Oral presentation

Climate change and anthropogenic pressure consequences for environmental diversity: a case study of islands of Prymorsky krai

Ilona M. Rodnikova, Alyona G. Kiselyova, Kirill S. Ganzey, Marina S. Lyachevskaya & Nina F. Pshenichnikova

Pacific Geographical Institute FEB RAS, Vladivostok, Russia

Information concerning diversity of the natural environment and its transformations is crucial to sustainable nature management. The aim of the present research is to study the diversity of environment components (species, vegetation, soil and landscape diversity) of insular geosystems of Primorsky Krai and transformation of nature environment during the Late Holocene. Our paleopalinological researches have shown the climate fluctuations which resulted in vegetation transformations. Global warming occurring throughout XX century and anthropogenic influence have resulted in the destruction of coniferous communities, expansion of broad-leaved forests, shrub-grass communities and pyrogenic succession. At present, on the largest islands which have some economic activity, material-energy flows in landscape elements are broken. These impacts have resulted in decrease of environmental diversity. The small islands with less anthropogenic influence have more species diversity of vascular plants and lichens, including rare species per area unit. The largest islands subjected to human activity have lower species diversity. Most part of the islands is an erosion vulnerable area. Sheet erosion is a serious problem along roads in human affected areas. Small islands are of minor interest in terms of economic activity and have natural protection against anthropogenic influence (inaccessibility), therefore they are “hot spots” of environmental diversity. Both current geosystem state and paleogeographical data of the beginning of XX century have shown that largest island geosystems become less resilient. We are indebted for the financial support to RFBR (grant 15-05-01419).






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