Biosystems Diversity (E-Journal - Dnipro National University)
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Application of hemeroby and naturalness indicators for monitoring the aquatic macrophyte communities in protected areas
Get PDFThe article discusses the application of hemeroby and naturalness indicators for monitoring the state of aquatic macrophytes in protected areas, taking into account the ecological characteristics of plant community syntaxons. Naturalness and hemeroby are considered as potential indicators of the state of aquatic ecosystems and the level of their anthropogenic transformation. Naturalness indicates the proximity of the community to the most natural state, and hemeroby indicates the level of anthropogenic transformation of the ecosystem. The vegetation cover of macrophytic communities of the “Dnipro-Orilskiy" Nature Reserve is represented by eight associations. Their differentiation is due to natural factors and factors caused by anthropogenic impact. The recorded plant communities demonstrate a compact spatial distribution. The Nymphaeo albae-Nupharetum luteae community occurs in the Dnipro riverbed. The Ceratophyllo-Hydrocharitetum associations were typical of the Orilsky Canal water bodies and were also found in Lake Sokilky, which is part of the Mykolaivka ledge system. The association's communities are common in the middle and lower reaches of the Dnipro. They are widespread in non-flowing water bodies with poor water exchange, neutral or slightly alkaline reaction of the environment in habitats protected from the wind, with water depth up to 50 cm, silted bottom sediments with a significant thickness of detritus and water transparency up to 15 cm. They are found in water bodies with excessive anthropogenic eutrophication processes. The Typhetum latifoliae association occurs in the system of the Obukhivka ledge system. The Salvinio-Hydrocharitetum association occurs mainly in the water bodies of the Taromske ledge system. The Hydrocharito-Stratiotetum aloidis association occurs in the water bodies of the Mykolaivka ledge system adjacent to the first floodplain terrace of the Dnipro. The Lemno-Hydrocharitetum morsus-ranae association is found in the streams of the Mykolaivka ledge system. The Myriophylletum spicati association occurs in the bays of the Mykolaivka ledge system, which directly border the Dnipro riverbed. The Trapetum natantis association occurs in the water bodies of the Mykolaivka and Taromske ledge system. The close spatial relationship of macrophyte associations with geomorphic areas of the Dnipro floodplain can help reconstruct the events that led to the current appearance of plant communities. It has been shown that the morphology of water bodies and their water properties largely determine the spatial distribution of aquatic macrophytes. The study has shown that climate continentality is an important differentiating factor that determines the characteristics of the vegetation cover of aquatic macrophytes. The Typhetum latifoliae association differs from others by the dominance of plants with a range that is widespread in Eastern Europe. This association is found in the water bodies of the Obukhivka ledge system, where specific environmental conditions are formed. These include significantly higher water salinity, shallow water that warms up well, and relatively high nutrient supply. It is also worth noting the low naturalness, which can be explained by the high level of coastal erosion, which causes secondary vegetation succession. The decrease in naturalness may be the result of increased secondary succession. The high level of naturalness of the communities indicates the role of the protected area regime in the conservation of biodiversity. However, the protected area regime alone cannot protect the reserve from the impact of a complex of anthropogenic factors. The anthropogenic transformation of plant communities is caused by eutrophication, which depends on both the availability of excessive nutrients and water temperature. Refugia of the rheophilic regime in the Dnipro floodplain form biodiversity centers that are highly natural and have significant conservation value. Indicators of naturalness and hemeroby are sensitive markers of the state of plant communities that can be used in the practice of biological monitoring in protected areas
Biological effectiveness of the Bt 26 strain of Bacillus thuringiensis in fighting the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne inсognita
