Home – Home – Jornals – Geography and Natural Resources 2023 number 2

A quantitative assessment of the dynamics of the degree of continentality of Russia at the beginning of the 21^st century has been made on four aspects: territorial, population distribution, production and economic, and activity. A noticeable decrease of this degree in terms of basic territorial and settlement aspects was revealed, which indicates a change in the trend of settlement processes from “continentalization” in the last century to “marinization” in the current one. A direct contribution to the decrease of the degree of continentality of the country was made mainly by interregional shifts of the population: its inflow to coastal zones and outflow from ultracontinental zones as well as an increase in the area of coastal territories due to the annexation of the Crimea and accounting as a number of ports all year round. On the other hand, a pronounced relationship between the tendencies of population displacement to the sea and the rise in maritime economic activity has not been established. Evaluation of the production and economic aspect showed that indicators of traditional material production, on the contrary, are characterized by an increase of the degree of continentality. The discrepancy between the dynamics of the settlement and production and economic aspects is explained by the multidirectionality in the deep regions of key processes, such as industrial development and settlement: the growth of the former goes with the reduction of the latter. An analysis of the activity aspect characterizing the scale of the maritime economy shows extremely sharp disproportions between the growth in the cargo turnover of the country’s seaports and the decline in the volume of its maritime transport, which is manifested in the very weak presence of the Russian merchant fleet in the World Ocean. It has been suggested that a radical aggravation of the geopolitical situation can stop the processes of “marinization” in the settlement aspect and turn the trend back to the “continentalization” of the country.

An analysis of interannual variability in surface air temperature of the summer season for separate regions of Russia as well as for most of its territory between 1930 and 2020 was performed. For the analysis, average daily air temperature data from 526 stations of the Roshydromet observation network and the ECMWF-ERA and NOAA-CIRES reanalyses have been used. Based on the meteorological station’s observations and on the calculated number of days with extreme temperature values, the spatio-temporal distribution of ground air temperature for separate summer months and for the summer season as a whole were evaluated. It was established that over the past 60 years, the number of days with extremely high temperatures increased by a factor of 1.5 in most of Russia, with the largest number of such days occurring in July. Both the secular records of average monthly air temperature in the summer months as well as the absolute maximum temperature were established to be extreme. For the selected 30-year-long periods of instrumental observations, the maximum air temperature exceeded +39 °C in some regions of Russia. It is shown that abnormally hot years have been unprecedented in the history of meteorological observations in Russia in terms of both record temperature values and the duration. The temperature regime of most areas of Russia is characterized by a spatio-temporal inhomogeneity. The analysis of temporal variation of extreme air temperature values suggests that the circumpolar and high-mountain areas were characterized by a fall in temperature in the summer months, whereas the temperate climate zones and southern regions of the country undergo a rise in temperature. It was established that at the end of the 20^th to early 21^st centuries, the number of days with extremely high surface air temperature increased in the territory of Russia, which may be a precondition for the occurrence of dangerous meteorological phenomena.

A bioclimatic justification is made for the diversity and structure of vegetation cover of the Russian mountains. On the basis of identifying the climatopes of the altitudinal-belt subdivisions underlying the spectra of mountain systems and analyzing a related development of vegetation cover of orobiomes with climatic conditions, the possibilities for its formation within the framework of altitudinal spectra have been determined. A global CHELSA model has been used to obtain reference bioclimatic parameters. The average annual temperature, the temperature of July and January, annual precipitation and precipitation of July, radiation balance, continentality index and ombrothermic index of July have been used as key bioclimatic parameters. A diversity of altitudinal-belt subdivisions (belts and sub-belts) has been determined on the basis of the altitudinal zonation of vegetation and the hierarchical structure of the botanical diversity of mountains and the types of zonation formed by them. On the basis of calculating the mean values and standard deviations of heat and moisture availability within the entire climatic area occupied by background communities in terms of orobiomes, their climatopes have been determined and a clustering has been carried out. As a result of comparing the climatopes at higher hierarchical levels, thermoclimates (extremely cold, very cold, cold, moderately cold, and moderately warm), and ombroclimates (moderately continental humid, moderately continental very humid, continental humid, and extracontinental semi-humid) have been determined. Mapping of climatope diversity made it possible to determine the relationship between the typological structure of altitudinal-belt spectra of vegetation with modern climate on a unified ecosystem basis.

