The obtained evidence of hot heterogeneous accretion of the Earth and the calculated quantitative model of kimberlite magmas has led to a fundamentally new solution to the problem of the genesis of kimberlites and diamond. According to this data, kimberlite magmas were formed from residual melts of the bottom peridotite layer of the global magmatic ocean, which arose as a result of impact heat release during accretion. The expansion of its fractionation products by the spreading matter of mantle plumes is the reason for the absence of kimberlites in oceanic regions. Decompression solidification of magmas at the shallow stage of ascent as a result of the release of strong flukes, volatile components, led to an explosion under the influence of the high pressure of the gas phase preserved by solidification. Diamonds crystallized as a result of carbon accumulation in residual melts. Due to the low viscosity of peridotite melts, ideal octahedra with smooth faces crystallized first. The accumulation of multivalent elements during fractionation in the residual melt led to a sharp increase in its viscosity, to a change in the tangential growth of diamonds to radial, to the formation of their rhombododecahedral and cubic crystals and various sculptures. The accumulation of lithophilic components in the residual melts caused an increase in the content of impurities in late diamonds, including nitrogen.

The chemical composition of kimberlites is essential for the identification of the origin and assessment of their potential diamond content. We have studied 42 major and trace elements in more than 100 samples from the bulk groundmass of kimberlite pipes of the Yakutian diamondiferous province. The procedures were performed using the ICPMS spectrometer iCAP 6300 Duo. The data on composition of the groundmass of kimberlites was processed by traditional statistical methods. Based on the analysis results, we have identified seven groups of mineral-forming elements. For a kimberlite pipe with a known diamond content, we proposed to select coefficients in order to construct histograms of the same size. Thus, the percentage values of the seven groups of mineral-forming elements serves as a benchmark. We demonstrated that the chemistry of the bulk groundmass of kimberlites is specific to each kimberlite pipe and can be used to assess their potential diamond grade.

This contribution presents the evidence for volcanic geology and associated magnetite-hematite and other mineralization from volatile-rich lavas and related gas-phases. Recently discovered the Yakut iron belt is approximately 120 km long and 10 km wide. The Zone contains 1 large and about 4 smaller high-grade ore deposits in the upper Jurassic sediments. The existence of ore with volcanic features demonstrates that ore magmas reach surface in Kildyam Volcanic Complex. Occurrence of rapid-growth textures, vesicular ore lava and pyroclastic ore demonstrate emplacement of ore magmas at or near the surface and confirm that this deposit is volcanic. Kildyam ore occur as massive, sub-horizontal, tabular bodies, as crosscutting feeder dikes and as stratified, fragmental magnetite-lavas material. Effusive iron-oxide liquids reach surface via feeder dikes and sub-parallel swarms of fissures and voids. Main ore product, expelled from fissure, is a magnetite-rich pyroclastic material deposited on Kildyam andesitic lavas. Heavy magnetite lava characterized by textures: (a) subrounded fragments of altered volcanic rocks in a magnetite matrix; (b) upward transition from dense to highly vesicular magnetite lava; (c) pyroclastic ore dominated by lapilli-sized material discordant above ore lava with sheeted structure; (d) magnetite lava with well-developed sheeted structure due to laminar flow; (e) scoriaceous magnetite lava from the flow top; (f) stratification in a lenses of pyroclastic ore within the magnetite lava flow. The final magnetite ore bodies formed from iron oxide magma that intruded local volcanic sequence and in places erupted at surface. Volcanic breccia and iron-oxide mineralization from Kildyam succession contain (a) oxides: hematite, magnetite, Ti-magnetite; phenocrysts of ilmenite, rutile, pseudorutile, and ilmenorutile (Ti,Nb,Fe+++)O₂; (b) sulfides: argentite, chalcopyrite, bartonite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, tetrahedrite, troilite; (c) alloys: Au, Au– Ag–Cu–Fe, Cu, Cu–Zn, Fe, Fe–Al–Cu. Ni–Fe–Cu–Sn. Iron native and as sulfides with copper, enriched from the liquid sulfide droplets; copper, led, silver and gold precipitated from high-temperature late magmatic fluids. The study presents evidence for growth of magnetite from iron-oxide-rich liquids and of magnetite, hematite and other minerals from volatile-rich magmas and related gas-phases. Occurrence of diverse gold, silver, copper and lead minerals in magnetite lavas led to preserve IOCG (Iron Oxide Copper Gold) mineralization. Based on the research carried out so far, it is generally accepted that Kildyam group has potential to become a new world-class size IOCG deposit at 30 km near Yakutsk.

