INCREASE OF THE UPPER GROWTH LIMIT OF PICEA SCHRENKIANA ON THE MOLDO TOO MOUNTAIN RANGE UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE

Arid Ecosystems

Kendirbayeva A.Zh., Kurmanbekova G.T., Chekirov K.Ch., Totubayeva N.E., Solpuyeva K.T., Omurzakova N. INCREASE OF THE UPPER GROWTH LIMIT OF PICEA SCHRENKIANA ON THE MOLDO TOO MOUNTAIN RANGE UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE // Arid Ecosystems. 2025. Vol. 31. № 2 (103). P. 101-107. | PDF

In Kyrgyzstan, Picea schrenkiana Fisch. et C.A. Mey forests are widespread in the inner, central, and northern Tien Shan and can be found in small patches in the Pamir-Alay mountains. They have significant water-regulating, soil-protective, sanitary, and recreational values. In this article we examine the distribution patterns, location, and changes in the appearance of P. schrenkiana in the upper spruce forest sub-belt in the inner Tien Shan on the slopes of the Moldo Too mountain range. Most researchers used to believe that the upper limit of their distribution was at an altitude of 2,900-3,100 m. However, our monitoring data revealed that the current upper limit is at 3,324 m, which we believe to be a result of climate change.

Keywords: spruce forest, Picea schrenkiana, Inner Tien Shan, upper limit, dwarf pine, anthropogenic load, woody vegetation, boundary, above sea level, slope.

DOI: 10.24412/1993-3916-2025-2-101-107

EDN: OBRLGI

TAXONOMIC ANALYSIS OF FLORA ON THE SANDS OF THE DON RIVER VALLEY AND CLARIFICATION OF THE LIST OF RARE PLANT SPECIES

Arid Ecosystems

Vlasenko M.V. TAXONOMIC ANALYSIS OF FLORA ON THE SANDS OF THE DON RIVER VALLEY AND CLARIFICATION OF THE LIST OF RARE PLANT SPECIES // Arid Ecosystems. 2025. Vol. 31. № 2 (103). P. 108-117. | PDF

The purpose of this work was to analyze the taxonomic structure of the flora of the Archedin–Don sand massif and to compile a list of rare plant species. The novelty of our research lies in obtaining new data to adjust the schemes of botanical and geographical zoning of the steppe territories in the south of Russia in general and the territory of sand massifs distribution in particular. The floristic list was compiled based on data obtained during route surveys in 2016-2024, and the flora lists for 1990-2024 from the Global Biodiversity Information System (GBIF) of iNaturalist. The current list of plants of the Archedin-Don sand massif includes 677 species from 324 genera and 95 families belonging to 8 classes and 7 departments. The Magnoliophyta department is the most represented, containing 79% of the flora of the territory. The total generic coefficient is 2.09. Amaryllidaceae (11.0), Plantaginaceae (8.25), Cyperaceae (6.8), Juncaceae (6.0), Salicaceae (5.0), Violaceae (5.0) families had the highest generic coefficient. Asteraceae family is leading the list, represented by 103 species (15.2%). Poaceae family occupies the 2nd place, represented b68 species (10.0%). Cyperaceae (34), Plantaginaceae (33), Caryophyllaceae (32), Fabaceae (31), Lamiaceae (29), Brassicaceae (22), Rosaceae (20), and Amaranthaceae (17) families also have in a large number of taxa. The sandy landscapes of the Archedinsky-Don massif with elements of boreal flora and confined to reservoirs, floodplains areas and areas with atypical water regime are unique in terms of conservation and maintenance of biological diversity in steppe territories. There, 30 species in total turned out to be listed in the Red Data Book of the Volgograd Region (2017), and 12 species are listed in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation (2008). The endangered species are as follows: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L., Lycopodiella inundata (L.) Holub., Lycopodium clavatum L., Climacium dendroides (Hedw.) Web. et Mohr., and Clematis orientalis L. Asteraceae (3 species) and Orchidaceae (4 species) families have the largest number of species from Red Data Books.

The results of our research can be useful in studying the ecology of plant communities and species in them, for restoring and preserving the lost biological diversity of the vegetation cover of sandy ecosystems.

Funding. This work was carried out as part of a state task No. FNFE-2025-0004 “Theoretical Justification and Concept of Adaptive Solutions for the Management of Phytoecological Resources of the Russian Federation Arid Zone Agricultural Landscapes at the River’s Basin Level, Using System-Dynamic Modeling of Soil-Hydrological Processes, Climate Change Effects and Anthropogenic Loads Multifactorial Analysis”.

