Natural Resources, 2004, No.2

PRIRODNYE RESURSY (Natural Resources) Published by The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus & The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Protection of the Republic of Belarus, Minsk, Belarus

Number 2; 2004

CONTENTS

Water Resources

Summary: Assessment of conditions and processes of formation of hydrodynamic conditions of underground water of active water exchange zone under the influence of natural (first of all climatic) factors is one of the major problems connected to water resources study. The information received as a result of this research is important for drawing up general purpose forecasts, for calculations at construction designing, etc. Nevertheless, the problem of determining time and space regularity of hydrodynamic conditions of underground waters in annual and long-term patterns of large rivers catchments is still insufficiently studied. Therefore assessment of conditions and processes of formation of underground waters regime of the active water exchange zone and the determination of time and space regularity of its change under the influence of natural factors is an actual problem nowadays. Investigation of the condition of underground water has shown that it is determined mainly by annual and long-term changes of temperature and precipitation. On the whole, minimum and maximum GWL (spring and autumn maxima, summer-autumn and winter minima) which are characteristic of the area with moderate humidity are observed in the republic. Within one year GWL depends on temperature and precipitation of the previous two-three months and linear dependence on temperature during a warm period of the year is observed. Cycles with duration of 3...4 and 6...7 years are clearly seen. The period of warming in January - March 1988-1992 caused decrease of spring amplitudes of GWL, and decrease of temperature in December - February 1963-1967 caused their increase. In the south of the republic, drying amelioration efforts have led to general decrease of GWL and reduction of spring amplitudes. Warming of the climate will result not only in general decrease of GWL approximately by 0,03...0,16 m, but also in changes of the annual course of the levels, similar to the changes caused by warming in 1988-1992, the size of the annual river drain will decrease by 10...15 %.

V. P. Muzykin, P. V. Lobodenko
MOZYR SPRINGS: GENEZIS, REGIMEN AND WATER QUALITY FORMATION CONDITIONS. pp. 11-17

Summary: In 2003 CRICUWR has made the inventory of well springs in Mozyr region (Republic of Belarus). The research of the springs helped to understand their genesis, change of water resources and belonging of a source to underground layer. On the example of Mozyr region springs, a classification has been worked out based on common geological and hydro geological features of spring origin and their typology by the composition of drained water. It has been found that all springs have erosion origin and they promote drainage of ground waters, which are the most close to the surface land water-bearing (small water- bearing) level. In fact, chemical composition of Mozyr region springs depends on man-made factors. In the article there are some criteria for the estimation of man-made and farm pollution. We used the criteria and came to the conclusion, that springs water to some degree is pure today. These springs have chemical composition water similar to the background concentration. Other springs have water partly with the man-made pollution today. These springs have a level pollution about 0,4...0,5 Maximum concentration limit (concentration NO3 - only). Solutions of spring water use problems are given. We have prepared a project of Regulations governing the springs of Mozyr region in order to provide environmental safety. The project has been sent to the territorial executive power for approving.

Biological Resources

Summary: A variant of complex estimate and economic typology of perennial grass vegetation is developed. It differs by objectivity, evidence and logical concordance based on the following four basic parameters: species frequency, group composition, heterogeneity of plant species composition of meadow vegetation and disturbance of grass stand. Species frequency in meadow herbage is estimated on a number of representative registration plots (1/2 м2) and then is classified on the basis of "gold section" gradation (Fibonacci numbers). Typological constructions are made on the basis of group composition of vegetation estimated by atomic weight or coverage by appropriate groups and displayed with the help of trinar coordinate system. Modified Sorensen index is used for estimation of vegetation species heterogeneity degree. It enables to evidently show on a map the distribution of species heterogeneity centers within a field. A special scale has been developed for quantitative estimation of the disturbance degree of grassland cover of a field for eye definition of free from plants area (trampling of vegetation cover by hoofs of agricultural animals, technical damage of grassy cover, erosion spots accompanied by vegetation cover damage, absence of vegetation owing to unfaourable growing conditions etc.).

