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This article provides the description and maping of landscape complexes in Davsha Bay (Barguzin nature reserve) and an assessment of their disturbance caused by anthropogenic and pyrogenic factors. The landscape map chart of the territory was obtained by using Landsat images and an automatic classification by the method of maximum likelihood as well as the method of factoral-dynamic classification. As a result, we singled out four classes and ten groups of facies pertaining to the mountain-taiga Baikal-Dzhugdzhur and southern-Siberian classes of geoms. On southern and southwestern slopes of the second Baikal terrace there occur mixed forests of common pine, drooping birch, Siberian stone pine and larch on podzol soils. The western slopes and the first Baikal planation terrace are covered by low-quality larch forests characteristic for the pseudo-subgoletz subbelt as well as by Siberian stone pine-larch forests on poor sod-podzol soils. In conditions of sufficient humidity and well-drained soils on the steep north-western slopes and in the flat-interfluve portion of the ridges of capes there occurs a true dark-coniferous taiga of Siberian stone pine with the inclusion of Siberian fir and a mature shrub layer on burozem soils. The overwash zone is occupied by psammosteppes with the inclusion of plant species registered in the Red Data Book. In the surroundings of the village of Davsha, the 1961 and 2015 crown and ground fires damaged, to a different extent, pine and Siberian stone pine-larch forests in the northern part of the bay. Numerical scores of landscapes, the construction of the matrix and identification of the zones of possibilities and limitations of infrastructuring the various classes of trains showed the transport and engineering advantages of the creation of ecotrails of class 2 (hiking) and 3 (walking). With an increase in the flow of visitors within the village of Davsha, it is suggested that the class of trails should be increased from 3 (walking) to 4 (excursion) in order to decrease the anthropogenic impact.

Results from studying 13 lithological cores from the Kaliningrad Bay of the Baltic Sea are presented. In the cores, the textural features, the grain-size distribution of sediments, the natural moisture, the content of organic matter and vivianite mineral were determined. The study revealed a pattern characteristic of all cores concerning changes in the grain-size distribution of sediments in the depth of their occurrence: in the upper part (to a depth of 32-65 cm), there occur sandy (0.25-0.063 mm) sediments underlain by homogeneous, organic-rich silts (less than 0.063 mm) of olive shades. Changes in the other parameters were also observed in approximately the same layers. Thus, the organic matter content in the upper (0-65 cm) layer averages 6 %, and in the deeper silty sediments, 29 %. Moisture values in the upper layer vary from 45 to 90 %, in the lower - from 90 to 185 %. Formations of the vivianite mineral occur exclusively in the lower layers of sediments. Based on the identified changes in the sedimentary layer, two lithostratigraphic divisions are distinguished: the lower (I) and upper (II) members corresponding to different stages of sedimentation. The lower member formed during the period of predominance of the river flow and is composed of plastic, olive-colored silts identified as “sapropel formations”. They are classified as a mineralized type of sapropel with an ash content of 70 to 87 %. The thickness of the sapropel layer averages about 1 m. Sapropel formations were identified in all columns, which suggests that they have a large distribution in the sedimentary layer.

This article analyzes the modern agro-climatic potential of the Karachai-Cherkess Republic for the period from 1961 to 2020. It was found that the climate changes observed over 60 years within the flat temperate semi-humid and semi-arid landscapes contribute to an increase in agricultural productivity by improving the conditions of heat and moisture supply: the annual air temperature increased by 0.7 °C, the duration of the calendar period with an average daily air temperature exceeding 5 °C increased by 19 days, the sum of active temperatures increased by 7 %, and precipitation increased by 10 %. Accordingly, this suggests an improvement of the conditions for the growth and development of agricultural crops. Mountain landscapes with absolute altitudes of up to 2000 m show a rise of annual air temperature by 0.6-0.7 °C and of the precipitation amount by 5-11 %; as a result, an increase of the hydrothermal coefficient and humidity factor occurs. Noteworthy also is a tendency toward the softening of winters as well as an increase in average July temperature. Thus the mountain landscapes with absolute altitudes of up to 2000 m are facing favorable conditions for the growth and development of agricultural crops. In mountain landscapes with absolute altitudes (heights) over 2000 m, an increase in annual temperature by 0.4-0.7 °C is noted. A tendency toward milder winters and an increase in average July temperature in these landscapes are also observed; however, these landscapes show a deterioration in the conditions of moisture supply due to a decrease in precipitation and moisture indicators, such as the hydrothermal coefficient and the humidity factor; accordingly, there is taking place a deterioration of agro-climatic conditions.

