Fires and Clear-Cuttings as Local Areas of Arthropod Diversity in Polar Regions: Khibiny Mountains
Zenkova I.V.; Ditts A.A.; Shtabrovskaya I.M.; Nekhaeva A.A. Fires and Clear-Cuttings as Local Areas of Arthropod Diversity in Polar Regions: Khibiny Mountains // Fire. 2024. 7. 203. DOI: 10.3390/fire7060203 ‒ WoS Q1
online: https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/7/6/203
Abstract:
The well-known phenomenon of attracting untypical animals to disturbed territories has been poorly investigated in the polar mountains. We studied arthropod diversity in self-healing industrial clear-cuts and burn areas in the Khibiny Mountains, Kola Polar region. Fieldworks were conducted at four sites, including a control mountain taiga forest and its three transformed variants: burnt forest, uncleared clear-cut, and twice-disturbed burnt clear-cut. Arthropods were collected using formalin traps 2–3, 5–6, and 8–9 years after industrial deforestation in 2012 and an extensive grass-roots fire in 2013. Out of 124 identified species (spiders—61; ground beetles—41; and rove beetles—22), 79 (or 64%) were collected in disturbed, primarily burned areas and were absent in control forest. We note ten species of rove beetles, nine species of ground beetles, and eight species of spiders for the first time in the well-studied arthropod fauna of the Khibiny Mts. We found that grass-root fires transform the soil vegetation covers in the polar mountain forests more powerfully in comparison with extensive deforestation and attract a greater diversity of arthropods with different preferences, enriching the fauna of the polar mountains and the Subarctic region as a whole. The attraction effect persists for, at least, a decade after the violations.
Estimation of carbon and nitrogen contents in forest ecosystems in the background areas of the Russian Arctic (Murmansk Region)
Ershov V., Sukhareva T., Ryabov N., Ivanova E., Shtabrovskaya I. Estimation of carbon and nitrogen contents in forest ecosystems in the background areas of the Russian Arctic (Murmansk Region) // Forests. 2024. Vol. 15 (1). 29. DOI: 10.3390/f15010029 ‒ WoS Q1, Scopus Q1.
оnline: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/15/1/29
Abstract: In this study, carbon and nitrogen contents in the undisturbed terrestrial ecosystems in the northern taiga zone of Russia’s Murmansk region were estimated.
The goal of this study was to examine the carbon and nitrogen dynamics in atmospheric precipitation, assimilating organs of coniferous trees (Picea obovata and Pinus sylvestris), needle litter, soils, and soil water. The objects of our research were the most common dwarf shrub-green moss spruce forests and lichen-dwarf shrub pine forests of the boreal zone. The study was carried out on permanent plots between 1999 and 2020. The long-term dynamics of carbon concentrations in snow demonstrated a trend towards increasing carbon concentrations in forested and treeless areas of the Murmansk region. It was shown that in representative spruce and pine forests, the concentrations and atmospheric precipitation of carbon compounds and carbon leaching with soil water were higher below the tree crowns, compared to between the crowns. In soil water, a decrease was found in carbon concentration with the soil profile depth. For soils, the highest carbon concentrations were found in the organic and illuvial soil horizons. The main soil sinks of carbon and nitrogen in northern taiga forests were found to be located in the organic soil horizon below the crowns. In northern taiga forests, the carbon content of living Picea obovata and Pinus sylvestris needles and Pinus sylvestris needle litter had minor variability; no significant interbiogeocoenotic and age differences were found. We found that the nitrogen content in brown needles and needle litter was significantly lower compared to photosynthetically active needles, probably due to retranslocation processes (withdrawal before needle abscission), corroborating the literature in the results session. The largest stocks of carbon and nitrogen in northern taiga forests are concentrated in the soil organic horizon, and the removal of these elements with soil water is insignificant. Carbon and nitrogen stocks in living and fallen needles are lower than in soil. The least amount of carbon and nitrogen is contained in atmospheric precipitation.
Содержание и запасы углерода и азота в наземных экосистемах Мурманской области
оnline: https://jfsi.ru/6-2-2023-sukhareva_et_al/
Аннотация. В статье приводится обзор собственных и литературных данных по запасам фитомассы, содержанию углерода и азота, разнообразию почвенной фауны и микобиоты в наземных экосистемах Мурманской области в условиях комбинированного действия природных и антропогенных факторов.
Рассмотрены средообразующие факторы, определяющие функционирование экосистем, в том числе регулирование циклов углерода. Показано, что в репрезентативных еловых и сосновых лесах концентрации и выпадения соединений углерода из атмосферы и его вынос с почвенными водами выше в подкроновых пространствах, чем в межкроновых. В почвенных водах установлено снижение выноса углерода с глубиной почвенного профиля. Для подзолов характерно бимодальное распределение гумуса по почвенному профилю с максимумами в органогенном и иллювиальном горизонтах. Содержание углерода в органогенном горизонте почв еловых и сосновых лесов варьирует от 12 до 54%, азота ‒ от 4.7 до 18.7 г/кг. Основные запасы углерода в органогенном горизонте лесных почв сосредоточены в подкроновых пространствах и достигают 27–34 т/га. Запасы углерода в метровом слое почвы (минеральные горизонты) составляют 47–60 т/га. Запасы фитомассы северотаежных лесов характеризуются невысокими значениями (12–188 т/га). Значительные запасы растительного органического вещества северотаежных лесов сосредоточены в напочвенном покрове. Содержание углерода в ассимилирующих органах (листья/хвоя, побеги) растений северотаежных лесов варьирует от 35 до 73%, азота – от 5.4 до 23.6г/кг. Скорость разложения растительных остатков и потери углерода при разложении опада вечнозеленых растений в еловых лесах выше, чем в сосновых, как и показатели численности почвенной макрофауны. Подзолам северотаежных лесов соответствует преобладание вторичных разрушителей растительного опада – гумификаторов дождевых червей и миксофагов (личинок щелкунов, одстилочных моллюсков) и отсутствие кальцефильных групп минерализаторов (мокриц, двупарноногих многоножек). Из почв Мурманской области выделено 122 вида микроскопических грибов. Доминирующими по показателю обилия в фоновой почве были виды рр. Penicillium и Umbelopsis, в антропогенно-измененных почвах – виды рр. Aureobasidium, Penicillium, Trichocladium, Trichoderma и Umbelopsis.
Pollution-induced changes in the composition of atmospheric deposition and soil waters in coniferous forests at the northern tree line
оnline: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/23/15580
Abstract: This study examines the dynamics of the composition of atmospheric precipitation and soil water in coniferous forests under the influence of atmospheric emissions from the Severonickel Copper–Nickel Smelter in Russia’s Murmansk region.
We studied dwarf shrub-green moss spruce forests and lichen-shrub pine forests, the most common in the boreal zone. Our results showed a significant intra- (below and between the crowns) and inter-biogeocenotic (spruce and pine forests) variation in the composition of atmospheric precipitation and soil water in forests exposed to air pollution. The concentrations of main pollutants in atmospheric fallout and soil water are tens (sulfates) and hundreds (heavy metals) times higher than in the background areas and typically higher below the crowns. The long-term dynamics (between 1999 and 2020) of the composition of atmospheric fallout and soil water in coniferous forests in the background areas and defoliating forests demonstrates a significant increase in nickel concentrations in recent years. This may be due to an increase in nickel concentrations in aerosols propagating over considerable distances. In pollution-induced sparse forests, a trend was found toward a decrease in the concentration of pollutants, which may indicate a decrease in the fallout of pollutants in the composition of larger particles close to the smelter.