Scientists spoke about the first results of summer field work in Transbaikalia as part of the Great Scientific Expedition

The Transbaikal division of the Great Scientific Expedition completed summer field work on biodiversity research in the Gazimuro-Zavodsky district of the Trans-Baikal Territory. They were attended by employees of the Institute of Natural Resources, Ecology and Cryology SB RAS (Chita) together with Novosibirsk colleagues as part of the Great Scientific Expedition of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Norilsk Nickel company. This is reported on the website “Science in Siberia” (publication of the SB RAS, https://www.sbras.info).

“The main task of the BNE summer expeditions was to assess the degree of impact of the mining and processing plant on the environment. The researchers had to identify threats to biological diversity and find optimal strategies for minimizing them, as well as propose a range of actions for the conservation and monitoring of biodiversity,” the publication notes.

As the report says, the Gazimuro-Zavodsky district is known for the Bystrinskoye deposit of copper, iron and gold, which is developed by GRK Bystrinskoye LLC, part of Norilsk Nickel. At the same time, this territory has high biological diversity: the flora and fauna typical of Eastern Siberia is often supplemented by Far Eastern species of animals and plants. Two regional reserves have been created in the area - “Uryumkansky” and “Relic Oaks”.

The work included the study of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and was carried out at monitoring sites that were proposed by scientists from the Institute of Animal Systematics and Ecology of the SB RAS and the Institute of Biophysics of the Federal Research Center "Krasnoyarsk Scientific Center SB RAS" based on the results of last year's work. “Thanks to the collaboration of several academic organizations, the study of terrestrial ecosystems covered all their main components: flora and vegetation, fauna of vertebrate and invertebrate animals, as well as soils,” notes Science in Siberia.

Equally important for researchers was the study of watercourses into which pollutants may enter. Hydrobiological data was collected at 13 testing sites, which cover both the Gazimur River, the largest watercourse in the area of possible impact of the plant, and eight of its tributaries.

“During the research process, it was important to find out whether the plant’s activities affect the biodiversity of aquatic and terrestrial inhabitants in the model areas, and if so, how far this influence can extend,” the report says.

All test sites were divided into four groups according to the degree of possible impact from the plant - significant, medium, insignificant and reference area (background).

At the moment, the researchers have returned to the laboratory after field work, and the collected materials are being processed.

“Preliminary results concern mainly interesting findings of rare species of animals and plants. Thus, eight species of birds listed in the Red Book, including two species of cranes, were recorded at ground-based testing sites. At the same time, the largest number of rare species (seven) was noted at one of the testing sites, which is classified as a zone of significant impact,” the publication writes.

In addition, scientists have discovered communities with a high number of orchids listed in the Red Book - lady's slippers.

“In the process of collecting material, the researchers encountered species such as lenok and Daurian crayfish, which can be considered indicators of water purity. In the background section of the Gazimur River, hydrobiologists noticed another inhabitant of clean watercourses - the bivalve mollusk Daurian pearl mussel, listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. Interestingly, under the shell, fish fry, the Amur bitterling, hatched from eggs and still retained their yolk sacs. Of course, after the study, the mollusk was returned alive to its habitat,” the report says.

Other research results of both scientific and applied significance are expected in the fall.