An analysis is made of the development potential of various types of alternative energy in the steppe zone of Russia, one of the most promising territories in this regard. It is established that solar, wind and bioenergy and, in some cases, their exploitation are more profitable commercially as compared to the use of traditional energy sources. It is found that at the present time in the steppe zone of Russia (without steppes of Eastern Siberia), the share of alternative energy sources is becoming increasingly more significant. Its growth rate increases simultaneously with the interest of the regions in switching to environmentally adaptive energy supply systems. However, the industry is developing very unevenly and depends not only on natural factors, but also on economic and economic factors. The leading regions (Orenburg oblast and Krasnodar krai) and lagging regions (Voronezh, Novosibirsk and Chelyabinsk oblasts in which alternative energy and plans for its development are absent) were identified by analyzing the current state of the sector according to the level of development of alternative energy. The study also addresses the issues of further development of the industry and provides a forecast for each region. As a result, it was established that Krasnodar krai, Orenburg oblast and the Republic of Kalmykia will have a higher level of alternative energy development than the other regions of the Russian steppe zone. The results obtained are of practical interest for planning the development of alternative energy, substantiating investment policy, improving infrastructure development of the territory, and using natural resources in the regions of the Russian steppe zone.

For the first time, we provide a generalized description of the modern geomorphological structure - the landscapes of the Amut depression as one of the elements of the rift system of Northeastern Cisbaikalia. The main features in the relief formation of the depression are outlined, and the principal factors are determined. The study revealed a predominance of fluvial, lacustrine and cryogenic processes in the modern morphogenesis of the depression. Emphasis is placed on the study of the lakes. Modern methods of bathymetric surveys were used to determine the main parameters of the depressions of the major lakes in the depression: Amut, Malan-Zurkhen, Balan-Tamur and Churikto. It is established that ancient glaciers and tectonic movements were involved in the formation and configuration of the lake depressions. The current configuration of the coastal zone depends on the geological structure in which a special role is played by thermoabrasion and thermodenudation. Due to the fact that the study territory lies within the Dzherginskii State Nature Reserve with its principal mission to preserve natural systems, landscape investigations were carried out. A medium-scale map of the depression was compiled; it is based on Academician V.B. Sochava’s concept of geosystems with the use of classical methods of studying vegetation cover complemented with images taken by an unmanned flying vehicle, and with Earth remote sensing data. The salient features of the current status of the landscapes in the study area are highlighted. The main role in the structure of the landscapes is played by mountain-taiga and mountain-depression larch geosystems with mature moss-lichen cover. At higher hypsometric levels the area increases, which is occupied by subshrub-lichen sparse larch communities.

A geobotanical, soil and biostratigraphic study of the small islands of the Eugenie Archipelago was carried out. An assessment of the current state of their ecosystems has been made. The main factors determining the composition, structure, diversity and dynamics of soil and vegetation cover in the Holocene were multidirectional climatic fluctuations associated with variations in insolation which led to a restructuring of the atmospheric circulation and sea waters, and to sea level fluctuations. It is found that in warm epochs, forest cover increased, and broad-leaved forests with a rich diversity of species were dominant, whereas in cold phases tree vegetation became more sparse, with birch and alder predominating in its composition, and the share of broad-leaved species was greatly reduced. The anthropogenic impact was manifested in the appearance of weeds, the passage of fires, and the development of erosion and turbidity of the soil cover. The modern vegetation cover of the studied small islands of the Eugenie Archipelago consists of anthropogenically altered low-growing broad-leaved shrub-forb forests with lianas, shrub-subshrub phytocenoses, halophytic vegetation of beaches and petrophytic vegetation of coastal rocks. The soil cover is represented by zonal soils: brown soils, mainly with a thin and strongly skeletal profile. It was found that the main differences between the vegetation cover of the small islands of the archipelago and that of the large ones are: the dominance of grass and shrub vegetation, in particular, thickets of Gmelin wormwood and low forests due to the constant influence of winds. At the same time, conditions are created for the active development of humus formation and illuvial-humus processes, which ensures the formation of a deeply humified soil profile. The small area of the islands and the flattened relief determine more seaward conditions, which is reflected in the composition of plant communities, in the distribution of halophytic groups in the overwash zone, shrub-subshrub communities with shrub linden in the windward areas. A protected species of Japanese yew occurs only singly on the less accessible of the Pakhtusov Islands. Due to a significant share of forest vegetation, the lichen cover is dominated by epiphytic lichens; there occur epilithic species typical for open ecotopes on rocky outcrops, and halophytic species in the overwash zone.

