Specific Karyological Features of Siberian Stone Pine (Pinus sibirica Du Tour) in Western Siberian Bogs

The results of a karyological study on Siberian stone pines growing in the bog demonstrated differences from the populations of this species studied earlier with respect to sizes of chromosomes and location of secondary constrictions. The number of nucleolar organizer regions in the chromosomes of Siberian stone pine trees growing in the bog was larger than in other populations. A wide spectrum of chromosome aberrations was revealed, which had not been observed in this species before. These were genome and chromosome aberrations of various types, as well as structural aberrations accompanied by changes in the number of chromosomes. It is assumed that the aberrations in the karyotype of Siberian stone pine resulted from stressful conditions.     

Species-Specific Features of Inter- and Intrapopulation Variation in the Level of Chromosome Instability in Rodents

Studies on the common vole Microtus arvalis revealed a distinct cytogenetic response to the influence of ionizing radiation, a wide range of variation in the group average indices of chromosome instability beyond the zone of technogenic impact, and the influence of natural factors (viral infections and fluctuations of population size) on the frequency of chromosome aberrations. In the northern mole vole Ellobius talpinus, neither the mutagenic effect of ionizing radiation nor interpopulation differences in the level of chromosome aberrations in the absence of anthropogenic impact were detected. Variation of genome instability of the rodents is significantly contributed to by species demography and population cycles.     

Studies on the yellow ground squirrel (Citellus fulvus Licht.) in biotopes contaminated with phenylpyrazoles

The presence of fipronil and fipronil-sulfone has been revealed in components of natural ecosystems affected by application of fipronil-based pesticides. It has been found that ground squirrels Citellus fulvus from biotopes contaminated with phenylpyrazoles are characterized by a high LPO level as well as by cytogenetic instability manifested in the increased frequency of structural and genomic mutations. Chromatid rearrangements prevail in the spectrum of chromosome aberrations, which indicates that a chemical mutagen is present in the environment.     

Intrapopulation Variation and Interpopulation Phenetic Differentiation of Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta Walbaum) in Populations of the Northern Sea of Okhotsk Region

The results of phenetic studies on chum salmon populations from the rivers flowing into Taui and Yama bays, Sea of Okhotsk, are discussed. The heterogeneity of samples with respect to the frequency of a certain phene in females is not necessarily revealed when this frequency is analyzed in males. Statistically significant heterogeneity with respect to phene frequencies is observed in all chum salmon populations, whether the corresponding data are analyzed by years or throughout the observation period. This population heterogeneity is accounted for by specific phenetic features of each chum salmon population, although in different years it manifests itself in the frequencies of different phenes. The phenes distinguished on the head of fish contribute most significantly to interpopulation differences.     

Chromosome aberrations as indicator of technogenic impact on conifer stands

The level of chromosome aberrations at different stages of mitosis has been studied in the seed sprout meristem of four conifer species growing in the Southern Urals in areas differing in the kind and degree of industrial pollution. The results provide evidence for the adverse effect of pollution on the chromosomal machinery of these species. With respect to environmental quality assessment, the Scots pine is the most sensitive indicator species among conifers growing in the Southern Urals and analysis of chromosome aberrations in anaphase-telophase cells is most effective among the cytogenetic methods tested.     

Environmental biodosimetry: a biologically relevant tool for ecological risk assessment and biomonitoring

Biodosimetry, the estimation of received doses by determining the frequency of radiation-induced chromosome aberrations, is widely applied in humans acutely exposed as a result of accidents or for clinical purposes, but biodosimetric techniques have not been utilized in organisms chronically exposed to radionuclides in contaminated environments. The application of biodosimetry to environmental exposure scenarios could greatly improve the accuracy, and reduce the uncertainties, of ecological risk assessments and biomonitoring studies, because no assumptions are required regarding external exposure rates and the movement of organisms into and out of contaminated areas. Furthermore, unlike residue analyses of environmental media, environmental biodosimetry provides a genetically relevant biomarker of cumulative lifetime exposure. Symmetrical chromosome translocations can impact reproductive success, and could therefore prove to be ecologically relevant as well. We describe our experience in studying aberrations in the yellow-bellied slider turtle as an example of environmental biodosimetry.     

