UDC

631.445.11(470.111)

Authors

Kononov Oleg Dmitrievich
Arkhangelsk Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture, Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov (Arkhangelsk, Russia)
е-mail: arhniish@mail.ru
Popov Aleksey Ivanovich
Arkhangelsk Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture (Arkhangelsk, Russia)
е-mail: dr.alepopov@ya.ru

Abstract

The paper presents the research data in the study of anthropogenic impact of geological exploration on the lands of the Nenets Autonomous District. We described the types of anthropogenic impact of geological exploration and represented the grouping and characteristics of disturbed lands for the reclamation purposes. The total area of disturbed lands in the Nenets Autonomous District is more than 0.04 % of the land resources of the region. Annually the area of degraded lands increases by hundreds of acres. The intensity and effectiveness of reclamation are not sufficient to timely return of the retired lands to the land users. In the course of the research a comprehensive environmental survey of 36 drill sites and adjacent territories was carried out. 3 groups of technologically disturbed lands were defined: area objects at the made ground; area objects without backfill and traffic crossroads, impaired by tracked vehicles during the snowless period. The rate of revegetation depends on the type and intensity of human impact. The overgrowth of disturbed lands without backfill occurs at a faster rate than at the made ground. The rate of formation of secondary vegetation depends on textural composition of substrates, hydrological and permafrost conditions, industrial waste and chemical contamination. Due to the low reduction potential of the land cover in the tundra zone of the Nenets Autonomous District it is necessary to use the reclamation methods, differing from those in the more southern regions and requiring the development and improvement. Currently in the scientific literature there is no consensus regarding the use of various reclamation methods in the Arctic zone. The paper demonstrates the urgency and the need to study and develop the methods of vegetable-mold reduction.

Keywords

disturbed lands, biological reclamation, geological exploration, drill sites, made ground, overgrowth

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