Solovetsky Islands Research Articles

Evaluation of virulence of isolates of certain species of entomopathogenic anamorphic ascomycetes (Fungi, Ascomycota) in relation to adult individuals of the tick <i>Ixodes Persulcatus</i>

In nature, entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) play an important role in the control of population density in many arthropods. The lethal effects of EPF on ixodid ticks (Ixodidae) have been, however, reported mainly in southern warm-loving species, which are mostly not found in Europe. The aim of this study was to evaluate in laboratory the virulence of nine selected psychrotolerant EPF isolates of Beauveria bassiana s. l. (6), Akanthomyces cf. muscarius (2) and Metarhizium anisopliae s. l. (1) at a moderate average daily temperature of +14°C in relation to overwintering adult taiga ticks (Ixodes persulcatus), collected at the end of May in the Kondopoga region of the Republic of Karelia. Under this temperature, the use of suspensions for infection with a concentration of infectious spores (conidia) of 3×107 per 1 ml, all isolates showed a lethal effect on ticks. Among these isolates, the most virulent and rapidly acting one was B. bassiana s. l. CCi-Ar (SI)14 from the Arkhangelsk Province, Bolshoy Solovetsky Island (N 65°, E 35°), that killed 70% of specimens after 9 days, and 95% after 11 days. At the same time, it was found that male ticks have a slightly higher death rate from fungal infections. However, the potential suitability of some EPF isolates for biological control of I. persulcatus populations at low temperatures, shown in this study, requires confirmation in further tests in real conditions of recreational areas actively visited by humans, where infection with dangerous pathogens (tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme borreliosis) transmitted by tick bites often occurs.

FEATURES OF COLORING OF NORTHERN SEASCAPES OF THE SECOND HALF OF THE 19TH - EARLY 20TH CENTURIES

Northern landscapes using silvery northern coloring are a special phenomenon in Russian painting of the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries, which appeared as a result of the expansion of the geography of artistic travel further north of St. Petersburg: to the island of Valaam, in the vicinity of Sortavala, to the Arkhangelsk region, to the Solovetsky Islands and to the shores of Novaya Zemlya. An exclusively natural rendering of the landscape was replaced by a study of the characteristics of the light-air environment. A.I. Kuindzhi, followed by K.A. Korovin, V.A. Serov, A.A. Borisov, S.G. Pisakhov in their northern series used cool shades of silver-gray, blue, gray-blue, pink, lilac, violet, carmine, turquoise. At the same time, there is a tendency towards tonal generalization. To convey the subtlest nuances of the light-air environment, the valeur technique is used.

Относительная высота деревьев в изолированных популяциях сосновых древостоев

The study of relative tree height in lingonberry, bilberry and sphagnum pine forests on Bolshoy Solovetsky Island was carried out. The island is the largest by area in the Solovetsky Archipelago and in the White Sea. The archipelago is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Relative height is an important indicator characterizing the growth of woody plants and reflecting how many centimeters of height growth for each centimeter of diameter. We laid 34 sample plots in the most widespread forest types – lingonberry, bilberry, and sphagnum pine forests, occupying 82.0 % of the total pine forest area. At each sampling area we selected survey trees (64 trees each), measured heights, diameters, and took cores with an age drill at the root neck to determine the age. A total of 2176 trees were used in the relative height analysis. The average relative height in lingonberry, bilberry and sphagnum pine forests on Bolshoy Solovetsky Island is 62.5; 61.5 and 54.7 cm/cm, respectively. This relative height is noticeably lower than in pine forests on the mainland in the Arkhangelsk Oblast. There, the values are 84.9; 84.9 and 79.2 cm/cm for the respective forest types. It is not possible to use the existing growth progress tables developed on the basis of mainland trees for island pine forests. Equations for determining the relative height of pine forests on Bolshoy Solovetsky Island were obtained. It is proposed to use tree diameter rather than age as an input parameter, since the determination of age is much more difficult than that of diameter at breast height. For citation: Sobolev A.N., Feklistov P.A., Neverov N.A., Makarov S.S. Relative Tree Height in Isolated Populations of Pine Stands. Lesnoy Zhurnal = Russian Forestry Journal, 2023, no. 6, pp. 102–113. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.37482/0536-1036-2023-6-102-113

