Extension of the soil monitoring network via tea bag initiatives: A 3000 km latitudinal gradient in European Russia.

The increasing popularity and recognition of citizen science approaches to monitor soil health have promoted the idea to assess soil microbial decomposition based on a standard litter sample - tea bags. Although tea bag initiatives are expanding across the world, the global datasets remain biased in regard to investigating regions and biomes. This study aimed to expand the tea bag initiative to European Russia, which remains a "white spot" on the tea bag index map.

Activity concentration and distribution of K in the soil profile of the Rostov agglomeration.

The activity concentration of K in soils of Rostov agglomeration was studied. Natural and anthropogenically modified soils of Rostov agglomeration were studied: Haplic Chernozems, Haplic Chernozems (Technic), Urbic Technosols. Activity concentration K in soils was measured by gamma-spectrometric method of radionuclide analysis.

[Comparison of biochemical and molecular genetic approaches for identification of environmental strains].

In order to confirm the taxonomic position of environmental strains determined based on their biochemical, cultural, andmorphological characteristics, molecular genetic identification was carried out. A number of problems in identification of microorganisms were shown to be associated with contamination of the cultures in the course of isolation. Advantages of a comprehensive approach, combining 16S rRNA gene sequencing with a set of biochemical, cultural, and morphological parameters; for identification of microorganisms isolated from environmental objects and clinical samples are discussed.

[The corrosion and electrochemical properties of new palladium-indium alloys for dentistry].

New palladium-based dental materials were examined in a wide spectrum of pH values from 3.8 to 9.6 at 37 degrees C for 315 h.