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2026 year, number 3
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A.N. VASILTSOVA
Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
vasilcova-anna@yandex.ru
Keywords: sugar industry, agro-industrial complex, sugar beet, sugarcane, Russian Federation
Abstract >>
Based on the statistical data on the cultivated areas, crop yield and harvest of sugarcane and sugar beet, as well as on the production and consumption of granulated sugar, the article presents an economic and geographical characteristic of the global sugar industry for the period from 1970 to 2023. It reveals an increasing concentration of sugarcane production and a shift of the core of the cultivation area from South Asia to South America. A shift of the core of sugar beet production from Eastern to Western Europe and deepening of specialization of sugar beet-growing countries have been recorded. A growth vector of sugar beet yield and its sustainability is determined: both indicators decrease toward the southern periphery of the cultivation area, which is prone to aridization. It has been established that territorial shifts in the production of granulated sugar are more pronounced within macroregions than between them. The place of Russia in the global sugar beet industry is characterized: our country is the world leader in sugar beet production and is distinguished by one of the highest rates of yield growth, as well as an exceptional increase of its stability in the world. It is among the largest sugar producers, fully providing its population with this product, which also has high export potential. A typology of countries of the world has been developed based on a combination of two complex indicators: the provision of the sugar industry with domestic raw materials and the provision of the population with domestic sugar. A series of maps reflecting the territorial structure of the global sugar production has been created.
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L.G. EMELYANOVA, I.L. ERMOLOV
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
Keywords: successional changes, felling sites, restoration dynamics, cadastral reference map, taiga forests, plants
Abstract >>
The article summarizes the studies of excisional successions of vegetation and mammal population within the model territory - the middle taiga of European Russia. A cadastral reference map of the study sites with an address cadastre has been created. The areas of focus of succession studies have been identified, their spatial and temporal components have been revealed, and general features of successional changes have been established. Forty-two sources of vegetation succession studies were analyzed, 74 localities identified from them are concentrated in the western and eastern sectors. A low-density area is identified along the right banks of the Onega and Northern Dvina rivers, and in the interfluve of the Vaga, Northern Dvina, and Sukhona rivers. Studies lasting 11-20 years predominate. Their start dates back to the periods from 1950 to 1980 and from 1990 to 2010. Changes in vegetation are primarily determined by the transformation of environmental conditions as a result of the destruction and subsequent restoration of the tree layer. The felling technology has a significant impact. Small mammal population successions have been less studied: 35 sources were analyzed, 42 localities noted from them are concentrated in the western and eastern sectors. The studies are divided into short-term (1-10 years) and very long-term (over 20 years). The maximum number of studies took place during the period from 1960 to 1980. Based on the census data, a predominance of insectivores over rodents and a dominance of gray voles in the early stages were revealed; a decline in the total number of small mammals from early to late stages was noted; a tendency of individual species to certain stages was identified. Large mammal population successions have been poorly studied: 14 sources were analyzed and 16 localities were noted, with an increased concentration observed between Petrozavodsk and Syamozero. Short-term studies (1-10 years) of individual commercial species predominate. Most of the studies date back to the period from 1970 to 1980. A brief overview of international experience in studying excisional successions is provided. The article outlines possible directions for further research in the study of excisional successions.
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E.L. ANDREYANOVA
Irkutsk State University, Irkutsk, Russia
Keywords: local communities, project activity, Presidential Grants Fund, institutional environment, ethnoeconomics, social institutions
Abstract >>
The article considers the issue of rural tourism development in Russian regions, using the example of Irkutsk oblast, with the help of population involvement through the use of a participatory approach. It has been established that the resources of a destination and the extent of their use in the socioeconomic development of rural areas determine the potential of rural tourism and its regulation by municipal authorities. The regulatory acts of the region’s municipal districts reflected the weak involvement of the local population in the process of addressing management issues in the field of rural tourism. It has been revealed that a significant tool for transforming resources into territorial and social capital is the project activity of local communities, supported by the “third sector” of the economy and implemented through various funds and competitions. It has been established that, in general, the process of involving the population in tourism activities is carried out on the basis of the expected positive socioeconomic effect with the recommendation of adherence to the value-ethical canons of nature management of the peoples living in the area. It has been determined that the region’s ethnic products significantly complement the content and services of rural tourism when using technologies for demonstrating and positioning tourist attractions. Ethnoeconomic technologies, which combine ancient craft techniques and the economic activities of local peoples, facilitate economic reproduction and the creation of goods (services), thereby reflecting the tourism specificity of Irkutsk oblast.
