Relations of surface air temperature variations over the terrestrial part of extratropical Northern Hemisphere zone with the macro-scale atmospheric circulation in terms of the Northern Hemisphere Teleconnection Patterns indices are studied. Evaluations obtained as a result of stepwise multiple regression show that winter temperature changes observed since the mid of the 21st century, including the abrupt increase in 1970–1990-s and subsequent warming hiatus, could be almost entirely explained by circulation variations related to three centers of action, i. e. North-Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), Pacific-NorthAmerican (PNA) and Scandinavian (Scand). Change of the recent global warming phases demonstrates the differences in the regime of atmospheric centers influence on temperature variability. The latter allows indicating the different regimes of macro-scale circulation. In the beginning of the 1970-s the meridional circulation with the prevalent impact of PNA centers of action changed for zonal circulation, due to the increasimg role of NAO. Since the mid of the 1990-s, the role of meridional circulation increases again, but unlike in the 1950–1970-s it is caused by the Scand centers of action, i.e. north-east Atlantic and West-Eurasian sector of the Arctic.

The regularities of migration and accumulation of heavy metals in geochemical conjugations under mining technogenic conditions were studied. The case study examines mining and milling of copper-zinc ore deposits in Sibay (the South Urals region). Landscapes in the valley of the Karagaily River, the Southern Urals, have been the objects of investigation since 2004. Soils and vegetation of the watershed, river water, bottom sediments and mine wastewater entering the watercourse were investigated, and the role of technogenic and artificial geochemical barriers was estimated. It is found that mining industry causes significant contamination of natural environment with Cu, Zn, Cd, Fe and Pb. Water bodies occupying the lowest level in geochemical interactions experience the maximum load. On the average the concentrations of Cu, Zn and Cd in dispersion flow (water, bottom sediments) are by two orders of magnitude higher than their percentage abundances. Migration and accumulation of metals are governed by technogenic physical and chemical barriers, among which the alkaline and sorption ones play the leading role. Heavy metal concentrations in biomass, coastal aquatic and terrestrial vegetation were found. Low values of the coefficient of biological absorption by plants compared to the background were revealed. We concluded that plants act as a certain phyto-barrier stabilizing the technogenic flow of substances and reducing the intensity of pollutants consumption by top organisms of the food chain. The violation of interdependence of substance flows in subordinate landscapes and the lack of correlation between concentrations of metals in soil-forming rocks, soil, plants, water and bottom sediments are also shown.

Basing on the investigation of geomorphologic stratification of the territory during the history of development and periodic fluctuations of sea level, the altitudinal landscape differentiation was carried out with due account of different landscape features within the Northeastern Caspian Sea region and specific geoecological processes. The area of distribution and development stages of processes were identified. The natural and antropogenic factors of their development were analyzed.

The results of a sociological survey aimed at identifying the views of experts and general public on climate change in Tatarstan and Russia, as well as at the assessment of social, environmental and economic impacts, and possible ways of minimizing the negative effects of climate change for the Republic of Tatarstan, are discussed. The study was performed as a part of an interdisciplinary project, which targets at studying the modern global and regional processes of climate change, their natural, social and environmental impacts in the Volga Federal District. The results of the study highlighted that both experts and general public related the awareness of vulnerability to climate anomalies with, on the one hand, the general feeling unwell, the pressure swing and the emergence of new pathogenic viruses and bacteria, and, on the other hand, with phenomena relating to different socio-economic characteristics of the Republic, i.e. hot weather, cold weather, droughts, floods, large amount of precipitation, rising mean annual temperatures, soil freezing etc. Certain advantages resulting from the climate change were revealed, such as the shorter heating period or the longer period of vegetation. The increased environmental culture and environmental awareness of all social agents, the economic and legal regulation, for example, in the case of cleaner production, and the introduction of non-waste technologies are suggested as effective social adaptation measures. Negligence of the federal and local authorities to climate change problems was also pointed out. The lack of regional strategies to mitigate climate change and reduce its negative effects as well as poor harmonization in addressing the problems associated with the climate policy could enhance social and economic risks in the long term.

Methods of GIS-based structure and dynamic spatial analysis of urban environmental infrastructure on the basis of open geodata are described through the example of Moscow. As a result of the study, elements of the Moscow environmental infrastructure were identified using a grid model and the hot-spot analysis method, their parameters have been calculated and maps created. The degree of transformation of the Moscow environmental infrastructure over the past 16 years has been estimated using multi temporal satellite images. Possibilities of optimization of the Moscow environmental infrastructure, which has an unbalanced spatial structure, have been assessed. Analysis of the dynamics of natural and green areas identified a reduction tendency, because of the natural processes and not eco-friendly decisions in urban planning. Open spatial data provide actual information about the structure and dynamics of environmental infrastructure, to support the sustainable development of urban areas.

