Home – Home – Jornals – Region: Economics and Sociology 2010 number 5

The paper shows what objectives the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences pursued by establishment of the Siberian Energy Institute in Irkutsk, and how the Institute's research tasks transformed over the past 50 years.

The paper overviews the first steps of Melentyev Energy Systems Institute SB RAS and its progress in regional energy studies; what researches were made under a new economic situation; and what studies concerning the energy sector development in the eastern regions of Russia were conducted.

The paper considers the issues of prospective socio-economic development in the eastern part of Russia in the context of building energy complexes and a regional resource base in East Siberia and the Far East. We present our assessment of contribution such complexes made to a rapid economic growth in the eastern regions.

We analyze a current situation on energy markets in the countries of Northeast Asia, and we present our economic forecast of these markets as well as possible market capacity for Russian fuel and energy resources for the period till 2030.

We present our forecast of supply and demand for fuel and energy in Russia for the first half the XXI century. We show what role the eastern regions would play in Russian production and consumption of fuel and energy resources, and what dynamics and structure of energy resources export to the European part of Russia and abroad could be observed.

The authors present their forecast of changing market prices for energy carriers, which could be observed in the regions of Siberia and the Far East, assuming the economic situation on the world's oil markets and the prices covering self-repayment of gas, coal and black oil production.

The paper considers methodological issues of how perspective fuel and energy balances can be drawn up and applied to the eastern regions of Russia. The structural transformations which could take place due to the energy industries progress in these regions are analyzed.

The paper shows the structural transformations which could take place in power production in East Siberia and the Far East over the period until 2030; an extent of generating capacities; and demand for fuel and investments required for further development of power plants and networks. Our calculations were made within the framework of two development scenarios for this macro-region.

We analyze a state of affairs in heat supply available to customers in regions of the Siberian and Far East Federal Districts, and we assess the prospects of its improvement. We also present our forecast of heat energy production and consumption balances. We also offer the innovations which would allow overcoming negative trends on the way of modernization.

The paper describes an economic situation in coal industry of the East of Russia, i.e. the coal production, reserves, supply and consumption as well as the problems, priorities and development goals of this sector. Having formulated a prospective demand for coal, we show how the coal industry could develop in this region over the period till 2030.

We consider the development prospects and key problems of oil and gas industries in the East of Russia as well as backgrounds for building gas processing and gas chemistry industries.

We analyze the specifics and problems of decentralized power supply in the eastern regions of Russia, as well as development preconditions and problems of a small energy sector. We also discuss under what conditions a decentralized power supply zone could be enlarged to remain effective; under what conditions the local fuel consumption becomes more effective; and whether more extensive use of low-power nuclear stations would benefit. We offer our recommendations on promoting a small energy sector.

We analyze potentials of renewable resources available in the eastern regions of Russia, and we assess how effective to decentralized consumers such resources could be.  Zones of reasonable location of renewable resources and possible volumes of their use in the east of Russia are shown.

We present our zoning of the Baikal natural area as environmental areas, the way how such areas could be provided with energy, and how the central area and its parts could be supplied with power through combining external and local energy resources.

We assess budgetary efficiency of a fuel and energy complex in the East of Russia. And we compare two sources of investments required for development of this complex - from budgets of all levels and taxes paid by the complex to relative budgets.

We consider key provisions of the strategic initiatives on higher efficiency of power produced in the eastern regions of Russia. We assess sectoral potentials and offer the priority ways of energy saving. We also show that renewable energy sources could make the fuel consumption lower in the eastern region of Russia. Organizational and institutional background as well as a technology policy concerning energy saving are considered.

The paper identifies and assesses environmental impacts of the fuel and energy complex operating in the East of Russia. Key priorities of the environmental policy and its appropriate mechanisms required for developing the energy sector in this region are presented.

We present an approach to assess energy security in the units of the Russian Federation which combines the instruments of monitoring and indicative analysis and which was developed by Melentyev Energy Systems Institute SB RAS. The assessment was made through comparing the actual values of key indicators with those set by experts and being threshold ones. An integrated quantitative assessment of the macro-regional energy security as well problems of different regions are also presented. This can allow finding the ways of ameliorating the situation.

We analyze how energy strategies and programs for the eastern regions of Russia are developed and implemented at present, and we consider the mechanisms allowing their better implementation.

