Basic numerical modeling for the implementation of measures to improve the environmental situation at facilities

The problems of the ecological situation in the Central Chernozem region at technosphere objects of strategic importance are consired. As a specific object, AO "Lebedinsky GOK" which is a favorite for the extraction of iron ore on Russian and world trading platforms. Effective industrial general technical preventive measures are recommended, focused on reducing the emission of dust particles during serial blasting of iron-containing rocks at a specific facility. The most effective preventive measures to minimize the concentration of dust and gases are considered. The application of the method of controlling the wetting and sticking of dust particles is shown. It is based on the use of solutions of surfactants (surfactants). An anionactive surfactant based on triethanolamine salts is recommended. The concentration of the surfactant is selected according to the value of the surface tension of the solution.

Hormonal, metabolic and clinical manifestations of the climacteric syndrome as a marker of ecological trouble in the region

In the early 90s, academician E.K. Ailamazyan formulated the main provisions of general ecological reproductive science and the concept arising from them, according to which indicators of the reproductive function of women can act as criteria for assessing the ecological situation in the region. In 1995, an employee of the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology. D.O. Ott.

Features of absorbed radiation doses calculation for cattle’s in Krasnoyarsk krai

The article provides an adapted methodology of absorbed dose calculation for the cattle from the territories with long-term man-made contamination. The methodology was developed according to existing regulatory documents in the RF: veterinarian rules VR 13.73.13/12-00, VR 13.5.13/03-00, methodical instructions MI 13.5.13-00, regulation for the state veterinarian control system in radioactive contamination of veterinary surveillance objects in the Russian Federation. The aim of the work is the development of calculation methodology of absorbed radiation doses for the cattle on the territory with long-term man-made isotopes contamination, taking to the account the radionuclide composition of the soil. Methods. The regulatory documents governing absorbed doses calculation has been analyzed; the contribution of external and internal radiation into total annual absorbed dose has been determined. Results. It has been established, that the calculation of external radiation dose needs to be done considering doses in stable and pasture periods. Pasture period dose is a sum of day and night doses considering day length. According to the data of radio ecological situation in Krasnoyarsk krai the internal radiation dose should be calculated as a sum of 137Cs, 90Sr, 60Co, taking to the account different concentration of these radionuclides in green and coarse fodder. Scientific novelty. The methodology of dose calculation for the cattle according to the radio ecological situation in Krasnoyarsk krai has been introduced for the first time. Practical significance. This methodology is recommended for the specialists of radiological departments of veterinarian laboratories and science officers in the field of agricultural radiobiology.

Environmental Behavior of Youth and Sustainable Development

The relationship between people and nature is one of the most important current issues of human survival. This circumstance makes it necessary to educate young people who are receptive to global challenges and ready to solve the urgent problems of our time. The purpose of the article is to analyze the experience of the environmental behavior of young people in the metropolis. The authors studied articles and monographs that contain Russian and international experience in the environmental behavior of citizens. The following factors determine people’s behavior: the cognitive capabilities of people who determine the understanding and perception of nature and the value-affective component that determines the attitude towards nature. The next task of the study is surveying young people through an online survey and its analysis. The research was realized in Ekaterinburg, the administrative center of the Sverdlovsk region (Russia). The study of the current ecological situation in Ekaterinburg made it possible to conclude that the environmental problem arises not only and not simply as a problem of environmental pollution and other negative influences of human economic activity. This problem grows into transforming the spontaneous impact of society on nature into a consciously, purposefully, systematically developing harmonious interaction with it. The study results showed that, from the point of view of the youth of Ekaterinburg, the city’s ecological situation is one of the most pressing problems. Despite minor improvements over the past 3–5 years, this problem has not lost relevance, and regional authorities and city residents should be responsible for its solution. Young people know environmental practices, but they often do not apply them systematically. Ecological behavior is encouraged and discussed among friends/acquaintances. The key factors influencing the formation of environmental behavior practices are the mass media and social networks. The most popular social network for obtaining information on ecological practices among young people is Instagram, and the key persons are bloggers. This study did not reveal the influence of the socio-demographic characteristics of young people on the application of eco-behavior practices, which may indicate the need for a survey of a larger sample.

Environmental safety monitoring of heavy metals accumulation in some species of Sambucus L.