The Composition and Organic Matter of Bottom Sediments and Soil in the Drainage Basin Varvarinskoe Lake (Bolshoy Solovetsky Island)

The Composition and Organic Matter of Bottom Sediments and Soil in the Drainage Basin Varvarinskoe Lake (Bolshoy Solovetsky Island)

Особенности ассимиляционного аппарата изолированных популяций сосны (Большой Соловецкий остров)

The study results of the assimilation apparatus in the populations of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Shore pine (Pinus contorta) isolated from the mainland on the Bolshoy Solovetsky Island are presented. Three sites of bilberry pine forest of natural origin, Shore pine and Scots pine in bilberry habitat conditions are presented. Scots pine needle parameters were determined in the pine forest of natural origin and in the cultures of Shore pine. It was revealed that the parameters of the average needle in the natural pine forest and in cultures (Scots pine) are quite similar. The mass of the average needle, width and thickness do not really differ, but only the length and area differ. The mass of needles per branch is also not reliably different. It was revealed that the mass of needles on the branch is 169...181 g, the mass of average needles 14...15 mg, the length totals to 28 and 36 mm in cultures. At the same time, all the parameters are significantly lower than those of pine on the mainland (Primorsky district of the Arkhangelsk region). It was found that the parameters of Shore pine needles in cultures are higher than those of Scots pine in cultures by about 1,5–2 times. The life expectancy of the needles of the Scots pine (determined by weight) is 7 years in natural pine forests and 5 years in cultures. It was revealed that the most significant role is played by needles up to 4 years in the Scots pine and up to 5 years in the Shore pine. It is shown that the length of needles formed in different calendar years differs markedly. It is established that three-year cyclicity is traced in the dynamics of needle length. It was determined that the needle length of the current year is influenced by its size of the previous year. It was revealed that in the studied conditions the position in the crown does not affect the parameters of needles, i. e. the part of the crown (upper, middle, lower) has no influence.

Red Algae Palmaria Palmata: Biological and Chemical-Technological Characteristics, Recommendations for Its Use as a Source of Nutrients in Human Nutrition

One of the ways to develop micronutrient balanced products may be to include P. palmata red algae in its formulation. The aim is to study the biochemical parameters of P. palmata growing in the White Sea, and to assess the prospects of its use in human nutrition. The thesis presents the biological and chemical-technological characteristics, as well as the results of the drying process of P. palmata growing in the coastal zone of the White Sea, Solovetsky Islands. Analysis of the chemical composition of P. palmata showed that the main components were carbohydrates (45.6–75%) including fiber – 3.6–7.7%, proteins – 7.04–22.62%, ash –18.03–31.74%. The research presents the macro- and microelement composition of P. palmata collected in 2022 in the White Sea. 1 gram of dry algae for iodine, chromium by 12–16% corresponds to the norms of physiological need. The amino acid score value for all essential amino acids is less than 100%, while the limiting amino acids are lysine and threonine. The difference coefficient of amino acid score is 7.6%, the biological value of P. palmata protein is 92%. The dried P. palmata yield from raw algae is 18–20%. Under favorable weather conditions, Palmaria layers are dried to 10–15% water content within 23–26 hours. Based on the results of studies on the safety indicators and chemical composition of P. palmata, the authors demonstrated its applicability in food formulations development as a source of biologically active substances, such as amino acids. Alcohol extracts obtained from P. palmata have antimicrobial activity against Proteus vulgaris and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this regard, alcohol extracts from P. palmata can probably be used as an antimicrobial agent in the process of food production.

Ecological Features and Opportunities for Economic Use of the Solovetsky Archipelago Freshwater Ichthyofauna

The species composition and taxonomic diversity of the Solovetsky Archipelago freshwater ichthyofauna were revealed, and a description of the current state of the fish was given. The belonging of fish to freshwater faunistic complexes and ecological groups (nature of feeding and mode of natural reproduction) was examined. Currently, 14 species of fish were found in the inland waters of the Solovetsky Islands, including local and alien species with varying degrees of acclimatization effect. A possible annual catch of freshwater fish has been established, which could be considered optimal. If it is necessary to organize freshwater aquaculture, pasture cultivation in the lakes of the Solovetsky Archipelago of the whitefish complex seems promising. It is based on the collection and fertilization of eggs at temporary fish breeding stations, its subsequent incubation at fish farms and the release of reared juveniles into feeding lakes.