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Yu.A. SPIRIN1,2, S.I. ZOTOV3, V.S. TARAN3
1Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Russia
2Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
3Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kaliningrad, Russia
Keywords: watercourse pollution dynamics, anthropogenic impact, Angrapa River basin, water quality, river pollution mapping
Abstract >>
The temporal and spatial variability of the pollution level in the watercourses of the Angrapa River basin was analyzed based on data collected using the established hydroecological monitoring system. A network of monitoring sites was organized along the Angrapa, Pissa, Krasnaya, and Russkaya watercourses, covering areas from the headwaters to the estuary zones. The exception was the Angrapa River, where the first monitoring station was located near the state border, downstream of the source. Seasonal hydrochemical and hydrological studies were carried out over two hydrological years (fall 2022 - summer 2024). Based on the laboratory analysis of samples, water pollution indices (WPI) and specific combinatorial indices of water pollution (SCIWP) were calculated, the values of which were then distributed to the corresponding sections of the watercourses. According to the SCIWP, the water quality in the Angrapa River basin in 2023-2024 corresponds to class 3b (very polluted). The highest pollution level was recorded in the Russkaya River (4,82; class 4a - dirty), the lowest one - in the Krasnaya River (2,88; class 3a - polluted). Deterioration of water quality is observed from source to mouth, from forested areas to agricultural and urbanized territories. According to the WPI, the most “polluted” season was autumn (average value - 5,53; class V - dirty), the least polluted one was winter (1,74; class III - moderately polluted). The main excesses of MPC were recorded for oil products (70 % of samples), iron (97 %), phosphates (35 %), ammonium (19 %), nitrites (22 %), BOD5 (60 %), COD (71 %) and dissolved oxygen (48 %). A comparative analysis revealed interannual fluctuations in water quality, but the spatial structure of pollution was relatively stable. In 2023-2024, the pollution level decreased by 20-30 % compared to 2022-2023, with the most significant differences observed between similar seasons, which is associated with changes in water content. Although the concentrations of pollutants decreased, their list and frequency of detection in samples remained unchanged.
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D.A. PRYSOV, O.N. ZUBAREVA, M.A. PLYASHECHNIK, A.V. MUSOKHRANOVA, L.K. KAZARYAN
V.N. Sukachev Institute of Forest, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Keywords: snow cover, dust load, pollutants, heavy metals, pollution level, pollution halos
Abstract >>
The article presents the results of the study of the spatial distribution of dust load in the Cheryomushka River catchment area (Krasnoyarsk) based on snow survey data from 2023. The river basin was divided into zones according to this indicator. The dust load within the river basin, according to regulatory values, varies from low to high pollution levels. The influx of dust onto the snow cover exceeds the background value by 4,3-60,5 times. Halos with elevated dust load values are located in the upper and lower parts of the river basin, where the city’s large industrial enterprises are located. The results of determining water-soluble forms of metals and anions in the filtrate of snow melt water are presented. It has been revealed that the MPCfishery is exceeded for the nickel ion, copper ion, manganese ion and aluminum ion. According to the increase in the number of samples exceeding the MPCfishery, the following series can be distinguished: Ni (27 %) ˂ Cu = Mn (91 %) ˂ Al (100 %). The acidity of snow melt water samples in the surveyed catchment area ranges from 6.64 (slightly acidic water) to 7,62 (slightly alkaline water). It has been found that the concentration of pollutants in the filtrate of snow melt water exceeds the background values by 9-636 times for aluminum ions, 1,5-7,5 times for manganese ions, 1,7-77 times for nickel ions, 24,6-330 times for fluoride ions, and 12,9-69,3 times for nitrite ions. Currently, the dust load of the snow cover in the Cheryomushka River basin, according to regulatory values, corresponds to a low pollution level. The priority pollutants of the snow cover of the Cheryomushka River are aluminum and fluorine.
