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In today's world, the preservation of natural ecosystems becomes an increasingly urgent task, requiring innovative approaches and technologies. This article examines the use of biotechnology in the conservation and protection of natural ecosystems. Various innovative approaches and technologies aimed at improving ecological sustainability and preserving biodiversity are discussed. Aspects such as the use of genetic engineering for the restoration of threatened species, bioremediation of polluted ecosystems, and the application of biological methods for pest control and soil protection are considered. This article provides an overview of modern advancements in biotechnology and their potential application for the preservation of natural ecosystems, as well as discusses the challenges and prospects for further development in this direction.

The article presents a comparative analysis of the influence of stratification methods on germination of sea buckthorn seeds (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) in autumn and spring sowing. In the fall sowing with natural stratification under snow, sprouts of H. rhamnoides seeds were more friendly, and the percentage of germination was higher than in the spring sowing with artificial stratification. At autumn sowing of seeds in H. rhamnoides seedlings, formation of many short roots was observed, which predicts more active development of the root system. The number of nodules on the roots of H. rhamnoides plants is formed depending on varietal characteristics and does not depend on the term and method of sowing. Lomonosovskaya, Rossiyanka, Studencheskaya varieties proved to be the most strongly growing in two variants of the experiment at fall sowing, and Trofimovskaya at spring sowing.

Resource use and diet specialisation of Madagascan dung beetles have been little studied especially concerning the possible associations between specific dung beetle and lemur species. Pilot studies have demonstrated that amplicon sequencing is a promising tool for the lemur inventories. In the present contribution, we report the results of the gut content analysis of three endemic Madagascan dung beetles species: Helictopleurus clouei (Harold), Epilissus apotolamproides (Lebis) and Nanos dubitatus (Lebis). Amplicon metagenomics revealed trophic associations of these species with Eulemur sanfordi (Archbold), Eu. fulvus (É.Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire) and Cheirogaleus crossleyi (Grandidier), respectively. The reads of other mammal species, revealed by the analysis, including putative contaminations, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In open terrestrial biomes of Holarctic realm, ground squirrels are recognised as keystone species inhabiting steppes. They shape the plant species composition and diversity and support a fauna of species associated with their burrows. Ground squirrels and associated dung-beetles are important elements of the steppe food webs, yet the trophic associations between species are still poorly studied. New information: The area in the northern outskirts of Obshchy Syrt plateau, on the border of Samara and Orenburg Provinces of Russia was surveyed and scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae) feeding on steppe marmot (Marmota bobak (Müller, 1776)) faeces were collected from six localities. Twenty eight species of two subfamilies -- Aphodiinae and Scarabaeinae, - were identified with the majority of species belonging the genus Aphodius Hellwig, 1798. Seven species are recorded as consumers of marmot faeces for the first time. Only two nidicolous specialist species were found which suggests that the studied population of steppe marmots is as result of the recent secondary colonisation and not all the associated scarab beetle faunas were re-established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dung beetles (Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae) are among the most cost-effective and informative biodiversity indicator groups, conveying rich information about the status of habitats and faunas of an area. In Madagascar, they are important elements in forest food chains and ecosystems where they originally evolved to decompose lemur excrements, but later many species shifted to utilize cattle dung and human feces. In the present contribution, we report the results of dung beetle sampling in six protected areas of northern and central Madagascar. In total, over 400 specimens of Scarabaeinae beetles belonging to three tribes, eight genera, and 26 species were collected. All species are endemic to the island and most of them belong to the endemic genus Helictopleurus d'Orbigny. Nanos neoelectrinus Montreuil and Viljanen, recently synonymized with N. humeralis Paulian, is revalidated based on the new material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dung beetles (Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae) are among the most cost-effective and informative biodiversity indicator groups, conveying rich information about the status of habitats and faunas of an area. Yet their use for monitoring the mammal species, that are the main providers of the food for the dung beetles, has only recently been recognized. In the present work, we studied the diet of four endemic Madagascan dung beetles (Helictopleurus fissicollis (Fairmaire), H. giganteus (Harold), Nanos agaboides (Boucomont), and Epilissus splendidus Fairmaire) using high-throughput sequencing and amplicon metagenomics. For all beetle species, the 2/3-3/4 of reads belonged to humans, suggesting that human feces are the main source of food for the beetles in the examined areas. The second most abundant were the reads