarding the growth of the economic and social efficiency of agro-industrial production were emphasized in parallel with the sustainable use of natural resources, the limitation of waste, and the preservation of biodiversity and ecosystems.

The state as “the image and reality of reason”, or the Constitution of Russia on the civil world and consent

The peaceful order of interaction between people and their associations is the basis of any viable human community, including the state. The author analyzes the essence and normative content of civil peace and harmony in the system of constitutional values. Significant attention is paid to the monopoly of state coercion, the establishment of the boundaries of such coercion and the consequences of their violation.

Qualidade da água e comunidade planctônica do reservatório Owalla, Estado de Osun, sudoeste da Nigéria

Abstract Aim Owalla Reservoir, one of the largest and oldest man-made lakes in Osun State supplies potable water to many towns in the state including the state capital, Osogbo. Active fishing activities also takes place in the lake. Inspite of the importance of the reservoir, information on the planktonic community and physico-chemical water quality are scarce. Therefore, this study investigated the water quality and plankton composition of Owalla Reservoir, Osun State, Nigeria, from October 2012 to November 2013 with a view to providing baseline information on limnology of the reservoir. Methods Seven sampling stations (designated Stations 1-7) were established as representatives of the zones and regions of the reservoir and sampling was conducted quarterly. At Stations 1 and 3, only surface water samples were collected while water samples were collected from the surface, mid-depth and close to the bottom at other stations. Samples for total plankton and physico-chemical water quality were analyzed using standard methods. Results The result of the study showed that mean dissolved oxygen (P<0.001), biochemical oxygen demand, conductivity, pH (P<0.001), and alkalinity were higher at the surface of the reservoir. As regards seasonal variation, alkalinity, biochemical oxygen demand had the higher mean values during the rainy season. Also, acidity, dissolved oxygen, and pH showed significantly (P<0.001) higher values during the rainy season. One hundred and thirty-seven (137) taxa of phytoplankton and 39 taxa of zooplankton were recorded from the reservoir. The horizontal pattern of variation showed an increase in the mean abundance of most of phytoplankton groups from inflow to the dam area while vertical variation showed a decrease in mean abundance from surface to the bottom of the reservoir. Most of the phytoplankton and zooplankton taxa were more abundant during the dry season than in the rainy season. Conclusions The study concluded that all the monitored physico-chemical water quality parameters were within the guide level range as of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for drinking water, Owalla Reservoir is qualitatively rich in both phytoplankton and zooplankton and the reservoir can support a viable aquatic community and sustainable fishery production.

Using metabarcoding to assess Viridiplantae sequence diversity present in Antarctic glacial ice.

Antarctica contains most of the glacial ice on the planet, a habitat that is largely unexplored by biologists. Recent warming in parts of Antarctica, particularly the Antarctic Peninsula region, is leading to widespread glacial retreat, releasing melt water and, potentially, contained biological material and propagules. In this study, we used a DNA metabarcoding approach to characterize Viridiplantae DNA present in Antarctic glacial ice. Ice samples from six glaciers in the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula were analysed, detecting the presence of DNA representing a total of 16 taxa including 11 Chlorophyta (green algae) and five Magnoliophyta (flowering plants). The green algae may indicate the presence of a viable algal community in the ice or simply of preserved DNA, and the sequence diversity assigned included representatives of Chlorophyta not previously recorded in Antarctica. The presence of flowering plant DNA is most likely to be associated with pollen or tissue fragments introduced by humans.

