Home – Home – Jornals – Geography and Natural Resources 2020 number 5S

On the basis of the GRID modeling principles, an assessment was made of the ecological potential of geosystems of Baika lian Siberia and special assessment maps were constructed. The contents of such maps are determined by the purposes of obtain ing the necessary information on the characteristics of geosystems which are required for a further development of forecasts to obtain objective results. Among such important characteristics of geosystems are the indicators of their status and disturbance, their ecological potential as well as the degree of their natural anthropogenic stability. Using special assessment maps of the natural conditions and ecological potential, it is possible to gain a general insight into the living conditions of people in them and create the natural-scientific foundation of a sound regional environmental policy.

The methodological fundamental are suggested for investigating the transformation of geosystems of the Baikal Natural Territory characterized by different geodynamical regimes. The methodology has been developed with due regard for the openness, nonlinearity and coherence of the relationships of geosystems. The transformation of geosystems is considered in the contest of changes in its substantial properties as a result of the emergence of the transforming dynamics and evolution. It is established that the modification of geosystems of the region during the Late Cenozoic was largely caused by tectonic processes which deter mined changes in the composition of rocks, relief, climate, the pattern of the atmospheric circulation, and in the sedimentation environment. The study revealed the nonlinearity of the manifestation of the relationships of geosystems within pre-rift zones, the Angara-Vitim batholith and large faults with an increased influx of endogenous heat. It is established that an analog of the transformation of Pliocene geosystems is formed through a coherent enhancement in the natural trend of transformations in regions of intense economic activity.

Decades are considered from the global and regional perspective. These factors are responsible for an increase in the magnitude and destruc tive force of elemental calamities and natural catastrophes. The current situation causes managerial bodies to increasingly often introduce emergencies of a natural and natural-technogenic character and take systematic efforts to assess ecological and eco nomic risks. Compensation for damage to the population, economy and territories, surrounding landscapes and ecosystems, and elimination of consequences of elemental calamities and natural catastrophes have been very expensive for society and the State in recent years.

The present status of the economic complex and the foreseeable future are illustrated by the example of the resource-oriented Baikal region in the composition of its three federal subjects (Irkutsk oblast, Republic of Buryatia and Zabaikalskii krai). An assessment is made of the results on the status and possible development of the economic complex on the basis of analyzing a number of basic thematic maps that were compiled. The probable forecast of the development of the territory with due regard for the dynamics of investments, results of activity of big business, the construction industry, the socio-ecological infrastructure, and monitoring of the behavior of labor resources does not permit this scenario to be profiled as favorable. The process of influence of investments on territorial development is considered in detail. One of the previously drawn conclusions with respect to the territory of resource specialization is confirmed: a high indicator of mean per-capita investments is not necessarily accompanied by an increase in the population size and by an improvement of the ecological-social infrastructure.

We examine the issues related to the status, development, possible changes and use the socio-demographic potential of the territory. In this case, implementation implies putting into practice in a scientific investigation the theory of socio-demographic potential for an integral representation of the development of the potential by using as an example of such a macroregion as Siberia. The current relevance of the topic is dictated by the need of the country’s eastern regions in which, as before, the human factor for improving the level of socio-economic development is ignored. Three interrelated groups of issues are considered: population distribution, reproduction and the quality of the population in the settings of the Siberian regions. An assessment is made of the status and possible development of the socio-demographic potential on the basis of analyzing number of basic sta tistical indicators and the summary map.

We examine the methodological procedures and results of landscape mapping of the southern and central regions of Middle Siberia. Geoinformation mapping was accomplished by using the vector topographic basis and Earth remote sensing data. Inter pretation of synthetic satellite images was done in manual mode and was based on field landscape surveys. Digitizing and index ing of landscape contours, and generation, montage and layout of the map were done in MapInfo Professional GIS. The landscape structure of the territory is reflected by using a classification of geosystems based on the system-hierarchical principles with the regard for the positioning of the territory in the system of the physical-geographical regionalization. The lower unit of geomers in mapping was represented by a group of facies, and some groups of facies include, along with natural geosystems, their agro genic analogs. The groups of facies were combined into classes of facies, geoms and groups of geoms.

Using the digital Atlas “Baikal region: society and nature” as an example, a sequence of cartographic analysis of geosystems has been developed, consisting of a specific number of stages for obtaining the final target result, which can serve later as an element of information for solving management and environmental problems. Based on MapInfo Professional GIS products, a unified inventory and information base for the thematic cartographic module was formed from geographically dispersed maps of geosystems created earlier for individual sections of the Lake Baikal basin. Methods of polysystem cartographic analysis of landscapes and interpretation of geographical information were used to determine the structural components of physical and geographical information for various purposes. Small-scale maps of the Baikal region, developed in a certain sequence on the basis of a structural and hierarchical classification, reflect the natural conditions, and the environmental and value functions of geosystems that are important for making structural, geographical and managerial environmental decisions.

Climatic risks are recognized as the most significant according to the probability of occurrence and the expected size of damage. An assessment is made of the climatic vulnerability of Krasnoyarsk krai. The analysis of the spatial distribution of the climatic vulnerability index as made by using 20 meteorological stations as an example, located within 52 ° to 71 ° N and 84 ° to 103 ° E. A comparative assessment is made of changes in climatic conditions for the periods 1965-1979 and 2005-2019. The center of the largest climatic vulnerability was revealed in the northeastern part of Krasnoyarsk krai. The contribution from dif ferent meteorological factors to the climatic vulnerability was determined. On the whole for the period 2005-2019 the contribu tion from air temperature increased by 10 % against the period 1965-1979, and the role of wind in the climatic vulnerability formation decreased.

