To better understand the environmental problems of the Russian Plain, it is necessary to consider in detail what natural resources this geographical area has, what makes it remarkable.
Features of the Russian Plain
First of all, let's answer the question of where the Russian Plain is located. The East European Plain is located on the continent of Eurasia and ranks second in the world in terms of area after the Amazonian Plain. The second name of the East European Plain is Russian. This is due to the fact that a significant part of it is occupied by the state of Russia. It is on this territory that most of the country's population is concentrated and the largest cities are located.
The length of the plain from north to south is almost 2.5 thousand km, and from east to west - about 3 thousand km. Almost the entire territory of the Russian Plain has a flat relief with a slight slope - no more than 5degrees. This is mainly due to the fact that the plain almost completely coincides with the East European Platform. The movement of the earth's crust is not felt here and, as a result, there are no destructive natural phenomena (earthquakes).
The average height of the plain is about 200 m above sea level. It reaches its maximum height on the Bugulma-Belebeevskaya upland - 479 m. The Russian plain can be conditionally divided into three bands: northern, central and southern. On its territory there are a number of hills: the Central Russian Plain, the Smolensk-Moscow Upland - and lowlands: the Polesskaya, Oka-Don Plain, etc.
Minerals of the Russian Plain
The Russian Plain is rich in resources. There are all kinds of minerals here: ore, non-metallic, combustible. A special place is occupied by the extraction of iron ores, oil and gas.
1. Ore
Iron ore of the Kursk magnetic anomaly. Deposits: Lebedinskoye, Mikhailovskoye, Stoilenskoye, Yakovlevskoye. The ore of these mined deposits is characterized by a high iron content of 41.5%.
2. Nonmetallic
- Bauxites. Deposits: Vislovskoye. The content of alumina in the rock reaches 70%.
- Chalk, marl, fine-grained sand. Deposits: Volskoye, Tashlinskoye, Dyatkovskoye and others.
- Brown coal. Pools: Donetsk, Podmoskovny, Pechora.
- Diamonds. Deposits of the Arkhangelsk region.
3. Flammable
- Oil andgas. Oil and gas regions: Timan-Pechora and Volga-Ural.
- Oil shale. Deposits: Kashpirovskoe, Obschesyrtskoe.
Mineral resources of the Russian Plain are mined in various ways, which has a negative impact on the environment. Soil, water and atmosphere are polluted.
The impact of human activity on the nature of the East European Plain
The environmental problems of the Russian Plain are largely related to human activity: the development of mineral deposits, the construction of cities, roads, emissions from large enterprises, their use of huge volumes of water, the reserves of which do not have time to be replenished, and are also polluted.
Below we consider all the environmental problems of the Russian Plain. The table will show what problems exist, where they are localized. Possible ways to fight are presented.
| Problem | Reasons | Localization | What threatens | Ways to solve |
| Soil pollution | Development of KMA |
Belgorod region Kursk region |
Declining crop yields | Recultivation of land through the accumulation of black soil and overburden |
| Industrial construction | Regions: Belgorod, Kursk, Orenburg, Volgograd, Astrakhan | Proper waste disposal, reclamation of depleted land | ||
| Construction of railways and highways | All areas | |||
| Development of deposits of chalk, phosphate rock, rock s alt, shale, bauxite | Regions: Moscow, Tula, Astrakhan, Bryansk, Saratov and others. | |||
| Hydrosphere pollution | Development of KMA | Kursk region, Belgorod region | Decrease in groundwater level | Water purification, raising the level of groundwater |
| Pumping groundwater | Moscow region, Orenburg region. etc. | The emergence of karst landforms, deformation of the surface due to subsidence of rocks, landslides, sinkholes | ||
| Atmospheric pollution | Development of KMA | Kursk region, Belgorod region | Air pollution with harmful emissions, accumulation of heavy metals | Increasing the area of forests, green spaces |
| Large industrial enterprises | Regions: Moscow, Ivanovo, Orenburg, Astrakhan and others. | Accumulation of greenhouse gases | Installation of high-quality filters on pipes of enterprises | |
| Major cities | All major centers | Decrease in the number of transport, increase in green areas, parks | ||
| Decrease in species diversity of flora and fauna | Hunting and population growth | All areas | Animals are declining, plant and animal species are disappearing | Creation of nature reserves and sanctuaries |
Climate of the Russian Plain
The climate of the East European Plain is temperatecontinental. Continentality increases as you move inland. The average temperature of the plain in the coldest month (January) is -8 degrees in the west and -12 degrees in the east. In the warmest month (July), the average temperature in the northwest is +18 degrees, in the southeast +21 degrees.
