Phylogenogeography and genotaxonomy of Pinus sylvestris L. populations

The phylogenogeographic structure, polymorphism, and differentiation of Pinus sylvestris L. have been studied for the first time by means of allozyme analysis of 143 populations along a network of transects covering the entire species range. The results show that the species in general is characterized by a significant level of differentiation, regardless of its relative uniformity in northern and central parts of the range. Nei??s genetic distances between populations and their gradients in the extreme southern parts of the range, where it has an insular pattern, are seven to eight times greater than in the northern, ??glacial?? zone. Three Pleistocene refugia for the species have been revealed in the Balkans, Southern Urals, and Northern Mongolia. Using analysis of genetic distances between 18 phylogeographic regions and an original genosystematic scale, one subspecies, five geographic races and nine geographic population groups have been distinguished in the P. sylvestris L. species structure.     

Technogenic morphological variation of the pygmy wood mouse (Sylvaemus uralensis pall.) in the Urals

Methods of geometric morphometrics have been used to compare the ranges and directions of geographic and technogenic forms of variation in the morphology of the mandible in Ural populations of pygmy wood mice (Sylvaemus uralensis Pall.) exposed to different types of pollutants (radionuclides, fluorides, and toxic petrochemical products). The range of variation in the mandible morphology consequent to chronic radiation exposure in the zone of the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace is commensurate to the range of geographic variation of the species observed in the Middle and Southern Urals. Unspecific manifestations of variation have been revealed, which apparently result from exposure to technogenic pollutants of different origin. A probable contribution of technogenic variation to rapid morphogenetic rearrangements in populations is discussed.     

On the ecology and biology of invasive species Cyclachaena xanthiifolia (Nutt.) Fresen. in the Southern Urals and Cisural region

Ecological and biological characteristics of Cyclachaena xanthiifolia (Nutt.) Fresen., have been studied in four regions of the Southern Urals and Cisural region. Communities including this species have been attributed to association Ivetum xanthiifoliae Fija?kowski 1967 of the class Stellarietea mediae R.Tx., Lohmeyer et Preising 1950. It has been shown that ecological habitat conditions have a significant effect on the majority of morphometric parameters of C. xanthiifolia, accounting for 1.3 to 51.4% of their total variance. Seed production averages 6500 seeds per plant. Extensive dispersal of the species over the Southern Ural region is predicted.     

Climate changes in the past century and radial increment of pine in the Southern Ural steppe

Changes in the main climatic factors (air temperature and total precipitation) and their effect on the radial increment of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) over the period from 1933 to 2002 were studied in an insular pine forest growing in the steppe zone of the Southern Urals. Evidence for a significant increase in the amount of precipitation and air temperature in the second half of this period was obtained. Functions of response of radial increment indices to climatic parameters were analyzed. Relative contributions of air temperature and precipitation to variation in the radial increment of pine in different time intervals proved to differ in relation to climate changes during the past century.     

Pleistocene Refugia for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Calluna vulgaris</Emphasis> (L.) Hull Populations in the European Atlantic Region

The distribution of nine chloroplast DNA haplotypes in four insular North-Atlantic and four European coastal Atlantic populations of Calluna vulgaris in the glacial zone of the range has been analyzed in comparison with that in six marginal southern populations in the nonglacial zone of the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions. As a result, two hypothetical Pleistocene refugia (HPRs) for this C. vulgaris population group have been revealed, one in the Cévennes mountain range and the other in the Southern Alps (Trento). Judging from the 1–F_ST value, it has been found that the group of populations in the glacial Atlantic zone and adjacent European coastal Atlantic region is genetically similar to the HPR in the Cévennes at a highly significant level (p ≥ 0.999) and less similar to the HPR in Trento; however, it differs significantly from other Mediterranean and Atlantic populations. It has been concluded that the most probable hypothetical Pleistocene refugium for the recent C. vulgaris populations of the northeastern Atlantic and European coastal Atlantic regions was in the west of the Mediterranean, in the Cévennes, while the additional refugium was in the Southern Alps. Possible directions of the postglacial dispersal and recolonization of habitats by C. vulgaris populations from the western Mediterranean to the northeast of the Atlantic and to Scandinavia have been revealed.     