The open-pit method of mining the Azeiskii deposit of brown coals is ecologically hazardous and has a negative influence on the environment. It is established that, according to the chemical properties, soil-ground of the deposit under investigation has low nitrogen enrichment, and a small amount of humus, gross phosphorus and the sum of absorbed cations. We determined the mean concentrations of chemical elements in soils (clarke) which have high indicators and are allowable for the region’s soils. The content of strontium, chromium and lead in soil-ground of the open-pit coal mine is less than a clarke. It is found that the temperature curves of soil-ground for different areas of mining of the Azeiskii open-pit brown coal mine have a similar configu ration, and the differences in temperature regime depend on size-grade distribution. A study of the physicochemical properties and thermal regime of ground-soil of the dumps with total destruction of ground and soil cover revealed the development of re habilitation stages

Presented are the results from investigating the modern motor transport flows in summer 2019 on the territory of the Irkutsk agglomeration (Irkutsk, Shelekhov and Angarsk). Visual observations on the territory under study were made for the first time. A study was made of the intensity of traffic flows of the main types of transport (passenger, goods and autobus vehicles) in the functional zones of the cities of the agglomeration. The amount of fuel burned and the most harmful pollutants emitted to the atmosphere by one automobile is determined. Calculations showed that in all cities the values of emissions of toxic substances in the form of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide and soot are significant but do not exceed MAC. The functional zones of the cities differ not only in the character of motor transport flows but also in content of emissions. The transport flows in Irkutsk and Shelekhov have similar features, and a somewhat different situation is observed in Angarsk.

It has been established that over a long period of exploitation of gold deposits in Eastern Transbaikalia the area occupied by technogenic formations now measures more than 4 thou ha of land. Most of the tailings of Eastern Transbaikalia date back to the 1930s-1950s. Their surface was, for the most part, not covered with a layer of binding materials for fixing. When designing them, no waterproofing of the bases and protective dams was foreseen. It is shown that among the technogenic formations of the worked-out gold deposits in Eastern Transbaikalia the tailing dump of the gold extraction plant of the Kariiskoe deposit presents the greatest environmental hazard. Its potential toxicity is characterized by the values of GER = 52 632. Dumps of gold recovery plants of the Klyuchevskoe (GER = 4166) and Ilinskoe (GER = 6617) deposits are less dangerous. It was found that the tailings of gold deposits in Eastern Transbaikalia contain from 0.35 to 1.79 g/t of gold. In the course of experimental studies on the leaching of elements from gold-bearing ores, a high mobility of As, Ca, Fe, Cu, Pb and Zn, and a lower mobility of Ni, Co, Cd, Bi and Sb was determined. Studies conducted by specialists of the Research Institute of Occupational Medicine and Human Ecology (Irkutsk) showed that residents of Balei, compared to residents of the cities of Chita and Nerchinsk with no mining enterprises, significantly more often have pathologies of the circulatory organs, pathological disorders of the organs of vision and hearing and diseases of the respiratory system.

Modern levels of global ¹³⁷ Cs deposition in permafrost soils of tundra and taiga zones of Yakutia are studied. It is shown that the reserves of ¹³⁷ Cs in the soils of Yakutia, depending on the landscape and climatic features of the territory, vary in a significant range. The greatest number of ¹³⁷ Cs is contained in soils of mountain areas (Aldan highlands and Chr. Ulahan-Clean), located in the zone with the maximum average annual rainfall, and the lowest - in the soils of the tundra zone. It is recorded that the average density of soil pollution ¹³⁷ Cs on the surveyed flat parts of the territory of Yakutia is now generally decreased by three to four times compared with the data of aerogamma-spectral surveys conducted 1968-1974 on the territory of the Ya kut ASSR due to its radioactive decay, burial, removal from surface waters and accumulation of vegetation. It is shown that in the surveyed areas of the plains and mountains of Yakutia, the global deposition of ¹³⁷ Cs in soils is on average 2-4 times less than in the soils of the Urals, Western and southern Siberia and other territories of Russia. The correlation between the density of soil pollution ¹³⁷ Cs and the amount of atmospheric precipitation was revealed. The main regularities of migration and redis tribution of ¹³⁷ Cs in different types of soils conjugated by runoff of areas of permafrost landscapes are established. In the harsh climatic conditions of Yakutia in permafrost soils vertical and lateral migration ¹³⁷ Cs weaker than in the soils of the European part of Russia contaminated with radioactive cesium after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

In the upper reaches of the Kolyma river and on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, 211 biotopes showed ecologically impor tant temperature characteristics of seasonally thawed and seasonally frozen soils during warm and cold seasons. The highest (for the upper reaches of the Kolyma) cumulative positive temperatures (2000-2150 ° C/day at a depth of 20 cm) can accumulate in the warmest soils of both types, whereas in the coldest seasonally frozen soils at the same depth this parameter (400-450 ° C/day) is higher by a factor of 40-45 than in the coldest seasonally thawed soils. On the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, formation of seasonally thawed and seasonally frozen soils is possible at any of the values of winter and summer temperatures. The limits of fluctuations of the minimum soils temperatures in hydrogenic taliks of both regions are determined: in the warmest soils at a depth of 20 cm they vary from -1 to -4 ° С, or 4-6 ° С higher than in the warmest permafrost biotopes; and in the coldest taliks (except in poplar-chosenia communities of floodplains) they are vary from -13 to -14 ° C. Annual minima in the range between -6 to -8 ° С and -23 to -24 ° С can occur both in taliks and in permafrost biotopes, lower values in seasonally thawed soils only. Thus the annual minima of soil temperatures of most biotopes do not depend on the presence or absence of permafrost horizons, and only in a small part of hydrogenic taliks they are significantly higher than in the warmest permafrost biotopes.

