Six benzoic acid-degrading bacteria of the genus Dietzia were isolated from the saline ecotopes of the Verkhnekamskoe and Yakshinskoe salt deposits (Perm region, Komi Republic, Russia). Benzoic acid (BA) may accumulate in ecosystems through technogenic processes, as well as during the microbiological decomposition of complex organic compounds containing an aromatic ring. The strains studied here were found to be closely related to D. psychralcaliphila, D. kunjamensis subsp. kunjamensis, D. cercidiphylli, and D. maris. It was shown that they are halotolerant and able to thrive on BA as their sole carbon and energy source in the absence of salt or in the presence of 50–70 g/L NaCl. They also contain benA genes encoding the α-subunit of benzoate 1,2-dioxygenase, the key enzyme of BA degradation. The highest level of similarity (79.32–91.38%) was observed between the nucleotide sequences of the benA genes of the strains considered and the homologous sequences of Actinomycetes representatives from genera such as Dietzia, Mycolicibacterium, Geodermatophilus, Pseudonocardia, Corynebacterium, and Raineyella. The described active BA degraders belonging to the genus Dietzia have the potential to aid in the development of bioremediation techniques for environmental objects contaminated with mono(poly)aromatic pollutants and subject to salting.

The developing resistance of Venturia inaequalis to toxicants commonly used in systemic fungicides against apple scab has reduced their effectiveness, causing substantial fruit loss in orchards. To improve the situation and manage the resistance, a thorough analysis of the fitness potential among different pathogen biotypes, particularly those resistant to fungicides, is needed. In this study, the mycelial growth of V. inaequalis isolates with baseline sensitivity and resistance to one or more fungicides was assessed in vitro at four temperatures (6, 18, 27, and 30°C) and three agar concentrations in the nutrient medium (2, 4, and 6% m/V). Except for the mycelial growth at 27°C, the indicators of fitness predicted in vitro did not differ significantly between the V. inaequalis isolates with multiple resistance to fungicides and the biotypes with baseline sensitivity.

The liver plays an essential role in the metabolism of animals, acting as a central hub for metabolic reactions. It serves as a “peripheral integrator” and balances the body’s energy needs. Its regenerative capacity is remarkably high and is maintained by the proliferation of hepatocytes, as well as hematopoietic and regional liver progenitor cells (LPC). This study investigated LPC-driven liver regeneration during postembryonic development in Rana terrestris under normal physiological conditions. The analysis of intrahepatic and hematopoietic markers by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry revealed that progenitor cells with the immunophenotypes of CK19+ (intrahepatic progenitor cells), CD34+CD45+ (hematopoietic progenitor cell population), and CD34+CD45– (hemangioblast population) equally promote liver regeneration during the first year of postembryonic development. However, in the second and third years of postembryonic development, liver regeneration was found to be primarily associated with CK19+-positive cells, with a smaller contribution from CD34+CD45– cells. The results obtained were largely determined by the habitat of the amphibians, thermoregulation, and the completion of morphogenetic processes in the third year of postembryonic development. It is also noteworthy that the liver of the examined specimens remained the major hematopoietic organ throughout all observed stages of postembryonic development.

This study explores the combined toxic effect of Mn(II) and resorcinol (0.01 n and 0.2 n) on duckweed (Lemna minor). During the acute experiments, the plants released electrolytes into the aquatic environment after 30 min of exposure to the toxicants, indicating a disruption of tissue permeability as a test response. The experiments showed that the toxicity of the equinormal mixtures of resorcinol and Mn(II) (0.2 n each) increased relative to their single solutions. This was observed both in the freshly prepared solutions and in the solutions stored for 20 h prior to the experiments. The change in the UV absorption spectra indicates that there was complexation or other interaction between resorcinol and Mn(II) at equinormal concentrations (0.01 n). At the Mn(II) : resorcinol ratio of 1:20 (0.01 n Mn(II) and 0.2 n resorcinol), the toxicity of the system to duckweed decreased compared to the separate effects of these substances. The results obtained highlight the importance of considering the interactions between heavy metals and phenolic compounds when assessing the quality of aquatic environments.

