Search

Varroa destructor, an ectoparasitic mite of the western honey bee (Apis mellifera), and the viruses it vectors are the most important factors driving high rates of honey bee losses in the United States. Unfortunately, mites developed resistance to some of the pesticides, which creates a burden on beekeepers to keep their colonies healthy. Despite this threat to honey bees, we still know little regarding some of V. destructor’s basic biology. In Chapter 1, I describe the method of a novel system to measure the width and length of the ventral side of V. destructor, which allowed me to assess the size variability of V. destructor in the United States. This chapter is an observational epidemiology study on mite size and its association with year, the time of year, mite density in host apiaries, the virus load of the host apiary, and pesticide exposure in host apiaries. I also conducted a series of experiments to determine whether the mite size findings were biological or due to an experimental artifact. I’ve found a seasonal variation in mite size that is possibly driven by external pressures, arguably acaricide exposure or the diet received by feeding on different developmental hosts. Chapter 2 of my dissertation is the continuum of Chapter 1. I tested the size of mites as a confounding factor in their tolerance to amitraz of mites collected from a field trial and a toxicological bioassay. The field trial and the toxicological assay result suggest that amitraz sufficiently kills smaller mites. Lastly, Chapter 3 investigates how tolerance to acaracide exposure, through feeding on different developmental hosts, affects mites' survival to pesticide exposure or stress. To achieve this, I placed mites to feed on adult or pupal honey bee hosts before exposing the mites to various pesticides. I found that the mites placed on pupa had the highest survival rate 20 hours after a 4-hour exposure to pesticides in toxicological bioassays. Then measured the activities, and two key detoxifying enzymes, Glutathione S-Transferase and Cytochrome P450, were significantly higher in mites that survived the assays. In addition, mites fed on adult bees had a higher activity level of acetylcholine esterase than mites placed on the pupa. From proteomic analysis, I found that mites placed on pupae prior to pesticide exposure had higher levels of stress-induced proteins (heat shock proteins). However, living mites had higher amounts of honey bee proteins, suggesting a more recent feeding event and perhaps a more beneficial nutritional state. Interestingly, surviving mites specifically contained significantly larger amounts of honey bee antioxidant proteins, suggesting the use by V. destructor of host proteins for their survival.These findings contribute to the literature on V. destructor size variability and provide new information on pesticide resistance. My findings highlight the need to factor in size and feeding state when conducting toxicology bioassays. It also provides new insight for future research on Varroa feeding.

Due to climate change, subtropical forests are increasingly exposed to severe disturbance, which may lead to increased tree mortality. To date, previous research has not sufficiently studied the deadwood biomass within forests over large study plots. To address this research gap, we calculated the deadwood biomass within a 20 hectare (ha) permanent old-growth forest plot in southern China during two censuses and assessed the factors contributing to it. The deadwood biomass was estimated by applying allometric regression equations. There was a total of 11,283 (22.4%) dead individuals in the study plot. Most of these dead trees had very small diameters (1–10 cm). The spatial distribution of the dead individuals differed across subplots and was determined by biotic and abiotic factors. The deadwood biomass storage was 142.5 ton (t) in our study plot. Small (DBH: 0–30 cm) and medium trees (DBH: 30–50 cm) were the largest contributors (54.9% and 30.7%) to deadwood biomass storage. Three dominant tree species contributed 64.8% of the deadwood biomass storage, and the deadwood biomass of 38 tree species was less than 1 t ha−1. Finally, the deadwood biomass was determined by breast diameter and the number of dead individuals, which was influenced by neighboring individuals and environmental factors. This study provides a detailed assessment of the patterns of the deadwood biomass in a subtropical forest and underscores the importance of including community characteristics and abiotic factors (e.g., topography) into research on forest ecosystem carbon. The results of this research provide valuable information that can deepen the understanding of the contribution of subtropical forests to the global carbon cycle and that can be used to improve forest protection and planning strategies.

