Archive

Current issues:

Online version of the journal

Select viewing options

Uncertainty and Multifunctionality: Legal Challenges and Opportunities for Green Infrastructure (GI)

Y.M. Gordeeva

Section: Social ecology

Nature and its vital contributions to people, which together embody biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are deteriorating from the changes in land and sea use, overexploitation of animals, plants and other organisms, pollution and climate change. [1] The anthropogenic changes in ecological systems have been so profound that scientists even warn that we have now entered a new geological period – Anthropocene [2]. As we continue degrading our natural environment in order to gain ecological, economic and social benefits, the utilization of “nature-based solutions (NBS)” remains an under-utilized option [3]. GI concept and the implementation of GI emerges as a policy response to address and reverse the current rather counterproductive practice. The European Commission defines GI as a “strategically planned network of natural and semi-natural areas with other environmental features, designed and managed to deliver a wide range of ecosystem services […]” [4]. Yet, designing and implementing GI policy has proved challenging: e.g. how to safeguard sound and effective decision-making in managing complex systems with multiple stakeholders at various temporal/spatial scales, under conditions of uncertainty, with multiple conflicting interests? These and other questions in relation to GI design and implementation were discussed in April, 2020 during the “Woodnet” project [5] international interdisciplinary webinar “Uncertainty and Multifunctionality: Legal Challenges and Opportunities for GI” (administered by the Catholic University of Louvain, Louvain – la – Neuve, Belgium). In the advent of a collective handbook and an international conference on the legal issues of GI design and implementation to be held in 2021, the present article deliberates on the pressing challenges, discussed during the webinar.

Keywords: Green Infrastructure, uncertainty, multifunctionality, connectivity conservation, precautionary principle, adaptive management, evidence-based approach, environmental law.

Link

Article published in number 3 for 2020
DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2020-3-217-223

Effects of acidifying manure effluent on its microbiological characteristics

L.V. Pilip, V.A. Kozvonin, N.V. Syrchina, E.P. Kolevatykh, T.Ya. Ashikhmina

Section: Agroecology

Modern industrial animal husbandry is a significant source of chemical and biological pollution of the environment. Animal manure and slurry present a particular environmental danger during their accumulation and storage until their disposal or application into the soil. The process of microbiological destruction of these wastes results in a wide range of pollutants being formed, including greenhouse gases, ammonia, toxic sulfur compounds, and others. One of the easiest ways to reduce microbiological activity is the acidification of manure effluent. As a result of experimental studies, it has been found that the treatment of pig slurry with a solution of waste sulfuric acid until reaching pH 5.3 leads to a decrease in the number of microorganisms in the treated wastes by 2.2 times on the 7th day and by 7.8 times on the 14th day of the experiment as compared to the control (non-acidified) samples. Acidification results in the elimination of Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus sp., as well as a sharp decrease in the number of Peptostreptococcus sp. and Peptoniphilus sp. in test samples. Implementing techniques for manure acidification on industrial pig farms will improve the sanitary, epidemiological and environmental situation in animal premises.

Keywords: pig manure, microbiology, livestock ecology, manure processing, sulfuric acid

Article published in number 3 for 2020
DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2020-3-161-167

Approaches for establishing threshold concentrations of priority pollutants in urban ecosystem components

Y.A. Tunakova, S.V. Novikova, D.V. Ivanov, A.R. Shagidullin, V.S. Valiev, A.J. Morais

Section: Research methods. Models and projects

This study was conducted on the territory of the city of Kazan with the dominant aerogenic flow of metals from a significant number of stationary and mobile sources of pollution, causing specific and non-specific responses in the population. Use of modern mathematical methods, ways of assessment of a response of biological objects to anthropogenic influence, chemical analysis researches of content of metals allowed to allocate sources and to determine threshold concentration of metals in urboekosistema components Wednesdays, by the upper bound of acceptable concentration in biosubstrates of teenage children. As a result, we have proposed and tested a methodology for calculating threshold concentrations of essential and toxic metals in snow cover and soils of Kazan, which do not lead to an increase in their regional reference values in the blood and hair of adolescent children.

Keywords: metals, snow cover, soil cover, organism biosubstrates, threshold concentrations, regional reference values, neural network modeling

Article published in number 3 for 2020
DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2020-3-023-028

Agroecological justification for the use of complex micronutrient-enriched fertilizers in the cultivation of spring soft wheat

