We report a comparative study of qualitative and quantitative composition of soil microorganisms, which can take part in biocorrosion, in places of pipeline bedding and pipeline trenches. According to the content of denitrifying, hydrocarbon-oxidizing, sulphate-reducing bacteria and fungi, areas of weak, average and high potential microbiological corrosion activity are found.

This study was carried out with the aim of detecting sub-lethal effects of diazinon on some biochemical parameters of blood, kidney and muscle tissues of Persian sturgeon fingerlings. A total of 120 fingerlings were exposed to different concentrations of diazinon. Clinical responses and also blood indices were studied after 24 and 92 hours. Circular swimming, fast motion of gills and body imbalance were observed at all the experiments, but muscle collapse and changes in gill and abdomen color were observed in fish exposed to higher concentrations of diazinon. Cortisol hormone level depended significantly on the concentration and time of exposure to the toxicant. Glucose level was increased significantly after 96 hours. Histopathological effects of diazinon on kidney and muscle tissues of fingerlings were studied using a light microscope. Diazinon toxin caused degeneration of urinal tract epithelium cells, petechiae, hemorrhage and hemosiderin sediment, existence of eosynophile in urinal tracts, hyperplasia and enlargement of Bowman’s capsule in the kidney tissue. In the muscle structure of treated fishes, some disasters such as edema, muscle necrosis and hemosydrosis were observed.

We report the results of studying various morphological features of Tomanthea spectabilis Fisch et Mey. and Grossheimia macrocephala Muss.-Puschk. The characteristic diagnostic features prove the species relation to Centaurea L. Genus (Asteraceae Dumort.). The basic synonymy of the species Сentaurea spectabilis Fisch et Mey. and Centaurea macrocephala Muss.-Puschk., their morphological description and also brief data on distribution of the species in Azerbaijan are provided (Lesser Caucasus, mountainous part of Nakhchivan, Middle mountain and subalp zone and on mountain meadows).

We present the result of ecological and coenotic studies of Iris pumila L. in the Republic of Kalmykia. Life cycles and seasonal rhythm of development is determined. The most important aspects of reproduction biology of Iris pumila L. in the arid climate of Kalmykia are found. Measures for conservation and managment of the intraspecific diversity of Iris pumila L. are suggested.

The role of microbiologist D.M. Novogrudsky in the development of soil microbiology and microbial ecology is discussed. His pioneer works on the microbial antagonism in soil are mentioned. In practice they lead to the development of the bacterisation of seeds. His investigations of the filterable forms of bacteria, adhesion of bacteria by soil and production of ammonia by Azotobacter are still of great interest. His later works deal with the microbial processes in desert soils and the processes of the primary formation of soil and humus. Most his works are linked with the ideas of S.N. Winogradsky.

Taking into account the fact that there has been no systematic research of mycological flora of the Southern slope of Azerbaijan till now, we have studied mycological biota of higher plants of the Rosaceae Juss. family. Among the fungi imperfecti also known as Deuteromycota, the species of Septoria Fr. Genus are of special interest as they are widely spread in the wild and are causative agents of diseases of agricultural, fruit-berry and other plants: They strongly affect live leaves and sometimes even stalks. On the plants of the Rosaceae family, 10 new species of fungi of Septoria Fr. Genus have been found for the first time. Five species (Septoria amygdali, S.cerasi, S.cydoniicola, S.mespili and S.sorbi) are new for Azerbaijan.

Using high-performance liquid chromatography we have found that the roots of Helianthus annuus L. (Asteraceae), gathered during the blooming period in Predgorny District of Stavropol Krai, contain 13 phenol compounds, and during the phase of seed ripening (after sunflower harvesting) the roots contain 10 phenol compounds, among which there is a group of oxycinnamic acids and their derivatives (chlorogenic, neochlorogenic, caffeic and ferulic acids) as well as flavonoids (rutin, hyperoside, luteolin-7-glycoside, apigenin, dihydroquercetinum, naringenin), coumarin and high-molecular polyphenol compounds (tannin, gallic and ellagic acids, epicatechin, epigalocatechin gallate).