This article outlines biotechnological methods that can help reduce atmospheric and industrial carbon dioxide emissions through the use of microalgae. A general description of microalgae was provided, and the most promising species for microalgal biotechnology were identified. The metabolic process by which microalgae capture and degrade carbon dioxide was described. The microalgae-based biotechnological systems and devices available today were analyzed. The key factors that need to be considered for the effective and successful use of microalgae were highlighted. Different products obtained from microalgal biomass after atmospheric carbon dioxide sequestration were overviewed.

This article examines the bioclimatic potential (BCP) (according to S.A. Sapozhnikova) and agroclimatic characteristics of the Central Chernozem Region, including the Oryol oblast, with spatiotemporal trends of their variability analyzed from 1980 to 2021. In the early 2000s, compared to the late 20th century, there was a 10% increase in the BCP, a 13% rise in the sum of active temperatures, and a 6% longer active growing season. Furthermore, shifts in the isolines of the sum of active temperatures and the hydrothermal coefficient (HTC) occurred. The active temperature isotherm of 3000°C moved northward, and it is now running through the Belgorod and Voronezh oblast. As a result of the observed hydrothermal conditions, a significant part of the Central Chernozem transitioned from the zone with sufficient moisture (1.3 ≥ HTC > 1) to an arid zone (1 ≥ HTC > 0.7). The overall growth of the BCP in the Central Chernozem Region can be associated with a considerable rise in the sum of active temperatures and a reduction in moisture supply.

The paleosol profiles of the Urzhumian from the section on the right bank of the Volga River near the village of Grebeni were studied by field and laboratory methods. Two paleosol profiles on red clayey siltstones were identified. They were classified as strongly developed Vertic Calcisols based on their pedogenic features such as horizonation, carbonate nodules, slickensides, etc. The climate during their formation was found to be seasonally wet and warm. The mean annual precipitation was calculated from the geochemical indices of the paleosols and amounted to 522 mm/year for the Late Urzhumian. The reddish-brown soils in the dry subtropics of the Mediterranean or Australia can be considered as modern analogs of these paleosols.

The upper paleosol profile is a pedocomplex consisting of four single soils separated by nonpedogenic carbonate layers in the middle part. The pedocomplex structure contains one lacustrinepalustrine and two lacustrine-playa sedimentary microrhytms, which indicate the setting of lacustrinealluvial plains and make it possible to estimate the duration of its formation spanning thousands to tens of thousands of years.

A pedocomplex with a similar structure was identified in the upper part of the Urzhumian of the reference section in the Cheremushka Ravine. Both pedocomplexes have very similar mineralogical, chemical, and granulometric composition of their siliciclastics, as well as the isotopic composition of pedogenic nodules. The biostratigraphic position of the pedocomplex in the Cheremushka Ravine shows that it is coeval with the pedocomplex of the Grebeni section. The correlation between them is direct, making them a useful pedostratigraphic marker. It is suggested to label this marker horizon as the “Crimson Clay pedocomplex”.

This article considers the theoretical grounds for advancing the existing aquatic research techniques, including a complex of thermometry and resistivimetry methods. The transient processes that influence the temperature change in the “water–air” system were explored. The need to take into account the thermal characteristics of all elements involved was highlighted. Using the theory of heat exchange and the idea that the water source can be distinguished from the general temperature field, a formula for measuring the general temperature field was derived. It was found that the areas of subaqueous discharge of near-surface water can be localized by the temperature difference between the watercourses and the water source. The multivariate analysis based on the absolute value and sign of the difference temperature parameter was used to determine the salinity value and the changes of the salinity type with depth. The criteria obtained during the theoretical studies were successfully tested and verified on a watercourse located within the industrial agglomeration of the Perm region, which indicates their high potential for solving practical hydrogeological problems.