Local Initiatives: A Historical Analysis of the Creation of Memorial Museums of the Gulag in (Post-)Soviet Russia

ABSTRACT This article examines the creation of memorial museums of the Gulag in (post-)Soviet Russia in ten regions: Moscow, the Solovetsky Islands, the Mari El Republic, Perm Region, Tomsk Region, the Tuva Republic, Kemerovo Region (Kuzbass), the Sakha Republic, Magadan Region, and the Komi Republic. Most of them were created between 1989 and 2015 as local initiatives, rather than as part of official government-sponsored efforts, although they were later supported (or not) by local authorities. The creation of memorial museums of the Gulag was initiated by museum workers and professional historians, immediately after the collapse of the USSR many of the founders of such museums were amateurs. Consequently, the exhibitions often presented Stalin’s repressions in specific ways that today seem ambiguous. This article takes a historical approach to analyze the process of the creation of memorial museums in (post-)Soviet Russia and their specificities.

Intellectual Life and Literature at Solovki, 1923–1930: The Paris of the Northern Concentration Camps

Intellectual Life and Literature at Solovki, 1923–1930: The Paris of the Northern Concentration Camps

Ecological state of water bodies under the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors

The article studies the ecological state of two neighboring lakes Sredniy and Nizhniy Pert on the Bolshoy Solovetsky Island after their separation by a dead earthen dam during the construction of the lake-channel system. The studies were carried out in July 2021. It was revealed that these anthropogenic changes led to a change in the regime of lakes, especially Nizhniy Perth, which lost its flow. Samples of water and bottom sediments were taken from the deep waters of these reservoirs. In these samples, the main hydrochemical parameters were determined, and bottom sediments were studied for the content of moisture, iron and sulfur, organic carbon and nitrogen in them. A difference was noted in the water color of the studied lakes, which is due to anthropogenic influence and the isolation of water bodies, and in their mineralization, which is associated with the location of water bodies relative to the White Sea. A greater amount of organic matter (carbon) was found in the water and bottom sediments of the lake. Sredniy Perth, therefore, in the bottom layer of the water column of this reservoir, a lower oxygen content was noted compared to the neighboring lake, while in none of them did anaerobic conditions arise in the water. The C/N ratio in the sediments indicated a greater contribution of the allochthonous pathway of organic matter inflow into both lakes, and this was slightly more pronounced in the less flowing lake Nizhniy Perth. A difference in the granulometric composition of the sediments of the studied reservoirs was revealed, which is associated with a change in hydrochemical regimes and different sedimentation conditions as a result.

Vaucheria coronata and V. velutina – new species of the yellow-green algae of the Xanthophyceae for the Arkhangelsk Region (White Sea)

The article provides information about two species of the yellow-green algae – Vaucheria coronata and V. velutina. Vaucheria coronata was found on the Solovetsky Islands and is the secondly recorded for the species in Russia and for the first for the Arkhangelsk Region. Vaucheria velutina is indicated for the first time for the White Sea. A brief description of the localities and habitats of growth and general distribution of these species is given. Morphological features of the studied specimens are given.

Internal Solitary Waves in the White Sea: Hot-Spots, Structure, and Kinematics from Multi-Sensor Observations

A detailed picture of internal solitary waves (ISWs) in the White Sea is presented based on an analysis of historical spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data and field measurements. The major hot-spot of ISW generation locates in the southwestern (SW) Gorlo Strait (GS), characterized by the presence of strong tides, complex topography, and two distinct fronts. Here, pronounced high-frequency isopycnal depressions of 5–8 m were regularly observed during flood and flood/ebb slackening. Other regions of pronounced ISW activity are found near Solovetsky Islands and in the northwestern Onega Bay. The spatial and kinematic properties of the observed ISWs are linked to water depth, with larger wave trains and higher propagation speeds being observed over the deep regions. Direct estimates of ISW propagation speeds from sequential and single SAR images agree well, while theoretical ones obtained using a two-layer model overestimate the observed values by 2–3 times. This is explained by the effective modulation of ISW propagation speed during the tidal cycle by background currents that are not accounted for in the model. Enhanced values of diapycnic diffusion coefficient in the pycnocline layer were registered near the frontal zones, where intense 14–17 m high ISWs were regularly observed.

