Research on the continuation of mining works in the license perimeter of the Peşteana Nord quarry

Exploitation works at the North Pesteana Quarry is located in areas with mineral energy resources, and contributes to ensuring the country’s energy security, based on an efficient system of supply of primary resources, production, transport, distribution and supply, to ensure food of all consumers in terms of accessibility, availability and affordability of prices, taking into account the evolution of the quality of the environment. The exploitation surface is isolated from the protected area Jiu Corridor ROSCI0045 through the neighborhoods from the eastern limit-the regularization channel of the river Jiu and the villages Balteni, Peșteana Jiu, Cocoreni, Olari and the neighborhoods from the western limit - the villages Valea cu Apa, Pesteana de Jos, Hotaroasa, Urdari. Lignite mining works do not affect the integrity of the protected natural area; by carrying out the works, the artificial barriers between the natural and the anthropic terrain are not created. The paper presents the results of the research undertaken in 2019 through the technical expertise in File no. 14666/3/2017*, Archive of the Bucharest Tribunal [1]. Measures are proposed to prevent, reduce and, where possible, offset significant adverse effects on the environment, including: measures for the protection of water quality, air quality, protection against noise and vibration, in the field of soil and subsoil quality, biodiversity and measures for the rehabilitation of the land for its subsequent use, etc.

Confirmation of the presence of steppe polecat Mustela eversmanii (Carnivora: Mustelidae) in Giurgiu County (Romania) after more than 5 decades

This paper confirms the presence of steppe polecat Mustela eversmanii in Giurgiu County after more than 50 years. Mustela eversmanii is considered a vulnerable species, being listed in Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive. The specimen was found within the Site of Community Importance - ROSCI0043 Comana, included in the Natura 2000 network, which significantly overlaps with the protected natural area (Comana Natural Park). Currently, the steppe polecat is not added to the list of the Standard Form, because its presence was uncertain. We consider that this discovery is valuable and has important implications for the conservation of the species.

Landscape Planning for Conservation: The Case of the Flora and Fauna Protection Area “Sierra de San Miguelito”, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

A supporting study was developed to identify the priority elements for conservation in the region called “Sierra de San Miguelito” (SSM), in the San Luis Potosi State (SLP), Mexico, with the purpose of establishing a federal protected natural area (PNA). The methodological approach used was the integral-spatial analysis applied in territorial planning processes. The study showed that the forests, xerophilous scrubland, and natural grasslands of the SSM present a high biodiversity, an abundance of endemism (27% of species are endemic to the country, n = 285), and protected species (5% of reported species). In addition, 32.74% of vertebrates and 18.32% of flora reported for SLP status is present in SSM, with an area that represents only 1.79% of the state territory. As a result of the study, an area of 109,638.95 ha was proposed to be declared a federally PNA. The area provides environmental services that favor the San Luis Potosí city (SLPc) and the surrounding population; therefore, its conservation will promote the preservation of natural, cultural, and landscape heritage, being a transversal axis for sustainable development in its area of influence. The result was the basis for starting the negotiation process, developed in 2021, for the creation of the PNA.

ARBEKOVSKY FOREST - A FOREST IN THE CITY

the article considers one of the largest landscaped areas of the city of Penza - Arbekovsky forest. The history of the development of this object and the territory adjacent to it gives an idea of why the Arbekovsky Forest is a specially protected natural area of the city of Penza. The current state and prospects of development of the Arbekovsky forest territory are considered.

Ecomonitoring of water protected natural areas of the Ulyanovsk region on the example of the Yulovsky pond

The Ulyanovsk region is rich in water natural monuments, and the Yulovsky pond is one of the oldest. At the same time, there is no generally accepted methodology for conducting environmental monitoring for protected water bodies. We propose one of the options for the methodology for assessing the anthropogenic load on protected water bodies in order to optimize the protection regime of these territories. Key words: Yulovsky pond, ecological monitoring, specially protected natural area, chemical analysis of water, analysis of vegetation.

