Biosystems Diversity (E-Journal - Dnipro National University)
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Ecological-faunistic analysis of ground beetles and tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Cicindelidae) of metropolises of Ukraine
Get PDFGround beetles and tiger beetles are the most noticible representatives of predatory invertebrates often used in bioidentificational studies. This article provides quantitative and ecological characteristics of Caraboidea in five metroplises of Ukraine (Dnipro, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Lviv). In total, in these cities, 237 species of Caraboidea were recorded, belonging to 63 genera and two families – Carabidae (231 species, 61 genera) and Cicindelidae (6 species, 2 genera). By abundance of Carabidae in megapolises, 33 species were identified to abundant. Eudominants were represented by three species: Harpalus rufipes, Pterostichus melanarius and P. оblongopunctatus, dominants – five: Amara aenea, Anchomenus dorsalis, Calathus fuscipes, Harpalus distinguendus and Poecilus versicolor. Subdominants were 25 species: Amara similata, Asaphidion flavipes, Badister bullatus, Bembidion lampros, B. properans, Broscus cephalotes, Calathus ambiguus, C. melanocephalus, Carabus cancellatus, C. coriaceus, C. granulatus, Cylindera germanica, Harpalus affinis, H. anxius, H. griseus, H. latus, H. tardus, Limodromus assimilis, Microlestes minutulus, Nebria brevicollis, Notiophilus palustris, Poecilus cupreus, Pterostichus niger, P. ovoideus and P. strenuus. In the studied cities, 53 species are rare, 151 species were identified to the group of accidental species. For separate cities, number of eudominants ranged from 4 (Donetsk, Kyiv) to 6–8 (Kharkiv, Lviv). Ten species discovered: Amara famelica, A. majuscula, Anisodactylus nemorivagus, Asaphidion pallipes, Badister lacertosus, Blemus discus, Harpalus laeviceps, Limodromus krynickii, Pterostichus minor and Tachyta nana were new for the Steppe zone of Ukraine. Chlaenius aeneocephalus and Brachinus brevicollis were recorded for the first time in the Right Bank of the northern subzone of the steppe zone, and Stenolophus abdominalis mentioned earlier for the far south of Ukraine was for the first time reported for the northern Steppe. Microlestes nеgrita was new for the Forest Steppe, and Masoreus wetterhalli and Syntomus foveatus, known earlier for the forest zone and the south of the steppe zone, were for the first time reported for its northern subzone. The levels of faunistic similarity of Caraboidea for different metropolises ranged within 0.20–0.60 for all species and 0.32–0.90 for abundant species. Most similar were carabidofaunas of Kharkiv and Dnipro (similarity index of Jaccard equaled 0.58–0.87), slightly lower in Dnipro and Kyiv (0.50–0.72). Lowest parameters were seen for Lviv compared with the other cities (0.20–0.32). According to the species composition, the most numerous were meadow (119) and forest elements (59 species). To the polytopic group, 25 species are identified, 23 to the steppe group, and 11 species to the litoral group. In numbers in all the metropolises, the polytopic group dominated, among which abundant species comprised almost half. Within the forest group in Dnipro, Donetsk and Kharkiv, 4–6 abundant species were recorded, whereas in Kyiv and Lviv their number was 14–17 species. Within the meadow group, common species were represented by 4–11 species, and in the steppe and litoral groups such species were absent. In relation to moisture, eudominants were mesophiles (165 species), including 31 abundant species. According to the trophic specialization, zoophages dominated (146 species), including 24 abundant species. Among zoophytophages, 60 species (seven abundant) were recorded. Phytozoophages were represented by 30 species (two abundant). According to mechanical composition of soil, the more diverse groups were observed to be made up species preferring loamy and clay-loamy soils (85 species each), but to the abundant species from these groups, 6 and 10 species respectively were identified. The group of ground beetles with non-manifested preferences to mechanical composition of soil was represented by 41 species, though by number of abundant (17 species), the group was dominant. To inhabitants of heavy loamy, sandy and sabulous soils, 4, 6 and 16 species correspondingly were identified, and no abundant species were observed. At the level of abundant species, the ecological structure was more similar than shown by the analysis of all the species of ground beetles. Hypothetically, typical representatives of carabid beetles of Ukrainian metropolises could be considered polytopic or meadow (to a lesser extent forest) mesophile zoophages or zoophytophages which prefer loam-clayey soils without preference to one or the other type of soil
Antibiofilm forming, antimicrobial activity and some biochemical properties of Vaccinium vitis idaea leaf and berry extracts on Staphylococcus aureus
