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The species diversity and state of the ground cover of light coniferous forests in the territories of Irkutsk Oblast, polluted by emissions from three aluminum smelters (Bratsk (BrAZ), Irkutsk (IrkAZ) and Tayshet (TAZ)), differing in production technology and duration of impact on forests, were studied. 188 species of vascular plants from 49 families, 102 species of lichens, including 26 species of epigeal and 13 species of ground mosses were identified. Most species belong to the forest floral complex, mainly to the light coniferous zone-zonal group. Perennial herbaceous plants dominate in the biomorphological spectrum: its basis consist of long-rooted (30 % of the total flora), short-(26 %), and rod-rooted (13 %) species. The mesophytic species dominate in ecological spectrum. The most significant transformation of the species composition was observed in forest communities located in the industrial zone (within a radius of 0.5 km) of BrAZ, where the critical level of contamination of Scotch pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) trees was found, the drying of trees and the degradation of the grass-shrub layer contributed to the formation of solid moss cushion from silvergreen bryum moss ( Bryum argenteum Hedw.) on the soil. In the industrial zone of TAZ and IrkAZ, where average and strong level of tree-stands contamination, respectively, was found we observed the increase of plant projective coverage to 70-85 % and the total number of vascular plant species due to the appearance of meadow, forest-steppe and ruderal, the composition of phytocenoses often changes towards the predominance of photophilic species. With a low level of contamination of tree-stands, changes in the floral complex are less pronounced and statistically insignificant compared to background territories.

Under conditions of a changing climate, the relevance of assessing the full carbon pool of all components of forest ecosystems increases, not only of the living aboveground and underground parts, but also of litter, large detritus, soils, etc. There are numerous estimates of the phytomass of the aboveground part of forest trees and stands, both taking into account the mass of branches that have died and preserved on tree stems, and without taking them into account. There is no information about the mass of dead branches on tree stems in the available databases on the phytomass of trees. Thus, the mass of dead branches of trees and stands is not included in the calculation of both the input and output components of the carbon cycle, and when estimating the carbon pool of forest ecosystems, it is underestimated by some unknown amount. In the published data on the phytomass of trees, the relative mass of dead branches, i.e. the ratio of the mass of dead branches to the aboveground phytomass, varies from 0.1 to 26 %, however, attempts to identify factors explaining such a wide range of it are quite rare. In this study, the first attempt was made to develop allometric models designed to estimate the mass of dead branches of growing trees of Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) and silver birch ( Betula pendula Roth) in the conditions of the steppe zone. The study was based on 465 model trees obtained on 35 sample plots. It was found that in the mature birch stand, the mass of dead branches is 1.32 t/ha and relative mass of dead branches is 2.5 %, in natural pine forests 0.9-17 t/ha and 0.7-13 %, respectively, and in plantations 0.2-13 t/ha and 1.3-11 %, respectively. The dependencies constructed for the relative mass of dead branches are combined with yield tables of the aboveground phytomass of stands of natural origin and plantations of the Turgay Depression. It was found that, depending on the origin of the stand, its age and site index, the relative mass of dead branches varies from 0.8 to 15 %. The proposed allometric models and inventory tables can be used in the assessment of the mass of dead branches on tree stems of pine stands. When calculating carbon pools in the forests of the steppe zone, it is necessary to take into account the mass of dead branches by applying increasing coefficients in pine forests from 0.8 to 15% and in mature birch forests 2.5 %.

The article presents for the first time data on the composition and structure of algae groupings in gray forest soils of the town of Usolʼe-Sibirskoe and its surrounding territories, exposed to technogenic pollution. Samples from 19 locations, mainly forest stands, located on the territory of the town (12 locations) and its surroundings (7 locations) were studied. Using culture-dependent methods, 77 species from five divisions of Cyanoprokaryota (22 % of the total number of species), Bacillariophyta (5 %), Ochrophyta (9 %), green algae (Chlorophyta) (61 %), Charophyta (3 %) were registered. The largest number of species are represented by green algae, which is typical for forest soils. A variety of Cyanoprokaryota species was noted in the soils of the town, which are characterized by lower acidity, increased content of exchangeable calcium, sodium, sulfur, and a lower content of total nitrogen compared to the background. In the studied forest stands on the territory of the town, the diversity of algae groupings was higher (the average number of species was 11.7) than in its surroundings (an average of 9.9 species). Composition and structure of algogroups of the studied forest soils of Usolʼe-Sibirskoe testifies to their preservation of common features characteristic of such soils of natural biogeocenoses. According to the number of species, the distribution of species in the departments, the soil algocomplex of forest stands in the town of Usolʼe-Sibirskoe and its surrounding territories is similar to those of other industrial centers of Irkutsk Oblast: Sayansk, Shelekhov, and Irkutsk.