This article assesses the current state of the environmental sphere of the Asian part of Russia from the standpoint of its compliance with these principles and conditions of the formation of a “green” economy. Statistical data of Rosstat, and information from annual State reports “On the state and environmental protection of the Russian Federation” were used in the analysis. It is shown that in spite of the statistical decrease in the volume of annual emissions of air pollutants and polluted wastewater, there is an increase in the concentrations of some types of pollutants. The situation is particularly alarming with waste management: over ten years (before 2019) the annual volume of their generation increased by more than a factor of 2. Specific (per capita) volumes of atmospheric emissions, discharge of polluted wastewater and waste generation exceed the average Russian level by factors of 2.31, 1.04 and 4.19, respectively. There occurs a more intense influence of greenhouse gas emissions on climate warming than in Russia as a whole. For example, Yakutia has the greatest climate warming in the world over the past 60 years. The strongest negative impact of adverse environmental factors on the health of the population is observed in Krasnoyarsk krai and in Irkutsk and Kemerovo oblasts. It is concluded that the current situation in Asian Russia contradicts the principles of sustainable development. The article notes the need to restructure institutional mechanisms for regulating environmental activities in order to increase the sustainability of the development of the Asian part of Russia.

We examine extreme natural processes and hazardous phenomena which are observed in the Far Eastern region: earthquakes, tsunamis, avalanches, mudflows, cryogenic processes, extreme low temperatures, floods, thunderstorms, fires, snow storms, fogs, water erosion, karst, glaciers, etc. Various territorial combinations of these processes and phenomena have been identified. Spatial coverage of the research is a macroregion which is considered as an aqua-territorial region of Pacific Russia, including the territory and adjacent water areas within the 200-mile maritime exclusive zone. This aqua-territorial macroregion is characterized by active regional environmental management, including the utilization of natural resources of the coastal land and resources of marine waters. However, many extreme natural processes and hazardous phenomena occurring within marine areas have a negative impact on coastal land. An assessment is made of the territorial and aqua-territorial combinations of the extreme natural processes and hazardous phenomena in Pacific Russia. We constructed maps of several versions of zoning according to the difference of combinations of extreme natural processes and hazardous phenomena, including their 25 types. We identified 10 types of territories of Pacific Russia with various combinations of these phenomena and processes, and their generalized characteristics are provided.

The results of vehicle noise measurements at 10 key areas in Moscow in 2019 with crossed meso- and micro-relief of the terrain in the article are presented. The measurements were carried out synchronously near the road and at different distances from it - at the breakpoints of the hypsometric profile. Paired measurements made it possible to estimate the amount of traffic noise damping (reduction). At the same time, noise suppression was determined instrumentally and verified by computer simulation for a sub-horizontal surface. All this made it possible to assess the influence of the earth’s surface on the traffic noise spread. This effect is estimated at values up to 17 dBA (sound damping due to the noise protection function of the relief). On the series of profiles increasing in noise level was recorded due to the accumulation effect, when the facing noise source relief facets return not absorbed by the surface sound energy and increase the noise level relative to the nominal (for subhorizontal surfaces) by 2-4 dBA. However, the influence of the relief is mostly reducing with average damping rates of 5 dBA over the entire length of the profile (40-120 m in various cases), regardless of the particular profile shape. It is shown that on convex kinks of the surface (terrain brows, ridges) even sub-meter elevation differences are expressed in statistically significant changes in the noise level of the order of 1.5 dBA over the error of sound level meters. At the same time, the influence of the relief is more significant than more dissected Earth’s surface near the road (the first tens of meters). A distance of about 150 m from a separate sound source in an urban environment.

