Assessment of the Macro-and Microelement Composition of Fly Ash from 50-Year-Old Ash Dumps in the Middle Urals (Russia)

The paper considers the macro-and micro-element composition of two ash dumps in the Middle Urals, where meadow and forest communities have been spontaneously forming for 50 years, as well as the effect of the plants on the changing composition of the ash. Higher contents of Cu, Co, Sn, Ga, and Yb were found in the deep ash layers of both dumps, while in the upper 20-cm layer, the trace element composition depended on the influence of different plant communities. Higher contents of Sr, Cr, Ni, Sn, and Co were revealed under meadows, and Ba, Zr, and La were found under the forest. The levels of element accumulation in the aboveground and underground parts of dominant plants were revealed. Increased content of Be, Ce, Ga, La, Sc, Y, and Yb was detected in areas where meadow plants were dominant and Zn and Ba in forest areas. The toxic elements Cd and Pb were highly accumulated in both communities, whereas Co was found only in meadows. The studied materials can serve as a base to assess the feasibility of processing and/or utilizing fly ash from ash dumps in the Middle Urals and similar ash dumps in other regions situated in the southern taiga. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Funding: This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation [project number 121031700309-1 in ISSA SB RAS and project number FEUZ-2021-0014 in URFU]

Meiosis at Microsporogenesis in Siberian Fir (Abies sibirica Ledeb.) in Natural Populations and in an Arboretum

Meiosis in Siberian fir is characterized by asynchrony (prophase I and tetrads in the same microsporangium simultaneously). Up to 4 nucleoli (in natural stands) and 5 (in an arboretum) are observed at prophase I. The shortest meiotic stages are telophase 1 and 2. Each of them is observed in 0.2% (in an arboretum) and 0.05% (in natural stands) of cells. In natural stands meiosis elapses quickly (within 2 days). In an arboretum it can continue for more than two weeks. Mainly meiosis is regular. Meiotic irregularities are, though, also encountered at different stages (fragments, bridges, etc.). In trees growing in an arboretum the total number of irregular cells can reach 17.9%. In natural populations only 11.7-13.3% of cells are irregular. The spectrum of meiotic irregularities in an arboretum is wider than in natural stands.Research materia

Fruiting specifics of drooping birch in the Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe

Morphometric quantitative (length and width of female catkins, length and width of birch-capsules) and functional parameters (germination and germination power of birch-capsules, length of shoots) of the female reproductive sphere of drooping birch Betula pendula Roth. trees growing in the zone of technogenic emissions’ impact in the city of Krasnoyarsk have been studied. The studies were carried out on permanent sample plots established in birch stands growing in the southeastern, northern and northeastern environments of the city of Krasnoyarsk. Reproductive processes of drooping birch in the Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe were studied for the first time. The studies have shown that two-year periodicity of fruiting is characteristic of drooping birch trees of the Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe. The sizes of female catkins and birch-capsules vary depending on the genotypic characteristics of trees, the conditions of growth of the tree stand, also in different years of studies. With an increase in the degree of technogenic load, birch trees showed certain signs of a decrease in reproductive activity (a decrease in the morphometric parameters of female catkins and birch-capsules), as well as qualitative indicators (germination and germination power) of birch-capsules. It was revealed that the length of female catkins and the width of birch-capsules are negatively correlated with the content of fluorine in the foliage. The regression equations were calculated within the range of parameters: y = –0.0489x + 2.8127 и y = –0.0346x + 1.7732. The quality characteristics of birch-capsules (germination and germination power) were negatively correlated with the amount of settled dust on the lamines, as well as with the fluorine content in the leaf mass. At the same time, the maximum quality indicators were characterized by fruits harvested in background conditions. Functional signs of the female reproductive sphere of drooping birch are the diagnostic criteria for assessing the condition of trees, and can also be a direct indicator of the environmental conditions of growth

Technogenic loads on birch stands in Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe

Technogenic loadings on stands and soils were established in birch forests of grassy type, of V–VIII age classes in Krasnoyarsk forest-steppe both in buffer zone of Krasnoyarsk city industrial emissions and in background conditions. The study was carried out on monitoring sample plots by established procedures with using certified methods of fluorine concentration determination in leaves and soils in late vegetation season. Quantitative data of technogenic dust accumulation on the surface of birch Betula pendula Roth leaves as well as total fluorine content in assimilating mass were fixed. Technogenic dust accumulation was found to be reduced in comparison with earlier data and that may be connected with decrease of industrial emissions from urban industrial site adjacent to the birch stands. The study of soils in the grassy-type birch stands was new. The soils were characterized as antropogenic-transformed and technogenic-modified because of long-term impact of dusty and gaseous industrial emissions as well as recreational loading. Concentrations of total fluorine in soil horizons were found to be various and characterized as normal, adopted in literature (Tandelov, 2012). The highest concentrations of fluorine were fixed in upper 0–5 cm and lower mineral 10–20 cm soil layers in birch stand of grass-graminea type northeast of the city