Keywords: sandy massifs, floristic list, generic coefficient, systematic spectrum, rare species.

DOI: 10.24412/1993-3916-2025-2-108-117

EDN: OHMELB

THE STRUCTURE OF THE COENOPOPULATIONS OF DRACOCEPHALUM PEREGRINUM L. IN THE STEPPE COMMUNITIES OF SIBERIA (RUSSIA) IN DIFFERENT YEARS OF THE STUDY

Arid Ecosystems

Denisova G.R., Cheremushkina V.A., Astashenkov A.Yu., Talovskaya E.B. THE STRUCTURE OF THE COENOPOPULATIONS OF DRACOCEPHALUM PEREGRINUM L. IN THE STEPPE COMMUNITIES OF SIBERIA (RUSSIA) IN DIFFERENT YEARS OF THE STUDY // Arid Ecosystems. 2025. Vol. 31. № 2 (103). P. 118-125. | PDF

In this work we study the structure of 4 coenopopulations (CP) of Dracocephalum peregrinum L. located in the steppe communities of Siberia, Russia. We discovered a variety of ontogenetic spectra: left-sided, centered, and bimodal. During the study period, pregenerative individuals accumulated in the ontogenetic spectra of all CPs. The share of the generative fraction in the CP of the Republic of Tuva had increased (CP 2, 3), while decreasing in the mountainous region of Altai (CP 1) and the Republic of Khakassia (CP 4). Structure of spectra changes for various reasons: e.g., a decrease in anthropogenic load (CP 1-4), increase in precipitation (CP 2, 3), growth of shrubs in the cenosis (CP 3), microconditions of the local area (CP 4). Demographic indicators and development speed confirmed the rejuvenation and stability of the studied CPs.

Keywords: monitoring, dynamics, Dracocephalum peregrinum, ontogenetic spectrum, demographic indicators.

DOI: 10.24412/1993-3916-2025-2-118-125

EDN: PMQWSO

CYANOBACTERIA AND ALGAL DIVERSITY IN ERODED SOILS OF THE FERGANA VALLEY (UZBEKISTAN) AS DETERMINED BY LIGHT MICROSCOPY AND HIGH-THROUGHPUT SEQUENCING

Arid Ecosystems

Tukhtaboyeva Yu.A., Redkina V.V.,  Bukin Yu.S., Temraleyeva A.D. CYANOBACTERIA AND ALGAL DIVERSITY IN ERODED SOILS OF THE FERGANA VALLEY (UZBEKISTAN) AS DETERMINED BY LIGHT MICROSCOPY AND HIGH-THROUGHPUT SEQUENCING // Arid Ecosystems. 2025. Vol. 31. № 2 (103). P. 126-141. | PDF

In this study, the taxonomic compositions of cyanobacterial and algal communities in eroded soils of the Fergana Valley (Uzbekistan) are compared for the first time using morphological analysis and microbiological profiling.

Characteristic features of the algal flora of the Rezoksaisky Ravines, compared to those of the Levy Hills, is the presence of yellow-green algae, the absence of heterocytic cyanobacteria capable of nitrogen fixation, an increased proportion of monadic forms and/or algae capable of zoosporogenesis, and an overall lower taxonomic richness and algae diversity. We determined that light microscopy used along with high-throughput sequencing partially confirms the fact of cyanobacteria and algae diversity in the studied soils, but only detects half of the taxa. However, the presence of yellow-green algae was confirmed exclusively by light microscopy instead of metabarcoding. Using the V3-V4 of the chloroplast 16S rRNA gene, we identified additional genera of green algae, including Edaphochlorella, Pseudomuriella, and Watanabea, as well as diatoms of the genera Bacillaria, Fistulifera, and Entomoneis, and the charophyte alga Klebsormidium. However, approximately 20% of algae remain unidentified due to the lack of ITS2 reference sequences for green microalgae in genetic databases.

Funding. This study was funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (122040100065-3).

Keywords: algal flora, foothill zone, gray soils, morphology, DNA metabarcoding, V3-V4 16S rRNA, ITS2.

