Ecological assemblages of corticulous myxomycetes in forest communities of the North-East Ukraine

Corticulous myxomycetes remain one of the least surveyed ecological groups of terrestrial protists. These organisms develop on the bark of trees, mostly feeding on bacteria and microalgae. Their microscopic size and fast developmental cycle (3–5 days) complicate the study of these organisms, and therefore data their on ecological relationships and patterns of biodiversity corticulous myxomycetes remain controversial. On the territory of the southwest spurs of the Central Russian Upland (Northeast Ukraine), no special studies on these organisms have been conducted. During 2017–2020, in nine forest sites located in this territory, we collected samples of bark of 16 species of tree plants, on which sporulating myxomycetes were then identified using the moist chamber technique in laboratory conditions. A total of 434 moist chambers was prepared, and 267 (61.5%) of which were found to contain myxomycete fruiting bodies. In total, we made 535 observations, finding 20,211 sporocarps. As a result, in the surveyed territory, we found 38 species of corticulous myxomycetes, belonging to 18 genera, 10 families, 7 orders, and 2 subclasses of Myxomycetes. Among the species of corticulous myxomycetes, the most abundant were Echinostelium minutum, Arcyria pomiformis, Macbrideola cornea, Perichaena chrysosperma, Licea kleistobolus, Paradiacheopsis fimbriata, Cribraria violacea, Enerthenema papillatum, A. cinerea, and L. operculata. The greatest species richness in the examined biota was observed for genera Comatricha, Licea, Paradiacheopsis and Perichaena, families Amaurochaetaceae and Trichiaceae, orders Stemonitidales, Trichiales and Physarales. By species diversity, dark-spored myxomycetes (Collumellomycetidae) somewhat exceeded bright-spored myxomycetes (Lucisporomycetidae). Badhamia versicolor, Didymium dubium, D. sturgisii, Macbrideola decapillata, and Perichaena luteola are new species for the surveyed area. Four species of myxomycetes were collected in Ukraine for the first time: Hemitrichia pardina, Licea floriformis, L. pygmea, and Macbrideola argentea. Quantitative and qualitative structure of myxomycete consortia developing on different species of substrate-forming plants demonstrated significant differences. The highest level of similarity was demonstrated by Fraxinus excelsior and Acer platanoides, and a relatively strong relationship was seen between Pinus sylvestris and Tilia cordata. The central cluster comprised F. excelsior, A. platanoides and P. sylvestris. By the sum of values of Bray-Curtis coefficient, Quercus robur appeared to be most distinctive plant species by quantitative composition of myxomycete consortia. F. excelsior and T. cordata are the most favourable for the development of corticulous myxomycetes. In all the analyzed consortia, the dominant species belonged to the Stemonitidales and Trichiales orders, while the remaining orders were represented by notably fewer species. Relative species richness of Stemonitidales was the highest in consortia of P. sylvestris, the contribution of Liceales was the greatest in A. platanoides and P. sylvestris, the percentage of Echinosteliales and Physarales was the highest on F. excelsior, the share of Cribrariales was especially large on A. platanoides. Trichiales were represented on all the analyzed substrates to almost the same extent. Representatives of Cribrariales and Physarales were completely absent on P. sylvestris, the species of Clastodermatales – on all species of plants, except Q. robur. Prevalence of bright-spored myxomycetes was determined for consortia of Acer platanoides, the dominance of dark-spored myxomycetes – for F. excelsior, P. sylvestris and Q. robur. The obtained data indicate the presence of stable complexes of corticulous myxomycetes, associated with different species of trees in the forest ecosystems of Northeast Ukraine. This encourages further study of the structure of myxomycete consortia with tree species that were not included in this study and determining the influence of physical-chemical properties of the bark of different plant species on the discovered peculiarities of myxomycete communities