Spermidine Enhances Nutritional Indices of Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) Larvae

Abstract The demand for silk increases as its economic value rises. Silk production by the silkworm, Bombyx mori L., is linked to the quality of the silkworm diet, leading to efforts to nutritionally enrich the mulberry (Morus alba L.) diet of silkworm larvae. Previous studies have established that spermidine, a polyamine, enhances larval growth in B. mori, subsequently increasing silk production. However, its role in improving the nutritional quality of the silkworm diet is not known. In this study, we evaluated the effects of spermidine-treated diet on the nutritional indices, polyamine levels, and antioxidant potential in fifth-instar larvae. We also assessed the effect of consumption of the spermidine-treated diet on the larval gut microbiome, which impacts digestion and assimilation of nutrients. Larvae consuming the spermidine-treated diet showed a significant increase in the efficiency of conversion of ingested food and digested food, intracellular polyamine levels (especially the conjugated and free fraction), antioxidant potential and cell viability, and both diversity and number of bacterial communities. These findings suggest that feeding mulberry leaves fortified with spermidine enhances nutritional efficiency in the B. mori larvae and may represent a method of increasing silk production by B. mori.

The response of bacterial communities to carbon dioxide in high-oxygen modified atmosphere packaged beef steaks during chilled storage

The objective of this study was to establish the effect of CO2 on the bacterial community in beef steaks held under both high-oxygen modified atmosphere packaging (HiOx-MAP) types (CO2 treated MAP: 50% O2/40% CO2/10% N2; control MAP: 50% O2/50% N2). Steaks were stored at 2 °C for 20 days. Gas composition, meat color, pH values, total volatile basic nitrogen values, total viable counts (TVC) and microbial community dynamics were monitored. Compared to the control MAP, the high level of CO2 in the contrast MAP significantly delayed bacterial growth, resulting in a bright red color as well as extending the shelf-life to over 20 days. The microbial diversity decreased with prolonged storage in both MAP types, but it was more complex in high-CO2 treated MAP steaks. When TVC values approached the shelf-life threshold for the control MAP, Pseudomonas and Brochothrix were the predominant bacteria, while Pseudomonas and Serratia under the CO2 containing MAP were at a lower abundance than under the control MAP. The dominant Pseudomonas species causing spoilage in the control MAP steaks was P. fragi, and this species was inhibited significantly by CO2, followed by P. weihenstephanensis. Inversely, P. versuta instead of P. fragi became the dominant Pseudomonas species under the CO2 treated MAP. Overall, the application of CO2 in HiOx-MAP influenced microbiota succession, which played an important role in retaining beef quality.

Increased Coral Larval Supply Enhances Recruitment for Coral and Fish Habitat Restoration

Loss of foundation reef-corals is eroding the viability of reef communities and ecosystem function in many regions globally. Coral populations are naturally resilient but when breeding corals decline, larval supply becomes limiting and natural recruitment is insufficient for maintaining or restoring depleted populations. Passive management approaches are important but in some regions they are proving inadequate for protecting reefs, therefore active additional intervention and effective coral restoration techniques are needed. Coral spawning events produce trillions of embryos that can be used for mass larval rearing and settlement on degraded but recoverable reef areas. We supplied 4.6 million Acropora tenuis larvae contained in fine mesh enclosures in situ on three degraded reef plots in the northwestern Philippines during a five day settlement period to initiate restoration. Initial mean larval settlement was very high (210.2 ± 86.4 spat per tile) on natural coral skeleton settlement tiles in the larval-enhanced plots, whereas no larvae settled on tiles in control plots. High mortality occurred during early post-settlement life stages as expected, however, juvenile coral survivorship stabilised once colonies had grown into visible-sized recruits on the reef by 10 months. Most recruits survived and grew rapidly, resulting in significantly increased rates of coral recruitment and density in larval-enhanced plots. After two years growth, mean colony size reached 11.1 ± 0.61 cm mean diameter, and colonies larger than 13 cm mean diameter were gravid and spawned, the fastest growth to reproductive size recorded for broadcast spawning corals. After three years, mean colony size reached 17 ± 1.7 cm mean diameter, with a mean density of 5.7 ± 1.25 colonies per m–2, and most colonies were sexually reproductive. Coral cover increased significantly in larval plots compared with control plots, primarily from A. tenuis recruitment and growth. Total production cost for each of the 220 colonies within the restored breeding population after three years was United States $17.80 per colony. A small but significant increase in fish abundance occurred in larval plots in 2018, with higher abundance of pomacentrids and corallivore chaetodontids coinciding with growth of A. tenuis colonies. In addition, innovative techniques for capturing coral spawn slicks and larval culture in pools in situ were successfully developed that can be scaled-up for mass production of larvae on reefs in future. These results confirm that enhancing larval supply significantly increases settlement and coral recruitment on reefs, enabling rapid re-establishment of breeding coral populations and enhancing fish abundance, even on degraded reef areas.

