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- INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MEASUREMENTS, MODELING AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS
FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES: ENVIROMIS-2024 Authors: E. A. Golovatskaya, E. P. Gordov Abstract: Announcement of the international conference on measurements, modeling and information systems for environmental studies: ENVIROMIS-2024, will be held in Tomsk on July 1-6, 2024. PubDate: 2024-07-24 DOI: 10.18822/edgcc631693 Issue No: Vol. 15, No. 1 (2024)
- Spatial and temporal structure of mire landscapes: basic concept and
approaches to classification Authors: E. D. Lapshina, I. V. Kupriianova Pages: 4 - 29 Abstract: The article provides an overview and definition of the key terms and concepts related to the description of the spatio-temporal organization of mire landscapes as well as possible approaches to their classification for assessing carbon stocks and greenhouse gas fluxes. The Introduction lists the main biospheric functions of peatlands (Ivanov, 1976; Vitt, Short, 2020; Minayeva, Sirin, 2011; Tanneberger et al., 2021), with carbon dioxide sequestration and carbon accumulation/ storage in peat deposits being the primary one (Vitt, Short, 2020; Qiu et al., 2020; Loisel et al., 2021). In this regard, considerable attention is paid to the issues of gas exchange and peatland carbon balance (van Bellen, Larivière, 2020; Dyukarev et al., 2021; Lourenco et al., 2023; Yang et al., 2023; Golovatskaya et al., 2024). Currently the development of a system for ground-based and remote monitoring of carbon pools and greenhouse gas fluxes of terrestrial ecosystems, including peat mires, (Rhythm of Carbon. 2024. URL: https://ritm-c.ru/) is being implemented in Russia within the framework of the key national innovative project "Russian Climate Monitoring System" (Shirov, 2023; Carbon regulation…, 2023). The development of such a methodology presupposes basic terms and concepts unification for their uniform use in the monitoring system to be created. Young researchers use exclusively computer-based technologies for information search which results in reduced number of references to classical research works of Russian scientists, while methodological approaches and foreign terminology in peat mires study are increasingly borrowed. Based on extensive experience of Russian mire science, the article makes a comparison of the basic terms and concepts widely used in the literature. In the section "Methodological Bases for Mire Studies" definitions and comparison of the terms "mire" and "peat mire" or "peatlands" (P’yavchenko, 1963; Bogdanowskaya-Guihéneuf, 1969; Nitsenko, 1967; Boch, Masing, 1979; Boch, Smagin, 1993) are provided, and the criteria for attributing lands to these categories are revealed. Two aspects are distinguished when considering the problem of peat mires classification: what to classify, i.e., the problem of the classification object, and how to classify, i.e., the question of classification activity, including the issues of selecting features and choosing classification units (Masing, 1993). The section "Levels of Mire Landscapes Organization " discusses in detail territorial units of different dimensions (micro-, meso- and macro- mire landscapes) depending on the scope and objectives of the research. The concepts of "mire microlandscape" and "mire facies" are compared. The concept of "microlandscape" represents an elementary unit of the peatland surface (Ivanov, 1976; Galkina, 1946, 1959; Masing, 1974; Boch, Masing, 1979, et al.). It is comparable to "mire sites" or "wetland sites" or "habitats" as understood by Western authors (Eurola et al., 1984; Wells, Zoltai, 1985; Lindsay, 2016). For assessing the carbon budget and the dynamics of its accumulation by mire biogeocenoses, the concept of mire facies is more preferable, since the facies includes the layer of peat deposited under relatively constant conditions of water-mineral nutrition (L’vov, 1974, 1977, 1979). A facies is easily identified in space and quite stable over time. It is the primary (elementary) unit, both of the peat body and of the modern biogeocenotic cover (Lapshina, 2000, 2004). Examples are used to compare the concept of "biogeocenosis" and "mire facies," with the latter being broader both horizontally and vertically. For the carbon budget estimation, of the three strands of structure study (composition, spatial construction, totality of connections ), the spatial one is of major importance, primarily horizontal (morphological) structure, and functional structure of peat mire facies and biogeocenoses (Masing, 1969; Korchagin, 1976). When describing the horizontal structure, we distinguish three levels of subordination of structural units: biogeocenoses, mosaic elements, and smaller structures (moss hummocks, sedge tussocks, stumps, rotten wood, etc.). The concept of "ecosystem" is more suitable for describing the functional structure because functional connections in the form of flows of matter and energy are more amenable to mathematization and modeling than other parameters of the biogeocenosis, which is very important in connection with the development of modern instrumental methods for studying natural systems. The second part of the article discusses "Main Principles and Approaches to the Mire Landscapes Classification" The zonal-geographical and landscape-physiognomic levels of classification seem to be the most promising for generalizing information about the typological diversity of pet mires in a large region and the entire country for the purposes of studying the carbon balance. At the zonal-geographical level in Western Siberia, types of polygonal mires, palsa mires, raised sphagnum bogs, flatand slightly convex sedge-moss fens and forest swamps, and concave (sedge and reed) mires are distinguished (Romanova, 1976; Semenova, Lapshina, 2001; Lapshina, 2004). According to the physiognomic features, the entire variety of peat mires falls into four main types (categories) (Warner, Rubec, 1997; Lapshina, 2004): 1 – highly productive grassy (reed-large sedge) floodplain mires (marshes), 2 – wooded peatlands or carrs (swamps), 3 – low-productive sedge-moss peat mires (fens), 4 – raised (pine)-shrub-sphagnum mires (bogs). A classificati... PubDate: 2024-07-24 DOI: 10.18822/edgcc633244 Issue No: Vol. 15, No. 1 (2024)
- STATE OF ISLAND SPRUCE FORESTS IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE BOLSHEZEMELSKAYA
TUNDRA AFTER 23 YEARS Authors: Olga Vasilievna Lavrinenko, Igor Anatolyevich Lavrinenko, Ksenia Igorevna Simonova Pages: 30 - 67 Abstract: Modern climate warming, which began in the 1970s, has been observed throughout the Arctic including its Russian part [Доклад…, 2023; Druckenmiller et al., 2021]. It is accompanied by a large number of papers by Russian and foreign scientists on the forest boundary advancement to the north, and its upper boundary in the mountains – up the slopes [Шиятов и др., 2007, Harsch et al., 2009; Bolotov et.al., 2012; Grigor'ev et.al., 2013, 2019; Moiseev et.al., 2019; Shiyatov et al., 2020; Timofeev et.al., 2021; Dial et al., 2022; Hansson, 2022, etc.]. Climate change rate is high in the East European sector of the Arctic: over the last 35 years the average annual air temperature increase has reached +0.8°C/10 years [Malkova et.al., 2021], the length of the growing season has increased by an average of 2 weeks and the amount of heat accumulated during this period has increased by an average of 85°C [Lavrinenko et al., 2022]. The northern forest boundary (timberline) in East European Russia is formed by Picea obovata and runs at N 67°30ʹ-67°10ʹ. In the Bolshezemelskaya Tundra, spruce is found rather far north of the forest boundary and even north of N 68°. Spruce islands have been preserved here since the Holocene in refugia – sites with favorable microclimatic and soil conditions. Relict spruce islands are groups of closely spaced, thin-stemmed trees occupying upland landform elements on sandy outcrops of watersheds. Skirt-shaped growth trees are united by a common root system and appear to be clones formed by vegetative propagation [Lavrinenko, Lavrinenko, 2004]. In the framework of the international SPICE project, eight spruce islands were discovered and studied 8 spruce islands at latitude N 67°54'-67°56' (Fig. 1). Complete relevés were carried out within the boundaries of the 5 islands. Species abundance was estimated using the Brown-Blanquet scale [Becking, 1957]. The height of the tallest