NobleBlocks

Kola Science Centre

facilityApatity, Russia

Research output, citation impact, and the most-cited recent papers from Kola Science Centre (Russia). Aggregated across the NobleBlocks index of 300M+ scholarly works.

Total works
6.5K
Citations
111.9K
h-index
92
i10-index
3.1K
Also known as
Federal State Institution of Science of the Kola Scientific Center RASKola Science CentreKola Scientific Center RASKola Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of SciencesKolskiy Nauchnyy Tsentr RANФедеральное государственное бюджетное учреждение науки Горный институт Кольского научного центра Российской академии наук

Top-cited papers from Kola Science Centre

World checklist of hornworts and liverworts
Lars Söderström, Anders Hagborg, Matt von Konrat, Sharon E. Bartholomew-Began +4 more
2016· PhytoKeys751doi:10.3897/phytokeys.59.6261

A working checklist of accepted taxa worldwide is vital in achieving the goal of developing an online flora of all known plants by 2020 as part of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. We here present the first-ever worldwide checklist for liverworts (Marchantiophyta) and hornworts (Anthocerotophyta) that includes 7486 species in 398 genera representing 92 families from the two phyla. The checklist has far reaching implications and applications, including providing a valuable tool for taxonomists and systematists, analyzing phytogeographic and diversity patterns, aiding in the assessment of floristic and taxonomic knowledge, and identifying geographical gaps in our understanding of the global liverwort and hornwort flora. The checklist is derived from a working data set centralizing nomenclature, taxonomy and geography on a global scale. Prior to this effort a lack of centralization has been a major impediment for the study and analysis of species richness, conservation and systematic research at both regional and global scales. The success of this checklist, initiated in 2008, has been underpinned by its community approach involving taxonomic specialists working towards a consensus on taxonomy, nomenclature and distribution.

Global distribution of earthworm diversity
Helen R. P. Phillips, Carlos A. Guerra, Marie Luise Carolina Bartz, María J.I. Briones +4 more
2019· Science477doi:10.1126/science.aax4851

Soil organisms, including earthworms, are a key component of terrestrial ecosystems. However, little is known about their diversity, their distribution, and the threats affecting them. We compiled a global dataset of sampled earthworm communities from 6928 sites in 57 countries as a basis for predicting patterns in earthworm diversity, abundance, and biomass. We found that local species richness and abundance typically peaked at higher latitudes, displaying patterns opposite to those observed in aboveground organisms. However, high species dissimilarity across tropical locations may cause diversity across the entirety of the tropics to be higher than elsewhere. Climate variables were found to be more important in shaping earthworm communities than soil properties or habitat cover. These findings suggest that climate change may have serious implications for earthworm communities and for the functions they provide.

Checklist of liverworts (Marchantiophyta) of Russia
Н. А. Константинова, Vadim A. Bakalin, Elena N. Andrejeva, Andrey G. Bezgodov +3 more
2009· Arctoa249doi:10.15298/arctoa.18.01

Checklist of Russia includes data on 448 species, 3 subspecies and 16 varieties.Territory of Russia is subdivided into 24 regions.Each record for region has a reference to herbaria possessing voucher specimens and to relevant publications. РезюмеСписок печеночников России включает 448 видов, 3 подвида и 16 разновидностей.Территория России подразделена на 24 района.Все указания на нахождение таксонов в каждом из районов сопровождаются ссылками на гербарии, где хранятся образцы, и на соответствующие публикации.