Motivation for users' knowledge-sharing behavior in virtual brand communities: a psychological ownership perspective

PurposeUsers' knowledge sharing provides valuable resources for brand community participants and is, therefore, critical for the viability of virtual brand communities. Drawing from both self-determination theory (SDT) and psychological ownership theory, the paper aims to investigate the impact of fulfillment of three basic psychological needs on brand users' knowledge-sharing behavior and examines psychological ownership as a mediator.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data consisting of 316 valid responses were collected from users of Huawei Pollen Club Community. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the reliability and validity of measures, and hierarchical linear regression and bootstrapping were used to test all hypotheses.FindingsFulfillment of the need for autonomy, relatedness and competence in a virtual brand community boosts users' psychological ownership and has a positive influence on their knowledge-sharing behavior. Furthermore, psychological ownership partially mediates the relationships between the fulfillment of psychological needs and knowledge-sharing behavior. In addition, the authors found that when users participate in more offline brand activities, the positive impact of the fulfillment of the need for relatedness on psychological ownership is strengthened, while the positive impact of the fulfillment of the need for autonomy on psychological ownership is weakened.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the existing literature by exploring the relationships between fulfilling users' three basic psychological needs and their knowledge-sharing behavior through the mediating role of psychological ownership. The authors also provide insight into how offline brand activities interact with the fulfillment of psychological needs in virtual brand communities.

The Prospect of Pragmatic Confucian Democracy: Reply to Dryzek, Macedo, Ackerly, and Li

The Prospect of Pragmatic Confucian Democracy: Reply to Dryzek, Macedo, Ackerly, and Li

Investigation of 1-Hexanol Diesel Blends on Performance, Combustion and Emission Characteristics of a Diesel Engine

The most potential long-term and renewable substitute of mineral diesel are biofuels. The growth and degradation of energy resources have an enormous influence on the long-term viability of the human community. Alcohols are gaining prominence in the current renewable energy scenario due to their ease of manufacturing and fuel characteristics. In this investigation, hexanol-diesel blend ratios (up to 20% v/v) is taken into account for this investigation in a single cylinder, water cooled, unmodified 4-stroke DI diesel engine. The increase in 1-hexanol volume content correlates to an improvement in combustion thereby promoting brake thermal efficiency. The greater concentration of oxygen in 1-hexanol reduces emission viz. HC and CO and increases value of NOx. Current investigation recommends a feasible option to substitute ULSD for the capabilities of 1-hexanol.

Human disturbance and shifts in vertebratecommunity compositionin a biodiversity hotspot.

