The role of ecological groups in the formation of cyanobacterial communities in the ecosystems of the North Azov region (Ukraine)

The role of Cyanoprokaryota ecological groups in the ecosystems of the North Azov region was revealed in this work. On the territory of Pryazovskyi National Nature Park, 9 experimental polygons were studied, which covered steppe areas or slopes, salt marshes, coastal sandy soils and water bodies (rivers, lakes, estuaries, sea bays, lagoons). As a result of research on the territory of Pryazovskyi National Nature Park, 124 species of cyanoprokaryotes were identified, which include 127 intraspecific taxa. It was proved that the procedure of canonical correspondence analysis is the most suitable for the analysis of the species matrix. The axes identified as a result of the ordination procedure, which indicate the coordinated dynamics of the species, correlated with both synecological characteristics, such as diversity indicators, and with autoecological characteristics, such as ecotypes of cyanoprokaryotes in relation to habitat types or types of adaptation to salinity conditions. The first four canonical axes together explain 47.5% of species matrix variability. Canonical axis 1 explains 18.0% of the variability of the species matrix and is mostly marked by aqual subaerophytes and eurybionts. This axis indicates the presence of a gradient of salinity conditions where the most saline conditions correspond to the positive values of the axis, and the negative values correspond to less saline. Canonical axis 2 describes 12.1% of species matrix variability. This axis differentiates aquatic ecosystems from others. Canonical axis 3 explains 10.0% of the communities’ variability. This axis distinguishes freshwater ecosystems from saline ecosystems. Markers of freshwater communities are stenotopic halotolerants, which are narrow-range, common mainly in the temperate zone of Europe. The canonical axis 4 explains 7.3% of variability of the matrix of species and is able to differentiate sand ecosystems. The ecotopic structure and geographic range width of community species have the greatest independent value among the considered sources of variation. The independent role of adaptation to the salinity conditions of the ecotope and the role of the type of ecosystems is somewhat smaller. The interaction between the sources of variation is important in the variation of the structure of communities. The interaction between the ecotopic structure and the geographic range width of species and the triple interaction between the ecotopic structure of a community, the width of the geographic range of species and the ecosystem type plays the greatest role in the variation of community structure. Ecotopic groups, which indicate the preference of a particular habitat, correlate with the species composition of the communities. It is shown that the ratio of ecototopic groups in a community is a characteristic that reveals the features of the community as a whole

Cyanoprokaryota of the Salt Marshes at the Pryazov National Natural Park, Ukraine

Cyanoprokaryota of salt marshes were investigated at three scientific sites: in the upper Utlyuk Estuary, on the coast of Lake Sivashik, and at Fedotov Spit. Data on species composition, systematic structure, leading families, and genera are provided. In total, 71 species of cyanoprokaryotes representing 3 orders, 10 families, and 22 genera. The dominant complex included representatives of the genera Schizothrix Kützing ex Gomont, Phormidium Kützing ex Gomont, Lyngbya C.Agardh ex Gomont, Leptolyngbya (Gomont) Anagnostidis & Komárek, Trichormus (Ralfs ex Bornet & Flahault) Komárek & Anagnostidis, Nostoc Vaucher ex Bornet & Flahault, and Nodularia Mert. ex Born. & Flah. The identified species are analyzed for their biotopic nature and their valence to the level of environmental salinity. The distribution of the identified species within the Ukrainian territory is considered

Cyanoprocaryota of Tubalskyi Estuary (Azov sea basin)

Information about species composition of Cyanoprocaryota representatives in the natural boundary of Tubalskyi Estuary within Pryazov National Natural Park is supplemented. Taxonomic structure of identified algae species is given, the data about occurrence of species in different habitats within national park is provided. We present a systematic structure and geographical affinity of discovered algae species. We registered 38 species of cyanoprocaryotic algae of orders: Chroococcales, Oscillatoriales and Nostocales with predominance of Oscillatoriales representatives in different habitats of Tubalskyi Estuary within the areas of Pryazov National Natural Park. The greatest number of algae species had genera Lyngbya, Phormidium, Microcoleus Leptolyngbya – 4 species per each genera. The majority of algae species were the cosmopolitans. Microcoleus tenerrimus was registered in all the studied plots of soil sampling and in the water reservoir of Tubalskyi Estuary. The most abundant and distributed species was Lyngbya aestuarii, which formed the macroscopic growths (cyanobacterial mats)

Diversity of Сyanoprokaryota in sandy habitats in Pryazov National Natural Park (Ukraine)

Data on abundance and distribution on Сyanoprokaryota of alluvial soil of the Pryazov National Natural Park are presented. The PNNP is situated in the south part of Zaporizhzhya region near the Azov Sea

Diversity of Cyanoprokaryota in sandy habitats in Pryazov National Natural Park (Ukraine)

Data on abundance and distribution on Cyanoprokaryota of alluvial soil of the Pryazov National Natural Park (PNNP) are presented. The PNNP is situated in the south part of Zaporizhzhya region near the Azov Sea. Sandy soils of the PNNP are suitable habitats for biodiversity conservation. Nevertheless. Cyanoprokaryota algae have been studying insufficiently and unevenly. 16 soil samples were sampled from the sandy habitats in the PNPP to study the Cyanoprokaryota. The sampling was carried out on the sample areas during 2014-2015 in various locations on Stepanivka Spit (Azov Sea), Fedotova Spit (Utlyutskyi Estuary), Tubalskyy estuary at the mouth Korsak, Taschenakskyi hearth (mouth of the river Tashchenak), Berdyansk Spit near the Krasne lake, Samples were sampled by a conventional algological method, treatment and identification of sampled material was performed in the Laboratory of Botany and Gardening of the Bogdan Chmelnitskiy Melitopol State Pedagogical University. Laboratory processing of the material was carried with culturing methods in two types of cultures: soil cultures with glasses of growth and Bold’s nutrient agar with normal and triple quantity of nitrogen (1N BBM and 3 NBBM). Identification were performed with the light binocular microscope “MICROmed XS-5520” using 40x and 100x objective lenses. Here we registered 23 cyanoprokaryota species from 3 orders (Chroococcales, Oscillatoriales, and Nostocales), 10 families (Merismopediaceae, Gomphosphaeriaceae, Microcystaceae, Chroococcaceae, Oscillatoriaceae, Phormidiaceae, Schizotrichaceae, Pseudanabaenaceae, Nostocaceae, Rivulariaceae) and 11 genera. The dominant species were Merismopedia elegans, M. glauca, Chroococcus minutus, Calothrix parietina, Leptolyngbya notata, Nostoc microscopicum, and Phormidium (Komvophoron) mucicola. Such species like Merismopedia elegans, M. glauca, Chroococcus minutus, and Calothrix parietina were found in all studied park plots with sandy soils that confirming algae wide ecological tolerance. We also discovered strong domination of aquatic species at studied habitats