Murmansk Oblast Research Articles

Czynniki rozwoju turystyki przygranicznej na rosyjsko-fińskim pograniczu = Factors underpinning the development of tourism in Russian-Finnish borderland areas

In line with the observation that tourism is becoming a key element of economic development in border regions, the author describes an approach to a specific form characteristic of border regions alone, i.e. cross-border tourism and its role as a factor in the development of regional and local economies. Cross-border tourism gains presentation here in relation to the mobility of tourists (with differing purposes) between neighbouring border regions of the Russian Federation and Finland, with no account taken, however, of the development and functioning of the tourist system overall. The aim has thus been to seek to substantiate the importance of the development of cross-border tourism in the socio-economic development of the Russian-Finnish borderland. In its several parts, this article focuses first on theoretical and practical developments of Russian and foreign academic thinking as regards the development of cross-border tourism. A second part then reveals (and looks for structure among) factors influencing the nature and dynamics of cross-border tourism development in the Russian-Finnish borderland. The role of these factors in the phenomenon’s development is identified. Empirical data are then used in a third part identifying features and general trends, with the stimulation of cross-border tourism considered a direction of importance in the development of border regions either side of the state border under study. Given the positive effect of cross-border trade on the development of Finnish border regions, it would seem crucial that Finnish tourists should be attracted to the Russian border area. Finally, the significance of the development of cross-border tourism in the Russian-Finnish borderland is deliberated, where the area in question is taken to encompass Murmansk Oblast, the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in Russia, as well as Finnish Lapland, Northern Ostrobothnia, Kainuu, North Karelia, South Karelia and Kymenlaakso. Median indices are calculated. The outcomes of the research are regarded as of both academic and practical significance to the development of cross-border tourism, seen academically and from the point of view of both regional and municipal authorities and representatives of the tourist industry.

Arthrinium caricicola . [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria

Abstract A description is provided for Arthrinium caricicola , a saprobe on dry, often bleached, dead leaves, often in the litter. Some information on its associated organisms and substrata, habitat, dispersal and transmission, and conservation status is given, along with details of its geographical distribution (Africa (South Africa), North America (USA (Pennsylvania)), Asia (India (Maharashtra), Russia (Krasnoyarsk Krai)), Caribbean (Trinidad and Trobago), Europe (Austria, Belarus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia (Leningrad Oblast, Murmansk Oblast, Pskov Oblast, Republic of Komi, Yaroslavl Oblast), Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK)).

Estimation of Available Wave Energy in the Barents Sea

The purpose of this research is to estimate the energy potential of the Barents Sea based on numerical modeling of the wave energy over a long period of time from 1979 to 2010. Using the WaveWatchIII wave model, the wave energy flux in the open part and in the coastal zone of the Barents Sea has been calculated. The calculations are based on the data of the NCEP/CFSR reanalysis with spatial resolution of 0.3°. The calculations were performed on a unstructured grid, which has high spatial resolution at the shore (200–500 m). The long-term average annual significant wave height1 varies from 1.5–2.0 m for the open part of the Barents Sea to 1.0–1.5 m in the coastal zone of Murmansk oblast. The long-term average annual wave energy flux varies from 15–20 kW/m for the open part of the Barents Sea to 5–10 kW/m in the coastal zone of Murmansk region. The probability of exceedance of wave energy of more than 1 kW/m is 80–90% for the open part of the sea and 70–75% at the northeastern coast of the Rybachy Peninsula. To the east and west of the peninsula, this figure decreases significantly. Near the village of Teriberka, the probability of exceedance of the wave energy is 65–70%. The probability of exceedance of energy of more than 5 kW/m is 50–60% in the open sea and it does not exceed 35% in the coastal zone. The average probability of exceedance of the wave energy is subject to seasonal fluctuations. Thus, in the coastal zone, the probability of exceedance of energy of 1 kW/m is approximately 90% in the winter months and it does not exceed 50% in summer. The obtained results can be applied to designing a wave power station in the Barents Sea.

Changes in the Degree of Contamination of Organic Horizons of Al–Fe-Humus Podzols upon a Decrease in Aerotechnogenic Loads, the Kola Peninsula

Contamination levels of the organic horizon of Al–Fe-humus podzols (Albic Rustic Podzols) in the zone affected by atmospheric emissions of the Severonikel smelter (Murmansk oblast) within a 20-yearlong period are compared. The spatiotemporal changes in the total content of heavy metals in the soils in response to a decrease in aerotechnogenic loads have a complicated pattern. As the content of heavy metals in the soils varies widely, the correlation between their amount in the organic soil horizon and the distance from the contamination source is absent. In response to the ninefold decrease in the amount of atmospheric emission of Ni compounds, the bulk content of Ni in the organic horizons of podzols reliably decreased by 2.5 times. The threefold decrease in the emission of Cu compounds proved to be insufficient for a significant decrease in the Cu content in the soils. In 2016, the content of heavy metals in some sampling points even increased in comparison with the earlier periods. The Ni-to-Cu ratio in the soil samples changed significantly. In 1989–1994, bulk forms of heavy metals in the soil samples formed the sequence Ni > Cu > Co; in 2016, it changed to Cu > Ni > Co, which corresponds to the proportions of these metals in the aerial emissions. Under conditions of the continuous input of heavy metals from the atmosphere, the contamination of the organic horizons of podzols with heavy metals remains at the high or very high levels.