Understanding how human modification of the landscape shapes vertebrate community composition is vital to understanding the current status and future trajectory of wildlife. Using a participatory approach, we deployed the largest camera-trap network in Mesoamerica to date to investigate how anthropogenic disturbance shapes the occupancy and co-occurrence of terrestrial vertebrate species in a tropical biodiversity hotspot: the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. We estimated species richness in different categories of land protection with rarefaction analysis and estimated the expected occupancy with a joint species distribution model that included covariates for anthropogenic disturbance, land protection, habitat quality, and habitat availability. Areas with the most stringent land-use protections (e.g., Corcovado National Park, 24 species [95% CI 23-25]) harbored significantly more species than unprotected areas (20 species [19.7-20.3]), mainly due to a reduced presence of large-bodied species of conservation concern in unprotected areas (e.g., jaguar Panthera onca and white-lipped peccary Tayassu pecari). Small-bodied generalist species, such as opossums (Didelphidae) and armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus), in contrast, were more common at disturbed sites, resulting in a significant difference in vertebrate community composition between sites with low and high disturbance. Co-occurrence of species was also mainly associated with response to disturbance. Similar responses to disturbance create two groups of species, those whose site-level occupancy usually increased as anthropogenic disturbance increased and those whose estimated occupancy decreased. The absence of large-bodied species entails an important loss of ecological function in disturbed areas and can hinder forest development and maintenance. Efforts to protect and restore forested landscapes are likely having a positive effect on the abundance of some threatened species. These efforts, however, must be sustained and expanded to increase connectivity and ensure the long-term viability of the wildlife community.

Detection of viable and total fungal community in zaopei of Chinese strong-flavor baijiu using PMA combined with qPCR and HTS based on ITS2 region

BackgroundChinese strong-flavor baijiu (CSFB), one of the three major baijiu types, is the most popular baijiu type among consumers in China. A variety of microbes are involved in metabolizing raw materials to produce ethanol and flavor substances during fermentation, which fundamentally determined the quality of baijiu. It is of great importance to study microbial community of fermented grains (zaopei) during baijiu brewing process for improving its quality. In this study, we firstly used propidium monoazide (PMA) to treat zaopei samples from 5-year pit and 20-year pit for removing the interference of non-viable fungi, and analyzed the diversity of total fungi and viable fungi by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and high-throughput sequencing (HTS) based on ITS2 gene.ResultsThe results showed that total fungi and viable fungi displayed no significant differences at OTU, phylum, or genus levels during fermentation within two kinds of pits. A total of 6 phyla, 19 classes, and 118 genera in fungi were found based on OTUs annotation in zaopei samples from 5-year pit and 20-year pit. Besides, non-viable fungi had little effect on the fungal community diversity during the fermentation cycle. It was found that the most dominant viable fungi belonged to Saccharomyces, Kazachstania, Naumovozyma, and Trichosporon, and Naumovozyma was firstly detected in zaopei samples of CSFB. Moreover, based on the variation of flavor substances in zaopei samples, the quality of CSFB produced from older pit was better than that produced from younger pit.ConclusionThe non-viable fungi had little effect on the fungal diversity, structure, and relative abundance in zaopei samples of CSFB, and Naumovozyma was firstly detected in zaopei samples of CSFB. Our findings can be applied as guidance for improving the quality and stability of CSFB.

Antibacterial activity of γFe2 O3 /TiO2 nanoparticles on toxic cyanobacteria from a lake in Southern Illinois.

Frequent outbreaks of harmful algal blooms (HABs) have brought adverse impacts on human health, economic viability, and recreational activities in many communities in the United States. Cyanobacteria (or blue-green algae) blooms are the most common type of HABs in surface water. Current bactericides for controlling the blooms are disadvantageous due to the recycling difficulty. In this study, an innovative magnetic nanomaterial-γFe2 O3 /TiO2 nanoparticle-was used to inactivate toxic cyanobacteria species found in a lake in Southern Illinois that frequently experienced HABs. Cyanotoxin genes of mcy, nda, cyr, and sxt were used for targeting microcystin-, nodularin-, cylindrospermopsin-, and saxitoxin-producing cyanobacteria, respectively, by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. It was found that the concentration of chlorophyll a presents a strong correlation (R2 = 0.6024) with the gene copy obtained from 16S rRNA targeted for all cyanobacteria, but not with that from individual toxigenic cyanobacteria. The inactivation efficiencies of the nanomaterials under visible light were as high as 5-log and 1-log for cyanobacteria species containing mcyE/ndaF and sxtA genes, respectively, an improvement over the treatment under darkness. These nanomaterials can be recycled by their magnetic properties for reuse. Communities susceptible to HAB outbreaks are expected to benefit from the developed method for mitigating the blooms. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Lab-made γFe2 O3 /TiO2 nanoparticles can be used to inactivate microcystin/nodularin- and saxitoxin-producing cyanobacteria species. qPCR method can be used for targeting toxic cyanobacteria; Chl a cannot be used as a standalone indicator for HABs. Better inactivation efficiency under visible light indicated possible application of the technology under sunlight for HAB mitigation from surface water.