Climate signal strength in tree-ring width of spruce growing in the Solovetsky Islands (Russia)

In this study we used 14 spruce tree-ring width local chronologies from sites that are located in different landscape conditions. The climatic response function for the entire period (116 years) shows that all local chronologies without exception have a positive relationship with June temperature (from 0.196 to 0.408) despite quite different local environmental conditions. This finding allowed us to combine all tree-ring width local chronologies into a composite spruce chronology covering the period of 1676–2016 CE with EPS exceeding the 0.85 threshold. The composite chronology was scaled against June air temperatures (CRU TS 4.01) in order to reconstruct it. Monthly air temperature records from the Arkhangelsk weather station were used as an additional source to validate tree-ring based June temperature reconstruction. It is quite remarkable that our reconstruction matches the Archangelsk records not only in the 20th-early 21st centuries but also in the 19th century, confirming the reliability of the reconstruction over more than two centuries. We also used daily records from the nearest Kem’-Port station to identify a more precise target-window. Current research shows that the spruce response to daily temperature is not limited by June, but also extends up to almost half of July. The warmest reconstructed year occurred in 1856 as confirmed by the data published in the local chronicle. The cooling recorded in the historical evidences (describing extremely severe ice conditions in the Arctic seas during the Great Northern Expedition (1733–1743)) was not corroborated by our reconstruction. In the study, we discuss the reasons of the discrepancies found between Solovki June temperature reconstructions and other data such as different seasonality of the compared records, real local climate warming in Solovki, the applied standardization technique, and low of chronologies’ replication. The most reliable part of the reconstruction part lasting from the early 19th to the early 21st centuries is also discussed in terms of its properties like wavelength analyses, and the assessment of influence of volcanic eruptions.

Experimental application of bottom temperature measurements in lakes of Bolshoy Solovetsky Island to test the geothermal anomaly hypothesis

The article reports the results of an experiment to assess the geothermal potential of the territory based on measurements of water reservoirs’ bottom temperatures.The research was conducted in 2021 on Bolshoy Solovetsky Island, which, according to some data, is characterized by the presence of geothermal anomaly on the one hand, and has a large number of lakes on the other. For lakes with depths greater than 5 m, the results of temperature measurements indicate that the temperature profiles correspond to the dimictic type of lakes – with two periods of circulation in spring and autumn. During the experiment, abnormal values of bottom temperatures at depths of more than 15 m were detected in Lakes Bolshoe Krasnoe and Shchuchye: 5.16–5.26 °C for Lake Shchuchye, and 6.16–6.56 °C for Lake Bolshoe Krasnoe. The possible causes of these anomalies are discussed including: chemical reactions in the near-bottom sediment layer, increased heat flow in the upper part of the Earth’s crust, and wind mixing in the lakes. Recommendations are given for further study of the anomalies in order to clarify their nature.

Рост древостоев разных пород в одинаковых условиях местопроизрастания на Большом Соловецком острове

