EXPANDING THE RANGE OF FOOD PRODUCTS FOR SPECIAL PURPOSE AND FUNCTIONALITY

The efficiency of using natural triterpenoids, a complex of organic acids, introduced plants, microgreens, coniferous chlorophyll-carotene paste containing the necessary physiologically functional ingredients that increase the activity of the vital processes of the human body, has been substantiated. Technological modes of production have been optimized, rational dosages and combinations of components have been determined when creating recipe compositions of food products with specified nutritional and functional properties; revealed their positive impact on quality indicators, safety and shelf life of finished products.

Cytogenetic characteristics of seed progeny of old-aged trees of Pinus pallasiana and Picea abies (Pinaceae)

Information on cytogenetic changes in the seed offspring of old-aged trees is insufficient and inconsistent. In our studies, 150–200-year old trees of Picea abies and Pinus pallasiana were used. We analyzed peculiarities of their karyotype, nucleus-forming region, and nucleolus in the cells of seedlings of P. abies and P. pallasiana emerged from seeds in natural populations and plantations of introduced plants. As a result, age-dependent cytogenetic disorders were observed, such as the chromosome bridges, lag, premature segregation, and agglutination. Peculiarities with regard to number and structure of secondary chromosome constriction are demonstrated. The identified properties of the cell structure of seeds of old-aged trees of P. abies and P. pallasiana indicate that more resources are needed to maintain their protein synthesis at a normal level. The increased number of abnormalities indicates a significant impact of accumulated intracellular metabolites and cytopathological phenomena in mother plants on the quality of seed offspring.

Changes in the Physico-Chemical Properties of Degraded Soils in Response to the ReviTec Approach Applied at Gawel (Far-North Cameroon)

A heavily degraded hardé area in the community of Gawel (Extreme Nord) was rehabilitated with a ReviTec approach. To evaluate the efficiency of introduced plants for rehabilitation, the site was monitored with the BioSoilPlot experiment over two years during the dry and rainy seasons (January 2018/2019, June 2018/2019, respectively). ReviTec was applied to accelerate ecological succession and improve the establishment of vegetation on these degradation-prone sites (Gawel 1 and Gawel 2). Growth volume, height and percentage cover of the herbaceous plants and soil physical and chemical parameters were assessed. Growth volume increased in both sites between 2018 and 2019 with Pennisetum pedicellatum exhibiting the highest values (Gawel 1: 3.41 dm3/m2 and 3.50 dm3/m2; Gawel 2: 3.47 dm3/m2 and 3.62 dm3/m2). Bunds were suitable for herbaceous growth, Sesbania sesban having the highest growth height (Gawel 1: 1.91 cm and 1.95 cm; Gawel 2: 1.95 cm and 1.97 cm) and Pennisetum pedicellatum the best percentage cover (Gawel 1: 53% and 58.33%; Gawel 2: 40.67% and 56.67%). Soil changed from sandy and strongly acid to clay-loam and slightly acid at Gawel 1, and from sandy and strongly acid to clay-loam and alkaline at Gawel 2. Soil water content and soil nutrient had increased within the ReviTec site compared to the outside with the application of compost-biochar-mycorrhiza treatment as the most promising over the two years of monitoring. Such results suggest that ReviTec approach can be used in sustainable restoration of soil hardé.

Optimization of the artificial phytocenoses structure of the National Dendrological Park “Sofiyivka” of NAS of Ukraine by introducing alien climbing honeysuckles plants of the genus Lonicera L.

The results of 35-year research of the introduction of East Asian climbing honeysuckles of the subgenus Chamaecerasus Rehd. in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine and their role in optimizing the structure of phyto- cenoses of the The National Dendrological Park «Sofiyivka» of the NASU were presented. It was found that the climatic conditions of the introduction area have significant differences between climate indicators (thermal regime indicators and others) with the climatic conditions of natural habitats of climbing honeysuckles species of the subgenus Chamaecerasus, which negatively affect the rhythm of development and flowering and fruiting of introduced plants. It was determinated that the generative period of climbing honeysuckles of the subgenus Chamaecerasus in the arboretum occurs at 4–6 years of age. Most of the introduced honeysuckle was characterized by good (4 points) and satisfactory (3 points) flowering. Representatives of the subsection Breviflorae Rehd. were characterized by long and remontant flowering. It was found that the dynamics of daily fertility of honeysuckles pollen from different areas is closely related to the daily course of flower bloom- ing and daily flight activity of pollinating insects. The duration of the period of fruit formation of introduced honeysuckles depends on the time of the beginning of flowering of species and their geographical origin. Determined amount of positive temperatures above 0 °C required for mass ripening fruit honeysuckles different geographical origin. The plants bear fruit single fruits with empty seeds (ball bearing 1). The collection of climbing honeysuckles of the subgenus Chamaecerasus was created in the National Dendrological Park «Sofiyivka» of the NAS of Ukraine, it has significant scientific and informative value as collector' s stuff is valuable gene pool for further breeding work. The optimal forms of conservation and cultivation of biodiversity of round honeysuckle of the genus Lonicera L. in the one-species gardens and other artificially created phytocenoses have been determined.