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A.S. MANAENKOV
Federal Scientific Center for Agroecology, Integrated Land Reclamation and Protective Afforestation, Volgograd, Russia
Keywords: floodplain lands, suitability for afforestation, pine, phytomass, greenhouse gases, oxygen, recreational potential
Abstract >>
The transformation of lands in the riverbed zone of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain into steppe after the Volga River’s flow regime was altered by a cascade of reservoir dams, has resulted in a decline in its economic, nature conservation, and social significance. One of the means of its rehabilitation is to increase the area of forests. For this purpose, a study of the growth and condition of the forest stand was used to determine the quantitative indicators of the phytomass of existing pine stands, their effectiveness as greenhouse gas absorbers and oxygen generators, as well as the aesthetic and recreational value of pine forests on the main groups of lands suitable for afforestation. The area of such lands was identified and an assessment was made of the possibility to increase the forest cover of the floodplain under new quasi-stationary conditions, as well as the dynamics of its forestry, ecological and recreational significance for the Volgograd-Volzhsky urban and local rural agglomerations. Based on archival materials and satellite images, it has been established that at least 5000 hectares of land within the Volgograd part of the floodplain are suitable for pine cultivation. Afforestation will increase the forest cover of the floodplain by 8-10 % and allow for the growth of approximately 1 million m3 of stem wood. It has been determined that this will increase atmospheric carbon sequestration by 13 000-15 000 tons and oxygen production by floodplain ecosystems - by 45-50 tons/ha per year. The capacity of forest lands to provide recreation for people will increase by 5000-6000 people per day. The lifespan of coniferous stands will be 40-60 years.
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M.V. BOLGOV1,2, E.A. KOROBKINA1, I.A. FILIPPOVA1
1Water Problems Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
2Russian Research Institute for Integrated Use and Protection of Water Resources, Rostov-on-Don, Russia
Keywords: water resources, transboundary river, climate change, conditionally natural runoff, irrecoverable water consumption, water management zoning
Abstract >>
The article examines the specifics of determining the normal annual runoff under conditions of insufficient moistening using the transboundary Ural River basin as an example. An integrated assessment of current trends in the annual runoff of rivers of the Ural River basin was carried out. The spatiotemporal patterns of changes of long-term fluctuations in the annual runoff of the rivers in this basin were analyzed, and the stationarity of long-term series of annual runoff was revealed. Reliable estimates of the normal annual runoff and its variability were obtained. Based on the updated runoff data, the dependencies of annual runoff on the area and catchment elevation, as well as the dependence of the annual runoff variability on the normal annual runoff, have been refreshed. The catchment area was subdivided into zones in accordance with the dependencies of runoff on the area and elevation of the catchment area, as well as the dependence of annual runoff variability on the normal runoff. A summary of current data on the average annual runoff of the rivers in the Ural-Emba region district is presented in the form of a map of the average runoff depht. The resulting dependencies and maps made it possible to refine the values of runoff from water management units taking into account transboundary water inflow. An approach has been developed to assess irrecoverable losses required to obtain the rate of conditionally natural runoff. An analysis of irretrievable water consumption in water management units of the basin was carried out for the Russian and Kazakh parts of the Ural River catchment. It has been shown that the amount of irretrievable water consumption in the Russian part of the Ural River basin is insignificant. An assessment of water resources in the Russian part of the basin by water management areas was obtained, as well as an estimate of the conditionally natural runoff formed on the territory of the Russian Federation within the Ural River basin.
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A.D. KOSHKAROV, V.L. KOSHKAROVA, D.I. NAZIMOVA
V.N. Sukachev Institute of Forest, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences - a separate division of the Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Scientific Center, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences”, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Keywords: plant macrofossils, paleocarpological analysis, Holocene, climate, succession of formations and types of vegetation, Western Sayan Range
Abstract >>
Based on paleocarpological data (macrofossils of Holocene plants) confirmed by 14C radiocarbon dating, a reconstruction of forest cover on a mountain profile of the northern macroslope of the Western Sayan was performed for time periods characterized by specific climatic regimes from the beginning of the Middle Holocene to the present day (7898 calendar years). The study resulted in the development of an improved method for analyzing paleocarpological material, which makes it possible to interpret the composition of plant communities of the past at local and altitudinal-zonal scale levels. The dynamics of transformations in the structure of zonal vegetation types and altitudinal complexes of forest types, conditioned by the cycles of climate change and the influence of anthropogenic impacts during the last stages of the Holocene, has been revealed. For each time period, distribution patterns of dominant forest formations in different altitudinal zones were constructed - from subtaiga and forest-steppe to mountain dark coniferous taiga and subalpine sparse forests and tundra. Their identification was based not only on the predominance of macrofossils of certain forest-forming plants, but also on the species composition of various ecological-cenotic groups of plants of the herbaceous-dwarf shrub layer. Particular attention was paid to the participation of representatives of belt-zonal groups in the fossil complexes.
