The concentrations of suspended forms of metals and metalloids in snow cover within the territory of the Moscow State University (MSU) and the rate of their deposition were determined for the 2021/22 winter period. The content of Zn, As, Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu, Sb, V, Mn, Bi, Mo, Co, W, Sr, Be, Ti, Ag, Sn and Fe was analyzed. Anthropogenic impact in Moscow caused an increase in solid fallout from the atmosphere to an average   of 27 kg/km² per day, which is 5,4 times more than in the background area. W, Sb, Sn, Sr, Cd and Bi accumulate   the most intensively in the solid phase of snow cover, their concentrations exceed the background by an average of 5,2–9,7 times. The snow cover of the residential zone is the most contaminated, where Sb, W, Cd, Bi, Sn   and Sr accumulate; their content exceeds the background by 4,1–12 times. Medium level of total contamination   of the solid phase of snow (Z _c = 32–64) was detected over 45% of the studied territory. The maximum intensity   of pollutant fallout was recorded in the recreational zone (Z_d = 413). The highest levels of dust load (141 kg/km² per day) and the total immission indicator (Z _d = 1764) were recorded for the territory of the MSU stadium. Using the APCA-MLR method, three main sources of pollutants were identified, i. e. emissions from motor vehicles govern the influx of Fe, Cr, V, Ni, Pb, Co, Mo, W, Sn, and Zn, natural-technogenic sources determine the accumulation of Be, Ti, Bi, Mn, Sb, Mo, As, and Sr, while industrial emissions provide for Cu, Pb and Cr.

Nature reserves in large cities perform both nature conservation and recreational functions. The growing recreational load, accompanied by the development of recreational infrastructure (lighting poles, gazebos, paths, signs, bike stands, etc.), leads to biodiversity loss, mechanical disturbances of vegetation and soils, and various types of pollution (from garbage to noise and light pollution). It causes the gradual loss of the nature conservation status. The problem could be solved by both institutional measures (regulation of visits, permissible types of recreational activities, etc.), and searching a compromise between nature conservation and recreation, the latter could not often be avoided. A possible way of the problem’s solution, i.e. identification of core nature protection zones, or microreserves, within the nature reserve territory using the multifactor analysis, is suggested. An attempt of allocating such micro-reserves was performed for the Vorobyovy Gory Nature Reserve in Moscow. The methodology includes collecting of a set of various indicators characterizing natural, environmental and planning features, anthropogenic and other changes which determine the current land use of the territory. The obtained characteristics formed an evaluation matrix, which was mathematically processed according to V.S. Tikunov's algorithm (fuzzy classification method). As a result, the entire territory was divided into 7 clusters of landscape groupings, and potential cores of nature protection with maximum natural diversity and minimal anthropogenic disturbance of the territory were selected. The total area of these micro-reserves amounted to 15% of the nature reserve territory (excluding built-up places). They occupy fragments of undulating flat plains, steep slopes, erosion-landslide hollows and alluvial terraces. In addition, at least 16% of other territories may perform the same functions, if minimal measures are taken to reduce the anthropogenic load (minimizing lighting intensity, noise pollution, etc.). Micro-reserves with various landscape characteristics will contribute to preservation of the nature reserve’s conservation functions under the high recreational load.

The article presents the results of work on the identification of the paragenesis of chemical elements and radial geochemical barriers in the basic alluvial soils (Fluvisols) of the middle reaches of the Bolshaya Kokshaga River (Republic of Mari El). It was found that the leading (typomorphic) element is Fe, with which Mn, Ba, P, Zn and Ni are associated. Al forms a geochemical family with K, Mg, Ti and Cr. The content of Ca, S, Sr and Cu is related to the amount of loss during calcination, and Na and Zr are related to Si. Particular elements are fixed on radial geochemical barriers: Si and Zr on the mechanical, Ca, S, Sr and Cu on the biogeochemical, Al, K, Mg, Ti and Cr on the sorption, Fe on the oxygen and Mn, Ba, P, Zn and Ni on the chemisorptions one. The peak concentrations of Si and Zr were recorded on mechanical barrier in the profile of all types of soils. Ca, S, Cu and Sr are fixed on the biogeochemical barrier in turf and swamp soils. Increased concentrations of Al, K, Mg, Ti and Cr were found on the sorption barrier in all types of soils. The effect of oxygen and chemisorption barriers reveals itself in meadow and humus-gley soils.