Sansha Bay (26.40−27.00°N, 119.50−120.20°E) is a typical semi-enclosed bay, located in northern Fujian Province, China, and adjacent to the East China Sea. The ichthyoplankton species composition and assemblage structure were investigated based on monthly sampling at 25 stations in April−September 2019, covering the important spring and summer spawning seasons in the region. Sampling was conducted in the first 3−5 days of the full moon or new moon phases using a standard plankton net through horizontal and vertical tows during daytime. In total, 25,819 ichthyoplankton samples were collected, of which 25,449 samples (i.e., 24,757 eggs and 692 larvae) were from horizontal tows. For horizontal tow samples, the ichthyoplankton were classified into 58 taxa in 15 orders and 23 families with a combination of external morphology and DNA barcoding analyses, from pelagic to demersal and benthic species. The dominant order was the Gobiiformes, including 23 species (39.7% of all species). The dominant taxa, in terms of relative abundance and frequency of occurrence, consisted of commercially important fishes, such as Setipinna tenuifilis (Valenciennes, 1848) (Engraulidae), Epinephelus akaara (Temminck and Schlegel, 1842) (Serraenidae), Collichthys lucidus (Richardson, 1844), Nibea albiflora (Richardson, 1846) (Sciaenidae), Acanthopagrus schlegelii (Bleeker, 1854), and Pagrus major (Temminck and Schlegel, 1843) (Sparidae), accounting for 78.9% of the horizontal tow samples. Low-valued and small-sized fishes, such as Stolephorus commersonnii Lacepède, 1803 (Engraulidae), Solea ovata Richardson, 1846 (Soleidae), Nuchequula nuchalis (Temminck and Schlegel, 1845), and Photopectoralis bindus (Valenciennes, 1835) (Leiognathidae), were also dominant species, accounting for 11.4% of the horizontal tow samples. The ichthyoplankton assemblage was categorized into five different temporal assemblages based on the cluster and nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis, namely, April, May, June, July, and August−September (ANOSIM, Global R = 0.656, p < 0.01) with the highest density and richness of ichthyoplankton occurred in May. The spatial distribution pattern showed that the high density (ind./m3) of ichthyoplankton occurred mainly in S12–S25 in Guanjingyang and along the Dongchong Peninsula coastline into Dongwuyang, while low density occurred mainly in S01–S11 in the northwest waters of Sandu Island (ANOVA, F = 8.270, p < 0.05). Temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll a were key factors structuring the ichthyoplankton assemblages in Sansha Bay. In addition, this study revealed the changes of the ichthyoplankton composition, density, and spatial distribution in Sansha Bay over the past three decades.

Lignicolous macromycetes are of great importance for the functionality of forest ecosystems. These fungi work as the main carbon reintegrating agents in the soil or as keepers of forest vitality. Under the biotic and abiotic changes, fungi species reacts differently, the main effects being seen at the level of numbers and composition structure of fungal communities. In the context of human actions on forest ecosystems, numerous studies show the detrimental effects on lignicolous mycodiversity, at both European and local levels. In order to protect mycodiversity, it is vital to understand the way the relation between fungi and forest works.

Bacterioplankton community determines formation of a significant part of the secondary production and mineralization of organic matter in aquatic ecosystems, as well as responds quickly to any changes in the environment. Data on the state of the microbial community are required for understanding the processes of substance and energy flow transfer in aquatic ecosystems; this is especially important for coastal waters, where significant negative transformations have occurred in recent decades. The aim of this study was to investigate and analyze changes in structural indicators of the bacterioplankton community in different areas of the Sevastopol Bay (the Black Sea) during 1992–2005. Bacterial abundance was determined by direct microscopy, using adsorption (erythrosine) or fluorescent (acridine orange) stains; biomass was calculated using a conversion factor (2·10−14 g C·cell−1) or by direct cell measurements. Cell morphotypes were determined by scanning electron microscopy. The total abundance of microorganisms varied 0.2·106 to 10·106 cells·mL−1; biomass – 2 to 201 mg C·m−3. In the morphological structure of bacterioplankton community, cocci (0.36–0.86 μm in diameter) with a volume of 0.02–0.27 μm³ and rod-shaped cells (0.6–1.2 μm length; 0.2–0.4 μm width) with a volume of 0.50–0.65 μm³ prevailed. Maximum values of the bacterioplankton abundance, biomass, and cell size in the Sevastopol Bay were registered in summer and autumn (June to October), while minimum values were recorded in winter and spring. The observed values of bacterioplankton quantitative indicators were comparable with the values for various coastal water areas of the World Ocean, inter alia the Black Sea. The dynamics of bacterioplankton structural indicators of the Sevastopol Bay during the annual cycle was determined by abiotic and biotic environmental factors. High correlation (86 %, p < 0.01) between the hydrological, hydrochemical, and biological variables confirms the non-random nature of the relationship between them. The discriminant analysis revealed significant differences in the structure of bacterioplankton communities for the bay areas with different intensity of water exchange, degree of general pollution, and distance from the open sea. Significantly smaller bacterial cell volume in 2004 [(0.16 ± 0.05) μm³] compared with that of 2005 [(0.20 ± 0.03) μm³] (paired t-test, p < 0.05) was probably related to intense microorganisms’ grazing by phagotrophic protozoa. The obtained data on the structure of the bacterioplankton community can be used for forecasting the state of the Sevastopol Bay ecosystem, as well as for developing and verifying mathematical models of coastal ecosystems functioning.

