A synopsis of Euphorbia (Euphobiaceae) for the Caucasus

Euphorbia L. (Euphorbiaceae), one of the largest genera of angiosperms, is represented in the Caucasus by 80 species. This paper contains a taxonomic treatment for these species and a key for their determination. For every species the following information is provided: accepted name and major synonyms with typification where possible; brief characteristics of habitats; distribution in the Caucasus and indication of geographical element (for indigenous species); and taxonomic and geographical notes if necessary. Lectotypes of Euphorbia arvalis Boiss. et Heldr., E. damascena Boiss., E. fossulata Boiss. et Gaill., E. iberica Boiss. var. intermedia Boiss., E. kemulariae Ter-Chatsch., E. notadenia Boiss. et Hohen., E. platyphyllos L., E. paralias L. and E. ruderalis Sheele are newly designated. The indigenous component of Caucasian Euphorbia comprises 73 species. The majority belong to three geographical elements: Euro-Siberian (41.10%), Irano-Turanian (20.54%) and Submediterranean (15.07%). There are also 7 alien species mostly of North American origin. Taxonomically, most of Caucasian Euphorbia species (70 or 87.5%) belong to subgen. Esula and represent 16 of the 21 currently accepted sections. The remaining ten species belong to subgen. Chamaesyce.

Conservación ambiental versus toponimia en un humedal salino del valle del Ebro

Resumen Este artículo expone algunas vicisitudes de los nombres recibidos por un rasgo geográfico de interés medioambiental, subrayando cómo el nombre ha limitado la valoración de su carácter y significación, y por ende su protección legal. El elemento geográfico en cuestión es un humedal natural hipersalino, o salada, de algo más de tres hectáreas y situado en tierras yesosas deTamarite de Litera (Aragón, España). Se rememora el topónimo (femenino) Farrachuela aplicado a esta salada y tras examinar el nombre de un cerro cercano llamado Farrachuelo (masculino), se resalta la paronimia entre el cerro y el humedal, proponiendo un origen común para ambos topónimos. Se indica cómo el nombre usado para esa salada en algunos documentos de propaganda favorece su desconocimiento, no sólo por el público sino también por las Administraciones con competencias sobre el territorio y la conservación de la naturaleza. Finalmente, se postula un topónimo formado por un término genérico transparente, Salada, y el término específico tradicional, Farrachuela, alusivo a antiguos hallazgos de restos arqueológicos. Tal topónimo contribuirá a promover el conocimiento, aprecio y protección de este enclave continental hipersalino. Abstra ct This article reviews some vicissitudes which have undergone the names received by a land feature of environmental interest highlighting how the name affects its character and interest assessment, and consequently, its legal protection. The relevant geographical element is a natural hypersaline wetland, or salada, just above three hectares located on gypseous lands in Tamarite de Litera (Aragon, Spain). It recalls the (feminine) Farrachuela toponym applied to this salada, and after examining the name (masculine) Farrachuelo for a nearby hill, the paronymy between the hill and the wetland is highlighted, so proposing a common origin for both toponyms. It is shown how the name used for that salada in some advertising brochures has favored the lack of knowledge about this, not only by the people but also by the Administration with competence on landscape management and Nature conservation. Finally, a geographycally well-known term is postulated, Salada, and a traditional specific term, Farrachuela, relating to the archeological findings. Such a toponym will promote the knowledge, regard, and protection of this athalassohaline spot.

THE STRUCTURE OF THE SIBERIAN GEOGRAPHICAL FLORAL ELEMENT IN THE MIDDLE SIBERIAN FOREST STEPPES

Background. The ultimate goal of studies of any flora is the clarification of the history of vegetation cover and individual taxa formation in the studied region, determination of the degree of its individuality, of floristic links with other territories, and of regularities in flora formation.Materials and methods. The flora of vascular plants in the island forest steppes of Middle Siberia, i. e. of the Krasnoyarsk, Kansk and Achinsk forest steppes, identified by the specific floras method of A. I. Tolmachev, was chosen as the object of research. The purpose of the paper was to study the structure of the Siberian geographical element in the steppe flora, characteristics of the types of constituent distribution areas selected on the basis of the phytochorion concept. The basis for determining the types of habitats was the planetary regionalization scheme by A. L. Takhtajan, complemented by statistical convergent zonation for Siberia by L. I. Malyshev, and for the Russian Far East by R. V. Kamelin.Results. The territory of the Middle Siberian forest steppes is a part of the Altai-Yenisei Province. The Krasnoyarsk, Kansk and Achinsk forest steppes (Krasnoyarsk Territory) are the most northern parts of the region (55°28’–57°28’N, 89°– 96°40’E). Twenty-six local floras were examined. Ten distribution area types were identified within the Siberian geographical element of the boreal group according to the names of sub-regions and provinces (154 species, 11.12%), limiting their distribution from West to East or from East to West, including all intermediate Siberian provinces between them. All types of distribution areas were combined into four large subgroups, namely Siberian, West Siberian, Middle Siberian, and East Siberian. Names of geographical elements were composed from the names of several phytochoria, in which they had been registered, according to the rules by M. G. Popov.Conclusions. The Siberian geographical element rates third in all three forest steppes after the Euro-Siberian and Circumboreal geographical elements. In the flora of the Middle Siberian forest steppes Siberian elements amount to 11%, among which the Middle Siberian ones prevail (4.4%, 61 species) due to the geographical position of the flora. The fraction of species distributed throughout Siberia is 3.25% (45 species), followed by East Siberian species (2.24%, 31 species) and West Siberian ones (1.23%, 17 species).