Schemes of regionalization of air temperature and specific humidity fields at the 850 mb surface over the North Pacific Ocean, elaborated with the Omnibus Iteration Technique of data clusterization, are suggested. Scientifically well-grounded physical and statistical analyses of the clustering schemes are given. It is shown that except the Eastern North Pacific the general structure of certain homogeneous districts is latitudinal because of «water-land» dividing line. General features and differences in distribution of air temperature and specific humidity fields are determined.

Film industry was analyzed as a creative industry in terms of the geographical aspects of its development. The film industry influences the socio-economic development of countries through direct, indirect (multiplicational) and latent (people’s behavior) effects. Five indicators were used to classify each country by the level of film industry development, namely the total number of national feature films produced, the box office revenue, per capita attendance frequency, the national cinema market structure and the representation of national films abroad. Three types of countries were identified according to the classification: with high, medium and slow development of film industry. The types are divided into several subtypes basing on specific features of film industry development. The analysis includes the dynamics of parameters under study.

The attention to the «corporate social responsibility» (CSR) phenomenon increased at the end of the 21st century, when the companies’ influence on social and ecological integrity of regions, not just shareholders and investors, became evident. The activity of the companies in the regions of presence definitely impacts the level and quality of life of the population. Business involvement in social policy of the regions of presence is analyzed. The analysis of particular components of corporate social responsibility involves several largest companies of Russia. The components are social activity in the regions of presence, interaction with stakeholders and the environmental protection activities. Six types of single-industry settlements are identified according to their social-economic situation and the social activities of city-forming enterprises.

The basic characteristics of atmospheric, ground, and surface waters in the contact zone of volcanic structures and coastal terraces are revealed according to hydrochemical sampling data for the Matua Island (the Central Kuriles). The distinctions in pH value, mineralization and the content of major ions, nutrients (Si, P), and iron-group trace elements (Ti, V, Mn, Fe) are noted. Values of Ca, Mg, Si, Рmin, V, and Ti are suggested as indicators for revealing the role of lithogenic factor in the formation of infiltration waters. It is shown that the concentrations of dissolved forms of these elements vary depending on the location of groundwater discharge zones and decrease in the waters of low coastal terraces. Various mobility and contrast of chemical elements behavior are established using the water migration coefficients, as well as possible accumulation of Fe, Mn, and Рorg in streams and lakes in the vicinity of hydromorphic bog landscapes.

Modern glaciers of the Polar Urals are small and usually located 1000 m below the climatic snow line, rarely descending below 400 500 m above sea level. Glaciers are formed by blowing the snow from surrounding slopes and their internal accumulated cold, which contributes to the formation of superimposed ice. The isotope composition of snowfields and glaciers of the Polar Urals was studied (a small glacier on the Paipudynsky ridge and the Romantics glacier); changes in the initial isotopic characteristics during ice formation are discussed.

The results of investigation of specific features and causes of the spatial and temporal changes of runoff of the Ural River and its main tributaries are presented. The focus is on finding the regularities and tendencies of the long-term fluctuations of annual and seasonal river runoff, climatic and anthropogenic causes of river runoff variability, as well as the determination and comprehensive analysis of characteristic hydrological periods. The natural and real water resources of the river and its discharge into the Caspian Sea are assessed. The structure of the anthropogenic load on river water resources is studied, and the information about its possible future transformation is given. The forecast of the changes in the annual and spring flood runoff parameters of the Ural River and its main tributaries by the middle of the 21 st century is elaborated.

Specific features of the de-industrialization in the US economy since the second half of the 20th century are discussed, and the main tendencies of spatial shifts in the manufacturing are described. Particular attention is paid to the changes inside the metropolitan statistical areas. The impact of changes in the structure of economy on the social welfare of deindustrializing districts and cities is also analyzed. Along with deindustrialization in the central city there is an increase in the manufacturing sector employment in suburban areas. The agglomerations, especially the largest ones in size and population, concentrate the greater part of employment in industry and almost all workers in high-tech industries, reflecting the advantages of the metropolitan statistical areas for industry as a whole and particularly for the high-tech companies.

Landscape representativeness is a key criterion for the territorial protection of nature. Sevastopol belongs to the regions leading in the share of nature protection areas (NPAs). The landscape map of Sevastopol was updated using the GIS technologies to become a basis for calculation and analysis of the landscape representativeness of NPAs. Specific features of the network of NPAs, which include water areas, landscape, botanical and complex protected objects of regional status, are discussed. The proportion of NPAs in the total area is very high, but they are distributed extremely unevenly. The following landscapes have the highest share of NPAs: broadleaf and pine forests of the northern macroslope of the mountains (67% of the landscape area), mountain meadows and mountain forest-steppe on the karst plateaus (87%) and forests of the Southern coast of Crimea (52%). At the same time some landscapes have very low share of NPAs: mixed grass steppes, shiblyak thickets, forest-steppe and oak forests of the foothills (0,2%) and the marine areas (2,3%).