Changes in the structure of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dactylorhiza incarnata</Emphasis> (L.) Soó population during the overgrowing of a meadow-bog community complex in the Moscow region

The overgrowing of meadow-bog communities by shrubs and trees (age 5–40 years, crown closure 0.4–0.9) leads to a decrease in incident illumination. As a consequence, juvenile and generative plants disappear from D. incarnata population loci, their average ecological density decreases, and the loci enter the state of regression. The digging activity of wild boars disrupts phytocenotically closed groups of longirhizomatous herbs, thereby creating favorable conditions for seed reproduction of D. incarnata. The species begins to form population loci with a complete ontogenetic spectrum and high ecological density, eventually restoring the normal (definitive) population structure.     

Structure and dynamics of marginal Gymnadenia conopsea (L.) R. Br. (Orchidaceae) populations on limestones in the northeast of European Russia

Data are presented on the abundance, structure, and dynamics of hemipopulations of G. conopsea protocorms and autotrophic individuals at the northern boundary of the species range. The dynamics of ontogenetic structure of G. conopsea cenopopulations have a fluctuating pattern. Their response to adverse weather conditions is manifested in short-term reduction of density and increase in cenopopulation ageness in subsequent years. Deterioration of growing conditions in a series of ecotopes is accompanied by an increase in the proportion of young individuals, which allows the species to level off the impact of adverse weather factors on population size.     

Analysis of long-term changes in the dates of seasonal phenomena in plants and insects of the Il’men Reserve as related to climatic factors

The results of monitoring the dates of the onset of flowering and leaf budding in eight herbaceous and woody plant species and the first appearance of three insect species in the Il’men Reserve (1972–2005) were processed by means of regression and correlation analyses. No significant changes in test parameters were revealed in the majority of these species. Only two early spring plants, coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara L.) and goat willow (Salix caprea L.), showed a weak tendency toward earlier flowering in the 1980s and 1990s. This is explained primarily by the absence of any significant trends in spring and summer air temperatures in the study region over the observation period. On the other hand, interannual fluctuations in the dates of plant flowering and insect appearance were well manifested not only in early spring but also in late-spring species. These fluctuations proved to depend largely on spring temperatures: in years with early and warm springs, flowering and leaf budding in plants and the appearance of first individuals in insects were recorded on significantly earlier dates.     

Spatial variability of precipitation in Spain

The spatial variability of annual and seasonal precipitation in the conterminous land of Spain has been evaluated by using correlation decay distance analysis (CDD). The CDD analysis essentially explores how the correlation between neighbouring stations varies according to distance. We analysed CDD independently for the decades 1956–1965, 1966–1975, 1976–1985, 1986–1995, and 1996–2005 using only those stations with no missing values for each decade. To this end, 972, 1,174, 1,242, 773 and 695 complete series were used for each decade, respectively. In particular, for each station and decade, we calculated the threshold distance at which the common variance between target (i) and neighbour series is higher than 50 % (r ²  = 0.5) to evaluate whether current density of the climate data set captures the spatial variability of precipitation within the study area. Results indicate that, at an annual scale, neighbouring stations with 50 % of common variance are restricted on average to about 105 km, but this distance can vary from 28 to 251 km within the study area. The lowest variability is located to the SW and in winter, while the higher spatial variability is found to the north, in the Cantabrian area, and to the east, in the Mediterranean and Pyrenees, during summer. Our results suggest that current density of climate stations (those operating in 2005) is good enough to study precipitation variability at an annual scale for winter, spring and autumn, but not enough for summer.     

Chernov’s compensation principle and the effect of rodent community completeness on the variability of bank vole (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Clethrionomys glareolus</Emphasis>) population in the Middle Urals

Using methods of geometric morphometrics, significant differences have been revealed in manifestations of variability and morphological disparity in allochronous samples from the population of model species, the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus Schreb. 1780), in the Middle Urals at different levels of rodent community (taxocene) completeness in different years. Two states of the taxocene—oligospecific (two species) and polyspecific (five species)—and the level of relative abundance of bank voles (high or low) have been taken into account. Comparative analysis of variation in the size and shape of the mandible in same-aged (late-summer) young of the year has shown that significant morphogenetic differences exist between the animals sampled from the rodent taxocene at its different states (oligospecific and polyspecific) and, to a lesser extent, at high and low levels of abundance. The level of variation and the parameter of intragroup morphological disparity (MNND) in the mandible shape reach a maximum when the community has a reduced composition and decrease to a minimum when its composition is complete (i.e., in the oligo- and polyspecific taxocene). A parallelism is observed in the manifestation of morphofunctional changes of the mandible in male and female voles under conditions when the taxocene has high abundance and oligospecific composition or low abundance but polyspecific composition. Different morphogenetic responses of the population to oligo- and polyspecific composition of the community are considered as a compensatory increase of morphological disparity in the dominant species (the bank vole) under conditions of incomplete composition of the taxocene and low population density, in accordance with Chernov’s ecological compensation principle.     