The greatest amount of precipitation falls in the warm season - about 60-70% of the annual amount. More precipitation falls over the highlands than over the lowlands. The annual amount of precipitation in the western part is 800 mm per year, in the eastern part - 600 mm.
There are several natural zones on the Russian Plain: steppes and semi-deserts, forest-steppes, deciduous forests, mixed forests, taiga, tundra (when moving from south to north).
Forest resources of the plain are represented mainly by coniferous species - pine and spruce. Previously, forests were actively cut down and used in the woodworking industry. Currently, forests have a recreational, water regulating and water protection value.
Flora and fauna of the East European Plain
Due to small climatic differences on the territory of the Russian Plain, one can observe a pronounced soil-vegetative zonality. Northern soddy-podzolic soils are replaced to the south by more fertile chernozems, which affects the nature of vegetation.
Flora and fauna have suffered greatly due to human activities. Many plant species have disappeared. The largest of the faunathe damage was done to fur-bearing animals, which have always been a desirable object of hunting. Endangered mink, muskrat, raccoon dog, beaver. Such large ungulates as the tarpan have been exterminated forever, the saiga and bison have almost disappeared.
For the conservation of certain species of animals and plants, reserves were created: Oksky, Galichya Gora, Central Black Earth named after. V. V. Alekhina, Forest on Vorskla and others.
Rivers and seas of the East European Plain
Where the Russian Plain is located, there are many rivers and lakes. The main rivers that play a major role in human economic activity are the Volga, Oka and Don.
Volga is the largest river in Europe. The Volga-Kama hydro-industrial complex is located on it, which includes a dam, a hydroelectric power station and a reservoir. The length of the Volga is 3631 km. Many of its tributaries are used on the farm for irrigation.
Don also plays a significant role in industrial activities. Its length is 1870 km. The Volga-Don shipping canal and the Tsimlyansk reservoir are especially important.
In addition to these large rivers, the Khoper, Voronezh, Bityug, Northern Dvina, Western Dvina, Onega, Kem and others flow on the plain.
In addition to rivers, the Russian Plain includes the seas: B altic, Barents, White, Black, Caspian.
The Nord Stream gas pipeline runs along the bottom of the B altic Sea. This affects the ecological situation of the hydrological object. During the laying of the gas pipeline, clogging of waters occurred, many species of fish decreased in number.
In the B altic, Barents, Caspian and White Seas, some minerals are being mined, which, in turn, adversely affects the waters. Some industrial waste seeps into the seas.
In the Barents and Black Seas, some types of fish are caught on an industrial scale: cod, herring, flounder, haddock, halibut, catfish, anchovy, pike perch, mackerel, etc.
The Caspian Sea is used for fishing, mainly for sturgeons. Due to favorable natural conditions, there are many sanatoriums and tourist centers on the seashore. There are navigable routes along the Black Sea. Oil products are being exported from Russian ports.
Groundwater of the Russian Plain
In addition to surface water, people use groundwater, which, due to irrational use, adversely affects soils - subsidence is formed, etc. There are three large artesian basins on the plain: Caspian, Central Russian and East Russian. They serve as a source of water supply for a vast territory.