Get PDFInfections caused by Staphylococcus genus bacteria remain a relevant problem due to the high percentage of antibiotic-resistant biofilm-forming strains of isolates of this genus. Herbs are a promising source for many biologically active compounds with antimicrobial properties. The aim of the research was to study the antimicrobial and antibiofilm formation activity of berry and leaf extracts of Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. upon clinical isolates of S. aureus, and the main biochemical properties of these extracts. For the purpose of analysis, we used S. aureus isolated from the mouth cavities and pharynx of human patients suffering from inflammatory diseases. The plants for the study were gathered in Pylypets, Mizhhiria rayon, Zakarpatska oblast (Transcarpathia). From Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., leaf and berry extracts were produced. To determine the chemical properties of the extracts, the following constituents were investigated: total tannin, flavonoids, total phenols, anthocyanins (by spectrophotometric method), and the total amount of vitamin C in berry extract (chromatographically). The antimicrobial activity was studied by diffusion-into-agar method and determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations. The antibiofilm activity of the extracts was tested in standard 96-well microtitration plates. The main chemical composition of ethyl extracts of Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. berries and leaves was identified. The level of tannins in leaf extracts was established to be higher than in fruit extracts (3.50% and 0.26% per 100 g of extract, respectively). It was shown that extracts of V. vitis-idaea berries and leaves demonstrate high antimicrobial activity against clinical isolates of S. aureus. Further it was established that leaf extracts had high ability to destroy the bacterial biofilm of S. aureus. Leaf extracts were also able to destroy the formed biofilm. Even in the 0.01% concentration, leaf extract inhibited the formation of the biofilm by 69.9% and caused the destruction of the formed biofilm by 62.5%. Thereby, the obtained results show good prospects for the use of V. vitis-idaea leaf extracts as an anti-staphylococcal remedy with antibiofilm forming properties
Syntaxonomy and ecological differentiation of the pioneer vegetation of Ukraine. 2. Helichryso-Crucianelletea maritimae, Festucetea vaginatae, Koelerio-Corynephoretea canescentis classes
Get PDFPioneer psammophytic vegetation is usually developed on wind-drift sandy substrates such as arenas, spits, beaches, river terraces, and this vegetation occupies significant areas in all three natural zones of Ukraine. The Koelerio-Corynephoretea canescentis class was represented by 13 associations, 3 alliances and 1 order; Festucetea vaginatae class by 22 associations, 2 alliances and 1 order; Helichryso-Crucianelletea maritimae by 10 associations, 4 alliances and 1 order. The results of cluster analysis and synoptic tables of the classes are presented. 9 alliances are briefly described. Leading factors of territorial and ecological differentiation are identified. It was found that the territorial distribution of plant communities is influenced by the character of ecotope mesorelief, soil composition and humus horizon thickness, as well as the degree of eolian processes development. The main factors of their ecological differentiation are soil acidity, salt regime and ombroregime. Based on the results of DCA-ordination of syntaxa within certain vegetation classes, it was found that their distribution is influenced by factors that correlate with the environment-specific conditions. It has emerged that an ecological differentiation of syntaxa within Festucetea vaginatae is determined by the integrated effect of gradients, and soil salinity is leading among them. Temperature regime and climate continentality are leading factors in the distribution of syntaxa within the Koelerio-Corynephoretea canescentis class. The gradients of ombroregime and soil humidity have a significant impact. The distribution of communities of the Helichryso-Crucianelletea maritimae class in the ecological space is determined mainly by factors of variability of damping, ombroregime and climate continentality. The author’s syntaxonomic concept assumes the independence of the studied classes: Koelerio-Corynephoretea canescentis, Helichryso-Crucianelletea maritimae and Festucetea vaginatae, considering that the leading factors of community differentiation of the Festucetea vaginatae and Koelerio-Corynephoretea canescentis classes are the origin (genesis) of sandy substrates, as well as soil acidity. Phytosociological analysis of a large number of relevés of coastal littoral vegetation also provides support for independence of the Helichryso-Crucianelletea maritimae and Ammophiletea classes different floristically and ecologically. A review of the psammophytic vegetation of Ukraine will determine the place of the selected syntaxonomic units in the pan-European system
Optimum production conditions for the preparation of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) tincture using response surface methodology
