From the editor-in-chief

Methodology and practice of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) implementation in optimizing programs of oil and gas development at the continental shelf is improved and evaluated. Performed SEA of oil and gas resources development at the Western Kamchatka shelf (Okhotsk’ Sea) is one of the fi rst case of SEA implementation in Russia. SEA and ecosystem services economic assessment have allowed to divide the marine area into several zones with different recommended protection status and to select the most environment friendly strategy of hydrocarbon resources prospecting and exploitation.

The article discusses features of the identity of the Muscovites. The comparative analysis of the Russian, Moscow and ethnic identities is carried out on the basis of opinion polls. Particular attention is paid to the features of the Moscow identity, depending on age, socio-professional composition, and place of residence. It is concluded that in order to strengthen the solidarity of the Moscow community it is not enough to rely on the factor of “rootedness” of citizens and Russian identity. The support of civil consciousness is needed, backed by the social policy of Moscow authorities.

In 2007 139 international passenger trains and 76 non-stop cars passed through the country. Under the infl uence of the historical inertia all the major cities of Ukraine have the international passenger rail service primarily to cities of Russia, mainly Moscow. Transit trains follow from north to south for the transport of Russians on holiday to the Black Sea, while the non-stop transit cars follow mainly from east to west. International passenger trains on the Russian-Ukrainian borderland are stopped only at 7 Russian and 10 Ukrainian railway stations.

Influence of temperature longitudinal gradient on radial growth and light ring formation of spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.) and larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.) in the north subzone of taiga forest in Western Siberia was studied. The influence was estimated by three parameters: statistical characteristics of treering chronologies along the longitudinal gradient; relationship between tree-ring chronologies and air temperature; abnormal tree-ring structures (light rings). Spruce tree-ring chronologies show increasing response to air temperature along the longitudinal gradient from west to east. For larch tree-ring chronologies, increasing statistical values was found along the longitudinal gradient from west to east, but obvious changes of radial growth response in this direction were not found. Frequency and intensity of light ring formation do not depend on the longitudinal gradient in area under study. However, temperature difference between light ring years and non-light ring years decreases along the longitudinal gradient.We believe that the formation of light rings depends on local geographic and climatic conditions.

Daily run-off hydrograph calculations of nine Russian rivers according to the model of heat-moisture exchange of the underlying surface with the atmosphere SWAP are made. As an informational support three global meteorological data base were used (reanalyses NCEP/DOE, reanalyses ERA-40 and hybridizes NCEP/DOE reanalyses), as well as global data base according tom parameters of the underlying surface. It is shown, that high quality of run-off calculation of the Nothjern rivers on the base of SWAP model and global data base is possible in case of simultaneous optimization of the model parameters and reductions toward the precipitation and incoming radiation.

The reliability of contemporary data on the water use, presented in various publications and databases, is analyzed. The dynamics of water consumption in different countries of the world for 1980–2005 is shown. Indicators of water intensity of GDP are calculated for 102 countries of the world using uniform methodical positions. The decisive impact of irrigation and of per capita electricity generation on the water intensity of GDP is revcaled.

The properties of formaldehyde in the environment, approaches to the valuation of its content in the air, measuring techniques, and the main sources of its releases to the environment are discussed. An overview of the measured concentrations of formaldehyde in the air in the cities of Belarus and other CIS countries, Europe and the USA.

It is shown that the average concentration of formaldehyde in ambient air of cities of the CIS as a whole are close to the average annual levels of content in the cities of Europe and somewhat lower than in the U.S.

Monitoring of a coastal part of the Cheboksary reservoir is carried out. The negative influence of under-flooding on coastal forests, social-environmental and ethnic problems are shown. Problems of incompleteness of hydraulic engineering objects of Cheboksary hydro power station are considered.

The relevance of geographic forecast as an emerging science, its importance to the development of new territories, and methods of further research are considered. Possibilities of using utility theory, reliability theory and risk theory in geographic forecast are shown. The simplest examples regarding the use of quantitative models to predict the environment are presented, and appropriate conclusions are formulated.

N. Vavilov discovered the similarity between high-altitude mountain cultivated plants and their high-latitude counterparts. Promotion of agriculture on the North by grass cultivation is important for the country’s food independence. The table of upper limits of agriculture and timberline in mountains of globe is given.

Среди многих 4–6 апреля 2012 г. в Москве на географическом факультете в МГУ им. М.В. Ломоносова состоялась Всероссийская научная конференция “Геохимия ландшафтов и география почв”, посвященная 100-летию Марии Альфредовны Глазовской – выдающегося ученого и педагога – географа, почвоведа, геохимика – одной из основателей новой науки – геохимии ландшафтов.

Географическая наука понесла тяжелую утрату. 10 июня 2012 г. ушла из жизни Генриетта Алексеевна Приваловская – выдающийся отечественный экономико-географ, доктор географических наук, профессор, главный научный сотрудник Института географии РАН (ИГРАН).