Natural Resources, 2007, No.1

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 1; 2007

CONTENTS

Khoruzhik L. I.
REPORT AT THE CONCLUDING SESSION OF THE MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS FOR 2006. pp. 5-20

MATERIALS OF THE CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL BULLETIN "NATURAL RESOURCES ". pp. 21-38

Water Resources

I. S. Danilovich, L. B. Trofimova
IMPACT OF THE ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION IN WINTER AND AUTUMN SEASONS ON BELARUS RIVERS SINK. pp. 39-46

Summary: Atmospheric circulation is one of the most important factors in climate formation. The climatic changes confirm the existing long-standing changes in the atmospheric circulation. Hydrological regime of rivers in Belarus strongly depends on climatic factors. The deviations of meteorological parameters cause significant changes in the river regime. The dynamics of meteorological parameters deals with frequencies of atmospheric processes. The paper argue that warm and wet weather depend on western circulation. Fresh and snowy weather is usually caused by eastern circulation. Frosty and fair weather is caused by meridian circulation. There are differences in the formation of the runoff within the territory of Belarus under similar atmospheric circulation. It is caused by orientation of the pressure system over the territory of Belarus and influences the meteorological conditions in the republic. The impact of atmospheric circulation can be seen at monthly runoff and intra-annual distribution. The western circulation determines a high winter runoff (December-March), but a low one in spring (April, May). Meridian circulation determines a low runoff during winter and high runoff during spring flood. The analysis shows that formation of the runoff on the cold part of the year significantly differs in the different epochs of the atmospheric circulation. During the epoch of western circulation winter runoff was a little lower the average - about 10...20 % and close to average. Spring runoff observed above the average near 10...20 % during this epoch. Eastern and meridian epochs are characterized by a low winter runoff - 60...80 % of the average but in the end of spring season raised and became above the average about 15...30 %. In the last epoch of western circulation high winter runoff was formed - about 25...40 % above the average, but in spring it became below the average about 10...30 % in comparing with average.

Biological Resources

A. N. Perevolotsky, I. M. Bulavik, T. V. Perevolotskaya, L. A. Paskrobko, S. N. Andrush
EFFECT OF EDAPHIC FACTORS ON RADIONUCLIDES ACCUMULATION BY WOODY PLANTS. pp. 47-56

Summary: The paper focuses on the research to determine the effect of soil fertility and humidity on ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr accumulation by wood and bark of basic forest-forming woody plants. The research was conducted within the "distant" track of radioactive fallout ranging 400...1 400 kBq/m² for ¹³⁷Cs and 10...18 kBq/m² for ⁹⁰Sr. Maximum ¹³⁷Cs specific activity up to 10 000 Bq/kg in bark and 3 000 Bq/kg in wood were observed for barren or relatively barren and wet edaphotops (A5-B5). Maximum ⁹⁰Sr specific activity up to 300 Bq/kg in wood and 2 000 Bq/kg in bark were observed in barren and fresh edaphotops (A2). The lowest specific activities for both radio-nuclides were observed for fresh and barren edaphotops. The highest ¹³⁷Cs transfer factors were observed for pine tree and birch tree in edaphotops A4 and A5 (4·10^-3 m²/kg for wood and > 12·10^-3 m²/kg for bark). The highest ⁹⁰Sr transfer factors were observed in birch tree wood for edaphotops A2-A3 (up to 18·10^-3 m²/kg) and in oak tree bark (up to 90·10^-3 m²/kg). The increase in ¹³⁷Cs transfer factors and decrease for those for ⁹⁰Sr in wood and bark of basic forest-forming woody plants following the subsequent increase in soil humidity for a single trophic grade were observed. The increase in soil humidity for a single trophic grade results in decrease of ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr accumulation in wood and bark by a factor of from 2 to 3. The examined elements of phytomass from basic forest-forming plants may contain up to 5 % of ¹³⁷Cs and up to 25 % of ⁹⁰Sr from total activity in ecosystem which shows the significant role of forest plantations in biological accumulation of radionuclides. A scientific substantiations of optimal logging use on the contaminated territory were proposed. The possibility of logging usage which is in the permissible levels for ¹³⁷Cs content over 1 480 kBq/m² has been shown. The urgency to reduce logging in wet and damp hygrotopes due to high radionuclides accumulation in timber has been marked.

Nature Management

L. A. Kravchuk, I. pp. Samsonenko, N. I. Kirkorov, T. G. Tsarik
INFORMATION-MODELLING SYSTEM OF BASIC PARAMETERS ESTIMATION OF STRUCTURALLY FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATION OF PLANTED LANDS IN MINSK. pp. 57-65

