Home – Home – Jornals – Advanced Search

The spatial distribution patterns of climatic changes in Yakutia are considered. For 26 meteorological stations of Yakutia we calculated the linear trend coefficients of climatic characteristics: air temperature (mean annual, January and July tempera tures) and the mean annual amount of atmospheric precipitation from 1966 to 2016. Maps of climate change trends were com piled from linear trend coefficients. A spatial analysis of the zonal (regional) peculiarities of the climate of Yakutia has been carried out. An increase in air temperature was established for the 50-year period under consideration. It was found that the annual values of the air temperature trend are positive and, on average, a characteristic trend change interval is 0.3 to 0.6 °C/10 years. Most of the meteorological stations recorded trends of air temperature with maximum values in winter and minimum values in summer. It was determined that the values of the trends in annual precipitation show different directions, and positive trends occur on more than 70 % of the territory of Yakutia. Their maximum corresponds to the mountain-taiga regions of Southern Yakutia. Negative trends in precipitation with values of up to -15 mm/10 years are observed in tundra landscapes. The findings show that different regions of Yakutia respond differently to climate change. The trend of an increase in mean annual temperature is largely due to the rise in temperatures during the winter months. The rise in air temperature in Yakutia may be part of global warming. Over the last 50 years there has been an increase in the amount of precipitation in Yakutia as a whole.

This research focuses on polygenetic burozem formation conditions, physicochemical properties, mechanical and total chemical composition, and spore-pollen spectra of horizons. It was found that on the islands and the coast of southern Primorskii krai there occur burozems with a simple polygenetic profile on red and yellow residual soils which combines modern (pedoge netic) and relict (lithogenetic) signs of soil formation processes. It is shown that the polygeneticity of the profile implies a dra matic change in color of the soil mass in the lower part of the profile having an inherited coloring of relict parent rocks: bright brown and yellowish-brown hues in burozems occurring yellow residua and pinkish in burozems on red residua. A polygenetic ity of the profile of the burozems under consideration was identified from the degree of stoniness manifesting itself in increased content of detrital-stony material in the illuvial part of the profile and its absence in the lower part, which gives evidence of the intensity of deluvial processes at the time of formation of separate genetic horizons. It is shown that horizon C (parent rock) and adjacent transitional horizon ВМС differ from the overlying part of the profile by the highest silt and clay content. An increase in content of aluminum and iron oxides in the soil mass of the lower part of the profile was observed, which indicates its allitiza tion. We studied the intraprofile variation in spore-pollen spectra characterizing the succession of plants and the climatic condi tions during the formation of genetic horizons of polygenetic burozems thereby providing insight into the causes for the diversity in their morphological structure and the origin of the polygeneticity. Data of radiocarbon analysis were used to determine the formation time of genetic horizons of the burozems considered in this study.

This article presents the rationale for the need to take into account and assess natural capital as an important factor for viable managerial decision-making concerning the study, use and reproduction of natural resources in the interests of sustainable development. The activity of authorities in Tomsk oblast was used as an example in examining the issues related to taking into account and assessing natural capital and ecosystem services into the system of managerial decision-making. We used strategic and normative documents of Tomsk oblast, departmental information and material from previous research into assessments of natural capital. A rationale is given for the need to improve the institutional conditions for proper inventory and assessment of all functions of natural capital and ecosystems in managerial decision-making, namely the development of the monitoring system for economic value in the sphere of environmental management which is based on the system of ecological-economic accounting and constitutes a set of coherent statistical indicators reflecting the status of natural capital. The mechanism is suggested for generation of the information-methodological base of economic assessment of natural capital. It is determined that a qualitatively new information basis integrated into the system of regional management. Qualitatively new information basis integrated into the regional government system will make it possible not to simply obtain information on the flows of expenditures and benefits in the sphere of environmental management, but also to ensure interaction between state and municipal authorities and with organizations and the population. The monitoring system for economic value of natural capital and ecosystem services integrated into the region’s executive bodies will permit adaptive governance of environmental management of the region in the face of changes and uncertainty.