trunks was measured with a measuring tape and their diameter at the trunk base (in island E2 at a height of 50 cm) – with a caliper. In 2000, a spruce island was described at the northernmost site (N 68°17') near Cape Bolvansky Nos on the coast of the Pechora Bay of the Barents Sea (Fig. 1). The results of the spruce islands structure and cenoflora study have been published [Lavrinenko, Lavrinenko, 2003]. This data provided an opportunity to trace the changes of the islands 23 years later. All spruce islands in the Ortina Basin were resurveyed between 20 and 30 July 2023. The study included tree morphometric measurements, geobotanical relevés and comparative landscape photography. The surveys on the islet at Cape Bolvansky Nos were carried out in 2000, 2014 and 2020 and included plant community relevés and photography and height measurements of the 6 tallest living spruce tops; photos were taken during a short visit in 2017. Comparative analysis of the spruce islands composition and structure after almost a quarter of a century have shown: 1) In the Ortina River basin, in relict spruce islands on watersheds (E1, E4-E8), mean tree height has increased by 1.1-1.9 m and mean diameter – by 1.9-3.0 cm, i.e. mean height growth was 4.3-8.3 cm/year and radial growth was 0.41-0.65 mm/year. On a spruce island in the Ortina River valley (E2) with more favorable microclimatic conditions, these values were significantly higher – trees have grown on an average 2.8 m, diameter – 3.7 cm, i.e. height growth was 12.2 cm/year, radial growth – 0.8 mm/year (Table 1, Fig. 2а and б). In 2000 spruce island E3 was located on a sandy mound in the center of a sandy outcrop. By 2023 the mound has been almost completely destroyed by winds, the spruce looked like dying off and most likely it will disappear after some time (Fig. 9). 2) The shape of the tree crowns has changed. In 2000, spruce trees predominantly had "skirts" of well-developed lower branches. The upper part of the trees could have a cylindrical crown or the trunk could be partially devoid of branches with needles only at the top. By 2023, the crown of the most trees has become conical or narrow pyramidal with well-developed lower branches and green branches all over the trunk. On the E2 spruce island in the valley, the cone-shaped crowns of the trees have become lusher. 3) On all islands spruce has been spreading vegetatively by rooting lower branches and subsequently changing their growth from plagiotropic to orthotropic. This process has been especially active on the slopes of southern exposition. As a result, the area of the islands has slightly increased. Despite the abundance of both male strobiles and mixed-aged female cones, no undergrowth or freestanding young spruce trees were found in the surroundings. This indicates the absence of reproduction by seed for 23 years. The results prove the earlier suggestion that the northward advance of forests in watersheds is limited by the lack of quality seeds for sexual reproduction [Andreev, 1954; Norin, 1958; Surso, Barzut, 2010]. The earlier assumption that spruce islands could become a springboard for the spruce introduction into tundra communities under climate warming [Lavrinenko, Lavrinenko, 1999, 2004] is currently not confirmed. 4) Comparative photos taken from the same angles in 2000 and 23 years later are shown for all spruce islands (Fig. 3-8, 10). They display a significant tree state improvement. 5) At Cape Bolvansky Nos in the northernmost spruce islet (N 68°17'), both a surge (in 2014) and a de... PubDate: 2024-07-24 DOI: 10.18822/edgcc629471 Issue No: Vol. 15, No. 1 (2024)
- Phytomass carbon pools of Koivulambisuo mire system (South Karelia)