Free radicals and chromosome aberrations in leaves of woody plants as a test system for the genotoxicity of the urban environment

A new method for estimating the genotoxicity of the urban environment is proposed. The method is based on the analysis of the lipid peroxidation (LPO) rate in leaves of woody plants. The mutagenicity of the urban environment was estimated using standard test systems, including plant root meristem (kidney beans germinated in water with suspended particles collected at different points along the Temernik River) and the Ames test (silt samples were tested). Sensitivities of elm, willow, and poplar leaf meristem cells to unidentified environmental mutagenes were compared. Frequencies of chromosome aberrations (CAs) in leaves of woody plants growing at different points along the Temernik River within the Rostov-on-Don city districts differed from those in the control zone. The frequency of CAs was found to correlate with the concentration of LPO products. This allows a biochemical estimation of the malonic dialdehyde (MDA) concentration in woody plants to be used as an express test for the mutagenicity of environmental factors. An advantage of the proposed test is the possibility of monitoring the level of unidentified environmental mutagens over many years, independently of its sporadic temporal variations.     

Analysis of Local Dandelion (Taraxacum officinales.l.) Cenopopulations from Radioactively Contaminated Zones

Local dandelion (Taraxacum officinales.l.) populations were studied in the areas of the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace and the floodplain of the Techa River in its upper reaches. In impact plots, the density of soil and plant cover contamination with ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs exceeded the background level by factors of 13–440 and 2–500, respectively; the radiation load exceeded the background level by factors of 1.5 to 45. The seed progeny of plants from these plots was characterized by a high proportion of abnormal seedlings and an increased level of chromosome aberrations in meristem cells. In some years, variation in the seedling viability, growth rate, and developmental rate in these plots exceeded the reaction norm of plants from the background plot, demonstrating both stimulation and inhibition of growth processes. The response of seeds to acute irradiation at high challenging doses varied depending on the level of background radiation in the plots.     

Genotoxic biomonitoring study of population residing in pesticide contaminated regions in Göksu Delta: micronucleus, chromosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges

Pesticides are widely used throughout the world in agriculture to protect crops and in public health to control diseases. Nevertheless, exposure to pesticides represents a potential risk to humans. This paper describes a study of possible genetic damage in the people living in regions contaminated with complex mixture of pesticides in G?ksu Delta. In this study, used methods were chromosomal aberration (CA), sister chromatid exchange analysis (SCE) in the peripheral blood lymphocytes, and micronucleus (MN) assay in the buccal epithelial cells. In the present investigation, 32 affected subjects consist of 16 smoking and 16 non-smokings and an equal number of control subjects were assessed for genome damage. Micronucleus (MN), Broken egg (BE), Karyorrhexis (KR), Karyolysis (KL) and Binucleus (BN) frequencies were higher in affected subjects than in controls. Smoking had a statistically significant effect on the Micronucleus, Karyorrhexis and Binucleus frequencies for both the control and the exposed group. Also smoking and exposure affected the frequency of sister chromatid exchange and chromosomal aberrations compared with control groups.     

Increase in Skull Size of Red Fox (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vulpes vulpes</Emphasis>) in the Second Half of the XX Century in Northeastern Europe

Based on the skulls of red fox collected in northeastern Europe for 20 years, we obtained new data on directed temporal variation. The increase in skull size is closely related to an increase in the mean annual temperature, i.e., global warming. It was found for the first time that some skull traits increase at different rates, both within and between structural population groups. The phenomenon of increasing skull size with increases in the mean air temperature contradicts Bergmann’s rule. The causes of such increase are especially important for an understanding the adaptive role of processes in populations resulting from climate changes.     

Long-term seasonal polymorphism of the Krasnodar greenbug population for virulence to sorghum varieties carrying different resistance genes

The genetic structure of the Krasnodar population of the greenbug (Schizaphis graminum Rondani) was analyzed in 2002 to 2010. A high level of general and seasonal polymorphism for the insect virulence to different sorghum accessions was revealed. Abiotic factors were shown to play an important role in the seasonal variation of the frequencies of virulence phenotypes: they can alter the relative competitiveness of greenbug clones, and, therefore, changes in environmental conditions lead to differential selection in the S. graminum population.     

