In this paper as the risk farming zones in a changing climate, the regions that are contrasting in terms of the provision of crops with atmospheric moisture are considered, taking into account their crop production specialization. These include the Humid region (western and northern parts of the European Non-Chernozem Region) and the Semiarid region (the East of the European territory of Russia with adjacent areas of the Western Siberia). The study focuses on assessing the reccurrence of anomalous weather-climatic situations leading to crop losses in two periods that differ in the degree of anthropogenic influence on climate: 1945– 1980 and 1981–2017 years. To indicate climate – related farming risks, the ranges of the G.T. Selyaninov hydrothermal coefficient (HTC) values are used, corresponding to the strong crop overwetting effects and severe droughts. On their basis, the gradations of anomalies in the accumulated air temperatures as well as anomalies in the precipitation totals are developed. Then, the frequency of anomalies of various magnitude on the indicated periods is evaluated. The spatial assessment of the risks associated with the excess and deficit of moisture in the segments of the field crops growing season is displayed in the form of maps of the reccurrence of years with anomalies in humidity and thermal conditions as well as with anomalies of integrated indicators such as HTC values. The presented information makes it possible to visually trace the features of shifting the boundaries of vulnerable areas within zones in a changing climate. The reasons for such a shift are discussed from climatological positions. It is shown that, along with the features of atmospheric circulation, the thermal factor in combination with the the underlying surface factor makes an increasingly significant contribution to the intensifying overwetting and dryness. An important role in the excessive moisture and drought effects on state of crops also belongs to the soil texture, which determines the degree of atmospheric moisture penetration into the soil layers. It is noted that in a changing climate, there is an evidence in increase in the extremeness of weather-climatic situations in terms of the moisture supply of crops with a simultaneous increase in the contrast of the regions under consideration.

A long-term study of the BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) development in water from five eutrophic water bodies of Karelia (lakes Kroshnozero, Svyatozero, Yandomozero, Verkhnee, and the Shuya River) was carried out. For various seasons 2012–2017, 48 experiments were conducted at 20 and 10°C with samples taken from the surface horizon. The kinetic parameters of BOD were obtained, which quite fully reflect the changes in oxygen consumption by stages (I, II, and L) at the experiments. As a result of data analysis, several common features typical to all studied eutrophic water bodies were identified. Firstly, an intensive increase in oxygen consumption was found out from winter to summer at 20 and 10°C (mean 3.0 and 4.7 times respectively). Secondly, depending on the season, the contribution of each stage to BOD_total varied: in winter and autumn, the maximal contribution was from the L stage at 20°C (53%), in spring – the II stage (45%), and in summer – the I stage (43%). This difference occurs due to the conditions of labile organic matter production in different seasons of the year. Thirdly, the rate of organic matter oxidation at the L stage characterized by slow humic substances oxidation was several times lower in all seasons than the rate at the I stage, where the labile components of organic matter are rapidly oxidized. Only in summer, the rate at the L stage was slightly increased because of intensive oxidation of suspended organic matter which is produced in large quantities during this period. The obtained correlations between different indicators of organic matter and the kinetic BOD parameters in water from eutrophic lakes characterize the difference of seasonal features of changes in organic matter oxidation conditions and have high values of the determination coefficients (R² = 0.81–1.00).

The purpose of this study is to develop approaches to the allocation of territorial units for the analysis of recreation and tourism at various territorial levels: macro-regional, regional and local. Various methods to assess the spatial development of recreation and tourism have been proposed: 1) recreational (tourist-recreational) regionalization; 2) construction of the tourist and recreational framework of the region (route recreation schemes); 3) recreational zoning of the territory. Recreational countries, provinces and areas are considered as basic territorial units. At the macro-regional level, for the European territory of Russia, recreational provinces are described. They have been identified on the basis of the landscape-administrative approach. At the regional level, for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, recreational areas are described. They have been identified on the basis of the cultural-landscape approach. At the local level, recreational zoning on the basis of the landscape-dynamic approach is presented on the example of recreational complexes disturbance evaluation in the St. Petersburg recreational area.

Functional zoning as a special tool for managing natural protected areas (NPA) plays the key role in preserving biodiversity and ensuring sustainable development of a territory. Despite the importance of this tool, some issues of functional zoning remain understudied in respect to large most developed NPA. This study analyzes the changes in the functional zoning of the Tunkinsky national park (Republic of Buryatia) that have occurred during the 30 years of its existence. The study reveals factors influencing the demand for actions taken to adjust the park’s functional zoning; changes in the composition and area of the functional zones; an increase in the park’s recreational area. The results of the study indicate that the decisions concerning functional zoning of Tunkinsky national park were justified, which now enables the park to optimally combine preservation of natural, historical and cultural heritage with the growing tourist and recreational activities and economic exploitation of the territory. It is shown that the study of the effectiveness of the development of various functional zones requires the search for new approaches to the functional zoning of NPA based on new sources of geolocation information, including GPS tracks of tourist routes.

The article presents the results of the analysis of recreational activities on the territory of the nature monument “Lake Dus-Khol” (Republic of Tyva). The characteristics of the tourist infrastructure and the flow of tourists are given. The results of establishing the stages of recreational digression of ecosystems on the coast are shown. The results of calculating the current recreational capacity of the lake coast and recreational loads that have brought natural complexes to current conditions are presented. The time norms of permissible recreational load are justified. They will limit growth and further reduce the level of negative impacts on ecosystems. A variant of the development of recreational nature management on the lake coast is proposed. It is focused on the creation of a special economic zone of tourist- recreational type of republican status.

The article is devoted to some new facts about the expedition of R. Murchison - E. Verneuil in the European part of Russia. The most valuable historical sources testing to the peculiarities of the development of geology of that time are the Memories by N.I. Koksharov and the monograph by A. Geikie. The analysis of a fragment of Murchison’s letter (the discovery in Geikie’s monograph) made it possible to recognize addresses related to Murchison in St.Petersburg. As one of the motivations for Murchison’s expedition to Russia, the similarity of the Paleozoic sections of the European part of Russia and Great Britain is pointed in all literary sources. At the first time, L. von Buch had pointed out this similarity to Murchison. L. von Buch had rather carefully familiarized himself with paleontological collections of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic deposits of the European part of Russia. However, the history of formation of Russian paleontological collections for L. von Buch has not been discussed anywhere. The archival materials studied by the author reveal new data about history of the paleontological collection of L. von Buch collected from Russian localities.

Relations between the head of the expedition to search for the “Sannikova Land” E.V. Toll and the commander of the schooner (yacht) “Zarya” N.N. Kolomeitsev, almost from the very beginning of the expedition (1900), did not develop in the best way. These relations ended in a conflict, as a result of which Kolomeitsev submitted a letter of resignation, and Toll not only accepted this report, but also found a plausible excuse to part with the experienced yacht commander. This event was undoubtedly one of the reasons for the death of Toll.