Assessment of Soil Water Composition in the Northern Taiga Coniferous Forests of Background Territories in the Industrially Developed Region

The composition of soil water under coniferous forests of Murmansk oblast—an industrially developed region of northern Russia—was investigated. The studied objects were dwarf-shrub–green-moss spruce forests and dwarf-shrub–lichen pine forests on Al-Fe-humus podzols (Albic Rustic Podzols) that are widespread in the boreal zone. The concentrations and removal of organic carbon performing the most important biogeochemical and pedogenic functions were estimated. The results proved significant intra- and inter-biogeocenotic variability in the composition of atmospheric depositions and soil water. Carbon removal with soil water from organic and mineral horizons within elementary biogeoareas (EBGA) under tree crowns was 2–5 and 2–3 times (in some cases, up to 10 times) greater than that in the intercrown areas, respectively. The lowest critical level of mineral nitrogen (0.2 mg/L) was, as a rule, exceeded in tree EBGAs contrary to intercrown areas. Concentrations of sulfates and heavy metals in water of tree EBGA were 3–5 times greater than those in inter-crown areas. Significant inter-biogeocenotic variations related to differences in the height of trees and tree stand density were found. It is argued that adequate characterization of biochemical cycles and assessment of critical levels of components in soil water of forest ecosystems should be performed with due account for the intra- and inter-biogeocenotic variability.

Marine Spatial Planning: Possibilities for maritime areas and adjacent waters of the Murmansk Oblast

Marine Spatial Planning: Possibilities for maritime areas and adjacent waters of the Murmansk Oblast

ПРОСТРАНСТВЕННОЕ ВАРЬИРОВАНИЕ СОДЕРЖАНИЯ ВТОРИЧНЫХ МЕТАБОЛИТОВ, УГЛЕРОДА И АЗОТА В ПОДСТИЛКАХ СЕВЕРОТАЕЖНЫХ ЕЛЬНИКОВ*, "Лесоведение"

ПРОСТРАНСТВЕННОЕ ВАРЬИРОВАНИЕ СОДЕРЖАНИЯ ВТОРИЧНЫХ МЕТАБОЛИТОВ, УГЛЕРОДА И АЗОТА В ПОДСТИЛКАХ СЕВЕРОТАЕЖНЫХ ЕЛЬНИКОВ*, "Лесоведение"

Classification and Mapping of Coenotic Diversity of Forests

The proposed approach to the study of regularities of spatial variability of plant cover and to mapping forest vegetation is illustrated by the example of European Russia. It is shown that remote sensing and GIS technologies require particular standards of plant cover classification and reflection in maps. The given principles of classification and compilation of explications for maps of forest cover enable an assessment of its status and dynamics and a comparison of materials of different scales. We use the ecological–phytocoenotic approach to classifying forest vegetation. The specified units correspond to the categories of the main classifications of plant cover used in Russian geobotanics. In our classification, we have verified some parameters and the semantics of the mapped units, using satellite images, for their definite identification and interpretation. The elaborated approach to the classification and mapping of forest cover is applied for the study of the diversity of spruce forests under different climatic conditions in two regions, where they occupy about 20% of the total area. The first example characterizes the northern taiga subzone of forests of eastern Fennoscandia in the center of Murmansk oblast, and the second one represents the subzone of broad-leaved–coniferous forest in the southwest of Moscow oblast.

Taxonomic composition and trophic structure of benthic fauna in rocky rapids and riffles in rivers of the Republic of Karelia and Murmansk Oblast

The composition of bottom invertebrates in rocky rapids and riffles in rivers of the White, Barents, and Baltic seas in the territory of Eastern Fennoscandia is presented and analyzed. A total of 114 species (137 taxa of different ranks) have been identified. Most of them have Euro-Siberian (44%) and Palaearctic (36%) distribution. Regarding the feeding mode, collector–gatherers (32%) and collector–filterers (25%) dominate among trophic groups. Differences in the composition of zoobenthos between the southern and northern parts of the region can be explained not by the fauna genesis, but by latitudinal zoning.