The aim in this work was to monitor heavy metals in plants of elderberry species. The objective of the research was to identify the actual concentrations of heavy metals in the fruits and leaves of the studied elderberry species. The need to determine deviations in the content of heavy metals in various parts of plants arose because the current ecological situation in Belgorod’s area requires special attention. The presence and concentration of heavy metals in different elderberry species and different parts of plants vary greatly and have the following features. Increased magnesium content was observed in almost all elderberry species, especially in red-fruited (Sambucus racemosa ‘Aurea’, S. sibirica Nakai, S. racemosa L., S. racemosa ‘Plumosa’, S. coreana Nakai), And its concentration much higher in fruits than in leaves. The highest deviation of the magnesium content from the norm was noted in the fruits and leaves of S. sibirica (2 and 1.5 times, respectively). Black elderberry species (S. nigra L., S. canadensis L., S. canadensis ‘Plumosa’) have a lower magnesium concentration in fruits and leaves. On the other hand, the concentration of copper in fruits and leaves in elderberry species is many times higher than the norm.

Optimization of the environmental management system in the face of development of the city Rostov-on-Don

In the conditions of constant deterioration of the ecological situation, the organization of the system of environmental protection acquires particular importance. The soil is the basis for the production of crops, as well as the main wealth on which people depend. The issues of rational use and protection of soil and its fertility are the primary tasks in the process of organizing environmental protection activities.

Intraspecific Divergence of the Colorado Beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineataSay (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) on the Territory of the USSR and Russia

The article presents the results of more than 40 years of research on the intraspecific variability and divergent microevolution of the Colorado Potato Beetle (CPB) during its expansion in the USSR and Russia. In this part of the species secondary area, 9 of its allopatric forms were mapped at the level of races (ecotypes), including 2 new ecotypes - northern and Azerbaijani, were identified in the last 5 years. To indicate ecotypes in the CPB area, the methods of classical population phenetics are applied. Ecotypes of the pest were formed in various potato-growing agro-climatic zones and differ in the individuals occurrence frequency with 9 types (morphs) of the imago pronotum pattern. Long-term changes in the phenetic structure of individual pest ecotypes over a period of 30-40 years were revealed. This indicates the continuation of microevolutionary processes in the CPB within the realized area due to the instability of the ecological situation in the agroecosystems. Under these conditions, the main inducers of divergent processes in pest populations are the agricultural production factors - for example, the resistant potato varieties such as Peterburgskiy, Ryabinushka, Sudaryinya and others.

Cutting of Round Timber with Heart Rot to Structural Lumber

Softwood lumber is widely used for the manufacture of load-bearing structures. However, the quality of round timber for lumber manufacturing has been deteriorating recently. The average diameter of round timber entering sawmills is constantly decreasing, and heart rot is common in large-diameter round timber. This is due to the fact that more and more conifers in the forest are being affected by heart rot. The rot infestation is related to the deterioration of the ecological situation caused by environmental pollution. As a rule, the removal of rot occurs at the stage of round timber harvesting. Therefore, during harvesting, most of the wood with heart rot continues to remain in the forest. In addition to littering the area, it continues to infect sound wood. At the same time, together with the wood affected by rot, the sound sapwood, which has good strength characteristics, is also removed. A method for processing round timber with heart rot into elements of load-bearing structures is proposed. In particular, a technological scheme for manufacturing I-beams from such timber has been developed for low-rise house construction. Corner elements are produced as a result of cutting round timber and removing heart rot by milling. The corner elements are dried in clamped state using special devices. Then they are glued together to obtain beams with a cross-section in the form of an I-beam. A set of equipment for the processing round timber with heart rot was selected. The paper presents the results of calculating the costs for organizing the production. The effectiveness of the technological project is evaluated using the method of discounted cashflows by the following indicators: net present value, profitability index, and discounted payback period. The assessment results confirm the effectiveness of the production organization of load-bearing structures made of round timber affected by heart rot. The processing of wood that remains in the forest into elements of building structures not only increases the wood reserves for construction, but also creates conditions for improving the ecological situation in forest areas. For citation: Toropov А.S., Byzov V.Е., Toropova Е.V., Sergeevichev А.V., Sazanova E.V. Cutting of Round Timber with Heart Rot to Structural Lumber. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2021, no. 6, pp. 160–172. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2021-6-160-172

This Precious Human Life

This paper analyzes the idea of “human exceptionalism” from the perspective of Tibetan Buddhism. It argues that, in the Tibetan Buddhist context, many of the negative consequences of human exceptionalism are overshadowed by the concept’s ability to promote an altruistic comportment to the more-than-human world when supported by the Buddhist ontology and its broader project of liberating all beings from duhkha. To this end, this paper looks at how Tibetan Buddhist teachers qualify a “precious human life” by conducting a close reading of primary texts before extrapolating some general themes of these selected passages and applying them to our contemporary ecological situation. In doing so, it makes the argument that human exceptionalism is not a problem in and of itself but has a positive or negative effect on the more-than-human world depending on how it is established, maintained, and understood. It also demonstrates how Tibetan Buddhism can be a useful tradition for thinking alongside as we attempt to address global issues concerning the environment and nonhuman animals.