An important line of landscape studies is the development of new methods for quantitative analysis of spatial information basing on the progressing theoretical basis, here the theory of complex geosystems, their models of linear ordering and cohesion of various parts of a territorial entity. The method is based on the procedures of tangent stratification (fiber bundle) of geosystem functions of the connection of geographical characteristics and their transformation, which makes it possible to identify the genetic basis (geonome) of landscape structure   and landscape organization based on space geo-images. Raster geo-images are deployed in a linear sequence, and the linear cohesion of the brightness values of different channels is calculated using the rolling regression method. A geonom has been identified and raster mapping of regression coefficients as parameters of the order of mountain landscapes of the southern macro-slope of the Tunka goletzy in the Eastern Sayan Mountains has been carried out. The multipath geonomic function calculated from spatial data displays the hidden essence of the original geo-image, which can be restored with 88% accuracy using this function. Each path ray highlights a geonome of a corresponding geomere, according to which it becomes possible to compare and classify geosystems, as well as to trace their spatial and temporal variability. High values of the cohesion order parameters relate to the geosystems of highlands, northern slopes and river valleys; they also highlight the point boundaries of the geomere’s cores and the lineaments of the territorial structure.

The general understanding that the maximum effect of economic, especially high-tech activities is achieved in places of their concentration, including in clusters, makes the economic policy of supporting clusters extremely important. At the same time, there is a problem of how to identify clusters deserving of such support. There are relatively few studies suggesting methods for identifying the clusters. The article proposes and tests the author’s methodology for identifying clusters of high-tech industries based on the calculation of a clustering index. It consists of four components associated with the most important characteristics of clusters, i. e. the geographical concentration of the industry in a region or city, their specialization, communications and competition of companies. The index is calculated as the arithmetic mean of the indicators characterizing these components, normalized by the methods of linear and logarithmic scaling. The methodology is applied at two scale levels, namely regions of Russia and their administrative units. Calculation of the index is based on SPARK data on companies for the period 2015–2019. The results of index calculations were verified in order to identify clusters. As a result of the study, differences in high-tech industries were revealed both in terms of the clustering index and its individual components. From a geographical point of view, clusters of high-tech industry were found not only in the regions with the largest urban agglomerations (mainly Moscow and St. Petersburg) with considerable research and entrepreneurial potential, but also in the regions with large high-tech industry enterprises (Volga and Ural regions). It was also found that clusters in different industries have different territorial structure and scale. In most industries they appear at a city level, but in some industries they have a regional scale. Comparison of the identified clusters with those supported by the government made it possible to conclude that among the identified clusters about 35% receive such support, while among the supported clusters about 50% correspond to identified clusters. Besides, the level of support varies between the industries.

