The soils of forest ecosystems are often affected by the industrial activity of mining and metallurgical enterprises, and insufficiently investigated for the content of pollutants due to enterprise emissions. Some pollutants, such as arsenic, are transported over long distances by these emissions. To analyze this connection, the present study was conducted on the eastern slope of Mount Yurma, the Southern Urals, Russia, to determine the content of arsenic in the soils of mountain forest areas in the impact zone of the copper smelter (Karabash). The physical and chemical parameters, total content of arsenic, mineralogical composition of silt, and concentration of arsenic in the silty fraction in soils located at different altitudes were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The soils under study are physico-chemically and chemically acidic in the upper horizons with a pH of 3.26 to 4.05. The carbon of organic matter decreases with depth from 7.98 to 0.06%. Exchangeable Ca and Mg cations in the range of 2.6–8.6 mg-eq per 100 g of soil were determined. The mineralogical composition of the silty fraction consists mainly of quartz and aluminosilicates. Following an analysis of the arsenic content in the above-ground leaf litter, the bioconcentration factor (BCF) was calculated. Arsenic exceeding Clarke concentrations was recorded. In all upper soil horizons, concentrations of total arsenic exceeded background values by 3.7–5.2 times, with maximum values in the horizons A—25.3 mg/kg, in the horizons O—64.4 mg/kg. The obtained BCF > 1 data points to the biological arsenic accumulation by plants and, as a result, its input into the soil via industrial emissions from the smelter. It was found that the silty fraction plays a special role in the accumulation of arsenic in the studied soils. Accumulation of arsenic occurred mainly due to the secondary minerals of Ca and Mg. Differences in the accumulation of arsenic in the forest litter depending on the plant association were noted. The obtained results could serve as a guideline for monitoring the areas around the enterprise and enhancing the understanding of pollutants’ distribution in the soils of remote areas and mountain landscapes.

Relevance. With the development of industrial society, soils are increasingly exposed to various man-made factors, which leads to a violation of their functionality, including the impact on productivity, growth and development of representatives of flora and fauna. In the areas of operation of mining processing plants, it is especially important to monitor changes in soils and their general ecological condition. The formation of abnormal areas with a high content of heavy metals in soils leads to a modification of soil types and, as a consequence, the loss of economic potential for their use. Objective: to establish the ways of formation of anomalies in the impact zone of the mining and metallurgical combine LLC "Svyatogor", located in the vicinity of the city of Krasnouralsk, Sverdlovsk region. Objects: soils of the adjacent territory in the area of operation of the mining and metallurgical combine (the vicinity of the city of Krasnouralsk, Sverdlovsk region). Methods. In nitric acid soil extracts, the gross content of Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu was determined by inversion voltammetry. According to the obtained analysis data, data sampling, statistical processing, calculation of the anomaly threshold and further construction of diagrams of the distribution of anomalous areas with overlay on the terrain map using the method of radial basis functions were carried out. Results. According to the obtained data on the concentrations of heavy metals in the soil and the diagrams of abnormal zones, the thresholds of abnormal concentrations are determined (mg/kg) Cd=0,3; Zn=71,8; Pb=31,0; Cu=176,5. Abnormal zones with exceeding threshold concentrations are concentrated in the area of the plant and local areas in the north-east direction. To the illuvial part of the profile, the abnormal content of all metals decreases and is concentrated only in places near the source of the plant's emissions. In the upper soil horizons, concentrations exceed the anomaly threshold by tens of times. The obtained anomalous values confirm an increase in background concentrations of zinc, cadmium, lead and copper in the soils of the studied area.

Relevance. Structuring and formation of natural-territorial complexes take place over a long period of time. Over the entire period of transformation and establishment of stable territories, landscapes undergo significant changes. One of the factors of a similar transformation is the technogenic activity of the mining industry, in this relation, the authors evaluated the landscape transformation, studied the processes and schemes of landscape transformation under the influence of technogenesis as one of the main criteria that takes into account the location and expansion of these industries, which determines the relevance of this work. The aim of the research is to assess environmental stress and altered landscapes subjected to intensive anthropogenic load in the area of the copper-smelting plant activity. Objects: components of the landscape complex and soil cover in the area of intensive anthropogenic load, located in the vicinity of the city of Krasnouralsk, Sverdlovsk region. Methods: assessment of ecological tension of the territory; calculation of the coefficient of ecological protection of landscapes by the method of B.I. Kochurov; calculation of the arsenic radial differentiation coefficient in soil cover in the area of intensive anthropogenic load. Result. The analysis of separate components of landscape complexes is carried out. The characteristics of the processes of modification of territories subject to technogenic load are revealed. After calculating the coefficient of environmental stability using the method of B.I. Kochurov, it was revealed that the studied landscapes have an acute environmental situation and low stability. As proof of anthropogenic load arsenic concentrations in soils of the studied area was measured, that resulted in fixed excess of maximum permissible concentration in modified landscapes. The calculation of the coefficient of radial migration of arsenic in the soil explains the processes of technogenic load. Актуальность. Структуризация и формирование природно-территориальных комплексов происходит на протяжении длительного времени. За весь период преобразования и установления стабильно устойчивых территорий ландшафты претерпевают значительные изменения. Одним из факторов аналогичной трансформации является техногенная деятельность горнопромышленной отрасли, в связи с чем проводится оценка преобразованности, изучение процессов и схем преобразованности ландшафтов под действием техногенеза как одного из главных критериев, учитывающих месторасположение и расширение данных отраслей промышленности, что и обуславливает актуальность данной работы. Цель: произвести оценку экологической напряженности и видоизмененности ландшафтов, подверженных интенсивной техногенной нагрузке, в районе деятельности медеплавильного комбината. Объекты: компоненты ландшафтного комплекса и почвенный покров в районе интенсивной техногенной нагрузки, расположенные в окрестностях города Красноуральск, Свердловской области. Методы: оценка экологической напряженности территории; расчет коэффициента экологической защищенности ландшафтов по методике Б.И. Кочурова; расчет коэффициента радиальной дифференциации мышьяка в почвенном покрове в зоне интенсивной техногенной нагрузки. Результаты. Произведен анализ отдельных компонентов ландшафтных комплексов. Выявлены характеристики процессов видоизменения территорий, подверженных техногенной нагрузке. После расчетов коэффициента экологической стабильности по методике Б.И. Кочурова выявлено, что исследуемые ландшафты имеют острую экологическую ситуацию и обладают малой стабильностью. В качестве подтверждения техногенной нагрузки измерялась концентрация мышьяка в почвах исследуемых территорий, в результате чего зафиксированы превышения предельно допустимой концентрации в видоизмененных ландшафтах. В ходе подсчета коэффициента радиальной миграции мышьяка в почве объясняются процессы техногенной нагрузки.