Asymmetry of values, indigenous forces, and incumbent success in counterinsurgency: evidence from Chechnya

This article fills the gap in existing scholarship on asymmetric conflict, indigenous forces, and how socio-cultural codes shape the dynamics and outcomes of conflict transformation. Specifically, it identifies three key socio-cultural values commonplace in honorific societies: retaliation, hospitality, and silence. As sources of effective pro-insurgent violent mobilisation and support from among the local population, these values provide insurgents with an asymmetric advantage over much stronger incumbents. Using the case studies of the two Russian counterinsurgencies in Chechnya, the article shows the mechanisms on the ground through which Moscow’s deployment of indigenous forces against insurgents helped to stem the tide of conflict, reversing the insurgents’ initial advantage in terms of asymmetry of values

Biodiversity of benthic invertebrates in Aras River

Benthic invertebrate species and their change was studied in Aras River during a hydro- biological research on the middle and terminal parts of Aras River that spanned the years 1995-1996 and 2005-2006. We found 91 species of benthic invertebrates of which 85 species were identified during 1995-1996 and 49 species during 2005-2006. The highest rate of biodiversity was seen in molluscs with 19 species and chironomid larvae with 17 species. Forty-two species had wide distribution and the remaining occurred only in special habitats. The biomass of invertebrates reduced from the upper reach of the river to the middle and lower reaches because of the changes in river bed from soil to sand. It is concluded that the formation of different habitats in different sections of the Aras River has a crucial role in the change observed in biodiversity of the benthic invertebrates

Modification of cytogenetic and physiological effects of space flight factors by biologically active compounds

Physiological and cytogenetic changes in the Welsh onion plants induced by a short (82 days) and long term (522 days) space flight are expressed in decrease of seed germination, inhibition of stem growth, depression of cell division in root meristem, and increase in the number of structural chromosome rearrangements. The treatment of such plants with solutions of a-tocopherol, auxin, and kinetin decreased the level of chromosome aberrations to the control one and normalized cell divisions and growth partly or completely

Fluctuation in density of ciliates in Bukan dam reservoir, Zarrinehrud, Iran

The abundance and species composition of ciliates were analyzed in the Bukan Dam Reservoir (West Azerbaijan, Iran) from January to December 2008. Surface water samples were collected at monthly intervals from the middle (Stations 1 and 3) and shallow (Stations 2 and 4) areas of the lake. Three samples were taken in the water column using a 5-litre sampler. Totally 30 liters water was collected, 200 ml of which was fixed immediately with 8.6 ml of a saturated HgCl2 solution and stained with 0.04% bromophenol blue. Three subsamples were counted in a 5-ml chamber and examined with a microscope (100 x) as well as Chlorophyll a and a few ecological parameters such as dissolved oxygen, pH, transperancy and water temperature were measured. Totally 50 ciliates species were found in Bukan Dam Reservoir. Regarding the density, a high-density period was detected from January to April with a mean density of 2.86 x 103 cells.l-1 Ciliata at stations 1 and 3 and 4.16 x 103 cells.l-1 at stations 2 and 4. The high density of ciliate in summer may be due to the increase in the density of bacteria and moderate metazooplankton as a result of the appearance of non-edible algae . The ciliata occurring at the highest densities were Coleps tessellates, Didinium nasutum, Paradileptus elephantinus, Stentor polymorphus, Zosterograptus labiatus, Paramecium bursaria, Cyclidium citrullus, Vorticella campanula, Halteria grandinella and Aspidisca costata. The maximum and minimum chlorophyll a values observed at the reservoir water were 10.39 µg.l-l and 1.0 µg.l-l being obtained in May and Octobor respectively