Mikhail Kozhin

The bryoflora of Ryazhkov Island (408 ha) has been supplemented by 9 new moss species (Anomodon viticulosus, Dicranum leioneuron, D. septentrionale, Drepanocladus polygamus, Fissidens adianthoides, Pseudoleskeella papillosa, Scorpidium cossonii, Sphagnum fimbriatum, S. subfulvum), the first of which is included in the Red Data Book of Murmansk Region [2025]. The number of species reached 148 (53 % of the reserve's bryoflora, 31 % of Murmansk Region). Anomodon viticulosus, Fissidens adianthoides, and Scorpidium cossonii are confined to rocky calcite veins and groundwater discharge sites. Currently, Ryazhkov is the most comprehensively studied small White Sea island (< 500 ha). Protection of rocky and wetland habitats is recommended during the development of tourist trails and scientific base infrastructure.

Rapid industrial development in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation, home to major mining and metallurgical operations, has intensified the need for systematic environmental monitoring. This article presents a unified ecosystem monitoring program developed for implementation in 2025–2027 across the Pasvik Nature Reserve, the Lapland Nature Reserve, and the Murmansk Tundra Reserve. The program follows internationally recognized biodiversity assessment frameworks and uses a hierarchical system of indicators, attributes, and variables. It covers key components of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, including vegetation, protected native species, invasive alien species, birds, mammals, and aquatic biota. A major focus is the harmonization of field and analytical protocols to ensure that data collected along gradients of industrial pollution are scientifically comparable and verifiable. The program provides a robust foundation for biodiversity conservation, reduction of anthropogenic impacts, and adaptive natural resource management in the Russian Arctic.

The territory of the central part of Murmansk region is considered to be completely covered by botanical investigations. An integrated approach, including field work, literature data analysis and inventory of historical herbarium collections, allowed to significantly supplement and clarify the distribution picture of protected vascular plant species for the area of the Niva River sources and the southern coast of Ekostrovskaya Imandra Lake, as well as to understand the errors in interpreting locations of historical records. Based on the study, 17 protected vascular plant species included in the second edition of the Red Book of Murmansk Region were noted in this area, 15 species are recommended for inclusion in the third edition of the Red Book of Murmansk Region, three of which are included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. Historical records of lady's slipper (Cypripedium calceolus) and smooth woodsia (Woodsia glabella) in the Afrikanda area are recognized as erroneous. A concentration site of rare species on Mount Lysaya has been identified, which is recommended to be protected as a natural monument of regional significance "Mount Lysaya" to prevent further degradation of the territory and loss of natural biodiversity. In terms of planning further field research, it is recommended to conduct work near the quarry in the Afrikanda massif, where the perovskite-titanomagnetite deposit developed in the 1950s was located.

Medvezhiy Island is one of the largest islands in the central part of the Porya Guba Bay of the White Sea. In the 18th–19th centuries, the industrial development of silver ore deposits was carried out here, as a result of which the island landscapes underwent significant changes. Based on the comparison of literary information and work with archival documents, the course of historical events in the development of the mine has been established, the confusion in the chronology of the development of its facilities and the names of the mines has been eliminated. Field studies made it possible to establish the location of nine mines, clarify the time of their development, and restore their historical names: “Dai Bog Schast'ya”, “Dvuglavyi Orel”, “Strel'nikova”, “Kurt”, “Boyarynya”, “Nadezhda”, “Novaya”, “Stanellovskaya Kopushka”. We named the mine developed in 1773–1775 “Karamysheva”, in honor of the famous Russian mineralogist A. M. Karamyshev, who founded it. For all silver ore mines, in comparison with the literature data, the characteristics of the current state such as morphometric parameters, composition of dumps (if any) and the course of vegetation restoration processes are given. The conducted survey of the mines shows their gradual destruction. At the same time, the restoration of the island vegetation cover, especially forest vegetation, was noted; 14 protected species of vascular plants were recorded. It was shown that in the 18th-19th centuries, Medvezhy Island was of great importance for Russia as one of the first silver deposits in the country. Currently, it is a unique protected natural and anthropogenic complex, a monument to the history of the Russian mining industry and a bright historical and cultural landmark of the Kola North.