Outdoor wood applications are exposed to several different biotic and abiotic factors, and for that reason, they require protection to increase their service life. Several technologies of wood protection are already commercialized. One of these technologies is thermal modification, which refers to the structural, mechanical, and chemical transformations occurring in the lignocellulosic material when gradually heated up to specific temperature ranges. In the past few years, several researchers have undertaken weathering resistance evaluations on different wood species. Some cases have considered natural exposure in different countries with different climatic conditions, while others focused on artificial exposure under UV and xenon radiation tests. Most works evaluated the weathering effects on the chemical, mechanical and physical, and anatomical shifts compared to the original characteristics of the material. This review has established a considerable lack of studies in the bibliography focusing on abiotic factors, such as the industrial and maritime environment, or even isolated climatic factors such as salt spray (simulating maritime environments) or pollutant gases (simulating industrial environments). This lack of information can be an opportunity for future work. It could help to understand if thermally modified wood is or is not sensitive to pollutant gases or salinity, or to a combination of both. By knowing the degradation mechanisms caused by these factors, it will be possible to study other forms of protection. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Trešnja je gospodarski značajna kultura na području Mediterana. Zbog utjecaja biotskih i abiotskih čimbenika osjetljiva je na raspucavanju ploda. Problematika pucanja plodova trešnje jedan je od glavnih problema u proizvodnji trešnje. U ovom istraživanju prikazani su rezultati istraživanja raspucavanja plodova kod 17 sorti trešnje uzgajanih na lokaciji Ninski Stanovi u sjevernoj Dalmaciji. U istraživanju su praćeni kvalitativni parametri (tvrdoća, šećeri, kiseline, omjer kiselina i šećera , promjer). Praćenje raspucavanja provedeno je u svibnju i lipnju 2019. godine. Iz dobivenih rezultata vidljivo je da različite sorte različito reagiraju na raspucavanje plodova ovisno o više kvalitativnih parametara. Sorta 'Volovsko Srce' pokazala se kao najotpornija sorta sa 6% raspucalih plodova dok je 'Early Biggi' sa 72% imao najviše raspucalih plodova. Omjer tvrdoće ploda kreće u rasponu od 1,09 do 2,82 kg cm-2. Najveći promjer ploda, postotak šećera i ukupnih kiselina utvrđen je kod sorte 'Sweet Valina'. Na osnovi dobivenih rezultata ne može se tvrditi da će sorte koje su u istraživanju istraživane tekuće godine prošle bez pucanja plodova biti otporne na pucanje i sljedeće godine, a još manje može biti sigurno da će to biti i u nekom drugom uzgojnom području pa zbog toga bi trebalo nastaviti istraživanja i u narednim godinama. Cherry is an economically important crop in the Mediterranean area. Due to affect of biotic and abiotic factors it is sensitive on fruits cracking. The problem of cherry fruits cracking is one of the main problems in cherry production. This study presents the results of a cracking of 17 cherry cultivars at the Ninski Stanovi location in northern Dalmatia. Qualitative parameters (hardness, sugars, acids, ratio of sugars and acids, diameter) were monitored in the research. Monitoring of the crack was proven in May and June 2019. From the obtained results, it is visible that different reactions on fruits cracking were sorted differently, regardless of several qualitative parameters. Cultivar ‘Ox Heart’ proved to be the most resistant variety with 6% of cracked fruits, while 'Early Biggi' with 72% had the most cracked fruits. The fruit hardness ratio ranges from 1.09 to 2.82 kg cm-2. The largest diameter of the fruit, the percentage of sugar and total acids was determined in ‘Sweet Valina’ cultivar. Based on the obtained results, it cannot be determined that those cultivars that were resistant to cracking in the current year without cracking the fruit next year will be sorted, and even less can it be certain that it will be in another breeding area, so research should continue in the coming years.

Understanding the ecological mechanisms driving the dynamics of field rotifer populations remains a challenge in ecology. Brachionus angularis (Rotifera) is preferred in such studies because of their planktonic behavior, high fecundity, and absence of cryptic species. In this study, one-year zooplankton samples were collected twice a month from a subtropical lake and the roles of abiotic and biotic factors regulating the population dynamics of B. angularis were analyzed. The sampled B. angularis were composed of two discontinuous populations: ‘summer and autumn’ and ‘spring and winter’, segmented by high mixis rates. The ‘summer and autumn’ population had high egg ratios, but low egg volumes. Water temperature was the main factor driving temporal dynamics in density, thereby counteracting the negative effect of top-down force. Based on the synchronous dynamics of two fractions of chlorophyll-a, the densities of B. angularis, its potential competitors and predators, together with the reverse correlations between the egg ratio and population density, and Secchi-disk depth, we found that bottom-up and top-down forces were plausible factors regulating variations in population density in spring (March and April). However, the density peak of B. angularis in winter might be primarily ascribed to recruitment from the sediment. We further addressed the necessity for diverse evidence from the speciation of cryptic species, abundance, reproduction, and morphology, in understanding the population dynamics of a field rotifer population.

Environmental conditions in spawning waters are determined by a variety of abiotic and biotic factors. They are the most significant and therefore limiting in the selection of breeding sites and spawning grounds for amphibians. For conservation of the various amphibian populations it is necessary to establish an ecological optimum of specific species. The study has been conducted in a wide range of environmental conditions typical for the mountainous regions of the Caucasus. We studied 358 water bodies in the foothills of Dagestan. There are eight species of amphibians spawning here. Bufotes variabilis and Rana macrocnemis to adverse abiotic and biotic conditions in spawning waters are resistant. Lissotriton lantzi, Triturus karelinii, Pelobates fuscus, and P. syriacus are sensitive to different adverse environmental conditions in spawning waters. Lissotriton lantzi prefers non-flowing ponds, shaded areas, depth of reservoirs 50–100 cm and lots of aquatic vegetation, but Triturus karelinii prefers flowing ponds. Pelobates fuscus prefers unshaded ponds, but Pelobates syriacus prefers deep waters. Hyla arborea and Pelophylax ridibundus prefer flowing, shaded ponds with lots of aquatic vegetation. Bufotes variabilis and Rana macrocnemis are very tolerant to the environment. On the basis of the method of multivariate statistics, the main environmental factors significantly (p = 0.001) affecting the choice of spawning grounds by different types of amphibians: shading, depth, flow and overgrowing were established. It was revealed that the spawning grounds, which are of great importance for the conservation of rare amphibian species in the foothills of Dagestan is limited, this is due to the arid climatic conditions of the region. Recommendations for the conservation of amphibians and the development of protected areas in the foothills of the Republic of Dagestan are given.