Get PDFPlant-parasitic nematodes pose a great threat to v arious crops, killing them and causing damage to agriculture. The bacteria-based approach to fighting them seems particularly promising, as it also makes it possible to lower the use of chemicals and reduce the effects caused by environmental changes. The goal of this work is to study the biological effect of the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis against nematodes from the genus Meloidogyne . Samples of cucumbers from an experimental site deliberately infected with the southern root-nematode Meloidogyne incognita were used as material for this work. The study was conducted in 2023 – 2024. Phytohelmintology and microbiology methods were used in the research. In vivo experiments and studies in greenhouses and in the field have shown that bacteria can help regulate in various ways the development of endoparasitic nematodes. In conclusion, as a result of our studies of the local bacterial strain Bt 26, which has high nematocidal activity against M . incognita , we determined the optimal schemes of application of the bioprepar a tion. Application of seed encapsulation with Bt.-26 strain bacteria further increased the efficiency of microbial agents. Seed treatment with Bt.-26 contained the lowest galling index of 0.5. Treatment with bacteria, which initiates protective mechanisms in plants, is regarded as an optimal solution, since it is no less or even more effective than the use of chemical pesticides. Moreover, bacteria have additional positive effects on plants, such as growth stimulation, which increases their productivity
Macroinvertebrate diversity as an indicator of ecological health and water quality in Northern Algeria
Get PDFThis s tudy aims to investigate the spatial and temporal variation of macroinvertebrate communities and their relationship with environmental factors in the rivers of Chrea National Park, northern Algeria. Analysis of the spatio-temporal variation of physico-chemical parameters revealed no significant differences in temperature between stations. However, highly significant differences were observed for pH, conductivity and dissolved oxygen. Over a four-month period, a total of 19,737 individuals were sampled at four stations. Macroinvertebrate diversity was highest in the Djir and Merdja Rivers, with Diptera dominating the community composition at most stations. However, species richness and evenness were significantly lower in the Tamesguida River, suggesting greater environmental degradation in this region. The logarithmic curve of the rank frequency diagrams shows that the Merdja and Djir Rivers have higher initial abundances than the Mouzaia. Index results diversity indices show a high biodiversity in the Djir, Merdja and Mouzaia Rivers, while the Tamesguida River has much lower values, indicating a lower diversity and a more marked dominance of certain species. The Shannon-Wiener index reaches its maximum in the Djir (2.75) and its minimum in the Tamesguida (0.87). The Standardized global biological index,the Pielou evenness index and the Simpson index follow a similar trend, showing a more balanced species distribution in the Djir and Merdja and a less balanced distribution in the Tamesguida. The Margalef index confirms a much lower species richness in Tamesguida compared to the other stations.The results indicate that the Tamesguida River has a significantly lower diversity and species richness than the other stations, with a more pronounced dominance of certain species
Species composition and structural organization of the littoral zooplankton communities in the Oleksandrivka Reservoir (Ukraine)
Get PDFToday, the issue of researching reservoirs, which are an important source of human water supply and are significantly affected by anthropogenic factors, is gaining more and more relevance. Research on the Oleksandrivka Reservoir is highly important since the safety of operation of the South-Ukrainian NPP depends on the functioning of this reservoir. The research material was samples of littoral zooplankton, which is a bioindicator of changes in the aquatic environment. During the research, both classical methods and the original method of standardizing the number and localization of zooplankton sampling stations within different types of reservoir were used. As a result of original research, the species composition and structural organization of littoral zooplankton communities in different parts of the Oleksandrivka Reservoir were analyzed for the first time. A total of 126 species of zooplankton were registered, of which 96 were observed in this reservoir for the first time. The rotifer Euchlanis dapidula was discovered for the first time in the fauna of Ukraine. The peculiarities of the formation of the faunal spectrum, trophic groups, complex of dominant species, distribution of biotopes, distribution in different parts of the reservoir, density, biomass, as well as seasonal and daily dynamics of littoral zooplankton groups were also clarified. It was established that the biomass of phytoplankton has a statistically significant effect on the density and biomass of zooplankton
Diversity and features of the fauna of herpetobiont beetles (Carabidae, Tenebrionidae, Elateridae, Scarabaeidae) of the Lower Zeravshan, Uzbekistan