We examine the issues concerning the perception and transformation of transport accessibility in interrelatedness and in terdependency with the different ways of life: nomadic, rural and urban. The analysis used data of field investigations obtained by these authors in 2017 in Yakutsk, and during 2009-2017 in Aldan and in the Verkhnekolymskii, Nizhnekolymskii, Neryun grinskii, Olenekskii and Srednekolymskii uluses (districts). The study revealed transformations of transport accessibility caused by socio-economic and climatic changes: in spite of an intense development of the transport infrastructure, the duration of the winter roads is becoming shorter and less predictable, and the conditions of the water and air transport infrastructure remain critical. The characteristics of perception and transformation of transport accessibility are illustrated by the example of hunters and reindeer herders, residents of the village of Berezovka and of the city of Yakutsk. It is pointed out that representatives of the nomadic population are less vulnerable to socio-economic changes but more are dependent on natural conditions. It is found that the main problems in Berezovka are associated with periodic floods which are aggravated by limited transport accessibility. Yakutsk has lower transport accessibility compared to the other regional centers but higher accessibility than the other settlements within the region and in the perception of local residents. As a result, it is concluded that, depending on the way of life and experience of the interaction of the local communities with the outside world, the problems of limited transport accessibility are perceived and experienced differently. Thus the relativity of the concept of transport accessibility and the need for further research into its perception and relationship with the way of life of the population is demonstrated.

Methodological approaches to the economic evaluation of the recreational ecosystem services are discussed, and results of calculations exemplified by a separate region are presented. A brief overview of research in the field of economic assessment of natural resources is provided. It is emphasized that after the de-linkage of the ecological-economic and geographical approaches in 1990s the development of methodological approaches to the economic assessment of natural resources in geographical science was not adequately addressed. It is shown that an intensification of research in this area contributed to change in the content of existing concepts and to emergence of new ones. In particular, the notions of “natural capital” and the “ecosystem services” were introduced in the conceptual and terminological system. This permitted a broader interpretation of the “natural resources” category by considering not only their resource functions but also ecosystem services. Classifications of ecosystem services are considered, and it is substantiated that separation of ecosystem services into a special group will be most appropriate. The method of transport and travel costs is suggested for assessing recreational ecosystem services. Based on actual economic indicators, it permits reliable results to be obtained. This method was used to make an economic assessment of recreational ecosystem services for the Republic of Buryatia and a ranking in separate districts using their cost. It is concluded that recreational ecosystem services of the republic have an importance significance and that there is a need to improve the assessment methods.

The redistribution of sediments in the Kuda river basin as a result of erosion-accumulation processes is investigated from the systems perspective. The current geodynamic position of the basin associated with the transition zone from the Siberian platform to the Baikal rift is emphasized. The contribution of cryogenic, karst and aeolian processes to the mobilization of matter in the system is considered. A quantitative assessment of the amount of transported material in the upper (slope), middle (ravine) and lower (riverbed) lithodynamic zones of the basin was made. Time series of the main hydroclimatic indicators were used to determine the long-term dynamics of the functioning of the basin. Using the satellite images, we identified changes in the economic activities within the basin over the past 30 years. They imply a reduction in croplands and an expansion of grasslands. Calculations show that the annual volume of sediments transported within the basin reaches 3 184 430 tons. Most of them (89 %) are involved in the movement by the runoff of storm water, and only 364 405 tons are transported with the runoff of melt water. The role of gully erosion in ablation and sediment transportation is insignificant, because most of the gullies are inactive with a reduction in agriculture; the average growth rate of the heads of gullies does not exceed 0.5 m/year. Channel processes contribute primarily to the redistribution of sediments between adjacent sections of the channel, and their transport to large distances is limited by karst processes and by a significant anthropogenic transformation of the bottoms of the valleys. The annual flow of suspended and transported sediments is a mere 31 000 tons, and the main ablation of material from the system occurs in a dissolved form. In general, the mechanical volume of sediment yield from the system makes up 1 %. The rest of material is redistributed in the basin and causes an enhanced accumulation. It is shown that almost half of the sediments is intercepted by large ponds; the rest is accumulated in the bottoms of the valleys in areas with active karst development, on floodplains as well as in talus and proluvial trains. The study determined a general trend in the transformation of the relief as a result of the functioning of the basin implying its planation.

For the first time, the connection between the formation of the ultra-high pressure ice dam on the Chuya-Kurai glacier-dammed lake and the development of aufeis processes on the Chuya river was substantiated. Consideration is given to the mechanisms of self-regulation in the process of glacier-dammed lake self-freezing as a consequence of a consequence of synchro nous processes of Chuya river aufeis formation and the filling of the hollow with water. It is found that aufeis formation in sec tions of initial damming of the water flow caused an increase in the height and area of the dam and, hence, in its weight. Due to the large weight, favorable conditions were created for the development of the processes of regelation and plastic viscous flow of the monolithic ice massif, without formation of cracks and water flow channels inside the ice body. These factors were respon sible for the long-term resistance of the dam to destruction processes. A possible retrospective assessment of the lake filling dura tion at different flow rates in the Chuya channel is made. It is established that the suggested formation mechanism for a high-pressure ice dam is consistent the well-known cryogenic-hydrophysical patterns and can, therefore, apply for realistic events.

The unique landscape features of the Kingdom of Bhutan, associated with contrasting topography, abrupt height differ ences at short distances and with large amounts of monsoon precipitation in the summer time, are considered. The main feature in the landscapes of this region is determined: exceptional diversity of vegetation cover and animals. An analysis is made of the subtropical, temperate and alpine landscape-ecofloristic zones. In each of the zones, subtropical, temperate, subarctic (alpine type) and nival altitudinal belts are identified. A brief description of high-altitude belts and types of vegetation and animals is given. It is established that the largest space here is occupied by subtropical, broadleaved and coniferous forests (80.9 %) which extend from the foot of the mountains to almost 3500 m above the sea level. The zones and belts are characterized by excep tional biodiversity with a large number of endemic fauna and flora. The system of protected areas of Bhutan is described, and a brief account of its national parks, nature reserves and biological corridors is given. Attention is focused on the rational and careful attitude of the royal government toward nature, implying the establishment of national parks and reserves which occupy half of the entire area of the State.