A study of forest stands consisting of five different tree species, both native and introduced ones, on Big Solovetsky Island is presented. On the territory of an uncared nursery (established in 1927 by sowing seeds) there exist plantations of Scots pine (Pinus selvestris L.), Siberian stone pine (cedar) (Pinus sibirica Du Tour), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii Mirb.), Norway spruce (Picea abies L.), and Siberian larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.). The purpose of our research was to study the growth of different species of the same age in the same growing conditions among blueberry plants. It has been established that the density in stands of different species ranged from 370 to 2970 pieces/ha, while only 4 specimens of Douglas fir survived. The heights and diameters of existing trees were analyzed, as well as the radial growth of 10 accounting trees from each stand on cores (wood samples) taken with an age auger. Radial growth was measured using an MBS-1 microscope with an accuracy of ±0,05 mm. It was found that at the time of the study, stands of different species were 80 years old. All of them had a height within 17,7 ... 18,9 m,and only the Siberian pine was clearly lagging behind in growth. On the contrary, the average diameter differed markedly which was the largest in Siberian larch (20,7 cm), the smallest in Siberian pine (15,8 cm). The Douglas fir has an average diameter of 27 cm, but only 4 specimens of this species have survived and therefore it can be assumed that such a high average diameter is due to the so-called light increment. It is shown that the width of the annual ring on average for the studied period ranged from 0,59 to 1,66 mm. All introduced species (Douglas fir, larch, Siberian pine) had a width of the annual ring greater than native species of pine and spruce. The greatest differences in radial growth were observed at the initial stage of growth. All tree species tend to decrease in radial growth with age. Changes in growth over time are synchronous in Scots pine and Siberian pine; asynchronous changes in spruce and pseudo-hemlock and spruce and larch.

The Time and Reasons for Fyodor Kolychev’s Retreat to the Solovetsky Monastery

This article considers the first stage of the life of Metropolitan Filipp (lay name Fyodor Stepanovich Kolychev, 1566–1568). The author focuses on the motives and circumstances of his retreat to the Solovetsky monastery. The work calls into question the widespread hypothesis according to which his joining the monastery was closely connected with the repression against the Kolychevs after the suppression of the Staritsky mutiny in 1537. The author demonstrates that, firstly, Stepan Kolychev’s family was not persecuted and, secondly, that Fyodor had gone to the Solovetsky Islands before the Staritsky mutiny took place, i. e. in the first half of 1534. By that time, he was a mature twenty-seven-year-old (by the standards of the time). The author comes to conclusion that Fyodor decided to enter the monastery consciously and voluntarily. The reasons for his decision should not be sought in the political sphere but only in the sphere of religious consciousness. By the moment of taking his monastic vows, he had no unrealised political ambitions left. This fact distinguishes him from Vassian (Patrikeev) and Filaret (Romanov), who were forced to take monastic vows and regarded the Church as the sphere where they could realise their ambitions. Fyodor’s social skills may have played a very important role in him being elected abbot of the Solovetsky monastery. The monks needed a young and active abbot who would have the skills and experience to manage a large household. At 37–38 years of age, Filipp had business acumen, and not so many monks came from the service class. The election of Filipp contributed to the flourishing of the Solovetsky monastery’s patrimony in the 1540s–1560s. The research refers to chronicles, acts, colophons, and the Life of Metropolitan Filipp. These historical sources are analysed with the help of source study methods, which make it possible to reconstruct the past from contradictory and fragmentary evidence. The author pays much attention to the analysis of Filipp’s Life and tries to distinguish valuable facts of his biography from typical hagiographic motifs.

The results of the introduction of twisted pine (Pinus contorta) in Bolshoy Solovetsky Island

Abstract In the central part of the Bolshoy Solovetsky Island, in the same type of growing conditions, two plots were created in 1988: the first consisted of twisted pine (Pinus contorta Loud. var. latifolia S. Wats) crops and the second one was of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). The aim of the study was to establish the morphological parameters of the twisted pine and its growth in the conditions of the Bolshoy Solovetsky Island in comparison with the native species P. sylvestris L. Also, we aimed to identify the features of P. contorta var. latifolia and determine the possibility and necessity of further introduction of the species. The preservation of the twisted pine and scots pine cultures was determined. Accounting trees were selected (62 and 31 trees, respectively), in which morphometric indicators were measured. Wood samples (cores) were taken from them with an age drill to measure radial growth. The radial increment was measured using the MBS-9 microscope and the Lintab device. To measure the increase in height, six medium-sized model trees were cut down. According to the taxation indicators, the two types differed slightly and the differences were most often unreliable. The average height of the twisted pine trees was significantly higher compared to that of Scots pine. The thickness of the bark varied; on average, at the age of 18, it was 1.35 ± 0.038 mm for twisted pine and 1.86 ± 0.095 for Scots pine, that is, the native pine bark was 38% thicker. Typical for twisted pine were a significant number of pathologies noted in 22% of the studied trees. Twisted pine was distinguished by a stronger development of the assimilation apparatus: the number of branches of the first order, the number of branches in the whorl, the life span of needles. An increase in radius (the width of the annual ring) was observed at 14–15 years, and then with age, the value decreased in twisted pine and remained at a consistently high level in Scots pine. The width of the late zone of the annual ring was 12% in Scots pine and 14% in twisted pine; but at a young age, the late wood in twisted pine was very small. The increase in height of the twisted pine was on average less than that of Scots pine. The dependence of the trunk volume on the diameter was almost identical in both species.

