Modern ecological problems of restoration and conservation of the sturgeon population in the Ural River basin

Aim. The aim of this study was to conduct an analysis of long‐term changes in the number of sturgeon populations and its relationship with the fishing regime and the current state of the Ural River basin, as well as develop measures for the conservation and restoration of their resources.Discussion. Six sturgeon species inhabit the waters of the Ural River basin: Huso huso Linnaeus, 1758; Acipenser gueldenstaedtii Brandt & Ratzeburg, 1833; Acipenser persicus Borodin, 1897; Acipenser stellatus Pallas, 1771; Acipenser nudiventris Lovetsky, 1828 and Acipenser ruthenus, 1758. The degradation of the geosystems of the Ural River basin and the Caspian Sea due to changes in the hydrological regime, increased exploitation of oil and gas fields, as well as poaching has led to a decrease in the number of sturgeons. Moreover, the areas used for the development of petroleum hydrocarbons and the development of related infrastructure coincide with the main areas for feeding and migration of sturgeon and other commercial fish species. The Ural River is the only one in Europe with unregulated lower and middle reaches, thanks to which, until the 90s of the last century, favourable conditions were maintained for the natural reproduction of sturgeon and other fish species. In world practice, the development of commercial sturgeon breeding and reproduction of livestock in regional natural reservoirs provide a promising direction for the preservation of the unique sturgeon gene pool. At the same time, the principal role in the formation of the number and species composition of sturgeons, is given to natural reproduction. In the Ural River Basin, there are opportunities to restore the sturgeon population through a combination of natural reproduction and artificial farming.Conclusions. Despite a slight increase in the occurrence of sturgeons in recent decades, the state of their populations requires special conservation measures. It is necessary to develop joint measures for the protection and reproduction of fish stocks at the interstate level

THE PHENOMENON OF THE HISTORICAL-GEOGRAPHICAL CONTINUITY OF NOMADIC EMPIRES IN EURASIAN STEPPES

The article summarizes large volume of historical and geographical data on the influence of nomadic peoples on the landscapes of northern Eurasian steppe during the pre-agricultural phase, i.e. prior to the 18–19th centuries. It was concluded that landscapes of the steppe belt represented natural-anthropogenic complexes resulting from cultural transformation of the area by nomadic peoples. The article addresses the key issues facing a new field of study called steppe science

Russian-Kazakh transboundary water bodies: typology, dynamics, economic significance

The issues related to transboundary reservoirs in the state border zone of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan are analysed and their typology is articulated. Issues concerning the legal definition of the concept of "transboundary water body" in the legislation of the two countries are outlined. As a result of comparative decoding of differenttime images of remote satellite sensing of the earth, border sections where the course of rivers change were identified.Aim. To analyse and classify transboundary water bodies on sections of the state border of Russia and the Republic of Kazakhstan and identify problematic situations.Material and Methods. The study of these transboundary water bodies was carried out on the basis of both the analysis of interstate agreements on the delineation of the border of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan, the use of cartographic methods and the analysis of retrospective satellite images.Results. Inconsistencies in the level of legal definition of the concept of "transboundary water body" in the legislation of the two countries are shown. Transboundary water bodies on the state border of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan have been identified and classified. Based on a retrospective analysis of satellite images, problematic situations arising from changes in the location of water bodies as a result of channel deformations of transboundary rivers and fluctuation of lakes have been identified.Conclusions. According to the results of this work, all waterbodies located in the state border zone along its entire length have been identified. A typology of these has been carried out and the length of boundary watercourse sections has been established. Using the example of the transborder Ural River, the situation of the section of the river along which the state border lies is shown with an analysis of the changes in the channel and their dynamics

Rain-fed agriculture in the steppe and forest-steppe zone of the Ural River basin and the adaptation of agricultural technologies to changing moisture availability as a way to preserve surface water resources