Variability of Demographic Parameters in a Cyclic Population of the Bank Vole (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Clethrionomys glareolus</Emphasis>)

Analysis of demographic parameters in a local bank vole population has shown that different relationships exist between them. The level of population abundance is directly correlated with the proportion of sexually mature juveniles, the length of the breeding season, and the age of overwintered individuals. The duration of the breeding season shows a delayed dependence on population abundance in the previous year. Variation in the average age of overwintered voles at different phases of the population cycle is characterized by a delayed dependence on the length of the breeding season in the previous year. Intrinsic factors generate the cyclic dynamics of parameters, while extrinsic factors can modify their dynamics.     

Effect of temperature and precipitation on linear increment of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sphagnum fuscum</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">S. magellanicum</Emphasis> in Western Siberia

The linear increment of Sphagnum fuscum and S. magellanicum in ombrotrophic mires of Western Siberia has been measured during two years over a transect about 2500 km long extending from forest–steppe to forest–tundra. Along the latitudinal gradient, the increment of both species has proved to be correlated with annual average air temperature and, in S. magellanicum, also with annual precipitation. The determinants of their growth differ between the southern, central, and northern parts of the study region. At the regional level, the annual and summer precipitation plays a more important role than the average air temperature. The increment of S. fuscum in the southern part is positively correlated with the amount of precipitation and negatively correlated with summer temperature, whereas the situation in the central part is inverse. In S. magellanicum, the linear increment is directly dependent on the annual average temperature and annual and summer precipitation in the south and on the annual and summer precipitation in the north of Western Siberia. The dynamics of linear growth of both species in bog pine forests during the growing season are similar: its rate is the highest in June, when the linear increment of S. fuscum and S. magellanicum amounts to 60 and 85% of the annual total, respectively.     

Spatial population structure of rare orchid species in rich fens in the central part of Murmansk oblast

The spatial structure of 10 populations of rare orchid species (Dactylorhiza incarnata, D. traunsteineri, Listera ovata) has been studied in rich fens sporadically occurring in Murmansk oblast. Two levels of plant aggregation within populations have been distinguished: (1) clusters of individuals and (2) isolated population subsets consisting of clusters. General spatial demographic features of orchid populations in the fens are small area (77 m²) and low ecological density (0.009 ind./m²). Characteristics of the population subsets (their number, area, composition, and distance to the neighboring subset) are species-specific and reflect the degree of species rarity in plant communities.     

Seasonal variation of the forewing in polyvoltine whites <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pieris rapae</Emphasis> L. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">P. napi</Emphasis> L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) in the forest-steppe zone of the Southern Urals

The seasonal variation of forewing size and shape was analyzed in adults of different seasonal generations of two polyvoltine species of whites: Pieris rapae and P. napi (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). Particular morphological features of the forewing are characteristic of each seasonal generation of adults independently of their sex and species. Adults of the spring generations have the smallest wings, elongate and pointed. Adults of the summer generation have the largest, broad and rounded wings over the entire summer season. Adults of the autumn generation have wings similar in shape and size to those of the summer generation, but somewhat smaller and more elongate. Differences between seasonal generations in forewing shape are linked to differences between adults of each generation in adaptation to dispersal.     

Seasonal modulation of sex-related differences in hippocampus size and spatial behavior in bank voles, Clethrionomys glareolus (Rodentia, Cricetidae)

Male and female bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) were compared with respect to seasonal variation in hippocampus size and dynamics of spatial behavior during the annual population cycle. The winter decrease in the size of the hippocampus (the brain region involved in the processing of spatial information about the environment) in young autumn-born voles coincided in time with reduction of their home ranges and did not differ significantly between males and females. The growth of the hippocampus in spring, after winter regression, was higher in males (19–28% in different populations) than in females (8–20%) and coincided with an increase in spatial activity, which was also more distinct in males. A significantly greater hippocampus size in males during the breeding period correlated with their higher mobility (reflected in capture rate) and greater size of home ranges. Thus, parallel seasonal modulation of sex-related differences in hippocampus size and spatial behavior was revealed: sexual dimorphism in these characters was insignificant among young voles in autumn; disappeared in winter; manifested itself again, synchronously in both characters, in early spring (with the onset of puberty); and reached a peak in summer.     