Passing by Layers of Memory

The paper discusses the dimensions, genres and mediality of collective memory in Mariusz Wilk’s reportage on the Solovetsky Islands. As the authoress argues, on the one hand, his reports reflect a broad variety of different media, where the text itself also appears as a medium of memory. On the other hand, Wilk draws attention to the sites of memory on the Solovetsky Islands. For those, different concepts from memory studies help deepen our understanding of both the layers of memory on the islands and of those in Wilk’s text.

Richness and Scarcity of the Flora of White Sea Islands

This paper provides basic information about the flora of vascular plants on more than 100 islands in the White Sea. The islands differ in size, remoteness from the mainland, aggregation into archipelagos, coastline serration, freshwater bodies and watercourses, geological structure and age, and human pressure. In total, over 700 species of vascular plants have been recorded from the islands. The number of native species varies from zero on rocky islets to 337 on Bolshoi Solovetsky Island. This depends mainly on the island’s area, and to a lesser extent on isolation, geological structure, and coastline serration. On smaller and more remote islands, significant deviations from the ”basic” taxonomic and geographical structure of the local boreal flora occur due to a gradual decrease in the proportion of boreal species and an increase in the proportion of species with a more northern distribution. The role of the Poaceae family increases sharply in the taxonomic spectrum. In the geographical structure, the distribution of latitudinal fractions changes significantly - the share of species with a northern distribution increases to 43%. The taxonomic structure and ratio of geographic elements of many island floras are similar to those of islands in northerner (more arctic) latitudes.
 Keywords: White Sea, island, vascular plants, biodiversity

Особенности строения сосновых древостоев на острове Большом Соловецком

The studies were carried out on Bolshoy Solovetsky Island in the White Sea. The research purpose is to identify the features of pine forests in the most frequent growing conditions on the island. For this purpose, 34 sampling areas were laid out in the prevailing types (cowberry, blueberry, and sphagnum) of pine forests. In each sampling area reference trees were selected and measured, and core samples were taken from 64 trees for age determination. The paper shows that the stands are characterised by low quality class and therefore low timber stocks. The quality class in cowberry and sphagnum pine forests is Va; and in blueberry pine forests it is V. Timber stock in cowberry, blueberry and sphagnum pine forests is 92, 90 and 53 m3/ha, respectively, with a fairly close average age of 109–114 yrs. The average diameters in the stands are relatively high, while the average heights, on the other hand, are low. The diameter in cowberry and blueberry pine forests is 21 and 22 cm, respectively, and the height is 12 and 14 m, respectively. Forest stands are mostly unevenaged. An even-aged pine forest was found in only one sampling area, which is 3 % of the total amount; 21 % of stands are relatively uneven-aged, and all the rest are uneven-aged. Absolute age difference and cyclical age difference are the most typical. There is a significant share of relatively uneven-aged pine stands in blueberry and sphagnum forests. Trees in all forest types have a very low relative height. On average, it is equal to 63 cm/cm for cowberry pine forests, 61 cm/cm for blueberry pine forests, and 55 cm/cm for sphagnum pine forests, i.e. for every centimeter of diameter, trees grow in height by 55–63 cm depending on the forest type, and 36–45 % lower than the relative height in mainland pine forests. This indicates that the trees on Bolshoy Solovetsky Island are highly tapering. A negative correlation between relative height and age has been found. For citation: Sobolev A.N., Feklistov P.A. Features of the Structure of Pine Stands on Bolshoy Solovetsky Island. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2022, no. 1, pp. 77–87. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2022-1-77-87