Syntaxonomy of Southern Ural Forests as a basis for the system of their protection

Using the example of Southern Ural forests, it is shown that the Braun-Blanquet method is promising for estimating the efficiency of the system of specially protected natural areas (SPNAs) and drawing up guidelines for its further development. In particular, evidence is provided that forests of the unions Aconito-Piceion and Lathyro-Quercion are protected quite insufficiently. Proposals concerning organization of new SPNAs are formulated.     

Gradient Genogeographic Analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus sylvestris</Emphasis> L. Populations in Europe

Gradients of Nei's genetic distances between 15 samples of Pinus sylvestris L. trees were analyzed along three submeridional transects, from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean and Transcaucasia. As a result, distinct chorogenetic differentiation was revealed between the populations of this species growing in climatically specific regions of northern and southern Europe. Considerable Nei's distances (DN = 0.045–0.056) and their gradients, combined with differences in stable phenotypic characters (the composition of monoterpenes and morphological parameters of cones) determined at the Pyrenean and Caucasian mountain borders, suggest that the P. sylvestris species structure includes two South Eurasian subspecies, the Pyrenean P. sylvestris L., ssp. iberica Svoboda and the Transcaucasian P. sylvestris L., ssp. hamata (Stev.) Fomin.     

Distribution and abundance of European mole (Talpa europaea L.) in areas affected by two Ural Copper Smelters

The abundance of moles has been studied in 2007–2010 along the gradient of pollution by emissions from the Middle Ural (Middle Urals) and Karabash (Southern Urals) Copper Smelters. It has been estimated by the routing method with regard to the number of inhabited burrows per 1 km. Not a single mole has been recorded in heavily polluted areas near these copper smelters. Under conditions of moderate pollution, the abundance of moles decreased 1.5–1.8 times. The smallest “mole desert” near the source of emissions extends for 90–100 km². A dramatic decrease in the abundance of earthworms, which are the main food object of moles, is considered a possible reason for these changes.     

Genogeography of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus sylvestris</Emphasis> L. populations in the Greater Caucasus and Crimea

Allozyme analysis of 18 Pinus sylvestris L. populations from seven landscape-geographic groups has been performed in the Greater Caucasus, Crimea, and Russian Plain. The results show that populations of the Mt. Elbrus region (isolated by high mountain ridges) are characterized by lower polymorphism and most distinct differentiation (at the level of geographic race) from other populations, which are differentiated from each other at the level of geographic groups. Genetic gradients (boundaries) between populations reach a maximum on transects across the Greater Caucasus Range, and Transcaucasian populations are more similar to populations of the Russian Plain, compared to North Caucasian populations, which confirms the hypothesis of ancestral connections between their gene pools.     

Characteristics of parasitic infection in the least cisco, Coregonus sardinella valenciennes, 1848, in the Ural tributaries of the lower Ob

Data on the parasite fauna of the least cisco, Coregonus sardinella Valenciennes, 1848 in Ural tributaries of the Ob downstream of the city of Salekhard have been obtained for the first time. The formation patterns of the parasite fauna in this species and the rate (prevalence and intensity) of infection by Ichthyocotylurus erraticus (Odening, 1969), a parasite specific to coregonids, have been revealed. Infection of the least cisco with six parasite species (out of the 12 species found) occurs as the fish feed on zooplankton and benthic organisms. The dominant parasites are trematode larvae of the genera Ichthyocotylurus and, in some years, Diplostomum; this composition of dominants is evidence that the least cisco fattens up mainly in shallow areas. All sexually mature fish of this species were found to be infected by I. erraticus, but the average intensity of infection was rather low: the abundance index of the parasite did not exceed 40 ind. per fish. Analysis of the distribution of I. erraticus metacercariae in the least cisco shows that the relationship in the host-parasite system is stable and the parasite has no pathogenic effect on individuals of older age classes.     