An analysis is made of the organization of settlement of the eastern regions of Russia in the early period of their development: in the late 19 ^th - early 20 ^th centuries. Historical experience is treated as the result of the State’s transformation activity. Charac teristics of the resettlement movement are shown, which was based on the allocation of land to peasants. Resettlement to outlying district was necessary; therefore, unauthorized settlers were also welcomed, and they also received plots of land. Results of peasant resettlements to the south of the Far East during the Stolypin agrarian reforms, and also the causes and magnitude of emigration to Australia through the eastern gates” of Russia are analyzed. Such emigration was much cheaper than in the westward direction, because the Chinese border could be reached using State assistance with resettlement to the east. It was after the Civil War that migration from Russia became largest. In addition to settlers from the European part of Russia, migrants from neighboring coun tries (China and Korea) were actively involved in the colonization of the Far Eastern lands. Several waves of such resettlements were recorded. The structure of immigration flows from neighboring countries and the areas of their settlement are considered. It is shown that an increase in State assistance to cover expenditures connected with resettlement in the early 20 ^th century contrib uted to a rapid population growth. The region had the highest level of population growth in the country. At present, the preserva tion of the demographic potential and its further increase are becoming a challenging problem of regional policy.

Spatial structures of nature management are identified in the form of territorial combinations of extracting enterprises (installations and facilities) and resource-containing components of the geosystems connected by the process of extraction of natural resources and its withdrawal from a natural geosystem. The components of basic management (connected with extraction of the basic natural resource), accompanying (connected with extraction and removal of other resources during the extraction the basic resource) and “reverse” (in the form of change in natural-resource potential due to technogenic impacts) nature management which within a particular territory may overlap with one another. It is emphasized that nature management considered at the territorial, spatially least generalized level is always based on using a combination of natural resources, including the territory, water, air, and the like. It is suggested that regional development be also considered at the regional level in the form of the establishment and development of territorial socioeconomic systems. The main components of them are separate settlements directly connected by transport routes as well as the related spatial (territorial) structures of nature management. The scheme of a matrix model of regional development is suggested, which encompasses and reflects the settlements of territorial socioeconomic systems, the natural resources used and the components of the environment. The model provides the means of assessing structural transformations in systems, including when implementing new investment projects. The scheme of regional nature management monitoring is suggested.

The geographical structure of associated gas production in Russian regions is considered. It is shown that the main volume of its production in Russia corresponds to Western Siberia, and the largest federal subject of Russia while the largest subject of the Russian Federation for the production of associated petroleum gas is Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug - Yugra is heads the list among the federal subjects of Russia in the output of associated petroleum gas. It is found that the main increase in as sociated gas production in Russia is due to the implementation of large mining projects in the east of the country and in the north of Western Siberia. We examine the major directions of rational use of associated petroleum gas: processing at the gas process ing plant; сycling process, and energy (gas combustion in power plants for the production of electricity and heat). It is shown that the level of rational use over the past five years has increased by 10.4 %, which is due to the introduction of a system of penal ties for excess gas combustion (more than 5 %). The aspects related to the need for integrated development of hydrocarbons produced and for rational use of associated petroleum gas in particular are analyzed. Some promising directions and conditions for improving the level of effective utilization of associated petroleum gas for the regions of Russia with due regard for are inves tigated. It is shown that in the absence of economic incentives for business, the State should play a significant role in improving the efficiency of natural resources and, more specifically, the promotion of the use of new advanced technologies and instruments of state regulation, including public-private partnership.

The spatial distribution and temporal dynamics of power frequency electric and magnetic fields in Saint-Petersburg, Kazan, Belgorod and Petrozavodsk has been studied. It is established that electric fields of significant strengths occur near high-voltage transmission lines (HVTL) only. It is found that sanitary-protection and exclusion zones of the standard size do not always ensure a decrease in electric field strength to maximum allowable levels on their boundaries. Thus, the electric field intensity of four 4 HVTL in St. Petersburg increases due to the mass construction of multi-storey housing leading to an increase in power consumption. A dependence of the electric field strength on meteorological factors was also determined, primarily on air humidity (direct dependence), and on atmospheric pressure (indirect inverse relationship). The power frequency magnetic field produces a variable city-wide background caused by a set of sources. The more intense is the technogenic load, the higher is magnetic induction, which renders it a convenient geoindicator for mapping. Also, the indicators of magnetic induction reflect the characteristics of power networks. Abnormally high values of magnetic induction were recorded in all cities, which are explained by the influence of electric cables. No exceedances of allowable levels of magnetic induction in residential areas were observed.

The main anthropogenic impacts on the water resources of the rivers in the Arctic basin of Russia are considered. Five main stages of dams’ construction are outlined. The total morphometric parameters of reservoirs, the total loss of water for dead stor age filling and additional free-water-surface evaporation since the early 1940s, and the degree of regulation of the river flow are estimated. It is shown that the reservoirs had little effect on the annual river runoff of the entire Arctic basin. Much more sig nificant was the impact on its intra-annual distribution, especially in the Yenisei basin. The effect of water supply intake on the annual flow of the Arctic basin is relatively small as well. Most of the water supply intake and irrecoverable water withdrawals corresponds to Russia, but the aggregate share of Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia is also significant. Currently there occurs a significant decrease in water abstraction and irretrievable water discharge in the Arctic basin compared to the level of 1990. It is suggested that indirect anthropogenic impacts (measures of rain-fed agriculture, forestry, including forest fires of anthropo genic origin, and urbanization of the territory) influence the runoff in different directions and their impact is mutually compen sated. Water consumption and total water losses due to the combined effect of reservoirs and water consumption have also been calculated since the early 1940s till the present. As is the case with some of these impacts, their total impact on the runoff of the Arctic basin is small, but this effect can be significant in a number of areas, mainly located in its southern part. It is shown that the main negative result of anthropogenic impact is the pollution of rivers and water bodies which is especially significant in the Ob basin. The dynamics of water quality in the largest rivers over the past decades is shown, indicating that it remains unsatis factory.