Frozen peatlands in the Northern Hemisphere are vulnerable to climate change and, according to recent scenarios, may degrade within the current century. However, the variability of regional factors and features of the development history can distort forecasts of their dynamics. To highlight this, we investigate the unique frozen peat plateau of Sosnovets Island (White Sea, NW Russia) on the edge of the sporadic permafrost zone. We show the developmental stages of the island peatland, identify patterns of peat accumulation and examine the permafrost in peat. The studied peatland formed when the top of the Sosnovets Island emerged from the sea ca. 7000 cal BP. In the mid-Holocene, its rate of isostatic uplift was 1.8 mm/year. In the late Holocene, it decreased to 1 mm/year, and now it has entered a subsidence phase. Although the age of permafrost formation is estimated ca. 2400 cal BP, peat accumulation after that did not stop and is now ongoing at a rate of 0.1–0.2 mm/year. Since occurrence, permafrost has been present without interruption on the island, and despite positive mean annual temperatures, is characterized by sufficient stability. Exogenous factors for the stability of the plateau are severe winters, strong winds, and low amounts of precipitation. The endogenous factors are large thickness of the peat deposit, dry conditions because of drainage, and undulating terrain that does not promote a large accumulation of snow. As a result, this combination provides good thermal insulation properties of peat, prevents lateral thermal effects, and reduces the wind erosion. Overall, the frozen peat plateau of Sosnovets Island is an important site of the permafrost monitoring network in Northern Fennoscandia, as it would take significant climate shifts to cause its irreversible degradation.

Based on the evidence of morphology and a comprehensive revision of herbarium collections and field records, the taxonomy of the Erigeron acris group in Murmansk Region, European Russia, is completely revised. Its accepted diversity is increased from 2 to 8 taxa, including putative hybrids. The only native species, E. politus, is distributed in mountainous regions, along sea coasts and in the Kutsa River basin. Five species are alien: E. rigidus (previously confused with E. acris s.str.), E. acris s.str. (first recorded in the narrow taxonomic definition), E. brachycephalus (previously unrecorded), E. droebachiensis and E. uralensis (previously reported in error). Two major waves of the introduction of alien taxa are discovered, with different occurrences and species compositions. Regional and local dispersal by pomors (historical Russian settlers) occurred during their colonisation and traditional activities since the 12^th century (archaeophytes or early neophytes); such alien taxa (E. rigidus, E. brachycephalus, and partly E. acris) are particularly common within the territory traditionally settled by Russian colonists but also found elsewhere along historical trade routes. Other alien species of the E. acris group (E. droebachiensis, E. uralensis, and partly E. acris and E. brachycephalus) colonised industrial areas in the 1960s–1990s as seed contaminants introduced during revegetation of slag dumps, stockyards, dams and channels. Putative hybrids between E. politus (native), E. rigidus and E. acris (aliens) are found in the places of co-occurrence. Updated nomenclature, synonymy and descriptions are provided for all accepted taxa.

Новые данные о распространении охраняемых видов сосудистых растений в местах ведения поморского промысла в Мурманской области

Qualitative differences in the nrDNA ITS and ETS sequences in the total sample were determined to allow identification of the following groups of samples: H. mantegazzianum, H . cf. sosnowskyi, H . cf. mantegazzianum and H . cf. sosnowskyi × H . cf. mantegazzianum among other representatives of the Heracleum genus presented in the genetic databases. The study revealed the absence of correlation between a sample type in the group H. mantegazzianum, H . cf. sosnowskyi, H . cf. mantegazzianum and H . cf. sosnowskyi × H . cf. mantegazzianum and qualitative transformations in the ITS and ETS sequences. The qualitative analysis of the rbcL, matK, rps16 intron, intergenic spacers psbA-trnH, trnQ-rps16, rps16-trnK and rpl32-trnL cpDNA sequences for the samples identified as Heracleum mantegazzianum , H . cf. sosnowskyi , H . cf. mantegazzianum and H . cf. sosnowskyi × H . cf. mantegazzianum demonstrated no correlation between them as well.

Приводится аннотированный список мохообразных оренбургской части национального парка «Бузулукский бор», составленный на основе полевых работ, литературных и гербарных данных. Территория представляет собой самый крупный сосновый бор в степной зоне Северной Евразии и единственный в степном Заволжье островной лесной массив с реликтовыми ландшафтами. Флора включает 18 видов печёночников и 68 видов мхов. Выполненные работы позволили пополнить флору национального парка 13 видами печеночников и 9 видами мхов. Произрастание двух видов, указанных ранее для территории парка (Grimmia plagiopodia Hedw., Polytrichum strictum Brid.), представляются сомнительными.