Aim. The aim of the research was to determine the relationship of winter wheat grain yields with meteorological parameters, the determination of the dynamics and current level and the selection and scientific justification of adaptive agricultural technologies.Material and Methods. Retrospective analysis was undertaken of meteorological conditions and gross winter wheat harvests by standard methods of correlation and regression analysis. The strength of the connection between the data of individual arrays was determined, as well as the identification of joint variation of productive and factorial features by pairwise comparison of their time series.Results. Six joint variations of time series of productive (gross grain harvest) and factorial features (hydrothermal conditions of vegetation periods and structural indicators of crops) with medium and high closeness of correlation, expressed in the form of multiple regression equations, were revealed.Conclusion. The results of the studies indicate a close direct relationship between gross grain harvest and yield from the harvesting area (r = 0.79), which in turn is inversely dependent (to an average degree) on the sum of the active air temperatures of the entire period from sowing to harvesting (r = 0.64). Из осадков различных периодов вегетации преимущественное прямое влияние на урожайность зерна оказывают осадки холодного периода года (r = 0.49) и всего активного периода вегетации от начала парования до уборки (r = 0.39). Of the precipitation of different periods of vegetation, the predominant direct effect on grain yield is exerted by precipitation during the cold period of the year (r = 0.49) and the entire active period of vegetation from the beginning of fallow to harvest (r = 0.39). The effect of amounts of precipitation for certain short periods of vegetation is much lower. Under current conditions, the stability of winter wheat grain production will be determined by the adaptability of agricultural technologies to the increasing aridity of the climate, which significantly worsens the moisture supply of plants

Analysis of the geographical factors of sustainable development of municipalities in the south of the Urals and western Siberia

Aim. The aim of the study is to group municipalities by the volume (or scale) of municipal economies.Materials and Methods. On the basis of indicators of the volume of agricultural, industrial products, retail trade, investments, the cluster differentiation of municipal districts was carried out. According to the prevalence and combination of indicators, the sector is divided into 8 cluster groups: highly developed industrial, highly developed commercial, industrial and agricultural, commercial and agricultural, trade and logistics, agroindustrial, agricultural, depressed underdeveloped and single large oil producing.Results. According to the results of clustering, certain peculiarities were revealed: more highly developed districts gravitating towards administrative urban centers and major transport arteries. In the west and east of the mesoregion, two axes of advanced development have formed: the South Ural and Altai‐Siberian.Conclusion. In considering the forest‐steppe and steppes of the Urals and Siberia, they were compared with other natural zones that are part of the subjects of the federation studied. Depressed areas are concentrated in the centre of the mesoregion: in the Kurgan region and in the north of the Omsk region, and also gravitate towards the state border with Kazakhstan

Spatial organization of medical and health tourism in the Russia‐Kazakhstan tranboundary region

Aim. To analyze the specifics of the spatio‐temporal organization of the resource and infrastructure base of medical and health tourism in the Russia‐Kazakhstan transboundary region.A comparative analysis of historical data obtained from scientific sources and modern official statistical information on the resource and infrastructure base of medical and health tourism in the Russian‐Kazakhstan cross‐border region was carried out; some of the initial data was obtained during field research by the research team.During the period analysed, a slight expansion of the network of sanatoria and health resort organisations of the Republic of Kazakhstan was established, while in the Russian border regions, the number of organizations has increased more than 1.5 times.Analysis of spatial data revealed disparities in the regional development of the resort sector on both sides of the border. In a number of border regions, the formation of transboundary concentration centres of health resort sector organisations has been revealed. The specifics of the organisation of balneological treatment in the region have been determined namely: the use of imported raw materials, the extensive spread of “wild” hospitals and the lack of scientific justification for the use of resources.A complex combination of natural healing resources, climate and landscape features, and the presence of a network of sanatorium and resort organisations forms a unique ‘therapeutic’ steppe landscape in the Russia‐Kazakhstan transboundary region, which can become the basis for the creation of new tourist routes and programmes aimed at improving the health of the population of both countries

Analysis of modern problems of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of environmental management and environmental safety

Aim. The problems of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of nature management and environmental safety are considered. Possible directions for the development of cooperation both at the interstate and interregional levels of border territories are presented. Purpose is to analyse the current state of cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of environmental management and environmental safety.   Material and Methods. The main results were obtained using a systematic approach through field geographical research, comparative historical and comparative typological analysis, etc. Materials regarding water resources, reservoirs and statistical indicators of the dynamics and structure of water use were used.   Results. The main problems in the field of nature management and environmental safety of the two countries were identified. The prospects of interstate cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan at the interstate and regional levels on transboundary environmental problems and sustainable use of land and water resources, protection of wildlife are identified and substantiated. Based on a retrospective analysis of the experience of interaction between the two countries and possible prospects for cooperation, concepts and directions for the development of strategic partnership in field of cross‐border nature management and environmental safety of transboundary water bodies, and the conservation of migratory species of wildlife are proposed.   Conclusions. The modern post–virgin space is confidently transforming into an agro‐export one – an analogue of the virgin one at a new technological and climatic stage with an export orientation in the face of new challenges. The further development of this space should be based on the optimisation of agriculture and water use, taking into account the preservation of natural diversity

