Assessment of sustainability of the lake ecosystems of Yamal-Nenets autonomous district to acidic deposition

About the authors:

Elena V. Agbalian, Dr. Sci. (Biol.), Chief Researcher, Head of the Sector, Scientific Center for the Study of the Arctic (Nadym); agbelena@yandex.ru

Vitaliy y. Khoroshavin, Cand. Geog. Sci., Head of Department of Physical Geography and  Ecology,  Institute  of  Mathematics,  Natural  Sciences  and  Information  Technologies,  Tyumen State University
Elena V. Shinkaruk, Junior Research Scientist, Environmental Studies Sector, Scientific Center of Arctic Research; elena1608197@yandex.ru

Abstract:

The paper outlines the results of the original study of the quantitative parameters of atmospheric emissions from oil and gas production and transport enterprises of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, as well as of hydrochemical characteristics of those lakes of the region which are not exposed to direct human impact on the chemical composition of the water in them. The results show the fact of the acidification of lakes due to the effect of the atmospheric deposition of emissions from local sources of nitrogen and sulfur. The effect of acidification of lakes is considered with due regard to local and global air pollution, acid deposition and air-mass transport from the western and north-western industrialized areas of Northern Europe and European Russia. The correlation is found between the index of intensity of natural environment pollution and the level of acidification of the lakes located within the area. The acid-neutralizing capacity of the local lake ecosystems is assessed based on the data of the hydrochemical study of 11 lakes within the permafrost zone of Western Siberia. The predominance of the low values of this property is revealed. The poor natural resistance of lakes to the acid deposition is stated based on the analysis of the anionic composition of natural surface waters. All of this is tied to physicogeographical factors in the formation of chemical composition of surface water inpermafrost conditions, in particular to low salinity of waters, the predominance of atmospheric water supply, monomineralic sandy rocks, as well to the high level of natural acidification of lake waters due to heavy waterlogging of catchment and biochemical features of vegetation. The paper reveals the high level of lead contamination of water in the investigated lakes as well as the dependence of the content of lead on the degree of sulfate acidification of lakes.

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