Новые подходы к контролю качества культур насекомых при разведении

An analytical review of existing methods of quality control for cultures of insects for rearing is presented. It is shown that there is a need to search for new approaches to solving this problem. The suggested methods for quality control for insect cultures are based on the rule of taxis intensity dependence on insect viability level. Testing of new methods of control and prediction of biological material viability was carried out on several breeds of silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) and a laboratory culture of the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.). It was established that the caterpillars of silkworm breeds with high viability show higher chemotaxis intensity. It was found that intensity of taxis manifestation can be considered as a criterion of population condition. Selection of the most promising breeds of silkworm can be carried out at the moment of hatching without expensive rearing. It was shown that testing of neonate caterpillars by chemotaxis intensity provides the control of viability in all stages of insect development. Evaluation of chemotaxis intensity of adult males on female sex pheromone gives the possibility to select the specimens with the highest physiological properties for hybridization as well as to predict viability for progeny. The method of biological material selection by chemotaxis intensity was improved due to decrease the time of selection from 30 to 15 minutes and preliminary starvation of these insects. Positive correlation was evaluated between general viability of silkworm culture and intensity of chemotaxis of neonate larvae to the smell of mulberry leaf during 15 minutes after 12 hours of starvation. A significant increase of viability for silkworm breeds and hybrids was registered using such selection method during the spring and summer rearing. This selection method can be used also for assessment of culture viability. A new express-method of biological material selection for insect cultures establishment has been approbated. It is based on the positive correlation between insect viability parameters and their trophotaxis intensity. It is shown that for establishment of a laboratory culture of gypsy moth it is necessary to obtain the material from populations with the highest chemotaxis intensity. It was experimentally proved that parameters of chemotaxis intensity and insect viability reflect a certain level of population heterozygosity. The higher is the intensity of chemotaxis, the higher is the relative level of population heterozygosity. This fact gives the possibility to determine the level of heterozygosity for artificial insect populations by testing larvae for chemotaxis intensity. This method may be suitable for monitoring of natural populations condition in zones with intensive anthropogenic loading. Предложены новые способы контроля качества культур на основе правила зависимости интенсивности таксисов от уровня жизнеспособности насекомых. На породах тутового шелкопряда (Bombyx mori L.) и лабораторной культуре непарного шелкопряда (Lymantria dispar L.) проведены испытания предложенных способов контроля и прогнозирования жизнеспособности биоматериала. Гусеницы высокожизнеспособных пород тутового шелкопряда демонстрируют более высокую интенсивность хемотаксиса. Интенсивность проявления таксисов может рассматриваться как критерий состояния популяции. Тестирование гусениц-«мурашей» по интенсивности хемотаксиса обеспечивает контроль жизнеспособности на всех стадиях. Оценка интенсивности хемотаксиса имаго самцов на половой феромон самки позволяет отобрать наиболее физиологически качественный материал для скрещивания, а также прогнозировать жизнеспособность потомства. Усовершенствован способ отбора биоматериала по интенсивности хемотаксиса путем сокращения времени отбора гусениц с 30 до 15 минут и их предварительного голодания. Отмечено достоверное повышение жизнеспособности пород гибридов тутового шелкопряда при данном способе отбора в весенний и летний выкормочные сезоны. Апробирован новый экспресс-метод отбора исходного биоматериала при закладке культур насекомых, базирующийся на положительной корреляции показателей жизнеспособности насекомых и интенсивности их трофотаксиса. Экспериментально установлено, что показатели интенсивности хемотаксиса и жизнеспособности соответствуют определенному уровню гетерозиготности популяции. Установленный факт может быть использован для мониторинга состояния естественных популяций насекомых в зонах с высокой антропогенной нагрузкой.Предложены новые способы контроля качества культур на основе правила зависимости интенсивности таксисов от уровня жизнеспособности насекомых. На породах тутового шелкопряда (Bombyx mori L.) и лабораторной культуре непарного шелкопряда (Lymantria dispar L.) проведены испытания предложенных способов контроля и прогнозирования жизнеспособности биоматериала. Гусеницы высокожизнеспособных пород тутового шелкопряда демонстрируют более высокую интенсивность хемотаксиса. Интенсивность проявления таксисов может рассматриваться как критерий состояния популяции. Тестирование гусениц-«мурашей» по интенсивности хемотаксиса обеспечивает контроль жизнеспособности на всех стадиях. Оценка интенсивности хемотаксиса имаго самцов на половой феромон самки позволяет отобрать наиболее физиологически качественный материал для скрещивания, а также прогнозировать жизнеспособность потомства. Усовершенствован способ отбора биоматериала по интенсивности хемотаксиса путем сокращения времени отбора гусениц с 30 до 15 минут и их предварительного голодания. Отмечено достоверное повышение жизнеспособности пород гибридов тутового шелкопряда при данном способе отбора в весенний и летний выкормочные сезоны. Апробирован новый экспресс-метод отбора исходного биоматериала при закладке культур насекомых, базирующийся на положительной корреляции показателей жизнеспособности насекомых и интенсивности их трофотаксиса. Экспериментально установлено, что показатели интенсивности хемотаксиса и жизнеспособности соответствуют определенному уровню гетерозиготности популяции. Установленный факт может быть использован для мониторинга состояния естественных популяций насекомых в зонах с высокой антропогенной нагрузкой

