Monitoring of forest ecosystems of Taimyr (Second communication. First communication in N. 3, 2017)

Abstract

In the study, based on the analysis of literary sources and the own research materials, the characteristic of the environmental situation in Taimyr is done, in connection with aerial technogenic impact of the Norilsk mining and smelting complex (NMSC). The dynamics of forest condition over the past decade in the area within 200 km or more from the complex is evaluated. The analysis was performed taking into account the landscape structure of the territory. The progressive drying of the large areas of the northern forests since the early 80’s is registered. The dendroclimatic analysis of the increment of older larch trees in the zone of the NMSC impact, implemented by the method of revealing the main factors influencing the increment, showed that since the beginning of the 20th century, the instability of the increment of wood has increased due to the sensitivity of this tree species to changes in the temperature conditions of growth. To assess the extent of forest damage, an aerial survey was conducted in July, 2003, as a result of which zoning of the territory adjacent to the NMSC was carried out according to the degree of damage to the stands: dead stands, severely damaged stands and moderately damaged stands. An estimation of the productivity of stands and the degree of their damage by landscape locations was made. The negative role of sulfur compounds was assessed and contemporary measures for sulfur utilization were described.

Keywords

• Norilsk mining and smelting complex
• industrial aerosols
• northern forests
• ecological catastrophe
• Taimyr