Issues

Xylotrophic fungi are widespread in all types of forests. The composition of their primary and secondary metabolites including biologically active compounds depends on species and growth substrate; therefore, fungi can become a valuable raw material for biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and food industry. Fomitopsis pinicola is one of the common species in Russia and Europe, growing predominantly on Pinus sylvestris L., but in mixed forests of the Urals it is also found on Betula pendula Roth. As metabolism of angiosperms and gymnosperms, and their timber properties are different, growth substrate could affect the chemical composition of fungi fruit bodies; therefore our study aimed at metabolite composition of extracts, obtained from F. pinicola collected from birch and pine, and their antioxidant activity. Qualitative analysis revealed alkaloids, phenolics, and anthraquinones. Saponins were found only in the samples obtained from pine. Thin layer chromatography of extracts revealed the same qualitative composition of phenolics, but their amount was higher on birch – 4.2 mg g-1 then on pine – 3.1 mg∙g-1. In ABTS test extracts showed the same antiradical activity. The metabolomics profile obtained by UHPLC-MS totally revealed 116 compounds, and each fungi sample contained more than 70 of them. Thus, the type of substrate influenced on the profile of metabolites and quantitative composition in F. pinicola fruit bodies.

Received: 30 December 2021 / Accepted: 04 August 2022 / Available online: 26 September 2022

In laboratory conditions, the effect of Essential oil (EO) vapours from Thymus pulegioides L. against Myzus persicae S. on tobacco and Apis mellifera L. bees were tested. Aphids’ mortality increased when concentration increased. A low mortality of M. persicae of 9.7 % was reported at 0.5 μL∙L-1 air, at 1 μL∙L-1 air mortality was 31.6 %, and at 2 and 3 μL∙L-1 air mortality was 100 %. Concentration of 2 μL∙L-1 air was found to be the minimum which has maximum efficacy of 100 %. Differences between efficacy of various concentrations were found to be statistically significant. EO vapours tested at concentration of 2 μL∙L-1 air applied under the same conditions to A. mellifera showed 100 % toxicity to the bees as well. No mortality was reported in the control.

Received: 02 July 2022 / Accepted: 05 August 2022 / Available online: 26 September 2022

Essential oil (EO) vapours from Satureja kitaibelii Wierzb. ex Heuff. were tested in laboratory conditions against Myzus persicae Sulzer in tobacco and Apis melifera L. Efficacy of 100 % against M. persicae at 3 μL∙L-1 air was established. Low efficacy of 17.6 % was found at 0.5 μL∙L-1 air, increasing to 71.3 % at concentration of 1 μL∙L-1 air, and reaching 95.3 % at 2 μL∙L-1 air. The concentration of 3 μL∙L-1 air applied under the same conditions to worker bees of A. mellifera rendered toxicity of almost one hundred per cent – 99.5 %, correspondingly. In the control group of bees, no mortality was established. The lifespan of bees depends on multiple factors and further studies are needed, also in field conditions.

Received: 05 July 2022 / Accepted: 22 August 2022 / Available online: 26 September 2022

Mangrove area is a transitional area with abundant natural resources, providing environmental services for coastal communities in regulating water systems, preventing seawater intrusion, as well as providing oxygen and carbon stock (C-stock). Comprehensive data of mangrove forests in Sambas Regency, West Kalimantan province is very limited. This study aims to monitor the condition of mangrove forests and estimate their potential carbon stocks in Sambas Regency. There are six dominant mangrove species in Sambas Regency, namely Avicennia alba, A. marina, Bruguiera cylindrica, B. gymnorrhiza, Lumnitzera littorea, and Rhizophora apiculata. Vegetation density varies from sparse to dense, ranging from 800–4700 trees per ha with a canopy cover of 55.00–86.63 %. The range of mangrove species diameter values is from 4.39 ±0.69 – 27.45 ±21.14 cm. Potential C-stock ranged from 7.17 ±0.32 – 546.67 ±70.83 Mg C∙ha-1 with an average of 130.62 ±166.34 Mg C∙ha-1. The highest potential of mangrove C-stock was found at the Sebubus location. Mangrove vegetation in this study has a high potential of carbon stock, the potential value close to Kubu Raya Regency, West Kalimantan province, and higher than several mangrove ecosystems in Indonesia. In general, the condition of mangrove vegetation in this area is still good and has great potential for carbon stock. However, protection and sustainable use are needed in conserving the mangrove ecosystem in this area.

Received: 19 March 2022 / Accepted: 26 August 2022 / Available online: 26 September 2022

This is a study of length and weight growth of Romanian barbel from the middle and upper stream of the Ogosta River. Population parameters estimates were based on scale annual interpretation. The estimates were compared with growth data obtained in previous periods from other Bulgarian water courses. Methodologically, 100 individuals were collected by electrofishing in 2020. Specimens’ age ranged from 1 to 5 years. More than half of the sample was represented by one-year-old fish. Older fish were relatively few. The lengths of all sampled individuals ranged from 39 mm to 202 mm. A relationship between standard length (SL) and scale radius (S) was described by an equation: SL = 2.7077∙S, r2 = 0.9485, p < 0.005. A relationship between fish gutted weight (W) and SL was represented by an equation: W = 0.00002∙SL2.8936; r2 = 0.9956, p < 0.005.

