Paper describes the analysis of the dynamics of crop areas vulnerable to overwetting in the Non-Chernozem zone of the European part of Russia. To assess the vulnerability, the spatial monitoring has been performed of recurrence of years with crop waterlogging and lodging effects in a changing climate, by 5-yr step shift within 30-yr observed periods from 1946 to 2013. The optimal configuration of isolines contouring areas with different recurrence of above mentioned farming risks was achieved by use of GIS interpolation methods such as kriging. The regional contribution to vulnerable areas transformation over time is evaluated on the basis of trend analysis. Then, the latter is compared with the features of such spatiotemporal modes as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the East Atlantic (EA) pattern. It should be noted that the observed changes in expansion of areas most vulnerable to overwetting correspond with prevailing positive anomalies of NAO- and EA-indices, especially EA-indices, in recent decades. The attention is also given to accompanying negative effects such as soil gleyzation and more frequent crop damage by viruses and pests occuring in the wet weather conditions. A number of options for adaptation is proposed to the choice of regional adaptation strategies.

Based on the analysis of long-term data from meteorological stations located within the White (Beloe) Sea basin area, change and variability of main parameters describing the local climate are considered. The trend in air temperature regime changes is shown. The atmospheric precipitation regime over the White Sea catchment area is described, being based on modern data as compared to the climatic norms for the period of 1961-1990. The main trends of annual and monthly sums and number of days with precipitation of various intensity are considered.

The formation of unusual natural and anthropogenic landscape of Matua Island (Central Kuriles) is discussed. The landscape was formed due to volcanic activity and the military base of Japanese period. Features of landscape structure are analyzed. There are three landscape areas (mestnost) such as modern volcanic deserts, constructions of ancient volcano and sea terraces. Anthropogenic disturbance of the area has caused the changes of this landscape structure. Main types of volcanic impacts on the landscape were systematized. Some kinds of volcanic impacts have the strongest consequences (lava and pyroclastic flows, lahars) while other volcanic impacts affect only vegetation and soil (such as dust fall of tephra, gas emissions of volcano). It is shown that the restoring of natural complexes on lava and pyroclastic deposits takes hundreds or thousands years, but the same process on alluvial fan deposits of lahars takes only some dozens of years. The main kinds of Japanese fortification constructions and their relationship with the landscape structure are examined. Conclusion is made that the belligerent-volcanic landscape of the island is unique for Russia.

Natural and anthropogenic pollution conditions and safety of fresh groundwater resources in the territory of the transboundary Middle-Amur artesian basin at sites of large water intakes and industrial and solid waste landfills are considered. To minimize and eliminate the risks of contamination, it is recommended that the perspective location of groundwater abstraction facilities should be oriented at a reasonable distance from the river Amur outline taking into account the existing landfills of waste storage. When solving ecological problems of safety of the use of substandard groundwater with a high natural content of iron and manganese, it is preferable to use their purification directly in the aquifer.

Geomorphology is an autonomous branch among Earth sciences. This independence is based on the research object - Earth’s surface, which separates mobile and more static geospheres. On the other side, indicative role of the Earth’s surface - its ability to embed and keep the outcomes and mechanisms of interaction of geospheres - could be a proper uniting basis for all Earth sciences. Until the middle of the twentieth century, geomorphology found itself underdeveloped as compared with other Earth scientific disciplines. However, after the Second World War, it could realize a huge indicative and integrating potential owing to wide topographic mapping, advanced geophysical and hydrological research as well as development of air photography. Geomorphologists successfully compiled a range of models - from that of the global level to those of the local one. They also succeeded in geomorphologic confirmation of many tectonic and geological hypotheses. Now, we see the future of geomorphology in further strengthening of its integrating role, potential to develop multi-vector knowledge of geospheres and even society.

Features of formation and distribution of a periglacial-loess formation in basins of Sura, Vyatka and Kama Rivers are considered. On the basis of generalization of the results of system paleogeographic analysis the complex characteristic of loessial deposits (polygenic by origin and polychronic by sedimentation time) is presented. Regional specifics in structure and composition of the loessial horizons dated for uneven-age paleogeographic areas of East European Plain are established. The detailed characteristic of the loessial and soil formations corresponding to climatoliths of the Middle and Late Neo-Pleistocene is given. The spatial-temporal regularities of development, frequency of a loess formation and pedogenesis, which are of great importance for rhythmic reconstruction of the paleogeographic events of Neo-Pleistocene, are revealed.

In the article, the marriage and divorce indicators changing in the Far Eastern Federal District of Russian Federation in 1990-2015 were examined. In this regard, the absolute numbers of marriages and divorces, divorces to marriages ratio, crude marriage and divorce rates as well as the population by the marital status were studied. Also, the o-convergence was involved into consideration. In the period under review, the situation in the Far Eastern Federal District became worse because the marriage rate has decreased more comparing to the divorce rate. Simultaneously, in the face of those who are married and who have never been married proportions decrease, the proportions of those who cohabit, are widowed or divorced have increased. The coefficient of variation for the marriage rate is low, and its changing is small. The coefficient of variation for the divorce rate is high, but it has been decreasing. In conclusion the most important directions of the state family policy (marriage reputation increasing, divorce prevention and information support of the policy) are viewed.