Education management in Ukraine in the context of global economic transformations

The article identifies the features of the management of higher education in Ukraine and in Europe in the context of global economic transformations. In the process of analysis, it was determined that the financing of higher education in European countries is carried out almost equally: at the expense of the State budget and at the expense of individuals. At the same time, the outflow of students from the CIS countries to European countries can be explained by the proposed concepts of providing educational services, the main difference among which consists, firstly, in orientation towards the needs of the state, and secondly, in orientation towards the needs of business structures and various market subjects. It was also determined that the impact of economic factors on the level of education is rather low, and at the same time, this indicator largely depends on the indicator of the social capital. In this regard, the following social trends have been identified that need to be implemented for the successful education management: expanding the population education program, as well as providing lifelong education, ensuring equal access to quality education, strengthening the role of the state in ensuring equity in education, efficient and effective use of education costs, humanization and democratization of education, updating the content, forms, methods and means of training, enhancing the professional competence of teachers, transparency of education systems, the formation of state-public forms of education management.peer-reviewe

Biosensors Based on Micro-algae for Ecological Monitoring of the Aquatic Environment

This chapter is devoted to research possibilities of using micro-algae as sensor elements for biological sensors of aquatic pollutants. The characteristics of the fluorescence of micro-algae pigments caused by laser light, called laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), were used as informative parameters. It is shown that the functioning of biological sensors is determined by the consistency and concentration of micro-algal cells as well as their internal state, which depends on the temperature, illumination, and chemical composition of the water. The results indicate a significant dependence of the LIF intensities of micro-algae from exposure of heavy metal ions, temperature, and illumination. In text is demonstrated specificity of the reaction of various micro-algae, belonging to different phylum. This fact can be used for identify the phylum of micro-algae in situ, and for the creation the biosensors of ecological monitoring aquatic environment

Ecologo-faunistic review of lamellicorn beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea) of urbocenosis of Kharkov city (Ukraine)

This article presents a general overview of the superfamily Scarabaeoidea in five parks of Kharkov city and some adjacent agrocenosises. The species composition includes 32 species from four families of Scarabaeoidea. The Scarabaeidae family dominated in biodiversity and abundance (26 species from 16 genera). Six species (Dorcus parallelopipedus, Platyderes caraboides, Anoplotrupes stercorosus, Aphodius melanostictus, Pleurophorus caesus and Onthophagus coenobita) were sporadically registered as common, but in separate urban cenosises the number of species did not exceed one or three. The species composition and abundance of lamellicorn beetles was higher in large parks with only slight recreational disturbance. Here from 13 to 20 species were registered. On lawns in the center and in other districts of the city Scarabaeoidea species met very rarely. In the agrocenosises on the outskirts of Kharkov city – 16 species are noted, almost half of which were registered as common. The faunistic similarity of different urban cenosises was at low to medium levels (an average 0.20–0.47). These indices were slightly higher (0.38–0.67) for areas with lower recreational pressure. The indices of faunal similarity of separate parks and agrocenoses were lower (0.18–0.56, but on average – 0.33). At the level of common species, there was no faunistic similarity. The significance of such differences was due to both the low number of most Lamellicorn species and some of their ecological characteristics. The main differences were observed in the ratio of trophic groups and features of the spatial distribution of the dominant species. Smaller differences were observed on biotopic characteristic of most species. There were no differences in the hygropreference of the scarabeid species. In the parks herpetobiont saprophagous species dominated (mainly coprophagous and dendrophagous). In the agrocenoses, dendrochordobiontic phytophagous species predominated. The peculiarities of the ratio of different ecological groups of Scarabaeoidea in urban and agrocenosises are discussed.В результате исследований в пяти парках г. Харьков выявлено 32 вида из четырех семейств Scarabaeoidea. По видовому составу и численности доминировали представители семейства Scarabaeidae (26 видов из 16 родов). Обычными оказались шесть видов, причем в отдельных урбоценозах их число не превышало одного-трех видов. Видовой состав и численность скарабеоидных жуков оказались выше в крупных, рекреационно слабо нарушенных парках, где отмечено от 13 до 20 видов. На газонах как в центре города, так и в отдаленных микрорайонах, пластинчатоусые жуки встречались единично. В прилегающих к Харькову агроценозах отмечено 16 видов, из которых почти половина – обычны. Среднее фаунистическое сходство Scarabaeoidea в разных парках оказалось невелико (0,20 по Жаккару и 0,47 по Чекановскому – Серенсену). Эти показатели были чуть выше (0,38–0,50 / 0,61–0,67) для территорий с меньшей рекреационной нагруз­кой. Фаунистические индексы отдельных парков и агроценозов составляли 0,18–0,31 / 0,31–0,56 (в среднем – 0,33 / 0,50). На уровне обычных видов, фаунистическое сходство отсутствует. Значимость таких различий обусловлена как низкой численностью большинства видов, так и некоторыми экологическими характеристиками видов. Основные различия наблюдались в соотношении трофических групп и особенностях пространственного распределения доминантных видов. Меньшие различия отмечены при сравнении видов по биото­пической приуроченности и гигропреферендуму. По трофической специализации в парках доминировали герпетобионтные сапрофаги разной специализации (в основном копрофаги и дендрофаги), тогда как в агроценозах преобладали фитофаги – дендрохортобионты. Обсуждены особенности соотношения разных экологических групп Scarabaeoidea в урбо- и агроценозах.В результате исследований в пяти парках г. Харьков выявлено 32 вида из четырех семейств Scarabaeoidea. По видовому составу и численности доминировали представители семейства Scarabaeidae (26 видов из 16 родов). Обычными оказались шесть видов, причем в отдельных урбоценозах их число не превышало одного-трех видов. Видовой состав и численность скарабеоидных жуков оказались выше в крупных, рекреационно слабо нарушенных парках, где отмечено от 13 до 20 видов. На газонах как в центре города, так и в отдаленных микрорайонах, пластинчатоусые жуки встречались единично. В прилегающих к Харькову агроценозах отмечено 16 видов, из которых почти половина – обычны. Среднее фаунистическое сходство Scarabaeoidea в разных парках оказалось невелико (0,20 по Жаккару и 0,47 по Чекановскому – Серенсену). Эти показатели были чуть выше (0,38–0,50 / 0,61–0,67) для территорий с меньшей рекреационной нагруз­кой. Фаунистические индексы отдельных парков и агроценозов составляли 0,18–0,31 / 0,31–0,56 (в среднем – 0,33 / 0,50). На уровне обычных видов, фаунистическое сходство отсутствует. Значимость таких различий обусловлена как низкой численностью большинства видов, так и некоторыми экологическими характеристиками видов. Основные различия наблюдались в соотношении трофических групп и особенностях пространственного распределения доминантных видов. Меньшие различия отмечены при сравнении видов по биото­пической приуроченности и гигропреферендуму. По трофической специализации в парках доминировали герпетобионтные сапрофаги разной специализации (в основном копрофаги и дендрофаги), тогда как в агроценозах преобладали фитофаги – дендрохортобионты. Обсуждены особенности соотношения разных экологических групп Scarabaeoidea в урбо- и агроценозах

