Study of Farmer’s Behavior in Recultivation of Abandoned Farmland: Example of the Republic of Buryatia

Despite the looming land scarcity suited for agricultural expansion, farmland abandonment is widespread globally. The recultivation of some abandoned farmlands could unlock the untapped agricultural potential. Yet, little is known about the determinants of recultivation. To better understand the behavioral intentions of farmers regarding the recultivation of abandoned lands, we concentrated on the Buryat Republic in Russia, where agricultural land abandonment is widespread and farmers with different ethnicities carry out diverse agricultural practices. We conducted 149 face-to-face interviews with the farmers in the Buryat Republic in 2018 and filled a structured questionnaire on farm’s and farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics, perceived corruption, and farmers’ behavioral intentions regarding expected land use. We modeled the intention of recultivation with the Bayesian networks. The Bayesian networks analysis showed that perceived corruption was considered to be a barrier to recultivation. Our study also showed that non-Buryat ethnic and young farmers are more likely to recultivate abandoned land. Abandoned farmlands without or with a low degree of afforestation were preferred for recultivation. In sum, our study showed how behavioral aspects of political trust, the farm’s and farmer’s characteristics, in combination with regional and locational characteristics, may shape farmers’ decisions on land use. The results provide an important ground to assess regional land-use policies, which should foster the recultivation of abandoned lands while preserving ecosystem services in the global hotspots of farmland abandonment, such as Russia

New and little known Isotomidae (Collembola) from the shore of Lake Baikal and saline lakes of continental Asia

Collembola of the family Isotomidae from the shores of Lake Baikal and from six saline lake catenas of the Buryat Republic (Russia) and Inner Mongolia Province (China) were studied. Pseudanurophorus barathrum Potapov & Gulgenova, sp. nov. and Parisotoma baicalica Potapov & Gulgenova, sp. nov. from Baikal and Ephemerotoma buryatica Potapov, Huang & Gulgenova, sp. nov. and Folsomia mongolica Huang & Potapov, sp. nov. from saline lakes are described here. A morphological description of epitokous males of Scutisotoma acorrelata Potapov, Babenko & Fjellberg, 2006 is given. A list of 23 species of the family Isotomidae found in the shores of studied lakes is provided based on literature sources and newly collected material.

Landscapes of the central ecological zone of the Baikal natural territory within the Buryat republic and their resistance to recreational load: evaluation and mapping

The approaches and natural preconditions of territorial differentiation of recreational activities within the boundaries of Baikal natural territory (Buryat republic) are considered in the article on a landscape basis. The intensity of tourism development in different landscapes should correspond to their resistance to recreational loads. The integral estimation of stability was calculated in qualitative categories on the basis of a combination of indicators of average and minimum componentwise stability, taking into account their importance in recreational action and the presence of component stability zero values. The low-mountain pine, larch-pine and cedar-larch landscapes, light coniferous and dark coniferous landscapes of valleys, as well as arable land are characterized by the highest indicators of recreational stability. Goltzy and sub-walnut landscapes, as well as wetlands are characterized by low stability. The map of the landscapes stability to the impact of tourism activities has been created by the method of landscape-interpretation mapping. This map will allow further planning of recreational loads in the Central Ecological Zone of the Baikal Natural Territory (Republic of Buryat).

Deportees in Society

This paper discusses forced labour migrations in the Buryat-Mongolian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in the Stalin era. It attempts to set this regional case in the context of deportations and ‘special settlements’ in the USSR as a whole. It points out that forced labour migrants were not only sent to the Buryat Republic from western regions of the USSR; various categories of the ‘repressed’ were also deported from the Republic and displaced within it. The paper focusses on relations between forced migrants and the rest of society, with particular attention to Germans and Lithuanians sent into Buryatia and to Buryats exiled from the same regions.

A system of continuing pedagogical education in Russia: current state and prospects

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate continuing pedagogical education from a new perspective that is especially relevant during the development of an information society. Design/methodology/approach The methodological framework of the study builds on the concept of teacher’s personality establishment in the system of pedagogical education. Main stages of professional development were studied on the basis of educational institutions of the Baikal region. Thus, experiments were conducted at the Pedagogical Institute, Buryat State University Continuing Education Institute, Buryat Republic Institute of Educational Policy and the Buryat Republic Pedagogical College. The study used internship platforms of the above educational institutions. Findings The study shows how the open online pedagogical space, which includes internship and innovative platforms, specialized departments, governing agencies on education, certificate centers, scientific and cultural institutions, higher educational institutions, and schools, reveals the model of continuing pedagogical education in regions. Practical implications Individual forms of advanced training are proposed. Optimal ways to create a competitive environment in the system of professional development were identified by the authors. Originality/value The reformation of the regional system of advanced training and its transition to a new level of quality allows organizing continuing improvement of teachers’ professional competencies effectively. This paper can improve the professional competence of teachers, which will have a positive effect on the educational process and academic performance of students in general. The next stage in the improvement of teachers’ competence can involve an exchange of experience at international conferences and participation in joint international educational programs.