RESEARCH OF HAZARDOUS NATURAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL PROCESSES IN URBAN NATURAL COMPLEXES

The natural complex of Moscow, which includes the totality of all spatially isolated woodlands, protected areas, forests, water protection zones, historical and cultural monuments, and green spaces, makes up about 35 percent of the city's territory (without the Troitsky and Novomoskovsky administrative districts-TaNAD). The technogenic load of the surrounding megalopolis can provoke or strengthen the development of various types of dangerous exodynamic processes on the territory of natural complexes (landslides, gully erosion, the formation of sinkholes, etc.). This creates both an immediate threat to the lives of the population, and causes the risk of destruction of buildings and structures located near them. To prevent such events, it is necessary to develop a forecast of dangerous exodynamic processes and measures to eliminate their causes in a timely manner. This problem can be solved only on the basis of a series of consistently conducted studies.

Narrativity in Complex Systems

Humans use narrative for making sense of their environment. In this chapter we ask if, and if so how and to what extent, our narrative mind can help us deal scientifically with complexity. In order to answer this question, and to show what this means for education, we discuss fundamental aspects of narrative understanding of dynamical systems by working on a concrete story. These aspects involve perception of complex systems, experientiality of narrative, decomposition of systems into mechanisms, perception of forces of nature in mechanisms, and the relation of story-worlds to modelling-worlds, particularly in so-called ephemeral mechanisms. In parallel to describing fundamental issues, we develop a practical heuristic strategy for dealing with complex systems in five steps. (1) Systems thinking: Identify phenomena and foreground a system associated with these phenomena. (2) Mechanisms: Find and describe mechanisms responsible for these phenomena. (3) Forces of nature: Learn to perceive forces of nature as agents acting in these mechanisms. (4) Story-worlds and models: Learn how to use stories of forces (of nature) to construct story-worlds; translate the story-worlds into dynamical-model-worlds. (5) Ephemeral mechanisms for one-time, short-lived, unpredictable, and historical (natural) events: Learn how to create and accept ephemeral story-worlds and models. Ephemeral mechanisms and ephemeral story-worlds are a means for dealing with unpredictability inherent in complex dynamical systems. We argue that unpredictability does not fundamentally deny storytelling, modelling, explanation, and understanding of natural complex systems.

PHYTOTHERAPY USE IN MODERN MEDICINE

It is known that phytotherapy is a method of treating various human diseases, based on the use of medicinal plants and complex preparations from them. Medicinal plants can be used in fresh, dried form, as well as by isolating active substances from them with the help of simple processing, which preserves the structure of the natural complex. components (infusion, extract, etc.).

Patterns in Natural Halophytic Grasslands at the Border of Forest-Steppe and Steppe Zones of South Ural

The patterns (mosaicity) in natural halophytic grasslands at the border of Forest-steppe and Steppe zones of South Ural were characterized by the hierarchical continuum concept theory for the Troitskiy state natural complex preserve example. It was established, that the grass canopy is fragmented by salinization impact, the individual’s random distribution is typical of halophytes and salttolerant steppe species form patterns. Only the micro-patterns (0,8 m) level is statistically significant, parcels (8 m) and coenotics (12 m) are fuzzy and fragmentation of mosaicity is observed. There are two coenotics series defined for parcels – halophytic and steppe, relating to the distribution of halophytes and steppe grasses respectively. There is clear coenosis. Separation is observed by phytodiversity and biotopes descriptions. The intracoenotic interactions between species, soil moistening variability, soil aeration and acidity (alkalinity) and soil mineralization increase (decrease) are significant for parcels and coenosis forming.