Osmonali B, Tokbergenova A, Taukebayev O, Zulpykharov K, Salmurzauly R, Smanov Z, Ussen S. 2024. Weed species in plant communities as indicators of degradation of vegetation cover and fertile soil layer in desert regions. Biodiversitas 25: 4930-4938. The geographical position of Kazakhstan on the continent of Eurasia determines its special role in solving problems of conservation of biodiversity of natural biological and land resources. One of the numerous factors of anthropogenic desertification is overgrazing. Under long-term unsystematic grazing, fodder lands of sandy massifs are more exposed to various types of soil deflation and vegetation changes. In desert regions, weeds can be an important indicator of degradation of vegetation cover and fertile soil layer. Some weed species may indicate soil moisture deficiency, salt degradation or lack of fertile substances. The purpose of our work is to identify soil changes, depending on the dominance of weed species and the degree of disturbance. On the example of the following weed species: Peganum harmala, Pseudosophora alopecuroides, Alhagi pseudalhagi, Suaeda linifolia, Karelinia caspia. Suaeda linifolia and K. caspia are indicator plants of salinisation by toxic salts. The study of weed species in desert regions can help to determine the level of degradation of soil and vegetation cover and to develop measures for their restoration and improvement. The study of weed species in plant communities of desert regions can help to determine the degree of degradation of vegetation cover and fertile soil layer, as well as to develop measures for their restoration and protection. Peganum harmala and A. pseudalhagi are indicators of overgrazing and degradation of vegetation cover. Pseudosophora alopecuroides, also known as indicator shrub, is a plant species that is often used as an indicator of land cover degradation. This species typically grows on soils with low nutrient content and can tolerate dry and unfavourable conditions. Thus, observing the presence of P. alopecuroides in a particular area can be a useful indicator to determine the level of vegetation degradation and the need for measures to restore and protect soil and vegetation.

This paper presents the results of the current present species composition of the genus Allium L. (Amaryllidaceae) of the western part of the Kyrgyz Alatau. The phylogeny, ploidy, and chorological data are presented, and a checklist of species of the genus Allium in the study area is compiled. The large subgenera of Allium, including Melanocrommyum, have been identified, reflecting their prevalence in the mountainous regions of Central Asia. Ploidy of some species (A. artrosanguineum and A. turkestanicum) of the genus Allium growing in the western part of the Kyrgyz Alatau were studied for the first time using flow cytometry methods. The nrITS sequencing was used to construct a phylogenetic tree including sequences from the NCBI database. The phylogenetic tree of species of the genus Allium of the Kyrgyz Alatau was compiled taking into account previously published data. The list of studied Allium species in the Kyrgyz Alatau is represented by 25 species, which include seven subgenera and 17 sections. Also, the nomenclature of onion species is brought to the modern understanding of some species names. Based on specimens of the genus Allium collected in the western part of the Kyrgyz Alatau, an integral assessment of the current species composition using molecular–genetic, cytometric, and traditional botanical methods was carried out.

Background: The genus Arthrophytum Schrenk (Amaranthaceae Juss.) is a relict systematic group restricted to the desert regions of northern Turan. Its species are narrowly endemic, stenotopic, and poorly studied, with virtually no available data on their phytochemical composition. Objectives: This study aimed to conduct the first comparative phytochemical analysis of five Arthrophytum species—A. lehmannianum, A. iliense, A. longibracteatum, A. subulifolium, and A. betpakdalense—to reveal their metabolite profiles and assess chemotaxonomic and functional features. Methods: Phytochemical profiling was performed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to identify volatile and semi-volatile metabolites in the studied species. Results: GC–MS analysis revealed a predominance of terpenes in all species, along with significant contributions from fatty acids, esters, and other oxygen-containing compounds. The taxa were characterized by a rich pool of isoprenoids, including terpenes, sterols, tocopherols, and squalene, as well as lipid components of cuticular coatings such as fatty acids and long-chain alcohols. Isoprenoids dominated particularly in A. subulifolium and A. longibracteatum. A. iliense showed a high content of carbonyl and aromatic compounds, whereas A. longibracteatum and A. lehmannianum were distinguished by elevated levels of fatty acids and long-chain alcohols. Common metabolites—β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, vitamin E, squalene, and caryophyllene—constituted the conservative biochemical core of the genus. Conclusions: The results obtained for the first time demonstrate distinct chemotaxonomic and functional features of relict Arthrophytum species and highlight their potential for further research and application in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and aromatic industries.