The methodology for valuating regeneration and compensation cost and calculating the amount of damage in case of logging, damage, destruction of green stands, developed for agricultural and municipal lands in the territory of Beysky district of the Republic of Khakassia, is discussed. The replacement cost of green stands is determined per one tree / one bush and is determined by the formula S_v = C_sp × Kd_1.3. The transition from replacement cost to compensation cost is due to the need to take into account in the price of each tree or shrub being valued various aspects of their value. The compensation cost is calculated by applying correction factors to the replacement cost, such factors as their location, actual condition, environmental and social significance, and is determined by the formula S_kd = S_v × K_t × K_s × K_sez× N_d, where S_kd. In cases where green spaces simultaneously belong to different categories allocated to take into account their social and environmental significance, the maximum value of a similar coefficient is taken into account in cost calculations. The amount of damage caused by illegal logging and (or) destruction of green spaces is calculated at the amount of the compensation cost using the multiplying coefficient K_п = 5. cost of damaged green stand. Payment of the compensation cost of cut down green stands in case of forced demolition and damage in case of illegal logging, damage, destruction of green stands shall be credited to the budget of the municipal formation of Beysky district of the Republic of Khakassia.

The article for the first time deals with the issues of natural regeneration of the forest in blown sands - a kind of deserts of the northern taiga and forest-tundra of Western Siberia, which arose on the site of automorphic pine stands, destroyed by natural and technogenic impacts. During the reconnaissance survey of several blows, it was found, that the main factor hindering the natural regeneration of forests in these peculiar deserts of the North is the wind. In this regard, forest formation on them is carried out only in areas adjacent to the leeward side of the forest walls and in low places, as well as in voids between large-sized logging residues covered with sand.

Under natural conditions, soils of the active layer are open systems of varying composition, structure, and properties. However, in engineering projects, the values of thermal properties measured in laboratory on isolated samples of constant composition are used to describe their thermal state. To take into account the variability of the thermal properties of active layer soils under the influence of external factors, we propose a method for assessing the equivalent indicators of their volumetric heat capacity and thermal conductivity using a combined analysis of dynamics of soil temperature and heat fluxes based on long-term monitoring data. Monitoring of the heat flux and soil temperature has been carried out at two sites, one of which characterizing the area of seasonally freezing soils, and the other - the area of seasonally thawing permafrost-affected soils. A procedure for processing monitoring data is proposed, which makes it possible to determine the time-averaged effective values of the equivalent heat capacity and thermal conductivity. The proposed technique allows one to trace fluctuations of the equivalent heat capacity and thermal conductivity in time series against the background of changes in external factors of heat transfer in the active layer under natural conditions.

This article is devoted to generalizing the world experience of geographical expertise of regional digital development strategies to determine the advantages and disadvantages of emerging approaches. It is established that publications on the geographical expertise in national and supranational strategic documents related to the digital development of regions appeared only in the last decade and have not yet received any theoretical generalization in world science. The selection of publications on the subject under consideration was carried out by using the author’s semantic search algorithm based on the ideas of machine learning. Approximately two dozen journal articles were found in eight bibliographic databases. A comparison of the examination methodologies presented in available identified articles was carried out. Five approaches to identifying geographical contradictions and uncertainties in regional digital development strategies have been identified. According to the main method of expert examination, these approaches are called comparative geographical, cluster, convergent, geopolitical and limological. Nine strategies are listed, among which most publications are devoted to the European document «Digital Agenda». A brief definition is presented, examples of implementation are given, and the main advantage and several main disadvantages for each approach are indicated. It is shown that further research on the issues under consideration may be related to the elimination of the identified shortcomings, the development of new approaches, coverage of new strategies, the geographical verification of the simultaneous implementation of several strategies for the same group of regions, the adaptation of the methodology for identifying geographical contradictions and uncertainties in the digital development strategy of one country for the examination of the strategy of another country, the identification of spatial effects from the implementation of strategies, and the integration of all approaches into a single methodology of geographical expertise. The results can be used to adjust existing and develop new regional development strategies.

