Abundance and community structure of bats (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) hibernating in artificial caves of Samarskaya Luka

The structure of hibernating bat communities has been studied in eight artificial caves of Samarskaya Luka differing in size and layout. Three types of the relative abundance distribution (RAD) of species in these communities have been revealed. Conditions for hibernation are most favorable in large caves with a stable microclimate, where the abundance of bats is high, the Shannon index has the peak values, and variation in the index of species evenness is the lowest. In such caves, RAD fits the broken-stick and log-series models. Variation in diversity indices reaches the highest level in shallow adits with a changeable microclimate, where RAD fits the geometric series model. The abundance, diversity, and structure of communities depend mainly on cave size and the presence of absence of drafts and, to a lesser extent, on ambient temperature, availability of microshelters, and the type of landscape surrounding the cave. Anthropogenic factors have a weak effect only on the abundance of individual species (M. nattereri, M. daubentonii, M. dasycneme, and E. nilssonii) but not on the overall diversity of bat communities.     

The role of topography in forming the thermal regime and biological diversity of relict ecosystems on limestones in the northeast of European Russia

Integrated studies on the temperature regime in a limestone outcrop area have been performed, including analysis of the latitudinal trends and dynamics of direct solar radiation input onto slopes of different exposures and the redistribution of temperatures depending on mesotopographic features of the slopes. Assessment of the diversity of ecological conditions in this model landscape has shown that about 3.3% of its area is potentially suitable for the formation of a relict lithophytic floristic assemblage.     

Comparative Estimation of Floristic Diversity in Protected Natural Areas

A method for estimating floristic diversity at the species, genus, and family levels and the taxonomic structure of the flora of protected natural areas is proposed. The method is illustrated using the example of three nature reserves located in the Northern, Middle, and Southern Urals. The dependence of the characteristics of the regional floras on their positions in the system of botanical–geographic zones, the size of the protected area, and other factors have been studied in these reserves. The proportion of endemic plants and the degree of flora synanthropization have been determined.     

Formation and degradation of meadows under the impact of hay harvesting and grazing in the Vychegda and Pechora floodplains

Transformation of meadow communities under the impact of hay harvesting and livestock grazing has been studied in the floodplains of the Vychegda and Pechora rivers. Changes in the floristic composition, structure, and productivity of meadows have been evaluated using synanthropization and adventization indices. On this basis, meadow phytocenoses at three different stages of pasture digression have been distinguished.     

Dynamics of floristic composition of communities dominated by Carex acuta in the northern Volga-Akhtuba floodplain

The floristic composition of plant communities dominated by Carex acuta in the northern Volga-Akhtuba floodplain has been analyzed over the period from 1928 to 2009. It has been shown that, in 2008 to 2009, some hygrophytes disappeared from these phytocenoses; simultaneously, their composition was enriched with mesophytes and adventive species. Ramenskii??s ecological scales have indicated a decrease in water supply to habitats of the communities studied.     

Plant species richness of riverbed elevations—the Pripyat river valley case study

Flora of the still unchanged or slightly modified floodplains is particularly valuable. Such are the natural, periodically flooded riparian ecosystems within the Mid-Pripyat river valley in Belarus. Distinctive elements of that area are ‘periodic islands’, which arise from the most elevated parts of the riverbed during flooding and have a specific microtopography. The aim of the research was to recognize floristic composition and ecological conditions of the ‘islands.’ Noted plants were mainly photophilous, by clearly varied in soil moisture, acidity and fertility requirements.     

Composition of plant communities in natural and technogenically disturbed ecotopes on watersheds of the Yamal Peninsula: Floristic diversity

Specific features in the overgrowing of technogenically disturbed areas with completely destroyed soil and plant cover (a sand pit, a causeway, and an off-road vehicle trail) have been studied in the environs of the Bovanenkovo Oil-Gas Condensate Field. It is shown that the vegetation of natural ecotopes and ecotopes disturbed approximately 20 years ago is characterized by a relatively high similarity in the composition of vascular plants. The total species composition of plant communities (including mosses and lichens) and their structure show a considerable loss of floristic and phytocenotic diversity.     

Refugia for the floristic diversity of Northern Ural dark conifer forests as markers of natural vegetation of the eastern European Taiga

New data are presented on unique refugia accounting for the high floristic diversity of dark conifer forests of the Northern Urals, which have some of the highest parameters of species saturation among boreal forests of northern Eurasia. Based on the results of analysis, the most significant biological factors have been revealed and their influence on boreal tall-herb and background plant communities has been evaluated.     

Buffer boreal forests as an evolutionary phenomenon in the Pacific ecotone of Northern Eurasia

The results of landscape-ecological surveys in the Komsomolsk Nature Reserve (the Lower Amur region) have been used as a basis for empirical–statistical modeling of the spatial organization of floristic phratries and forest types that characterize the Amur sub-Pacific as part of the continental marginal part of the megaecotone. Trends in the evolutionary forest-forming processes are described. Mechanisms have been revealed for the origin of buffer forest communities, including spruce–broadleaf and nemoral fir–spruce forests of the Manchurian–Okhotian phratry. Forests of this phenomenal buffer flora are distinguished by extremely high parameters of structural and functional development and have reached the state approaching the evolutionary climax. The previously advanced concepts of the Pacific ecotone of Northern Eurasia as a focus of evolutionary processes in the continental biosphere have been confirmed.     