Climate change is shifting the distribution of species, and may have a profound impact on the ecology and evolution of species interactions. However, we know little about the impact of increasing temperature and changing rainfall patterns on the interactions between plants and their beneficial and antagonistic root symbionts. Here, we used a reciprocal multifactorial growth chamber experiment with seeds and soil microbial communities from three origins to investigate the impact of temperature and soil moisture on the growth, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal colonization and root‐associated fungal community of a perennial herb. Moreover, we tested whether plants and AM fungi performed better or worse when plants were grown with their local soil biota, for example, due to plant adaptation or changes in the genetic or species composition of the soil microbial community. Temperature and soil moisture generally increased plant growth, whereas temperature but not soil moisture increased AM fungal colonization. The strength and direction of the plants' response to temperature were dependent on soil moisture and differed among plant populations, and AM fungal colonization was further affected by the origin of the soil microbial community. The root‐associated fungal community structure was impacted by temperature, soil moisture and the soil microbial origin, with interactive effects between the microbial origin and the abiotic environment. Plant biomass was lower when plants were grown with their local soil microbes, potentially due to intraspecific negative plant–soil feedbacks. Synthesis. Our findings indicate that, beyond a relatively uniform increase of plant growth and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal colonization with increasing temperature, plants and root‐associated fungi of different origins will vary in their response to climate change (i.e. elevated temperature and shifts in rainfall). This may create pronounced, but difficult to predict, spatial and temporal variation in the ecology and evolution of plant–microbe interactions with a changing climate.

Effects of plant-induced changes in soil properties, which impact subsequent plant growth, have received increasing attention in plant ecology (e.g., Smith-Ramesh & Reynolds 2017). These plant-soil feedbacks (PSFs) are considered to be important for plant performance and plant-community composition in many terrestrial ecosystems (e.g., van der Putten et al. 2013). However, so far most conclusions on the importance of PSFs in natural systems have been drawn from experiments performed under highly controlled and artificial conditions. Under natural conditions, the growth and development of plants as well as that of soil organisms is influenced by many more abiotic and biotic interactions than in the greenhouse. Hence, there is an urgent need to investigate PSFs under more natural conditions and to better understand the interactions between PSFs and environmental drivers (De Long et al. 2019). This Research Topic comprises 14 articles - ranging from Original research articles, meta-analytical Reviews and Perspectives - that aim to advance our understanding of the contribution of PSFs to plant growth and plant community composition in different environmental contexts.

Climate change creates a big challenge for forest science. One of several problems calling for urgent solution concerns the elaboration of the scientific foundations for determination of the species composition of forest stands under changing environmental conditions. This problem is particularly acute in case of declining Norway spruce stands in the Sudety Mountains (SW Poland). The paper presents the main principles used to develop a model allowing determination of the most desirable species composition for any given forest stand occurring in the Sudety region. These principles include: 1) an assumption that a basis for species composition planning should be a forest site type, corrected by means of site index of the currently existing forest stand, 2) a supposition that one should broadly consider present processes taking place in Sudety stands, particularly, an intense forest dieback caused by recurring drought periods and strong winds, 3) a postulate that one should consider the differences between tree species in respect to their reaction to particular abiotic factors, 4) an assumption that majority of stands should consist of several different tree species, 5) an assumption that introducing on a wide scale Douglas fir, well−adapted to the conditions of the Sudety Mountains, is allowed, 6) an idea that one should take into account differentiated production potential and varied timber quality of particular tree species, 7) an assumption that one should consider the main features of topography (altitude, exposition, slope) as well as 8) fine elements of micro−topographical situation, as a basis for introduction of different tree species. The results obtained by means of the model based on the above mentioned principles are presented on the example of two forest districts: Lądek−Zdrój (fig. 4a, b) and Szklarska Poręba (fig. 5a, b). In both cases, a necessity to diminish the share of Norway spruce and to increase the share of such species like common beech, silver fir, Douglas fir and European larch is demonstrated. One may expect that projected compositions, taking into account the most appropriate tree species and their most suitable localizations, will allow establishment of forest stands which will be more resistant to drought and wind and, thus, will be more able to fulfill several important forest functions (related to water and soil protection, protection of forest biodiversity and timber production)., Sylwan 164 (6): 454-466