We report the data on the long-term sanitary-microbiological defect of the therapeutic mud in lake Utinoye, which is caused by the anthropogenic influence along with inhomogeneity of bottom deposits. It is found that the specimens take in 2004-2012 show a decrease in the pollution level. Regeneration efficiency in the clamps of mud depository and in the process of activation is determined. It is established that minimum regeneration time of the defect therapeutic mud in the process of its storage equals 4 months, peloid activation goes through the same process less than in a day. The mechanism of the cleaning effect is shown as a microbial community changing the chemical composition of the mud solution.

We have studied the antioxidant activity of seedlings grown from gamma-irradiated maize seeds. High doses of ionizing radiation reduced germination and stimulated lipid peroxidation in one-week seedlings. However, in the further development of seedlings, the differences in growth and activity of the antioxidant system were leveled. Rutin complexes with metals and nonmetals obtained from extracts of Sophora japonica flowers (Saphora japonica L.) reduced the damaging effects of ionizing radiation.

Based on ore leaching experiments we have assessed the influence of mining industry, by the example of the Kostomuksha mining & processing plant, on aquatic habitat. Laboratory modeling results allowed us to estimate the matter yield from 1 t of ore during the processing and waste burial in the tailings and to evaluate the tailing chemical composition.

We report the method for spectrophotometric determination of sulfates in natural and waste waters, which is based on sulfate sedimentation by barium ions and determination of residual quantity of Ba2+ in complexes with sulfonazo III. The method allows us to receive reproducible calibration curves and repeatability of measurements with external and internal check samples.

Methods for quantitative determination of total carbohydrates and lipids in marine waters have been modified for surface waters (carbohydrates with L-tryptophan and lipids with phosphovanillin reagents). Analysis was carried out by using the addition technique and simultaneous thermostating of standard and water samples that allowed us to obtain reproducible data.

Adsorption on diethylaminoethyl cellulose can be used for separation of organic matter of nature waters on autochthonous and allochthonous components. The experiments with high humic water, planktonic organic matter, their composition and nature water samples indicated that separation of organic matter under developed conditions of adsorption is sufficiently absolute and can be used for analysis of organic matter of nature water.

Initiation of the formation of strings in low-concentration chiral solutions is investigated experimentally. The domains of initiation are classified by dimensions: (0-3) d. It is found that the zero-dimensional regions of initiation are complexly arranged nucleations on the scales of 1-10 nm. Various embodiments of the structure are investigated. The dipole-dipole mechanism of the formation of anisotropic nucleation in mesophase is investigated. The role of dispersive interactions ~ 0.3-0.4 eV in the assembly of supramolecular piles is evaluated. Threshold values of string formation in chiral mixtures are determined. The phenomenon of paired strings formation is established and studied.

Biochemical indicators of oxidative stress and content of heavy metals in the digestive gland and gills of the bivalve Crenomytilus grayanus are used to assess marine pollution. For this purpose, the mussels were collected from two areas: in a polluted bay after the completion of activities of recultivation of domestic waste landfills located on the coast and in a relatively clean area. It is shown that in addition to the complex analysis of toxins (heavy metals) the indicators of oxidative stress may serve as sensitive indicators of the physiological state of the organism, which reflect the conditions of its habitat.

By analyzing the problems of the use of natural resources in the Poltava region in the nineteenth and the first third of the twentieth century, we characterize the emergence of the ideas of anthropogenic landscape science, trace the main stages of the process, and determine the role and place of progressive landowners and organizational activities of the provincial administration. In addition, the importance is shown of the studies by V. Lomikovsky, A. Izmailsky, V. Bortkiewicz.

We report the results of the componential analysis of repeatability of thunder-storms on the territory of the Black sea region in Ukraine. It is shown that sizes of the first five eigenvalues make use of about 56% of the total field dispersion. Using the fast Fourier transform, we have found that the two-year-old and three-year-old harmonics are typical for first two main components and for the third main components, respectively. The componential analysis has revealed the influence of processes of different scales on repeatability of thunder-storms in the regions of Ukraine’s Black sea coast.

