We have assessed the role of drinking water in providing a human body with selenium. We present the data on a comparative analysis of the selenium content in surface waters of the Northern Dvina River in the water intake area, in tap water of different districts of Arkhangelsk, and in bottled drinking water. The selenium content has been determined using the fluorimetric method. It is found that tap and bottled water may provide a human body with selenium at a level of 1% of the required amount. It is revealed that drinking water used by the city residents makes an insignificant contribution to the provision of a human body with selenium.

Origanum vulgare L. (Lamiaceae) is a valuable medicinal and forage plant. The ontogenetic and sexual structure of five meadow coenopopulations has been studied in the Altai Republic and Altai Krai. Plants of Origanum vulgare in the phytocenoses form a long-rhizomatous life form. In the ontogenetic structure, generative individuals dominate. Seed regeneration of plants is insignificant; the coenopopulation stability is ensured due to the vegetative reproduction. The proportion of female individuals in populations is found to be 18% - 31%.

We present actual data on the current state of abundance and ecological & geographic distribution of 24 species of vascular plants in the Syzranka river basin, included in the Red Book of Russia, on the basis of the author’s own research, critical analysis of numerous literature sources and herbarium materials. These plants amount to 49% of the number of plant species that are under state protection in the territory of the Middle Volga region, or to 4.7% of the total number of species protected in the Russian Federation. We have listed new data on the whereabouts of the protected species of plants, excluding 2 species that have been previously incorrectly listed for the Syzranka river basin.

The chromosomal structure of malaria mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae, Anopheles) in the Shumikhinsky State Natural Zoological Reserve and in other localities of the south of the West Siberian Plain is studied. Only one species of mosquito An. messeae has been found in all habitats. Mosquitoes with “southern” inversions XL1, XL0, 2R0, 3R0 and 3L0 have prevailed in the populations of this species. Populations of forest-steppe zone differ from the populations of the steppe zone by the reduced frequency of inversions XL0, 3R1 and 3L1. The association of chromosomal polymorphism with various landscape-climatic zones of Western Siberia has been discussed.

The influence of mineral water from the Paratunka hydrothermal system on the microorganisms of peloids of Utinoe Lake therapeutic mud deposits in the Kamchatka region is studied. The experimental results show that the thermal water disturbs the balance between various physiological groups of microorganisms of the therapeutic mud. This impact on the thermal water, in the case of accumulation of its components in the structure of sediments, can lead to disturbances in the process of regeneration of therapeutic muds. In this case, possible is the environmental degradation of therapeutic mud deposits, up to sanitary trouble, which will increase the complexity and cost of operation.

We have studied the foraging behavior of the blackbird in Kaliningrad with respect to the foraging behavior of this species in a natural habitat. The blackbird in the city feeds on a bigger quantity of foraging methods, which can be connected with an increase in the number of the used foraging stations and a big variety of the foraging objects, including those of anthropogenic origin. The analysis of the foraging behavior of the blackbird in Kaliningrad confirms that this species has a steady city population.

We report the results of the estimates of the content of water-soluble salts, fluoride ion, oil products and metals in the air of the city of Mytishchi based on the analysis of snow cover. It is found that the air environment in the territory of Mytishchi is significantly con taminated with manganese, nickel and iron and, to a lesser degree, with other metals. The total soluble salt content and the content of the fluoride ion in the snowpack significantly exceed background levels.

We present a review of evolutionary changes in the structure of cultural landscapes of the Northern Caucasus, which are treated as complete cultural-centered geo-systems of natural and public elements. Their main types - since the beginning of the entry of the Northern Caucasus into the sphere of direct influence of the Russian civilization till present - are described. As time-invariant types, we consider traditional ethnocultural landscapes having the features of an ethnocultural substratum both closely connected in structure and functioning with the natural and sociocultural environment.

The frequency and provision of the levels of the Ishim River during a period of 11 years of the 21st century are analyzed. The levels of the stream gauge, that are below zero, reoccurred most often during this period. The frequency is higher in the months when there is high water but the years when it happens are quite rare at the river of Ishim (it happened only three times during the period of 11 years that were studied). The levels of the frequency higher than 151 cm are quite few (less than 1%). High provision (more than 50%) is characteristic for the levels of the stream gauge, that are below zero. The lowest provision (less than 1%) is marked for the levels of 451-480 cm and 811-900 cm. The data on the frequency and provision of the levels of the Ishim River allow following a really threatening situation with the main source of drinking water supply of the town of Ishim.

We present the results of thermal imaging of two municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills, i.e. “Andreevskaya valley” and “Secondary raw materials», which are located near the city of Grozny of the Chechen Republic. We describe the following physical parameters of these MSW landfills: capacity of the MSW landfill, capacity of the layer of open wastes, and the period of waste storage. Using the results of thermal imaging we have identified zones with maximal and minimal values of the temperature in the thickness of the surface layer of the landfills. On the basis of the measured geographic coordinates and thermal imager data we have constructed a 3D model of the landfill bodies. The characteristics of the bodies of MSW landfills are presented in terms of the temperature of the surface layer thickness of the landfill. The recommendations on the practical application of the developed approach are given.

We consider the definition of geo-ecology in Russian textbooks for higher professional education. If the object of study of geo-ecology is the environmental changes due to the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors in time and space, the subject of study is the processes of changes in human life and health, status of plants and animals under the influence of the environment. We present the goals and objectives of Bachelor programs in the disciplines “Geo-ecology”, “Global and Eegional Geo-ecology” in the direction “Ecology and Environmental Sciences”. The requirements for the mastering of these disciplines are formulated.