Effect of Vegetation Types on Sarcophagidae (Diptera) in Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park, a Natural Remnant in a Highly Endangered Landscape

Species diversity can be affected by the structure of vegetation, which may vary in height, density, and distribution of trees, shrubs, and other plant types, configuring different types of habitats. In this study, we evaluated the diversity of sarcosaprophagous Sarcophagidae communities inhabiting the remnant representative habitats protected in Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park: grasslands, forests, and wetlands. We hypothesized that the abundance and diversity of flesh flies would be higher in the grasslands and wetlands than in the forest patches. Samplings were carried out in each habitat type using baited traps during the four seasons in 2015, 2016, and 2019. We collected 585 sarcophagid flies of 17 species. Fifteen species were recorded in grasslands, twelve in the wetlands, and seven in the forests, Tricharaea (Sarcophagula) occidua (Fabricius) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) being the most abundant (58.3% of the total sample). As expected, the highest abundance was recorded in grasslands whereas the lowest was found in forests. In addition, flesh fly abundance was affected by season. Sarcophagid assemblages differed between habitats and the overall dissimilarity was mainly explained by nestedness. This study provides important information about sarcosaprophagous sarcophagid flies in a little-studied protected natural area in Argentina, which is fundamental for their conservation and useful in forensic investigations.

Tree structure and diversity of a Humid Mountain Forest in the protected natural area La Martinica, Veracruz, Mexico

Tree structure and diversity at the protected natural area La Martinica, Veracruz, México. Introduction: The Humid Mountain Forest (HMF) has the largest number of plants per unit area, which vegetation grows in heterogeneous environmental conditions and has a high variation flora, physiognomy and structural. The conservation of the HMF is important due to the biodiversity it harbors and the environmental regulation services it provides. Objective: This work evaluated the effect of the direction of sun exposure (aspect) of the terrain and the density of the forest canopy (canopy opening type) on the structure and tree diversity in La Martinica Protected Natural Area, in Veracruz, Mexico. Methods: stratified sampling was performed in four aspects of the terrain and two canopy density conditions. In total, 25 20 x 25 m sampling units were considered (subdivided into 10 x 5 m units), in which the normal diameter (ND), total height and the largest and smallest diameters of the crown of the individuals with a ND ≥10 cm were registered. The diversity was estimated by means of rarefaction curves and the structure was analyzed through the importance value index and the forest value index. Results: We recorded 37 species belonging to 30 genera and 24 families, Zenithal and South aspects had the highest floristic similarity. Greater diversity was observed in the North aspect and in the Closed canopy. The tree species with the highest structural values were different between aspects and canopy types; Carpinus tropicalis presented the highest values in the Zenithal aspect, Lippia myriocephala in the East and South aspects, and Liquidambar styraciflua in the North. In both types of canopy Lippia myriocephala obtained the highest values in the Importance Value Index (IVI) and only Forest Value Index (FVI) in the Open canopy; Carpinus tropicalis reached a higher FVI in the Closed canopy. Conclusions: The tree structure was different in the four aspects studied, as well as in the two conditions of the canopy. The greatest difference in species composition and diversity was observed between the North and East aspects, of these, the North presented the highest richness values, equally frequent species and dominant species.

Paleontological monument of nature “Mamontova Gora” exposure (Yakutia, Eastern Siberia, Russia)

