Home – Home – Jornals – Chemistry for Sustainable Development 2026 number 1

We present new lithological and biostratigraphic data on stratotype and paleontologically representative marine sedimentary sections of the Malinovka Group (Borlug, Tarlyk and Tamzyrin formations) in the Uyuk area of the region, Shemush-Dag Group (Ayangaty and Adyr-Tash formations) and Chergaky Group (Alavelyk Formation) in the Khemchik area of the region, Chergaky Group (Alavelyk Formation) in the Alash area of the region, Kargy Formation in the Kargy area of the region. The materials on the Sistig-Khem Group (Uza, Ust-Khamsary and Kugar formations) in the Sistig-Khem area of Tyva are considered. We specified the chronostratigraphic position of the Tarlag-Aksy Horizon and justified the identification of a new Borlug Horizon. We found out that the Tyva Ordovician marine sediments are currently located in individual tectonically isolated blocks and are not fragments of a single paleobasin. Based on the analysis of the taxonomic composition of fauna assemblages and trace fossils, we suggest that the Alash-Khemchik, Uyuk and Kargy blocks with outcrops of Ordovician marine sediments of Tyva are paleozoogeographically close to the marine paleobasins of the Gondwana group of continents. At the same time, we note a low migration potential of their fauna assemblages relatively to the possibilities of communication with coeval communities of the Altai Basin and of that of the Siberian Platform and Taimyr. The Sistig-Khem block of Tyva, having effusive-sedimentary sequences of marine genesis, was not only significantly distant from the listed Siberian paleobasins, but was also separated from the group of Alash-Khemchik, Uyuk and Kargy blocks with Ordovician marine sediments.

The article presents new data on the formation conditions of basalt and basaltic andesite of the Kharchinsky Volcano (Central Kamchatka Depression, CKD). It is shown that the liquidus association is represented by olivine (Fo₉₁) and Cr-spinel, which crystallized in oxidized conditions NNO+0.4 - NNO+1.5 at temperatures of 1,110-1,210 °C. The study of melt inclusion in olivine phenocrysts allows us to reconstruct compositions of parental melts for basalt and basaltic andesite. These melts have Mg-high (Mg# ≈ 76), Al-low and Ca-low basic compositions enriched in volatiles. Water content in melts could have reached up to 5.5 wt.%. These melts formed from a peridotite source, sometimes with slight admixture of pyroxenite component. Crystallization of melts could have occurred in several intermediate chambers (up to 1.5, at 5-7 and 11-13 kbar).

Norilsk type intrusions are characterized by unique reserves of disseminated Cu-Ni mineralization localized in picritic and taxitic gabbro-dolerites. Picritic and taxitic gabbro-dolerites are rocks of different genesis, but the mechanism of formation of picritic gabbro-dolerites is still debatable. Most often, they are regarded as a cumulative part of a layered series. In this work we show a well-pronounced geochemical contact between a layered series and picritic gabbro-dolerites. In the section of the latter, we have established reverse geochemical zoning expressed as regular accumulation of major elements, which do not form a single trend of crystallization differentiation with the rocks of the main layered series. The rocks are discrete within the horizon of picritic gabbro-dolerites; we have identified two intervals: the lower one with low Cr contents and stable Eu and Sr anomalies and the upper one with anomalous high chromium contents, reduced LILE contents, and no positive Eu anomaly specific to the lower section of picritic gabbro-dolerites. Based on the known models of formation of reverse zoning in the marginal zones of layered massifs, we present a new genetic scheme for the formation of picritic gabbro-dolerites as products of pulsed intrusion. This scheme implies that the lower part of picritic gabbro-dolerites formed from hybrid magma, and the upper one, from primitive magma as a result of the pulsed filling of the magma chamber. In our opinion, this is the cause of the reverse zoning and the accumulation of chromium in the upper section of picritic gabbro-dolerites.

The Tomtor Complex of ultramafic rocks and carbonatites is located in the north of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia). Unique Sc-Y-Nb-REE ores of the Burannyi site (Tomtor deposit) are cryptogranular and have high contents of Nb₂O₅, REE₂O₃, Y₂O₃, and Sc₂O₃. Thin-layered ore bodies are stratified formations that presumably occur in weathering crust depressions. Based on modeling the shape of the roof and ore body base, as well as the overlying Permian continental and Jurassic marine sediments of the Burannyi site, the structural and morphological features of the ore layer were identified, using the QGis (QGIS.ORG Association, Switzerland) and Micromine (Micromine Pty Ltd., Australia) software packages. High-grade ores of the Burannyi site lie on an irregular surface. In the base of the ore layer there are two isolated depressions, the Northern and the Southern, which in turn are complicated by basins of various sizes. There are ten basins in the Northern Depression and four in the Southern Depression. The basins form linear structures that coincide with faults identified during exploration. Only four basins in the northern part of the site are completely filled with ore matter. Others are partially filled with ore, and the remaining volume is occupied by Permian coarse-grained clastic coal-bearing sediments. In the Southern Depression, the proportion of basins filled with ore material is the lowest; the deepest basin is filled with ore by only 25%. It is assumed that this difference is caused by different times of basin formation. Developing the hypothesis that the ores are sediments of a thermal reservoir, we suggest that the formation of basins at the ore layer base occurred as a result of hydrothermal (phreatic) explosions. The presence of tectonic breccia confirms the occurrence of fast high-pressure processes in the Tomtor Complex.

