Urban Flora as a Component of the Urban Ecosystems in the Taiga Zone: An Example of Karelian Cities

Cities are areas of increased diversity of species in the taiga zone. The aboriginal fraction of Karelian flora is a stable natural system whose main characteristics are preserved in the urban flora. The adventive fraction, which is a dynamic component of the flora, has not been completely formed in the cities, as well as in eastern Fennoscandia as a whole. It has become substantially richer during the past 20–25 years. Cities of the taiga zone may serve as objects for monitoring the anthropogenic processes of flora transformation in the North.     

Carbon cycle in spruce ecosystems of the northern Taiga subzone

The main components of the carbon balance have been determined in old spruce-bilberry forests of the northern taiga subzone. Annual carbon deposition in live phytomass and necromass has been determined by the weight method. Photosynthetic carbon binding has been calculated using the chlorophyll index, and the daily carbon balance has been estimated on the basis of direct measurements of CO₂ exchange. The results have shown that photosynthetic carbon binding by the phytocenosis amounts to 3.5–4 t/ha per year. Taking into consideration the litter yearly deposition decreased up to 1 t C/ha per year. With more than 70% of carbon accumulated in the organic mass being oxidized within the phytocenosis and returned to the atmosphere in the form of CO₂. Spruce ecosystems serve as a sink for 0.2–0.3 t C/ha per year.     

Distribution of leeches in aquatic ecosystems of the city of Yekaterinburg and its vicinity

Ecological features and species composition of leeches were studied in 25 water bodies located in the city of Yekaterinburg and its vicinity. Specific features of their occurrence and distribution in water bodies of various types were analyzed. Dominant, mass, common, and rare species were distinguished.     

The Response of Hydrophytes to Environmental Pollution with Heavy Metals

The effects of Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Ni²⁺ at low and high concentrations (0.025 and 0.25 mg/ml) on the accumulation capacity, the state of the pigment complex, and photosynthesis rate have been studied in model experiments with three floating hydrophytes (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae L., Lemna gibba L., and Potamogeton natans L.) and four submerged hydrophytes (Elodea canadensis Michx., Lemna trisulka L., Ceratophyllum demersum L., and Potamogeton lucens L.). Copper and cadmium are especially toxic at the concentrations studied. The effect of Cu²⁺ was the strongest in hydatophytes, and the effect of Cd²⁺, in pleustophytes. It is hypothesized that the differences between hydrophytes with respect to accumulation of metals and decrease in photosynthesis rate may cause predominant elimination of submerged species. Therefore, changes in the species structure of hydrophyte communities may be expected in waters polluted with metals.     

Comparative Ecocenotic Characteristics of Mosses in the Taiga Zone of West Siberia

Some results of the ecocenotic analysis of forest and bog mosses, widespread or locally occurring in the taiga zone of West Siberia, are described. The species were compared with respect to their edaphic requirements, and a relationship was observed between geographic variation in cenotic parameters and changes in macroconditions of the physical environment, primarily in lithologic, geomorphological, and climatic conditions. The results of analysis confirmed the existence of such a relationship, but moss species proved to differ in their response to changes in physiographic conditions.     

跨国界污染案例对处理松花江污染事件的启示

跨国界污染事件的处理或赔偿涉及国家责任、赔偿范围和赔偿主体等问题。本文介绍了与环境保护相关的国际法和国际公约的法律，并对影响较大的几起跨境污染案例作了分析，就处理此次松花江事故污染事件以及跨国污染赔偿等提出相关建议。     

Bioecological characteristics of segetal flora in the Middle Urals

The data on the biological diversity, bioecological features, and geographic variations of segetal plants in the Middle Urals are presented for the first time. It has been shown that apophytic and anthropophytic groups are equally represented among them. Each group is characterized, and the phytocoenotic activity of segetal plants is considered.     