Optimal system design for energy communities in multi-family buildings: the case of the German Tenant Electricity Law

Involving residential actors in the energy transition is crucial for its success. Local energy generation, consumption and trading are identified as desirable forms of involvement, especially in energy communities. The potentials for energy communities in the residential building stock are high but are largely untapped in multi-family buildings. In many countries, rapidly evolving legal frameworks aim at overcoming related barriers, e.g. ownership structures, principal–agent problems and system complexity. But academic literature is scarce regarding the techno-economic and environmental implications of such complex frameworks. This paper develops a mixed-integer linear program (MILP) optimisation model for assessing the implementation of multi-energy systems in an energy community in multi-family buildings with a special distinction between investor and user; the model is applied to the German Tenant Electricity Law. Based on hourly demands from appliances, heating and electric vehicles, the optimal energy system layout and dispatch are determined. The results contain a rich set of performance indicators that demonstrate how the legal framework affects the technologies’ interdependencies and economic viability of energy communities with multi-energy systems. Certain economic technology combinations may fail to support national emissions mitigation goals and lead to lock-ins in Europe’s largest residential building stock. The subsidies do not lead to the utilisation of a battery storage. Despite this, self-sufficiency ratios of more than 90% are observable for systems with combined heat and power plants and heat pumps. Social CO2 mitigation costs range between 147.5–272.8 €/tCO2. Finally, the results show the strong influence of the heat demand on the system layout.

Characteristics and controls on the distribution of sublittoral microbial bioherms in Great Salt Lake, Utah: Implications for understanding microbialite development

AbstractSide‐scan sonar and Compressed High Intensity Radar Pulse mapping of Great Salt Lake, Utah, linked to reprocessing of acoustic data from bathymetric surveys, has enabled the distribution of microbial bioherms to be assessed. Bioherms occupy an estimated area >700 km2 in the south arm and >300 km2 in the north arm. Distributions vary from statistically dispersed to clustered, and in this latter case, are predominantly located on metre‐scale, fault‐controlled topographic highs, with sediment infilling intervening lows between adjacent offsets. Individual bioherms are circular to oblate and range from centimetres to over 2 m in diameter. In some areas, bioherm heights were measured at more than 1.5 m above adjacent substrate. Sublittoral bioherms are made of aragonite, calcite and minor dolomite precipitated due to physico‐chemical, biologically induced and influenced carbonate mineralization processes in association with microbial mats. Bioherm fabrics vary at the millimetre to centimetre‐scale and consist of leiolitic and clotted peloidal micrite‐grade carbonate, sinuous threads of spherulitic fibrous aragonite crystals, laminated micrite boundstone and internal carbonate mud sediment with peloids and ooids. The identification of factors that influence microbial bioherm occurrence and spatial distribution in Great Salt Lake is limited to a set of collinear physical, chemical and biological variables that are confined to a localised closed system, such as salinity, water depth, wave energy, stable substrate and sediment accumulation. Anthropogenic modifications to Great Salt Lake resulting in increased salinity have exceeded the salinity range in which bioherm‐mediating microbial communities can survive, effectively defining an upper limit of salinity for bioherm microbial community viability. The better understanding of the distribution of microbial bioherms has significant implications for managing and protecting the lake ecosystem and may provide insights into the physical and chemical controls that existed during the formation of fossil microbialites in deep time.