The problem of freeing the country’s economy from commodity dependence is discussed. The potential for increasing the depth of processing of extracted raw materials and semi-products manufactured by enterprises of Irkutsk oblast is considered. Irkutsk oblast is one of the largest industrial federal subjects of the Russian Federation with a highly specific structure of indus tries. It combines an advanced extractive industry (production of oil, gold, iron ore, coal, salt and gypsum as well as logging) with multisectoral mechanical engineering (aircraft industry, manufacture of various machinery and equipment, electrical prod ucts, switching products and instruments). It also includes the advanced electric-power (absolutely dominated by the hydroelec tric power component), aluminum and nuclear industries, and the chemical and forestry complex. The proportion of their products in the country’s economy is quite large. Most of these products are exported in the form of semi-products for a further processing to other regions of the country or to other countries. The range of interests of various entities is identified, which can influence the solution to the problem under consideration. Such entities can include society (the country’s population), the terri tory represented by its population, a corporation, a company, an industrial enterprise, and separate entrepreneurs. It is shown that it is impossible and inappropriate to fully process all semi-products and raw materials produced by the regional industry to obtain products for final consumption, due to economic, transportation and other reasons. However, a processing of them within economically justified limits is highly desirable in order for Irkutsk oblast to gain additional benefits in the form of tax revenues to the budget, job creation and an increase in charitable donations. A rationally is given to the need to do research in order to determine the scope of manufacture of products for final consumption in Irkutsk oblast.

Presented are the technique and results of studying the landscape structure of the north-west of Western Siberia on the basis of the Hansen mosaic consisting of elements covering the entire territory of the Earth. To study of this area used a synthesis of classical methods of thematic system mapping as described in the doctrine of geosystems of V. B. Sochava, and automated interpretation of remote sensing data and mapping using GIS technologies. The method of geoinformational mapping of the landscape structure with the use of MultiSpec and Quantum GIS software programs for the purpose of drawing up real-time raster landscape maps is shown. In drawing up the map and the legend, the principle of geomic system-hierarchical representation of the territory as a complex multi-level “bottom-up” structure from topological-level geosystems (groups and classes of landscape facies) to regional-level geosystems (geoms, groups and classes geoms) was used. Compilation of operational raster landscape maps of the north-west of Western Siberia involved multilevel automated interpretation of the Hansen mosaic and mapping of areas (clusters) on images with different brightness characteristics of the landscape structure of key areas and stationary physical and geographical profiles. A characteristic of this approach is also the use of a dynamic classification of geosystems based on the study of their variable states. Such an approach permits a monitoring of changes in landscape structure and its areas and the intensity of anthropogenic impacts on forest and marsh landscapes, and determination of permissible loads on geosystems in areas with high technogenic load of the oil and gas complex represented by the north-west of Siberia. An automated processing of data based on a supervised classification of territorial objects allows for the elimination of inaccuracies arising in visual image interpretation. Raster landscape maps can be used both for a further creation of vector maps and as an real-time information base for purposes of environmental management and protection.

Presented are the technique and results of studying the landscape structure of the north-west of Western Siberia on the basis of the Hansen mosaic consisting of elements covering the entire territory of the Earth. To study of this area used a synthesis of classical methods of thematic system mapping as described in the doctrine of geosystems of V. B. Sochava, and automated interpretation of remote sensing data and mapping using GIS technologies. The method of geoinformational mapping of the landscape structure with the use of MultiSpec and Quantum GIS software programs for the purpose of drawing up real-time raster landscape maps is shown. In drawing up the map and the legend, the principle of geomic system-hierarchical representation of the territory as a complex multi-level “bottom-up” structure from topological-level geosystems (groups and classes of landscape facies) to regional-level geosystems (geoms, groups and classes geoms) was used. Compilation of operational raster landscape maps of the north-west of Western Siberia involved multilevel automated interpretation of the Hansen mosaic and mapping of areas (clusters) on images with different brightness characteristics of the landscape structure of key areas and stationary physical and geographical profiles. A characteristic of this approach is also the use of a dynamic classification of geosystems based on the study of their variable states. Such an approach permits a monitoring of changes in landscape structure and its areas and the intensity of anthropogenic impacts on forest and marsh landscapes, and determination of permissible loads on geosystems in areas with high technogenic load of the oil and gas complex represented by the north-west of Siberia. An automated processing of data based on a supervised classification of territorial objects allows for the elimination of inaccuracies arising in visual image interpretation. Raster landscape maps can be used both for a further creation of vector maps and as an real-time information base for purposes of environmental management and protection.