J. A. Rupasova, T. I. Vasilevskaya, V. A. Ignatenko, N. P. Varavina, N. N. Vecher
INFLUENCE OF VEGETATION PHASE WEATHER CONDITIONS ON ACCUMULATION OF ORGANIC ACIDS AND TERPENOIDS IN MELITTIS SARMATICA KLOCK PLANTS AT THEIR INTRODUCTION IN BELARUS. pp. 24-29

Summary: For the first time we have established the accumulation rate and range of seasonal changes in the content of organic acids and some terpenoids in some parts and overground phytomass of Melittis sarmatica Klock at its introduction in Belarus. It has been shown that depending on the character of weather conditions during vegetation phase, ascorbic acid content in plants' overground part ranged from 144 to 553 mg% of dry substance, free organic acids - from 1,1 to 1,95, fatty oils - from 2,1 to 2,9, neutral triterpenoids - from 1,5 to 2,6, triterpen acids - from 2,4 to 3,4 %. It has been established that weather conditions greatly influence accumulation rates of the investigated substances. However, the degree and direction of this influence were determined by their chemical nature and plants development stage. The most pronounced interseasonal differences (up to 65...68 %) in the accumulation parameters in plants' overground phytomass were observed in the case of ascorbic acid. It turned out that accumulation rates of free organic acids and terpenoids (regarding which deviations didn't exceed 28...40 %) were less and approximately equally susceptible to the complex influence of meteorological factors. Well-marked leveling of interseasonal differences was observed in accumulation rates of the majority of the investigated substances in the plant's overground part which on the background of the highest indicators of their contents in it proves the expediency of stockpiling its medicinal raw material during plants blossoming period irrespective of the character of weather conditions.

Ecologically Safe and Resource Saving Technologies

Summary: It is known that wastes of sewage industry (raw deposits and excessive biomass of active sludge), waste products of food and agricultural industry belong to large-capacity organic wastes. In Polotsk State University quite a new technology of complex processing of organic wastes is offered. It includes some consecutive stages: preparation and dehydration of wastes, anaerobic digestion, low-temperature pyrolysis with subsequent thermodestruction of digested sludge. In this work the research results of anaerobic fermentation of sewage organic wastes of oil-refining industry in mixture with vegetable waste products, in particular potato peel, are presented. The researches were carried out in recurring conditions on a laboratory pilot installation (volume 3 liters) and laboratory аnaerostat in small capacities (volume 100 ml). The purpose of the research was to determine an optimum doze of addition of vegetative waste products stimulating digestion of waste mixtures without resulting in sharp decrease of pН < 5. It is offered to carry out control over the process of anaerobic fermentation of waste mixture by composition and biogas output, as well as by pН value of the fermentative environment. It has been established that under optimum conditions of anaerobic fermentation periodic dosed out introduction of potato peels to wastes of oil-refining sewage disposal plants promotes increase of conversion of organic substance digested substratum and to increase of the output of high-calorific biogas containing more than 70 % vol. methane. Under optimum conditions in this technology it is offered to assume: temperature +55 °C; optimum range of PН from 6,5 up to 7,5; increase of the concentration of microorganisms by immobilization of biomass on hard surface carrier solids. Improvement of the technology of joint digestion of the above-mentioned wastes is the subject of further research.

Nature Management

Summary: There are 1,2 million hectares of anthropogenically disturbed peatlands in Belarus from the total peatland area of 2,9 million hectares and 1,7 million hectares still remain in natural condition now. More than 200 thousand hectares of disturbed peatlands are subjects to rehabilitation in the nearest future. Comparative estimation of biospheric and economy functions of peatlands in natural and disturbed conditions and after the rehabilitation has been made for the first time in this work. After drainage all natural biospheric functions of peatland, namely accumulative, biological, circulation, landscape, gas-regulation, geochemical, hydrological and climatic one, change radically or completely stop their work. As a result of secondary swamping of the drained peatlands all natural biospheric functions of mires completely restore their original capacity. Besides, they considerably reduce the probability of fires. Accumulative, circulation and hydrological mire functions completely disappear as a result afforestation of drained and degraded peatlands. Biological, landscape, climatic and gas-regulation functions regenerate in a changed not typical for mires forms, geochemical function weakens and fire probability increases. Interpretation of such words as recultivation, renaturalisation, regeneration and rehabilitation is given with regard to anthropogenically disturbed peatlands. It is shown that renaturalisation and regeneration of peatlands after peat extraction is impossible because it is impossible to restore excavated peat deposit. That is why the most correct term for restoration of mire ecosystems in such areas is "rehabilitation".

A. F. Chernysh, J. P. Kachkov, O. F. Bashkintseva, E. E. Davydik, I. I. Kasyanenko
SOIL-ECOLOGICAL MICRO DISTRICTS OF THE REPUBLIC AS A PART OF THE SYSTEM OF ADAPTIVE SOIL-PROTECTIVE AGRICULTURE. pp. 52-62

Summary: The fragments of schemes of the soil-geographical, soil-ecological and nature agricultural divisions of the three typical administrative regions of Poozerie, Central Belarus and Polesie are compared. The methodic aspects of soil-ecological micro division are considered. The necessity of this decision is grounded. The results of the division into 12 micro districts on the territory of Myadel region, 11 - Dzerzhinski and 7 of Starodorozhski region are suggested. The differences of soil-ecological characteristics and exponents of cadastral evaluation are stressed. The attention is paid to the role of erosion processes in the forming of ecological conditions in micro districts. It is suggested to single out agro technological groups of lands with different levels of erosion danger. The parameters of these groups and recommendations for their optimal use are given. The agro technological groups are considered in the context of their adaptive soil-protective agriculture on the territory of micro districts of Belarus.