The Lapland-Kola orogen: Palaeoproterozoic collision and accretion of the northern Fennoscandian lithosphere
J. Stephen Daly, V. V. Balagansky, Martin J. Timmerman, Martin J. Whitehouse
2006· Geological Society London Memoirs225doi:10.1144/gsl.mem.2006.032.01.35

Abstract A tectonic model is proposed for the Palaeoproterozoic Lapland-Kola orogen (LKO) in the northern Fennoscandian Shield. Although long regarded as an Archaean craton, integrated geological, geochemical and geophysical observations show that the Lapland-Kola orogen is a Palaeoproterozoic collisional belt containing both Archaean terranes and an important component of juvenile Palaeoproterozoic crust. Rifting, from 2.5 to 2.1 Ga, began under the influence of a mantle plume (> 1000 km diameter), related to the break-up of the Kenorland supercontinent. Two linear suture zones within the orogeriic core mark the sites of continental separation, ocean formation and closure. One of these is identified as a belt of 1.98-1.91 Ga juvenile crust of both arc magmatic and sedimentary origin, marked by the Lapland Granulite, Umba and Tersk terranes. Palaeomagnetic data and ancient sedimentary detritus within these terranes suggest limited oceanic separation. Collision of juvenile terranes with the surrounding Archaean took place mainly between 1.93 and 1.91 Ga, resulting in a Himalayan-scale mountain belt, manifest by a thick-skinned region of high- P granulite-facies metamorphism, including the classical Lapland Granulite Belt and a broad zone of compressional deformation extending southwards into the Belomorian Mobile Belt. Protracted cooling and exhumation, possibly related to the buttressing effect of surrounding lithosphere, culminated in the intrusion of 1.80-1.77 Ga post-tectonic granites.

Arctic marine fishes and their fisheries in light of global change
Jørgen S. Christiansen, Catherine W. Mecklenburg, О. В. Карамушко
2013· Global Change Biology202doi:10.1111/gcb.12395

In light of ocean warming and loss of Arctic sea ice, harvested marine fishes of boreal origin (and their fisheries) move poleward into yet unexploited parts of the Arctic seas. Industrial fisheries, already in place on many Arctic shelves, will radically affect the local fish species as they turn up as unprecedented bycatch. Arctic marine fishes are indispensable to ecosystem structuring and functioning, but they are still beyond credible assessment due to lack of basic biological data. The time for conservation actions is now, and precautionary management practices by the Arctic coastal states are needed to mitigate the impact of industrial fisheries in Arctic waters. We outline four possible conservation actions: scientific credibility, 'green technology', legitimate management and overarching coordination.

Bottlenecked but long-lived: high genetic diversity retained in white-tailed eagles upon recovery from population decline
Frank Hailer, Björn Helander, Alv Ottar Folkestad, Sergei A. Ganusevich +4 more
2006· Biology Letters200doi:10.1098/rsbl.2006.0453

Most of the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) populations in Europe experienced dramatic declines during the twentieth century. However, owing to intense conservation actions and the ban of DDT and other persistent pollutants, populations are currently recovering. We show that despite passing through demographic bottlenecks, white-tailed eagle populations have retained significant levels of genetic diversity. Both genetic and ringing data indicate that migration between populations has not been a major factor for the maintenance of genetic variability. We argue that the long generation time of eagles has acted as an intrinsic buffer against loss of genetic diversity, leading to a shorter effective time of the experienced bottleneck. Notably, conservation actions taken in several small sub-populations have ensured the preservation of a larger proportion of the total genetic diversity than if conservation had focused on the population stronghold in Norway. For conservation programmes targeting other endangered, long-lived species, our results highlight the possibility for local retention of high genetic diversity in isolated remnant populations.

Chondritic meteorites
I. N. Tolstikhin, J. H. Kramers
2008· Cambridge University Press eBooks199doi:10.1017/cbo9780511535604.013

The most primitive meteorites are aggregates consisting of a fine-grained heterogeneous matrix, in which are embedded small (generally from 0.2 to 1.0 mm) droplet-like silicate particles termed chondrules, which have given the name to this meteorite class, chondrites. The chondrules and the matrix comprise distinct and different assemblies of chemical elements, e.g. volatile-depleted chondrules coexist with a volatile-enriched matrix. Some chondrites also contain metal grains. The third component of chondrites, Ca–Al-rich inclusions, was discussed in Chapter 10.

