The 70th anniversary of Nikolai Evgenievich Dokuchaev

July 12 marks the 70th anniversary of Nikolai Evgenievich Dokuchaev, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Head of the Laboratory of Mammalian Ecology.

Nikolai Evgenievich has been working at the Institute since its foundation. In 1973, he came to Magadan on assignment after graduating from the Far Eastern State University. Over the years of work N.E. Dokuchaev worked his way up from a research trainee to the head of a laboratory. Now he is one of the key specialists known in Russia and the world in the field of taxonomy, biogeography, Quaternary history, population ecology of mammals in Northeast Asia, a popularizer of biological science, an expert in the protection of northern nature.

The team of IBPN FEB RAS cordially congratulates Nikolai Evgenievich, wishes him new scientific success, major projects, talented students and reliable colleagues.

Ruthless Exploration of the Kolyma

In the 6th issue of The Nature, 2020, an article was published by the researchers from the IBPN FEB RAS and SNEISRI FEB RAS - "Ruthless development of the Kolyma, the last frontier is the southern part of the Chersky ridge."

The development of the Upper Kolyma began in the second quarter of the last century, and the harsh circumpolar highlands were turned into a mining region. In the permafrost conditions the archaic methods of placer gold mining destroy valleys and talik floodplains of rivers, which housed almost all the biotic potential of the mountain taiga landscape. The area covered by the "metastases" of placer mining already occupies about 50 thousand km². It resulted in formation of a clearly visible from space environmental anomaly at the riverhead of the largest East Siberian river. The development of a regional environmental network and the reservation of territories preserving high conservation value could compensate for the ecological devastation. Thus, the southern edge of the Chersky Ridge deserves special attention. The Cherge and Okhandya ridges still serve as a site-protecting barrier, which preserves the unique natural, historical and cultural value of this site from the miners. In July-August 2018, the Institute of Biological Problems of the North and the Russian Geographical Society organized an expedition to survey the southern outskirts of the Chersky Ridge. The article provides novel or little-known information about the landscapes, biota and history of a remote area of ​​the Russian subarctic, preserving its unique features and high conservation value in an ultra-continental climate under growing environmental threats from the mining industry. Particular attention is paid to the physical and geographical features and biological diversity of large tectonic lakes of the Darpir Depression. Based on the results of this expedition, a proposal to create Chersky National Park was developed.

You can find the article  by the link.

Position project of environmental organizations on alluvial gold mining is in process of formation