Layers of volcanic ash and Andosol soils derived from the ash may play an important role in preserving snow and ice as well as in the development of permafrost conditions in (a) the immediate vicinity of volcanoes at high elevations or at high latitudes and (b) land areas that are often distant from volcanic activity and are either prone to permafrost or covered by snow and ice, but have been affected by subaerial ash deposition. The special properties of volcanic ash are critically reviewed, particularly in relation to recent research in Kamchatka in the Far East of Russia. Of special importance are the thermal properties, the unfrozen water contents of ash layers, and the rate of volcanic glass weathering.Weathering of volcanic glass results in the development of amorphous clay minerals (e.g. allophane, opal, palagonite), but occurs at a much slower rate under cold compared to warm climate conditions. Existing data reveal (1) a strong correlation between the thermal conductivity, the water/ice content, and the mineralogy of the weathered part of the volcanic ash, (2) that an increase in the amounts of amorphous clay minerals (allophane, palagonite) increases the proportion of unfrozen water and decreases the thermal conductivity, and (3) that amorphous silica does not alter to halloysite or other clay minerals, even in the Early Pleistocene age (Kamchatka) volcanic ashes or in the Miocene and Pliocene deposits of Antarctica due to the cold temperatures. The significance of these findings are discussed in relation to past climate reconstruction and the influence of volcanic ash on permafrost aggradation and degradation, snow and ice ablation, and the development of glaciers.

A lasting legacy of the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007–2008 was the promotion of the Permafrost Young Researchers Network (PYRN), initially an IPY outreach and education activity by the International Permafrost Association (IPA). With the momentum of IPY, PYRN developed into a thriving network that still connects young permafrost scientists, engineers, and researchers from other disciplines. This research note summarises (1) PYRN’s development since 2005 and the IPY’s role, (2) the first 2015 PYRN census and survey results, and (3) PYRN’s future plans to improve international and interdisciplinary exchange between young researchers. The review concludes that PYRN is an established network within the polar research community that has continually developed since 2005. PYRN’s successful activities were largely fostered by IPY. With >200 of the 1200 registered members active and engaged, PYRN is capitalising on the availability of social media tools and rising to meet environmental challenges while maintaining its role as a successful network honouring the legacy of IPY.

New races of Phytophthora infestans rapidly defeat potato late blight (LB) resistance based on Solanum demissum germplasm, and breeders search for new sources of durable LB resistance. We developed and verified six sequence characterized amplified region markers recognizing the race-specific genes R1 and R3 of S. demissum and the broad-spectrum resistance gene RB of S. bulbocastanum and the germplasms of these species and used them to screen 209 accessions of 21 wild Solanum species. In addition to S. demissum, homologues of R1 and R3 were found in several species of series Demissa,Longipedicellata and diploid Tuberosa; R3 homologues were also detected in S. bulbocastanum,S. cardiophyllum and S. ehrenbergii. The RB homologues were found in a wider range of Solanum species. The markers of R1 and R3 genes reliably discerned between germplasms of S. tuberosum ssp. tuberosum and wild sources of LB resistance. Following introgression, the species-specific markers of demissum and bulbocastanum germplasm were rapidly lost, whereas the markers of R1 and R3 genes lasted through several meiotic generations and were maintained at high frequencies in modern potato cultivars. The presence of these markers in demissoid potato cultivars was significantly associated with LB resistance, presuming that both genes contribute to overall defence response.

A coiled coil-nucleotide binding site-leucine-rich repeat gene RB/Rpi-blb1 isolated from Solanum bulbocastanum confers broad-spectrum resistance to Phytophthora infestans and is currently employed in potato breeding for durable late blight (LB) resistance. RB homologues were reported in several Solanum species; some of them retained defence function. Here, we report additional evidence on RB-like sequences in 21 Solanum species of the section Petota. The panel of Solanum species was screened with three RB-related PCR markers. RB-like sequences were found in every tested Solanum accession, suggesting universal distribution of RB structural homologues among Solanum genomes, while locus-specific RB-629 was found only in 15 species. Phylogenetic analysis of RB-629 sequences suggested a highly conservative pattern of polymorphisms that was neither species- nor series-specific. Apparently, duplication and evolution of RB-like loci preceded Solanum speciation. Marker presence and particular haplotypes were not immediately associated with high LB resistance.