Phytocenosis biodiversity at various water levels in mesotrophic Lake Arakhley, Lake Baikal basin, Russia

Small lakes have lower water levels during dry years as was the case in 2000–2020. We sought to show the biodiversity of plant communities at various water levels in Lake Arakhley. Changes in moisture content are reflected in the cyclical variations of the water level in the lake, which decreased approximately 2 m in 2017–2018. These variations affect the biological diversity of the aquatic ecosystems. We present the latest data on the state of the plant communities in this mesotrophic lake located in the drainage basin of Lake Baikal. Lake Arakhley is a freshwater lake with low mineral content and a sodium hydrocarbonate chemical composition. Changes in the nutrient concentration were related to precipitation; inflow volume and organic matter were autochtonous at low water levels. The most diverse groups of phytoplankton found in the lake were Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta, and Chrysophyta. High biodiversity values indicate the complexity and richness of the lake’s phytoplankton community. A prevalence of Lindavia comta was observed when water levels were low and Asterionella formosa dominated in high-water years. The maximum growth depth of lacustrine vegetation decreased from 11.0 m to 4.0 m from 1967 to 2018. Decreasing water levels were accompanied by a reduction in the littoral zone, altering the communities of aquatic plants. The hydrophyte communities were monodominant in the dry years and were represented by Ceratophyllum demersum. The vegetation cover of the lake was more diverse in high-water years and variations in the lake’s water content altered the composition of biogenic substances. These changes were reflected in the lake’s phytocenosis

Resource Economics in the Frontier of the Asian Russia: Consequences, Problems, Suggestions

В статье рассматривается роль природных ресурсов в социально-экономическом развитии приграничных регионов России и Китая. В процессе глобализации все больше увеличивается «прозрачность» национальных границ, и разные регионы по-разному используют этот фактор развития экономики.The role of natural resources in the socio-economic development of frontier regions of Russia and China is discussed at the article. Transparency of national borders in the process of globalization is increasingly raised and different regions use this factor of economic development in different ways

Resource Economics in the Frontier of the Asian Russia: Consequences, Problems, Suggestions

В статье рассматривается роль природных ресурсов в социально-экономическом развитии приграничных регионов России и Китая. В процессе глобализации все больше увеличивается «прозрачность» национальных границ, и разные регионы по-разному используют этот фактор развития экономики.The role of natural resources in the socio-economic development of frontier regions of Russia and China is discussed at the article. Transparency of national borders in the process of globalization is increasingly raised and different regions use this factor of economic development in different ways

Ecological State of Lake Gusinoe—A Cooling Pond of the Gusinoozersk GRES

The study of the transformation of substances in the basin of the Selenga River—the main tributary of Lake Baikal—under anthropogenic pressure and in the context of global climate change, is especially important for the lake, a globally important source of drinking water. The ecosystem of Lake Gusinoe is one of the key objects in the Selenga River basin that is exposed to significant anthropogenic pressure. This study presents the results of an analysis of water level changes and physicochemical parameters of the water mass of Lake Gusinoe; literature data from 1951 to 2017 and own data from 2017 to 2021. The water level in the lake had depended on natural factors before the Gusinoozersk GRES was launched; however, since the plant has begun using the lake as a cooling pond, its level has actually been regulated by the economic entity. Over the years, there has been a significant increase in mineralization, sulfate, sodium, fluoride and organic matter fractions resistant to oxidation. Seasonal increases in iron and manganese concentrations in water were detected. Increased concentrations of nutrients and organic matter fractions resistant to oxidation were registered at the wastewater discharge sites. Heavy metals in the bottom sediments of Lake Gusinoe accumulate mainly in the silt of the deep zone of the lake. Plants growing in the zones of influence of the Gusinoozersk GRES and Gusinoozersk wastewater discharge accumulate the largest amount of metals