Public perception of carbon capture and storage: A state-of-the-art overview
Pavel Tcvetkov, Alexey Cherepovitsyn, Sergey Fedoseev
2019· Heliyon178doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02845

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a technology enabling to use fossil fuels in a sustainable way. Therefore, it attracts much attention from the industrial sector, government authorities and scientific community. However, public awareness of the technology is extremely low, and the studies of the lay people's opinion have been launched only during the last decade. Taking into account the role of public support during the implementation of CCS projects, the authors would like to present herein their review of materials on this subject published during 2002-2018 (135 articles). As part of our review, we determined 9 key aspects forming the public perception of CCS. For each of the key aspects, we summarized the available results of the studies. Apart from that, we compared the CCS current status in different countries and provided a number of reasons for involving new countries into the fight against global warming. This work shows that most attention is devoted to CO2 storage; whereas its capture and transportation are poorly studied in terms of public perception. Wider development is required for the methodology enabling a transition from global rhetoric concerning global warming issues to the implementation of particular projects, namely, CCS. The issues related to public awareness of CCS are studied rather thoroughly, but no recommendations are provided regarding the establishment of an optimal database for the lay people. Numerous assessments of general public perception have been carried out. However little attention was paid to the regions with active projects, namely, to the factors considered the most important by the local public, and how actual project results meet their expectations. Therefore, despite an extensive scientific base developed over 17 years, further studies should be aimed at filling the existing gaps. This will enable to improve CCS attractiveness for the public, including the cases when it is compared with alternative low-carbon technologies.

Complex lithospheric structure under the central Baltic Shield from surface wave tomography
Marianne Bruneton, Helle Pedersen, Véronique Farra, Nicholas Arndt +4 more
2004· Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres163doi:10.1029/2003jb002947

Regional seismic tomography provides valuable information on the structure of shields, thereby gaining insight to the formation and stabilization of old continents. Fennoscandia (known as the Baltic Shield for its exposed part) is a composite shield for which the last recorded tectonic event is the intrusion of the Rapakivi granitoids around 1.6 Ga. A seismic experiment carried out as part of the European project Svecofennian‐Karelia‐Lapland‐Kola (SVEKALAPKO) was designed to study the upper mantle of the Finnish part of the Baltic Shield, especially the boundary between Archean and Proterozoic domains. We invert the fundamental mode Rayleigh waves to obtain a three‐dimensional shear wave velocity model using a ray‐based method accounting for the curvature of wave fronts. The experiment geometry allows an evaluation of lateral variations in velocities down to 150 km depth. The obtained model exhibits variations of up to ±3% in S wave velocities. As the thermal variations beneath Finland are very small, these lateral variations must be caused by different rock compositions. The lithospheres beneath the Archean and Proterozoic domains are not noticeably different in the S wave velocity maps. A classification of the velocity profiles with depth yields four main families and five intermediate regions that can be correlated with surface features. The comparison of these profiles with composition‐based shear wave velocities implies both lateral and vertical variations of the mineralogy.

Crustal conductivity in Fennoscandia—a compilation of a database on crustal conductance in the Fennoscandian Shield
T. Korja, M. Engels, Abdoulkhay A. Zhamaletdinov, Aida A. Kovtun +4 more
2014· Earth Planets and Space158doi:10.1186/bf03353044

A priori knowledge on large-scale sub-surface conductivity structure is required in many applications investigating electrical properties of the lithosphere. A map on crustal conductivity for the Fennoscandian Shield and its surrounding oceans, sea basins and continental areas is presented. The map is based on a new database on crustal conductance, i.e. depth integrated conductivity, where all available information on the conductivity of the bedrock, sedimentary cover and seawater are compiled together for the first time for the Fennoscandian Shield. The final model consists of eight separate layers to allow a 3D description of conductivity structures. The first three layers, viz. water, sediments and the first bedrock layer, describe the combined conductance of the uppermost 10 km. The other five bedrock layers contain the data of the crustal conductance from the depth of 10 km to the depth of 60 km. The database covers an area from 0°E to 50°E and 50°N to 85°N. Water conductances are estimated from bathymetric data by converting depths to conductances and taking into account the salinity variations in the Baltic Sea. Conductance of the sedimentary cover includes estimates on the conductance of both marine and continental sediments. Bedrock conductances are extrapolated from 1D- and 2D-models. Extrapolations are based on data from magnetometer array studies, airborne electromagnetic surveys and other electromagnetic investigations as well as on other geophysical and geological data. The crustal conductivity structure appears to be very heterogeneous. Upper crust, in particular, has a very complex structure reflecting a complex geological history. Lower crust seems to be slightly more homogeneous although large regional contrasts are found in both the Archaean and Palaeoproterozoic areas.