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A.V. SILAEV, A.A. CHERKASHINA
V.B. Sochava Institute of Geography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia
Keywords: geoinformational mapping, arable land, satellite images, cartographic analysis, soil properties
Abstract >>
The article presents the results of geoinformation mapping of agriculturally developed territories of the Tunka system of basins. A cartographic analysis revealed that during the study period (from 1976 to 2024), the area of arable land reached its maximum value (411 km2) in the 1970s. Insufficient consideration of the erosion potential of slope surfaces led to the formation of eroded, unproductive soils, which was the reason for a significant (up to 110 km2) increase in fallow lands in the early 1980s. The creation of the Tunkinsky National Park and the crisis in the agricultural sector in the 1990s caused a large-scale reduction in arable lands. As a result, currently, arable lands account for only 6 % (25 km2) of the area cultivated during the Soviet period within the Tunka system of basins. On most abandoned agricultural lands, postagrogenic restorative successions are developing, during which changes in the agrophysical and agrochemical parameters of soils are observed, reflecting restorative trends. A study of the state of geosystems using modern methods of analyzing and processing different-scale multi-temporal satellite images and digital elevation model analysis made it possible to identify spatiotemporal changes in the land use patterns over the past 100 years, resulting in a transition from the transformative dynamics of geosystems to the restorative one. Changes in the area occupied by arable lands are presented in the form of maps reflecting different time slices.
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L.V. KUKSINA
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
Keywords: earthquake, turbidity, acceleration, runoff modulus, precipitation, volcanism
Abstract >>
The article considers the impact of earthquakes on the variability of characteristics of suspended sediment runoff (SSR) (turbidity, discharge, runoff modulus) in rivers at different spatiotemporal scales (daily, seasonal, long-term) in the territory of Kamchatka krai. An analysis of the natural factors responsible for SSR formation in the study area revealed that the main reasons for the formation and variability of suspended sediment runoff in the rivers of Kamchatka krai, along with traditional factors (terrain relief, climate, soil and vegetation cover), are volcanic and seismic activity. It has been established that, as a result of major earthquakes, daily water turbidity can reach its maximum within a year, as was recorded, for example, in some small watercourses in the study region after the earthquake of August 17, 1983 (the earthquake’s energy class was 15,4). An increase in seasonal water turbidity, unrelated to the variability in water discharge or precipitation, as well as an increase in average annual suspended sediment discharge have been observed. A comparison of the quantitative values of the suspended sediment runoff modulus in the outlet sections of the rivers with the peak ground acceleration (PGA, m/s2) showed that with an increase in the latter, there is a tendency towards an increase in sediment runoff. A spatial analysis of the distribution of PGA, water turbidity, and suspended sediment runoff modulus demonstrates consistency in the variability of these characteristics. Naturally, PGA is not the only factor in this distribution of characteristics. For example, one of the most important reasons is the location of active volcanoes in Kamchatka. Increased atmospheric precipitation and its erosive potential, as well as terrain characteristics and rock lithology, also contribute to increased sediment runoff in this direction. An increase in seismic activity from west to east, coupled with the growth of other indicators of sediment runoff formation, leads to the intensification of gravitational processes and, consequently, an increase in the flow of particles into watercourses, i.e., seismic activity can be the cause of constantly increased background values of water turbidity.