New Data on Biota of Some Lakes in the Western Part of the Putorana Plateau

В августе-сентябре 2013–2014 гг. проведены исследования зоопланктона и зообентоса Больших Норильских озер (Лама, Собачье) и оз. Кутарамакан в западной части плато Путорана для изучения их видового состава и количественных показателей после длительного перерыва. В зоопланктоне веслоногий рачок Seneсella calanoides Juday (Copepoda: Calanoida), а в зообентосе 5 видов водяных клещей Acalyptonotus violaceus Walter, Hygrobates (Hygrobates) foreli (Lebert), Lebertia (Mixolebertia) densa Koenike, Lebertia (Pilolebertia) porosa Thor, Oxus (Gnaphiscus) setosus (Koenike) (Hydrachnidia) впервые указаны для исследованных озер. Всего в бентосе найдено 64 таксона беспозвоночных, из них 42 таксона Chironomidae. Состав зоопланктона озер Лама и Собачье сходен и отличается от такового оз. Кутарамакан наличием калянид Limnocalanus macrurus и Seneсella calanoides, отсутствующих в последнем. В зообентосе оз. Кутарамакан не обнаружены бокоплавы. По биомассе зоопланктона и зообентоса озера Лама и Кутарамакан могут быть отнесены к ультраолиготрофным. Из исследованных озер Собачье отличается наибольшей биомассой и по биомассе зоопланктона в некоторых участках > 0,5 г/м3 относится к олиготрофному водоему, а по средней биомассе зообентоса 3,85 г/м2 – к α-мезотрофномуSpecies composition and abundance of zooplankton and zoobenthos of large Norilsk Lakes (Lama, Sobach’e) and Kutaramakan Lake in the western part of the Putorana plateau were studied in August-September of 2013–2014 after a long gap. Senecella calanoides Juday (Copepoda: Calanoida) in zooplankton and 5 species of water mites (Acalyptonotus violaceus Walter, Hygrobates (Hygrobates) foreli (Lebert), Lebertia (Mixolebertia) densa Koenike, Lebertia (Pilolebertia) porosa Thor, Oxus (Gnaphiscus) setosus (Koenike) (Hydrachnidia)) in zoobenthos were recorded for the first time in the investigated lakes. A total of 64 taxa of benthic invertebrates were found, of which 42 taxa were Chironomidae. Zooplankton species composition of Lama and Cobach’e lakes was similar and differed from that of Kutaramakan lake by presence of Senecella calanoides and Limnocalanus macrurus Sars (Copepoda: Calanoida). In zoobenthos of Kutaramakan lake amphipods were not found. Lama and Kutaramakan lakes can be classified as ultraoligotrophic water bodies based on biomass of zooplankton and zoobenthos. Among the studied lakes, Cobach’e lake has the greatest biomass, and based on the biomass of zooplankton in some zones of > 0.5 g/m3, it is an oligotrophic water body, and based on an average biomass of zoobenthos 3.85 g/m2 an α-mesotrophic on

Mapping Magnetic Properties and Relaxation in Vanadium(IV) Complexes with Lanthanides by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

Vanadium(IV) complexes are actively studied as potential candidates for molecular spin qubits operating at room temperatures. They have longer electron spin decoherence times than many other transition ions, being the key property for applications in quantum information processing. In most cases reported to date, the molecular complexes were optimized through the design for this purpose. In this work, we investigate the relaxation properties of vanadium(IV) ions incorporated in complexes with lanthanides using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). In all cases, the VO6 moieties with no nuclear spins in the first coordination sphere are addressed. We develop and implement the approaches for facile diagnostics of relaxation characteristics in individual VO6 moieties of such compounds. Remarkably, the estimated relaxation times are found to be close to those of other vanadium-based qubits obtained previously. In the future, a synergistic combination of qubit-friendly properties of vanadium ions with single-molecule magnetism and luminescence of lanthanides can be pursued to realize new functionalities of such materials