The genus Somoholites is important for the Boreal Carboniferous-Permian correlation, but only two reliable finds of ammonoids of this genus are known in the Upper Paleozoic of Northeastern Russia. The holotypes of Somoholites andrianovi Kutygin and S. sebyanicus Kutygin found in Verkhoyanie have a significant morphological distance and probably belong to different phylogenetic branches of Somoholites. There is no doubt that S. sebyanicus belongs to the lower part of the Permian (Khorokytian Regional Stage). But the stratigraphic relationship of the holotype of S. andrianovi had ambiguous interpretations of literary sources for a long time. L.A. Musalitin discovered goniatite in scree on the Syrgan-Syukyut river in the upper reaches of the Sobolokh-Mayan river (Orulgan ridge). As a result of studying his field materials, the holotype of S. andrianovi was determined not to belong to the Lower Permian, as previously thought, but to the Gzhelian Stage of the Upper Carboniferous (Khaldan Formation). This is the first find of ammonoids recorded in Verkhoyanie, belonging to the terminal part of the Carboniferous system. Clarification of the stratigraphic relationship of the considered Somoholites allows us to rethink the ideas about the distribution of the Verkhoyanian ammonoid community during the Late Kygyltasian biotic crisis. In addition to the stratigraphic relationship of S. andrianovi, its suture was refined, representing the adult stage of ontogeny. Possible scenarios for the biogeographic distribution of ammonoids in the terminal Carboniferous of the East Boreal subregion and the origin of the Gzhelian Somogolites of Verkhoyanie are considered.

We have compared and estimated warm season conditions over the Okhotsk sea coast and upper parts of the Kolyma, Indigirka and Yana rivers basins in 2000–2015 and 1931–1960. The similarity of the heat supply indices of the regions made it possible to unify them into a temperature hyperzone. The heat supply of the hyperzone in the middle of the 20th century corresponded to the conditions of the forest-tundra and northern taiga, but nowadays it is similar to the northern and middle taiga conditions, moreover at the peak of the summer it corresponds to the southern taiga and deciduous forests. However, the landscapes are unlikely to change drastically, taking into account the high ecological plasticity of the vegetation cover dominants. Due to the warming in the continental and coastal regions of the hyperzone, similarity of some indicators (mean temperatures of May and July, sums of temperatures above 0 and 5 °С, the number of days with temperatures above 0 °C and transition dates over 0 °С in spring) has decreased, but of others (annual maximums, days with temperatures above 10 °C and their sums, the number of the frost-free days) has increased. The warming does not dismantle the notion of hyperzone but rectifies it only.

This study investigated the resistance of seed progeny of plants represented by three natural populations of Deschampsia cespitosa to high zinc concentrations (110 and 165 mg/kg of sandy substrate) under the conditions of greenhouse experiment. These populations located in different regions of the Republic of Karelia (Belomorsky, Kemsky and Loukhsky), included in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. We have given a brief description of the climatic features of these areas and the degree of their contamination with pollutants. We have found that plants grown from the seeds collected in all three populations took root well on a substrate with a zinc excess, but their further growth depended on the seeds place of origin. The seed progeny of plants from the Belomorsky population, the southernmost of those studied, was the most resistant to zinc excess. They grew in the natural environment in more favorable climatic conditions, but were subjected to the strongest anthropogenic impact for a long period. The plants grown from the seeds of the Loukhsky population, the northernmost and ecologically clean area, turned out to be much less resistant to a zinc excess. We consider that the use of D. cespitosa for the restoration of zinccontaminated territories in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation is reasonable and promising. Furthermore, we emphasize that the use of seeds of plants growing in the natural conditions in the northern territories with a high level of technogenic load is more favourable.