The aim of this article is to study changes in the volume and composition of discharged wastewater, the pollutants they contain, as well as water quality in the Don River basin over a long period. It is found that discharges of sewage, mine and collector and drainage waters into the surface water bodies of the Don River basin have decreased almost twice, i. e. from 4.4 to 2.4 km³ over 25 years. The proportion of polluted wastewater decreased from 30.4 to 21.8 %. It is established that in 2020 only every sixth cubic meter of water requiring treatment was treated up to the standards. It is shown that the amount of major pollutants discharged with wastewater during 1995-2020 decreased dramatically. Within the Don River basin as a whole, the discharge of petroleum products decreased by a factor of 6.6; copper, iron, and sulfates decreased by a factor of 4-4.5; biochemical oxygen demand decreased by a factor of 2.8, and the mass of dry residue by a factor of 3.1. At the same time there was a significant increase in the discharge of two substances: nitrates (by a factor of 2.8), and ammonium nitrogen (by a factor of 1.5). The water quality along the stem stream of the Don River both improved and deteriorated. During 2010-2020 the water quality in almost the entire upper and middle Don improved: the quality classes and ranks did not always change, but the value of the specific combinatorial index of water pollution decreased. In the lower reaches of the Don River, the water quality deteriorated. In the Voronezh River basin, the discharge of iron and copper with wastewater decreased by a factor of 8.8 and 4.7; the discharge of organic substances, oil products, sulfates and chlorides decreased by a factor of 3-3.2, and the discharge of dry residue and ammonia nitrogen by a factor of 2-2.3. However, the water quality in the outlet section of the Voronezh reservoir was deteriorating for most of the ingredients. A similar situation was observed in the Severskii Donets River basin. Despite the reduction of the controlled mass of discharged pollutants, there were no improvement of surface water quality in both the stem stream of the Don River and the basins of its large tributaries. This indicates an increase of pollution coming from diffuse sources and bottom sediments.

A comprehensive assessment is made of the impact of coal mines on ecosystems in the water protection zone surrounding the urban-type settlement of Beringovskii (Chukotka Autonomous Okrug). Ground and soils have been investigated, and the chemical composition of surface water bodies and vegetation cover have been assessed. It was established that the area of operation of the Beringovskaya and Nagornaya mines and the coal storage area are characterized by an almost complete absence of soil and vegetation cover, and by a disturbance of the regime of surface and underground waters. The territory has retained only small areas typical for the lower parts of the slopes of the middle mountains in the southern hypoarctic tundras but significantly depleted in composition. We discovered a habitat of lichen previously unknown on Chukotka, which is included in the regional and federal Red Data Books: Cetraria kamczatica Savicz. Concentrations of heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Pb) in the soil, plants, and lichens exceed background levels and are due to long-term technogenic impacts. The high values of the water pollution index in the Yasha River are determined by the concentrations of phosphates, nitrogen, aluminum, iron, and manganese. According to fish protection standards, the Yasha River water corresponds to the following classes: dirty, very dirty, and extremely dirty; Ugolnaya River water, to the class dirty, and the unnamed Lake, to the class moderately dirty. The content of biogenic elements and heavy metals in surface fresh waters depends mainly on anthropogenic pollution of the catchment area of the rivers: household wastewater from the urban-type settlement of Beringovskii, old abandoned settlements, a considerable number of inactive industrial and military facilities, construction and other waste, etc. The level of seawater pollution was caused by the increased content of iron and chromium. It is concluded that there is a need for regular environmental monitoring, reclamation of disturbed areas and restoration of the watercourses system and drainage on the territory.

A morphometric analysis is made of the relief for the mountainous territory located in Western Cisbaikalia: the Primorskii Range, the landscapes of which have been transformed for a long time under the influence of the pyrogenic factor. Under such conditions, it becomes relevant to determine the relationships between the geomorphological conditions of the territory and the distribution of post-pyrogenic landscapes, as well as the possibility of using the results obtained in landscape mapping. The basis for maps of surface curvature was provided by a digital elevation model based on ALOS radiometer data with a resolution of 30 m. Using geoinformation analysis, maps of the steepness and exposure of slopes, and horizontal, vertical curvature were obtained, and the statistical coefficients of these indicators for the study area were determined. To determine the degree of influence of geomorphological conditions on the distribution of post-pyrogenic landscapes, the geomorphological map was compiled, a typizaion of the relief was carried out according to the altitudinal layers, and a correlation with corresponding types of locations was determined. At this stage of the research, the following connections were revealed between the geomorphological heterogeneity of the local relief and the nature of the spread of fire: in some cases, river valleys became barriers to the spread of fire (their summit parts are usually not affected by fire). Another option for barriers are the ridges located across slopes; thus the orientation of orographic relief elements can be designated as a limiting factor in the spread of fires. The prevailing south-eastward exposure of the macroslope of the Primorskii Range which coincided with the north-westward direction of the main air transport, became an intensifying factor in the spread.