Movement increases the probability for an individual to find food resources, but also increase the metabolic costs and exposure to predators. Hence, swimming behavior of fish is strongly coupled to fitness. Even though swimming activity has been studied in numerous laboratory settings, less is known about in situ activity and its dependence on abiotic factors (temperature, light conditions and barometric pressure). In this study I hypothesized that the activity increases with 1) increasing temperature and decrease with 2) barometric pressure variability and 3) average light conditions (h/day). In order to test the universality of the three hypotheses I also searched for size dependent effects. Fish activity (km/day) was measured in three lakes on individual fish (N=14-21 per lake) using acoustic telemetry providing tracking of fish at a time resolution from seconds to hours. A positive correlation between temperature and swimming activity in line with my first hypothesis was only observed in one of the lakes. The activity decreased with increased variability in barometric pressure in two of the lakes, a finding supporting my second hypothesis. Meanwhile increased light conditions (h/day) decreased activity in one of the lakes, as predicted by my third hypothesis. Nevertheless, none of my hypotheses were valid in all three of the lakes and perch reacted differently to the abiotic factors. One of the possible explanations for this is the importance of size differences as I noticed that the swimming activity differed between bigger and smaller individuals. My findings suggest that not only the temperature, barometric pressure and light conditions alone predict the activity in perch, but also the fish individual size, predation and the metabolic costs linked to thermoregulation.

Objective of research: to perform the parasitological monitoring we have to study the parasite fauna in fishes from different fish farm factories, calculate the index of similarity, estimate the influence of abiotic and biotic factors on the ecosystem of fish-breeding reservoirs. Materials and methods: parasitological monitoring of factory fish farms was conducted by the method of complete and incomplete parasitological examination taking into account the data obtained from various fish-breeding reservoirs. Results and discussion: the parasite fauna of cyprinid fishes is represented by 56 species, carriage of causative agents of parasitic diseases in fishes is detected. Index of similarity of parasite fauna in carps has been studied and typification of agricultural reservoirs carried out. Index of similarity between the parasite fauna in carp and herbivorous fish was 22–33 %, carp and rough fish - 18–30,7 %. Influence of abiotic (oxidability, reduction of oxygen and nitrogen ammonia concentration, mineralization) and biotic – anthropogenic factors (violation of processing technologies, veterinary and sanitary rules of fish transport and fish farming operations) on fish infestation with parasites was studied. The role of parasitological monitoring in prevention and elimination of fish diseases was shown.

WOS: 000509671500004 The genus Hypericum (Hypericaceae) consists of 484 species from 36 sections with worldwide distribution in different areas. Turkey is considered as hot spot for diversity of Hypericum genus. Despite numerous publications, Hypericum species still attracted considerable scientific interest due to pharmaceutically relevant secondary metabolites: naphthodianthrones, acylphloroglucinol derivatives, phenolic acids, flavonoid glycosides, biflavonoids, and some other valuable constituents. Phytochemical investigations carried out on different Hypericum species provided highly heterogeneous results. The content of bioactive compounds varies significantly due to many internal and external factors, including plant organs, phenological stage, genetic profile, environmental abiotic and biotic factors, such as growing site, light, temperature, radiation, soil drought and salinity, pathogens, and herbivores attack. The variations in content of bioactive compounds in plants are regarded as the main problem in the standardization of Hypericum-derived pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements. The review discusses the main factors contributing to the variations of bioactive compounds and what kind of modulations can increase quality of Hypericum raw material.

Цель работы – оценка влияния абиотических и биотических факторов на продуктивность растений абрикоса сортов Nagykorosi Orias и Хурмаи в условиях Южного берега Крыма. На основе анализа многолетних данных (1984–2017 гг.) воздействия факторов на развитие растений изучаемых сортов абрикоса определены благоприятные и неблагоприятные годы для их цветения. В неблагоприятные годы наблюдали значительные перепады температуры воздуха. Среднесуточная температура воздуха во время цветения сорта Nagykorosi Orias в среднем не превышала 8 °С. Минимальные температуры воздуха составляли от ?1,5 до ?5,2°С, максимальные – 11,5–19,2 °С. Это привело к снижению, а в отдельные годы – и к полной потере урожая абрикоса. В условиях Южного берега Крыма в течение 34 лет во время цветения отмечали поражение растений абрикоса монилиозом (Monilia cinerea Bon.). В среднем за десятилетний период наблюдалось четыре эпифитотийных года. Из общего срока изучения с урожайностью более 10 кг/дер. выявлено 12 (36 %) лет. Растения сорта Хурмаи зацветали в более поздние сроки, чем деревья сорта Nagykorosi Orias. Во время цветения растений сорта Хурмаи отмечали повышение среднесуточных температур воздуха (в среднем на 1–2 °С) и снижение количества выпавших осадков (в среднем на 2–5 мм). Поэтому цветение растений этого сорта протекало в более благоприятных погодных условиях. Учет поражаемости растений сорта Хурмаи монилиозом показал, что в целом она была слабой (от единичной до двух баллов), лишь в отдельные годы отмечали очень сильное (эпифитотийное) развитие патогена (3–5 баллов). Значительное поражение отмечали в среднем два раза за десятилетний период. Погодные условия (температура, осадки) в период созревания плодов у изучаемых сортов были сходными. Выявлена различная реакция растений этих сортов абрикоса на воздействие изученных факторов в зависимости от происхождения и их биологических особенностей., The aim of the work was to assess the influence of abiotic and biotic factors on the productivity of two apricot varieties ‘Nagykorosi Orias’ and ‘Hurmai’ under conditions of the southern coast of the Crimea. Phenological observations and the evaluation of the characteristics had been done in accordance with the generally accepted methodology. The analysis of long-term (1984–2017) data of factors’ effects on the plants development of studied apricot varieties allowed identifying favorable and unfavorable years for their flowering. Significant changes in air temperature were observed in adverse years. The average daily air temperature during the flowering ‘Nagykorosi Orias’ variety, on average, did not exceed 8 °C. The minimum air temperatures were –1.5 to –5.2 °C, the maximum temperatures were 11.5–19.2 °C above zero. This led to a decrease and, in some years, to a complete loss of the apricot yield. Under the conditions of the southern coast of the Crimea for 34 years during the flowering, apricot plants were affected by monilias (Monilia cinerea Bon.). On average over the 10-year period, there were four epiphytotic years. From the total study period, 12 (36 %) years were found to be with a yield of more than 10 kg per tree. Plants of the ‘Hurmai’ variety blossomed later than the trees of the variety ‘Nagykorosi Orias’. During the ‘Hurmai’ flowering, an increase in the average daily air temperatures (an average of 1–2 °C) and a decrease in the amount of precipitation (an average of 2–5 mm) were noted. Therefore, the flowering of plants of this variety was under more favorable weather conditions. The accountability of ‘Hurmai’ varieties with moniliasis showed that it was weak (from one to two units), only in a few years there was a very strong (epiphytotic) development of the pathogen (3–5 points). Significant damage was noted on average twice over a 10-year period. Weather conditions (temperature, precipitation) during the fruit ripening for the studied varieties were similar. Different reaction of plants of these apricot varieties to the influence of the studied factors had been revealed depending on the origin and their biological features., №3(15) (2018)

