ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to investigate the recovery of soil quality and the bacterial and fungal communities following various recultivation methods in areas contaminated with oil. Oil spills are known to have severe impacts on ecosystems; thus, the restoration of contaminated soils has become a significant challenge nowadays. The study was conducted in the forest-tundra zone of the European North-East, where 39 soil samples from five oil-contaminated sites and reference sites were subjected to metagenomic analyses. The contaminated sites were treated with different biopreparations, and the recovery of soil quality and microbial communities were analyzed. The analysis of bacteria and fungi communities was carried out using 16S rDNA and ITS metabarcoding. It was found that 68% of bacterial OTUs and 64% of fungal OTUs were unique to the reference plot and not registered in any of the recultivated plots. However, the species diversity of recultivated sites was similar, with 50-80% of bacterial OTUs and 44-60% of fungal OTUs being common to all sites. New data obtained through soil metabarcoding confirm our earlier conclusions about the effectiveness of using biopreparations with indigenous oil-oxidizing micro-organisms also with mineral fertilizers, and herbaceous plant seeds for soil remediation. It is possible that the characteristics of microbial communities will be informative in the bioindication of soils reclaimed after oil pollution.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The role of soil invertebrates in the cycle of substances, soil-forming processes and the provision of ecosystem services is undeniable. Therefore, soil invertebrates are valuable in bioindication studies. Comprehensive research of soil invertebrates in the production area of Mondi Syktyvkar JSC as the largest pulp and paper enterprise in the European part of Russia was initiated in 2003. A huge amount of data about composition, abundance and structure of soil macro- and mesofauna along an impact gradient was accumulated during the period from 2003 to 2019 years. These data can be used to study local biodiversity, monitor the state of soil invertebrate communities and assess the impact of the pulp and paper industry on the environment. NEW INFORMATION: Datasets here presented include information from a monitoring programme for soil invertebrates that inhabit coniferous forests in the production area of Mondi Syktyvkar JSC (Komi Republic). The assemblages' structure of macrofauna, collembolans and nematodes are described. Information on the number of individuals of springtail species, nematodes genera and macrofauna taxa is given. A total of 11146 sampling events of macrofauna, 6673 sampling events of Collembola, and 2592 sampling events of Nematoda are recorded along a gradient of air pollution from pulp and paper industry emissions.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The European North-East of Russia is the territory which includes the Nenets Autonomous District, represented by the East European tundra (from Kanin Peninsula to Vaigach Island), Komi Republic with its taiga ecosystems and the Urals (Northern, SubPolar and Polar). Over 20 years of systematic studies of soil fauna in the studied region has resulted in a huge amount of data being accumulated that can be analysed from different positions. Considering that the representation of Russian soil biota data, especially from European North-East of Russia in the GBIF database is not large, our data are of great interest to the scientific world community. The accumulation of such data will solve questions on national and global scales using large arrays.This study produced a dataset containing information on occurrences on soil invertebrates (Lumbricidae, Chilopoda, Diplopda, Collembola, Elateridae and Staphylinidae) in the European North-East of Russia. The dataset summarises occurrences noted in natural and disturbed forests, tundra and mountain ecosystems. NEW INFORMATION: Data from 196 geo-referenced localities of European North-East of Russia (tundra, taiga and mountains ecosystems) have been collated. A total of 5412 occurrences are included in the resource. The current project surveys 13 species of earthworms, 20 species of millipedes, 246 species of springtails, 446 species of rove beetles and 60 species of click beetles. The diversity of soil invertebrates in the European North-East of Russia has not been fully explored and further exploration will lead to more taxa.
ABSTRACT
The terrestrial environment of the East European tundra consists of a mosaic of habitat types. In addition to the natural habitat diversity, various human-influenced types may occur. In the town of Vorkuta, Komi Republic, Russia the manure-enriched soils near hydrogen sulfide springs were observed. This site represents an unusually nutrient-rich location with considerable development of organic soils, in contrast to the naturally forming soils in East European tundra which are typically thin and nutrient poor. In these organic soils, two species of Lumbricidae and two species of Collembola previously not recorded from the natural ecosystems in the study area of research territory were found. One earthworm species, Dendrodrilus rubidus tenuis, is likely to have been introduced. The presence of the three other species (Eiseniella tetraedra, Folsomia fimetaria, and Proisotoma minuta) is quite natural in East European tundra and such anthropogenic soils with high organic content may be a good habitat for them.