Changes in the dry tropical forests in Central India with human use

Understanding changes in forest composition and structure is important to help formulate effective policies that promote future ability of forests to provide local livelihood needs, habitat and ecosystem services. This is particularly important in dry tropical forests that are ecologically different from other forests and are heavily used by local, forest-dependent residents. In this study, we identify biophysical, demographic and use factors associated with differences in species diversity, vegetation structure (abundance at different size classes), biomass and relative abundance of species across the Kanha–Pench landscape in Central India. We sampled vegetation in twenty transects across different human and livestock population densities and frequencies of use. We found that biomass, species diversity and vegetation (abundance at different size classes) are negatively associated with increasing population density, and species composition at different size classes is significantly different at higher frequencies of use at low population densities. Lack of difference in species composition at high population densities may be due to colonization and growth of individuals at some of these sites due to creation of new ecological niches and gaps at high human use. Relative abundance of species at different size classes also varies with frequency of use and population density. Results suggest that human use is altering relative abundance of species, which may change long-term forest composition and thus alter biomass and vegetation structure of the forest. We conclude that human use is an agent in altering long-term composition that can alter availability of tree species for local use and other ecosystem services.     

Field observations of the effects of protracted low levels of ionizing radiation on natural aquatic population by using a cytogenetic tool

In the present study, an effort is attempted to record the impact of chronic radiation on natural aquatic populations exposed to protracted doses (lower if compared to intervention levels but higher if compared to typical background) and to chemical pollution. The methodology is based on the analyses of chromosome aberrations observed in cells. Therefore, some preliminary research results on the cytogenetic effects on aquatic organisms of various taxa, in coastal ecosystems are presented, considering some selective regions of elevated natural gamma radiation and conventional pollution. These areas are the geothermal spring areas in the island of Ikaria-Eastern Aegean Sea and the port of Pireus, in Greece. The data are compared to the findings recorded in some organisms collected from the North Aegean Sea the early period after the Chernobyl accident. With regard to the different species examined, a first evaluation of the results is made using the reported field findings for the wide area of Chernobyl. The environmental assessment of the studied areas in terms of radiation impact is based on the cytogenetic injuries observed, and evidence of ecosystem disturbance is also pointed out. The final environmental assessment based on the quantified effects observed in the organisms from the studied areas takes into account a published conceptual model of zones of radiation dose rates and the resulting organism responses in a step function scale.     

Phenogenetic Analysis of Pygmy Wood Mouse (Apodemus uralensis Pall.) Populations in the Zone of the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace (EURT)

Monitoring of A. uralensis populations in Kamenskii raion, Sverdlovsk oblast, in 1992–2002 and in Kaslinskii raion, Chelyabinsk oblast, in 2000–2001 revealed an increase in the proportion and diversity of minor morphogenetic aberrations and abnormalities in the structure of the cranium along the axis of the Eastern Ural Radioactive Trace (EURT). The samples from the southern and northern parts of the EURT (contaminated with ⁹⁰Sr to 500 and 4 Ci/km², respectively) were characterized by directed deviations from the control with respect to the frequencies of phenes of nonmetric cranial traits and an increase in the level of their fluctuating asymmetry in young females, which is indicative of epigenetic rearrangements in populations living in a radioactive environment.     

涪江上游泥石流灾损土地特征及典型流域淤积危险性研究

涪江上游以高山峡谷为主,人地矛盾突出,泥石流灾损土地是山区居民选择的主要生产生活场所。通过野外调查,初步查明目前涪江上游泥石流灾损土地以淤高的发展趋势为主,灾损土地扇形完整性程度达58%,以中等易发为主;大部分灾损土地距离主河距离为100~350 m,距离适中,水热条件良好。基于不同降雨频率条件下泥石流主沟内泥深、流量差异性,建立泥石流灾损土地的淤积危险范围确定方法;快速得到南坝窖子沟20 a一遇、50 a一遇、100 a一遇3种降雨频率条件下泥石流淤积危险范围,分别为0.167 km~2、0.292 km~2、0.420 km~2。为下一步建立基于土地潜力和灾害风险两个指标的灾损土地资源化潜力评估方法,探索泥石流灾损土地资源化利用模式,提供基础条件,并为山区居民进行土地利用提供快速指导。     

Radiological effects on populations of Oligochaeta in the Chernobyl contaminated zone