Results of comprehensive geochronological, geological and geomorphological studies of the Pleistocene glaciations of the Baikal and Barguzin Ridges are presented. In spite of the fragmentation and disunity of geological cross-sections of glacier formations of Pleisatocene glaciations on these ridges, the factual evidence accumulated to date concerning the morphology of the glacier relief, the geological cross-sections of glacier formations and scant absolute datings make it possible to generalize these data. Field measurements were made in the foothill area of the aforementioned ridges as well as in the Baikal and Barguzin rift valleys. Remote geomorphological studies were used extensively and included the analysis of topographic maps of various scales, interpretation of aerial and satellite photographs, and aerial visual flights on airplanes and helicopters with landings to refine interpretation data, study geological cross-sections and collect samples. Thermoluminescence dating confirmed that the remains of large theriofauna found on a high 50-80-meter terrace in the delta of the Tyya are of Middle Pleistocene age. Single dates were obtained from the deposits of the Tyya glacier of the maximum Middle Pleistocene glaciation, Eopleistocene sediments lying at the base of the Rel-Tyya intermediate stage, as well as from the terminal moraines of the Ulyugninskii and Upper Kurumkanskii glaciers located on the eastern slope of the Barguzin Ridge. Material presented confirms the synchronism of glaciations on the Barguzin Ridge and on other high-mountain ranges of Northern Cisbaikalia and the Stanovoi Highlands. They are compared with the glaciations of Western Siberia. The first Mid-Pleistocene glaciation was semi-cover (reticulated), the second and third were of the mountain-valley type, and the fourth glaciation was of the cirque type. The reliability of the identification of glacial epochs is confirmed by data of morphological studies of the exaration relief and glacial formations, material of the study of the geological structure of the terminal moraine lines and fluvioglacial deposits, the age of which is confirmed by megafauna finds and thermoluminescence dating.

An assessment is made of the geoecological consequences of dust storms as natural phenomena, the intensity and development of which depend, among other things, on the anthropogenic transformation of territories. According to the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydromet), cases of dangerous dust storms occur every year on the territory of the Russian Federation according to long-term data. At the same time, the most intense and longest dust storms in the mid-20^th-early 21^st centuries were observed in the south of the European part of Russia, in Rostov oblast. In view of the importance of studying the carcinogenic hazard of suspended solids, including particles of 2.5 to 10 mm, in the surface air layer, among the geoecological consequences of dust storms, we authors assessed an additional number of cases of carcinogenesis due to the intensification of the regime of dust storms in the plains of the South of the European part of Russia. Results from calculating the values of individual and population carcinogenic risks to public health for the period 2015-2020 suggest that the dust storms in the year 2020 caused a high level of air pollution by suspended solids, causing a serious geoecological hazard and increasing an additional number of cases of possible development of oncogenic diseases formations among urban residents of Rostov-on-Don by 21-36 % compared with the average values of the study period. The assessment obtained for the geoecological situation, caused by a significant increase in carcinogenic risk due to a sharp increase in the maximum concentrations of suspended solids and atmospheric dust thickness values during the period of intense dust storms in 2020, proves the need for further observations and studies.