Recognition of ecosystem services as part of natural capital is evident. The introduction of its accounting in economic activities is becoming a new milestone in the economics of environmental management. The integration of ecosystem services into the socio-economic processes of forest management using the example of specially protected natural areas of the region became the goal of this study. Analysis of the use of ecosystem services assessment has shown its diversity, including computer modelling, mapping, the development of scenario approaches to the development of the Territory, the introduction of payments for the use of services and compensation payments for their loss. The economic assessment of ecosystem services of protected objects is based on compensatory and alternative costs within forests and administrative areas, proportional to their area. It showed a decrease in its share in GRP of the region in the dynamics of the previous fifteen years, both in kind and given indicators. The conservation and management of ecosystem services will be facilitated by the introduction of institutional and economic arrangements at conservation sites. The toolkit includes zoning of objects, arrangement of cordons, recreation places, ecological trails, organization of waste disposal, as well as introduction of input fees and charitable contributions to preserve the quality of the natural environment. One of the first practical steps to use the accounting of ecosystem services was information in forest plans since 2019, the analysis of which is a scientific novelty. It showed a lack of uniformity in the list of ecosystem services, a different understanding of the content of their characteristics, the use of several methods to evaluate the same services. This may lead to significant discrepancies in environmental assessment. These deficiencies can be addressed by the adoption at the departmental level of general rules (guidelines) that provide requirements and methods for the assessment of EVs for forest management purposes.

The study investigated soils of the tundra and forest-tundra parts of the Kolyma River basin (68°44'–69°03'N, 160°59'–161°22'E). These soils are developed on the polygonal ridged and hummockand-hollow cryogenic forms of microrelief. The territory of the Kolyma accumulative lowland is composed of the Quaternary deposits of the Middle and Late Pleistocene age. The depth of the seasonally thawed layer depends on landscape conditions and varies from 0.2 to 1.0 m, with average values of 0.3–0.7 m. Soils of the polygonal ridged tundra (near Pokhodsk) are represented on the ridges by acidic permafrost tundra gley peat soils [ОТ–Т–АТg–Вg┴], which occur in a complex with permafrost peat soils of microdepressions (polygons) [ОТ–Т┴]. These are acidic soils with high values of ignition loss in the upper organogenic horizons. In the forest-tundra, on the border with the northern taiga (near Chersky), the soil surface is characterized by a hummock-and-hollow microrelief caused by permafrost cracking. Here, the studied soils are represented by a conjugate combination of permafrost taiga gleyic soils inside of depressions [О–Т– АВf–Вg–ВСg┴] permafrost taiga non-gley soils of hummock [О–Тh–АВ–В(ВС)┴]. The soil described at the top of the hummock practically has no signs of gleying and is poorly differentiated; the soil of the depression is gleyed and is characterized by the presence of signs of organic matter accumulation in the suprapermafrost layer.

The study site is located within the Aldan-Lena District of the Central Yakutian Subprovince representing the middle taiga subzone of the boreal region. Administratively the territory is part of UstAldansky, Megino-Kangalassky and Khangalassky districts of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The studied pine forests grow in the north-eastern part of the distribution area of Pinus silvestris L., forming ribbon communities on the sandy sediments of the Bestyakh terrace. The Central Yakutian zonal pine forest types belong to the Arctostaphylos uva-ursi group. The article provides general characteristics of  groups of primary and serial types of pine forests growing in the studied area, as well as their basic geobotanical and wood characteristics. Unfavourable growing conditions determine reduced species diversity and low abundance of subordinate vegetation layers in primary pine forests. A combination of primary and serial pine forest types forms the specific pattern of the Bestyakh terrace vegetation due to the felling and fires which are common to the studied area. Despite the highly developed lands of the Bestyakh terrace of the LenaAmga interfluve, pine forests are rather in good condition there. the Arctostaphylos or lichen-Arctostaphylos types and pronounced mosaic structure of forest vegetation with the participation of young pine forests. Economic and industrial development of the territory advances such patchiness formation that may have both negative and positive effect.

The article discusses the results of the study of willow communities as a feed base for beekeeping in the valley of the middle course of the Lena River (Central Yakutia). We investigated the flowering phenophases, morphology, quantitative characteristics of generative organs and nectariferous of willow species. Economically valuable factors in the willow honey collection of the studied forage base are represented by the annual early flowering of the willows almost independent of weather and hydrological conditions, abundant nectar production and pollen production even at low temperatures. These biological features of willows are vital for building up the strength of bee colonies after wintering and accumulation of honey. In the valley of the Middle River Lena, intensive willow honey collection lasts from the 5th of May to the 20th of May (with a possible shift from 1 to 5 days). Notably the willow nectar collection has the highest volume. It is provided mainly by 5 species of willow from a high floodplain, while 5 other species are of supporting importance because of their low mass. We have established that the possible volumes of the nectar for 15 (20) days of willow flowering in the studied forage area can be calculated in tons. General honey collection is limited by subsequent summer periods, when willows fade and other, less massive and less productive plant species start flourishing. We recommend artificial planting of late-flowering male species to maximize the period of willow honey collection. To increase the food supply for bees and compensate for intercrop periods in the study area, we propose to create plant nurseries for berry and ornamental shrubs, and sow local grass and zoned honey plants.

