Ecological-Geological System of Belyy Island

The purpose of this article is to identify and summarize the features of the ecological and geological systems of the island's frozen soils. The main features of the Bely Island lithotype are the predominantly sandy composition of Late Pleistocene and Holocene sediments and their permafrost state. From 1972 to 2009, the temperature of the soils composing the first terrace increased by 2.4 °C. The re-vein ice in the thickness of the first terrace is sometimes characterized by very high mineralization – from 816 to 1,240 mg/l, but obviously not everywhere. Fresh veins with a salt content of 36–45 mg/l were also found. The most significant mineralization was recorded for cryopags (more than 110 g/l). The edaphotope is mainly represented by gleezems, peat-gleezems, psammozems, pelozems and marching saline soils. The microbiocenosis of Bely Island is characterized by a high pool of prokaryotic microorganisms. The viability of anaerobic bacteria and archaea in permafrost deposits of Bely Island has obviously been preserved for tens of thousands of years. The cryopags often found on the island are most likely to contain anaerobic bacteria that reduce sulfate. Mycological analysis revealed 40 species of micromycetes, as well as non-spore-bearing light and dark-colored fungi. The soil samples are dominated by species of the genus Penicillium, as well as fungi of the genus Fusarium, which is quite typical for tundra soils. The phytocenosis determines the location of the island in the subzone of the Arctic tundra. The phytocenosis is dominated by various types of moss, tundra grasses, dwarf willow and birch; 75 species of vascular plants have been found. Among the rare plant communities in the southern part of the island White recorded lapchatkovo-willow-lichen-gymnomitria tundra, dryadovo-willow-moss tubercle tundra, lacquer-willow-moss tundra. The zoo is very representative, Bely Island is a temporary habitat for polar bears, which appear here both in summer and winter. Wild reindeer remain common on Bely Island, there are arctic foxes, wolverines, as well as such protected species as the small swan, white-billed loon, gaga grebenushka, Siberian gaga. In recent years, Atlantic walrus rookeries have been noted.