An analysis is made of the variability of the acidity index of precipitation and fluxes of wet sulfur and nitrogen deposition on the territory of the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation (FEFD). The analysis used data Roshydromet (Hydrometeorological Service of Russia). It was found that alkaline precipitation was characteristic for most of FEFD (Yakutia and Transbaikalia). However, an increase in the acidity of precipitation was observed in the south-east of the region during the period under consideration. The average annual pH values of precipitation in Primorsky krai dropped below 5.6 in the first decade of the 21^st century to reach in separate years 4.6-4.7 at some of the monitoring stations. It is pointed out that the ever-increasing use of nitrogen fertilizers in East Asian countries leads to an increase in the flow of atmospheric nitrogen deposition, which negatively affects forest vegetation. The annual flux of wet deposition at the international monitoring station EANET Primorskaya between 2006 and 2015 was 6.37 kg/ha per year for S deposition and 6.3 kg/ha per year for N (nitrate+ammonium). Similar values were obtained by averaging data from all stations in Primorsky krai. In 2018, this flux exceeded a critical value of 10 kg/ha per year. The Ternei monitoring station located in the Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Reserve observed the amount of nitrogen fluxes twice as lower as that at the Primorskaya station, but order of magnitude higher than the values recorded in the western part of FEFD. The determining factor for an increase in the acidity of precipitation and for the high levels of nitrogen depositions in the south-east of FEFD is the transboundary atmospheric transport of pollutants from the centers of anthropogenic emissions in East Asia. The analysis of data made in this paper is in agreement with reports of Roshydromet on the state and pollution of the environment of the Russian Federation and supplements and details them.

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate - on the example of comparison of multitemporal landscape maps - a change in anthropogenic meso-landscapes of key areas under the influence of anthropogenic factors over long periods of time. Two settlements were selected as key sites in Primorsky krai: Khrustalnyi and Dalnegorsk. These areas are located within the boundaries of the Sikhote-Alin biosphere region that encompasses undisturbed natural landscapes (including in the Sikhote-Alin Nature Biosphere Reserve), the areas of intense mining and forestry. The basis of the maps of anthropogenic meso-landscapes is formed by material obtained in the course of field research, and by archival aerial photographs. By analyzing these maps, it was possible to determine the degree and nature of change in landscape cover, quantitative indicators of such changes, and the main anthropogenic factors influencing the transformation of landscapes in the study areas. It was established that the areas of anthropogenic meso-landscapes increased mainly due to two anthropogenic factors: mining and development of settlements. For the Khrustalnyi key site, the expansion of the area of anthropogenic meso-landscapes made up more than 100 %, and 10 % for Dalnegorsk. The area of meso-landscapes that changed their class during the periods under consideration was 9 and 7 % of the total area of transformed land for Khrustalny and Dalnegorsk, respectively. The main changes among the classes of meso-landscapes are associated with the urbanization and replacement of traditional wooden buildings with household plots on capital mid-rise buildings as well as the secondary use of existing mining landscapes.

An analysis is made of the ecological and economic relationships between the development of the forest sector of the economy and ways to achieve the desired quality of the forest environment based on assessing the assimilation service of forests to self-restoration after logging, fires and other negative influences. The relevance of the study is determined by the fact that the issues of assessing the assimilation service of forest capital have not been adequately studied. At the same time, such research is complicated by the need to analyze the relationship between the environmental and economic consequences of logging and forest conservation measures that reduce their negative impact on the forest environment. The methodological approach to assessing these relationships as proposed in this paper implies considering the category of “external costs” in forest management and its value assessment as a set of environmental costs and prevented damage resulting from the implementation of forest conservation measures. The results of calculations carried out for the model territories of the Far Eastern border regions have shown that the use of environment-saving selective logging methods increases the cost of logging, which is compensated by lower costs of reforestation and preservation of the forest environment, thus allowing forests to fully perform socio-regulatory services. The study also made it possible to assess the impact of regional forest management systems on the provision and quality of assimilation potential of the model territories. The analysis conducted is necessary for the elaboration of mechanisms to coordinate the development of the forest complex and forest conservation activities in the forest regions of the Russian Federation.