Received: 20 April 2022 / Accepted: 12 September 2022 / Available online: 26 September 2022

Caucasian spruce (Picea orientalis (L.) Link) has a native natural area at Caucasus and Pontic Mountains around the eastern Black Sea in Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Turkey. This species forms pure stands or mixed with other conifers and hardwoods. In Moscow it is cultivated at the Arboretum of Main Botanical Garden of Russian Academy of Sciences N. V. Tsitsin and at the Arboretum of Botanical Garden of Moscow State University M. V. Lomonosov. It has been established that the following meteorological parameters have the main adverse effect on the growth of this spruce species: temperature in February, precipitation in February, March, April, May and July, temperatures of April and July. In the conditions of global climate change, this species may become important for forest crops and urban landscaping.

Received: 11 July 2022 /Accepted: 05 October 2022 / Available online: 04 November 2022

The article presents the results of the analysis of woody vegetation renewal peculiarities after a crown fire, which broke out in 2010 in a beech-yew forest in Termenlik district (965 m a.s.l.) on the south-eastern slope of Gimrinskiy Ridge in the Foothill of East Caucasus in Dagestan. For the description of the changes, which occurred on the post-fire spot in 2019, eight sample plots with areas 100 m2 each were arranged. A geobotanical description of the sample plots was conducted according to the generally accepted method, which included the definition of the microrelief, tree species composition, their distribution in the layers and biometric parameters. For each tree species, projective cover in percentage was revealed, as well as abundance, sequence of penetration and distribution, dynamics of the development of the above-ground part and the results of their competitive interaction were evaluated. Owing to the appearance of new species of seed origin with accelerated growth in the composition of the forest stand, such as Populus tremula L., Salix caprea L., Acer campestre L., Fraxinus excelsior L., a suggestion was made about the change of the succession trend and the formation of a newly reformed coenosis without participation of the basic dominant species of the primary forest, namely Fagus orientalis Lipsky, Carpinus caucasica L., Taxus baccata L., Acer platanoides L. A method of mechanical removal of the dominant species Populus tremula L. was offered, leading to the enhancement of the competitive advantages of pioneer species characteristics of this locality.

Received: 09 February 2022 / Accepted: 21 October 2022 / Available online: 04 November 2022

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play an important role in the composition and growth of plants in forest ecosystems. Research on mycorrhizal status in endemic plant species is still lacking. This study aims to determine the AMF status of ebony (Diospyros celebica Bakh.), which is one of the endemic plant species that are threatened with extinction on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. The collection of rhizosphere soil samples and ebony roots was carried out in three ebony stands on Sulawesi Island, namely Maleali village and Tovalo village, Parigi Motong district, Central Sulawesi province and in Ako village, Pasangkayu district, West Sulawesi province, Indonesia. Identification of AMF species was carried out at the Forest Biotechnology Laboratory, Bogor Agricultural Institute. We found 19 AMF species from two genera (Glomus and Acaulospora) associated with ebony, with the distribution of 7 AMF species in Maleali village, 5 and 7 AMF species in Tovalo village and Ako village, respectively. Furthermore, AMF colonisation on ebony roots was in the low category, between 0.33 % and 2.47 %, with a spore density of 38–162 per 50 g of soil. The results of this study indicate that Diospyros celebica is associated with AMF. This information can be used as a guide in the use of AMF to optimize the cultivation, conservation and restoration programs of this species in the future.

Received: 07 June 2022 / Accepted: 22 October 2022 / Available online: 04 November 2022

This study aims to identify the extractives from Pinus merkusii Jungh. & de Vriese cone together with their evaluation for antifungal agent. The pine cone was obtained from Temanggung, central Java, Indonesia. The pine cone was grinded to size of 40 mesh and was extracted with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol in a Soxhlet apparatus. The antifungal test was performed through growth inhibition of cone extracts against Phanerochaete chrysosporium Burds. (whiterot) and the extractive responsible for antifungal was elucidated by GC-MS. The antifungal activity measurement showed that n-hexane extract as the highest inhibition with IC50 of 637.74 μg∙ml-1. The analysis of n-hexane extract through GC-MS exhibited diterpenoid as dominant compound and they were characterized as pimaric acid and abietic acid TMS. Therefore, the presence of terpenoids in P. merkusii cone extracts are potential for natural preservative.

Received: 05 April 2022 / Accepted: 27 October 2022 / Available online: 04 November 2022

Indonesia forests are ecosystems with mega biodiversity. Although many allometric equations have been developed for either forest types or tree species, a species–specific allometric equations are still important for precise estimation. The cajuput tree is a promising species that can provide non-timber forest products and mitigate climate change. In Indonesia, cajuput trees have been utilized as a source aromatic oil in forest plantations and natural forests. For climate change mitigation, cajuput could be useful as carbon stock. This research aimed to develop an allometric equation of naturally growing cajuput from Wanagama Forest using destructive sampling with 30 samples of cajuput trees to develop and 20 samples to validate the allometric equation. Power model law was used to develop the allometric equation. The requirement of the selected allometric equation was high coefficient determination (R2 adj), low value of mean absolute bias, and low value of root mean square error. Results showed that and were the best allometric equations to estimate dry-weight biomass and carbon content, respectively. The predictor of diameter at breast height was robust in estimating the biomass and carbon of cajuput. Adding a predictor of total height did not significantly affect the allometric equation.

Received: 13 February 2022 / Accepted: 28 October 2022 / Available online: 04 November 2022