Accumulation of 90Sr in the bone tissue of northern mole voles in the head portion of the East Ural Radioactive Trace

The accumulation of ⁹⁰Sr in the bone tissue of northern mole voles (Ellobius talpinus Pallas, 1770) living under chronic exposure to ⁹⁰Sr in the center of the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace (EURT) with a ⁹⁰Sr contamination density of 37 MBq/m² or 1000 Ci/km² has been evaluated. Northern mole voles live under-ground and are characterized by family organization of populations and an extremely weak tendency toward dispersal. While there are no sex- or age-related differences in ⁹⁰Sr accumulation, sevenfold interindividual differences have been found. Hereditary (familial) determination of the variability of ⁹⁰Sr accumulation has been demonstrated. The probable causes of the difference in the familial component from the results of laboratory experiments on inbred mice are considered. The age-related inversion of ⁹⁰Sr accumulation previously found in other mammalian species in the EURT area has been confirmed. A possible mechanism of its formation is suggested.     

Insularization and polymorphism in marginal island populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus sylvestris</Emphasis> L.

Comparative allozyme analysis of 26 marginal island populations of Pinus sylvestris L. and 20 populations from the center of the species range has confirmed, at the species level, the Wright-Dubinin “island model” of automatic genetic processes and Mayr’s hypothesis about homozygotization of small isolated populations at range boundaries. It has been shown that the polymorphism of isolated populations sharply decreases when their area is reduced below 15–20 km² and increases to the level observed in the center of the range when the population area exceeds 50–100 km². A chorogenetic classification of marginal P. sylvestris populations is proposed.     

Evolutionary ecological analysis of coupled geographic variation of two sympatric rodent species in the Southern Urals

Geometric morphometrics has been used to reveal coupled geographic variation in the mandible shape in two sympatric rodent species, the pygmy wood mouse (Sylvaemus uralensis Pall.) and bank vole (Myodes glareolus Pall.), in the Southern Urals. It has been shown that syntopic samples synchronously collected from the local communities of these species usually display similar, parallel, and unidirectional morphological changes as demonstrated by comparison of species pairs from different localities. The degree of concordance in geographic variation of the species makes it possible to estimate their coevolutionary potential within local communities: the wider the range of ecological conditions under which parallel variation of sympatric species is observed, the higher is their coevolutionary potential.     

Strategies of adaptation to heavy metal pollution in Deschampsia caespitosa and Lychnis flos-cuculi: Analysis based on dose-response relationship

The response to copper pollution was studied in the vegetative progeny of tufted hair grass (Deschampsia caespitosa (L.) Beauv.) and ragged robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi L.) plants growing together in chronically polluted areas around the Middle Ural Copper Smelter or in background areas. The root elongation test was used, with copper sulfate (0.006–0.51 mg Cu/L) being added directly to the nutrient medium. Using multimodel inference, dose-response curves were plotted for each of 85 maternal plants, and their parameters (effective Cu concentrations and curve slope in the linear segment) were evaluated. The pattern of transformation in dose dependence of root increment upon transition from background to impact populations proved to be basically different in the two species. The curves for L. flos-cuculi showed a parallel shift, with their shape remaining generally unchanged. In D. caespitosa, this transition was accompanied by a decrease in sensitivity to Cu, but tolerance to this metal was found to increase only at the highest concentration range. These results provide evidence for different strategies of adaptation to heavy metal pollution, which are discussed by comparing the physiological and ecological properties of the two species.     

