Архив рубрики: News

NATURE COMPLEXES OF THE ARSHAN-ZELMEN WATER RESERVOIR COAST

Ecology and dynamics Опубликовано автором

Ulanova S.S., Fedorova N.L., Bembeeyeva О.G., Dzhambinov V.Е., Chetyrev L.P. Nature Complexes of the Arshan-Zelmen Water Reservoir Coast // Ecosystems: ecology and dynamics. No 1. 2025. P. 5-34. | Abstract | PDF | Reference

 

 

In the Republic of Kalmykia, water reservoirs were created in the 1930s-1950s. However, their hydrological regimes, water quality, methods of use and surrounding landscapes have undergone massive changes since then. Unfortunately, no studies have been carried out to show specific changes in the quality of water and territories adjacent to the reservoirs that take place due to their creation and use. There is also an absence of studies on the current state of natural complexes along the coasts of reservoirs, as well as transformation of various components of their ecosystems (e.g. vegetation, soils, relief and biota). Therefore, the goal of our work was to characterize the current state of natural complexes on the coast of the Arshan-Zelmen water reservoir. In this study, we decided to identify and characterize the current state and changes in various indicators of the reservoir, such as the area of its water surface, mineralization of its water, features of its structural organization and functioning of ecotone systems on its coast based on the monitoring studies of 2001-2023. We used modern methods of landscape and ecological research, geobotanical indication, topological profiling, statistical processing, geoinformation technologies with the use of relevant materials of space imagery, and methods of the ecotone concept created by V.S. Zaletaev (1997). Analysis of the average long-term values of the water surface area for 1990-2023, carried out on the basis of remote sensing imagery, showed a threefold decrease in the size of the reservoir. The minimum and maximum levels of the reservoir were 25.0 m in 2021, and 29.6 m in 1990, while the maximum level change during the study period was 4.6 m. Since the creation of the reservoir, the mineralization of its surface waters had gradually increased from 2.4 g/dm3 in the 1980s to 9.4-21.72 g/dm3 in the spring of 2022, and then to 14.9-68.62 g/dm3 in the autumn of 2022. With its mineralization increasing in 2001-2017, the reservoir lost its irrigation purpose, and was used for large and small cattle until 2019. With a further salinity increase (to the level of brine) in 2020-2022, the use of this reservoir ceased completely. We revealed some features of the structural and functional organization of ecotone systems on the coast of the reservoir based on the monitoring of 2001-2023 that showed that there were targeted changes in the blocks of ecotone systems: the fluctuation block expanded up to 150 m due to shallowing; in the fluctuation and dynamic blocks, the mineralization of surface water and groundwater increased by 2.5-4 times, the abundance of halophytes and weeds increased as well. Groundwater in the ecotone zone is fed by the reservoir, as evidenced by groundwater running the deeper the further it flows from the reservoir’s rim, and by its increasing mineralization. Our study has shown that profound changes occurred in the Arshan-Zelmen reservoir and the surrounding landscapes when its water level dropped by 4.6 m.

Keywords: artificial water reservoirs, arid zone, Republic of Kalmykia, Arshan-Zelmen water reservoir, area, water mineralization, water–land ecotone systems.

DOI: 10.24412/2542-2006-2025-1-5-34

EDN: EIJLLO

ASSESSMENT OF GROUNDWATER PROTECTION AND VULNERABILITY IN THE LENA RIVER BASIN, THE REPUBLIC OF SAKHA (YAKUTIA)

Ecology and dynamics Опубликовано автором

Belousova A.P., Oboturov A.S., Rudenko E.E. Assessment of Groundwater Protection and Vulnerability in the Lena River Basin, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) // Ecosystems: ecology and dynamics. No 1. 2025. P. 59-81. | Abstract | PDF | Reference

 

For the first time, the methodology of small-scale (1:5 000 000) assessment of the protection and vulnerability of groundwater was applied in the Lena River Basin in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The already developed approach has been improved in order to apply it to an understudied and both geologically and landscape difficult area that mostly consisted of a cryolithozone.

To create a map of protection level, the following temporary maps were compiled: map of aeration zone, map of soil sorption capacity, map of protection zone, and map of active soil layer capacity. To create a map of the resulting vulnerability for the most industrially developed part of the Neryungrinsky District, we assessed a potential hazard to environment posed by the polluted groundwater of 4 wells that were part of the state monitoring network. Using mercury as an example, we showed that this indicator could change significantly and reach its highest values due to a large weight coefficient and inaccurate determination of water elements that characterize the 1st class of hazard. Despite our studies being observational and lacking quantitative assessments, its results indicate that the groundwater of the Lena River basin requires protection due to the increasing anthropogenic pressure associated with mining.