V.I. Lazarev, J.N. Minchenko, A.Ya. Bashkatov

Section: Agroecology

According to the studies conducted in 2017-2019, the use of complex micronutrient-enriched fertilizers such as Aquadon - Micro, MicroFeed Complex and Novofert on spring soft wheat crops on chernozem soils of the Kursk region has been proved to be highly effective and en-vironmentally desirable. Seed treatment with complex micronutrient-enriched fertilizers in combi-nation with two-time spraying of crops during the “Tillering” phase and the “Beginning of Erect Growth” phase has increased the yield of spring wheat by 0.57 - 0.75 ton / ha, or 14.7 - 19.4% , and the content of crude gluten in the grain by 1.8 - 2.0% compared with the control. The highest in-crease of economical indexes in cultivation of spring wheat has been achieved through the effective use of complex fertilizer Aquadon–Micro. Seed treatment (2.0 l / ton) and two–time spraying of crops during the “Tillering” phase (2.0 l / ha) and the “Beginning of Erect Growth” phase(2.0 l / ha) has increased the cost of gross output by 7500 rub / ha, the net income by 6,170.0 rub / ha and the profitability by 22.2%. It has also helped to reduce the cost price of 1 ton of grain by 626.86 rub. The economic efficiency of complex fertilizers Novofert and MicroFeed Complex applied in the same way has been proved to be slightly lower than the effectiveness of the Aquadon–Micro fertilizer: the cost of gross output has enhanced by 5700-5800 rub / ha, the net income by 4942– 4770 rub/ ha, the profitability by 18.9–17.9%. The cost price reduction of 1 ton of grain was approximately 541.62–513.93 rubles.

Keywords: micronutrient-enriched fertilizers, MicroFeed Complex, Aquadon–Micro, Novofert, spring soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), crop yield, crop capacity, gluten content, economic efficiency.

Article published in number 3 for 2020
DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2020-3-154-160

Optimization of field crop rotations as a factor of soil fertility preservation and greening of agriculture

L.M. Kozlova, E.N. Noskova, F.A. Popov

Section: Agroecology

One of the main conditions of ecological farming is the introduction of biologized field crop rotations. In a long-term stationary experiment (1982-2017) on the study of various types of field crop rotations in the conditions of the Kirov region, the biological activity of the soil (by the method of linen decomposition), soil toxicity (by the seedlings method), productivity of crop rotations were studied. It has been found that on sod-podzolic middle loamy soil the activity of cellulose-decomposing microorganisms depends on the weather conditions of the growing season, the type of crop rotation, the precursor, the presence of organic matter, the agro-physical properties of the soil. In specialized grain crop rotations, the activity of cellulose-decomposing microorganisms was significantly lower than in crop rotations with 50% saturation with leguminous crops, green-manure fallows, and application of organic fertilizers. Fiber degradation under legumes and tilled crops was evaluated on the D.G. Zvyagintsev scale as from "strong" to "very strong." Soil toxicity increased in grain crop rotations, exceeding 20%. Soil was not toxic (0-6%) in biologized crop rotations when applying organic fertilizers. The lowest percentage of non-grown seeds is observed in the soil of pure and green manure fallows. Crop rotation productivity depended on fertilizer systems and crop composition and aver-aged 3.96-5.69 thousand fodder units.

Keywords: crop rotation, rotation cropping system, biological activity, soil toxicity, organic fertilizers, agricultural crops

Article published in number 3 for 2020
DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2020-3-147-153

An influence of urbanization on the processes of biological invasions in Arctic (on example of Yamal Autonomous Region)

E.M. Koptseva, I.Yu. Popov, D.Yu. Vlasov, E.V. Pershina, E.E. Andronov, E.V. Abakumov

Section: Social ecology

Urbanized ecosystems of the Arctic environment are considered as the most important example of invasive species redistribution into inhabitats which are not typical for them. In this context, urbanized ecosystems has been investigated in terms of biological invasions and local natural communities transformation into antropogenic ones. It is shown, that transformation of the flora and micro fungi is caused mainly by transformation of hydro thermic regime under the changing of surface of soil cover, which is considered as frequent consequence of the urbanization (construction, mining). Urbanogenic floras are considered as relatively stable and competitive. Indexes of α- and β- biodiversity of microorganisms are very different in soils of technogenic and mature landscapes, which is caused by the presence of the invasive species. The diversity of microorganisms show tend to increase due to antropogenic and ornitogenic translocation, newly formed communities become comparatively stable and results in sanitary-hygienic risks, related to the pathogenesis. An intensification of the tourism, transport activity and increasing of urbanization results in intensive transformation of the local faunas. Urbanized territories increment and expansion results in extending of the area to margin terrestrial borders of Eurasia, this also has an effect in formation of the food chains and holistic changes in ecosystems.

Keywords: Arctic, invasions, flora, microorganisms, fauna

Article published in number 3 for 2020
DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2020-3-210-216

Checkout of methods for isolation and preparation of basidiomycete cultures for mycorrhization of soil

N.V. Bogacheva, N.V. Pozolotina, N.P. Savinykh, I.A. Konovalova

Section: Research methods. Models and projects

Cultivation of coniferous seedlings in artificial conditions is a promising direction for solving the problem of reforestation. One of the best agrotechnical methods for adapting plants to artificial conditions is mycorrhization of the soil. The formation of mycorrhiza, which is a symbiosis of the mycelium of the fungus and the roots of a higher plant, leads to an improvement in the physiological and biochemical state of plants, which contributes to their survival and growth. Objective of the work is working out methods of selection and preparation of culture of basidiomycetes for mycorrhization of soil. In the process of work, isolation and cultural-morphological assessment of mycelium from Tricholoma equestre, Lactarius rufus, Suillus bovinus basidiomycetes was performed . The homogenization regimes of the isolated fungal mycelium were worked out, which planned to cultivate the soil when growing seedlings of conifers in artificial conditions. The optimal mode was 8000 rpm for 2 min, which led to a significant increase in the content of viable mushroom mycelium in the suspension. The optimal range of content of mycelia suspensions of the studied fungi in beer wort for application to the soil was determined experimentally as 101 to 104 of viable propagules per 1 g of soil.