The relationship between climate change in the Late Holocene and evolution of Korean pine forests in the mid-mountain zone of the Sikhote-Alin Biosphere Reserve has been studied. Under moderately warm climate about 2640 cal BP Korean pine-oak formations, with admixture of Ayan spruce (Picea ajanensis (Lindl. et Gord.)), Khingam fir (Abies nephrolepis (Trautv.) Maxim.), and broad-leaved species, birches, alder and larch, developed in place of the modern Korean pine forests. With maximum warming around 2280 cal BP, maximum watering of the Nizhnee Lake occurred; its area increased and the aquatic and coastal-aquatic vegetation developed actively. Rising average annual and average summer temperatures contributed to a decrease in the position of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. Et Zucc.) as a dominant in phytocenoses and stronger presence of Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica Fisch. ex Ledeb). Climate breakdown around 2050 cal BP have led to the replacement of coniferous-broad-leaved forest by the Korean pine forests formation, which turned out to be a completely stable system within the Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve and existed until the middle of the 17th century, when the coldest conditions for the last 2640 cal BP (the Maunder minimum of solar activity) occurred. At that time the limit of dark coniferous forests on the slopes surrounding the Nizhnee Lake became lower and spruce forest with Korean pine and small admixture of birch and broad-leaved trees got wider spread. Under more comfort climate conditions the spruce forest was replaced first by spruce-fir forests with Korean pine and an admixture of broad-leaved trees, and then, under modern warming conditions, by the Korean pine forest with some dark conifers and a rare admixture of broad-leaved trees. The driest period during the time interval under study occurred at approximately 2330 cal BP. The lake level decreased significantly at that time, and it was overgrown with sedge-grass family communities. Active overgrowing began when the groundwater level decreased during cooling and a significant reduction in the amount of atmospheric precipitation at about 1500 cal BP. Climate-induced successions of Korean pine forests of the Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve reflect regional patterns of development of such forest communities and could be correlated with global paleoclimatic events.

The paper presents a reconstruction of the Late Holocene vegetation and climate changes in the Teberda River valley (highland part of the Western Caucasus), based on palynological data from the Lake Karakel’ sediment cores. A high time resolution (20–30 years) of obtained results gives us a unique possibility for detailed studies of natural environment dynamics in the Western Caucasus. According to the age-depth model based on 10 radiocarbon AMS dating, the sediments of the studied core formed during the last 2200 years with a stable accumulation rate without hiatuses. The obtained pollen data showed that during this time interval three stages of climate cooling were determined: 236 BC – 107 AD, 875–995 AD and 1210–1780 AD, as well as three stages of warming: 107–875 AD and 995–1210 AD and starting from 1780 to the present. Cooling phases were characterized by increasing abundance of Picea and Abies in forest stands, the expansion of pine forests and decreasing participation of broad-leaved species in vegetation cover. During the warm stages favourable conditions were created for the spread of Carpinus and Fagus-Carpinus forests with an admixture of Quercus, Ulmus, Acer, Fraxinus and Ostrya. The period of the Medieval Climate Anomaly between 995 and 1210 AD was revealed by the palynological data from the Karakel Lake and was distinguished by the maximum abundance of broad-leaved tree species in forests of the Teberda River valley. The subsequent cooling of the Little Ice Age (LIA) lasted from 1210 to 1780 AD. No signs of different phases within the LIA were determined by pollen analysis despite the high temporal resolution of obtained data.

The Asian financial crisis of 1997–1998 was a powerful economic shock for the Republic of Korea, which provoked significant changes in the territorial structure of the country’s manufacturing industry, to be dealt with in the article. After-crisis transformation of the territorial structure is characterized by five main processes. Two of them, at first glance mutually exclusive, i.e. decentralization and concentration, not only affect the entire structure, but also determine the general vector of its transformation in the period under review. Decentralization is observed in most branches of the manufacturing industry and is expressed in the growth of specialized industrial centers on the periphery of the old ones (the Capital Region) and in the emergence of new ones (in Chuncheon and Jeolla). The growing concentration is recorded in high-tech industries, such as pharmaceuticals, production of semiconductors, electronic components, and medical equipment, which receive more advantages from localization in large centers with a diversified economy and are increasingly concentrated in the Capital Region. Other processes, such as outsourcing, diversification, and pulsations in the local economy, either act locally or have a significantly smaller impact on the transformation of territorial structure of the manufacturing industry than the main two. The outsourcing of production functions by South Korean companies is mainly directed to developing countries in Asia (China, Vietnam, Indonesia), as well as to Eastern Europe and North America. The internationalization of production structure of the largest firms reduces the competitiveness of South Korean peripheral and old industrial regions, which are unable to attract new and retain existing enterprises. At the regional level, this contributes to the decentralization of territorial structure, but at the national level it provokes an increasing concentration in regions with the strongest competitive advantages (the Capital Region). Local processes, namely diversification and pulsations in the local economy, are characteristic of the most specialized industrial centers. Diversification touches primarily upon old industrial regions that previously specialized in textile and clothing production (Daegu, Jeonju, Busan). Pulsations in the number of employees and production volumes are mainly common to specialized shipbuilding centers (Tongyeong, Goseong, Geoje), which experience regular cyclical industry crises.