The morphology, chemical composition, and ore and heavy-mineral associations of gold from placers in the Ursky ore cluster and the less-studied Kasminsko-Chesnokovsky prospective area in northeastern Salair indicate numerous and diverse primary sources, as well as the presence of gold in intermediate reservoirs. Gold with a fineness of 970-1000‰ is predominantly hypergenically altered. The placers have formed primarily from quartz, quartz-carbonate, and quartz-(carbonate)-sulfide veins and stockworks of the main gold mineralization stage, including mineralization superimposed on barite-polymetallic ores with fine and finely dispersed gold in the Ursky ore cluster, and on basic dikes. Another source of gold is metasomatite (carbonate-mica, quartzite, and quartz-albite-epidote rocks with rutile), which either accompanies gold ore bodies or is indirectly associated with them. Differences in the typomorphic properties of the placer gold are due to varying contributions from these primary sources. In the placers of the upper reaches of the Ur and Zvonchikha rivers, the source is likely gold mineralization predominantly superimposed on basic dikes. This gold exhibits high fineness (>910‰) and contains copper impurities (up to 1-6 wt.%), as well as an inclusion of Pd telluride in one instance. Quartzite is another potential source of Au (as observed at the Kopna deposit). In the lower part of the Ur River placer, the fineness of Au and the proportion of copper-bearing gold decrease, while gold with mercury impurities is more frequently encountered. The gold mineralization here is probably superimposed on polymetallic mineralization or localized within rocks of the Pecherkinsky complex. The presence of gold with fineness below 820‰ (as at the Iyunsky deposit) indicates polymetallic gold-bearing mineralization. Sources for the gold in the Chesnokovka and Kurnichikha river placers, besides mineralization associated with basic dikes, include mineralization characterized by gold with a fineness of 820-910‰ (including rather small and fine gold), which typically contains mercury impurities. These could be quartz veins and metasomatites developed in terrigenous rocks of the Suenginsky Formation, known within the area. Inclusions in gold from placers of the Kasminsko-Ursky ore district are represented by minerals from sulfide ores, metasomatites, and weathering crusts. Unlike gold from the Ursky ore cluster, gold from the Kasminsko-Chesnokovsky area contains no inclusions of copper minerals (chalcopyrite, bornite, covellite, and tennantite), which are common in pyrite-polymetallic ores. The typomorphic properties of gold from the Aprelsky deposit reflect multiple sources, including quartz veins, metasomatites in rocks of the Pecherkinsky Formation, and possibly mineralization superimposed on polymetallic ores. The sources of gold for the Khristinovskaya Yama placer are likely diverse and similar to those for the Ur and Zvonchikha river placers. An isoferroplatinum grain from the Khristinovskaya Yama placer can be classified as the Vilyui type.

In the new paradigm of the Russian oil and gas industry, much attention is paid to small hydrocarbon fields. This statement increases the requirements for the accuracy of small-scale anticlinal trap’s resources estimation. Such estimations can be made by probabilistic estimation of resources, taking into account the probabilities of the field existence. The objective of the research is the development of the scientific approach to quantifying the uncertainties associated with the existence and geometric parameters of small-scale anticlinal hydrocarbon traps mapped by modern 3D seismic exploration. The main method of solving this problem is stochastic modeling of structural uncertainties based on errors of structural mapping. The results of the study are summarized as follows. The probability functions of the trap’s area are determined by the intensity and size of the velocity anomalies, as well as the parameters of the trap itself and the nature of its structural environment. The distributions of the structural closure areas can be described by functions with both positive and negative asymmetry. The lognormal distribution is just one of the possible options. For small-scale hydrocarbon traps, their amplitude is comparable to the thickness of a productive reservoir; therefore, a change in the amplitude of the trap determines a change in the weighted average oil-gas-saturated thickness. As a result of the modeling, a positive relationship was established between variations in the anticline traps areas and their amplitudes. Accordingly, this relationship must be taken into account during the probabilistic assessment of the resources of this kind of the hydrocarbon traps. Otherwise, there may be a significant reduction in the range of uncertainty in resource estimates. Stochastic modeling of structural uncertainties is also a method of estimating the probability of the existence of anticlinal traps mapped by seismic exploration.

The paper describes methods for the three-dimensional interpretation of gravitational and magnetic anomalies, taking into account the relief of the Earth’s surface. Parallel algorithms for solving gravimetry and magnetometry forward problems (calculating field values from sources) are programmatically implemented for personal computers with graphics accelerators. Based on these algorithms, methods for solving inverse problems on correctness sets were developed. When modeling, sources of anomalies of arbitrary shape are approximated by a dense regular grid, the elements of which are parallelepipeds. Methods for identifying anomalies and localizing sources in the Earth’s crust, calculating their physical parameters were applied in modeling the structure of the Kraka ultrabasic massifs in the Southern Urals with an area 50 × 80 km². The height of the mountain ranges in this area reaches 1043 m, and the difference in relief heights is more than 500 m.

This study synthesizes petrochemical, geochemical, and isotopic (Sm–Nd and Rb–Sr) data on granitoid and gabbroid complexes of the Western Sayan, formed in a range of geodynamic settings (including island arc, accretion–collision, transform–shear, and active continental margin environments) between the Late Vendian and Late Devonian. The results provide constraints on the physicochemical conditions of parental melt generation, the nature of magma sources, and their temporal evolution throughout successive geodynamic stages.