The research was conducted in variously disturbed areas and nature reserves on the territory of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Ugra (Khanty-Mansiysky District) in 2015–2017. Overall, 18 species of insectivores and rodents were identified at the confluence of the Ob and Irtysh rivers. We have established that against the background of low abundance of the water vole, the common shrew and root vole made up the dominant species, while the Eurasian Pygmy shrew and northern red-backed vole were co-dominants. The instability of floodplain communities of small mammals depending on water regime and water vole abundance was shown. The studied biotopes demonstrated a high similarity (ICS > 0.70), as well as the disturbance of their species structure. We conclude that the similarity of communities the differences correlated with the water regime of the territories. The floodplain is suitable for different species of small mammals, especially water-loving species (the root vole, Eurasian water vole). Population dynamics of the Eurasian water vole generally affects the structure of small mammal communities.

The increased activity in the Arctic and the northern territories of the Russian Federation makes the development of the efficient de-icing systems highly relevant. The key challenge in the development of de-icing systems with a high level of energy efficiency combined with the physical, mechanical and electro-physical properties of the materials which can become the basis for producing heating elements. The use of the principle of self-regulation of temperature for electric heaters based on elastomers modified by multilayer carbon nanotubes (MCNTs) makes it possible to form energy-efficient de-icing systems. The paper presents experimental results of the study of electric heaters with self-regulating temperature effect. For carrying out the studies, we developed and produces samples based on a polymeric matrix – an organosilicon compound – which was modified by MCNT and graphite. We used a scanning electron microscopy technique in order to study the morphology of MCNTs and graphite. The application of a non-contact method of temperature investigation made it possible to estimate the temperature field distribution on the surface of the heating elements. The results are of great practical importance, since the heating elements can have different configurations and can be used at low ambient temperatures. We have found that for a sample with a MCNT and graphite (mass concentration equal to 16.5 wt. %) that a decrease in the ambient temperature results in an increase in the current consumption and correspondingly in the power up to kW/m², which is a consequence of a constant temperature of 71.4 °С on the heater surface and a confirmation of the self-regulation effect. The developed heaters can become the basis of various technical systems for de-icing.

The study has, for the first time, confirmed the possibility of penetration of the mold fungi mycelium and spore-forming bacteria into the structure of the basalt fiber reinforced plastic rebars has been detected in the laboratory and field experiments. Biological contamination at the «fiber-binding» border revealed areas of swelling and penetration of the mold fungi mycelium and bacterial spore cells into the binder component. After the exposure of samples at extremely low temperatures, strains of mold fungi of the genus Aspergillus and spore-forming bacteria of the genus Bacillus immobilized for samples a year ago were isolated from the surface of the rebars. This indicated the high viability of immobilized strains in the cold climates. Aboriginal microflora isolated from the samples by the enrichment culture technique was represented by the following: actinobacteria of the genera Nocardia and Streptomyces; yeast of the genus Rhodotorula; and mold fungi of the genus Penicillium. The enrichment culture technique proved to be a highly informative method of diagnosing the bio-infection of polymer composite materials during their operation in extremely low temperatures. The metabolic activity of the cryophilic microorganisms’ cells isolated from the experimental samples of the basalt fiber reinforced plastic rebars was associated with the features of the enzymes and fatty acid composition of the lipid bilayer of cell membranes. They were in a liquid-crystalline state in the optimal conditions for cryophilic microorganisms. In the case of temperature conditions when conventional (mesophilic) microorganisms stopped developing the vegetative cells, the transition process of the lipid bilayer of the cell membranes into a gel-like state was activated. The transition of the lipid bilayer to a gel-like state allowed the prevention of crystallization and death of the microbial cell when the ambient temperature dropped to the negative values. As a result, after thawing, growth resumed and the metabolic activity of the microorganisms was restored. We have also studied the effect of biodepletion on the elastic strength characteristics. After a year of exposure, the strength preservation coefficient was k = 0,82. The results showed that the selected strains affect the properties of polymeric materials in the cold climates in relation to the organic components in the structure of polymer composites.