A detailed investigation of 3 populations of Oligochaete species (Dero obtusa, Nais pseudobtusa and Nais pardalis) has been carried out in a contaminated lake of the close-in Chernobyl zone and in a control lake. Hydrochemical indices and concentrations of heavy metals, chloro-organic compounds and (90)Sr in bottom sediments have been measured. Absorbed doses were calculated on the basis of the results of radiochemical analysis and assessed directly with thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD). Stimulation of paratomous division (asexual reproduction) was found in one species of worm (D. obtusa), and activation of sexual reproduction in the two other species studied. An increase in the amount of cytogenetic damage in the somatic cells of worms from the contaminated lake was found and an attempt was made to assess the relative contributions of radiation and chemical exposure on the basis of analyses of inter-cellular aberration distributions and the types of chromosome aberrations observed in the cells.     

基于IPAT等式的甘肃省用水影响因素分析

将经典的IPAT等式扩展为包含人口、富裕程度、用水强度和产业结构4种影响因素的用水分析等式;并利用结构分解模型,将4种影响因素对总用水量变化的贡献分解开,得到不同因素对用水变化的影响.利用模型对1999-2008年甘肃省用水状况进行了实证分析,结果表明:富裕程度对用水量的增加效应最大,最高为2003-2004年(21.07×108m3);而人口变化对用水量的增加效应相对较小,均小于1×108m3;尽管用水效率的提高和产业结构的变化都减少用水量,但产业结构变化对用水量变化的贡献比用水效率的贡献小;此外,单纯地提高用水效率或调整产业结构,并不能保证在环境约束下实现社会经济的发展.因此,随着人口和经济规模的不断扩大,为了满足人民群众不断增长的需求,不仅要从提高用水效率、调整产业结构出发,实现水资源的高效优化配置;更重要的是调整发展思路,摆正人和自然的位置,才能真正实现人和自然的和谐发展.     

国外人口与环境关系研究的理论与方法综述

人口与环境关系的研究和论争已经持续了200多年。近年来这个问题进一步引起重视。但是，由于这个领域研究的多方面复杂性。因此。在人口与环境关系研究中，不仅存在各种思想流派之间的巨大分歧，也存在研究内窖上和方法上的不同。本研究在大量阅读国外相关文献的基础上，对国外人口与环境研究的思想理论、研究方法、研究的热点问题等方面进行圊顾和评述，从而为有关方面提供一个国际社会对人口与环境领域研究的基本线索。     

陕西渭南地区土地生产潜力及其人口承载量

本文以多年大量的资源考察、经济统计资料为依据,运用系统动力学方法,通过建立包括土地资源、水资源和种植业、畜牧业、渔业等为主的土地生产潜力模型及人口发展预测模型,对未来40年渭南地区不同投入状况下土地生产潜力及其不同消费水平下的人口承载量,作了趋势性定量分析和预测,并得出渭南地区具有较大的土地潜在人口支持能力的基本结论。     

江苏省人口城乡结构差异的多尺度研究

利用"全国第四、五、六次人口普查"等数据,基于"多尺度"分析框架,综合运用总体差异测度指数(标准差、锡尔指数及其分解)、马尔可夫链、ESDA等方法,分析1990~2010年江苏省不同尺度人口城乡结构差异的时空动态演化。结果表明:(1)20a来,江苏省人口城乡结构无论绝对差异还是相对差异性在各尺度上均呈缩小趋势,且前10a大幅缩小、后10a缩小幅度减缓。相对差异值及其缩小程度排序均从大到小依次为县域、市域、区域。主要受地区发展基础、增长极的带动能力及范围、政府政策侧重以及人口迁移机制等多种因素差异性的影响。由于三大区域间通过人口流动、交通、产业、资源等的联动效应,因而三大区域间差异的缩小对全省差异缩小的贡献最大。(2)前10a人口城乡结构类型转移概率波动性大,后10a趋向稳定。苏南各市区存在高水平"俱乐部趋同"现象。(3)虽然从区域尺度上看,苏南、苏北两极分化有所缓和,但从县域小尺度上来看,苏北大部分县域与苏南不同县域之间的差距依然较大,这与实际相符合,因此小尺度的自相关分析更符合实际,且小尺度两极分化严重。县域尺度冷、热点地区具有典型的核心边缘结构、南北空间分异显著,涓滴效应逐渐显现,南北差异有所减小。最后提出在"两带一路"背景下针对不同尺度人口城乡结构合理发展的建议。