of the cattle (Bos taurus Linnaeus). We also found lower but significant number of reads of six lemur species belonging to three genera. Our sampling localities agree well with the known ranges of these lemur species. The amplicon metagenomics method proved a promising tool for the lemur inventories in Madagascar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Neotropics, orphnine scarab beetles are represented by the endemic tribe Aegidiini Paulian, 1984 with five genera and over 50 species. Phylogenetic analysis based on morphological characters of all supraspecific taxa of Orphninae showed that Aegidiini is comprised of two lineages. New subtribes, Aegidiina subtr. nov. (Aegidium Westwood, 1845, Paraegidium Vulcano et al., 1966, Aegidiellus Paulian, 1984, and Onorius Frolov & Vaz-de-Mello, 2015, and Aegidinina subtr. nov. (Aegidinus Arrow, 1904) are proposed to better reflect this phylogeny. Two new species of Aegidinus are described: A. alexanderi sp. nov., from the Yungas in Peru and A. elbae sp. nov. from the Caqueta moist forests ecoregion in Colombia. A diagnostic key to Aegidinus species is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kenyan fauna of the scarab beetle subfamily Orphninae is reviewed for the first time based on representative material. Twelve species of the genus Orphnus MacLeay are recorded from the country, including two that are new to science: O. kenyensis Akhmetova et Frolov, sp. nov. and O. tanaensis Akhmetova et Frolov, sp. nov. Lectotypes are designated for O. rufithorax Benderitter, O. mombasaensis Benderitter, and O. jeanneli Benderitter. Keys, diagnoses, illustrations of habitus and male genitalia, and distributional record maps are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generic status of Neotropical Orphninae genus Onorius Frolov et Vaz-de-Mello is supported by the discovery of another species in south-eastern Ecuador. The new species differs from O. inexpectatus Frolov et Vaz-de-Mello in the body sculpture and colouration. Both species have two large diverticula in the proximal part of the ileum; such structures are not found in the other members of the Aegidiini and are supposedly autapomorphic for Onorius. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of the Neotropical Orphninae genus Aegidinus Arrow are described: Aegidinus noriegai sp. nov. and Aegidinus colbyae sp. nov. The lectotype of Orphnus candezei Preudhomme de Borre is designated. Aegidium steinheili Harold, considered a synonym of Aegidinus guianensis (Westwood), is revalidated as Aegidinus steinheili (Harold). The following new synonymies are established: Aegidinus oreibates Colby, 2009 = Aegidinus guianensis (Westwood), syn. nov.; Aegidinus crypticus Colby = Aegidinus guianensis (Westwood), syn. nov.; Aegidinus sunidigea Colby = Aegidinus candezei (Preudhomme de Borre), syn. nov.; Aegidinus unicus Colby = Aegidinus cornutus Colby9, syn. nov. The male of Aegidinus simulatus Colby is described. An updated diagnostic key to the males of Aegidinus is provided. The taxonomic and diagnostic characters as well as the phylogenetic relationships of Aegidinus are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neotropical Orphninae genusAegidiellusPaulian is revised. Two new species are described:Aegidiellus zezaoisp. nov. andAegidiellus dentipenissp. nov. The genus occurs in eastern Brazil, mostly in the Atlantic Forest ecoregion. Key to species, descriptions, illustrations of habitus and male genitalia, and distribution maps are given. www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A5637C7C-F450-4919-AF48-7E281E893E95 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new hybosorine genusTaisiaFrolov, Ocampo, Akhmetova et Vaz-de-Mello, gen. nov. is described fromT. cornitermitisFrolov, Ocampo, Akhmetova et Vaz-de-Mello, sp. nov. from Mato Grosso State, Brazil.Taisiagen. nov. can be easily distinguished from the rest of the Neotropical Hybosorinae genera by the following characters: mandibular teeth long and robust; pronotum with serrate lateral margins; scutellum with two deep rectangular fossae basally; and metatibial apex protruding. Males ofT. cornitermitissp. nov. differ in having feather-like setae on the three basal tarsomeres of meso- and protarsi. The new taxon is associated with termitesCornitermescf.bequaertiEmerson, 1952. www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:439DDABB-EBC2-4870-AA05-76ADC3BDB7D9 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Orphninae genusAegidiumWestwood is revised from mainland South and Central America. Ten new species are described:Aegidium angustumsp. nov.,Aegidium bordonisp. nov.,Aegidium gillisp. nov.,Aegidium howdenisp. nov.,Aegidium onoreisp. nov.,Aegidium peresfilhoisp. nov.,Aegidium peruanumsp. nov.,Aegidium rafaelisp. nov.,Aegidium sinuatumsp. nov. andAegidium varianssp. nov. The lectotype ofAegidium columbianumWestwood is designated. Keys, descriptions, illustrations of habitus and male genitalia, and distributional record maps are given for all species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neotropical Orphninae genusParaegidiumVulcano et al. is revised. Five new species are described:Paraegidium monneorumsp. nov.,Paraegidium barretoisp. nov.,Paraegidium pokornyisp. nov.,Paraegidium howdenisp. nov., andParaegidium oliveiraisp. nov. The genus is subendemic to Brazil, and its species are distributed from Guiana Shield in the north to the Peruvian Yungas in the west and to Serra do Mar escarpments in the south-east. Keys, descriptions, illustrations of habitus and male genitalia, and distributional record map are given. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BD40ACCF-3EEB-43C3-BC54-0D2BB88F679F [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]