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T.M. KOMAROVA, E.V. STELMAKH, D.M. FETISOV, S.A. SOLOVCHENKOV
Institute for Complex Analysis of Regional Problems, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Birobidzhan, Russia
Keywords: international transport corridors, infrastructure, Russian Far East, territory of advanced development, territorial-sectoral structure
Abstract >>
As part of the implementation of Russia’s “pivot to the East” policy, one of the priority areas in the sphere of improving transport infrastructure to ensure the socioeconomic development of the Far East region and its interaction with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region is the operation of the Nizhneleninskoye - Tongjiang railway bridge border crossing. It is shown that the key result of the project’s implementation at the present time is the development of transport and logistics infrastructure, providing connections between the industrial bases of Northern China and the Russian Far East and Eastern Siberia. It is noted that the organization of cross-border interaction and the creation of a transport corridor based on the Nizhneleninskoye - Tongjiang railway bridge crossing are associated with difficulties in logistics, and limitations in both infrastructure (shortfall in throughput capacity) and the range of potential trade turnover (agriculture predominates in the sectoral structure of the economy of the border regions of Heilongjiang Province and Jewish Autonomous Oblast (JAO)). The economy of the Leninsky district, where the bridge crossing is located, is currently based on agriculture and transport. Projects implemented both in the bridge area and in other parts of JAO are predominantly assigned to the “Amur-Khingan” territory of advanced development (TAD), as this allows investors to take advantage of additional tax breaks and preferences provided for TADs. Based on the analysis of investment projects, the prospects for changing the territorial-sectoral structure of the economy of JAO are considered. It is emphasized that, overall, among individual economic sectors, extractive industries and transportation and logistics services will experience the greatest development. The manufacturing industries will be supplemented by new types of activity for the region - the production of medical devices, the pharmaceutical industry and the production of mineral fertilizers, the placement of which is guided by the availability of qualified personnel and a favorable transport and geographical location.
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D.Yu. VASILYEV1, A.A. CHIBILEV2
1Ufa University of Science and Technology, Ufa, Russia
2Institute of Steppe, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Orenburg, Russia
Keywords: observation network, air temperature, precipitation, climate change, Buzuluk pine forest
Abstract >>
The article provides a brief historical overview of the beginning of instrumental measurements at the Borovoe forestry meteorological station. The analysis was based on the average monthly values of air temperature and daily amounts of atmospheric precipitation with a duration of the analyzed observation series of 120 years. The wavelet analysis method was used to identify periodicity in fluctuations in air temperature and precipitation, and the statistical significance of the obtained results was assessed. A number of statistically significant cycles in fluctuations in air temperature and precipitation were identified; they were conditionally divided into two groups: high-frequency cycles with a duration of 2 to 10 years and low-frequency cycles with periods of 10 years or more. The cross-wavelet analysis method was used to reveal the relationship between fluctuations in air temperature and precipitation and climate indices (North Atlantic Oscillation, Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, East Atlantic-West Russian Oscillation, and Arctic Oscillation). The coherence of fluctuations in air temperature and precipitation with the North Atlantic Oscillation, Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, and East Atlantic-West Russian Oscillation indices was established. A correlation analysis of instrumental measurements of air temperature and precipitation amounts obtained at the Borovoe forestry meteorological station, at stations of the Roshydromet observation network, and NDVI data was carried out. It has been found that the air temperature values from the Borovoe forestry meteorological station are strongly correlated with the NDVI series and data from most meteorological stations located in the European part of Russia (r = 0.55-0.99), while the series of atmospheric precipitation values from the Borovoe forestry meteorological station correlate well with the readings from stations located within the Southern Urals (r = 0.50-0.67).
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E.S. LUTSKIN, V.L. MAKUKHIN
Limnological Institute, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia
Keywords: atmospheric pollution, anthropogenic emissions, field observations, mathematical modeling, emission assessment, Lake Baikal
Abstract >>
The article presents the results of a comprehensive study of the processes of emission and atmospheric transport of gaseous elemental mercury from large thermal power plants of the Irkutsk-Cheremkhovo industrial complex. The study includes an integrated approach that combines field observations and mathematical modeling. Radiosonde data, ERA-5 atmospheric reanalysis data, reverse trajectories of air masses (HYSPLIT), and the results of monitoring gaseous elemental mercury were used to verify the model. A quantitative analysis of emissions of gaseous elemental mercury into the atmosphere from large thermal power plants of the Irkutsk-Cheremkhovo industrial complex was carried out. Based on the in-situ measurements of the concentration of gaseous elemental mercury at the Listvyanka monitoring station (southwestern coast of Lake Baikal) and the results of numerical modeling using a nonlinear non-stationary spatial model of turbulent impurity diffusion, the dispersion fields of gaseous elemental mercury were obtained and their convergence with the measured values was assessed. According to the data obtained, the average measured concentration of gaseous elemental mercury was 1,59 ng/m3, while the calculated one was 1,24 ng/m3. It has been established that during the northwesterly transfer of air masses and winter temperature inversions, zones of persistent pollution are formed with concentrations of gaseous elemental mercury up to 1,73 ng/m3, while the level of 1,29 ng/m3 reaches the limits of the central ecological zone of the Baikal Natural Territory. It is concluded that in order to enhance the accuracy of forecasting the spread and deposition of gaseous elemental mercury, it is necessary to integrate numerical models with an extended network of in-situ measurements, which will make it possible to improve emission control and to increase the reliability of estimates.
