A team of Russian scientists has warned that most of the rare plants in Russia's Altai Mountains are at risk.
Scientists from Russia, China and Mongolia have discovered that 90% of rare plant species in Russia's mountainous Altai region are at risk of extinction. This was stated in the official bulletin of the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The results of the research in this regard were published in the international scientific journal Global Ecology and Conservation.
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The Science in Siberia website quoted Dr. Andrei Erst, one of the authors of the article and chief researcher at the Central Siberian Botanical Garden, said: “Based on this information, we analyzed whether all the places where rare species are concentrated have nature reserves or national parks. We studied places that need to organize reserves.”
Among the rare plants of the Altai Mountains, 101 species are at high risk of extinction, 72 are at risk of extinction due to extremely low numbers or exposure to environmental factors, and 24 species are potentially at risk of extinction in the future. 49 species of these plants belong to the legume family, 30 species belong to the herb and fruit family, 24 species belong to the star and buttercup family, and 11 species belong to the borage family.
The experts also mapped the distribution of species using Google Earth, where they indicated hotspots where a large number of rare plants accumulate in one place. Most of them are located near and on the borders of Russia, Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan.
Russian scientists discover new uses for lingonberry leaves
Scientists from the Russian Siberian Federal University were able to develop new materials containing compounds from lingonberry leaves, to use these materials in various fields.
An article published in the journal Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology stated: “Scientists from the Russian Siberian Federal University, in cooperation with scientists from Russia and India, were able to develop new materials based on multifunctional cellulose biofilms enriched with nanoparticles and added to extracts from the leaves of the lingonberry plant. These materials have “It has antibacterial effects and can be used in several fields, such as developing medicines and cosmetics, and as materials that help extend the life of vegetables and fruits.”
Scientists noted that certain types of bacteria form thin cellulose threads that produce multi-layered reticulated gelatinous membranes. These membranes are characterized by strength and high flexibility, and due to their resistance to chemical effects and their ability to absorb various organic and inorganic compounds, these membranes are used in medicine, cosmetology, agriculture, and the food industry.
The new compounds that scientists developed were a new composite material based on a nano-cellulose membrane with silver particles and copper oxide nanoparticles. When preparing bimetallic nanoparticles of silver and copper, lingonberry leaf extract (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) was used as an agent. shorthand.