These findings highlight the long-term evolution of magma sources in response to changing geodynamic regimes during the Vend–Paleozoic development of the Western Sayan. The intrusive complexes display a systematic decrease in ɛNd and increase ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr₀ values in granitoid and gabbroid complexes from early to later geodynamic stages: island arc (545–524 Ma, ɛNd = +7.5 – +4.9, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr₀ = 0.7042–0.7056), accretion–collision (505–460 Ma, ɛNd = +6.9 – +0.6, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr₀ = 0.7036–0.7041), transform–shear (437–433 Ma, ɛNd = +8.4 – +7.2, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr₀ = 0.7031–0.7057), and active continental margin (425–370 Ma, ɛNd = +5.7 – +1.0, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr₀ = 0.7035–0.7103). This progressive shift reflects a declining contribution of mantle sources (island-arc and oceanic types) and a concomitant increase in the role of ancient crustal components (metamorphic complexes, turbidites, and flysch-type sediments) in the generation of parental magmas.

The parameters for arsenic removal from Dashkesan ore enrichment tailings, which contain cobaltine (CoAsS), erythrite (Co₃(AsO₄)₂⋅8H₂O) and arsenopyrite (FeAsS), by combustion method with soda (Na₂CO₃) have been investigated. The processing method consists of two stages: 1) tailing/soda/coal mixture (molar ratio 1 : 1 : 0.2) was combusted at temperature 750 °C and time (1-3 h), 2) the combusted material was dissolved at 90 °C for 1 h in water with a phase ratio of S/L = 1 : 5. It was shown that the amount of As₂O₃ decreased from 5.47-6.19 to 0.52-0.71 wt%. The change of arsenic-containing phases in raw materials and processed products were studied by XRD, SEM/EDS and DTA/TG analysis methods. As the results of XRD analysis, the following arsenic-containing phases have been found in the combusted material obtained at 750 °C: sodium arsenate (Na₃AsO₄), sodium oxoarsenate (Na₅AsO₅) and scorodite (FeAsO₄⋅2H₂O). The residue obtained after dissolution is enriched with cobalt (CoO - 4.43 %) and can be considered as initial raw material for cobalt extraction.

The chemical composition of the fluff of Scheuchzer’s cottongrass (Eriophrum scheuchzeri Hoppe) is investigated, and its practical applicability as an alternative to cotton-containing plant raw material for the production of cellulose ethers and esters on its basis is assessed. It is shown that the fluffiness of the cottongrass seeds is 40.5 %, the average length of cellulose fibre is 10-25 mm, the mass fraction of hard-to-hydrolyse polysaccharides is 59.0±0.6 %, cellulose - 40.5±0.7 %, lignin - 25.8±0.3 %, water-soluble substances - 14.5±0.5 %, extractive fat-soluble substances (oil content) - 14.3±0.3 %, ash content - 5.0±0.6 % of the fluff mass. The degree of cellulose polymerisation is 1510 units, the mass fraction of α-cellulose is 84±1 %. In the composition of ash substances, there was no accumulation of noticeable amounts of heavy metals. The composition of ash substances is mainly represented by, rel%: potassium oxides (44.5), the compounds of phosphorus (18.7), silicon (15.2), calcium (9.6), magnesium (4.5), sulphur (3.1), and chlorine (1.53). Based on the conducted studies, a preliminary conclusion was made about the potential suitability of this kind of plant raw material for economical use.

A brief characterisation of helium is presented, the global reserves of this chemical element are analysed, and the structure of its consumption and production dynamics on the global market are considered. The increasing production and consumption of commercial helium, as well as the high industrial potential of helium products at the territory of Russia, necessitate the development of a set of technological solutions to improve helium extraction, its storage and processing. An analysis of membrane gas separation applications is presented, along with a comparative evaluation of this method against the traditional cryogenic distillation technology. The membrane unit is characterised by energy efficiency, compactness, simplicity of technological maintenance and process control, and does not require significant capital or operational costs. The types of filter cartridges used and the main technological schemes for producing helium in the gas industry are reviewed. Depending on the intended use plan for the helium products at the Markovskoye natural gas and condensate field (the Irkutsk Region), the use of combined technology (two-stage membrane separation with and without recycle, with additional fine purification units for helium concentrate) is proposed. The economic efficiency and commercial value of the proposed technological solution are substantiated.

Over the two recent decades, ionic liquids have become a focus of intensive research in the field of green chemistry. One of the recently developed application areas for ionic liquids is their use in agrochemistry as regulators and stimulators of plant growth, promoting an increase in crop yields and improvement of crop. In this review, research results in the area of using ionic liquids as herbicides, fungicides, antimicrobial agents, detergents, plant immunity inducers enhancing resistivity against phytopathogens, and plant growth stimulators. The advantages and disadvantages of ionic liquids in comparison with commercial products are described. The achievements and outlooks for the application of ionic liquids in agriculture are described, along with the possibilities to use them as multifunctional biologically active substances.

The data on complex metabolite profiling of Dracocephalum nutans L. of Lamiaceae family obtained using the analytical platform of gas chromatography with mass-selective detection are presented. The products of basic metabolism, phenol compounds, as well as mono-, sesqui-, and triterpenes were detected in the composition of metabolic pool. The main components of Dracocephalum nutans essential oil are germacrene D and B, (E)-caryophyllene, α-humulene, β-elemene, hexahydroxyfarnesylacetone and bicyclogermacrene. Oleanolic, ursolic, corosolic and maslinic acids, as well as rosmarinic acid, salvianic acid A (danshensu) and a number of other biologically active compounds were found in the methanol extracts. To describe the results of such non-targeted profiling, the term “molecular resource” is proposed.