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P. KUMAR, P. RANJAN, S. ANAND, ASHWANI, RAI A. KUMAR, A. RAI, S. JUNAWA
University of Delhi, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi, New Delhi, India
Keywords: correlation, temperature, snowfall, remote sensing, climate change, Himalayas
Abstract >>
Climate change poses a serious challenge to sustainable development, particularly in sensitive regions such as the Greater Himalayas. The article considers the state of Himachal Pradesh and analyzes temporal and spatial trends in key environmental parameters (temperature, total precipitation, snowfall, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and land surface temperature (LST)) for the periods from 1940 to 2023 for climatic parameters and from 2000 to 2023 for NDVI and LST. Using remote sensing data from the Copernicus Climate Data Archive and MODIS, combined with statistical analysis, the research uncovers noteworthy trends, including an overall increase in temperature and fluctuations in precipitation and snowfall with a decreasing trend over the years. To analyze vegetation dynamics, NDVI and the total area in square kilometers were calculated for each month of the years 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2023. It was noted that, in lower elevation areas, overall vegetation cover increased every month except for July, when a decrease of 307,74 km2 was observed from 2001 to 2023, indicating a healthy ecosystem. Conversely, a typical trend in land surface temperature (LST) was found, with the highest temperatures observed in June and the lowest in January. The findings have revealed a positive correlation between NDVI and LST, indicating that vegetation cover responds to climate change. The research results demonstrate that, despite the increase in vegetation cover, the region remains vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, requiring effective conservation strategies to mitigate its adverse effects.
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T.I. KUKHARCHIK, S.V. KAKAREKA, A.A. MELESHKO, S.V. SALIVONCHIK, M.L. SINITSKAYA
Institute of Nature Management, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk, Belarus
Keywords: reservoir, recreation area, soils, waste, polymeric materials, macroplastics
Abstract >>
One of the sources of plastic pollution in the coastal zones of water bodies and watercourses are places of mass public recreation. The article presents the results of the study and assessment of the level of macroplastic pollution of the beaches of urban and suburban water bodies of Minsk. Taking into account international experience, methodological approaches to identifying and quantifying plastic waste and/or its fragments have been defined and tested. Field studies were conducted in the summer of 2024 on the beaches of several reservoirs in Minsk and its suburbs (Tsnyanskoe, Drozdy, Vyacha, Zaslavskoe, Volkovichskoe) and Lake Komsomolskoe using the route and site methods. Plastics larger than 5 mm (macroplastics) were counted. In total, 16 beaches were surveyed using the route method and 31 sites were established. It has been revealed that a wide range of macroplastics, represented primarily by fragments of products (scraps, debris, films, etc.) up to 5 cm in size, are found on all beaches. A wide variability in the content of macroplastics on the surveyed beaches is shown, which is due to their natural features and anthropogenic load. Differences in the pollution levels of sandy and grassy areas of the beaches are presented, and factors contributing to waste accumulation are discussed. The dominant types of waste identified include cigarette filters, plastic bags, film and food packaging. Products and fragments made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, cellulose acetate, lavsan, and other polymers were detected. The obtained values of macroplastic pollution of the beaches of Minsk are comparable with the published data for freshwater bodies in other countries and are tens and hundreds of times lower than the values for sea beaches. Possible measures to prevent the dispersion of plastic waste within beaches, as well as the need to improve approaches for the purpose of aggregate quantitative assessment of the level of their pollution are discussed.
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