Variability of the Ecological and Morphological Characteristics of Field Vole (Microtus agrestis) in the Southern and Middle Urals

Russian Journal of Ecology - The variability of the ecological and morphological characteristics of the field vole was studied on samples collected in its two localities of the Southern Urals and...     

The Frequency of Micronuclei among Newborns from Kragujevac, Central Serbia, after NATO Bombing in the Spring of 1999

Kragujevac, as an important industrial and economic center of the region, is now placed on the top of the list of environmentally endangered cities in our country. The aim of this biomonitoring study was to evaluate cytogenetic damage in a sample of newborns from Kragujevac after contamination of the environment entailed by the intensive bombing of the industrial zone of this city in the spring of 1999. The frequency of micronuclei (MN) in peripheral blood lymphocytes in a total of 61 phenotypically healthy newborns was analyzed before and after the NATO bombing. Analysis of micronuclei has been performed using the cytokinesis-block technique (CB MN test). Average MN frequency in lymphocytes of newborns before the bombing (N = 25) was 5.77 ± 0.85/1000 analyzed cells. After the bombing (N = 36), the average frequency of MN increased by a factor of 1.4 (8.11 ± 0.85), compared to the control frequency before the bombing. Statistical difference (p < 0.05) was established by Student's t-test. Our data suggest that such changes in genetic material were a direct consequence of contamination of the living environment.     

中国环境污染损失测算及成因探析

环境问题备受关注,环境污染严重影响中国经济的增长质量.本文采用治理成本法测算了1989 -2008年中国环境污染造成的经济损失,利用环境污染经济损失数据,采用协整理论研究了中国环境污染损失与经济增长之间的关系.研究表明,我国经济总量与环境污染之间存在长期均衡关系,经济增长是造成环境污染的基础性原因,并且环境污染状况随经济增长仍有扩大的趋势,至今尚未出现环境库兹涅茨曲线拐点的迹象.然后,本文从产业结构、能源结构和效率角度揭示了环境污染的结构性成因.研究认为,高污染行业在整个国民经济中比重过大是造成环境污染的产业结构方面的成因;以煤炭为主的能源消费和高耗能产品增长过快是造成环境污染的能源结构成因;能源效率低下是造成环境污染的技术性成因;资源能源价格长期偏低和法律法规滞后是造成环境污染的制度性缺陷.最后,针对问题提出,只有切实转变经济增长方式,突出技术创新、健全市场机制、完善环境法规才是解决环境污染问题的根本出路.     

Habitus Diversity of Ladybirds (Coleoptera,Coccinellidae) in the Steppe Zone of the Southern Urals and the South of Western Siberia

In the ladybird fauna of the steppe zone of the Southern Urals and the south of Western Siberia, five variants, three forms, and two habitus types of adult beetles are distinguished, and their hierarchy is established. The habitus diversity of ladybirds is revealed using a new method of describing each form in a polar system of coordinates whose center coincides with the center of gravity of the insect body. The system of ladybird habitus reflects the main directions of trophic specialization in the family.     

On the Distribution of Reindeer in the Middle and Northern Urals

Russian Journal of Ecology -     

Pollution-induced successions in forests of the Kola Peninsula

Trends of changes in the successional status of northern taiga forests exposed to technogenic pollution in the Kola Peninsula are discussed. Main studies of digression in spruce and pine forests are characterized on the basis of the dynamics of species composition of phytocenoses and chemical composition of atmospheric fallout, soils, and dominant plants.     

基于复合污染指数的省级环境技术效率测算

在环境问题,特别是当前复合污染问题愈加突出的背景下,运用科学方法对复合污染程度进行量化测度,并在此基础上分析各个省份的环境技术效率,可以为制定相关政策、开展节能减排工作提供重要依据.该文尝试用熵值法及污染物权重系数调整构建复合污染指数,并在此基础上,利用方向性距离函数,对我国29个省区市2003 - 2009年间复合污染状况、区域环境技术效率进行了系统分析.研究结果表明:我国各省的环境技术效率有较大的差异,东部省份最高,中部次之,西部最为落后.绝大多数省份的环境技术效率值随时间变化呈下降趋势,但是下降的幅度不是很大,这种变化很大程度上可能源于我国“十一五”中后期经济发展模式的逆转,钢铁、水泥、电解铝、煤炭等行业发展过快,2005年重工业占工业总产值的比重高达69％,显现出过度工业化的特征.直观分析可以看出,环境技术效率的变动与环境污染程度之间存在反向关系,环境技术效率的水平对环境污染程度大小的影响较大.     