Factors and prerequisites for the formation of transboundary specially protected natural areas in the Russian‐Kazakhstan region

Aim. To conduct a geographical analysis of the network of specially protected natural areas in the Russian‐Kazakhstan transboundary region and identify promising areas of international cooperation in the field of protection and conservation of natural geosystems.   Material and Methods. The study was built on the basis of statistical processing of state statistics of Russia and Kazakhstan and on geoinformation analysis of open data on population and materials obtained from official geoinformation portals containing information on specially protected natural areas of both countries.   Results. The authors have established and mapped border protected natural areas of federal/republican significance in the Russian‐Kazakhstan region. By means of GIS technologies, "zones of influence" of key nature protection areas were determined by constructing centroids of protected areas and Thyssen/Varzar polygons. Population levels of the territories within the obtained zones was calculated. Promising transboundary specially protected territories have been identified. Mechanisms for drawing attention to the problems of nature protection are proposed.   Conclusions. The results of the analysis of the parameters of the population of the territory near the most significant protected areas in the border zone of Russia and Kazakhstan are of practical importance in the integration of specially protected natural areas into the socio‐economic development of the regions using the experience and traditions of the local population and taking into account their interests

Assessment of Prospects for Sustainable Cross‐Border Cooperation of the Russian Post‐Virgin Regions of the Urals and Siberia with the Republic of Kazakhstan

Aim. Comprehensive assessment of the stability of cross‐border cooperation between the Russian steppe regions of the Urals and Siberia and the Republic of Kazakhstan in the fields of foreign trade and migration. To achieve the goal, a model has been developed to assess the prospects for sustainable cross‐border interaction of the Russian steppe regions of the Urals and Siberia with the Republic of Kazakhstan.The research conducted using the methodology developed made it possible to identify the problems of cross‐border interaction of Russian steppe regions with the Republic of Kazakhstan. Against the background of a decrease in general mobility of the population of the Russian steppe regions, the share of those who left for the Republic of Kazakhstan among the total number of those who left abroad had a positive trend during the period analysed in the vast majority of steppe regions of the Russian Federation. In five of the eight regions considered, the interaction is characterized as "stable" and "steady", "unstable" interaction in the field of migration only in the Altai Territory.The Tyumen Region was the leader in terms of the share in the country's export‐import operations among the steppe regions of the Russian Federation for 2015–2021. In the period under review, foreign trade turnover had a stimulating effect on the economy of the Chelyabinsk region, the Republic of Bashkortostan and the Novosibirsk region. At the same time, the most active foreign trade activity with the Republic of Kazakhstan was observed in the Altai Territory and Omsk and Kurgan regions. Stable cross‐border cooperation in the field of foreign trade with the Republic of Kazakhstan is only in place in the Kurgan region

Advanced views regarding the post‐virgin land geographical space of Eurasia and Russia in the light of current land reforms

Aim. To analyse the consequences of the virgin lands (1954‐1963) agrarian‐social megaproject, and of current land reforms. To elaborate contributions to the Russian post‐virgin land space development strategy.Material and methods. Historical records and sources, field geographical observations data and survey information have been used. The convergence principle, cartographic, comparative historical and comparative typological analyses, expert assessment and the logical method of generalizations have been applied.Results. A notion concerning the cumulative consequences of the largest agrarian‐social megaprojects, such as the Virgin Land campaign of 1954‐ 1963 and land reforms in Russia and Kazakhstan in the 1990s, has been developed. The actual socio‐economical and ecological problems of post‐ virgin land areas have been examined. A differentiated assessment of the self‐reconstruction potential of the steppe is given. The value of a system of formed steppe cores is demonstrated through the example of post‐ virgin land space in the Orenburgskaya oblast and a series of recommendations on these rational utlisation of these cores is proposed.Conclusion. The post‐virgin land space in Russia is characterised by a series of acute agroecological and conservational problems, such as poor development of adaptive animal husbandry and fodder production and priority accorded high risk dry crop farming. The realisation in practice of agronomy extensive approaches based on irreversible natural resources mobilization and on soil consumptive commercial crops expansion are accompanied by topsoil degradation. Under current conditions, the conservation and restoration of title (key) steppe biological objects and the more effective realisation of post‐virgin land space developmental potential both require urgent strategic initiatives by the Russiann Federation Government