Performance of a Native Butterfly and Introduced Moth on Native and Introduced Lineages of Phragmites australis

This study examined the performance of Poanes viator (Edwards) (Hesperiidae), a native North American skipper, and Rhizedra lutosa (Hübner) (Noctuidae), an introduced moth, reared on native and non-native, invasive lineages of Phragmites australis. Poanes viator is a generalist on monocots and larvae were also fed leaves of Zizania aquatica, a native macrophyte that the skipper commonly uses as a host plant. Larval survival and duration, pupal weight, and pupation time were compared for P. viator feeding on leaf tissue and R. lutosa feeding on rhizomes of either native or introduced plants. We also tested an artificial diet supplemented with P. australis rhizome powder as a potential food for rearing other stalk and rhizome boring Lepidoptera. In experiments using excised plant tissues, some individuals of both species fed and developed to the pupal stage on native and introduced plants, but overall, larval survival rates were low. Plant species/haplotype identity did not cause strong differences in larval survival for either species. However, P. viator larvae only pupated when feeding on native plants (Zizania aquatica and native P. australis haplotypes), whereas R. lutosa successfully pupated on both native and introduced P. australis. Although larval survival was low, 100% of P. viator and 95% of R. lutosa that reached the pupal stage emerged as adults. Rhizedra lutosa larvae fed an artificial diet supplemented with P. australis rhizome powder had significantly greater survival and pupal weights, and shorter pupation times than larvae fed rhizomes only. Several specialist Lepidopteran species are being considered for approval as biological control agents for the non-native P. australis haplotype, and the convenience and increased larval performance make this artificial diet a good alternative for rearing organisms.

Growth and Productivity of Non-Indigenous Woody Species in the Middle Urals

Climate warming has been recorded over the last decades. The air temperature in Yekaterinburg has been rising since the 1930s. Temperatures dropped sharply in 1940–1949, then rose sharply and fell again, especially in 1967–1968, when many large introduced species considered to be adapted died: Phellodendron amurense Rupr. and Pseudotsuga taxifolia (Lindl.) Britt. Due to the cyclical nature of weather conditions, it was necessary to assess the features of adaptation and state of the introduced plants in recent years. Snowless autumn and winter, temperatures above zero in early spring are unfavourable for many species, especially or conifers. Thus, in 2014 much snow fell on October 16 and melted in 2 weeks, temperatures below zero did not afford plants to prepare for the winter; in March 2015 the temperature rose up to +10 °C while the ground temperature was below zero for a long time. As a result of physiological dryness 100 % of specimens of variegated forms of northern white cedar Thuja occidentalis L. `Ellwangeriana Aurea`, `Ericoides` died. In other forms the leafage died to the snow cover level and recovered after abundant rains: `Aurea spicata`, `Gold Pearl`, `Golden Globe`, `Lutescens`, `Semperaurea` and `Wareana Lutescens`. Due to a steady increase in the sum of positive temperatures and reaching a certain age, many conifer species entered the fruiting stage and gave self-seeding: Pinus peuce Grieseb, Pinus strobus L., Picea canadensis (Mill.) Britt. et al., Picea pungens Engelm., Pseudotsuga taxifolia (Lindl.) Britt., and Abies sachalinensis (F. Schmidt) Mast. In the warmest year of 2016, the latter gave an abundant yield – red-brown cones with protruding seed scales; a strong wind dropped them all. They remained under the snow for the winter and did not crumble (probably, the fruits were unripe), so Abies sachalinensis was mistaken for Keteleeria fortunei (A. Murray bis) Carrière), which has cones that do not crumble. Unusual flowering was observed in Crataegus oxyacantha L. `Rosea Plena`, Mespilus germanica L., Syringa reflexa C.K.Schneid, Hamamelis virginiana L. With the rise in average annual temperatures, the number of years with abnormal weather conditions increased and the condition of some plants deteriorated. For citation: Semkina L.A., Tishkina E.A. Growth and Productivity of Non-Indigenous Woody Species in the Middle Urals. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2021, no. 6, pp. 100–109. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2021-6-100-109