The map of reserves of organic matter on the soil surface was developed for the Perovskoe forestry of Shushenskii Bor National Park with a use of our ground-based data on fuel loads as well as forest inventory data on the distribution of forested lands by different categories and forest types. We compiled the maps of potential carbon emissions for different scenarios of surface fires depending on their severity. The potential carbon emissions from fires of low to moderate severity and of high severity on the territory of the entire forestry were estimated at 70.6 and 142.9 thousand tons, respectively. A significant contribution of pyrogenic emissions from peat soils was revealed. Based on official fire data from 1991 to 2016 and using the maps developed, we calculated the actual carbon emissions from fires on the study territory of National Park which amounted to 3.2 thousand tons. It was determined that the living ground cover accounted for 21 % of the total carbon emissions, with 79 % corresponding to litter and duff. The distribution of the fire carbon emissions by months of the fire season is provided. Actual annual carbon emissions due to fires averaged was 121 tons for the period studied, with 92 % emitted due to spring fires dominating the area. The results obtained could be used to forecast fire behavior and effects as well as to estimate fire impact on regional carbon budget and environmental quality.

The current economic situation in Russia dictates a need for a faster implementation of large-scale energy projects in the regions of the Russian Far East. The Sakha (Yakutia) Republic occupies a special place amongst them: it is endowed with immense reserves of fuel and energy resources and is located in extreme natural and climatic conditions. We examine the environmental issue related to assessing the degree of resilience of cryogenic landscapes of Russia’s largest Elga coal deposit. Resilience of the natural complexes of the North occurring in the permafrost zone is due largely to the properties of permafrost, namely the ice content of surface deposits and permafrost temperature variability. Moreover, resilience of the permafrost landscapes undergoing mechanical disturbances is largely determined by the thermal protection function of vegetation cover. Also, their resilience is governed by variability in heat and moisture availability depending on the radiation and water balance and on biological productivity. Thus in assessing resilience of the northern landscapes undergoing mechanical disturbances, we used, analyzed and ranked a number of cryogenic and biohydroclimatic factors for their formation. Calculations revealed, in general, their relatively low resilience to technogenic pressure. It is determined that resilience will persist for upland landscapes, whereas the largest disturbances will affect the mountain-slope sparse-forest landscapes with a different degree of steepness. The mountain-slope subgoletz, piedmont-morainic and mountain-valley landscapes of the territory are categorized as relatively unresilient.

We investigated the landscapes and vegetation cover of the Ubur-Dzokoi hollow of the Selenga middle mountains. It was found that according to the physical-geographical zoning, the study area is a hummocky terrain of dry steppe landscape. The geosystems of the hollow include steppe and forest-steppe communities. Barchan relief formation is due to human activities and the dynamics of the wind regime. An analysis of key morphometric parameters of hollow relief is carried out based on the SRTM digital elevation model. As a result of the automated classification of Landsat TM multispectral images with a further identification of landscape types, multitemporal (for the years 1990, 2000 and 2010) landscape maps are created. These maps are validated by field landscape and geo-botanical investigations. The algorithm of the ISODATA unsupervised classification method was used, which allows the outlines with non-contrast structure of spectral brightness to be identified. The maps show clear changes in vegetation cover, indicating a decrease in the forest area, a gradual replacement of sedge-forb steppe communities with free standing trees as well as an increase of sand deposits on unused arable and fallow lands. The spatial structure of vegetation on aeolian landforms was studied. It was concluded that their main component is psammophyte vegetation. We have made 25 geobotanical descriptions. The floristic composition of the coenocomplex includes 52 species of higher vascular plants. The ecological structure of the florocoenocomplex was identified on the basis of analyzing groups of plants in relation to the factor of soil moisture content. The method of ordination was used to determine the ecological differentiation of vegetation. To identify the spatial and structural organization of vegetation used geobotanical profiles and geobotanical descriptions of the sites, and satellite imagery. A large-scale (1:10 000) vegetation map for aeolian landforms was compiled. A correlation of the species in environmental groups showed a predominance of xerophytes (48 %).

We present new data on canyons and other morphological features of the underwater slope on the eastern coast of the southern basin of Lake Baikal obtained during high-resolution bathymetric surveys of the bottom using multibeam echosounders ELACSeaBeam 1050 and Konengsberg EM710S. Based on the array of bathymetric data generated, we have constructed a digital elevation model for which we used at once several software products responsible for individual tasks. Analysis of the digital elevation model has indicated that tectonic processes played the leading role in the creation of the main, most noticeable forms of relief on the underwater slope. These processes formed a graben-like depression to the south of the Posol’skaya Bank and tectogenic scarps at the foot of the southern slope of the depression as well as canyon-shaped valleys along the entire coast. We have determined that the unusual direction of the Posol’skii canyon across the coastal slope and the relatively small size of the fan in this canyon are due to the history of the tectonic development of this part of the shoreline: in the past, the canyon valley skirted the continental slope of the Selenga river paleodelta from the southeast, and after the formation of a younger graben-like depression it preserved the old direction of its channel. We have suggested that underwater erosion processes initiated tectonic lowering of the floor of the basin. Ultimately, this resulted in the destruction and erosion of the ancient geomorphological surfaces and formation of the ridge and hollow relief and canyon valleys that are currently at different stages of development. Landslide forms resulting from paleoseismic dislocations play a secondary, yet a significant role in the relief of the slope, which undoubtedly complicated the geomorphological surface. It is assumed that the fans created by the activities of the canyons, the ancient channels of canyons and landslide bodies may be promising for the search for hydrate-bearing structures in this part of the lake.