Spatial distribution of coarse woody debris in pine forests of the Marii El Transvolga region

The spatial distribution of coarse woody debris in pine forests has been studied in the Transvolga region of the Marii El Republic. For this purpose, 30 test plots have been established in pine (Pinus sylvestris) stands of the study region. The results are indicative of a tendency toward the spatial grouping (clustering) of woody debris by fractions, decomposition classes, and stocks along with increase in stand age.     

The hypothesis of hydrochorous dissemination of populations of conifers

A comparative analysis of field observations and experiments on the distance and rate of dispersal of self-sown Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) progeny has shown that the rate of their hydrochorous dissemination downstream is an order of magnitude higher than the rate of dispersal in upland areas. A hypothesis assigning priority to the role of hydrochory in the expansion of conifer populations to the tundra (periglacial) zone along with climate warming has been formulated and substantiated by comparative isozyme analysis of populations in transects lying along and across rivers.     

Radionuclides in the Ecosystem of Lake Tygish in the Zone of the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace

The radioecological situation in Lake Tygish is described. The lake is situated on the central axis of the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace (EURT), which was formed after the nuclear accident in the Southern Urals in 1957. The distributions of ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs among the main components of the water body and the results of the measurement of tritium concentration in the water are presented. Mathematical models are described that have made it possible to estimate changes in the concentrations of radionuclides and their amounts accumulated in the water and bottom sediments of the lake during the long period after the accident and to predict the development of the radioecological situation in the lake until 2057. Based on the mathematical models, more accurate data on the initial ecological situation in the lake in the year of the accident have been obtained.     

Model reconstruction of 90Sr concentrations in fish from 16 Ural lakes contaminated by the Kyshtym accident of 1957

The paper outlines the results of the ECOMOD model application to simulate 90Sr dynamics in fish dwelling in Southern Ural lakes and contaminated as a result of the Kyshtym accident. The detailed reconstruction of 90Sr behavior in fish for the 40-year period (1957-1997) was made for the most contaminated lakes (Uruskul and Berdenish). The adapted ECOMOD model was applied for the other 14 Ural lakes to explain the peculiarities in 90Sr accumulation by fish in lakes with different concentrations of Ca2+ ions in lake water.     

Variation in the seed progeny of smooth brome grass,Bromus inermis Leyss., under conditions of chronic irradiation in the zone of the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace

Long-term studies have been performed on the seed progeny of B. inermis from test plots established along the radioactive contamination gradient in the zone of the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace (EURT), where dose loads on maternal plants and embryos of seeds from chronically irradiated cenopopulations (with natural background radiation taken into account) exceed control values by factors of 2 to 107. Interannual and individual variation in the viability, mutability, and radiosensitivity of the seed progeny has been revealed. Against the background of high interpopulation variation in test parameters in the EURT zone, weather conditions appear to have no significant effect on seed quality, while such effects are appreciable in background cenopopulations. It has been shown that a positive correlation exist between the initial viability of the seed progeny and their radioresistance. Chronic irradiation in a wide dose range induces an increased frequency of different mutations and morphological modifications. The contents of low-molecular antioxidants in seedlings from impact cenopopulations proved to be higher than in the background sample. The results obtained characterize the potential of protective and restorative mechanisms acquired in the course of evolution that allow plants to survive in the changing environment under exposure to technogenic stress.     

Morphophysiological responses of Pinus sylvestris L. and Picea obovata Ledeb. to industrial pollution under conditions of Northwestern Russia

Morphophysiological parameters of needles have been studied in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Siberian spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.) trees of different life states growing under conditions of industrial air pollution with sulfur and heavy metals. Three functional clusters (tentatively named the initial, transitional, and disastrous clusters), each characterized by a certain metabolic status, have been revealed, and their quantitative and qualitative structure has been evaluated. The morphophysiological responses of pine and spruce are shown to be qualitatively different, depending on differentiation of trees with respect to vitality under conditions of industrial pollution. Probable factors accounting for these differences are discussed.