Presented are the development of the concept and projects of the basin nature management and the organization of their implementation in the whole region using the basin-administrative approach....

Occupying 4% of Crimea’s territory, the sub-Mediterranean landscapes of Southern Crimea stand out for their distinct soil-climatic conditions and record of human activity. This paper presents the results of study of the newly formed and well-dated soils from 21 archaeological sites, making it possible to build a soil chronosequence covering the last 2.3 ka. To study the natural processes on an intra-secular scale, short series of instrumental meteorological observations were extended, based on dendrochronological records, to a total of 160 years, and the time series of solar activity and energy for pedogenesis were correlated. These data are collated with a 4.2-ka Lake Saki varve record, which was re-analysed applying the DFT spectrum analysis method, with three distinct phases in relative secular variations in precipitation being identified. The phase of a relative climatic stability with moderate variations in precipitation (3.2–1.25 ka BP) was followed by the period of increased moisture (from 1.25 ka BP), unparalleled since the Late Bronze Age. Given the decisive role of increased moisture in the climate-controlled energy expenditures for pedogenesis, in the dynamics of vegetation cover and human ways of life, the identification of these periods contributes to a better understanding of soil–climate relationship and cause-and-effect for nonlinear change in the settlement and landscape history of the region.

As a result of the Russian armed aggression, Ukraine has lost almost a third of its accumulated fresh water reserves worth more than USD18 billion. It has caused a loss of access to quality drinking water for 6 million people in Ukraine and more that 13 million people have a limited access to...

To increase the level of management efficiency in the agricultural sector of the economy, it is necessary to sub-stantiate environmental protection measures for the restoration and rational use of natural resources, to ensure the implementation of the sustainable environmental management principles, considering the spatio-temporal patterns of changes in climate and bioclimatic potential of the territory. Using the methods of multivariate statistics and time series forecasting, regularities of changes in climatic conditions in the Steppe zone of Ukraine for 1945-2019 were established, and a forecast of changes in the bioclimatic potential of the region until 2030 was made. It was established that during the research period the average annual air temperature increased by 3.5 degrees C. The amount of annual atmospheric precipitation varied within 186-778 mm with a variation level of 27.2%, in the last 20 years it was determined to decrease by 40% - to 500-300 mm. It has been proven that the inertial probability of repeating hot years is estimated at 0.58, and the possibility of repeating wet years at 0.46. As a result of forecasting, it was determined that if the trend of climatic conditions is maintained, there will be a stable trend-cyclic increase in the average annual air temperature by 0.06 degrees C per year and a decrease in the amount of annual precipitation by 62.0 mm per year. This resulted in an 18.7% increase in solar radiation on the soil surface and a 26.0% decrease in cli-matic losses on soil formation, which reduced the rate of the natural ability to reproduce soil fertility. In particular, the bioproductivity of plants decreased by 62.0%, and the probability of its further decrease by 20% is predicted. Over the past 20 years, the coefficient of natural humidification has decreased by 66.4%, and it is predicted to decrease by 20%. The obtained results confirm significant climatic changes and their negative manifestations on the reduction of bioclimatic potential in the Steppe zone of Ukraine, the deterioration of agricultural production conditions, the reduction of harvests, the self-regenerating and self-regulating function of steppe soils.

The intensive use of water resources and the transformation of natural landscapes under the influence of human economic activity have led to changes in the natural water balance of river drainage basins. The negative processes thereof are intensified by climatic changes that have significantly...

Steppe Ecosystem Functioning of East European Plain under Age-Long Climatic Change Influence