Modeling species' habitat requirements are crucial to assess impacts of global change, for conservation efforts and to test mechanisms driving species presence. While the influence of abiotic factors has been widely examined, the importance of biotic factors and biotic interactions, and the potential implications of local processes are not well understood. Testing their importance requires additional knowledge and analyses at local habitat scale. Here, we recorded the locations of species presence at the microhabitat scale and measured abiotic and biotic parameters in three different common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) populations using a standardized sampling protocol. Thereafter, space use models and cross-evaluations among populations were run to infer local processes and estimate the importance of biotic parameters, biotic interactions, sex, and age. Biotic parameters explained more variation than abiotic parameters, and intraspecific interactions significantly predicted the spatial distribution. Significant differences among populations in the relationship between abiotic parameters and lizard distribution, and the greater model transferability within populations than between populations are in line with effects predicted by local adaptation and/or phenotypic plasticity. These results underline the importance of including biotic parameters and biotic interactions in space use models at the population level. There were significant differences in space use between sexes, and between adults and yearlings, the latter showing no association with the measured parameters. Consequently, predictive habitat models at the population level taking into account different sexes and age classes are required to understand a specie's ecological requirements and to allow for precise conservation strategies. Our study therefore stresses that future predictive habitat models at the population level and their transferability should take these parameters into account., Funds were provided by MEC Projects (CGL2005-01187, CGL2008-01522) MCB was supported by a Ph.D. grant (JAEPre_09_01372) from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and cofinanced by the European Social Fund and by a contract funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (CGL2012-32459 to P.S.F.)

It is widely understood that agricultural production is based on the exploitation of natural, primarily biological, chemical and physical resources. Thus, the soil (lithosphere) represents the physical source, i.e. the foundation for cultivation of cereals, field crops, fruit-and vine growing. Furthermore, it represents the chemical source supplying the crops with an adequate amount of both major and trace elements and other nutrients. Indirectly, it is also a source of the nutrients required in livestock production. The definition of an ecosystem and agriculture as its constituent part offers a better understanding of the importance of energy investments, consumption and production of energy in agriculture. The abiotic or non-living component part is made up of chemical and physical factors of the environment of the biotic component part (namely, climate, water, air and soil). Water presents the abiotic component part of a pond, whereas air, soil and sunlight present the abiotic factors in either a garden, a wheat-growing field or on a pasture. Producers, consumers and decomposers present the three biotic component parts of each ecosystem. In the case of energy flow through the ecosystem, the implementation of the First and the Second Law of Thermodynamics showed that more than 90% of the total energy captured by the producers, disappeared from the food chain each time it was converted and moved from one to another trophic level. The greatest amounts of energy in an ecosystem or food chain were found to be stored in the primary producers and had a declining trend with each trophic level that followed.