Fate and scientific path of the archaeologist Vladimir Ivanovich Timofeyev (14.06.1947-08.08.2004)

Born in the Murmansk Oblast, Vladimir Ivanovich Timofeyev lived a short but bright and creative life full of scientific research and achievements. As far as studying at the department of Archaeology of Leningrad State University, he chose the Holocene Stone Age as the topic for his research, to which he remained faithful up to the end of life. Working his way up from a laboratory assistant to the head of the Paleolithic Department of Leningrad Institute of Archaeology within the Academy of Science USSR-Institute for the Material Culture History of Russian Academy of Sciences, he proved himself as a purposeful, highly educated specialist who had extensive knowledge in field research, scientific methods and archaeological theory. Excellent memory, analytical abilities and diligence of Vladimir Ivanovich were noted by all colleagues and friends, both Russian and foreign ones, during expeditions and at conferences. The deserved recognition of Vladimir Ivanovich as the greatest expert of the Neolithic Age is unquestionable and it was about to be developed in doctoral thesis. Full sections of this work were discussed many times at the meetings of the Paleolithic Department and the Academic Council of Institute for the Material Culture and always received the highest appreciation. Unfortunately, a tragic accident cut short the life path of a first-class archaeologist and Vladimir Ivanovich Timofeevs extensive final research devoted to a wide range of Neolithic problems was never completed. Almost 13 years have elapsed since the untimely passing of this talented scientist but the bitterness of loss does not become weaker.

Influence of emission from copper–nickel smelters on the chemical composition of lake water: Acidification forecast

The influence of the emission of sulfur dioxide and solid substances from Pechenganickel and Severonickel copper–nickel combines (Murmansk oblast) on the chemical compositions of lake water and the development of acidification is analyzed. The temporal dynamics of ∼100 lakes, studied in 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2009, and the response of the chemical composition of the lake water to the impact of acid-forming substances depending on the load level (the distance of combines), geologically controlled sensitivity of catchment areas of the lakes studied to acid deposition, and the lake areas is discussed. The likely further changes in sulfate concentration and pH value in the lake water under the scenarios of increase/decrease of sulfur dioxide emissions from smelter are estimated.

Nanostructured Zirconia Ceramic Based on Baddeleyite Domestic Raw

The relationship between synthesis conditions, structure, and properties of baddeleyite-based engineering nanostructured zirconia ceramics is studied in this work. Mined at the Kovdor beneficiation plant (Murmansk oblast), baddeleyite is a domestic material that is much cheaper when compared to its analogue, synthetic ZrO2, conveniently used in the production of zirconia ceramics. Zirconia ceramic with a grain size of 100–150 nm and a relative density of above 99% is fabricated, wherein a high hardness (13.3 GPa) and a fracture toughness (13.2 MPa m0.5) are combined.

Health, indigenous food security and social politics in the Arctic region (with the special focus on Murmansk oblast )

Social policy is directly concerned with food security issues, and the task to improve nutrition and related population health assumes increased importance given the context of Arctic globalization. It is obvious that Arctic social policies in term of food security should be distinguished from the "non-Arctic" one, and focused on identifying, assessing, monitoring and easing, if not completely eliminating the harmful impact of the risks involved. However, most studies on the subject, have focused mainly on the problem of small indigenous minorities (“indigenous food security”), meanwhile the food security issues of newcomers and, later, rooted population were not studied in such detail. Geographically, the survey covers the area of the Murmansk region, since it is fully integrated into the Arcticzone of the Russian Federation and has a number of features that distinguish it from other regions. The study was designed to identify the various risks and threats to the health of the population of the Murmansk region. The various factors that are directly related to the manner, style and quality of nutrition (as well as the “weight” of these groups of factors in human life quality in the North) have been identified. It is evident the food security is important factor tightly connected with the human life quality in the Arctic.

Seasonal effects in different components of secondary cosmic rays

The Polar Geophysical Institute continuously monitors different components of secondary cosmic rays (soft gamma radiation in the range of 20–5000 keV, charged particles of 5–7 MeV, and the neutron component) at two stations: Apatity (Murmansk oblast) and Barentsburg (Spitsbergen Archipelago). The relation between annual variations in the registered secondary components of cosmic rays and seasonal meteorological cconditions, and the thickness of the ice cover in particular, is considered in this work. There is a clear correlation between the thickness of the ice cover and the soft gamma radiation flow received by the detector from the upper hemisphere. A mechanism that qualitatively explains these variations is proposed.

