Journal of Conference Abstracts

GIS-Analysis of Distribution of Parameters of Water Chemistry for Surface Waters on the Kola Peninsula, Northern Russia

O. Rigina^1,2 (Olga.Rigina@resgeom.slu.se) & T. Moiseenko¹ (root@ksc-inep.murmansk.su

¹ Institute of Northern Ecology Problems, KSC of RAS, 184200 Apatity, Russia.

² Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-901 83 Umeå, Sweden.

The Kola Peninsula is the most industrially developed and urbanised region in the Russian North. The main pollution sources are the large Ni-Cu smelters 'Severonickel' and 'Pechenganickel', which are responsible for > 80 % of the SO₂ and practically 100 % of the nickel and copper emission in the region. Total territory of the Kola Peninsula where the critical deposition of sulphur (0.3 g S m^-2 yr^-1) was exceeded occupies over 150,000 km².

The structure of the hydrographical net and geochemistry of the territory are not homogeneous across the region and result in a natural variability of the water quality index. Due to peculiarities of geology and climate, large territories around the smelters are sensitive to acid precipitation.

A long-term lake and river survey of INEP was a basis for assessment of the surface water acidification and determination of critical loads for surface water in the region by means of GIS-analysis. Chemical parameters were initially analysed by conventional methods using EXCEL with correction for sea salt. Analysis of water quality response to the anthropogenic load was carried out by means of GIS-technology (ARC/VIEW-2.1). Maps of critical loads for the surface waters were derived.

The highest concentrations, showed by elements of anthropogenic origin (non-sea sulphates), are confined to the districts with high cation concentration (Ca+Mg+Na+K) that reduces the negative effects of pollution. The most vulnerable regions are considered to be the northern tundra and high mountain tundra.

Acidification and its Effects on Ecosystems in the
Barents Euro-Arctic Region

O. Rigina^1,2 (Olga.Rigina@resgeom.slu.se) & A. Baklanov^1,3 (baklanov@ume.foa.se)

¹ Institute of Northern Ecology Problems, KSC of RAS, 184200 Apatity, Russia.

² Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-901 83 Umeå, Sweden.

³ National Defence Research Establishment, S-901 82 Umeå, Sweden.

The Regional Acidification Information and Simulation model (RAINS) has been applied for a regional assessment of sulphur deposition and loads in the Barents Euro-Arctic Region (the Nordic countries and Russian Kola, Karelia and Leningrad county) for 1960-1995. The resulting maps are presented for the 150 x 150 km EMEP grid. Different pollution sources have been considered: (1) all of Europe, and (2) only north-west Russia (the Kola, Karelia and Leningrad county), and (3) the Nordic countries. This allows to assess their contribution to acidification of the Barents Region. The percentage of ecosystems where the critical load was exceeded has been calculated for each year.

The calculations have shown a local character of impact of the Kola sources on the northern parts of Scandinavia. For a better assessment of the transboundary influence in this area, estimations on the basis of a meso-scale model have been made.

Comparative analysis of the calculations for the Barents Region and all the European sources has revealed a dominating effect of sulphur deposition from West-European sources.