Mesoarchean subduction processes: 2.87 Ga eclogites from the Kola Peninsula, Russia
Michael V. Mints, Елена Белоусова, A. N. Konilov, L. M. Natapov +4 more
2010· Geology152doi:10.1130/g31219.1

Research Article| August 01, 2010 Mesoarchean subduction processes: 2.87 Ga eclogites from the Kola Peninsula, Russia M.V. Mints; M.V. Mints 1Geological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119017, Russia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar E.A. Belousova; E.A. Belousova 2GEMOC ARC National Key Centre, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar A.N. Konilov; A.N. Konilov 1Geological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119017, Russia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar L.M. Natapov; L.M. Natapov 2GEMOC ARC National Key Centre, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar A.A. Shchipansky; A.A. Shchipansky 1Geological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119017, Russia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar W.L. Griffin; W.L. Griffin 2GEMOC ARC National Key Centre, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar S.Y. O'Reilly; S.Y. O'Reilly 2GEMOC ARC National Key Centre, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar K.A. Dokukina; K.A. Dokukina 1Geological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119017, Russia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar T.V. Kaulina T.V. Kaulina 3Geological Institute of the Kola Science Centre RAS, Apatity 184209, Russia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2010) 38 (8): 739–742. https://doi.org/10.1130/G31219.1 Article history received: 02 Nov 2009 rev-recd: 17 Mar 2010 accepted: 20 Mar 2010 first online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation M.V. Mints, E.A. Belousova, A.N. Konilov, L.M. Natapov, A.A. Shchipansky, W.L. Griffin, S.Y. O'Reilly, K.A. Dokukina, T.V. Kaulina; Mesoarchean subduction processes: 2.87 Ga eclogites from the Kola Peninsula, Russia. Geology 2010;; 38 (8): 739–742. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G31219.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The nature of tectonic processes on the early Earth is still controversial. The scarcity of high-pressure metamorphic rocks such as eclogite (the high-pressure equivalent of basalt) in Archean cratons has been used to argue that plate tectonics did not operate until Earth had cooled to a critical point, perhaps around the 2.5 Ga Archean-Proterozoic transition. However, eclogites occur as meter- to kilometer-sized lenses enclosed in Archean gneisses of the Belomorian Province of the Fennoscandian shield. Geochemistry and internal features suggest that the protoliths of the eclogites were interlayered olivine gabbros, troctolites, and Fe-Ti oxide gabbros. Greenschist facies mineral parageneses are enclosed in prograde-zoned eclogite garnets, and peak metamorphic conditions define an apparent thermal gradient (12–15 °C/km), consistent with metamorphism in a warm Archean subduction zone. We show here that these eclogites represent the oldest known high-pressure metamorphic rocks. U-Pb dating and Hf isotope analyses of zircons from the eclogites and a crosscutting felsic vein define a minimum age of 2.87 Ga for the Uzkaya Salma eclogite; a 2.70 Ga age for the Shirokaya Salma eclogite is interpreted as the age of a granulite facies overprint. Thermal overprinting and growth of new zircon also occurred during the Svecofennian (1.9–1.8 Ga) orogeny. These new data imply that plate tectonic processes operated at least locally in late Mesoarchean time. The adakitic nature of the felsic vein suggests that partial melting of hydrated eclogites could produce Archean tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite–type magmas. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