Meningkatkan Kemampuan Siswa Kelas IX B SMP Negeri 8 Muaro Jambi dalam Menentukan Iklim Matahari pada Pembelajaran Unsur Geografis di Kawasan Asia Tenggara dengan Menggunakan Media Gambar Globe

There are still many students who do not know how to determine the climate of a country based on its astronomical location. For this reason, the author tries to try to overcome this problem by conducting a Classroom Action research at Muaro Jambi State Middle 8 where the author is on duty. As for the formulation of the problem is whether using globe picture media can improve the ability of class IX B students of Muaro Jambi Middle School 8 in determining the sun's climate in learning geographical elements in the Southeast Asian region? This study aims to improve the ability of class IX B students of Muaro Jambi Middle School 8 in determining the climate of the sun's climate. This research was conducted in three cycles. Each cycle, students are taught how to determine the climate using a globe. The subject matter set for research is the geographical element in the Southeast Asia region. Before doing research, students' ability to determine climate based on their astronomical location obtained 80.77% of students unable to determine the climate. After doing the research, in the first cycle, which was held in two meetings, 61.54% of students were able to determine the climate. Then in the second cycle, the results of 76.92% of students were able to determine the climate and in the third cycle the results were 88.46% of students able to determine the climate of a country. There was a significant increase in students' abilities. Thus the use of globe image media can be used as an alternative to overcome students' difficulties in determining the climate.

The Euro-Siberian geographical element flora structure of the Middle Siberia forest-steppes

The structure of geographical (arealogical) elements is one of the most important flora characteristics, because genetic composite groups are established on the basics of generic and species areas analysis and regularities of flora formation are determined. The object of the research is a complete species composition of vascular plants, revealed within the boundaries of the researched forest-steppes - Krasnoyarsk, Kansk and Achinsk (Krasnoyarsk Region). The North forest-steppes flora was detected by the specific flora method established by A.I. Tolmachev. The aim of this work is to summarize materials of the Euro-Siberian geographical element flora structure in the North forest-steppes ecosystems of the Middle Siberia with the characteristics of geographical elements selected on the basis of the fitohorions concept. It is based on the accordance principle of species distribution to natural (Botanical-geographical) zoning of the Earth. To determine the areas we used modern planetary floristic zoning established by A.L. Takhtajan with some amendments: floristic zoning by L.I. Malysheva was taken into account to Siberia, etc., the Russian Far East - by R.V. Camelina. As a result of the work geographical elements of the boreal group were assigned: Circumboreal (133 species, 9,6% of the whole flora), Eurosiberian (384 species, 27,7%), Pontic-South Siberian (81 species, 5,85%), Siberian (154 species, 11,12%).

Water Flowing Beyond Borders and Water Problems

The difficulty of drawing the borders of the Middle East originates from the fact that the region is not a clear geographical unit. This means that it is determined by the political and cultural elements as “The West”, not by the geographical element as the “Western Europe”. The important position of the region becomes clear with the production of petroleum. The petroleum of the Middle East meets a large part of the energy requirements of Europe and Asia, however almost everyone agrees that water began to take the place of petroleum and will be the most important natural resource in the near future at the Middle East. We tried to emphasize the strategic importance of the water in the Middle East, the hydrological characteristics of water flowing beyond borders and the replace of South-Eastern Anatolia Project in the Turkish-Arabic relations, the use and management of water resources, some efforts and search for solutions.

“The Indies”: Baudelaire's Colonial World

[Les critiques] ont en commun avec les tyrans de plier le monde à leurs désirs.[Critics] and tyrants have this in common: they bend the world to their desires.—Yasmina Reza, L'aube le soir ou la nuit (9)If there is anything that radically distinguishes the imagination of anti-imperialism, it is the primacy of the geographical element. Imperialism after all is an act of geographical violence through which virtually every space in the world is explored, charted, and finally brought under control.—Edward Said, Culture and Imperialism (225)Denis Diderot's Encyclopédie is explicit about “Les Indes” ‘The Indies.‘ in explaining why distant landmasses were charted under the incorrect rubrics “East Indies” and “West Indies,” the Encyclopédie states in 1765 that these designations refer to countries situated on either side of the Cape of Good Hope, the southern extremity of Africa:[L]es modernes moins excusable que les anciens ont nommé Indes, des pays si différens par leur position & par leur étendue sur notre globe, que pour ôter une partie de l'équivoque, ils ont divisé les Indes en orientales & occidentales. … De-là vint l'usage d'appeller Indes orientales, ce qui est à l'orient du cap de Bonne-Espérance, & Indes occidentales, ce qui est à l'occident de ce cap. … [P]ar un nouvel abus, qu'il n'est plus possible de corriger, on se sert dans les relations du nom d'Indiens, pour dire les Amériquains. (“Indes”)[T]he moderns, who are less forgivable than the ancients, have called Indies countries so different by virtue of their location and their size on our globe that these had to be divided into East and West Indies in order to correct the ambiguity. … Hence the custom of calling East Indies what lies to the east of the Cape of Good Hope and West Indies what lies to the west of that cape. … [T]hrough a new misuse, which can no longer be corrected, the name Indians is used in travel relations to refer to Americans.