The article presents a comprehensive analysis of the state and development of road transport in Siberia and the Far East, based on geoinformation mapping and statistical data. The study covers 24 regions of the Russian Federation, including the Siberian, Far Eastern federal districts, and part of the Ural Federal District. The research focuses on the following key aspects: road network density, transport accessibility of rural settlements, volumes of freight and passenger transportation, and the level of vehicle ownership among the population. The study highlights significant regional disparities: the most developed road infrastructure is observed in southern regions such as Omsk and Novosibirsk Oblasts, while northern territories, including the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, remain underdeveloped. Special attention is paid to the dynamics of freight transportation, which shows a decline in some regions, likely due to economic factors, while passenger transportation demonstrates growth, linked to the recovery of demand after the pandemic. Differences in vehicle ownership levels are also identified: high rates in Kamchatka and Primorsky Krais contrast with low values in the Republic of Tyva and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. The findings emphasize the need for targeted measures, such as modernizing road infrastructure, developing logistics hubs, and supporting public transport, especially in remote and underdeveloped regions. The study contributes to the understanding of transport systems in Siberia and the Far East and may be useful for government authorities, transport companies, and researchers involved in regional development and transport planning.

The relevance of the study is determined by the important role of forests and various activities carried out in forests in the overall economic development of the Asian part of Russia. It meets the objectives of the Strategy for the Development of the Forest Complex of Russia until 2030. Statistical, comparative-analytical, cartographic, and geoinformation research methods were used for the study. It was determined that the forested area of the study territory is large and constitutes 78,1 % of the similar area in the country. Small-scale forest mapping of the territory was carried out in terms of the development of activities, and sample maps were compiled reflecting the priority and degree of their development within the boundaries of economic zones of forest development. Some key forest indicators (stock and annual increment of timber per unit of forested area, the share of commercial forests), reflecting the potential for the development of logging activities, were mapped within the boundaries of 26 forest districts. It has been determined that the relatively low forest production and timber reserve formation indicators, as well as the intensity of forest management development, are due to the harsh forest growth conditions in most of the region’s taiga geosystems.

The focus on the practical application of geographical knowledge is one of the main qualities of modern social geography and cartography. This article provides an overview of the cartographic experience of depicting the living conditions of people in Siberia as one of the main criteria for the quality of life, with the aim of applying it in the Atlas of the Asian part of Russia. The category «housing conditions» included mainly basic indicators of housing amenities, according to statistical observation (heating, hot and cold water supply, sewage disposal, electricity supply, and gas supply), as well as specific indicators of housing security, the introduction of new housing (in dynamics). For almost twenty years, a cartographic toolkit for the characteristics of housing conditions has been developed on the example of Siberian territories of various hierarchical status (macro-regional, regional, municipal): Russian and Mongolian territory of the Lake Baikal basin, the Baikal region, municipal districts of the Irkutsk region, the city of Irkutsk, etc. Scenario developments for the Asian part of the country include the regions of Western Siberia (the Altai Republic, Altai Krai, Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Tomsk, and Tyumen Oblasts, Khanty-Mansiysk and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Districts (Yugra)) and Eastern Siberia (the Republics of Buryatia, Sakha (Yakutia), Tyva, Khakassia, Zabaykalsky and Krasnoyarsk Krais, and Irkutsk Oblast). The data used are from the Federal State Statistics Service of Russia and its regional offices (2023-2024) for these regions. Currently, the geography of housing well-being in Siberia is determined by three regions: the Yamalo-Nenets and Khanty-Mansi (Yugra) Autonomous Districts, and the Novosibirsk Region, where the indicators of housing improvement are higher (in the first two regions) or at the level of the national average.

Based on a combination of statistical and cartographic methods, the spatial and temporal features of socio-demographic processes and structures are studied, and the socio-demographic situation in the macroregion of Asian Russia is interpreted. Mapping of individual indicators (analytical maps) and types of socio-demographic situation (synthetic maps) in the macro-region is carried out. The main research method is multi-scale geoinformation mapping at hierarchically interconnected territorial levels: the macro-region of Asian Russia, interregional systems (a group of neighboring regions-subjects of the Russian Federation, large river basins), sub-regions (urban agglomerations). The information basis for mapping is Rosstat data, which are based on population censuses (2010 and 2020) and current population censuses. The proposed methods and results of the study are focused on multi-scale complex population mapping.

Taking into account the stated eastern priorities in social and economic development of the Russian Federation, spatial relationships between hydroclimatic characteristics and health indicators of the population of Asian Russia were investigated by creating multi-scale maps included in an integrated atlas and their analysis. The underlying characteristic is climate discomfort as a factor determining the zonation of the impact of climate on population health. As the most dangerous consequences of air pollution, oncological diseases have been identified, maps for cities of the Baikal region have been constructed. The role for health preservation and self-purification of water through indicators of ecological water potential was studied, using the example of the Angaro-Baikal basin. Research on climate change has been identified.