Keywords: allocation of the mycelium, mycorrhization of soil, seedlings of coniferous trees

View additional file

Article published in number 3 for 2020
DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2020-3-046-051

Monitoring of natural and natural-anthropogenic objects in the province of Vyatka-Kama Upland

M.G. Dvornikov, V.V. Shiryaev, V.G. Safonov, D.P. Strelnikov

Section: Monitoring of anthropogenically disturbed areas

The review summarizes the results of thirty years stationary studies of zonal natural and anthropogenically disturbed biogeocenoses (BGC) based on natural ecosystems and their components in the province of Vyatka-Kama Upland. The combination in the hierarchical series of natural, natural-anthropogenic and anthropogenic objects is the chorological basis of environmental monitoring. The analysis of the structure of regional ecosystems and the use of biological resources in changing climatic and anthropogenic conditions is carried out. Due to the identified parameters of the structural and functional organization of the BGC and their capacity, the trend for the conversion of taiga into mixed and rejuvenated forests has been established (in numerical values). The conversion process is accompanied by an increase in calcium to the south of the region and confirms changes in the biogeochemical cycle of the taiga type, which entails a decrease in the ability to restore and maintain the natural amount of water in the Kama basin and its aggregations and the climate as a whole. At the same time, the emergence, dynamic functioning of the BGC and the forecast for their development opens up attractive innovative and investment prospects for effective environmental management and development of the region.

Keywords: natural and anthropogenic objects, biological productivity, forecasting of ecological risks and safety

Article published in number 3 for 2020
DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2020-3-091-096

Ecological and toxicological assessment of bioremediation of oil-contaminated soil

I.A. Degtyareva, T.Yu. Motina, E.V. Babynin, A.M. Ezhkova, A.Ya. Davletshina

Section: Remediation and rehabilitation

The combined use of a consortium of microorganisms-destructors and sorbent in native and nanoscale form allows to ensure the rate of destruction of oil pollution at a higher level compared to the use of each component separately. Bentonite and nanobenthos not only adsorb hydrocarbons, and are a source of mineral nutrition for autochthonous microflora, improving the soil structure. Nanoantenna at least in 10 times the dose of making contributes to the efficiency of purification of polluted soil in comparison with bentonite in native form. Included in the consortium microorganisms-destructors (Achromobacter insolitus, Achromobacter xylosoxidans and Pseudomonas stutzeri) are actively integrated into the natural population, adapt and begin to effectively decompose hydrocarbons, using them as food and energy.

Keywords: soil, bioremediation, oil, microorganisms, sorbents

Article published in number 3 for 2020
DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2020-3-196-202

Lycopodiella inundata (L.) Holub (Lycopodiaceae) in the Komi Republic (Russian Federation)

L. V. Teteryuk, Yu. A. Bobrov, B. Yu. Teteryuk, T. I. Marchenko-Vagapova, Yu.V. Golubeva, V. A. Kanev, S. N. Plyusnin

Section: Population ecology

Lycopodiella inundata expands its areal on the European North-East of Russia. In the subzone of the middle taiga of the Komi Republic in 2017-2018, four local populations of this species were found, associated with anthropogenic ecotopes, poor and acidic sands, or peat, varying in moisture regime. Obligatory satellites of L. inundata in plant communities are Drosera rotundifolia L. and Juncus filiformis L., mosses of the genera Sphagnum L. and Polytrichum Hedw. Its local populations are small, beyond protection areas of the Komi Republic and so are endangered. The life-form of the Lycopodiella inundata sporophyte is a spore variance of perennial plant with annual shoot system. This species prefers vegetative multiplication through natural winter morphological disintegration. For determine the population in the beginning of shoots growth, ramets are recommended to be counted. The paleo-geographic analysis makes it possible to exclude the relic nature of the present locations of L. inundata in the European North and allows one to classify the species as an allochthonous element of the flora. In view of the fact that the species is rare and tends to decrease its habitats worldwide, we included L. inundata into new edition of the Red Data Book of the Komi Republic with protection status category 3 (Rare). All habitation places of the species are out of specially protected areas of the republic and so are threatened. Limiting factors for this stenotopic species in the Komi Republic are its narrow ecological amplitude, low competitiveness, instability to violations of the hydrological regime (bogging or draining) and overgrowth of biotopes due to natural succession processes.

Keywords: Lycopodiella inundata, North-East of the European part of Russia, the Komi Republic, flora, rare protected species

View additional file

Article published in number 3 for 2020
DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2020-3-111-118

Pages: previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 next