Results from studying socio-demographic security of the regions of the Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts are presented. It is shown that most of the subjects forming part of the regions, according to the integral indicator, are steadily located at the level of tension. Two regions: the Republic of Tyva and the Jewish Autonomous Oblast - during the study period (2000-2019) belonged to the zone with a crisis level. Among the main threats affecting the decrease in the security indicator are low life expectancy, low birth rate, population migration, low per capita incomes of the population, and high crime. It was found that, according to separate indicators, among the regions of the Siberian and Far Eastern Districts, there is some differentiation that changes over time. According to the life expectancy indicator in 2019, a crisis level of security was recorded in 19 out of 21 subjects, slightly higher than a critical indicator of Tomsk oblast and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). A stably crisis level of security of the regions in terms of the birth rate was observed in Altai, Kamchatka, Primorskii and Khabarovsk krais and in Kemerovo, Amur and Magadan oblasts. According to this indicator, the Republic of Tyva is in the zone with the level of well-being. In terms of the indicator of personal security, the Jewish Autonomous Oblast, Amur and Magadan oblasts and the Republic of Tyva are in the crisis zone, where as the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Chukotka Autonomous Okrug and Omsk oblast are in the zone of stability. It is determined that one of the chief reasons for migration from the eastern regions is a significant differentiation of the per capita incomes; therefore, Republic of Tuva, Altai, the Jewish Autonomous Oblast Region and the Zabaikalskii krai have long occupied the leading positions according to this indicator.

An analysis of the HBV hydrological model parameters values and a comparison of the modelling efficiency have been made for small experimental mountain catchments located in the upper reaches of the Ussuri river (Primorskii krai, Russia). For each catchment the model was calibrated for individual years and, after that, for the entire observing period. The sets of parameters obtained were used in calculations based on independent data for periods not included in the interval of parameters optimization. A calibration of the model showed that an optimal set of the parameters values for one year can differ greatly from the parameters for another year within a single catchment. Appropriate values of the modeling efficiency for the entire observations period are provided with using sets of parameters calibrated for seasons with high floods caused by heavy rainfall. The periods of low and medium water flow are characterized by relatively high errors in calculating the water runoff, which decreases the overall efficiency and reliability of results in modeling the entire period of data availability. It is shown that for the simulation of a high runoff by the HBV model, it is sufficient to have two or three years of instrumental observations including measurements of one or two significant flood events. A formal transfer of model parameters from one small catchment to nearby similar objects is only possible for assessments of rainfall floods characteristics. In other cases, such an approach leads to an inappropriate structure of the model water balance components and causes errors in runoff calculations.

With an increase in energy consumption, more and more attention is being paid to nontraditional energy, including natural resources of thermal springs. Along with the problems of using thermal waters, their search is an important task. The experience of analyzing maps of plastic relief for the detection of thermal springs, obtained by using the example of the south of Kamchatka, is presented. Linear and ring-shaped zones of tension of the Earth’s crust were identified according to the maps of the relief plasticity. Of particular interest are the intersections of linear and ring structures. There arise zones of increased fracturing of rocks, within which active and extinct volcanoes and thermal springs are located. A map of promising sites is presented, the development of which in the near future will make it possible to solve the problems of energy consumption in an environmentally safe way, expand the geography of tourism and spa balneology. This will give an impetus to the development of the entire region as a whole. The experience of analyzing relief plastic maps in order to detect thermal springs can be applied throughout Russia in the future, including when searching for ore deposits.

The problem of forest degradation caused by high growth rates of population is considered by using the Anuppur District (India) as an example. It is shown that the study area is faced with a significant reduction in the forest area due to a rapid population increase and an enhancement of economic activities. In 1981, the area occupied by forests in Anuppur was estimated at 129 885 ha (the area of the district totaling 374 671 ha), whereas it decreased to 76 448 ha in 2011. For the same period the population increased from 418 731 to 749 237. We identified a feedback between the population and the status of forests in the study area. Many kinds of economic activities (agriculture, construction of settlements, motor roads and railroads, engineering structures, development of mineral resources in the forest zone, etc.) are carried out in an unsupervised manner, which leads to a reduction of forest areas, loss of biodiversity of forest ecosystems, and to other ecological problems. Recommendations are made for improvement of forest management in order to increase sustainability of forest ecosystems as well as to meet the needs of the economy and population of the district for various forest resources.