The consolidation of global supply chains, the spread of new production modes without the accumulation of warehouse stocks and the ongoing digitalization of consumption cause significant changes in the localization of new logistics facilities inside the largest metropolitan areas. Spatial dynamics of the industry for the period 2003–2019 is examined at a highly detailed spatial level (zip-codes) for two key logistics hubs of the United States, i. e. Los-Angeles and Chicago MSAs. Application of various spatial analysis methods, such as centrographic, kernel density estimation and z-score of the Getis–Ord local statistics, made it possible to identify various combinations of decentralization and deconcentration processes inside the metropolitan areas. The reasons for the ongoing shifts are probably associated with fundamental differences in the morphological structure of the cities. The polycentric decentralized keno-capitalist structure of Los-Angeles and the combination of high-level local demand with the function of the country’s western trade gateway have led to the equidirectional decentralization and the formation of new large logistics hubs on the periphery of the agglomeration; therein the concentration level did not increase. The sector structure of Chicago has given rise to a strong southwest shift while reducing the number of downtown warehouses and creating a new logistics hub focused on servicing consumption in the interior Midwest.

The paper provides a careful analysis of the Volga River Delta according to Engelbert Kaempfer’s map   “Hetsuydelykste gedeelte van de Vliet Wolga” (“Southern part of the Volga River”) dating back to 1697. A comparative-historical analysis of the delta hydronyms was carried out for the first time, showing the similarity of some hydronyms of the western part of the delta with the Olearius’ map (1647) and the present day situation. It was concluded that the Kaempfer’s maps are highly informative in terms of the geographical realities of the Caspian Sea region in the 1670s. Detailed representation of large and small waterways indicates the interest of Europeans to the possibilities of navigation along the Volga-Caspian route. A historical and geographical reconstruction of the traveler’s water route from Astrakhan to the Caspian Sea was performed. The results of the study extend our knowledge of historical and geographical realities of the 17th century, forming new horizons for research in cartography, history and cultural geography.  

Ecotourism in specially protected natural areas (SPNA) located in the mountains seems very promising due to their natural diversity and aesthetic attraction power. While planning ecological routes in such places, it is necessary to take into account the functioning of natural mountain landscapes, the priority of their environmental role and the combination of tourism with traditional types of environmental management. There are 16 protected areas in the mountainous part of the Northern Caucasus; each of them faces the task of both nature conservation and the development of sustainable tourism, which is the most effective in the form of ecotourism. The Kabardino-Balkar State High Mountain Reserve is among the most typical ones and has high potential for the development of ecological tourism. Three ecological and tourist areas were identified within the reserve, differing in natural conditions, landscape diversity and area, number and value of cultural-historical objects, touristic attractiveness and the quality of recreation infrastructure. The western Chereksky section, bordering North Ossetia, is the most promising for the development of ecological tourism and the construction of ecological trails. Five ecological routes are proposed for it, namely along the Karasu river valley, along the L’kezi river valley, to the Lekhanovtsek Mount, to the Krivosivtsek Pass and to the ancient outpost of Karaul-Kala. Four of them are one-day trips for moderately prepared tourists and one is a three-day trip for well-prepared tourists, accompanied by an instructor. Each route involves demonstrating altitudinal zones, natural monuments, the effects of hazardous natural processes and traditional environmental management; they also have good landscape viewing points. To preserve the ecological potential of the territory, it is necessary to control grazing, recreation and tourism. Reasoning of specific indicators and their quantitative values is a primary practical task that can be solved by systematizing empirical data on the impact of tourism on the natural landscapes.