R. A. Nenashev, V. S. Averin
IMPACT OF SEASONAL CHANGES IN PASTURE GRASS COMPOSITION ON 137CS TRANSFER TO COW DIET AND MILK. pp. 62-69

Summary: The results of the research on 137Cs accumulation in cow diet and milk during grazing season showed that the level of radionuclide consumed with the diet by animals is determined to a great extent by seasonal dynamics of grass composition. Repeated grazing during the pasture season results in less stability of the low-component cultured phytocenosis compared to natural pastures, which may be the cause of sudden fluctuations in 137Cs in cow diet and milk while grazing. Hence, rational usage of hay-fields and pasture lands should not be based only upon strict observation of agricultural techniques to improve the state of vegetation, but upon such zootechnik measures as regulations of pasture usage, proper choice of grazing, frequency and height of grazing.

D. G. Grumo, N. A. Zelenkevich
ECOLOGICAL STATE OF FORESTS IN THE GREEN ZONE OF MOGILYOV. pp. 70-84

Summary: This article presents some results of the ecological state research of forests in the green area of Mogilyov. The research covers 25 km area from the city with the general area of 145 thousand ha including Mogilyov administrative area - 132,5 thousand ha (91,4 %), Shklov - 10,5 thousand hа (7,2 %), Belynichi - 2,0 thousand hа (1,4 %). Taking into account the information on accommodation of large forests and existing sources of anthropogenic influence (industrial and radioactive pollution, recreation load), local network of wood monitoring was developed and implemented consisting of 45 control sites located at the distance of 0,5…25 km from the city in six directions. It has been established that accumulation of contaminating microelements in soil and phytomass of forest biocenosis has a gradient character, decreasing while moving away of the city. The main dispersion area of pollutants containing metals is in general located in 3-km zone (the nearest zone). In directions of predominant winds the extent of dispersion zone increases and reaches 10...15 km. The spot of radioactive pollution within the studied forest areas has been detected in southern sector of the green zone of the city. The main deponents of metals in forest biocenosis are needles and bark of wood plants, lichens, green mosses, mushrooms and forest substratum. It has been established that the ecological situation in the area of research is rather dangerous with regard to sanitary-and-hygienic quality of forest products. Forests in 25-km zone around the city are contaminated to a different degree ranging from the absence of visible signs of destruction to clearly defined destructive changes. The analysis of the obtained information on the sanitary state of forests shows that the overwhelming majority of the examined trees can be labeled as "weakened". No improvement of the sanitary state of trees has been revealed. The main causes are the following: total weakening of trees because of complex climatic conditions, absence of duly fulfilled measures of forestry activity (cleaning, cutting, severance felling, cleaning of dead trees). On the example of Pinus sylvestris L. depression of radial accretion under the influence of anthropogenic factors has been revealed.

Protected Objects of Nature

Summary: The water mites are between the most widely distributed groups of water arthropods. They can play an important role in a circulation of arboviruses of the encephalitis. The fauna of water mites of the Projected Reserves "Bystrica", "Vileity", "Dretunski" and "Golubickaja Pushcha" was investigated. The 50 species of water mites revealed. It was concluded that a diversity of water mite species composition is relatively high. Species rare in Europe and those firstly found in Belarus and countries of the former USSR - Hydryphantes bayeri Pisarovic, 1896; Hydrodroma torrenticola (Walter, 1908); Unionicola gracilipalpis Viets, 1908; Neumania imitata Koenike, 1908; Piona disparilis (Koenike, 1895); Arrenurus forpicatus Neuman, 1880; Arrenurus pugionifer Koenike, 1908; Arrenurus virens Neuman, 1880 are living there. Dominating species are Eylais rimosa Piers. - 15,47 % (of the total numbers of collected species of water mites); Limnesia maculata (Mull.) - 7,35 %; Piona nodata (Mull.) - 5,80 % и Hydrodroma despiciens (Mull.) - 5,41 % respectively. Broad type areas are characteristic for these species. It is noted out that the species preferring small permanent eutrophic water-bodies and temporary springtime pools are typical for a community of water mites of the Reserves. Finally it may be concluded that this study confirmed an importance and status of strict protected territory of the Projected Reserves "Bystrica", "Vileity", "Dretunski" и "Golubickaja Pushcha".

