Analysis of consortive relationships between the Siberian stone pine and the nutcracker in the Northern Urals

The data presented have been obtained in the course of long-term stationary quantitative studies on the annual seed reproduction dynamics of Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica Du Tour) stands, including the abundance of seedlings, and the local population of the nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes macrorhynchos C.L. Brehm) in forests of the Northern Urals. Statistically significant consortive relationships of the nutcracker population density with the yield of Siberian stone pine seeds and of the abundance of pine seedlings with the yield of seeds and the abundance of nutcrackers over preceding years have been hrevealed for the first time and formalized mathematically.     

Changes in the sex structure of pine populations related to temperature anomalies

The results of ten-year observations on fluctuations in the sex of individual trees and the sex structure of tree stands in two insular pine forests in the south of Central Siberia are presented. It is noted that the ratio of sex types of pine trees has markedly changed since 1998–1999. Significant correlations between the sex structure of stands and anomalies of the annual average air temperature have been recorded since the early 1990s. The male generative sphere of pine has changed to the greatest extent. Periodicity and delay in the change of shoot sexualization in response to changes in temperature are discussed.     

Genetic polymorphism of dwarf Scots pines in the south of Central Siberia

Polymorphism of 11 enzyme systems has been studied in dwarf Scots pine trees occurring on sand dunes and crags in two populations of southern Central Siberia. High genotypic variability of dwarfs and their similarity to normal trees in basic indices of genetic diversity have been revealed. Both populations, including normal and dwarf trees, are in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The sample of dwarf trees has proved to differ from the “norm” in showing an age-related trend toward decreased heterozygosity. The observed linkage disequilibrium at some pairs of loci can be explained by unequal contributions of trees to population reproduction or by a recent bottleneck event. The populations studied are similar to other Scots pine populations from the Asian part of the species range. Increased frequencies of some rare alleles in the populations from Tuva provide evidence for the probable presence of a glacial refugium for pine in this region.     

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.     

Effect of increased ambient temperature on the growth rate of young pine forests in the impact zone of a petroleum gas flare

The effect of increased ambient temperature on the vertical, radial, and volume increments of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees has been studied in the zone of thermal impact from a burning petroleum gas flare. Regular age-dependent changes in the pattern of increment dependence on the distance from the flare and ambient temperature have been revealed. The mechanisms of these changes are explained. It is concluded that an increase in ambient temperature by 1.0–1.5° C has a favorable effect on the dynamics of Scots pine growth.     

Response of the pigment system of conifers to long-term industrial air pollution

To estimate the response of conifers to long-term industrial air pollution at the pigment system level, the dynamics of photosynthetic pigments have been studied in needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Siberian spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.) growing at different distances from the emission source (a pulp and paper mill). It has been shown that the pigment apparatus of spruce. The results show that in spruce, unlike in pine, the pigment apparatus remains unchanged under the effect of weak pollution. Long-term exposure at high levels of industrial emission results in suppression of chlorophyll and carotenoid syntheses in pine but stimulates pigment production in spruce. An increase in the contents of pigments in the needles of conifers growing in the impact zone of the pulp and paper mill reflects a compensatory mechanism of adaptation of their pigment system to long-term stress exposure.     

The Holocene dynamics of vegetation and climatic conditions on the eastern slope of the Subpolar Urals

Changes in the vegetation and climatic conditions on the eastern slope of the Subpolar Urals over the past 10000 years have been reconstructed on the basis of integrated palynological, botanical, and radiocarbon analysis of material from two sections of peat deposits in the floodplains of the Lyapin and Man’ya rivers (the Severnaya Sos’va basin). The dynamics of regional vegetation have been traced: from the herb–shrub tundra in the late postglacial time to the spruce–larch forest–tundra and sparse larch–birch–spruce stands in the Early Holocene, to birch–pine–spruce forests with an admixture of fir in the Middle Holocene, and to northern taiga forests with dominance of Scots pine and Siberian stone pine (similar to present-day forests) in the Late Holocene. The results show that the northern taiga zone of the study region in the period between approximately 5500 and 2500 years BP was occupied by forests of middle and southern taiga facies, as the climate was significantly warmer than it is today.     

Change in the Phytohormonal Status of Japanese Red Pine after the Fukushima Accident

Russian Journal of Ecology - After the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, an increased frequency of cancellation of the apical dominance has been revealed in young pine trees....     

Density of Scots pine undergrowth after ground fires in a zone of industrial air pollution

The effects of two exogenous factors, ground fires and industrial air pollution, on natural regeneration of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) cenopopulations have been studied in the Transural region. It has been found that an increased level of air pollution leads to a decrease in the abundance and occurrence frequency of pine undergrowth; as the intensity of ground fire increases, these parameters of the postfire generation of undergrowth increase as well, especially in background areas. As shown by two-way ANOVA, either of these factors and their interaction have a significant effect on the density of pine undergrowth, with this effect being stronger in the case of ground fires.     

Changes in Species Diversity of Rove Beetles (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae) Depending on the Age of Pine Plantations in Central Belarus

Trends of changes in species richness and dominance in staphylinid communities depending on the age of pine plantations have been analyzed. The species richness of these communities is high in the plantations of age classes 1 and 2 (11 and 28 years, respectively) but decreases in the plantations of age class 3 (60 years). The highest and lowest indices of species diversity are observed in the plantations of age classes 2 and 3, respectively. Four groups of rove beetles have been distinguished by the criterion of their dominance in pine plantations of different ages.__________Translated from Ekologiya, No. 4, 2005, pp. 306–313.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Derunkov.     