Get PDFThe Lower Zeravshan district of Uzbekistan is characterized by the most arid climate and is particularly affected by global warming and anthropogenic pressure. The biodiversity of herpetobiont beetles in this region has not been sufficiently studied, and this makes it difficult to monitor the fauna of the region. This work was carried out to assess the biodiversity and ecological features of some groups of herpetobiont beetles during 2019–2023. Soil and light traps, soil excavations and manual collection were used to collect material. A total of 131 species of beetles were identified. The carabid fauna of the region is represented by 43 species belonging to nine subfamilies, 19 tribes, and 28 genera. For the fauna of the Republic, two species were recorded for the first time (Syntomus obscuroguttatus (Duftschmid, 1812) and Scarites subcylindricus Chaudoir, 1843). The darkling beetle fauna includes 46 species belonging to three subfamilies, 16 tribes, and 30 genera. For the first time, five species were recorded for the fauna of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Cyphogenia lucifuga Adams, 1817, Trigonoscelis apicalis Reitter, 1907, Colpotus sulcatus (Menetries, 1838), Tribolium destructor Uyttenboogart, 1933, Pentaphyllus chrysomeloides (Rossi, 1792)). The fauna of ground beetles and darkling beetles of the Lower Zeravshan consists of two species complexes that differ sharply from each other – xerophilic (inhabiting desert biocenoses) and hygromesophilic (inhabiting agricultural landscapes). The similarity coefficients of the fauna of these two types of biocenoses are very low. The fauna of click beetles is represented by 10 species belonging to four subfamilies and seven genera. The fauna of lamellar beetles consists of 31 species (32 with subspecies), belonging to eight subfamilies, 13 tribes, and 19 genera. In agrocenoses, a significant increase in the number of herpetobionts is observed in the first days of June. But their maximum number is observed in early July. It has been established that seasonal fluctuations in the number of representatives of the families Carabidae, Elateridae, Staphylinidae, and Tenebrionidae occur almost in parallel. Fluctuations in the number of representatives of the Scarabaeidae family do not correspond to the above pattern, and the maximum value is observed at the end of July. The data obtained can be used to assess biodiversity and environmental monitoring of arid zones of Uzbekistan
Description of feather mite Proctophyllodes musicus (Acariformes, Proctophyllodidae) obtained from Turdus merula
Get PDFFeather mites (Acariformes, Astigmata) are a large group of species in which mites of the genus Proctophyllodes Robin, 1868. Analgoidea are among the most common parasites of passerines. These mites are permanent obligate ectoparasites localized on the flight feathers, greater wing coverts, and on the tail. Most species of feather mites are characterized by high host specificity. The taxonomy and fauna of feather mites of the genus Proctophyllodes, and their morphological identification characters in different countries of the world are still a matter of research. The aim of our work was to describe the morphological features and metric parameters of feather mites of the species P. musicus Vitzthum, 1922, isolated from the common blackbird Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 in Ukraine. 32 parameters are determined in males and females of P. musicus mites, which characterize both their general structure of the body and sexual dimorphism. The structure and sizes of the body, gnathosoma, idiosoma, prodorsal and hysteronotal shields, epimerites I, setae cp and c3, and the distance between setae of the scapula se–se and si–si are described. In males, the sizes of adanal sucker discs, epigastric shields, genital arch, setae ps2, h3, h2, the distance between setae 4a–4a, g–g, ps3–ps3, ps1–ps1 are additionally described and determined. Lamellae in males are wide, tongue-shaped, do not overlap. The aedeagus is short, slightly extending beyond the posterior margin of the genital arch. In female mites, the dimensions of the lobar shield, terminal appendages, and terminal recess are additionally described and determined, taking into account the location of setae ps1, h2, the dimensions of setae cp, c3, h3, h2, the distance between setae h1–h1, the distance between hysteronotal and lobar shields. The mite eggs were measured in the body of the female and on the feathers of the birds. The scientific data obtained in this study expand the already existing data on morphological and metric characters of feather mites of the species P. musicus (Proctophyllodidae) isolated from the common blackbird
First records of echinoderm species in the checklist of the Algerian coast (Mediterranean Sea), found off Paloma Island
Get PDFThe study of echinoderms in the Mediterranean region has generated considerable interest and has led to significant advancements in systematic research. Numerous species have been identified, with 35% of them belonging to the Holothuroidea class. This paper provides pertinent information on the echinoderm fauna of the Algerian coast, specifically focusing on the sampling conducted at Plane Island in western Algeria. Additionally, it includes an updated account of previously recorded species. The recent research findings consist of a total of 288 specimens: 284 ophiuroids and 4 echinoids. The research provides a comprehensive list of all the species identified. Additional species have been discovered at Paloma (Plane) Island. Several of these species have not previously been recorded on the Algerian coastline, such as the pencil urchin Stylocidaris affinis. A map of its distribution has been created to monitor its establishment in the Mediterranean. Our findings show that S. affinis is more abundant in shallow waters ranging from 50 to 150 m. A total of 70 species were documented along the Algerian coast, with the majority belonging to the classes Holothuroidea and Ophiuroidea. The class Crinoidea, however, only counts three species: Antedon bifida moroccana, A. mediterranea, and Leptometra celtica. The majority of species (65.2%) have a distribution that spans the region of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Approximately 33% of species are potentially exclusive to the Mediterranean region, and only one species (1%) is found worldwide. Three echinoderms are now indexed as endangered or threatened in Barcelona’s Appendix II. Moreover, to provide a comprehensive understanding, this study compares the fauna of the Algerian coast with that of adjacent seas