This paper presents the results of the modern species composition of the genus Allium L. (Amaryllidaceae) of the western part of the Kyrgyz Alatau. The data on phylogeny, ploidy, chorological data are presented and a modern prospectus of species of the genus Allium in the study area is compiled. Large subgenera of Allium and Melanocrommyum are revealed, which proves the general regularity for mountainous regions of Central Asia. Ploidy of some species (A. artrosanguineum and A. turkestanicum) of the genus Allium growing in the western part of the Kyrgyz Alatau were studied for the first time using flow cytometry methods. The nrITS sequencing was used to construct a phylogenetic tree including sequences from the NCBI database. The phylogenetic tree of species of the genus Allium of the Kyrgyz Alatau was compiled taking into account previously published data. In the course of field studies and literature data, the list of studied Allium species in the Kyrgyz Alatau is represented by 25 species, which include 7 subgenera and 17 sections. Also, the nomenclature of onion species is brought to the modern understanding of some species names. Based on specimens of the genus Allium collected in the western part of the Kyrgyz Alatau, an integral assessment of the current species composition using molecular-genetic, cytometric and traditional botanical methods was carried out.

This article presents the results of the first comparative phytochemical analysis of five species of the genus Arthrophytum Schrenk (Amaranthaceae Juss.) — A. lehmannianum Bunge, A. iliense Iljin, A. longibracteatum Korovin, A. subulifolium Schrenk, and A. betpakdalense Korovin & Mironov — using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The genus Arthrophytum is a relict systematic group whose range is limited to the desert regions of Northern Turan. The largest number of representatives of the genus are concentrated in the geologically ancient Betpakdala Desert. All of them are narrowly endemic and stenotopic species growing in inaccessible habitats, which determines their rarity and, as a result, their understudied nature, including the virtual absence of data on their phytochemical composition. Meanwhile, the results of our research, which aimed to conduct a comparative phytochemical analysis of the five above-mentioned species of the genus Arthrophytum to detect and identify their chemical components (using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)), demonstrated the value of their metabolite composition. The analysis showed that the studied taxa are characterised by a rich pool of isoprenoids, including terpenes, sterols, tocopherols and squalene, as well as lipid components of cuticular coatings — fatty acids and long-chain alcohols. It was found that isoprenoids dominate in all studied species, especially in A. subulifolium and A. longibracteatum. A. iliense is distinguished by a high content of carbonyl and aromatic compounds, while A. longibracteatum and A. lehmannianum are characterised by an increased content of fatty acids and long-chain alcohols. Common metabolites — β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, vitamin E, squalene, and carophyllene — form the conservative biochemical core of the genus. Thus, the results obtained for the first time demonstrate the chemotaxonomic and functional features of relict species of the genus Arthrophytum and open up prospects for their further study and use in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and aromatic industries.

Род Suaeda - один из наиболее крупных в семействе Chenopodiaceae. Его представители распространены по всей Средней Азии и встречаются, как правило, в приморских галофитных сообществах. Из 40 среднеазиатских видов во флоре Казахстана насчитывается 18 видов, 15 (83 %) из которых встречаются в Арало-Балхашском регионе. Виды Suaeda распределены по 5 секциям (Schanginia, Lachnostigma, Conosperma, Physophora, Heterosperma). Целью исследований являлся анализ особенностей морфологии семян видов рода Suaeda флоры Арало-Балхашского региона, включающего в себя 5 флористических районов (14 - Приаральский, 15 - Кызылор-динский, 16 - Бетпакдалинский, 17 - Муюнкумский (Мойынкумский) и 18 - Балхаш-Алакульский). Из 15 видов, встречающихся в пределах Арало-Балхашского региона, для сравнительного анализа морфологических особенностей были изучены семена 11 видов (Suaeda linifolia, S. paradoxa, S. altissima, S. dendroides, S. arcuata, S. acuminata, S. corniculata, S. heterophylla, S. salsa, S. prostrata, S. crassifolia). При детальном изучении выявляются секционные различия. В этом отношении наиболее четко от видов других секций отличаются семена Suaeda acuminata из секции Conosperma. Виды секции Schanginia имеют схожую в целом зернистую структуру поверхности семян, а представители секции Heterosperma - точечно-сеточную поверхность семян, имеющих уплощенный край.