We examine the conditions for formation of spring flow of the Transvolga-Ural region (within Orenburg oblast). Material in this paper summarizes data on hydrochemical parameters of more than 3000 springs in four hydrogeological provinces. To generate the database used the capabilities of the licensed version of GIS MapInfo. An analysis is made of the specific features in the manifestation of different factors for landscape differentiation in hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater outlets. This assessment involved comparing the conventional physical-geographical boundaries within Orenburg oblast with the spatial dynamics of key parameters of spring outlets: output, mineralization, elevation and the ratio of cations to anions. Among the leading factors for formation of spring flow, we identified the latitudinal zonality, the geological-geomorphological azonality and the altitudinal genetic layering. A comparison is made of the characteristics of the pings in the forest-steppe and steppe zones of Orenburg oblast as well as of the parameters of the springs for the altitudinal-genetic stages of the landscape regions of Transvolga and South Ural. An analysis is made of the factors of spring flow for hydrogeological regions and provinces of Transvolga and Southern Ural. The statements of the concept of landscape genesis for spring geosystems are outlined. For the Transvolga-Ural region the characteristic features of the distribution of hydrological and hydrochemical anomalies of the spring waters are due to the local differentiation of natural factors, such as granitoid intrusions, salt tectonics, sand massifs, red and limestone layers, hummocky terrains, and syrt and piedmont-ridge relief. Spring outlets of groundwater have an indication and reference significance for assessing the flow formation conditions, the hydromorphic features in the landscape as well as in evaluating the ecological status of surface waters in a particular region.

Comprehensive geological-geomorphological and geochronological investigations were made into the post-glacial dynamics of landscapes in the Boguty depression which is the eastern branch of Russian Altai’s largest Chuya depression. The main stages of landscape evolution and climate changes in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene are outlined. It is established that in spite of the arid climate dominating this part of Altai, debris flows occurred among the processes transforming the slopes of the deglaciated valleys, within the western macroslope of Chikhachev Range surrounding the Boguty depression. We studied seven profiles of Lower Quaternary deposits of a different genesis with chronomarkers (paleosoils, peats, gyttjas and charcoals) and obtained 18 radiocaron dates. Data obtained indicate that there was no land ice-sheet within the Boguty depression 14 ka already. It is established that the climate of the first half of the Holocene was warmer and more humid when compared with today’s climate, and forest vegetation grew in the now treeless valley for a long period of time. The latter half of the Holocene is, in general, characterized by a colder climate and by a progressive aridization. New radiocarbon dates allowed us to reconstruct the Holocene chronology of large debris flows occurring within the study area about 8000-7000, 2900-1000, 650 and 300 cal BP. The last large debris flow occurred in 2017. In addition to climatic factors, such as permafrost degradation and snowmelt, one of the triggers of debris flows in the region can be earthquakes.

This article discusses the geosystems of Eastern Sayan within the Okinskii district of the Republic of Buryatia from the standpoint of V.B. Sochava’s theory of geosystems. The Okinskii district is the southwesternmost region of Buryatia. It extends over 190 km from north to south and over 294 km from west to east. The territory of the district is located almost in the center of the Eurasian continent and at significant distance from the oceans: nearly 2900 km from the Taimyr Peninsula of the Arctic Ocean, 3800 km from the Kuril Islands of the Pacific, and nearly 6 thou km from the Scandinavian Peninsula of the Atlantic. The air masses forming over these oceans occasionally reach the territory of the region and have their influence on climatic conditions. In the study area, the geoms level is represented by certain types of geoms and groups of facies located in them. By using these categories, it was possible to identify the unity of relationships on the same site between the lithological substrate, the structure of the relief, soil cover, climatic and hydrological indicators and vegetation. On the basis of the generally accepted graphical model of the hierarchy of geosystems of the Baikal region, using the literary-cartographic method, the technique of key areas, remote sensing as well as field research material, some features of the landscape structure are revealed and a systematic list of geosystems of Eastern Sayan is compiled at the topological level with the description of geoms. The particular groups of facies with occurrence of forest fires were determined. The landscape map of the study area at a scale of 1:1 000 000 is presented.

Presented are the results from studying tractional and suspended load formed during the debris flows and floods within the basins of small rivers in the central part of the Sayan-Baikal Stanovoi Highlands. In studying deposits of suspended and tractional load exposed by profiles on alluvial fans, the age of the debris flow event was determined by radiocarbon dating of organic matter of buried soils. The turbidity of the flow, its speed, water discharge, pH, total mineralization of water and mudflow suspensions, and particle size distribution of suspended matter were estimated for suspended load as part of the research. With a normal and reduced runoff, the water in the rivers of the central part of the Sayan-Baikal Stanovoi Highlands is transparent and clean. Visible turbidity of water appears with the formation of a high water resulting from atmospheric precipitation and snowmelt. In the rivers under investigation, the turbidity at the peak of the flood or debris flow was about 7 thou g/m ³ , with the maximum turbidity not exceeding 25 thou g/m ³ (the Slyudyanka river, 1960). The particle size of suspended matter varied from silt sand to heavy sandy loam and light loam. The research has shown that suspended load, along with tractional load, plays a significant role in the formation of accumulative landforms. This is especially evident in the lower parts of the cones, where they are able to be deposited as layers reaching several meters.