The living state and biological disease of the leaves of trees in the green areas of Syktyvkar are studied. Birch and poplar are dominant trees among 103 species. The living state of trees is evaluated in general as good. The rise of leave damage by sucking and gnawing insects and a decrease in the activity of miner insects and gall forming agents are observed. We detected 56 species of arthropods, including ten new ones for Komi Republic.

Evaluation of the photosynthetic ability and life condition of Sorbus sibirica Hedl. growing at crossroads with heavy traffic is presented. Results of the investigation showed that the photosynthetic activity of sorbus decreases in the local pollution points, and therefore its life condition worsens.

Distribution and biological productivity of Caraganа ussuriensis in different phytocoenotic conditions in oak forests of Southern Primorye were studied.

The results of the investigation of variability of the morphological features and the quality of seeds of Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr. in Eastern Siberia are presented in this paper. The main regularities and characteristics of the variability of some qualitative and quantitative features of this larch species were obtained. The perspectives for the selection of more productive stands of Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr. in Eastern Siberia were defined.

Regularities of the dynamics of naturalistic populations of Soldanella hungarica Simonk. in the spruce forests of the Ukrainian Karpaty are generalized on the basis of the results of long-term monitoring (1974-2009). It is proved that the size and vitalitent composition are major prerequisites of the asynchronous principle of functioning and the large amplitude of the dynamics of elements in subpopulation loci. The rate and scale of the local dynamics are smoothed out at the population level. Reversibility of population number and low amplitude of the dynamics with long-term cycles of natural substitution of the generations are characteristic of the populations. It is suggested that the use of the term «small population» is incorrect with respect to subpopulation loci.

Characterization of the communities of Artemisietea jacuticae Gogoleva et al. 1987 class on the alasy of the territory between the Lena and the Amga in Central Yakutia is presented. Comparison of the plant syntaxons revealed during the investigation with the sytaxons published previously showed that the communities revealed previously only in settlements were now detected in the alasy.

Investigations (starting from the first works of Laksman in early XVIII century) in the area of introduction of woody plants at the territory of the Asian part of Russia are anаlyzed. Special attention is paid to the major introduction centers of Siberia and Russian Far East. It is demonstrated that the first stage of tests of the species from different botanical-geographical regions helps only developing the assortment of woody plant species suitable for landscape construction and planting. Further investigations require more thorough and multi-aspect studies of trees and bushes under the conditions of primary introduction for the purpose of their actual introduction and use in creating artificial tree stands for various functionаl purposes (forest land reclamation, soil recultivation, preservation of rare and disappearing species of world flora etc). The importance of search for botanical and geographical regions that may become donors of aliens to be introduced on the basis of the climate-comparing method developed by us previously is stressed. It is recommended to organize introduction centers in Siberia and at the territory of Far East.

We investigated the variability of tree-ring growth and δ¹³C variations in Picea obovata L., Pinus sylvestris L., Populus tremula L., Betula pubescens Ehrh. tree rings, and anаlyzed the influence of climatic variables and reserve assimilates on these parameters. The correlation of tree ring width of studied species with climatic factors for the common time series shows both temperature and precipitation influence annual variability of tree ring width. Correlation coefficients of tree ring width for all species with climatic parameters indicate that annual variability of tree growth is mainly determined by June temperature. In addition to tree-ring structure, carbon isotope data provide important detailed information about the relations between tree growth and environment. Seasonal and inter-annual dynamics ¹³C has the same changes for all studied species and indicates the use of reserve assimilates. Tree ring carbon isotope composition could help to explain the assimilate redistribution process throughout the year and to determine the dependence of the radial growth on weather conditions.

Accumulation and distribution pattern of cadmium (Cd) and its toxic effect on growth of the mangrove plant of young Kandelia candel seedlings have been examined. This study demonstrated that under high concentration of Cd stress, the total biomass of K. candel decreased 41.57 % compare to control (CK). At the end of 90 days exposure to 25 mg L^-1 Cd, the average seedlings stem height and leaf number of the K. candel decreased by 30.54 and 42.68 %, respectively. The results showed that K. candel seedlings, under the experimental condition, accumulated higher concentration of Cd in their roots (411.29 ± 3.60 mg kg^-1) when compared to hypocotyls, stems and leaves. More than 95 % of Cd was accumulated mainly in roots. The distribution pattern of Cd concentration in K. candel seedlings was found in the following order: roots> hypocotyls > stems > leaves. Based on the leaf symptoms and morphological change of K. candel seedlings under heavy metal stress, this study showed that Cd is phytotoxic to K. candel.