Towards extended shared socioeconomic pathways: A combined participatory bottom-up and top-down methodology with results from the Barents region
Annika E. Nilsson, Ingrid Bay-Larsen, Henrik Carlsen, Bob van Oort +4 more
2017· Global Environmental Change146doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2017.06.001

A major challenge in planning for adaptation to climate change is to assess future development not only in relation to climate but also in relation to social, economic and political changes that affect the capacity for adaptation or otherwise play a role in decision making. One approach is to use scenario methods. This article presents a methodology that combines top-down scenarios and bottom-up approaches to scenario building, with the aim of articulating local so-called extended socio-economic pathways. Specifically, we used the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) of the global scenario framework as developed by the climate research community to present boundary conditions about potential global change in workshop discussion with local and regional actors in the Barents region. We relate the results from these workshops to the different elements of the global SSPs and discuss potential and limitations of the method in relation to use in decision making processes.

The Changing Role of CO2 in the Transition to a Circular Economy: Review of Carbon Sequestration Projects
Pavel Tcvetkov, Alexey Cherepovitsyn, Sergey Fedoseev
2019· Sustainability142doi:10.3390/su11205834

Despite the diversity of studies on global warming and climate change mitigation technologies, research on the changing role of CO2 in the industrial processes, which is connected with the introduction of circular economy principles, is still out of scope. The purpose of this review is to answer the following question: Is technogenic CO2 still an industrial waste or has it become a valuable resource? For this purpose, statistical information from the National Energy Technology Library and the Global CCS Institute databases were reviewed. All sequestration projects (199) were divided into three groups: carbon capture and storage (65); carbon capture, utilization, and storage (100); and carbon capture and utilization (34). It was found that: (1) total annual CO2 consumption of such projects was 50.1 Mtpa in 2018, with a possible increase to 326.7 Mtpa in the coming decade; (2) total amount of CO2 sequestered in such projects could be 2209 Mt in 2028; (3) the risk of such projects being cancelled or postponed is around 31.8%; (4) CO2 is a valuable and sought-after resource for various industries. It was concluded that further development of carbon capture and utilization technologies will invariably lead to a change in attitudes towards CO2, as well as the appearance of new CO2-based markets and industries.

From Fresh to Marine Waters: Characterization and Fate of Dissolved Organic Matter in the Lena River Delta Region, Siberia
Rafael Gonçalves‐Araujo, Colin A. Stedmon, Birgit Heim, Ivan Dubinenkov +3 more
2015· Frontiers in Marine Science140doi:10.3389/fmars.2015.00108

Connectivity between the terrestrial and marine environment in the Artic is changing as a result of climate change, influencing both freshwater budgets, and the supply of carbon to the sea. This study characterizes the optical properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM) within the Lena Delta region and evaluates the behavior of DOM across the fresh water-marine gradient. Six fluorescent components (four humic-like; one marine humic-like; one protein-like) were identified by Parallel Factor Analysis (PARAFAC) with a clear dominance of allochthonous humic-like signals. Colored DOM (CDOM) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were highly correlated and had their distribution coupled with hydrographical conditions. Higher DOM concentration and degree of humification were associated with the low salinity waters of the Lena River. Values decreased toward the higher salinity Laptev Sea shelf waters. Results demonstrate different responses of DOM mixing in relation to the vertical structure of the water column, as reflecting the hydrographical dynamics in the region. Two mixing curves for DOM were apparent. In surface waters above the pycnocline there was a sharper decrease in DOM concentration in relation to salinity indicating removal. In the bottom water layer the DOM decrease within salinity was less. We propose there is a removal of DOM occurring primarily at the surface layer, which is likely driven by photodegradation and flocculation.

Check-list of the Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of the former USSR
Н. А. Константинова, А. D. Potemkin, Roman N. Schljakov
1992· Arctoa139doi:10.15298/arctoa.01.02

The list includes 38 families, 106 genera, 401 species, 1 subspecies and 7 varieties, those are believed were found in the former USSR. For the accepted species the distribution within the territory is indicated, the 18 region divisions are recognized. Synonyms, systematical arrangement and comments are also provided.