美国跨界大气环境监管经验对中国的借鉴

大气污染因其污染因子易受气候变化等影响,可进行长距离跨界传输,是典型的跨行政边界问题。我国地域辽阔,行政区域众多且与多个国家接壤或比邻,跨界污染问题研究十分必要。近年来,我国区域性大气污染问题明显,管理手段落后,缺乏相应管理体制和机制。美国在跨界大气环境管理方面取得了显著的成果,积累了丰富的经验,这对我国大气环境管理,尤其是跨界大气环境管理工作具有重要的借鉴意义。本文首先以美国大气跨界污染治理为例,结合具体实例,主要从机构设置、职能职责、运作方式三个方面详细分析了州内、州与州与之间以及跨国界三个层次跨界大气环境监管体系;其次,从上述几方面对我国与美国跨区域大气环境监管机制进行逐项比较分析;再次,对我国跨区域大气环境监管体系障碍分析认为,统分结合的环境管理体制和尚未建立区域联防联控机制是借鉴发达国家跨界大气环境监管经验的主要障碍;在此基础上,针对我国的跨区域大气环境管理工作提出5个方面的建议,即成立跨区域的权力机构;加强政府区域间协调合作;强化依法治理;多种管理手段综合应用;加强信息公开和公众参与。     

Seasonal changes in the spatial distribution of cellulolytic activity of soil microflora under conditions of atmospheric pollution

Spatial variation in the cellulolytic activity of the soil microflora during the growing season (from May to September) has been studied in spruce-fir forests exposed to emissions from the Middle Ural Copper-Smelting Plant. It has been shown that the average rate of decomposition of pure cellulose in polluted areas is significantly reduced, with its spatial variation being markedly increased. The spatial pattern of cellulolytic activity remains stable during the growing season, and the integrated parameters of frequency distributions in zones with different pollution levels change with time in the same direction.     

中国跨界水污染冲突环境政策分析

跨界水污染纠纷已经严重影响到区域间环境和社会稳定.在我国传统条块结合的环境管理体制下,由跨界水污染引发的利益冲突和纠纷持续不断.尽管我国跨区域水污染纠纷协调机制尚未建立,但在许多地区已经进行了有益的探索和实践,发现了一些不足之处.应用多准则决策分析法可以评估和比较跨界水环境管理条约,识别最可取的条约,同时可以对现有的条约提供进一步完善的建议.本文应用多准则决策分析之一的消元法,通过三个主要指标共11条标准,对我国跨国界、省界、市界和跨流域4个不同层次的单边和多边跨界环境管理条约进行评估和比较.结果显示,我国跨界水环境条约存在的问题主要有:我国各层级跨界水环境管理政策在法律上缺乏有效的程序性立法;执行上缺乏相应的法律保障和配套机制,执行不力;争端解决机制缺乏有效的管理机构、依法处理程序和磋商解决机制.通过对现存条约的分析比较和提供建议,为构建我国跨区域水污染纠纷协调机制提供技术和政策支持.     

Mechanisms Providing for Species Coexistence in the Herb-Dwarf Shrub Layer of a Southern Taiga Birch Forest

Individual species coexisting in the herb-dwarf shrub layer of a mature southern taiga birch forest were studied with respect to their limitation by different environmental resources and differences in the time or localization of the intensive utilization of deficient resources. The results made it possible to estimate the significance of different mechanisms of species coexistence in multispecific communities for herbaceous and dwarf shrub species of the forest phytocenosis studied.