Microecosystem Analysis of the Structure and Functions of Forest Biogeocenoses

The microecosystem approach and an adequate system of quantitative methods have been used to study the relationship between the chorologic changes in the structure and functions of edificator tree stand and other components of the pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forest cenoecosystems of the Transural and Northern Turgai regions. Significant correlations of the density of pine undergrowth with the litter thickness; of its growth with root competition, stand closeness, and, to a lower degree, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR); and of the numbers of small mammals and groups of soil mesofauna with herbaceous phytomass have been found. The possibility of the synthesis of population-ecological, synecological, and biogeocenological methods has been demonstrated.     

Specific features of root system morphology and mycorrhiza formation in scots pine seedlings from burned-out areas

Morphological parameters of the root system (the length of conducting roots and the number of absorbing roots) and the rate of its mycorrhization have been studied in one-year Scots pine seedlings from burned-out areas of cowberry-herb-green moss pine forest in the northern forest-steppe subzone of Western Siberia. The results show that the length of conducting roots in such seedlings increases, whereas the rate and density of mycorrhiza formation in absorbing roots decrease, compared to those in plants from unburned areas. The structure of underground organs in pine seedlings depends not only on fire intensity but also on the type of substrate in the burned-out area.     

Correlations between the contents of volatile compounds in needle samples from Scots pine populations of southern Siberia

Intrapopulation diversity and correlations of 30 volatile compounds in needles have been studied in Scots pine populations of southern Siberia. Significant differences between populations have been revealed in the correlation pattern of relative terpenoid contents in needle samples. Stable combinations of closely associated mono- and sesquiterpenes and specific features of the general pattern of correlations between relevant characters have been determined.     

A study of the impacts of climate change on the geographic distribution of Pinus koraiensis in China.

The climatic conditions and elevation of the potential distribution area of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc) in China were determined by an ecological information system GREEN that has been developed by [Yan H, Booth TH, Zuo H, editors. GREEN--a climatic mapping program for China and its use in forestry. In: Matching trees and sites, ACIAR Proceedings No. 63. Australia: ACIAR, 1996]. The potential distribution areas of this tree species under current and predicted climatic conditions were mapped using IDRISI GIS. Based on the averages of rainfall and temperature predicted by 5 GCMs (GISS, NCAR, OSU, UKMO and MPI, i.e., an "averaged" model) and a new model HadCM2 for 2030, predictions were made on the future distributions of Korean pine. The result shows that the southern boundary of the potential distribution area of Korean pine will have a northward shift of 0.1 degrees to 0.6 degrees in latitude, and the northern boundary will have a northward shift of 0.3 degrees to 0.5 degrees, resulting in an expansion of the potential distribution area by 3.4% according to the average of the five models. However, the distribution areas will be decreased by 12.1% and 44.9% according to the scenarios predicted by HadCM2, which assumes annual increments of CO2 concentrations of 0.5% and 1%, respectively. The authors concluded that if the thresholds were properly selected the actual distribution and potential distribution of a tree species might agree. The projected distribution under changed climatic conditions depends on the GCM scenarios applied. Different GCM scenarios may sometimes give opposite conclusions, as in the case of Korean pine projected by the "averaged" and HadCM2 models.     

The consequences of chronic radiation exposure of scots pine in the remote period after the chernobyl accident

Long-term observations on Scots pine populations (2003–2012) were performed in areas of Bryansk region radioactively contaminated by the Chernobyl fallout. Throughout the observation period, the frequency of cytogenetic alterations in the root meristem of germinated seeds of pine trees from radioactively contaminated test sites significantly exceeded the control level. Seeds developing under chronic radiation exposure were characterized by high interannual variation in viability. The quality of the seeds and their resistance to additional γ-irradiation showed no definite relationship with the level of radioactive contamination in the site and the radiation dose absorbed by the generative organs of Scots pine.     

The use of ecological scales for indication of the current state of forest communities

A method for estimating the current state of plant communities based on the ecological amplitudes of constituent species is proposed. An original program, Fitoindikatsiya, has been developed to compute the indices of disturbance and homogeneity of plant communities from species ecological scale values. The current state of pine forests in the part of Novosibirsk oblast east of the Ob River has been analyzed; slightly, moderately, and severely disturbed zones have been distinguished.     

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.     

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.     

The Holocene Evolution of Vegetation in the Southeast of the Volga Upland

The Holocene evolution of vegetation in the high-plain territory of the northwestern Volga Upland has been shown to have certain specific features. Based on analysis of spore–pollen assemblages from peat deposits, the onset of bog formation has been dated to the late Boreal period (about 8500 yr BP); the pine–birch phase in the development of forests, to the early Atlantic period (8000?6000 yr BP); the appearance and peak development of the zonal broadleaf species complex, to the late Atlantic period (6000?4500 yr BP); and early anthropogenic changes in the vegetation, to about 3000 yr BP.     

Ecophysiological Parameters of Transpiration in Coniferous Woody Plants in Phytocenoses of the North

Long-term observations on needle transpiration in pine and spruce, the main forest-forming tree species in the North, made it possible to estimate the rate of this process depending on different ecological factors in years with different weather conditions. Using a large amount of data, an attempt was made to compare transpiration rates in pine and spruce and reveal some specific features of this process under conditions of the North.