Archean of Greenland and Fennoscandia
Pentti Hölttä, V. V. Balagansky, Adam A. Garde, S. Mertanen +4 more
2008· Episodes139doi:10.18814/epiiugs/2008/v31i1/003

Pentti Hölttä, Victor Balagansky, Adam A. Garde, Satu Mertanen, Petri Peltonen, Alexander Slabunov, Peter Sorjonen-Ward, Martin Whitehouse. Episodes 2008;31:13-9. https://doi.org/10.18814/epiiugs/2008/v31i1/003

Pharmacokinetic and Tissue Distribution of Fucoidan from Fucus vesiculosus after Oral Administration to Rats
Olga N. Pozharitskaya, Alexander N. Shikov, Н. М. Фаустова, Ekaterina D. Obluchinskaya +3 more
2018· Marine Drugs135doi:10.3390/md16040132

Fucus vesiculosus L., known as bladderwrack, belongs to the brown seaweeds, which are widely distributed throughout northern Russia, Atlantic shores of Europe, the Baltic Sea, Greenland, the Azores, the Canary Islands, and shores of the Pacific Ocean. Fucoidan is a major fucose-rich sulfated polysaccharide found in Fucus (F.) vesiculosus. The pharmacokinetic profiling of active compounds is essential for drug development and approval. The aim of the study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of fucoidan in rats after a single-dose oral administration. Fucoidan was isolated from F. vesiculosus. The method of measuring anti-activated factor X (anti-Xa) activity by amidolytic assay was used to analyze the plasma and tissue concentrations of fucoidan. The tissue distribution of fucoidan after intragastric administration to the rats was characterized, and it exhibited considerable heterogeneity. Fucoidan preferentially accumulates in the kidneys (AUC0–t = 10.74 µg·h/g; Cmax = 1.23 µg/g after 5 h), spleen (AUC0–t = 6.89 µg·h/g; Cmax = 0.78 µg/g after 3 h), and liver (AUC0–t = 3.26 µg·h/g; Cmax = 0.53 µg/g after 2 h) and shows a relatively long absorption time and extended circulation in the blood, with a mean residence time (MRT) = 6.79 h. The outcome of this study provides additional scientific data for traditional use of fucoidan-containing plants and offers tangible support for the continued development of new effective pharmaceuticals using fucoidan.

Electrochemical Behavior and Some Thermodynamic Properties of UCl[sub 4] and UCl[sub 3] Dissolved in a LiCl-KCl Eutectic Melt
С. А. Кузнецов, Hirokazu Hayashi, Kazuo Minato, Marcelle Gaune‐Escard
2005· Journal of The Electrochemical Society131doi:10.1149/1.1864532

The electrochemical behavior of and in LiCl-KCl eutectic melt was studied at 723-823 K by different electrochemical methods. Electroreduction of U(IV) in LiCl-KCl melt occurs via two successive steps involving transfer of one and three electrons. The diffusion coefficients of U(IV) and U(III) were determined by linear sweep voltammetry, chronopotentiometry, and chronoamperometry. The values found by these methods are in a good agreement with each other. The standard rate constants for the redox reaction were calculated from cyclic voltammetry data and for the discharge process by using the impedance spectroscopy method. The values of constants testify that the redox process proceeds quasi-reversibly, mostly under diffusion control, while electrodeposition is mainly controlled by the rate of charge transfer. The formal standard potentials of , , and were determined by different electrochemical methods and some thermodynamic properties of and dissolved in a LiCl-KCl eutectic melt were calculated. The influence of oxide ions on the electrochemical behavior of the melt was studied.