Benzapyrene (BP), which has carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic properties, determines the level of urban air pollution. The purpose of the study: based on cluster analysis, to identify risk areas for the development of congenital anomalies of the nervous system associated with atmospheric air pollution in children of the аsian part of Russia. Materials and methods. The research was conducted based on data from 2017-2023 in 22 subjects of the Russian Federation. The following were studied: atmospheric pollution index (IPA), BP content; the number of exposed population (EN). The frequency of congenital anomalies of the nervous system in children aged 0-14 years is calculated per 100,000 population (‰ _оо ) . It was found that the maximum BP levels were >100 MPC, the proportion of EN was 76,95 %, and the average incidence of congenital anomalies of the nervous system in children was 14,1 cases per ‰ _оо. Correlation coefficients have been calculated, confirming the connection of the congenital anomalies of the nervous system and BP, IPA. Six clusters have been identified, among which the most disadvantaged with high levels of pollution and high pollution (43,9 ‰ _оо) includes only the Irkutsk region. Risk zones are formed due to the peculiarities of weather conditions that contribute to the accumulation of pollutants, which requires the implementation of measures to reduce atmospheric air pollution.

The current geo-ecological situation in the territory of Asian Russia and its depiction on maps is considered as a result of the historical process of the territory and its natural resources development. The developed and compiled series of geo-ecological maps reflects the current living conditions of the population, the state of the territory’s ecological and resource potential, the nature and extent of anthropogenic impact, and the quality of the environment.

The current geo-ecological situation in the territory of Asian Russia and its depiction on maps is considered as a result of the historical process of the territory and its natural resources development. The developed and compiled series of geo-ecological maps reflects the current living conditions of the population, the state of the territory’s ecological and resource potential, the nature and extent of anthropogenic impact, and the quality of the environment.

Based on the geographical approach and concept of cross-border geosystems integrating heterogeneous spatial data, the role of thematic cartography in the formation of a single transboundary geographic information space of the South Far East and Northeast China is considered. The methodology of creation and integration of digital thematic layers was demonstrated, including maps of modern land use and its dynamics (2000 - 2024) and a map of geoecological tensions in the research area. It used GIS technology (ArcGIS), remote sensing data (Landsat), open global data sets (Global Forest Change, Global Surface Water, LandScan Population Database, OpenStreetMap, VIIRS Nighttime Lights), national statistics of the Russian Federation and PRC. The key results show that over the study period, 12 % of the area experienced land-use changes, the most significant of which were deforestation and reforestation, and agricultural land expansion. Significant differences were identified between the Russian and Chinese parts of the geosystems: in the Chinese territory there is a higher proportion of land with medium and high geoecological stress, which is related to intensive agricultural use and high population density. It is shown that the thematic maps created during the study not only visualize spatial data, but also become an analytical basis for monitoring, forecasting and management decisions in the field of sustainable development of border areas. The work confirms that thematic mapping within the framework of the creation of a transboundary geoinformation space allows to overcome methodological fragmentation of approaches, heterogeneity and fragmentation of data, ensuring consistent analysis on both sides of the border.

By synthesizing and interpreting the data collected over many decades by a large number of teams from the Melnikov Permafrost Institute, a mapping methodology was developed and a geocryological map was compiled for the entire territory of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) at a scale of 1:1 500 000. The geocryological map is of great scientific and practical significance for several reasons. It covers a vast territory of Yakutia where permafrost underlies over 90 % of the land resulting in particularly severe environmental conditions, incomparable to any other region of Russia. For areas with no or little previous research, the map is the only tool for preliminary assessment of geocryological conditions, as well as for formulation of research tasks for development projects. The detailed geocryological map also provides a useful basis for environmental assessment and monitoring, geocryological prediction, and resource management. The new geocryological map of Yakutia is a comprehensive summary of current knowledge on the differentiation of geological and permafrost characteristics which are depicted as separate layers (ground ice content, permafrost temperature, active layer thickness, geocryological processes). The map legend shows 18 lithology classes, 11 mean annual ground temperature/active layer thickness ratios and 4 ice-content classes, as well as typical geocryological processes.

The article considers methodological issues and results of mapping complex physical and geographical studies of the south of Central Siberia at a scale of 1:1 000 000. Physical and geographical studies include a set of cartographic methods of study (landscape, physical and geographical, modern agricultural land use, agro-landscape and assessment of agro-natural potential). To display the research results, a methodology based on the synthesis of methods for mapping natural geosystems and agro-landscapes was used. The methodological basis was the principles of the doctrine of geosystems by V.B. Sochava. Landscape mapping was based on the principles of constructing a hierarchical structure of geomers. Based on the synthesis of the contour grid of the typological map of geosystems, a scheme of physical and geographical zoning of the study area was developed. As a result of landscape mapping and physical and geographical zoning, agro-landscape studies were carried out. Their methodology was compiled in accordance with the specifics of the work aimed at studying agro-landscapes and analyzing agro-natural potential. The initial stage of agro-landscape research was an assessment of the current state, nature and level of use of land resources, where, along with natural geosystems, agro-landscapes are reflected. The final stage, based on previous maps, was an assessment and mapping of the agro-natural potential of geosystems, with an exit to the development of recommendations and justification of ways to optimize the use of the agro-natural potential of the south of Central Siberia.