Differences in chlorhexidine mouthrinses formulations influence the quantitative and qualitative changes in in-vitro oral biofilms.

Chlorhexidine mouthrinses are marketed in different formulations. This study aimed at investigating qualitative and quantitative changes in in-vitro multispecies oral biofilms, induced by different chlorhexidine-containing mouthrinses. Earlier studies comparing chlorhexidine mouthrinses are either clinical studies or in-vitro studies assessing the antimicrobial efficacy of the mouthrinses. However, no clear investigations are available regarding ecological impact of different chlorhexidine formulations on in-vitro multispecies oral biofilms after rinsing with different chlorhexidine formulations. Nine commercially available chlorhexidine mouthrinses were selected. Multispecies oral communities (14species) were grown for 48h in a Biostat-B Twin bioreactor. After that, they were used to develop biofilms on the surface of hydroxyapatite disks in 24-well pates for 48h. Biofilms were then rinsed once or multiple times with the corresponding mouthrinse. Biofilms were collected before starting the rinsing experiment and every 24h for 3days and vitality quantitative PCR was performed. The experiment was repeated 3 independent times on 3 different days and the results were analyzed using a linear mixed model. The mouthrinses provoked different effects in terms of change in total viable bacterial load (VBL), ecology, and community structure of the multispecies biofilms. There was no relation between chlorhexidine concentrations, presence, or absence of cetylpyridinium chloride and/or alcohol, and the observed effects. Some tested chlorhexidine mouthrinses (MC, HG, HH, and HI) strongly lowered the total VBL (≈1007 Geq/ml), but disrupted biofilm symbiosis (≥40% of the biofilms communities are pathobionts). On the other hand, other tested chlorhexidine mouthrinses (MD, ME, and HF) had limited impact on total VBL (≥1010 Geq/ml), but improved the biofilm ecology and community structure (≤10% of the biofilms communities are pathobionts). Not all chlorhexidine mouthrinses have the same effect on oral biofilms. Their effect seems to be strongly product dependent and vary according to their compositions and formulations.

THE STUDY OF THE YARD SPACE AS A CONFLICT TERRITORY

The aspects of the mutual influence of the environment and local communities at various levels of spatial development are considered. Using the example of the city of Samara, it is studied how the social and demographic composition of the inhabitants has a direct impact on territorial relations within the district. The main trends and prospects of self-development for characteristic socio-spatial units of the city, as well as planning and administrative methods of preventing territorial conflicts are presented. The necessary conditions for spatial self-organization and the formation of viable urban communities are described.

Combined selective gamma irradiation and pulverized soil inoculation for ecologically relevant soil microfauna studies

The separate and collective role of soil nematodes and protists at community level in soil biogeochemical processes remains poorly quantified due to the lack of appropriate methodologies to study them independently from other soil biota under conditions emulating natural soil. Here we present a methodological exploration for the selective removal of nematodes and protists using gamma irradiation and the subsequent reinoculation with metazoan-free soil powder inoculum that allows reconstructing a complex microbial food web comprising the native microflora and soil protist communities, without other fauna. Nematodes, and culturable flagellates and ciliates were removed from 6 kGy onwards, while a small fraction of the amoebae survived (8% of the entire protist population) at 16 kGy but were totally removed at 27 kGy. Reinoculation with pulverized soil powder successfully established a protist community of similar size and composition as the control soil as assessed by both amplicon sequencing-based detection and microscopic observation after cultivation. A viable native microflora community remained from 6 to 16 kGy doses, but microbial activity was completely inhibited at 27 kGy. We suggest that, in ecological relevant experiments where selective removal of nematodes or other fauna is the purpose and protist community is meant to be kept intact, gamma irradiation needs to be followed routinely by soil powder inoculation in order to restore the suppressed protist community. This experiment also opens up new perspectives for studying the ecological roles of the entire protist community or specific groups thereof (flagellates and ciliates) in real soil and in the presence of a viable native microflora community.