Resulted from long-term experimental research of ecological and genetic aspects of winter barley breeding for increase of productive and adaptive capacity at the V.M. Remeslo Myronivka Institute of Wheat of NAAS are substantiated. System approach to evaluation and selection of genotypes for productivity and resistance (tolerance) to abiotic and biotic factors in the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine has been implemented in practical breeding. Collection of winter barley which includes 568 accessions of different ecological and geographical origin has been formed. Based on adapted varieties, breeding lines, and identified source of valuable traits novel genetic material has been created at all links of breeding process. Seven winter barley varieties, namely MIP Hladiator, MIP Yason, MIP Oskar, MIP Korsar, MIP Darii, MIP LIDER, MIP Status have been created and submitted to the State Strain Testing for 2012–2016, В результате многолетних экспериментальных исследований обосновано эколого-генетические аспекты селекции ячменя озимого для повышения его производительного и адаптивного потенциала в Мироновском институте пшеницы имени В.М. Ремесла НААН. Внедрен в практическую селекцию системный подход к оценке и отбору генотипов по производительности и устойчивости (толерантности) к абиотическим и биотическим факторам в Лесостепи Украины. Сформирована коллекция ячменя озимого, насчитывающая 568 образцов разного эколого-географического происхождения. На основе адаптированных сортов, селекционных линий и выделенных источников ценных признаков создан новый генетический материал во всех звеньях селекционного процесса. Выведены и переданы на государственное сортоиспытание Украины на протяжении 2012–2016 гг. семь сортов ячменя озимого: МИП Гладиатор, МИП Ясон, МИП Оскар, МИП Корсар, МИП Дарий, МИП ЛИДЕР, МИП Статус, За результатами багаторічних експериментальних досліджень обґрунтовано екологогенетичні аспекти селекції ячменю озимого для підвищення його продуктивного та адаптивного потенціалу в Миронівському інституті пшениці імені В.М. Ремесла НААН. Впроваджено у практичну селекцію системний підхід до оцінки та добору генотипів за продуктивністю та стійкістю (толерантністю) до абіотичних та біотичних чинників у Лісостепі України. Сформовано колекцію ячменю озимого, що налічує 568 зразків різного еколого-географічного походження. На основі адаптованих сортів, селекційних ліній та виділених джерел цінних ознак створено новий генетичний матеріал в усіх ланках селекційного процесу. Виведено та передано на державне сортовипробування України впродовж 2012–2016 рр. сім сортів ячменю озимого: МІП Гладіатор, МІП Ясон, МІП Оскар, МІП Корсар, МІП Дарій, МІП ЛІДЕР, МІП Статус

The data available in the literature and the results of the authors’ studies on some issues regarding the ecology of mycobacteria were analyzed. The heterogeneity of their qualitative and species spread in the environment, circulation in the animal and human body and the trophic chain of transmission of pathogenic Mycobacterium species from animals to humans, and conversely, were traced. The degree of their spread in the natural landscapes depends on soil-climatic conditions and vertical zones.

Litter ant diversity and abundance in relation to biotic and abiotic factors were analyzed at five primary forest sites lying between 300 to 1650 meter above mean sea level in the Wayanad region of the Western Ghats in Kerala, southern India. Ant abundance and species richness peaked at mid-elevations influenced by the presence of favourable physical conditions and abundance of prey resources. Dominance of ants preferring termites and Collembola as prey at sites rich in their specific prey resources indicate the influence of local prey resource availability in determining ant distribution. Dominant species (Tapinoma sp. and Solenopsis sp.) had wider distributions, being present at all elevations. Physical factors (slope of the terrain, rainfall, moisture, humidity, temperature) and prey resource availability (insect larvae, termites, Collembola) influenced ant species abundance at a regional scale, whereas at local scales, site specific variations in the relationship between abundance of ants and prey-predators and physical factors were recorded. The present study highlights the need to consider site-specific abiotic and biotic factors while examining the distribution patterns of litter ants along altitudinal gradients in other regions of the Western Ghats, which is a recognised hot spot of biodiversity with wide regional variation in vegetation types and faunal distribution patterns.

International audience; Synergistic effect of abiotic and biotic factors is not completely established in the process of disinfecting water by plant extracts. The present study aims to evaluate the synergistic effect of different pH values (4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9) and different infusion concentrations (10, 20 and 30%) of Artemisia annua on Enterococcus faecalis growth in aquatic microcosm under dark and lighting conditions. The results showed that under dark condition, there was a relative increase in abundance of E. faecalis cells in the presence of A. annua extract. Under lighting, there is a decrease in the abundance of E. faecalis at different infusion concentrations of A. annua. Extract of A. annua seems to favour the growth of E. faecalis cells in the dark, especially at slightly acidic pH. This growth was relatively significant at pH 6. In the presence of light, A. annua extract inhibited the growth of E. faecalis cells and this varied from one extract sample to another; and was significant at slightly basic pH. Under the lighting, different pH values do not appear to have significant influence on the inhibition of bacterial growth except for pH 8. Monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and triterpenes molecules present in infusions could be involved in chemical reactions responsible for cellular inhibition under light condition. Research on photosensitizing compounds and a comparative study with conventional photosensitizers might attest for the involvement of photosensitivity reaction with the A. annua extracts.