The article notes that one of the serious environmental problems in the south of Siberia is associated with the widespread processes of soil erosion, causing a decrease in soil fertility and a reduction in the area of arable land. Its solution is possible through the introduction of zonal systems of anti-erosion agriculture based on the knowledge of the mechanisms of erosion processes, their intensity and territorial distribution. The source of such information is soil erosion maps. They assess the scale of the modern development of soil erosion and deflation processes, provide quantitative information on the average annual losses from erosion (t/ha per year). The basic foundation of modern mapping of erosion-hazardous lands are quantitative models of erosion processes. The possibility of using models for the territory under consideration has been verified by data from field experimental studies, which have shown a high correlation coefficient of measured and calculated values. The authors have compiled maps of the distribution of zones with different intensities of rain and melt washout, gully erosion and soil deflation in the main agricultural enclaves of Eastern Siberia. The maps serve as a basis for choosing a land use policy. They can be used to assess the sustainability of landscapes and to solve various environmental problems. Currently, the role of agricultural erosion is increasing as a factor in the redistribution of matter on the earth’s surface and the main supplier of sediments and chemical elements to rivers and reservoirs. Therefore, ecological-erosion maps are supplemented by mapping of litho-catchment basins. Such work is carried out by the V.B. Sochava Institute of Geography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and they have a great future.

Socio-economic and natural processes and phenomena, such as the existing land use and resource management system, existing biological diversity, dynamic natural processes, interaction of various socio-economic factors, investment efficiency and the current environmental situation stimulate the emergence of various economic activities, influence the functional distribution of land and in the future on regional economic and environmental policy formation. These features, taking into account the identified factors, are considered on the basis of an integrated (quantitative and qualitative) assessment of their relationship with the subsequent identification of socio-economic situations, calculation of investment performance indicators and mapping of regional and intraregional differences. The task of sharing, generating and cartographic interpretation of regional socio-economic statistics and data with spatial distribution not related to administrative boundaries is addressed. The Baikal region has been chosen as the model territory. Methods of geoinformation modelling, mathematical and comparative analysis of geographical and statistical spatial and temporal data and interpretation mapping are used. Areas with different types of environmental land use policies (legal environmental, natural and resource factors of environmental policy) are identified, which are then compared with the identified regional socio-economic features of the territory development, shown in the example of investment efficiency. As a result, a map-scheme of development of the regional environmental policy of land use in the Baikal region has been drawn up, which is part of the future atlas of Asian Russia.

An assessment of the spatiotemporal dynamics of air temperature over the territory of the Tyva Republic was carried out for a 64-year period (1961-2024). The data used were ERA5 reanalysis data with a spatial resolution of 0,25×0,25°. The maximum temperature increase rate of 1 °C per 10 years was observed in autumn (September-October). The highest warming intensity of 0,6 °C per 10 years was recorded at elevations of 500-1000 m a. s. l. At elevations of 2200 m and higher, the maximum winter temperature anomaly of 1.28 °C was recorded on northeastern slopes in the Verkhne-Khemchiksky District. Maps of winter and summer temperatures across forest-growing (natural) districts, considering elevation levels, were created using Google Earth Engine.

In Russia, the basis for implementing water management measures are the Schemes of Integrated Use and Protection of Water Bodies (SIUPW), involving the systematized materials on the state of water bodies and their use within the boundaries of river basins. In the framework of SIUPW, a set of situation, evaluation, executive and forecasting maps (scales: 1:1 000 000-1:100 000), generally complying with the methodology of the Atlas of Asian Russia, is developed. In 2025, the series of SIUPW evaluation maps for the Ob, Irtysh, Yenisei, Angara, Khatanga, Pyasina and Nizhnyaya Taimyr river basins was updated via using the integrated methodology. Based on cartographic analysis, these maps allow to identify the areas with specific water use problems and determine the causes of their origin and severity, and, as a result, to develop a prioritized list of address water management and water protection measures.

The article is of a scientific and methodological nature. It outlines the currently applied principles for mapping the thermal regime characteristics of rivers. The paper enumerates and analyzes the problems associated with the data from stationary monitoring used in mapping, proposes solutions to address these issues, and suggests methods for identifying the most up-to-date data under current climatic conditions. Additionally, it examines visualization techniques for thermal regime characteristics, existing challenges in drawing isolines and delineating thermally homogeneous zones, and offers various methods to improve the accuracy of such mapping. The discussion separately covers techniques for verifying the reliability of the resulting cartographic materials. As an example of the successful implementation of the authors’ proposed ideas - based on experience in constructing river thermal regime maps - new maps of mean monthly water temperatures and heat flux modulus are presented. These maps can serve as tools for estimating mean monthly water temperatures and assessing heat flux in hydrologically unstudied rivers.

Water management mapping, as an independent direction in cartography, is being currently developed. The analysis of the related cartographic materials demonstrates a variety of the displayed information, its demand and relevance. Modern technical and technological means ensure the productive and high-quality implementation of geoinformation and cartographic modeling at different hierarchical levels (macroregional, regional and subregional) of water management organization when solving fundamental scientific and scientific-practical problems. In the article, the peculiarities of calculating and mapping the estimates of potential and actual water availability, anthropogenic load and inventory of water pollution sources are considered by the examples of macroregional and regional levels, i.e. the Ob-Irtysh basin and Kuzbass of the Kemerovo Region. Brief descriptions of building the cartographic models and structuring the thematic databases and initial information, as well as rating categories for decision-makers are presented.

