Fundamental research of the V.B. Sochava Institute of Geography SB RAS over the past 50 years
V.M. PLYUSNIN
V.B. Sochava Institute of Geography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia
Keywords: Institute of Geography SB RAS, Siberia, stages of the Institute’s development, stages and results of work, priority research areas
Abstract
The article summarizes the most important results of the work of the staff of the V.B. Sochava Institute of Geography SB RAS from 1976 to 2009, when the directors of the Institute at different periods were outstanding scientists: Academician V.A. Vorobyev, Corresponding member of the RAS V.A. Snytko and Corresponding member of the RAS A.N. Antipov. The main works of the subsequent years (after 2009) are also presented. In the first period, from 1976 to 2000 (Director V.V. Vorobyev), the main attention of the staff was focused on experimental research in steppe, taiga, and mountain stations in Western and Eastern Siberia. Here, the features of functioning, dynamics and evolution of geosystems were revealed in a comprehensive manner (by biologists, hydrologists, climatologists, geomorphologists, geochemists, soil scientists, glaciologists, landscape scientists, and cartographers). The socio-economic issues of the economic development of the territory of Siberia, natural resources and geographical conditions of their development were studied. In the second period, from the early 2000s to 2005 (Director V.A. Snytko), the main work was related to the Baikal Natural Territory (BNT), in connection with the inclusion of Lake Baikal in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List and the adoption of the Law of the Russian Federation on the Protection of Lake Baikal. Ecological zoning of the BNT was carried out, the boundaries of ecological zones were justified, and directions of environmental protection activities in the territory of the BNT were proposed. The third period, from 2005 to 2009 (Director A.N. Antipov), is characterized by the continuation of work on landscape planning of the Baikal region, environmental issues, atlas mapping of the Irkutsk region, and the study of the response of various geosystems to global climate change. Currently, fundamental geographical research is being carried out taking into account the Priority Research Areas adopted by the Government of the Russian Federation in 2020.
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