Aquatic macrophytes constitute important components of many freshwater ecosystems. The manifold role of aquatic macrophytes in freshwater habitats is closely linked to their distribution, which in turn depends on a myriad of factors. Foremost, among these are light, water temperature, water quality changes and nutrient enrichment, sediment composition and fluctuations in water levels. Light and temperature are of paramount importance in determining the distribution (with depth, season and latitude), thereby influencing productivity and species composition as well. Sediment compositions markedly affect the growth rates of macrophytes which in turn have a profound influence on the distribution of aquatic macrophytes. Water quality changes and nutrient enrichment can cause considerable variations in the species richness, composition, and density of aquatic vegetation. The reduction in water levels could bring drastic changes in the species composition and distribution of macrophytes. Factors associated with competition, herbivory, land use and land cover changes etc. also play an important role in shaping macrophyte distribution and community structure. In this review we examine both biotic and abiotic factors that influence the structural attributes like species composition, distribution, abundance and diversity of aquatic macrophytes.

This paper analyses whether the natural regeneration of Pinus nigra subsp. salzmannii is seed or microsite limited, studying the spatial and temporal regeneration dynamics of a pine forest located in Sierra of Cazorla (Southeast Spain). For three years, pineseed density on the ground, and emergence, and survival of seedlings were measured. Pineseed and seedling density varied from 877 seeds/m2 and 651 seedlings/m2 in 2000 to zero during the two following years. None of the monitored seedlings had survived by the end of the study. Data were used to estimate transition probabilities between the stages of a model of plant life cycle. The model included the effects of different biotic and abiotic factors on the recruitment output. It was concluded that Pinus nigra regeneration is not seed limited, although pineseed production varied greatly interannually. On the other hand, seedling survival depended mainly on abiotic factors. The success of Pinus nigra natural regeneration in Sierra of Cazorla is basically affected by the spatio-temporal variability of abiotic factors and, particulary, by the summer drought., Este artículo analiza la dinámica espacio-temporal de la regeneración natural de Pinus nigra subsp. salzmannii en la sierra de Cazorla (sureste de España), y trata de determinar si la regeneración está limitada por la disponibilidad de piñones o por la falta de sitios adecuados para el arraigo de los brinzales. Durante tres años, se midió la densidad de piñones sobre el suelo, la emergencia de las plántulas y su supervivencia en cuatro hábitats diferentes. La densidad media de piñones fue de 877 por m2 y la de plántulas de 651 por m2 en el año 2000, pero no se contabilizaron piñones, ni nuevas plántulas durante los dos años siguientes. Al final del estudio, ninguna de las plántulas seguidas había sobrevivido. Estos datos se utilizaron para estimar las probabilidades de transición entre las diferentes etapas de un ciclo de regeneración, que consideró la incidencia concatenada de diferentes factores bióticos y abióticos sobre el éxito de la regeneración. Pese a la irregularidad interanual de la producción de piñones, se concluyó que la regeneración no está limitada por la disponibilidad de semillas. Por el contrario, la supervivencia de los brinzales está influida principalmente por factores abióticos, de modo que la regeneración natural de Pinus nigra en la sierra de Cazorla depende de la variabilidad espacio-temporal de esos factores y, en particular, de la intensidad de la sequía estival.

This paper analyses whether the natural regeneration of Pinus nigra subsp. salzmannii is seed or microsite limited, studying the spatial and temporal regeneration dynamics of a pine forest located in Sierra of Cazorla (Southeast Spain). For three years, pineseed density on the ground, and emergence, and survival of seedlings were measured. Pineseed and seedling density varied from 877 seeds/m2 and 651 seedlings/m2 in 2000 to zero during the two following years. None of the monitored seedlings had survived by the end of the study. Data were used to estimate transition probabilities between the stages of a model of plant life cycle. The model included the effects of different biotic and abiotic factors on the recruitment output. It was concluded that Pinus nigra regeneration is not seed limited, although pineseed production varied greatly interannually. On the other hand, seedling survival depended mainly on abiotic factors. The success of Pinus nigra natural regeneration in Sierra of Cazorla is basically affected by the spatio-temporal variability of abiotic factors and, particulary, by the summer drought. Este artículo analiza la dinámica espacio-temporal de la regeneración natural de Pinus nigra subsp. salzmannii en la sierra de Cazorla (sureste de España), y trata de determinar si la regeneración está limitada por la disponibilidad de piñones o por la falta de sitios adecuados para el arraigo de los brinzales. Durante tres años, se midió la densidad de piñones sobre el suelo, la emergencia de las plántulas y su supervivencia en cuatro hábitats diferentes. La densidad media de piñones fue de 877 por m2 y la de plántulas de 651 por m2 en el año 2000, pero no se contabilizaron piñones, ni nuevas plántulas durante los dos años siguientes. Al final del estudio, ninguna de las plántulas seguidas había sobrevivido. Estos datos se utilizaron para estimar las probabilidades de transición entre las diferentes etapas de un ciclo de regeneración, que consideró la incidencia concatenada de diferentes factores bióticos y abióticos sobre el éxito de la regeneración. Pese a la irregularidad interanual de la producción de piñones, se concluyó que la regeneración no está limitada por la disponibilidad de semillas. Por el contrario, la supervivencia de los brinzales está influida principalmente por factores abióticos, de modo que la regeneración natural de Pinus nigra en la sierra de Cazorla depende de la variabilidad espacio-temporal de esos factores y, en particular, de la intensidad de la sequía estival.