Ecological and faunistic survey of the true bugs of the infraorder Pentatomomorpha (Hemiptera) in the urban cenoses of Kharkiv City (Ukraine)

A total of 63 species of true bugs in 53 genera and 11 families of the infraorder Pentatomomorpha was recorded from the city of Kharkiv. For one species, Carpocoris purpureipennis (Pentatomidae), we obtained the first record from Left-Bank Ukraine. Formerly, this species was known from Western and Central Ukraine only. Four species of the family Lygaeidae (Nysius ericae, Perithrechus geniculatus, P. gracilicornis, Taphropeltus contractus) are new to Kharkiv Region. The families Lygaeidae (23 species of 19 genera, 38.3% of the total collected bugs), Pentatomidae (16 species of 14 genera, 26.7%), Rhopalidae (7 species of 5 genera, 11.7%), and Coreidae (6 species of 6 genera, about 3%) were the most rich in species and individual numbers. The families of Berytidae, Cydnidae and Scutelleridae were represented by two species each (3.3% out of the total collected bugs). Six species (Myrmus miriformis, Lygaeus equestris, Scolopostethus pictus, Aelia acuminata, Graphosoma lineatum, and Pyrrhocoris apterus) were abundant, eight species common, 14 species rare, and 32 species belonged to occasional elements of the urban cenoses. The true bug species composition and individual abundance were the highest in the suburban meadows and large city parks (44 and 27 species, respectively). By contrast, only seven species were registered in the green areas of the city centre (lawns, public gardens). Faunal similarity (Jaccard / Chekanovsky-Sørensen indices) of the true bug assemblages was the lowest when comparing public gardens of the city centre with the habitats of the suburbs and city parks (0.04–0.06 / 0.07–0.12), and the highest between the meadows and urban parks with glades and grassy vegetation under low recreational pressure (0.52 / 0.68). Jaccard similarity indices for the other six pairs of compared urban cenoses were low (0.1‒0.42). The average Pentatomomorpha similarity in different urban cenoses was also low (Jaccard index 0.27, Chekanovsky-Sørensen index 0.39). The essential faunal differences can be explained by both the low number of most Pentatomomorpha species and their ecological peculiarities. The proportions of various ecological groups of bugs in different urban cenoses were analyzed and discussed. Major differences were observed in the species habitat distributions while the lesser differences concerned trophic groups and hygropreferences of most species. Hortobiont and herpetohortobiont polyphytophagous species dominated all the habitats