Data of large-scale landscape-ecological survey performed on the test ground in the vicinity of the Mendeleev Volcano (Kunashir Island, South Kuril Ridge) were used for empirical-statistical modeling of forest ecosystems characterizing one of the initial stages of geological history of the continental biosphere formation in the Pacific Mobile Belt. The causal mechanisms for the lowering of the boundaries of altitudinal bioclimatic belts and the southward shift of natural zones on extratropical Neo-Pacific islands compared to the neighboring continent were revealed. The evolutionary significance of the insular-arc bioclimatic system is characterized. Two phenomena of structural-functional organization of the Mendeleev volcanic landscape have been revealed. First, there is an exceptionally high system-forming role of forest phytobiota in the formation and development of young volcanic landscapes. The forest communities of the insular Neo-Pacific in the south of the boreal belt are characterized by an annual turnover of plant matter falling into the category of intensive metabolism and being typical only of subtropical forests by the zonal standards. Second, the intense annual turnover of the above-ground phytobiota and the high rate of the entire biological cycle in the southern Kunashir landscapes are the main factors of their stability under the conditions of “cold” oceanicity and, together with magmatic geotherms, contribute to the formation of subboreal “climatically unjustified” forests. The energy bases of productivity of forest communities of the insular-arc Neo-Pacific have been analyzed as a focus of local and regional diversity of terrestrial ecosystems, which develops further on the continent. The mechanisms of formation (at the topological level) of new intrazonal types of ecological systems, which serve as the driving force of evolutionary processes, have been revealed. It is shown that evolutionary tendencies in plant cover emerge already at the initial, volcanogenic stage of formation of the continental biosphere.

The relations of life expectancy of people to different socio-economic characteristics in 82 subjects of the Russian Federation are investigated. All controlled parameters of the regions are divided into eight thematic groups. Each of them describes a corresponding complex factor: “Economy”, “Offenses”, “Education and Science”, etc. The dependencies of life expectancy on various factors and parameters describing them for men and women are analyzed separately. It has been established that the territorial variability of life expectancy is statistically more strongly influenced by factors leading to death or significant health deterioration, mainly at a young age. Such factors are crimes against the person, infectious and parasitic diseases and abortions. The most significant predictor of life expectancy in both men and women is the infliction of intentional grievous bodily harm. Other parameters according to the significance of influence are ranked in men and women in different sequences. This fact suggests a possible difference in the mechanisms that form the territorial variability in life expectancy for different genders. Regions characterized by a higher level of religiosity and quality of school education (especially in mathematics) also have a statistically significant deviation of life expectancy toward its increase. It is found that the economic characteristics of the regions, the characteristics of nutrition, alcohol consumption and demography are, to a lesser degree, associated with territorial variability in life expectancy. However, some tendency of positive influence of the level of economic development on life expectancy can be noted. Regions in which the values of a number of parameters essentially drop out of the all-Russian patterns are identified.

We suggest the technique for assessing public health using the authors‘ assessment algorithm of classifcation at the level of municipalities of the Russian Federation. As the model region, we used Arkhangelsk oblast as one of the most promising regions for economic development not only within the Russian Arctic but also of the entire country. Arkhangelsk oblast is the largest region of the European North of the Russian Federation in terms of the territorial population size. Moreover, a large number of sources of negative antrhopogenic impact on the environment are concentrated on its territory, and their correlations with the increased morbidity rates in the oblast’s population were revealed. We determined additional negative factors affecting public health in the last decade: migration outflow, a decline in the share of the working-age population, consequences of climate change, etc. The index takes into account experience of related assessment techniques and seeks to minimize the indicators used in order to focus on the most important of them and ease interpretation of results for decision-makers. The index was developed by using only official statistical data in order to avoid distortions caused by subjective estimations. A calculation of the index is based on the selected quantitative indicators which are simple but most fully reflect the key parameters determining public health. Arkhan gelsk oblast has been used as an example to demonstrate the way in which this technique can be used for the purpose of impro ving the quality of public health monitoring at the municipal level.

An analysis is made of the distinctive features in the formation and development of the minerals and raw materials sector of the Republic of Buryatia which hamper its advancement. It is shown that it is a traditional branch of the region’s economy endowed with a large number of deposits of diverse raw materials, yet their industrial development is inadequate. It is determined that, along with the adverse conjuncture, the crisis phenomena, lack of funds, a severe climate, seismicity, difficult topography and a weak infrastructure have a negative influence. A critical impediment in the form of special ecological requirements in the Baikal natural territory is analyzed. A number of measures which would strengthen a further development of the minerals and raw materials complex of Buryatia are suggested. In the near future there is a need to revive the reproduction of the raw materials base in gold mining, launch the Ozernoe deposit and to start large-scale development of the Khiagda uranium ore field.

A rationale is provided for the need for agroecological assessment of lands which serves as a framework to establish new systems of adaptive farming developed for the purpose of rationalizing land use and implemented in land management. An analysis is made of the existing structure and status of agricultural lands in the Upper Angara region (as exemplified by the Irkutskii district of Irkutsk oblast). An agroecological assessment of land has been made to identify their agroecological potential. The analysis identified agroecological groups of lands differing by a number of natural and agro-economic features. The assessment took into account indicators, such as soil fertility, soil response to agri-cultural use, characteristics of the occurrence of soils depending on topography, steepness of slopes, and agricultural crop yields (such as wheat and forage grasses). The findings of research relying mainly on various cartographic products were used in developing and compiling the assessment and recommendation map at the scale of 1:200 000. The map provides insight into the location of agroecological groups of soils with particular properties, their potential use for particular types of agricultural lands, productivity of crops and agroecological features of soils under cultivation and undergoing appropriate agromeliorative measures to prevent negative processes, and to maintain and improve soil fertility. It determined that the entire agro-potential of the territory is concentrated in its central part, an active socio-economic development of which leads to the withdrawal of valuable agricultural lands from turnover. Large areas of the eastern and southern parts of the territory are not suitable for potential farming, with the exception of relatively planate areas of lands near settlements which can be used for grazing (in the forest) and haymaking.