Floristic contamination of suburban forests near the city of Ivanovo

In the course of floristic studies in suburban forests near the city of Ivanovo, 206 species of vascular plants have been recorded, including 39 invasive species (18.9%). Information on specific features of distribution and activity of introduced species growing feral and accidental weeds in different forest types is presented. The most aggressive species are distinguished. Factors responsible for the invasion of alien species to forest cenoses and main tendencies in their dynamics are discussed.     

Parameters of Ecological Space and Floristic Diversity of Forest Formations in the Northeast of European Russia

The results of studies on transformations of the floristic diversity of forest ecosystems under the effect of human activity in the southern and middle taiga subzones of the Komi Republic are reviewed. It is shown that the change of dominants in the tree layer leads to the formation of specific biotopes and, as a consequence, to changes in floristic complexes and the cenotic roles of species in the lower layers of forest communities. In the study region, the -diversity of forest communities is determined mainly by two environmental factors: soil fertility and acidity. The factor of illumination has only a slight effect on the -diversity of taiga forests, which is especially clear in the group of deciduous forest formations.__________Translated from Ekologiya, No. 3, 2005, pp. 180–185.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Degteva.     

四川及重庆蕨类植物区系组成、特有现象和珍稀种类

四川及重庆为我国蕨类植物最丰富的区域之一,总计有52科,141属,约880种。鳞毛蕨科、蹄盖蕨科和水龙骨科是最重要的3个科,其种数占本区种数的50.5%,金星蕨科、中国蕨科和铁角蕨科在本区也有较多的种类分布。在本区主要的属为耳蕨属、鳞毛蕨属和蹄盖蕨属,它们的种数都超过50种,合计占本区种数的22.8%,其次有铁角蕨属、瓦韦属和毛蕨属,其种数都逾25种,而有近85%的属不足10种。热带成分的属在本区占53.9%,但它们的区系存在度不大;东亚分布的属占16.3%,其区系存在度相对较大;温带分布的属占12.7%。本区无特有科;仅光叶蕨属1个特有属,还有6个中国特有属;有387种为中国特有种,约占本区种数的44%。特有种的32%为本区特有,其余以与中国西南片区（占22.5%）和整个南方片区（占26.1%）共有为主。本区被列入国家重点保护的珍稀濒危蕨类植物有10种,其中1级3种,2级7种。     

九岭幕阜山植物特有属的生物多样性保护研究

在实地调查和数量系统分析的基础上，论述了九岭幕阜山中国种子植物特有属的物各多样性，空间分布格局及其区系地理特征，探讨了本区与邻近地区中国种子植物特有属分布的联系及其重要地位，并对特有属的生物多样性保护提出了具体对策。     

Morphophysiological and Population Adaptations ofAjuga reptansL. at the Northern Boundary of Its Range

The results of comprehensive morphophysiological and population studies on Ajuga reptansL., a species of the nemoral floristic complex, at the northern boundary of its range (in the middle taiga subzone of the Komi Republic) are reviewed. Adaptations at the cell, organism, and biocenotic levels are revealed. The maintenance and survival of the species at the boundary of its range are provided for by its physiological plasticity, resistance to low temperatures, and multiple variants of ontogeny. Prognosis of Ajuga reptansfuture status under conditions of global climate change and expansion of anthropogenically disturbed areas is favorable.     

Relationships between pikas (Ochotona, mammalia) and vegetation in Tuva

The burrowing and trophic activities of four pika (Ochotona) species proved to be reflected in the horizontal structure of the biogeocenotic cover. Zoophytochores ofOchotona daurica andO. pallasi pricei burrows correspond to previously described ameboid zoophytochores. Burrows of pikas provide for the growth of pea shrubs (Caragana bungei, C leucophloea), with the formation of specific plant groups under their crowns and on rubble dug out by pikas. In ecosystems of placers, zoophytochores are formed owing to the presence of pika food stores and lavatories, which are the main substrate for vascular plants first appearing among the stones. General ecological (and successional) series characterizing the overgrowing of placers is as follows: (1) separate spots of vegetation with poor floristic composition at the sites of pika food stores (stacklets); (2) groups of spots and simplest complexes; and (3) complex plant communities of pika colonies. Food stores of pikas in Tuva were analyzed.     