Local taxonomic spectra in plants, animals, fungi and terrestrial protists show common mathematical patterns

Taxonomic spectra, i.e. relations between supraspecific taxa by the number of included species, remain poorly understood in aspect of the mathematical properties. We studied taxonomic spectra of plants (Magnoliophyta, Bryophyta), animals (Coleoptera, Aves), fungi (Agaricomycetes) and terrestrial protists (Myxomycetes), found in the Homilsha Forests National Nature Park (North-East of Ukraine), and concluded that they correspond to the hollow-curve distribution at the level of genera, families and orders. The spectra of most taxa, as shown by the Akaike information criterion, are closely approximated by the log-series distribution model at all taxonomic levels. This type of distribution is typical for the species abundance curves, based on collections made from small areas. At the same time, in the genera–families–orders row the similarity to the lognormal distribution increases. The central values and variability vary considerably between different taxonomic groups and ranks, however, without affecting the type of distribution. The number of orders in all taxa except Bryophyta has reached the saturation and coincides with the curve of the estimated number of orders according to the Chao1 coefficient. For families and especially genera the correspondence with estimated number of species is much lower. Our results do not confirm the assumption that hollow-curve distributions of taxonomic spectra result from the artificial fragmentation of taxa. These distributions neither depend on the insufficient knowledge about the species composition at the locality, nor reflect the size of the studied area. The presence of such distributions in both local and global biota of different groups may be explained by the common features of their evolution, especially by the existence of relict orphan groups. The fact that in Homilsha Forests the kurtosis and skewness of distributions decreases in the genera–families–orders row can therefore be explained by the relatively low percentage of the high-rank orphan taxa in the local biota. This may be a common feature of communities studied at small geographical scale, since orphan taxa often demonstrate a high level of endemism. Comparative studies of local communities from different climate zones may help to understand how universal are the patterns, described herein

Chemical Design Rules for Non-Fullerene Acceptors in Organic Solar Cells

Efficiencies of organic solar cells have practically doubled since the development of non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs). However, generic chemical design rules for donor-NFA combinations are still needed. Such rules are proposed by analyzing inhomogeneous electrostatic fields at the donor-acceptor interface. It is shown that an acceptor-donor-acceptor molecular architecture, and molecular alignment parallel to the interface, results in energy level bending that destabilizes the charge transfer state, thus promoting its dissociation into free charges. By analyzing a series of PCE10:NFA solar cells, with NFAs including Y6, IEICO, and ITIC, as well as their halogenated derivatives, it is suggested that the molecular quadrupole moment of ca 75 Debye A balances the losses in the open circuit voltage and gains in charge generation efficiency

Search for anomalous t t-bar production in the highly-boosted all-hadronic final state

A search is presented for a massive particle, generically referred to as a Z', decaying into a t t-bar pair. The search focuses on Z' resonances that are sufficiently massive to produce highly Lorentz-boosted top quarks, which yield collimated decay products that are partially or fully merged into single jets. The analysis uses new methods to analyze jet substructure, providing suppression of the non-top multijet backgrounds. The analysis is based on a data sample of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5 inverse femtobarns. Upper limits in the range of 1 pb are set on the product of the production cross section and branching fraction for a topcolor Z' modeled for several widths, as well as for a Randall--Sundrum Kaluza--Klein gluon. In addition, the results constrain any enhancement in t t-bar production beyond expectations of the standard model for t t-bar invariant masses larger than 1 TeV.Comment: Submitted to the Journal of High Energy Physics; this version includes a minor typo correction that will be submitted as an erratu

Search for the standard model Higgs boson in the H to ZZ to 2l 2nu channel in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search for the standard model Higgs boson in the H to ZZ to 2l 2nu decay channel, where l = e or mu, in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV is presented. The data were collected at the LHC, with the CMS detector, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 inverse femtobarns. No significant excess is observed above the background expectation, and upper limits are set on the Higgs boson production cross section. The presence of the standard model Higgs boson with a mass in the 270-440 GeV range is excluded at 95% confidence level.Comment: Submitted to JHE