Funding. This work was carried out as part of the scientific program of the Water Problems Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, project No. FMWZ-2025-0002.

Keywords: groundwater, protection, vulnerability, protection zone, aeration zone, active layer.

DOI: 10.24412/2542-2006-2025-1-59-81

EDN: MZBZRS

ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES OF BOREAL FORESTS IN THE ADSORPTION OF GREENHOUSE GASES AND IN ADAPTATION TO GLOBAL WARMING (TO THE PARIS AGREEMENT ON CLIMATE CHANGE)

Ecology and dynamics Опубликовано автором

Kolomyts E.G. Ecological Resources of Boreal Forests in the Adsorption of Greenhouse Gases and in Adaptation to Global Warming (to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change) // Ecosystems: ecology and dynamics. No 1. 2025. P. 82-113. | Abstract | PDF | Reference

 

One of the most important ways to achieve the goals stipulated by the Paris Agreement (2015) on climate change is to solve a two-fold task: 1) the adsorption of CO2 by the forest communities from the atmosphere during global warming, 2) their adaptation to these climate changes, which should ensure the effectiveness of adsorption itself. Report presents the regional experience of the numerical solution of this task. Calculations of the carbon balance of forests in the Oka–Volga River Basin were carried out for global forecasts of moderate and extreme warming. The proposed index of labile elastic-plastic stability of forest ecosystems, which characterizes their succession-restorative potential, was used as an indicator of adaptation. A numerical experiment was conducted to assess the effect of the elastic-plastic stability of forest formations and the predicted climatic conditions on the carbon balance. In the upcoming 100-year forecast period, the overall stability of forest formations should increase, and to the greatest extent with extreme warming. Accordingly, one should expect a significant increase in the ability of boreal forests to ab-sorb greenhouse gases. It is determined unambiguous picture of a significant increase in the adsorption capacity of boreal forests with a rise in their regenerative potential.

Funding. This research was funded by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, grant No. 18-05-00024-а.

Keywords: forest ecosystems, global warming, adsorption of greenhouse gases, adaptation of the forests to the climate change, predictive empirical-statistical modeling.

DOI: 10.24412/2542-2006-2025-1-82-113

EDN: SJOGSL

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF РLANKTON AT ALBATROS AND FOROS STATIONS IN CRIMEA IN JANUARY 2024 AND 2025: OIL SPILL IN THE KERCH STRAIT

Ecology and dynamics Опубликовано автором

Shemetova D.V., Savitsky M.A., Rozhdestvenskaya I.A., Bragina A.A., Kuznetsov A.V. Comparative Study of Рlankton at Albatros and Foros Stations in Crimea in January 2024 and 2025: Oil Spill in the Kerch Strait // Ecosystems: ecology and dynamics. No 1. 2025. P. 114-122. | Abstract | PDF | Reference

 

In this paper we present a comparative study of plankton organisms at Albatros and Foros Stations in Crimea in January 2024 and 2025. Our research was conducted before and after an industrial disaster that occurred on December 15, 2024, when the fuel tankers “Volgoneft-212” and “Volgoneft-239” sank in the Kerch Strait, resulting in the discharge of approximately 2,400 tons of oil into the sea. The monitoring of microphytoplankton was carried out as part of the project “Ecology of the Heraklion Peninsula – Sirius.Summer” (Rus. “Экология Гераклейского полуострова – Сириус.Лето”). We sampled plankton using sequential filtration and performed its microscopic analyses. As a result, we observed a decrease in the biodiversity of planktonic organisms, particularly at the Foros Station, which is located closer to the spill epicenter. Distribution diagrams indicated a significant reduction in the number of morphotypes post-incident. The observed changes in community structure are presumably linked to the detrimental effects of anthropogenic pollution. These findings underscore the importance of continued monitoring of marine ecosystems to assess the dynamics of recovery processes and to formulate conservation strategies.

Keywords: Kerch Strait, industrial disaster, plankton, biodiversity, ecosystem, anthropogenic pollution.

Funding: The work was carried out using personal funds for the project task ‘Ecology of the Heraclea Peninsula and its Surroundings’ as part of the All-Russian educational initiative “Sirius.Summer: Start Your Project.”

DOI: 10.24412/2542-2006-2025-1-114-122

EDN: YJLBFE