This article examines the impact of the ban on the import of Russian coal by the European Union (EU) countries. The probable financial and volume losses of Russian coal are estimated according to data of the Federal Customs Service of Russia, International Energy Agency and JSC Russian Railways. Russia may short-deliver 49.35 million tons of coal to the EU (22 % of Russia’s coal exports in 2021), which is equivalent to $3.84 billion (20 % of coal exports). To the greatest extent, the ban on coal imports will affect Kemerovo oblast and the Republic of Khakassia (the EU accounts for about 30 % in the structure of supplies and 25-30 % in the structure of cash receipts). The import ban will practically not affect the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Sakhalin oblast, Khabarovsk krai and Zabaikalsky krai. The biggest blow in reducing the volume of supplies to Europe will correspond to large holdings of Kemerovo oblast, Novosibirsk oblast and the Republic of Khakassia. It is established that in share terms, smaller companies will suffer more because EU countries occupied more than 50 % in the structure of their export supplies. There are three possible main scenarios for the development of interaction between the Russian and global coal markets: inertial (maintaining the share of European countries in the real supply structure by concluding agreements with Turkish traders), transformational (complete switching of supplies to new markets: the Asian giants China and India, the Middle East represented by Turkey, Southeast Asia or new African and American markets), as well as inertial-transformational (gradual replacement of the European market with Asian and new African and American ones).

Presented are the new concepts of the structural-hydrogeological conditions and evolution of the underground hydrosphere of Khentei-Daurian vault which is considered as a unified hydrogeothermal system located on the neighbouring territories of Russia and Mongolia. The conclusions of these authors are based on factual evidence obtained during expedition work that was for the first time carried out in the winter period, on laboratory investigations as well as on the studies of archival material. Special attention is given to the Onon seat of discharge of hot waters. A detailed description of springs is provided, and information on macro- and microcomponent chemical composition of water is presented. The relationship between the concentration of microelements and the depth of formation of mineral waters is considered. An assessment is made of the predicted temperatures at the depth of formation by the method of silica geothermometer. It is pointed out that during the winter runoff low period, almost the entire volume of runoff of the Onon River is formed by the discharge of hydrotherms. The mantle part of gas composition of water from the spring under study was calculated by use of the isotopic relationship ³He/⁴He. It is noted that in spite of a high absolute concentration of water-dissolved helium, the relative value of the mantle component is only 0.3-0.4 %. This indicates the crust origin of the increased concentrations of helium. It was noted а high balneological value of the Ikh-Onon thermal spring is highlighted, and the need to organize the protection of this unique natural monument is emphasized.

Data on the diversity, morphological structure, physical, chemical and agrochemical properties of soils within the Uldz river floodplain (Mongolia, Uldz-Torei plain) have been obtained for the first time. The predominance of alluvial medium-thick dark-humus soil type of saline and quasi-gleic subtypes was established. A very important feature in soil genesis was identified, namely a high level of groundwater and light texture of alluvial deposits, determining the same type of plant residues transformation (dark humus accumulation). It is concluded that the differences between soils are due to the degree of salinity and to the type of chemistry. The alluvial soils under study are alkaline, slightly saline, predominantly of chloride and soda-chloride type of salinity for anions and of magnesium-sodium or sodium-magnesium type for cations. Solonchaks formed in the lower parts of the floodplain have different types of salinity within genetic horizons for anions and sodium type of salinity for cations. Phytocenoses grown on these soils are of low productivity, projective cover and depleted species composition, and are represented only by halophytes. Unfavorable factors for plant growth are responsible for occurrence of light humus processes, similar to the zonal soil. The level of natural fertility of the soils under study was found to be very low because of their thin layered profile, unfavorable physical, chemical and agrochemical properties, and especially low content of nitrate nitrogen and labile phosphorus. Destructive agrogenic processes are described, which are possible when alluval dark-humus soils are involved in durable use possible with alluvial dark-humus soils arable use. These soils should be mainly used as grasslands and hay-pastures, and it is recommended that “focal” plots should be allocated for arable land in compliance with soil conservation measures. For increasing biopoductivity of the floodplain lands, it is necessary to use various types of manure, composts, green manure and mineral fertilizers, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus. Typical solonchaks have unfavorable physical, chemical and meliorative properties and an extremely low level of natural fertility. In this regard, they should be classified as marginal or virtually unsuitable for use in agricultural production with occasional grazing of farm animals.