A new technique for compiling vegetation maps on the basis of two-stage technology is presented. It includes a preliminary assessment of the state of vegetation, and a classification with training samples with the simultaneous use of the digital basemap (GlobCover, 2009) and multispectral images of very high spatial resolution (Alos and Rapideye). We examine the specific features of spectral reflection of vegetation and the vegetation indices for the analysis of vegetation viability. We developed the structuring of plant communities of the study area and the referencing of standard types to the GlobCover classes used as the basis. The possibilities of a multispectral classification have been studied on the basis of very high resolution images in the context of the study territory and the GlobCover classes. Land cover maps are obtained on the basis of training samples and the most plausible classification. The vegetation dynamics (2009-2012) has been investigated for some areas of Vostochnyi Cosmodrome occupied by facilities under construction. Specifically, updates were made concerning infrastructure development, the devastation of woody vegetation, etc. A new method of obtaining vegetation maps is proposed, based on using a global digital basemap and high spa tial resolution images for the desired local areas.

A study was made of the influence of extraction of lead and zinc ores in the northern part of Viet Nam (the Red river basin, Chodon district of Bac Can Province, and the basins of the Dai, Ban Thi, Ta Dieng and Cau rivers). Background concentrations of macro- and microelements and biogenic elements are determined in the river waters and water extracts from bottom sediments of small streams of the study area. A significance exceedance of background concentrations was revealed in stretches of the headwaters of the Ban Thi and Dai rivers caused by a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors. It is established that the river waters near the pollution sources contain increased (compared with the geochemical background) concentrations of Zn, Pb, Fe, Ni, Co, As, Bi, Cd, Cs, Sb, Ag, NO2- and SO42-. The waters are estimated as moderately and heavily polluted, and at the other points as minimally polluted. It is determined that the level of accumulation of matter in water extracts from bottom sediments with respect to the geochemical background in the vicinity of the ore dressing factories corresponds to weakly and heavily polluted bottom sediments, and further downstream, to the minimum level of pollution. It is shown that the influence of extraction of lead and zinc ores on the state of small streams is observed in stretches as long as 11-12 km (with a maximum in stretches of up to 4.5 km). The mathematical model of distribution of Pb and Zn distribution in the river waters of the study area has been developed and tested.

We examine functional geography as a part of the theory of functional systems, the subject matter of which now involves the cause-effect relationships of the influence of the factors and conditions on processes and phenomena of a different origin. Within the framework of this scientific and geographical direction, most attention is concentrated on the study into the environ mental conditions, the methods of taking them into account in calculation formulas, analysis of critical levels of variability, and on the search for environmental invariants. By taking into consideration the distinguishing features of the environment, geography provides an informational basis for solving applied problems in other fields of knowledge, proves the environmental relativity and geographical determinism of the manifestation of the laws of the functioning of nature and society. The article discusses the re lationship between structure, dynamics and functioning in geographical studies, presents the theoretical and mathematical bases for modelling the functional features of geosystems and substantiates the functional approach and the corresponding models. The functions of geosystems are investigated and modelled in the form of the interaction of their components, the characteristics of which are regarded as the factors that jointly influence the degree of manifestation of these functions. It is shown that the pos sibility of expl aining the regu larities of the functioning of geographical systems is ensured are provided by the use of the logarith mic scale of the characteristics of the influencing factors.

Presented are the results from taking an inventory and analyzing the land cover transformation during 2001-2012. The study revealed 246 types of transitions between land cover classes according to the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme, including 229 types of changes with a change of land cover classes. The density of changes is highest in the taiga and steppe zones of Eurasia and North America, savannas and woodlands of Africa and South America, the Arctic tundras of North America and Eurasia. It was found that the natural zones with a complex structure of land cover (open woodlands, shrublands and savannas of the tropical belt and hard-leaved summer-dry open woodland and shrubs of the subtropical belt) have the larg est number of transition types (17) and types of changes (10 and 8, respectively). The contribution from the particular transfor mation processes to the structure of land cover changes within the natural zones was calculated to show the principal land cover trajectories for each natural zone. The findings provide a means of assessing the degree and nature of land cover transformation within the natural zones and identifying, on this basis, the leading land use trends which would have a considerable influence on the structure and dynamics of present-day land surface landscapes across the globe.