Economy of Nature Management

Summary: The article considers the basic theoretical approaches to mineral resources appraisal and contains the economic, ecological-economic and ecological evaluation of the mineral resources of Belarus. The article provides the comparative analysis of economic appraisal on the basis of capitalized and discounted rents. It is offered to use lower rate of discounting in the system of economic evaluation in order to show the ecological factor of operation. It is established, that the rate of evaluation depends not so much on the method of calculation of the total differential rent (capitalized or discounted), but on the rate of discounting (factor of discounting) taking into account the factor of time. The ecological-economic appraisal of the mineral resources of Belarus is the cost of their economic value, taking into account the environmental consequences of mineral deposits development and operation. Upon considering the contents of the ecological-economic mineral resources appraisal, it is necessary to distinguish an ecological-economic mineral resources appraisal in the broad sense of the word (mi-neral resources as a component of natural complexes) and in the narrow sense of the word (mineral resources as an object of operation). The reproduction rent in a broad sense is described in the research in capitalized and discounted forms: estimated on the basis of the reduced discount rate it shows the essence of an ecological-economic mineral resources appraisal in the broad sense of the word. The discounted (capitalized) economic rent taking into account ecological negative profits shows the contents of the ecological-economic mineral resources appraisal in the narrow sense. In the article it is emphasized that traditional methods of economic evaluation of mineral resources do not take into account the damage of natural ecological systems which can in many cases surpass the utility of the extracted raw material considerably. For this reason, economic evaluation of mineral resources taking into account ecological losses (the ecological-economic mineral resources appraisal in the narrow sense of the word) is one of the major criteria of establishing the economic mechanism of steady environmental management. The foundation of this evaluation is the ecological-economic mineral resources appraisal in the broad sense of the word, taking into account the necessity of constant reproduction of natural complexes.

Scientific Communications

Summary: This article gives an overview of the contents of Ecological Bulletin which characterises the state of the environment and describes nature resources use in Belarus in 2002.

A. P. Ostapenya, T. V. Zhukova, R. Z. Kovalevskaya, T. M. Mikheyeva
ECOLOGICAL STATE OF THE LAKES OF NAROCHANSKAYA GROUP (NAROCH, MYASTRO, BATORINO) IN 2001-2003. pp. 102-105

Summary: The current state of the lakes of Narochanskaya group should be regarded as appropriate. As compared to the 1980s, the values of water quality have increased significantly. At the same time, long recreational use of the shore and climate peculiarities for the last few years have led to the change of the ecological balance, which resulted in some serious ecological problems in the shore zone of the lake Naroch. Among these problems, the main is formation of stable focus of shistosomiasis.

H. V. Vysochenko, G. A. Kapilevich, K. G. Lemeshko, N. V. Dudinskaya, Y. V. Khovrov, L. A. Goncharova
INFORMATION POTENTIAL OF THE NATIONAL SYSTEM OF THE ENVIRONMENT MONITORING OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS: FORMATION AND PROSPECTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT. pp. 105-107

Summary: The National system of the environment monitoring of the Republic of Belarus (NSEM), developed in accordance with the resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated 20.04.1993 № 247 and 14.07.2003 № 949, is the main source of information on ecological condition of the environment components of the republic. NSME information can be used for determination of priority areas and directions of nature protection activity, planning and realization of ecologically sound technologies in industry and agriculture. The environment state information is provided by the information-analytical centre conducting specific monitoring and the Main information-analytical centre NSME by preparing and publishing different information materials, as well as creating and updating thematic sites.

A. P. Ivanov, A. P. Chaikovsky
LIDAR AND RADIOMETRIC MONITORING OF THE ATMOSPHERE POLLUTION IN BELARUS. pp. 107-109

Summary: Aerosol and ozone concentration in the atmosphere has been remotely monitored in Belarus. The works were performed in close cooperation with the European lidar network and International radiometric network. Systematic transport of Saharan sands to Belarus has been discovered for the first time. Fire smog in September 2002 in Minsk has been analyzed.

R. V. Tedeyev
CREATING 3D IMAGES OF GEOLOGYCAL-ECOLOGYCAL OBJECTS BY TOMOGRAF SYSTEM. pp. 109-115

Summary: The paper gives summary of the method of three-dimensional image formation of geological and ecological objects by the system TOMOGRAF. The problems of initial irregular data preparation and their input into the system in different formats, translation of the irregular data into regular one through a generalized method of minimum curvature are considered, as well as constructing contour maps and different views of volumetric images of target objects. The case histories demonstrating the possibilities of making different views of volumetric images by TOMOGRAF are discussed.