This paper examines a methodology for creating a map of average water suspended sediment concentration (SSC) using rivers in the Lena River basin as an example. This method combines actual observation data from gauges, their spatial interpolation, and multivariate relationships with 69 catchment areas. The paper presents the results of a detailed analysis of the initial sediment runoff data, their consistency with long-term fluctuations in river water content, their reliability and completeness, anthropogenic disturbances in the homogeneity of the series, and other factors that affect the reliability of mapping, as well as the choice of the averaging period. In total, the Lena River basin has 96 stations with sediment runoff data for at least one year. Average water SSC characteristics are presented (on a traditional map) as point data in nine gradations. The modeled water SSC map is based on statistical relationships between average water SSC at 53 stations for the period 1978-2021 and 69 factors of its formation, assessed for their catchments in a GIS environment. Generalized for 697 small and medium-sized river catchments and based on six areal gradations of water SSC, the map represents a qualitatively new approach to water SSC mapping in terms of spatial detail. The maps reveal the main spatial patterns of average water SSC distribution and its key factors in the Lena River basin (mountainous areas and mining activities) and characterize the decrease in river SSC compared to maps from the second half of the 20th century.

The toponyms of the Lena River basin, represented by hydronyms and oikonyms, are considered. To conduct an analysis of the classification of toponyms, geographical toponymic dictionaries, special regional studies, popular science, reference, encyclopedic and educational literature, materials from the periodical press and the media were used. A database of geographical names of significant tributaries, large lakes and settlements was compiled based on the sources used. The analysis of the information entered the database was carried out according to the classification of toponyms. The following semantic classification was used for the etymology of the identified toponyms (names reflecting natural conditions and processes; anthropotoponyms; production toponyms; trade and transport; toponyms indicating types of settlements; ethnotoponyms; memorial toponyms; religious and cult toponyms, etc.). The language classification reflects the settlement of peoples along the Lena River basin, where Tungus (Evenki and Even) toponyms are more common in the upper and lower reaches of the river, Yakut names are present in the Middle Lena, Russian names are mainly in the territories of the Zabaikalski Krai, Irkutsk Oblast and Amur Oblast. Classification by objects of toponymic nomination showed the prevalence of hydronyms (limnonyms and potamonims). A series of thematic maps was compiled, displaying the spatial distribution of toponyms of the Lena River basin, toponymic information. The sources for compiling the maps were publicly available topographic maps of scale 1:100 000, 1:200 000. The created GIS database and toponymic maps made it possible to systematize different types of toponyms identified in the territory of the Lena River basin to visualize their spatial distribution.

Process-based estimates of the hydrological consequences of the natural and anthropogenic components of climate change in the Selenga River basin were obtained based on the ECOMAG hydrological model and data from the CMIP6 ensemble of Earth system models. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of anthropogenic climate change on the river runoff formation of during the long low-water period of 1996-2017 and to provide forecast estimates for the near future of the 21st century. For this purpose, calculations were carried out using a physically-based model of runoff formation, previously verified against observational data, using two implementations of Earth system models: considering only the natural oscillations of the climate system and external impacts of natural origin, and considering the impact of anthropogenic activity, expressed in an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, including according to SSP scenarios for the future period. Warming in the summer period of 1996-2017 led to an increase in total evaporation, which, together with a decrease in the amount of precipitation and an increase in runoff losses due to infiltration, led to a long-term low water content of the Selenga. Under natural climatic conditions, the annual runoff of the Selenga in 1996-2017 should have been 28 % greater, including the spring flood runoff by 10 % and the summer-autumn runoff by 30 %. In the near future, on average by 2040, under scenarios SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5, a decrease in the annual runoff of the Selenga by 9-25 % is likely, especially in the summer-autumn period.

The article examines the specifics of demographic processes in the Irkutsk agglomeration against the background of the regional situation. In the context of the theories of the second demographic transition and the second stage of the epidemiological transition, authors analyze the features of fertility and mortality in large and small cities and the suburbanized zone of the agglomeration. Based on the features of the age composition of fertility and mortality, the authors show the existence of three types of population reproduction in the onesomes space of the agglomeration: in a small town, large cities and suburbia. The first type was formed during the period of mass Soviet urbanization in the mid-20th century, the second - at the turn of the 21st century as part of the second demographic transition. The latter combines two oppositely processes: a decrease in mortality and an increase in life expectancy as part of the second stage of the epidemiological transition and an increase in the birth rate of migrants from the city while maintaining in general its urban age structure.

The article describes the development of an online cartographic service for the rapid assessment of the quality of the urban environment within urban agglomerations. The server being created allows users to obtain information about the quality of the urban environment at a selected point based on a customizable set of criteria. The paper describes a methodology for forming an index of the quality of the urban environment, which includes an assessment by various groups of criteria, such as climatic, social, environmental conditions, transport infrastructure, etc. For each criterion, a rating method is used, which allows forming a final index. The territory of the Irkutsk urban agglomeration was chosen as the object of the study. The work describes the stages of creating a service, including collecting and processing data, developing algorithms for calculating indices, creating a website based on a geoportal. As an example, the calculation of the index of accessibility of comprehensive schools and proximity of industrial enterprises is considered. The created system will make up for the lack of services for rapid assessment of the quality of the urban environment and will become available to a wide range of users, including professionals and ordinary citizens, will make it possible to use extensive data for assessment.

Various factors affecting the housing market in the Irkutsk urban agglomeration, both for urban areas and for peri-urban area are evaluated and systematized. The research was based on the open data of the site CIAN 2024. Evaluated the statistical relationship between housing prices and factors of density of greenery, density of social infrastructure, transport accessibility and the presence of factors of negative and positive neighborhood in suburban and urban areas. It was found that for large Siberian agglomerations center-peripheral and coastal price differentiation is characteristic. Irkutsk agglomeration is characterized by higher population growth due to suburbia and the imbalance of housing affordability in the city: the largest population growth was recorded not only in the most attractive urban areas with high housing prices, but also in areas with low, middle-price areas are growing noticeably slower. The study showed fundamental differences in the differentiation of housing prices in urban and suburban areas. It was concluded that for urban areas the most important is the density of social infrastructure and transport accessibility, the criminal environment and the least - ecology and greening. In the peri-urban area, the most important factors are the type of permitted use of land (which is primarily related to the availability of engineering infrastructure), transport accessibility, natural and environmental factors (proximity of objects of negative neighborhood).