We suggest a method of assessing the presence of groups of years with low, medium and high discharges in the flow of major rivers in Asian Russia for a particular observing period. The river discharge was associated with a particular group of discharge by using its average long-term value. The years with discharges smaller than 0.95 or larger than 1.05 of its average long-term value were referred to low or high discharge rivers, respectively. The years with medium discharge included the values of discharge which varied from 0.95 to 1.05 of the average long-term value. It was found that the discharges of the eight major rivers of Asian Russia (Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Yana, Indigirka, Kolyma, Amur and Kamchatka) relatively often include groups of rivers with different discharges: low, medium and high. Most often the length of these groups varies from two to five years. However, the runoff of the Amur river showed groups of low and high discharges with a length of 10 years. The discharge of the Indigirka river showed one group with a length of nine years. The proportion of groups with a length of one year, which are not included in groups of years of different discharges, with respect to the total number of years made up: Ob - 23,5 %, Yenisei - 45, Lena - 43, Yana - 28,8, Indigirka - 26,7, Kolyma - 30,2, Amur - 38,7, and Kamchatka - 36,1 %. The probability change of years with a particular discharge for other discharges was assessed. It is established that in the runoff of the rivers of Asian Russia the probabilities for years with low and high discharges only to persist are the highest.

A study of the problems of transport and energy components in the costs of the economy of Siberia and the Far East is presented. The influence of geographical factors on the production costs of enterprises in the subjects of the Russian Federation located on the territory of the macroregions: Siberia and the Far East is analyzed. Huge spaces and infrastructurally undeveloped distances derived from them, and extreme temperature conditions for most of the year make it fundamentally important to assess the transport, communication and energy components of economic activity in these macroregions. Territorial differences in transport and fuel and energy costs in the Siberian and Far Eastern subjects of the Russian Federation are considered. Since these items of expenditure are derived from climate and geographical location, together they are considered as the main component of geographical costs. A calculation was carried out both in the fractional and in the specific dimension, followed by the integration of the resulting values in the form of an index from 0 to 3. For the spatial analysis of the integral index and its terms, a series of maps was compiled. It is established that the geographical location and specialization of the region affect both the total share of energy costs (its fuel and electricity components) and transport in total production costs, and their structure. The types of transport and energy cost combinations are highlighted: absolutely extreme; fuel increased, high and extreme; electric high and extreme, and transport high and extreme. The approach presented in this study can be used to optimize the siting of productive forces in Asian Russia.

The problem of significant territorial differentiation of the demographic rates in Siberian regions is considered. The relevance of the topic is determined by significant interregional disparities in socio-economical development, and in the level and quality of life of the population of the Siberian macroregion. The socio-demographic potential was evaluated by using different statistical rates of population reproduction. The rating of 16 regions of Siberia was formed according to 10 demographic rates, on the basis of which the grouping of the Siberian territory by favorableness of the socio-demographical potential was prepared. Significant territorial disparities in the coefficients of natural and migration growth, infant mortality, demographic loads, average age, and the proportion of men and women in the structure of population were revealed. The northern Siberian resource regions with attractive economic conditions for the population were given the rate of “favorable”: Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug - Ugra, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Tyumen oblast, and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The group with the rate of “conditionally favorable” includes the regions with similar demographic processes: the Republics of Tyva, Buryatia and Altai. The regions with a low level of quality of life and natural and migration decrease of population received the rate of “unfavorable”: Kemerovo oblast, Altai krai, and Omsk oblast. A relationship between the identified types of population reproduction and the rate of demographic potential of the Siberian territory was revealed and cartographically visualized. It was established that the territories occupied by indigenous peoples are characterized by a significant role played in the population reproduction by specific features of demographic behavior: lower percentage of divorces, younger age of mothers giving birth to the first children, and the orientation toward families. It is concluded that economic factors, such as the size of salary and regional domestic product, are basic for forming the territorial disparities of the socio-demographic potential of Siberia.