Bioindication potentials of the grass stand and soil macrofauna for assessing the level of anthropogenic transformation of an urban park are complementary
Get PDFChanges in the environment induced by anthropogenic impact or natural stressors are subject to bioindication. Most often, the anthropogenic stressors are the main object of bioindication research. Hemeroby and naturalness are considered as indicators of the level of anthropogenic transformation of ecosystems. Hemeroby is frequently used to assess disturbances in different types of vegetation. However, this concept has rarely been used to assess the impact on animals. According to the method of indicator values, species richness of a community is a marker of bioindication potential. The article compares the patterns of response of species richness of soil macrofauna and herbaceous cover communities in a city park, taking into account gradients of environmental factors, naturalness, and hemeroby. Within the study area, test plots were located. Soil macrofauna samples were taken at 105 points in each of the test sites, and soil hardness, electrical conductivity and soil temperature, litter height, and grass cover height were also measured. A geobotanical description of the vegetation cover was made within each plot. In the survey plots, 7.6 ± 3.0 plant species were found in the herbaceous layer. In soil samples, 6.8 ± 2.9 species of macrofauna were found. With an increase in the number of plant species in the herbaceous layer, the number of soil macrofauna species showed a downward trend. An increase in the number of soil macrofauna species is accompanied by a decrease in both naturalness and hemeroby of the plant community. The naturalness index does not depend on the number of plant species, but the largest number of plant species was observed under conditions of naturalness level from 0 to 1. With an increase in hemeroby, the number of plant species increases, although this relationship also has a nonlinear component. The largest number of plant species is observed at hemeroby levels from 45 to 65. Environmental factors and indicators of hemeroby and naturalness were able to explain 27% of the variation in the number of soil macrofauna species. Humidity regime and continentality did not affect the number of species. Increased variability in moisture conditions, carbonate content, and indicators of frost and cryoclimate contributed to an increase in the number of invertebrate species. Increases in acidity, mineral salts, nitrates, and soil aeration had a negative impact on the number of soil macrofauna species. Soil properties were able to explain 21% of the variation in the number of soil macrofauna species. Environmental factors and indicators of hemeroby and naturalness were able to explain 72% of the variation in the number of herbaceous plant species. Increases in moisture, acidity, mineralization, thermocline, and cryoclimate indicators had a negative impact on the number of plant species. Biological indicators can be used to assess complex environmental factors that are difficult to measure using instrumental methods. Bioindicators are also used to assess the level of anthropogenic transformation of ecosystems. The key concepts for solving this problem are the naturalness and hemeroby of plant communities, which are used as markers of ecosystem disturbance in general. Vegetation cover as a source of bioindication information can provide a biased assessment of the level of anthropogenic transformation due to its greater sensitivity to certain types of anthropogenic pressure. The potential of soil animals as a source of information on the level of anthropogenic transformation in the urban environment is quite significant. Species richness is a marker of the potential ability of a plant or animal community to provide reliable bioindication information. The bioindication complementarity of animal and plant communities is that the highest species richness of soil macrofauna is observed at a relatively low level of species richness of plant communities. Therefore, soil macrofauna can complement and clarify estimates of the level of anthropogenic transformation made using plant communities or can be an independent source of information for such estimates
Groupings of arthropods in nest boxes inhabited by Phoenicurus phoenicurus in pine forests of Northeastern Ukraine
