MOSCOW, November 15. /TASS/. Results of the biodiversity studies, which the Russian Academy of Sciences' Siberian Branch organized near Nornickel's gas deposits on the Taymyr Peninsula, found the impact on the nature there was less than expected, reads the expedition's report, which TASS has obtained.

"A preliminary reconnaissance survey around the deposits has shown that the impact zone of the company's facilities is smaller than it was previously assumed in reference to the initial data. Therefore, in order to determine more accurately the impact zones' borders, additional sites were used at the Pelyatka and Messoyakha sites at a distance of 2 km to 10 km from the deposits," the document reads.

The terrestrial ecosystems studies were conducted at 41 sites on the Taymyr Peninsula near Dudinka, Kayerkan, Norilsk, Talnakh, which are at different distances from Norilsk Nickel enterprises in the areas with expectedly varying impact degrees. The studies featured experts of the Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, the Institute of Biophysics, the Central Siberian Botanical Garden, the Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry.

The experts "have collected 318 sheets of higher vascular plants' herbarium, 192 bags with mossy samples, 51 samples with algae, 145 bags with lichen samples, 66 samples of parasol and tinder fungi, and 414 samples of substrates for identification of myxomycetes (slime mold fungi)," the report reads.

When studying the bird populations at industrial sites on the Yenisei's right bank (Dudinka, Alykel, Kayerkan, Norilsk, Talnakh), the scientists laid 39 accounting routes. At the gas fields' industrial sites on the Yenisei's left bank, the scientists walked seven routes.

River studies

The experts analyzed water purity at 41 stations on 28 reservoirs and watercourses. Studies in the Norilsk Industrial District and around the Alykel airport were at 19 stations on 18 reservoirs. Separate studies were at mines Komsomolsky, Mayak, Skalisty, Oktyabrsky, Taimyrsky, and the Talnakh processing plant. In Norilsk, water conditions were studied near the Copper Plant, the Nickel Plant, the Norilsk Processing Plant, the Railway Transport Enterprises, the Central Motor Transport Company, the Unified Warehouse, the Zapolyarny mine, the Mechanical Plant, the Construction Materials Plant, and Thermal Power Station-1. Separate studies were at the Nadezhdinsky Metallurgical Plant, the Kayerkansky mine, Thermal Power Station -2, and Thermal Power Station -3.

The basic biodiversity survey continues the work, which the Norilsk Nickel Company (Nornickel) and the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Siberian Branch began in 2020. Since the Great Norilsk Expedition, this work has extended into another three regions. The survey’s purpose is to identify Nornickel’s impact zones and to assess biodiversity in areas of Nornickel’s operations. The research results will be used in building out a corporate biodiversity management system and biodiversity monitoring and conservation programs.