THE STRATEGY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF MARINE MEDICINE ACCORDING TO THE PRINCIPAL ARCTIC REGIONAL DIRECTION OF THE NATIONAL NAVAL POLICY OF RUSSIA

The paper addresses the strategy of development of marine medicine according to one of the six principal directions of the National Naval policy of Russia, which is the Arctic direction related to eight subjects of the Russian Federation, i.e., Murmansk Oblast, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Chukchi Autonomoius Okrug, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Sakha (Yakut) Republic, and Krasnoyarsk Region, and also islands in the Arctic Ocean. These territories altogether amount to almost one fifth of the whole area of the Russian Federation, and its population is 2.3 million making about 52% of the total arctic population in the world. The health characteristics of the arctic population of Russia and the factors that influence them are discussed. The priorities of developing marine medicine in the coastal arctic subjects of the Russian Federation are outlined.

Феномен неравномерности социально-экономического развития городов и районов Мурманской области: специфика, тенденции, прогноз, регулирование

Феномен неравномерности социально-экономического развития городов и районов Мурманской области: специфика, тенденции, прогноз, регулирование

Character of spatiotemporal variations in the chemical composition of lake water under the influence of emission from copper–nickel plants: Prediction of acidification

In this paper, we analyze the influence of variations in the emission of sulfur dioxide and solid substances by the Pechenganikel and Severonikel copper–nickel plants in Murmansk oblast on the chemical composition of lake water and development of acidification. The dynamics of ~100 lakes examined in 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2009 and response of the chemical composition of the lake waters on the impact of acidifying substances was explored depending on the magnitude of load (distance from the plants), geologically controlled vulnerability of the lake catchments to acid precipitation, and the size of the lakes. Possible further changes in the sulfate concentration and pH values of lake waters were estimated for scenarios assuming an increase or a decrease in sulfur dioxide emission from the plants. It was shown that, in the zone of maximum and high load, a 20% change in sulfur dioxide emission will result in a mean change in sulfate concentration of ±8 μeq/L (which is comparable with the regional background) and a change in pH value of ±0.1 in acid-sensitive lakes and will have almost no effect on these parameters in lakes insensitive to acid precipitation.

Metacoleroa dickiei . [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria

Abstract A description is provided for Metacoleroa dickiei , a plant parasite, apparently obligately associated with members of the plant genus Linnaea , occurring on living and later wilting leaves and stems. Some information on its associated organisms and substrata, habitats, dispersal and transmission and conservation status is given, along with details of its geographical distribution (North America (Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Yukon)), USA (California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin), Asia (North Korea, Russia (Magadan oblast)), Europe (Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Russia (Murmansk oblast), Sweden, Switzerland, UK)) and hosts ( Linnaea spp.). No reports of negative economic impacts of this fungus have been found.

Genetic diversity of wild reindeer Rangifer tarandus L. from the eastern part of the Kola Peninsula: Polymorphism of the mtDNA control region

Based on the results of the analysis of nucleotide sequence polymorphism in the hypervariable fragment (left domain) of the mtDNA control region (D loop), the genetic diversity of wild reindeer from the eastern part of the Kola Peninsula (Murmansk oblast, Terskii region) was studied. Low values of the genetic diversity indices for Eurasian wild reindeer were detected. The effect of domestic reindeer breeding on the development of genetic diversity of the wild reindeer population in the studied region (indicating a low degree of hybridization of domesticated and wild reindeer) was estimated.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of the pollution of Al–Fe-humus podzols in the impact zone of a nonferrous metallurgical plant

The dependence of the level of contamination of the upper horizon of Al–Fe-humus podzols (Podzols Rustic) with heavy metals (Ni, Cu) on the distance from the Severonickel smelter (Monchegorsk, Murmansk oblast) was studied on a number of test plots in the medium-aged pine stands. It was found that metal concentrations in the soils could be reasonably approximated by the negative exponential function. In the buffer zone of the smelter, the concentrations of Ni and Cu exceed background values by 8–17 times; in the impact zone, by 50–100 times. The study of the dynamics of acid-soluble forms of Ni and Cu in the organic horizons of podzols on the key plots showed that the boundaries of polluted territory shift towards background regions despite the recent five–eightfold decrease in the emissions. The concentrations of heavy metals in the litter horizons continued to increase in the buffer zone. In the impact zone, their contamination remained at the very high level. Firm bounding of heavy metals in the organic horizon coupled with their continuing aerial input did not allow the beginning of the soil self-purification process, which might last for decades and centuries. Raster electron microscope and X-ray spectral microanalysis showed that particles (>85%) of the ashed matter of organic horizons from the background region, the buffer zone, and the impact zone is mainly represented by various soil-forming minerals and iron oxides (in particular, magnetite). In the samples from the impact zone, about 5% of the mineral particles had the surface morphology and chemical composition typical of dust particles emitted into the air by metal smelters. Most probably, these spherical particles represented magnetite Fe3O4 enriched in heavy metals (Cu, Ni).