Morphogenetic Effects of Drought and Nonselective Elimination in Population of Bank Vole (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Clethrionomys glareolus</Emphasis>) in Southern Taiga Subzone

Methods of geometric morphometrics have been used to estimate the influence ratio of nonselective elimination and drought factors on variation in the shape and size of the mandible in the population of bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus Schreb.) in the southern taiga subzone. Nonselective elimination of rodent populations for medical and sanitary purposes was carried out in a felling site located in a focus of hemorrhagic fever, in the spring of a climatically normal year and of a dry year. The summer samples of mature young of the year from control bank vole colonies and impact colonies (i.e., recovered after deratization) in adjacent years have been compared. The results show that drought, nonselective elimination, and the interaction of these factors have significant effects on the size and shape of the mandible. Changes in its shape under drought conditions are largely due to allometry. Morphogenetic effects of nonselective elimination are highly repeatable between climatically different years. A significantly higher level of within-group morphological disparity (MNND) of the undisturbed control cenopopulation in a dry year has been revealed, which indirectly indicates a stronger destabilization of morphogenesis upon exposure to the autecological factor. Every ecological factor contributes to the development of specific configurations of the mandible; i.e., it induces certain changes in morphogenesis in response to aut- and synecological effects and their combination.     

Reconstruction of May–June precipitation in the territory of Bashkiria based on Scots pine tree-ring data from the Bugulma–Belebey Upland

The relationship between Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) tree-ring width and temperature and precipitation was analyzed in pine forests on the Bugulma–Belebey Upland, Bashkiria. A close correlation between tree-ring width and the current spring–summer precipitation was revealed. On this basis, a reconstruction of May–June precipitation in the period from 1860 to 1994 was made.     

Depositional behaviors of plutonium and thorium isotopes at Tsukuba and Mt. Haruna in Japan indicate the sources of atmospheric dust

Monthly plutonium and thorium depositions at Tsukuba (28 m asl) and Mt. Haruna (1370 m asl) were measured during 2006 and 2007 (Jan 2006-Dec 2007 at Tsukuba, Nov 2006-Dec 2007 at Mt. Haruna). The monthly ^239,240Pu depositions ranged from 0.044 to 2.67 mBq m⁻² at Tsukuba and from 0.05 to 0.9 mBq m⁻² at Mt. Haruna during the measurement periods. Monthly ^239,240Pu deposition did not differ markedly between the two sites except in April 2007. Seasonal pattern of monthly ^239,240Pu depositions at both sites showed high in spring and low in summer, and typical of seasonal variations in northeastern Asia. Thorium deposition at Tsukuba was higher than that at Mt. Haruna except in May and June 2007. ²³⁰Th/²³²Th activity ratios were used to partition deposition samples into locally and remotely derived fractions. The results revealed that a major proportion of total ^239,240Pu and Th deposits are derived from remote sources, especially in spring.     

基于OMI数据的京津冀地区对流层NO2浓度遥感监测

为了解京津冀地区对流层NO2垂直柱浓度的时空变化，利用Aura卫星上OMI传感器反演获取2005~2016年对流层NO2垂直柱浓度数据进行分析。结果表明：京津冀地区的NO2垂直柱浓度空间分布呈现出从中部和东南平原地区向西北坝上高原地区逐渐降低的趋势,并且发现，京津冀地区的12 a的年均季节空间分布与NO2柱浓度年均空间分布趋势相似；京津冀地区NO2柱浓度月均值呈现出以每年为一个周期的波浪形变化，年均增长率为2.66%。2005~2010年京津冀地区的NO2年柱浓度值处于上升趋势，2014~2015年NO2浓度急剧下降，2016年又开始上升。京津冀地区NO2柱浓度值有季节差异，大体上呈现秋季、冬季高于春夏两季，冬季最高，夏季最低。利用线性拟合发现，京津冀的地面监测NO2柱浓度值和OMI传感器获取的NO2柱浓度值整体上显著相关且相关性很高。 关键词： 对流层NO2浓度；OMI数据；时空变化；京津冀地区     

Spatiotemporal characteristics of wildfire frequency and relative area burned in larch-dominated forests of Central Siberia

Wildfire frequency, relative area burned, and fire return intervals (FRI) have been studied in larchdominated forests along the transect from the southern (45° N) to the northern (73° N) distribution limits of larch stands based on analysis of satellite imagery (NOAA/AVHRR, Terra/MODIS; 1996–2015) and collection of tree cross cuts with fire scars. A significant increasing trend in fire extent (R² = 0.50, p &lt; 0.05) has been revealed. Histograms of fire extent and frequency are bimodal in the southern and middle taiga (with peaks in spring–summer and late summer–autumn periods) but become unimodal toward the north (&gt;55° N). The length of FRI increases from 80 years at 62° N to ~200 years at the Arctic Circle and reaches ~300 years near the northern limit of larch stands, showing a significant inverse correlation with the length of fire season (r =–0.69). In turn, the length of fire season, area burned and FRI are closely correlated with latitudinal variation in solar irradiance (r = 0.97, 0.81, and –0.95, respectively).     