Landscape-hydrological zoning and mapping of the Central Ecological Zone of the Baikal Natural Territory has been performed in accordance with the runoff-regulating functions of landscapes, which determine the transformation of precipitation into surface and groundwater runoff, conditions for the redistribution of runoff seasonally, reduction of peaks of floods and improvement of water quality. The runoff-regulating level of landscapes is determined by the structure of the vegetation cover, the structure of the soil-ground layer and morphological characteristics. These structural parameters determine the environmental protection and water-ecological functions of the natural complex, which are expressed in water protection, soil protection, anti-erosion, anti-avalanche and other properties of the territory. Orographic elements and types of landscapes play a leading role in the spatial landscape-hydrological differentiation of the territory. The individual landscape-hydrological characteristics of the natural complexes of the districts are substantiated by a comprehensive analysis of forest-growing and geo-morphological features, structural and typological characteristics of soils. The purpose of zoning is identify natural complexes with various landscape and hydrological functions that reflect the intensity of drainage, water-ecological potential and environmental conditions of the territory. The performed zoning of the Central Ecological Zone of the BNT is based on the analysis of cartographic, analytical and expedition materials, as well as the results of previously performed landscape-hydrological, geo-morphological and soil studies within the boundaries of the Baikal natural territory. The constructed landscape-hydrological map shows areas with different morphological, soil-vegetation and hydrological conditions. These natural conditions characterize the level of runoff regulation, the intensity of soil migration of matter, the danger of erosion and mudflow processes, and, as a result, show areas with different environmental protection and water-ecological properties.

The work is based on field landscape-geochemical and office analytical studies conducted in 2015-2024 on the coast of Lake Baikal and the adjacent territory. Samples of surface water and soil were collected at key sites, and chemical and physicochemical analyses were carried out in the field and laboratory conditions of the V.B. Sochava Institute of Geography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IG SB RAS) using standard methods. Increased contents of F^-, NH₄⁺, PO₄^3-, Pb, Ni and oil products were found in surface waters near populated areas on the coast of Lake Baikal, exceeding the MAC values. The main anthropogenic sources of environmental pollution are: construction and road enterprises, thermal power plants, boiler houses, railway and motor transport, waste dumps. The sources of surface water pollution with phosphates and ammonium are housing and communal facilities. In the soils of the coast of Lake Baikal, local high content of Mn, Pb, Ni, Co, Cr, Zn, Cu was found, exceeding the MAC near the settlements of Listvyanka, Baikalsk, Bolshoe Goloustnoe, Sarma, Kabansk, Turka, Ust-Barguzin, Severobaikalsk and Nizhneangarsk. The maximum concentrations of chemical elements in soils in relation to the background also have: Ba, Sr, V and oil products, but do not exceed sanitary and hygienic standards. High concentrations of HM in coastal soils are possibly associated not only with anthropogenic sources, but also with deposits of rare metals.

The problems of mapping the relief of deep-sea surfaces are mainly associated with the impossibility of obtaining data on the geological structure of the discovered forms, which often makes it difficult to unambiguously determine their genesis. The paper provides examples of using additional information to increase the reliability of conclusions about the relief of the bottom surface of a deep-sea basin. To clarify the genesis of the bottom forms of the Baikal Basin, published data from seismic and geophysical studies of the bottom surface, and core drilling materials were widely used. As a result of the analysis of the obtained material, the genesis of the remnants on the underwater slope of South Baikal was established, and it was found that the sharp turns of the valleys of some canyons are explained by the lithological, structural and textural features of the slope deposits.

To study the adaptive capacity of crop production under changing climatic conditions, a database of spatiotemporal characteristics of hazardous and adverse natural-climatic events during the warm season has created at the Laboratory of Geoecology and Geosystem Dynamics at the Institute of Monitoring of Climatic and Ecological Systems the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy, for the southern taiga of Western Siberia. The components of the database, its structural features, and its capabilities of spatial assessment and cartographic visualization of the studied phenomena which it allows are shown. Based on the analysis of meteorological data from 32 stations over the last 20-year period, a series of thematic and integrated maps illustrating the territorial and temporal patterns of hazardous and adverse natural-climatic events have been created within a GIS environment. Intra-regional patterns in the intensity, frequency, and duration of these events were identified. Statistical assessment and mapping have revealed that climate-induced risks to the local crop production system are not decreasing and that their spatiotemporal patterns are heterogeneous. The highest risks for plant growing occur during the spring season and are associated with the hazardous phenomenon of late spring frosts. During the summer, climatic hazards in the northeast of the region are associated with intensive precipitation, while in the southwestern they are caused by hot weather. It has been noted that adverse events occur more frequently than hazardous ones and, in combination, create a high risk-forming potential. A detailed analysis of the spatiotemporal characteristics of the studied phenomena and the cartographic visualization of the results enable monitoring of developing hazardous situations, risk forecasting, and the formulation of recommendations for minimizing losses in crop production.