In the face of growing risks in Russia’s demographic situation, the attraction of foreign students to higher education institutions is seen as an important resource for replenishing the human capital. The article analyzes the dynamics and geography of the origin of foreign students in Russia. It reveals the main trends in the distribution of foreign students by sending countries, as well as the territorial disparity of Russian regions in terms of foreign students’ enrollment. The prestige of Russian universities is quite high for natives of Asian and African countries. The geography of migration flow in metropolitan and large regional universities is quite diverse. However, in smaller regional universities, foreign students from one country prevail. Regional universities enroll students with lower school-leaving examination’ scores compared to metropolitan universities. An increasing share of foreign students in regional universities is obvious. Based on the data collected during focus groups and narrative interviews in several Russian universities, the country specifics of decision-making in choosing Russia for education were identified, as well as the ways and forms of adaptation processes and possible trajectories of life after graduation. The analysis of the empirical material made it possible to identify five main behavioral models of international students’ adaptation. The models took into account countries of origin, daily experience and social interaction with the host community. The most promising “demographic resource” is students from the Central Asian countries. An expert survey based on semi-structured interview of university staff working with international students in six regions of Russia allowed clarifying the main problems and identifying ways to solve them. The hottest challenges of foreign students’ adaptation are poor language proficiency and inadequate intercultural communication skills.     

Data on the content of fluorine and components of the main salt composition in surface and ground waters of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, sampled in September 2021, are presented. River waters contain 0,022–0,094 mg/L of fluorine with the lowest concentrations characteristic of small rivers and the highest – for large ones, such as the Nadym River (0,046 mg/L) and the Ob River (0,094 mg/L). Fluorine concentrations in artesian groundwater used for water supply are generally higher and range from 0,056 to 0,269 mg/L. In both river and ground waters of the area, the fluorine content is much lower than the sanitary-hygienic optimum, amounting to 0,7–1,5 mg/L.

Based on the long-term studies of water regime of the Oka River floodplain and its left tributary, the Pra River, the data on maximum water levels during the floods at the Ryazan gauging station have been summarized. According to the series of observations a downward trend in the maximum water level from 1945 to 2010 was revealed. During the years of maximum spring floods, backing of the Pra River by the Oka River waters reaches a distance of more than 160 km upstream. In 1997 the Oka floodplain was for the first time not flooded with water. An increase in average annual air temperatures has been established since the mid-1970s. The decrease in flood levels could be also attributed to the increase in water withdrawal and water consumption in Moscow and other large cities, as well as high water losses in housing and communal services, amounting to more than 20%. The effects of changes in the water regime of landscapes adjacent to the middle and lower reaches of the Pra and Oka rivers, such as decreasing water level in wells in the rural settlements, or increasing fire danger (example – 2010), are described. It was found that in the years of high floods the productivity of potential pastures and hayfields in the Pra River basin (Vozhskaya drainage system) is 28,2% higher than in the years of low spring floods, and the number of the latter is on the rise. A list of interrelated socio-economic problems caused by climate warming and changes in water regime is given. As a result of climate warming, the European part of Russia, in particular the Ryazan region, is experiencing a change in hydrometeorological parameters that affects the hydrological regime of the Oka River, leads to the drying out of floodplain agricultural landscapes and constrains the use of natural resources. In the reclamation sphere, one can expect lower need for drainage and the decrease in such drainage parameters as the drainage rates and inter-drain distances, with simultaneously increasing need for irrigation and an increase in the parameters of irrigation systems, such as irrigation rates, water intake volumes, etc. Both climatic and anthropogenic factors have limited the conditions and the scope of nature management in such spheres as water use, river navigation, recreation and river tourism. Their restoration will require significant investments.