Summary: The information-modeling system of the basic parameters estimation of the green lands of Minsk (IMS) has been developed for the purposes of ecologically balanced town-planning development of city territory. IMS contains data on a level of landscaping of the basic functional zones (in a cut of quarters and micro-districts), parameters of providing of the population with recreational territories (on local value, city value and regional value). It allows to spend modeling of change of the situation after withdrawal of any planted lands and increase of population. IMS software has been developed with usage of a high-level language C++. The specialized GIS and a database management system (DBMS) that are integrated into a uniform software product has been built in IMS architecture. Their interrelation promotes ordering of the information on city green lands. Both reflection of the initial situation, and modeling of the landscape parameters is possible. IMS interface consists of the initial control panel on which following windows are presented: the block of databases edition and two informational-modeling blocks (1 - built quarters, 2 - greenery territories). Possibility of the control and loading of the initial information in databases has given. After data processing, IMS displays an initial situation on the electronic map in a requisite quarter of built-up lands or the landscaped objects. Besides, IMS allows to correct data after the change of the areas of planted lands and population increases; to simulate IMS models changes of parameters of landscaping. The simulation totals are displayed in windows of dialogue blocks (in two directions) and on a map basis.

Protected Objects of Nature

N. S. Shevtsova, N. A. Yurgenson, G. I. Martsinkevich, G. N. Chistenko, A. V. Shushkova
THE ASSESSMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES CAPACITY FOR INVENTORY OF TOURIST RESOURCES OF ZAKHODNI BUG BASIN. pp. 66-81

Summary: In this article the basic scientific and methodical approaches of the development and support for the National Inventory of Tourism Resources in Belarus are examined. The methodology of recreational assessment of natural resources capacity has been developed for such important recreational objects as Specially Protected Natural Areas and rivers. This methodology has been approved on the Specially Protected Natural Areas in south-western part of Brest region as well as Zakhodni Bug and Mukhavets rivers.The assessment of Specially Protected Natural Areas is presented as the ecological passport of object which includes information on location, status of protection, transport accessibility, ecological, historical and cultural values, tourist infrastructure, etc. The assessment of water objects includes a number of criteria (12) and indexes (35). Based on their functions and structure, criteria are divided into 4 groups: general, special, individual, specific. General criteria indicate water quality. They are influenced by the anthropogenic activities including tourism and recreation. Among general criteria there are hydrophysical, hydrochemical and radiological indexes. Special criteria (organoleptic, heavy metals) demonstrate the level of water contamination by chemical agents and microorganisms of pathogenic character. Individual criteria reflect physical or other characteristics, not related to water quality (climatic, hydrological, aesthetical indexes). Specific criteria are necessary for several kinds of tourism such as amateur fishing and hunting which require certain hydrobiological water parameters. On the basis of the analysis, the scale of suitability of each criterion have been developed for various kinds of recreational activities such as bathing, water skis, yacht , motor boats, etc. The scale is divided into three types of suitability such as favourable, partly favourable and unfavourable. Finally five zones of Zakhodni Bug river and six zones of Mukhavets river have been characterized for various kinds of tourism and recreation activities. In case of unfavourable conditions, several measures to improve recreational conditions are proposed.

Discussions

V. Loginov, G. Volchuga, О. Kadatskaya
PLACE OF THE ECOLOGICAL BULLETIN "STATE OF NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF BELARUS" IN INFORMATIONAL STREAM ON ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENT STATE AND TRENDS. pp. 82-89

Summary: During the last years a series of reference books has been published with the assistance of the Ministry for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, in which the same data of National System of Environment Monitoring have been used for assessment of environmental conditions. For this reason information contained in some book parts are partly similar and this fact has generated a need to show the peculiarities of each edition, in particular the ecological bulletin "State of Natural Environment of Belarus". The ecological bulletin contains yearly information on the natural environment state and its trends in Belarus, the figures of natural resources use, the problems of conservation of landscapes and biodiversity, the state of waste circulation and rehabilitation of degraded geosystems. Economical situation in the country, modern demography processes and state of people health are briefly described in it too. The priority ecological problems and the main directions of ecological policy are also found there. In the other reference books the spectrum of analysed information is usually narrower and mainly concerns the environmental pollution but the presented material is more detailed. As against the other books the bulletin contents practically cover the whole complex of socio-ecological situations described the environmental quality. At the same time the bulletin structure reflects all situations (natural, economical, demography and social) which are typical for the country during the examined year. As it proved ecological indices used in the bulletin are practically identical to ones recommended for countries of East Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia while its structure meets the international requirements. Thus, the yearly ecological bulletin "State of Natural Environment of Belarus" can consider as a source of making of national evaluative reports on environmental conditions.

Chronicle

RESULTS OF THE ACTIVITY OF THE MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION IN 2006 AND TASKS FOR 2007 (PRESS-RELEASE). p. 90

Y. М. Оbukhovski
REMOTE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT PROBING. pp. 91-92

Т. М. Мikheyeva
INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC WORKSHOP "ECOLOGICAL SMALL LAKES PROBLEMS". pp. 93-94

О. S. Shimova, L. I. Pankrutskaya
INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC-PRACTICAL CONFERENCE "ECONOMICS OF NATURE MANAGEMENT: FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: THEORY AND PRACTICE". pp. 95-98

Jubilee

V. S. Samokhval, I. I. Pirozhnik, O. V. Lukashev
100-TH ANNIVERSARY OF ACADEMICIAN K. I. LUKASHEV. p. 99