Arkhangelsk station

Natural Conditions

This is a central sector of the middle taiga of European Russia. Here, the interfluvial plains are dominated by spruce forests. Areas affected by large-scale clear-cutting of forests (and deforestation affecting vast spaces) are covered by spruce-pine and birch forests. The flattened interfluve areas are occupied by vast surfaces of upland peat moss bogs with cranberries. The terrains of ancient agriculture present a landscape of a forest-field look. Here, the parcels of meadows and fields alternate with fields and "islands" of forest. There are many visual traces of Quaternary glaciations – one could often see tillstones of huge size. The Department of Biogeography studies flora and fauna at two key sites. The first one – near Zayacheritskaya village – represents the area that is placed under agricultural cultivation. The area covered by forest amounts to less than 40 percent. Meadows and fields, small villages abound here. The second key site near Chadroma village is located in the taiga territory where such areas occupy more than 80 percent. Here, the solid spruce forests are interlaced with peat moss bogs.

Research Activities

The main lines of our research are the structure and dynamics of vegetation and populations of mammals and birds. We work mainly in July with additional short-term (5-7 days) visits in February, May, and September. In February, we perform the winter route counting of mammals and birds. At the areas adjacent to the station, ecological routes are laid out. We collected and systematized information on geomorphology, soil features, flora, and fauna. We are interested in contacts with colleagues – biologists, biogeographers, ecologists, geographers. The Biogeography department carries out the assessment of the vegetation and animal world and their state for the development of different scientific and technical projects and other environmental works..