Patterns of the formation of bird population in the lake-river system of the Asian Subarctic mountains based on the example of the Putorana Plateau

This paper analyzes the patterns of the formation of the aquatic and semiaquatic bird species population under the conditions of the altitudinal zonality of the Putorana Plateau. The population density and abundance of a number of background species was ascertained to decrease from the subalpine belt towards the forest and alpine belt. The bird population density in all the considered aquatic and semiaquatic habitats was revealed to change in a rather narrow range of values: the maximal population density indicator in aquatic and semiaquatic habitats is only 1.9 times higher than the minimal indicator. In the mountainous Subarctic region with a radial macrosymmetry, the spatial dynamics of abundance has a concentrically centrifugal nature in many aquatic and semiaquatic bird species.     

The ecology of the red fox (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vulpes vulpes</Emphasis> L.) in the middle Lena River basin

The population of foxes in the central regions of Yakutia has grown by a factor of four to five during the period from 2000 to 2011–2012, following an increase in the abundance of voles from the genus Microtus. A total of 130 carcasses of foxes taken in 2007–2012 have been examined. Age- and sex-related variation in morphological features has been described. The demographic structure of the population has been studied by estimating animal age from annual layers in the recording structures. Changes in female fertility and involvement in reproduction depending on age and feeding conditions have been analyzed. Changes in the composition of fox diet caused by long-term population depression in the mountain hare and their effect on the dynamics of fox abundance have been revealed. Age- and sex-related characteristics of the condition factor in foxes and sex-related differences in their dietary preferences have been demonstrated.     

Chronological Dynamics of the Distribution of Wing Venation Anomalies in Intrapopulation Groups ofCalopteryx splendens Harr. Damselflies

Long-term dynamics of the numbers of complete (normal) veins, venation anomalies, and linear wing parameters were analyzed in male Calopteryx splendens Harr. damselflies from neighboring population groups. Correlation analysis showed that some anomalies may appear additionally to complete veins, whereas other anomalies are formed instead of them. The damselflies from the generations of even years proved to have significantly greater numbers of anomalies. A probable cause of this phenomenon was a sharp increase in the background radiation level in the summer of 1986, after the Chernobyl accident, which could lead to serious hereditary disturbances manifested in a series of generations. The results of the study show that the formation of wing venation anomalies in damselflies is a stochastic process, which is enhanced under the effect of both environmental and genetic stress. These anomalies may be regarded as markers characterizing the degree of stability of ontogenetic processes in the population, which essentially reflect specific genotypic traits of individual organisms. Analysis of wing venation anomalies appears to be a more precise instrument for assessing developmental stability than estimation of the levels of fluctuating asymmetry and general phenotypic variance.     

Estimating the amount and distribution of radon flux density from the soil surface in China

Based on an idealized model, both the annual and the seasonal radon ((222)Rn) flux densities from the soil surface at 1099 sites in China were estimated by linking a database of soil (226)Ra content and a global ecosystems database. Digital maps of the (222)Rn flux density in China were constructed in a spatial resolution of 25 km x 25 km by interpolation among the estimated data. An area-weighted annual average (222)Rn flux density from the soil surface across China was estimated to be 29.7+/-9.4 mBq m(-2)s(-1). Both regional and seasonal variations in the (222)Rn flux densities are significant in China. Annual average flux densities in the southeastern and northwestern China are generally higher than those in other regions of China, because of high soil (226)Ra content in the southeastern area and high soil aridity in the northwestern one. The seasonal average flux density is generally higher in summer/spring than winter, since relatively higher soil temperature and lower soil water saturation in summer/spring than other seasons are common in China.     

Changes of skull size in the red fox (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vulpes vulpes</Emphasis>) during the second half of the 20th century in the Middle Urals and neighboring regions

Based on 30-year collection of red fox skulls from the Middle Urals, the north of Kurgan oblast, and the south of Tyumen oblast, an increase in average values of craniometrics characters has been revealed in both young and adult animals of both sexes. This increase shows a weak but statistically significant correlation with annual average temperature. The rates of increase in different characters are not equal.