For characterizing the environmental status of mining areas, a geoecological assessment procedure was proposed, which was tested using the case of the Novokuznetskii district of Kemerovo oblast. Twenty-two landscapes forming part of three provinces in the Salair Kuznetsk Alatau mountain region dominated by forest landscapes of low mountains were used as operational territorial units of the environment analysis. The geoecological assessment of geosystems involved using ArcGIS-based comparison (in a matrix form) of the degree of anthropogenic transformation and sustainability of landscapes. For each of the eight types and categories of lands identified from analyzing satellite images and thematic maps, with the region’s mining specialization taken into account, we determined the value of the coefficient of anthropogenic transformation. On the basis of the schematic map developed for the structure of economic use, for each landscape contour we calculated the area-weighted mean coefficient of anthropogenic transformation. For the Novokuznetskii district, landscapes of three levels of geoecological stability were identified: relatively stable, stable and very stable. On the whole, within the Novokuznetskii district the largest proportion corresponds to watershed slope landscapes of Kuznetsk Alatau with fir-aspen chern taiga and the valleys of small rivers and brooks distinguished by a very stable geoecological state (66.8 % of the area). The algorithm developed for geoecological assessment is quite versatile and can be applied to territories of other hierarchical levels.

An analysis is made of the landscape-forming role of relief, its influence on the formation of the landscape structure of the territory in its dynamic interpretation, i.e. the structure of the radical and variable states of topogeosystems. We examine and compare the concepts of the geomorphological (altitudinal levels, layered structure of relief, and slope microzonality) and factoral dynamic (factoral seriality, radical, semiradical and serial facies) approaches to investigating geosystems on the territory of a tableland. The property of geosystems seriality is considered from the factoral-dynamic perspective where the factoral seriality is determined by the nature of influence of local factors on the topogeosystem (excessive moisture, rock outcrops, etc.), while the dynamic properties are connected with the strength of factorial influence determining the degree of deviation of a particular topogeosystem from a radical geosystem. The relative altitude in this context is considered as an indicator of the degree of deviation of the characteristics of a particular topogeosystem from a radical geosystem, i.e. as the indicator of the degree and type of factoral seriality. Using the Olkha Plateau (area of Southern Cisbaikalia) as an example we carried out a comparative investigation into the microzonal geomorphological structure of landscapes and the seriality of geosystems resulting from the modifying influence of various factors. The map for the areas of groups of facies obtained by the method of geosystem mapping with the use of Earth remote sensing data was compared with data of comprehensive route investigations and with the schematic map of the microzonal structure of landscapes calculated in terms of a digital terrain model using data on the relative altitude of the location and the steepness of slopes. The linkage as identified between the microzonal landscape differentiation and the topogeosystems seriality is ambiguous. This is explained by the existence of a large number of local factors shielding a direct influence of the relief on geosystems, which leads to an increase in landscape diversity.

Methods have been developed for modeling hydrological processes for various mountain landscapes of the permafrost zone having regard to the influence of variable states and water-thermal regime of the active layer on the runoff formation processes which are applicable in conditions of an extreme insufficiency of observational data. The catchment of the Suntar river (7680 km ² , elevation range 830-2794 m, continuous permafrost zone, upper reaches of the Indigirka river basin) was used as the object for study. For modeling purposes, the Suntar River basin was schematized into four runoff formation landscapes: the goletz complex, the belt of mountain tundra, taiga, swampy woodlands and meadow bogs. Based on observational data from the Suntar-Khayata high-mountain station within the program of the International Geophysical Year (1957-1959), we developed the parameters in terms of Hydrograph hydrological model describing the runoff formation processes in the high-mountain goletz zone (elevation >1900 m). Results from modeling the characteristics of snow cover, temperature of ground at different depths in the goletz zone and streamflow hydrograph in the outlet section of the Suntar river showed a good agreement with observational data. Model calculations made it possible to estimate the mеan long-term values of the water balance elements for different landscapes and their contribution to runoff formation as well as to suggest updates of the reference values of mеan long-term precipitation and evaporation for the study area. It is shown that the Hydrograph model is applicable for modeling the thermal state of soils and runoff formation processes on scales from a single soil column to an average-scale river basin in the mountain permafrost zone where information is insufficient.

An assessment is made of the influence of water vapor diffusion on heat transfer in snow cover in terms of the mathemati cal model of heat transfer and taking into acc ount the diffusion of water vapor and sublimation/condensation. It is established that a consideration of the water vapor diffusion increases the penetration depth of the cold front with a temperature of -1 ° С by 20-30 and 33-43 % in the snow mass with a density of 250 and 180 kg/m ³ , respectively. A characteristic of the influence of temperature and snow density on heat transfer due to the water vapor diffusion is provided. When the temperature increases from -25 to -1 ° C, the proportion of the heat transfer in snow cover due to the water vapor diffusion increases from 9 to 45 % in the snow with 150 kg/m ³ , and from 3 to 21 % in the snow with density 400 kg/m ³ . It was found that the snow density largely determines the value of the coefficient of effective thermal conductivity, whereas meanwhile the penetration depth of the temperature front into the snow weakly depends on snow density. This is due to a slight change of the thermal diffusivity coef ficient of the snow with a change in density. Generalized dependencies of the coefficient of thermal conductivity of the snow are presented, and a comparison of them with other formulas is made. The dependence obtained for the highest values of the thermal conductivity coefficient corresponds to the values of thermal conductivity at the snow temperature of -1 ° C; the snow temperature lies between -10 and -12 ° C for mean values. Calculations from the dependence for the smallest values of the thermal conduc tivity coefficient largely coincide with estimations based on M. Sturm’s formula of M. Sturm for granular snow.