Analyzing the Concept of Corporate Sustainability in the Context of Sustainable Business Development in the Mining Sector with Elements of Circular Economy
Ekaterina Blinova, Tatiana Ponomarenko, Valentin Knysh
2022· Sustainability104doi:10.3390/su14138163

Promoting the concept and principles of sustainable development at the micro level requires that industrial companies understand and improve approaches to managing corporate sustainability. Currently, economics does not provide a universal definition of what corporate sustainability is. With regard to the mining sector, corporate sustainability issues reflecting the viability, value, and sustainable development potential of companies have not yet been studied extensively. The article discusses the conceptual foundations of corporate sustainability; the characteristics and a classification of approaches to defining corporate sustainability; and the relationship between corporate sustainability, sustainable development at the micro level, and circular economy. By analyzing the example of Russia, the influence of the mining industry on the environmental, economic, and social development of both a country with a resource-based economy and individual mining regions is shown from the viewpoint of sustainability. The distinguishing features of mining companies, which include natural capital and mineral assets, are studied in the context of promoting corporate sustainability. It is proven that the effective corporate management of ESG factors results in environmental and social influence that goes in line with sustainable development requirements and serves as a foundation for corporate sustainability. A refined definition of corporate sustainability has been formulated, the specific features of corporate sustainability management in mining companies have been determined, and the specific features of corporate social responsibility have been studied. The issue of integrating circular economy elements into the corporate sustainability concept is discussed, and it is claimed that the inclusion of circular business models in the corporate strategies of mining companies will contribute to their corporate sustainable development and boost their contribution to the achievement of sustainable development goals.

Newly identified climatically and environmentally significant high-latitude dust sources
Outi Meinander, Pavla Dagsson‐Waldhauserová, P. V. Amosov, Elena Aseyeva +4 more
2022· Atmospheric chemistry and physics104doi:10.5194/acp-22-11889-2022

Abstract. Dust particles from high latitudes have a potentially large local, regional, and global significance to climate and the environment as short-lived climate forcers, air pollutants, and nutrient sources. Identifying the locations of local dust sources and their emission, transport, and deposition processes is important for understanding the multiple impacts of high-latitude dust (HLD) on the Earth's systems. Here, we identify, describe, and quantify the source intensity (SI) values, which show the potential of soil surfaces for dust emission scaled to values 0 to 1 concerning globally best productive sources, using the Global Sand and Dust Storms Source Base Map (G-SDS-SBM). This includes 64 HLD sources in our collection for the northern (Alaska, Canada, Denmark, Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, Sweden, and Russia) and southern (Antarctica and Patagonia) high latitudes. Activity from most of these HLD sources shows seasonal character. It is estimated that high-latitude land areas with higher (SI ≥0.5), very high (SI ≥0.7), and the highest potential (SI ≥0.9) for dust emission cover >1 670 000 km2, >560 000 km2, and >240 000 km2, respectively. In the Arctic HLD region (≥60∘ N), land area with SI ≥0.5 is 5.5 % (1 035 059 km2), area with SI ≥0.7 is 2.3 % (440 804 km2), and area with SI ≥0.9 is 1.1 % (208 701 km2). Minimum SI values in the northern HLD region are about 3 orders of magnitude smaller, indicating that the dust sources of this region greatly depend on weather conditions. Our spatial dust source distribution analysis modeling results showed evidence supporting a northern HLD belt, defined as the area north of 50∘ N, with a “transitional HLD-source area” extending at latitudes 50–58∘ N in Eurasia and 50–55∘ N in Canada and a “cold HLD-source area” including areas north of 60∘ N in Eurasia and north of 58∘ N in Canada, with currently “no dust source” area between the HLD and low-latitude dust (LLD) dust belt, except for British Columbia. Using the global atmospheric transport model SILAM, we estimated that 1.0 % of the global dust emission originated from the high-latitude regions. About 57 % of the dust deposition in snow- and ice-covered Arctic regions was from HLD sources. In the southern HLD region, soil surface conditions are favorable for dust emission during the whole year. Climate change can cause a decrease in the duration of snow cover, retreat of glaciers, and an increase in drought, heatwave intensity, and frequency, leading to the increasing frequency of topsoil conditions favorable for dust emission, which increases the probability of dust storms. Our study provides a step forward to improve the representation of HLD in models and to monitor, quantify, and assess the environmental and climate significance of HLD.