№3 2026 – ВОПРОСЫ ЛЕСНОЙ НАУКИ/FOREST SCIENCE ISSUES

THE STUDY OF THE COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE OF THE COMMUNITIES OF THE “CORE” AREA OF THE “KOLOGRIVSKY FOREST” NATURE RESERVE BEFORE THE WINDTHROW OF 2021

lena — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 07:17:58 +0000

N. V. Ivanova

Institute of Mathematical Problems of Biology, Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences

Professor Vitkevich st. 1, Pushchino, 142290 Moscow Region, Russian Federation

E-mail: natalya.dryomys@gmail.com

Received: 12.08.2026

Revised: 07.09.2026

Accepted: 15.09.2026

The study of biodiversity in old-growth forests is a current challenge in forest ecology. The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess the diversity of the vegetation cover in the old-growth southern taiga forests of the Kologrivsky Forest Nature Reserve (Kostroma Region). A total of 52 vegetation relevés of 100 m²were conducted in 2012 and 2013. All vascular plants and their abundance according to the Braun-Blanquet cover-abundance scale were recorded in herb, shrub, and tree layers. Ward’s cluster analysis with Hellinger distance was performed for grouping of relevés. Then, for each group, we assessed alpha, beta, and gamma diversity. Alpha diversity was assessed using the species richness index and randomisation tests. Beta diversity was assessed using the Jaccard distance. To analyse gamma diversity, we calculated Hill indices and plotted cumulative diversity curves. Species indicator values were calculated for each group. Functional diversity was assessed based on the diversity of ecological-coenotic groups (ECG).

Three groups of communities were classified as a result of the analysis: (1) semi-open linden (Tilia cordata) stands with undergrowth of maple (Acer platanoides) and linden and rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) with a nemoral herb layer; (2) spruce-linden stands with undergrowth of maple, spruce (Picea abies), and linden with a nemoral-boreal herb layer; (3) semi-open spruce stands with linden with undergrowth of spruce and rowan with a boreal herb layer. These community groups did not differ in terms of alpha, beta, and gamma diversity. Differences between the groups were found in the functional diversity of the herbaceous layer and the composition and abundance of the tree layer and the understory. We compared our results with data from stand monitoring at permanent sample plots. Our study confirms the findings regarding the natural decline of old-growth spruce stands and the increase in the proportion of linden trees in the stands. Furthermore, our results contradict previous findings regarding an increase in the abundance of boreal species in the Kologriv Forest.

Keywords: old-growth forests, Kostroma region, biodiversity, Hill numbers, ecological-coenotic groups

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SPECIES AND FUNCTIONAL DIVERSITY OF THE VALLEY FORESTS OF THE KARKARALY MOUNTAINS (CENTRAL KAZAKHSTAN)

lena — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 07:07:16 +0000

N. V. Ivanova^1*, M. Yu. Ishmuratova², M. P. Shashkov²

¹Institute of Mathematical Problems of Biology, Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences

Professor Vitkevich st. 1, Pushchino, 142290 Moscow Region, Russian Federation

²Karaganda National Research University named after academician Ye. A. Buketov

Universitetskaya st. 28/3, 10002 Karaganda, Kazakhstan

*E-mail: natalya.dryomys@gmail.com

Received: 10.06.2026

Revised: 26.06.2026

Accepted: 17.08.2026

The forests of the Kazakh Uplands (Saryarka) are island pines (and secondary small-leaved stands) with boreal and other forest herb species considerably separated from their range geographically. The aim of this study is to quantitatively assess the species and functional plant diversity of the valley forests of the Karkaraly Mountain Range. Two groups of communities were studied: (1) forests in the Kendara intermountain valley and (2) forests growing on the outer edge of the Karkaraly mountain range. A total of 33 vegetation relevés were conducted in the forests of Group 1 and 14 in the forests of Group 2. Alpha diversity was assessed using the species richness index and randomisation tests. To analyse gamma diversity, we calculated Hill indices and plotted cumulative diversity curves. Beta diversity was assessed using the Jaccard distance. Functional diversity was assessed based on the diversity of ecological-coenotic groups (ECG). Species indicator values were calculated for each group. The results of the study showed that the groups of communities are divided into two groups in the NMDS diagram. The species richness of the herbaceous layer in the forests of the Kendara Valley is significantly higher than in the forests growing outside the mountain range (24±5 and 21±5 species, respectively). The forests of the Kendara Valley were somewhat poorer in terms of species diversity (113 and 118 species, respectively); significant differences were observed in the effective species numbers for the Shannon and Simpson indices. The Jaccard distance between the analysed groups of relevés was 0.63. An assessment of functional diversity revealed that meadow-steppe, boreal, and nemoral species prevailed in the communities. In the Kendara Valley, boreal and nemoral species together represented 52% of the total; in the forests outside the mountain range, their proportion decreased as the proportion of nitrophilous, meadow-steppe, pine forest, and wetland ecological communities increased. For forests in the second group, a greater diversity of ecological-coenotic groups among significant indicator species has been observed. The results confirm that the forests in the Kendara Valley are in a better state of preservation. The potential impact of recent invasions of non-native earthworm species (Lumbricidae) and the box elder (Acer negundo) on the ecosystems of the Karkaraly forests is discussed.

Keywords: Hill numbers, ecological-coenotic groups, Kazakh Uplands, Karkaraly State National Natural Park, Acer negundo

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AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY AS A DRIVING FORCE FOR AMAZON DEFORESTATION

lena — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 06:43:24 +0000

A. G. Viktorov

A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences

Leninsky Prospekt 33, 119071 Moscow, Russian Federation

E-mail: aleviktorov@ya.ru

Received: 06.08.2026

Revised: 07.09.2026

Accepted: 15.09.2026

The rapid growth of the global population in the second half of the 20th century has necessitated an increase in the world’s food supply. Initially, this problem was successfully addressed through the advances in plant breeding during the Green Revolution. However, when this potential was exhausted at the end of the last century, the issue found both intensive and extensive solutions. The first involved the creation of genetically modified crops, and the second involved expanding the area of agroecosystems through tropical deforestation. In 2003, these two approaches converged in Brazil, where GM soybeans began to be planted in the place of deforested tropical forests. In accordance with the Jevons paradox, increased land use efficiency led to increased economic incentives for expanding biotech crop fields at the expense of tropical ecosystems.

Keywords: Brazil, Amazon, tropical deforestation, genetically modified soybeans, food security, global food demand

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