Features of the plant communities formation in "Gurzufsky" Park

The article reveals the features of the organization of plant formations of the park-monument "Gurzufsky". For the first time, the characteristics and layout of 12 cultures of phytocenoses (CFC) that dominate the park landscape are presented. A histogram of the distribution of woody and shrubby plants by species composition in the CFC is given. A landscape map of "Gurzufsky" Park has been developed, taking into account the geo-morphological and ecological-phytocenotic features of the territory. The assessment of landscape morphological units from the position of the possibility of growing plants of various ecological groups was made, a scheme for assessing the phytoecological potential of the park was developed, where four categories of park territories were identified according to the degree of favorability for growing introduced plants. The analysis of key morphometric landscape characteristics and calculations of the values of the weighted average value of the plantings’ state (AVPS) forming the CFC, on the basis of which the stability of park groupings is determined, are carried out. In the course of comparative studies, the possibility of predicting the optimal species composition of park CFCs with high ecological plasticity for solving various tasks related to the organization of garden and park space has been established.

Seasonal development of aboveground phytomass of evergreen introduced plants on the Southern Coast of the Crimea

For the Southern Coast of Crimea, the problem of park communities’ productivity, due to the high recreational load on the environment and climate change, is of particular relevance. The aim of the research was to study the features of the introduced park communities evergreen aboveground phytomass formation and seasonal growth in the conditions of the Southern coast of the Crimea. A comparative assessment of vegetative shoots seasonal growth features of plants Laurus nobilis L., Prunus laurocerasus L., Viburnum tinus L., Aucuba japonica Thunb and Nerium oleander L. was performed. It was found that the time of renewal of shoot growth in spring after winter dormancy in V. tinus and A. japonica began at 459-462 °C, P. laurocerasus - 649 °C, and L. nobilis - 886 °C and N. oleander - 990 °C amounts of active air temperatures above 5 °C. The largest growth (49.3 cm) and the accumulation of leaf phytomass (42.3 cm3) differ in annual shoots of N. oleander. P. laurocerasus has a great potential with a phytomass volume an annual shoot of 24.5 cm3. The increase of shoots phytomass in V. tinus, A. japonica, and L. nobilis is 7-8 times less than that in N. oleander.

Limited natural regeneration of unique Scalesia forest following invasive plant removal in Galapagos

More than 60% of the flora of the Galapagos Islands is introduced and some of these species have become invasive, severely altering ecosystems. An example of an affected ecosystem is the Scalesia forest, originally dominated by the endemic giant daisy tree Scalesia pedunculata (Asteraceae). The remnant patches of this unique forest are increasingly being invaded by introduced plants, mainly by Rubus niveus (blackberry, Rosaceae). To help large-scale restoration of this ecologically important forest, we seek to better understand the natural regeneration of S. pedunculata after invasive plant control. We monitored naturally recruited S. pedunculata saplings and young trees over five years in an area where invasive plant species are continuously being removed by manual means. We measured survival, height and growth of S. pedunculata saplings and young trees along permanent transects. Percent cover of surrounding plant species and of canopy shade directly above each S. pedunculata individual were determined, as well as distance to the next mature S. pedunculata tree. We identified potential factors influencing initial sapling survival and growth by applying generalized linear models. Results showed a rapid growth of saplings and young trees of up to 0.45 cm per day and a high mortality rate, as is typical for pioneer species like S. pedunculata. Sapling survival, growth and mortality seemed to be influenced by light availability, surrounding vegetation and distance to the next adult S. pedunculata tree. We concluded that natural regeneration of S. pedunculata was high only five months after the last herbicide application but that 95% of these recruits had died over the 5-year period. Further studies are needed to corroborate whether the number of surviving trees is sufficient to replace the aging adult trees and this way maintain remnants of the Scalesia forest. Urgent action is needed to help improve future restoration strategies to prevent further degradation of this rapidly shrinking threatened forest ecosystem.