Get PDFThe common redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus (Passeriformes, Muscicapidae) is one the most appealing insect-eating birds living in parks, gardens, and other cultured landscapes of Europe, Central and Western Asia, and Northern Africa. We analyzed the nests of Ph. phoenicurus after the chicks had flown away. Throughout the reproductive period, in the pine forests of Northeastern Ukraine, those nests contained 23 species of arthropods, belonging to 15 families, 9 orders. The analysis of the distribution of arthropods by ecological groups revealed a correlation between the number of arthropods and parameters of breeding success and air temperature in the national nature parks. To attract Ph. phoenicurus to the pine forests of the region, we used standard-sized artificial nests made of wooden sections. The results of the study demonstrated a high level of biodiversity of nidicolous arthropods in the nests of Ph. phoenicurus in the pine forests in 2019–2023. The largest share of nidicolous invertebrates among the ecological groups was comprised of “nourishment for chicks”. A large portion of arthropods in the nest of Ph. phoenicurus was polyphages. The results provide a better understandanding of the dynamics of invertebrates’ populations in artificial nests occupied by Ph. phoenicurus, their effect on the breeding successfulness of this species, and also other significant factors. This is important for designing effective strategies of preserving the populations of this species in the region of research. Further research is needed to specify the factors influencing the distribution of the bird and species composition of arthropods in its nests in other types of ecosystems within the bird’s range
Morphological and functional diversity of floodplain water bodies and their classification according to the structure of the surrounding vegetation cover
Get PDFThe study identified the indicators of functional and morphological diversity of the Dnipro River floodplain water bodies within the Dnipro-Orilsky Nature Reserve. The database of recorded water bodies of the reserve consists of 302 objects. The total area of the floodplain and the water bodies close to it is 24.2 km2, and the area of the water bodies is 6.03 km2. Thus, the water bodies cover 24.9% of the floodplain area. The water bodies of the Dnipro River channel system account for 17.9% of the number of water bodies in the Reserve and 71.4% of the total area of water bodies and the Dnipro River in the projection of the Reserve. The water bodies of the study system are located at a distance of up to 3.2 km from the main channel of the Dnipro River. The average distance is 1.50 ± 0.04 km. The closest water bodies to the main channel of the Dnipro River are those in the Dnipro riverbed, which were formed as a result of the creation of a reservoir in the floodplain. Three factors with eigenvalues greater than unity were extracted as a result of factor analysis of the morphometric features of the water bodies. These three factors explain 85.8% of the cumulative correlation of morphometric features. Factor 1 reflects a latent variable that can be identified as the total size of the ponds. The total size of the water bodies was the largest for the Orilsky Canal, with slightly smaller sizes in the water bodies of the Dnipro River channel. The smallest water bodies were in the Obukhivka system. Factor 2 as a latent variable can be identified as the level of shoreline development. According to this indicator, the water bodies of different systems did not differ. Factor 3 can be identified as the altitude and variability of the relief surrounding the water bodies. The lowest values of this factor were for the water bodies of the Orilsky Canal and the Obukhivka system. The values were slightly higher for the water bodies of the Taromske and Mykolaivka systems. The highest levels of relief and its variability were characteristic of the areas close to the water bodies of the Dnipro channel system. Cluster analysis allowed us to identify seven clusters that are relatively homogeneous in terms of morphometric features. These clusters can be differentiated based on the results of discriminant analysis. An important aspect of differentiation is the size of the water bodies, the development of the shoreline, and the height of the terrain surrounding the water bodies. The identified clusters correspond well to the types of water bodies, which are selected based on their orientation relative to the preferred direction of water flow. The satellite image classification was used to identify 15 types of vegetation cover within the reserve. The water bodies are characterized by specific spectra of the main types of plant communities in their surroundings. The cluster analysis of the water bodies resulted in nine clusters based on the structure of the vegetation complexes surrounding them. Each cluster contains the entire list of vegetation types that have been established for floodplain ecosystems. The peculiarity of the complexes lies in the specific ratio between different vegetation types. The most important structural factors that distinguish the complexes are the projective cover of oaks, floodplain meadows, and shrubs. At the top level of the hierarchy, the complexes are differentiated by the projective cover of floodplain meadows. At a lower level, the differentiation is based on the projective cover of sands or oaks. The clusters identified on the basis of plant complexes and morphometric features, as well as the types of water bodies in terms of orientation with respect to the prevailing water flows, correspond to each other to a certain extent