Get PDFLemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a member of medicinal and aromatic plants that have been used for phytotherapeutic applications for decades. In this study, optimum production conditions of lemon balm tincture, which is a functional product used commonly by the people for medicinal purposes, were investigated. For this aim, the response surface methodology approach was applied, and to determine the effect of processing variables, solid concentration (X1), ethanol concentration (X2), and processing time (X3) were selected as the parameters showing the essential effects on the tincture production. The production of high phenolic yielded tincture was aimed at, and therefore, total phenolic content (TPC) and antiradical activity as inhibition concentration (IC50) of the tinctures were determined as the responses in the study. According to the experimental design, 15 tincture samples were prepared, and TPC ranged 1,462–10,335 mg GAE/L, while the IC50 ranged 11.8–78.1 mL. Multiple response optimization approaches were expertly applied, and optimum solid concentration and ethanol concentration for the high bioactive lemon balm tincture was determined as 5 g in 30 mL solvent and 38.6%, respectively. These optimum production conditions will help manufacturing the ideal lemon balm tincture with high bioactivity
Dynamics of indices of metabolism in muscle tissue, liver and gonads of Abramis brama in different periods of the annual cycle
Get PDFThe aim of this research was to study the dynamics of metabolism in the body of bream Abramis brama (L.) at different periods of the annual cycle: pre-spawning, spawning, post-spawning and feeding. The object of the study was 55 male and 53 female bream aged 9–13 years, to reduce the effect of age on the studied parameters. Individuals were measured, weighed, gender was determined, gonad maturity stage, age; the condition factor and organ indices were calculated. The content of moisture, dry matter, lipids, proteins, ash and nitrogen-free extracts (NFE) in the muscles, liver and gonads of male and female bream have been analyzed. The lowest coefficients of condition factor were found in bream during the autumn feeding season, the highest in males during spawning, in females before and after spawning. In the muscle tissue of male and female bream the content of metabolic products in the feeding period and before spawning differed slightly. In the spawning period, the muscles of males exceeded the muscle tissue of females in lipid content by more than two times. In the annual cycle of the bream, the ovaries contain more protein than the testes. The bream of different sex revealed differences in the intensity of metabolic processes during the maturation of gonads: in males, energy costs are more pronounced after wintering before spawning, while in females, during spawning. The main energy reserve in the form of lipids in the annual cycle changes more significantly in the body of male bream than in females. Ovarian maturation requires more metabolite reserves than maturation of the testes, however, males have increased expenditure associated with reproductive behaviour during spawning. Therefore, the total energy contribution to reproduction may be the same for female and for male bream. Bream’s liver and muscle tissue can serve as a source of energy during food shortages and during spawning. In the annual cycle, the condition factor of bream increases due to an increase in the moisture content in the muscles
Influence of multicomponent contamination on the content of photosynthetic pigments in the leaves of woody plants commonly planted for greening of cities
Get PDFWoody plants, as an important element of optimization of the urban environment, respond negatively to the ever-increasing technogenic pressure in cities. Therefore, it is necessary to assess their vital status, the most sensitive indicator of which being the content of plastid pigments. In this article we analyze the effects of multicomponent contamination on quantitative fluctuation of the level of photosynthetic pigments in the leaves of woody plants and identify sensitive species for the purpose of phytoindication in order to assess the state the environment is currently in. For the purposes of our research we chose the most widespread tree species in the city of Dnipro (Steppe zone of Ukraine), growing in the area of intensive industrial pollution and high levels of emissions by vehicles. We determined the content of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls a and b, a + b, carotenoids) in the leaves of woody plants during different months of the growing season (June, July, August) and afterwards this data was used to compare the given parameters against the values taken from trees in the control area. The sum of chlorophyll levels a + b for the majority of plants was decreasing compared to the control. A more significant decrease in the content given by the sum of the a and b chlorophyll levels is observed in the assimilation organs of Aesculus hippocastanum L., Pinus pallasiana (D. Don) and Picea abies (L.) H. The most significant changes in the content of pigments in the leaves of plants under study were detected at the end of the growing season (in August). The content of green pigments in the leaves of Robinia pseudoacacia L., Platanus orientalis L. remains virtually unchanged. Under the influence of multicomponent contamination, the amount of pigments in the case of chlorophyll a in the majority of woody plant species decreases more rapidly compared to the control than in the case of chlorophyll b. The most noticeable drop in the content of chlorophyll a occurs in the leaves of Betula pendula Roth, Ae. hippocastanum, P. pallasiana, Acer platanoides L. and Tilia cordata Mill. The needles of P. abies and Picea pungens Engelm. 'Glauca’ on the contrary suffer from a significant reduction in the concentration of chlorophyll b. The species most resistant to multicomponent contamination in terms of changes in the content of chlorophyll in the leaf blade are R. pseudoacacia, P. orientalis. The concentration of carotenoids in the leaves of plants such as B. pendula, Ae. hippocastanum, A. platanoides, T. cordata, P. abies is lower than that of species growing in the relatively clean zone. The concentration of pigments in Populus alba L., P. pungens 'Glauca’ was higher during all of the months elapsed since the beginning of our study, whereas Ulmus laevis Pall., P. orientalis and R. pseudoacacia – had their concentrations reach an all time high in the second half of the growing season. Therefore, the peculiarities of quantitative fluctuation of photosynthetic pigments in plants, which are characterized by the variable resistance ability against the effects of technogenic multicomponent contamination, have been identified
Influence of herbicides, insecticides and fungicides on food consumption and body weight of Rossiulus kessleri (Diplopoda, Julidae)
Get PDFPesticides kill organisms harmful for the human organism, sometimes also harming beneficial ones. After treatment, pesticides remain on the soil surface in agrocenoses and adjacent plots for decades. For the laboratory experiment, we selected Rossiulus kessleri (Lochmander, 1927) – a species which lives 5–6 years on the soil surface and can dig in to soil to a depth of 30–40 cm. During a 20-day experiment we used herbicides (Roundup, Urahan Forte), insecticides (Omite, BI 58, Biotlin, Actellic, Nurelle D) and fungicides (Ridomil Gold, Thiovit Jet, Penncozeb 80 WP, Falcon, Tilt, Horus) which are often used in agrocenosises of Ukraine. Under the impact of Roundup and Urahan, body weight of R. kessleri reliably did not change, but food consumption and production of excrement increased. Pesticide-treated litter did not digest in the intestine of millipedes, but they survived to the end of the experiment (20 days). In the conditions of treating litter with insecticides Omite, BI 58, Biotlin, Actellic and Nurelle D, the amount of consumed food and body weight reliably did not change; most of these insecticides slowed the formation of feces in the millipedes. The highest studied concentrations of Actellic and Nurelle D preparations caused death to R. kessleri. Depending on the concentration in the litter, the studied fungicides Ridomil Gold, Thiovit Jet, Penncozeb, Falcon, Tilt, Horus had a varying effect on food consumption, body weight and the amount of excrement of R. kessleri. Thus, in agrocenoses and forest ecosystems adjacent to them (windbreaks, ravine and flood plain forests), R. kessleri can be significantly affected by the manufacturer-recommended doses of pesticides, as well as more than ten-fold lower doses
Phytoplankton of the delta of the Mekong River during the dry season
Get PDFHuman activity has disturbed the functioning of river ecosystems all around the globe. The current global climatic fluctuations and local anthropogenic impact lead to rearrangement in the structure and functioning of aquatic communities. One of the most important components of aquatic ecosystems is phytoplankton as the main primary producer of the organic matter, the basis for trophic relations and indicator of changes in the environment. This article presents the first results of a study concerning the peculiarities of quantitative distribution of biomass and species composition of phytoplankton in the delta of the Mekong River at the beginning of the dry season (December of 2018). Diatoms dominated according to biomass practically in all the stations of selection of samples. The total biomass of phytoplankton on average accounted for 0.049 ± 0.007 mg/L at the abundance of 40 ± 7 103 ind./L. In practically all the studied plots, according to biomass, the dominating diatoms were first of all Aulacoseira granulata, A. islandica, Cyclotella meneghiniana, Cyclotella spp., and Oxyneis binalis. Among Chlorophyta, most often we found Chlorella sp. and Scenedesmus quadricauda, but their biomass was insignificant. We determined statistically significant correlation relationships between biomass of phytoplankton and hydrological parameters. Based on the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, we determined negative relations between the total biomass of phytoplankton with salinity and pH. Positive correlation was seen between the biomass of diatoms and turbidity, and also between the temperature and the biomass of chlorophytes and Dinophyta. The biomass of golden algae (Chrysophyceae) and Dinophyta positively correlated with the mineralization. Quantitative regression analysis confirmed the close relationship between the total biomass of phytoplankton, hydrophysical and hydrochemical parameters. Besides the importance of scientific data on biological diversity and ecology of plankton algae, the results we obtained are necessary for organizing biological monitoring in the delta of the Mekong River in the future
Floristic diversity of steppe territories near Poltava town (Ukraine)