The results of investigation on selenium accumulation by the plants of freshwater ecosystems in Moldova are presented in the first time. Elevated concentrations of this trace element in surface waters ranging from 0.20-6.09 pg/L were observed. Selenium concentrations in plants were defined for some ecological groups such as algae, hydrophytes, helophytes and water-side plants. It was found that selenium contents in plants were ranged from 19 to 2917 pg/ kg (dry weight) and higher than selenium concentrations in water more than 3740 times. Ecosystem differences in selenium accumulation by plants and differences within ecological groups were observed. The most significant concentration differences within some plant species particularly in algae and hydrophytes were found. Average selenium concentrations (pg/kg dry weight) increased in the series of plant’s ecological groups: water-side plants (139) < helophytes (182) < algae (532) < hydrophytes (855).

We study the possibility of recovering the parameters of wind waves by the measurements of the bottom pressure sensor. In the framework of a weakly-dispersive fully nonlinear theory of long waves (so-called Zheleznyak-Pelinovsky model) and the assumption of a wave moving at a constant speed, we have derived an explicit approximate formula for the one-point relation between the pressure variation and water surface displacement. It includes nonlinear and dispersive corrections to the hydrostatic equation obtained from the nonlinear theory of shallow water. We have performed quantitative calculations of recovery parameters of the wave according to the measurements of the bottom sensor. It is noted that for the conditions of the Sea of Okhotsk non-hydrostatic corrections may reach 50%.

We present a conceptual approach to systematic research of seas and oceans as a whole on a functional level. Based on the methodology developed, we solve the problem of integral evaluation of functioning of sea ecosystems on a hydrobiogeochemical level by setting specific problems and determining the methods of their consecutive solution (author’s know-how). Methodology and the methods of evaluation of functioning of dynamic water ecosystems are based on a principal scheme of functioning of sea ecosystem, which includes interrelated exogenous and endogenous factors and processes, and on integral compression of a great information array of ecosystem indexes (more than 50) including physic-geographical, morphometric, hydrological, hydro-chemical, geochemical, hydro-biological, biochemical and complex). Their system analysis allowed us to detect a certain amount of both structural and functional groupings, which describe well enough the conditions of the entire system. As a result we created a complex system of the integral indices of functioning of sea ecosystems on a hydro-biogeochemical level. The elaborated methods have been used for integral evaluation of functioning of multitype sea ecosystems (the White sea, the Baltic sea, the Azov sea, the Caspian sea) on hydro-biogeochemical level, including the estimation of antropogenic (technogeneous) influence on the sea. The key factors controlling the ecosystems of the above-mentioned seas are established.

Based on a review of previous studies on the problem of the landscape transformation near industrial sites ‘Nickel’ and ‘Zapolyary’, the zone of direct influence of industrial emissions is found. The current state of the landscapes in the area, which was previously identified according to our own field research, is considered. The hypothesis is tested of a concentric configuration of zones with a varying extent of natural territorial complex fracturing. The main factors are determined that contribute to the spatial distribution patterns of landscapes with a different extent of transformation identify.

The paper discusses the content and structure of the biology textbooks in connection with the requirements of the Federal state educational standards of general education. We put forward the provisions on the basis of which textbooks should be developed, reveal the features of their methodical apparatus with regard to the content and the age of the pupils. The possibility of using textbooks in the training and learning activities of pupils is considered in the light of a new educational paradigm.

We point out the crucial role of chemical education in the formation of ecological values of school students. We present our definition of the concept ‘ecological values.’ It is noted that among strategic priorities of the formation of ecological values of school students in the course of chemical education there should be an accurate axiological orientation of this process as the sense of relationship of the person and the nature can be comprehended, proceeding from the problem of values. Axiological components of the system of ecological values of school students, which can be created by means of chemical education, are analyzed.