新疆水资源承载力评价与时空演变特征分析

水资源是经济社会发展的生命线,长期以来新疆面临着严峻的水资源短缺和生态环境脆弱性问题,研究水资源承载力时空演变特征成为新疆经济建设中亟待解决的问题。文章选取水资源、社会、经济、生态以及协调系统评价指标,通过构建水资源承载力综合评价模型计算水资源承载力综合评价指数,并对新疆15个行政区域的水资源承载状态和时空演变特征进行分析。结果显示:2016年,塔城地区、阿勒泰地区和巴音郭楞蒙古自治州属于水资源承载适宜区域,石河子市和克拉玛依市属于严重超载区域,阿克苏地区和喀什地区属于轻度超载区域,剩余8个区域属于濒临超载区域;从发展趋势来看,濒临超载和轻度超载区域略有减少,而承载适宜地区略有增加;整体而言,新疆多数区域水资源承载力处于濒临超载状态,水资源与经济社会的协调性普遍较低,各区域水资源分布极不均衡,经济发展、人口增长和水资源分布不匹配,但近十年多数区域水资源承载力综合水平整体向好发展。最后,提出提升各区域水资源承载力的政策建议。     

江南水网区域复合型生态网络构建初探 ——以常州市金坛区为例

随着城市化进程的加快，江南水网区域原有的自然生境和生态过程遭到破坏，城市生态安全受到威肋、地域特色景观风貌逐渐丧失，构建复合生态网络对区域生态保护和可持续发展具有重要意义。该研究综合考虑生物过程、水文过程和人文过程，基于累积阻力模型构建生境网络和游憩网络，利用ArcGIS水文分析构建水绿网络，通过GIS空间叠加构建多目标融合的生态网络框架，以常州市金坛区为案例区进行复合网络构建探索。研究结果表明：（1）研究区单目标生态网络源地面积表现为水绿源地>生态源地>游憩源地；双目标生态源地面积中生态水绿源地>水绿游憩源地>生态游憩源地，源地面积在区域总面积中占比较小，主要分布在西部茅山和南部长荡湖区域；（2）研究区三重功能廊道主要分布在中部与西侧茅山之间，除此之外，西南部还分布大量生态和水绿廊道；东北部还分布较多游憩廊道；（3）后期应对源地和廊道分布较多的西部和南部等重点生态功能区加强保护，而对东部和北部等生态脆弱区重点建设，提升其生态功能；（4）经案例验证，构建复合型生态网络可以联系区域中相对孤立的景观斑块，有利于保护生物多样性、改善城市生态环境、维护区域景观格局、引导区域空间合理发展。     

Land-cover changes in and around a National Park in a mountain landscape in the Pyrenees

The current state of Mediterranean mountain areas has been driven by two main factors: intense traditional human activity and the dynamics of the ecosystem itself. In this study, we examine land-cover changes in a National Park in the Pyrenees mountains (NE Iberian Peninsula), which was designated a protected area 55 years ago. First, we have analyzed spatio-temporal changes in land-cover pattern and forest dynamics from 1957 to 2005. During this period, land-cover dynamics consisted of two main processes: (i) expansion of the forest area and (ii) increasing cover of forests already present in 1957. To analyze the role of the conservation level of the park, we have also compared the results obtained within the park with those of unprotected, peripheral areas. In the two areas with different protection level, dense forests increased throughout the period because of the reduction in forestry activities. The peripheral area showed a higher rate of forest-cover change from 1957 to 2005 compared to the National Park. This higher increase in forest cover in the peripheral area could be related to a higher proportion in the National Park of screes and rocky areas and to the decline and transformation of forest activities in these peripheral, lower elevation areas.     

Assessment of groundwater potential in Tirukalukundram block of southern Chennai Metropolitan Area

Groundwater is an important resource in all major urban centres. Continuous extraction leads to degradation and depletion in the water quality which can be protected by selecting proper groundwater recharging techniques. The present study aims to determine the groundwater potential by integrating the remote sensing and geographic information system which helps to identify the locations which are in critical stage and immediate steps can be taken to recharge the groundwater. Thirukalukundram block of Kanchipuram district in Tami Nadu, India, has been chosen as study area. To demarcate the groundwater potential zone, surface attributes such as geomorphology, land use/land cover, contour map, drainage density and sub-surface attributes such as lineaments and soil maps are created using satellite imageries, toposheet, soil and geomorphology data of the study area. The thematic maps prepared using geographic information system and weights have been assigned to the attributes by considering the influence on the storage capacity of groundwater. Four categories of groundwater potential zones such as below low, low, moderate and high have been classified. From the analysis, 5% along the coastal plain area covers high groundwater potential zone, 20% of the area towards north-west and south-west hold moderate groundwater potential. 60% of the total area hold low groundwater potential zone which are located towards south-west direction. 15% of the study area contains below low groundwater potential zone in parts of south-west direction. This study helps to identify the suitable locations for extraction and recharge of groundwater.     

Nest site fidelity and occupancy in birds of prey (Falconiformes) in specially protected and unprotected areas of eastern Ukraine

The level of fidelity to potential nest site in representatives of different bird of prey species (Falconiformes) has been studied as dependent on population density and land-use status of the nesting area (a specially protected natural area or unprotected forest area). Species with high and low parameters of nest site fidelity and occupancy have been distinguished. The former group includes the Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus), and White-tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla): no less than 60% of observed pairs have not changed their nest sites and nests during 5 years. The latter group includes the Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), European Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus), and, at the nest level, Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentiles).