Problems and prospects of development of ecological tourism in Ireland

The paper presents the research on the development of ecological tourism in Ireland. The basic directions and problems of development of ecotourism. Income from ecotourism in the country was analyzed in the article, as well as the model for the attraction of tourists to Irelan

Fungal diversity regulates plant-soil feedbacks in temperate grassland

Feedbacks between plants and soil microbial communities play an important role in vegetation dynamics, but the underlying mechanisms remain unresolved. Here, we show that the diversity of putative pathogenic, mycorrhizal, and saprotrophic fungi is a primary regulator of plant-soil feedbacks across a broad range of temperate grassland plant species. We show that plant species with resource-acquisitive traits, such as high shoot nitrogen concentrations and thin roots, attract diverse communities of putative fungal pathogens and specialist saprotrophs, and a lower diversity of mycorrhizal fungi, resulting in strong plant growth suppression on soil occupied by the same species. Moreover, soil properties modulate feedbacks with fertile soils, promoting antagonistic relationships between soil fungi and plants. This study advances our capacity to predict plant-soil feedbacks and vegetation dynamics by revealing fundamental links between soil properties, plant resource acquisition strategies, and the diversity of fungal guilds in soil

Electrodeposited lead dioxide coatings

Lead dioxide coatings on inert substrates such as titanium and carbon now offer new opportunities for a material known for 150 years. It is now recognised that electrodeposition allows the preparation of stable coatings with different phase structures and a wide range of surface morphologies. In addition, substantial modification to the physical properties and catalytic activities of the coatings are possible through doping and the fabrication of nanostructured deposits or composites. In addition to applications as a cheap anode material in electrochemical technology, lead dioxide coatings provide unique possibilities for probing the dependence of catalytic activity on layer composition and structure (critical review, 256 references)

Changes in Cognitive Functions of Pupils under Conditions of Iodine Deficiency

Clinical and physiological examination of 38 children which latent hypothyroidism (the main group) and 176 apparently healthy persons of intact region (the control group) at the age from 8 to 17 years living in endemic region was carried out. To determine the functional state of the thyroid gland in blood serum the content of total triiodothyronine (Т3), total and free thyroxin (Т4, fТ4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) of adenohypophysis were determined as well as urinary iodine level was examined. The cognitive functions were characterized by the indices of attention as the result of correction test and rate of sensomotor reactions which were evaluated using modified Schulte tables. It was detected that in all children with latent hypothyroidism regardless of age work accuracy rate decreased, attention span increased slowly, fatigue developed early and rate of information analysis significantly reduced already within the first 5 minutes in comparison with analogical data in healthy children. When being tested children of the control group made fewer mistakes, the tempo of doing tasks remained higher for 5 minutes. There was a correlation between the indices of correction test, sensomotor reactions and data of thyroid status of pupils

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Root litter decomposition is suppressed in species mixtures and in the presence of living roots

Plant species diversity and identity can significantly modify litter decomposition, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive, particularly for root litter. Here, we aimed to disentangle the mechanisms by which plant species diversity alters root litter decomposition. We hypothesised that (1) interactions between species in mixed communities result in litter that decomposes faster than litter produced in monocultures; (2) litter decomposition is accelerated in the presence of living plants, especially when the litter and living plant identities are matched (known as home-field advantage). Monocultures and a mixture of four common grassland species were established to obtain individual litter and a ‘natural’ root litter mixture. An ‘artificial’ mixed litter was created using litter from monocultures, mixed in the same proportions as the species composition in the natural litter mixtures based on qPCR measurements. These six root litter types were incubated in four monocultures, a four-species mixture and an unplanted soil. Root decomposition was strongly affected by root litter identity and the presence, but not diversity, of living roots. Mixed-species litter decomposed slower than expected based on the decomposition of single-species litters. In addition, the presence of living roots suppressed decomposition independent of the match between litter and living plant identities. Decomposition was not significantly different between the ‘natural’ and ‘artificial’ root litter mixtures, indicating that root-root interactions in species mixtures did not affect root chemical quality. Synthesis. Suppressed decomposition in the presence of living roots indicates that interactions between microbial communities associated with living roots and root litter control root litter decomposition. As we found no support for the importance of home-field advantage or interspecific root interactions in modifying decomposition, suppressed decomposition of mixed-species litter seems to be primarily driven by chemical rather than biotic interactions.</p

Plant–soil feedback under drought:does history shape the future?

Plant–soil feedback (PSF) is widely recognised as a driver of plant community composition, but understanding of its response to drought remains in its infancy. Here, we provide a conceptual framework for the role of drought in PSF, considering plant traits, drought severity, and historical precipitation over ecological and evolutionary timescales. Comparing experimental studies where plants and microbes do or do not share a drought history (through co-sourcing or conditioning), we hypothesise that plants and microbes with a shared drought history experience more positive PSF under subsequent drought. To reflect real-world responses to drought, future studies need to explicitly include plant–microbial co-occurrence and potential co-adaptation and consider the precipitation history experienced by both plants and microbes.</p

Formation of material prescribed phase composition from refractory filler silica powder modified with alkoxide and sol-gel composite

Creation of ceramics and refractories with improved physicomechanical properties is possible with use of nanomaterials in their technology. Introduction of SiC nanoparticles into a ceramic material charge by using modified filler powders is proposed. Fillers modified with tetraethoxysilane during grinding leads to powder crystal structure breakdown and SiC mechanochemical synthesis. The amount of -SiC synthesized in this way depends on the amount of modifying additive. Results are provided for modified filler phase composition before and after heat treatment at 1000°C, and mechanochemically synthesized SiC thermal stability is established. It is shown that sintering of modified electro-corundum worsens with an increase in amount of synthesized silicon carbide nanoparticles. The difference is demonstrated in phase composition formation with heat treatment of a mixture of modified and normal finely ground electrocorundum with a sol-gel binder and firing up to 1600°C. Silicon carbide nanoparticle synthesis does not exceed 3 – 7 % in both cases. Recommendations are given for use of corundum filler with a different amount of modifying additive