Get PDFCurrent progress in botany requires new claims for floristic research. Now the latter is not a simple species inventory of a separate local or regional flora but it needs coordination with recent results of critical taxonomic, nomenclatural and molecular phylogenetic investigations. Based on the fact that detailed research on steppes as a zonal type of vegetation in the Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine is very important for preservation of current steppe territories, the authors studied several territories with steppe vegetation near Poltava town (Poltava region, Ukraine). The key steppe territories found are situated near Abazivka, Rozhayivka, Kostochky, Buhayivka, Machukhy, Ivonchentsi and Zhuky villages. Data about steppe flora from only the first territory located between Abazivka and Rozhayivka villages including “Rozhayivskyi” local botanical reserve were early reported in literature sources while data about steppe vegetation of the other areas has never been published in detail. The full list of 401 vascular plant species found on these steppe territories with the frequency of distribution, major synonym names and references to current taxonomic papers for separate species are proposed. One of these species (Hemerocallis fulva (L.) L.) is a new alien for Poltava region. Taxonomy for all species was critically revised, nomenclature of several taxa (Dichoropetalum carvifolia (Vill.) Pimenov & Kljuykov, Erophila verna (L.) DC., Campanula canescens (Waldst. & Kit.) Roth) is discussed in detail. The name “Dichoropetalum carvifolium-chabraei (Crantz) Soldano et al.” is an invalid designation based on trinominal and must be rejected. The names Selinum chabraei Jacq. ex Murray, Peucedanum euphimiae Kotov and Hemerocallis lilio-asphodelus var. fulva L. were lectotypified. The studied steppe territories have the great significance in the sozological aspect, they include 32 rare steppe plant species (seven from the Red Data Book of Ukraine and 25 from the list of locally rare plants within Poltava region) so the primary task for further research is to organize their protection as the most valuable steppe areas and the monitoring of their condition in the future
Reproductive potential of yellow water-lily (Nuphar lutea) in the conditions of lake ecosystems
Get PDFNuphar lutea (L.) Sm. (Nymphaeaceae Salisb.) belongs to the category of highly active cenose-forming plants in water bodies and water flows. The material for study of morphological peculiarities and seed productivity of the fruits of this species was collected mainly in the lake ecosystems of the Central Part of European Russia and Republic of Belarus. In the study we used biomorphological and ontogenetic approaches. Seed productivity was surveyed by direct count of number of seeds in the fruit. By abundance (in descending order), the significant reliable inter-lake differences in a number of morphological parameters of the fruit fall into the following sequence: number of rays of stigma of fruit (in six pairs of lakes) > length of fruit (in four pairs of lakes) > diameter of the stigma of fruit (in three pairs of lakes) > diameter of fruit (in two pairs of lakes) > length of the neck of the fruit (in one pair of lakes). Intra-regional differences in certain morphological parameters of fruits (by number of rays of stigmas) were most notably manifested only in the Belarus lakes which are similar by trophic status. All the differences in the fruits’ morphology could be due to differences in the habitat by the amount of nutrients in water and soil. The amount of seed productivity of the fruits from N. lutea varies broadly. Analysis of this parameter depending on the character of soils in which the plants grew indicated reliable results only in the case of muddy (296 ± 81) and sandy soils (179 ± 13). We determined that distribution of generative diasporas of N. lutea across large distances is related not only to presence of floating ability in the seeds, but also the “multi-step” process of their release: first – mericarps from fruits, and then seeds from mericarps. In the experimental conditions, most seeds directly sunk to the bed (70%) and the rest continued to float on the surface of the water during a month. Low germination of the seeds of the water-lily in the laboratory conditions (4–6%) with use of different means and terms of dry stratification was due to the fact that they have an organic morphophysiological intermediate type of rest. Having such a mechanism causes portioned and prolonged germination, allowing the species to survive in non-favourable conditions and accumulate generative diaspores in the soil. Despite the fact that the initial stages of ontogenesis in the laboratory and natural conditions have no significant differences, we found polyvariance in their tempo of development. First of all, this is related to different dates of transition of the plant from one age state to another. In the case of N. lutea, one should also note the morphological polyvariance of ontogenesis related to change in morphologic characteristics of plants depending on the water level. The obtained results give a more complete picture of the peculiarities of generative reproduction of N. lutea, necessary for understanding the ecosystem role of this plant and its impact on biological processes in water bodies