The Mamontova Gora (“Mammoth Mountain”) exposure is the Neogene – Pleistocene key section of Siberia. This outcrop is located in the lower reaches of the Aldan River, 325 km above its mouth and extends for almost 12 km. It consists of an 80-meter structural plateau (80-meter terrace), 50- and 30-meter alluvial terraces. Sediments from the Middle Miocene (16-10 Ma) to the Upper Pleistocene are exposed on the 80-meter terrace. The basement of the 50-meter terrace is composed of Middle Miocene sediments, overlain by Pleistocene sediments. On a younger 30 m terrace, the deposits are dated from the Upper Pliocene to the Upper Pleistocene. The Mamontova Gora outcrop is one of the richest localities of the Neogene flora of Eurasia. There are numerous finds of remains of Miocene evergreen and thermophilic plants (tree stumps, leaf imprints, cones, nuts, seeds). More than 250 genera of fossil plants have been found on Mamontova Gora. This outcrop is also well known to paleontologists due to the abundance of bone remains of mammals of the Middle Pleistocene (early type mammoth, eastern horse, broad-fronted moose, long-horned bison) and Late Pleistocene (representatives of the mammoth fauna: woolly mammoth, woolly rhinoceros, Lena horse, reindeer, saiga-antelope, steppe bison, Arctic fox, wolverine, cave lion, etc.). It was revealed that the ancient frozen sediments on the Mamontova Gora outcrop abound with viable microorganisms and traces of their vital activity. A strain of microbe Bacillus sp. was isolated from ~ 2 - 3 Ma permafrost layers of this outcrop. A large group of microorganisms including fungi was isolated from the ancient ice wedge. Pleistocene permafrost deposits contain invertase, urease, catalase and dehydrogenase enzimes. Mamontova Gora is a unique geological object in Russia. By the decree of the Council of Ministers of the Yakutia Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic of 18.02.1987 No. 56 Mamontova Gora was given the status of a “natural monument” and a specially protected natural area of regional significance. The article presents the main results of studies of ancient flora and faunas of Mamontova Gora.

Organization of Geoparks in Russia and Peculiarities of their Legal Regime

The paper examines the features of the international status of "UNESCO Global Geopark" that are important for the development of Russian legislation regulating Geoparks. The criteria for the status of a “UNESCO Global Geopark” that affect the national legal regime of the Geopark include the criterion for the presence of geological objects with a protected status on its territory. The author has analyzed the references to national legislation contained in the criteria for UNESCO Global Geoparks. The paper highlights the differences between the UNESCO Global Geopark, the World Heritage Site and the Biosphere Reserve, analyzes the cases of overlaps between the Geopark concept and the concept of a World Heritage site or a biosphere reserve. Also, the author shows that the term Geopark is extremely rarely used in federal legislation (single strategic planning documents) in the context of the need arising in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation to regulate the processes of creation and functioning of Geoparks. The author has proven the connection between the Russian legislation on Geoparks, regardless of the further fate of its development, with the legislation on specially protected natural areas.The author determines four possible types of organization and functioning of geoparks in Russia: 1) a geopark as a tourist and recreational zone; 2) a geopark without a legal regime for a tourist and recreational zone and without a legal regime for a specially protected natural area; 3) a geopark with a legal regime of a specially protected natural area in the form of a state paleontological, mineralogical or geological reserve; 4) a geopark as an independent category of a specially protected natural area approved by regional regulatory legal acts. The author specifically describes the legal regime of each type of the Geopark. The author makes suggestions and recommendations for the development of federal and regional legislation on Geoparks in Russia.

Integrated environmental assessment of the perspective specially protected natural area of Voronezh city (Russia)

A significant role in optimizing the state of the urban environment is played by the natural complex; one of its components is specially protected natural areas (SPNA). Therefore, the idea to create an SPNA system for the Voronezh region is especially important. The purpose of these studies was to prepare, according to a comprehensive environmental survey, a scientific justification for assigning the SPNA status of regional importance to recreational plantations. Standard methods of taxation, ecological, geographical, botanical, soil and faunal research were used in the work. The results of the studies include a description of the soil and plant cover, zoo and mycological complexes inhabiting the object. Natural features of SPNA including geographical situation, geological structure, and relief were identified. An analysis of the planning organization of the territory, types of spatial structure, aesthetic and sanitary-hygienic properties, forest environment digression and pathological state of plantations was carried out. Based on the results of the comprehensive survey, it was recommended to assign the SPNA status of regional significance to this object - a natural park, the main functions of which should be the preservation of natural complexes and maintaining environmental balance in the city district of Voronezh.