DOI: 10.24412/1993-3916-2025-2-126-141

EDN: PQOPFO

RODENTS OF THE FOREST-STEPPE PART OF EUROPEAN RUSSIA

Arid Ecosystems

Zhigarev I.V.,  Rumyantsev V.Yu. RODENTS OF THE FOREST-STEPPE PART OF EUROPEAN RUSSIA // Arid Ecosystems. 2025. Vol. 31. № 2 (103). P. 142-153. | PDF

Forest-steppe is an ecotone, which consists of forest and steppe landscapes. In European Russia, there are 3 forest-steppe biomes: Dneprovsko-Privolzhsky (only its forest-steppe part), Zavolzhsky and Crimea-Caucasian. As of now, all of them are significantly changed by human activities. One of the most important parts of forest-steppe ecosystems are rodents. Therefore, in this work we describe the rodent fauna of European Russia. We have compiled a general list of all rodent species for the study area, revealed their taxonomic composition, geographical, ecological and other components of their fauna. Additionally, we evaluated differences and similarities in their species composition in different regions. In total, we have recorded 44 rodent species in the forest-steppe of European Russia: 35 species in Dneprovsky-Privolzhsky biome, 27 in Zavolzhsky, 25 in Northern Caucasus, and 20 in Crimea. There are 37 species in the zonal forest-steppe, and 30 in the barrier forest-steppe of Crimea and Caucasus. Muridae (25%) and Cricetidae (36%) prevail in taxonomic composition. The most dominant species are the Eurasian steppe (9 = 21%), European-Siberian steppe (8 = 18%), European forest (6=14%), and European steppe (6 = 14%). Steppe and desert-steppe rodents (17 species) make up 39% of the total rodents fauna, while boreal, nemoral and nemoral-boreal ones make up 30% with 13 species.

Funding. This work was carried out as part of the state assignment for M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University “Spatiotemporal Organization of Ecosystems in Conditions of Environmental Changes”, No. TsITIS 121051100137-4, and supported by the Program of Development of M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (#1220).

Keywords: forest-steppe, European Russia, biomes, rodents, species lists, faunistic elements.

DOI: 10.24412/1993-3916-2025-2-142-153

EDN: QTIFGV

IDENTIFICATION OF STABLE ECOTYPES OF HALOXYLON APHYLLUM (MINKW.) ILJIN. AND THE CREATION OF ITS SEED PLANTS

Arid Ecosystems

Kryuchkov S.N., Solomentseva A.S., Yegorov S.A. IDENTIFICATION OF STABLE ECOTYPES OF HALOXYLON APHYLLUM (MINKW.) ILJIN. AND THE CREATION OF ITS SEED PLANTS // Arid Ecosystems. 2025. Vol. 31. № 2 (103). P. 154-166. | PDF

In this article we present the results of a study of the growth and development of Haloxylon aphyllum (Minkw.) Iljin. from different geographic origins, and its relationship with key environmental factors, in order to find the most promising climatypes for seed production. By testing 19 climatic ecotypes of saxaul, we discovered that in the first year after being planted at the experimental plot, the southern climatypes suffered frost damage due to insufficient lignification of annual growth. We also identified preliminary acceptable zoning limits for saxaul seed for the arid zone. We analyzed the main growth parameters of saxaul during the growing season, which helped us identify the earliest bud swelling time in Haloxylon ammodendron (Mongolian ecotype), as well as in the saxauls introduced from Kazakhstan, Baskunchak, and Kharabali (Astrakhan Region). Saxaul growth continues throughout the summer, but in the hottest years, it can continue to grow even in September. We found that its growth accelerates with increasing air temperature, which is especially noticeable in southern climatypes; however, we observed no dependence on precipitation for their shoot growth. The highest water regime indicators were observed in saxaul introduced from Dosang (Astrakhan Region), characterizing them as the most drought-resistant biotypes. Cultures created from northern reproduction seeds demonstrated the highest frost resistance. Saxaul adaptation to the new conditions is evident by good fruiting, vertical growth, increased trunk and crown diameter, and high biomass. Pest and disease damage to the experimental plants was observed only during dry and hot periods, primarily in climatypes from Kazakhstan and introduced types, while no damage was observed in the southern types. Observations of saxaul in the Astrakhan Trans-Volga region have shown a potential for developing its seed base in geographical crops.

Keywords: Haloxylon aphyllum, ecotypes, cultivation, propagation, protective afforestation, seed plantations.

DOI: 10.24412/1993-3916-2025-2-154-166

EDN: YTUOFD