Results of the investigation of radial growth of Larix cajanderi Mayr and Pinus sylvestris L. in Central Yakutia are presented. The time span of the set wood ring chronologies is more than 200 years. The application of dendroclimatological methods in studying tree growth within the range of permafrost rocks allowed us to reveal their close interconnection with climatic factors and hydrothermal conditions of soils. A significant correlation between ground temperature and humidity at different depths with the radial growth of larch and pine in Central Yakutia was revealed for the first time by means of statistical anаlysis.

The article presents the results of the study of lichenflora species variety of Khanty-Mansy autonomous okrug, represented at present by 958 species of 199 genera and 72 families. Among them, Cetrelia alascana (Llano) W. L. Culb. et C. F. Culb. have been determined for the first time for West Siberia, 3 species - Graphis elegans (Borrer ex Sm.) Ach., Porpidia hydrophila (Fr.) Hertel et A.J. Schwab., Sclerococcum sphaerale (Ach.) Fr. - for the first time for Siberia, and 4 species - Acarospora fusca B. de Lesd, Cliostomum tenerum (Nyl.) Coppins et S. Ekman, Pertusaria corallina (L.) Arnold, P. stalactiza Nyl. - for the first time for Russia. Ecological dependence of species composition of the lichenflora was anаlyzed.

Regularities of alpine vegetation structure of the Ko Mountain are described based on the specificity of natural and climatic conditions and development history of this territory.

Data on the distribution of eight wild-growing berberry species in the botanical-geogrpahical regions of Tadzhikistan are reported, as well as the information about the altitudinal limits of growth and florocoenotypes in which these species are included.

Introgressive hybridization between Larix gmelinii and Larix cajanderi is investigated. The data obtained confirm indisputable species self-dependence of Larix cajanderi that occupies about 48 % of the whole area of larch forests in Russia. Its species self-dependence was called in question by some researchers until the recent time. Once more, at a more reliable and extensive material, we demonstrate the presence of a broad transient band of hybrid populations at the junction of hybridizing species. Some forestry features of Larix gmelinii and Larix cajanderi playing important part in their natural renewal are studied.

Possibility to use the risk analysis technology for ecological evaluation of desertification is demonstrated. Such risks are estimated quantitatively per year: specific physical year (year^-2), full physical (ha/year), economical (roubles/year), social (persons/year), and the function of stability (reliability) of land under desertification is determined.

Effect of some pollutants on Hypogymnia physodes lichen is investigated. It is established experimentally that most changes in the chemical composition of the lichen are caused by short-duration action of 32 and 65 % nitric acid and long-duration action (14-21 days) of low-concentration sulfuric acid (3 and 6 %).

Stability of a number of woody plants of West Siberia against toxic compounds - sulphur dioxide, hydrocarbons and carbon black - was studied on the basis of the reaction of pigment complex, changes of the acidity of leafs, activity of oxidative enzymes, water schedule and degree of leaf damage. These studied may be applied in planting green areas in sanitary-buffer areas of enterprises.

Plants of 76 species from 25 families, growing in the forest-steppe zone of Western Siberia, are investigated for the content of low-molecular biologically active substances - flavonoids, tannins, cathechins, coumarins, saponins, аlkaloids. It is established that 33 species are perspective as a source of flavonoids, 29 species - tannins, 21 - coumarins, 13 - saponins, 13 - аlkaloids and 1 - cathechins. Habitats and terms of gathering plants with the high flavonoid content are presented. It is revealed that the largest amount of low-molecular biologically active compounds is present in the representatives of Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Rosaceae families.

For the example of the active volcano Mendeleev at the Kunashir island, it was discovered that the emergence of volcanic gases and acidic thermal water on the surface affects the geochemical features of soil and vegetation in the surrounding landscapes. Some species grow on hot substrate, accumulate heavy metals, rare and scattered elements with which the parent rocks are enriched, and conserve full vitality. It is demonstrated how adaptation to specific ecological conditions occurs in woody plants at the anatomic level in the sites of emergency of volcanic gases and thermal springs.

Investigation of the biology of Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.), a rare introduced plant is presented. Questions of its seasonal development, fruiting pattern and quality of ripe seed are the concern of the article.