Authors: S. A. Kutenkov, O. L. Kuznetsov, L. V. Kantserova, V. L. Mironov, P. A. Ignashov, E. L. Talbonen, V. S. Vasyuta Pages: 68 - 73 Abstract: Koivulambisuo mire system (61,80º N, 33,56º E, middle taiga subzone) has a complex structure of vegetation cover, includes south karelian variant of aapa mires, raised bogs, transitional herb-sphagnum fens and forested sites of different trophic levels.The study was carried out within the framework of the National system for monitoring carbon pools and greenhouse gas fluxes in Russia. Phytomass and carbon pools were determined for three types of mire sites: aapa, ridge-hollow sphagnum bog and oligotrophic pine-dwarf shrub-cotton grass-sphagnum. On each type of mire sites, 3 sample plots 50x50 m in size were set up, with 8–12 sampling points on each. Tree stand estimated by total count and basic measurements of all standing trees on plots, production of needles and branches by model tree method. The above-ground vascular plants phytomass material was collected by the cutting method, mosses and underground phytomass by monoliths method, the production of sphagnum mosses by annual increment method. Aapa mire extremely poorly afforested, to the least extent among the studied sites, due to strong watering and poor development of strings. The total carbon pool in a forest stand is only 0.01 tC/ha. The carbon pool in the above-ground phytomass of aapa complexes is also minimal – 2.56 tC/ha. It is mainly provided by sphagnum mosses, while herbs and shrubs contain half as much carbon in total. Living underground phytomass deposits 21.56 tC/ha (89% of the total phytomass). Such a high carbon sequestration by living underground plant organs is a feature of aapa sites and is associated with favorable regime of water movement. Some overestimation is also possible due to the difficulty of separating living and dead tightly intertwined roots. The mortmass of a 40 cm surface layer of peat soil contains 38.71 tC/ha, most of it in the sphagnum remains. The annual ground cover production of aapa is minimal: 1.55 tC/ha, which is caused by the development of extensive flarks with sparse vegetation cover. Unlike other sites, the role of vascular plants is higher here (0.68 tC/ha) due to the predominance of herbaceous plants in cover. The afforestation degree of ridge-hollow bogs varies; the living forest stand of the most afforested sites is contains 0.31 tC/ha, while in the other two, more watered sites, the pool is less than 0.02 tC/ha. The average carbon stock in a tree stand is 0.11 tC/ha. The carbon pool in the ground cover of the ridge-hollow bogs is maximum among the studied mire sites (4.25 tC/ha), the main share in it is sphagnum mosses (3.52 tC/ha), while grasses and shrubs 0.73 tC/ha. Living underground phytomass deposits 8.62 tC/ha (66% of the total phytomass).The mortmass of a 40 cm surface layer of peat soil contains, on average, 61.77 tC/ha, most of it in the sphagnum remains. In cotton grass-sphagnum hollows the stock reaches 80.09 tC/ha due to dense cotton grass tussocks. The above-ground vascular plants annual production is 0.48 tC/ha (the minimum among the studied mire site types) and 1.56 tC/ha by mosses. Pine-dwarf shrub-cotton grass-sphagnum plots have the most developed forest stands among the studied mire sites. The average tree height here is 1-2 m, individual trees reach a 5-6 m. The carbon pool in the living tree stand is 2.92 tC/ha, in dead wood – 1.66 tC/ha. Accordingly, the forest stand contribution to the total living phytomass carbon stock is maximum here and equal to moss stock. In the ground cover is deposited 4.46 tC/ha, besides sphagnum mosses (2.9 tC/ha), a significant stock in dwarf shrubs (1.11 tC/ha). Living underground phytomass deposits 9.04 tC/ha (56% of the total phytomass). The mortmass of a 40 cm surface layer of peat soil contains 63.43 tC/ha. The total contribution of pine needles and branches to the annual production is 0.04 tC/ha. The above-ground phytomass here also demonstrates the maximum annual production – 2.21 tC/ha per year, mainly provided by sphagnum mosses (1.64 tC/ha). In general, the main living phytomass carbon pools of mire sites are concentrated in the underground parts of vascular plants. The ground cover main stock is in sphagnum mosses. Significant carbon stock in the tree stands only has pine-cotton grass-dwarf shrub-sphagnum sites, where it equal to the carbon stock of mosses. In all types of sites, carbon pool in the mortmass of the upper 40 cm of the deposit are noticeably higher than the total reserves in living phytomass. The main part of the mortmass consists of the sphagnum mosses remains. Mosses are also characterized by the largest primary annual production of carbon. PubDate: 2024-08-16 DOI: 10.18822/edgcc635207 Issue No: Vol. 15, No. 1 (2024)
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