Arid Zones Department

V.V. Stakheev
PhD
Head of Department 

OBJECTIVE

✓ Conduct fundamental, exploratory and applied scientific research in the biological sciences., earth sciences and related fields to solve environmental and socio-economic problems of the South of Russia; to popularise scientific knowledge.

AREAS OF ACTIVITY

✓ Structural and functional organisation and dynamics of plain biocenoses of the South of Russia in conditions of climatic changes and anthropogenic impact.

✓ Biological diversity, ecological relations of terrestrial biota in natural and transformed plain landscapes.

✓ Study of processes of natural and anthropogenic transformation of animal population, soil and vegetation cover of steppe, dry-steppe and semi-desert biocenoses of plain landscapes.

✓ Systematics, phylogeny and geography of animals, plants and fungi of plain and mountain landscapes of the south of European Russia.

✓ Study of geodynamic and anthropogenic processes in the subsoil of southern Russia, development and improvement of methods of forecasting, prospecting, exploration and evaluation of mineral deposits.

✓ ‘Archaeology’ of primary oceanographic information, creation of databases.

✓ Development and application of modern information technologies and methods of mathematical modelling in fundamental studies of the impact of climate and anthropogenic activities on marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

✓ Development of methods of short-term forecasting of dangerous natural phenomena in the Azov Sea basin.

✓ Development of methods and technical means of automated monitoring of the marine environment condition.

Investigation of epigenetic mechanisms of ontogenesis in norm and pathology development, physiological and behavioural adaptive reactions of animals and humans to the impact of factors of different nature.

✓ Identification and analysis of genetic and epigenetic determinants involved in the control of malignant tumour development and cell response to stress effects.

✓ Preservation of natural resource potential of ecologically vulnerable areas of the South of Russia in the conditions of climatic and technogenic challenges.

✓ Study of distribution features and substantiation of mechanisms of influence of different concentrations of non-radioactive isotopes of biogenic elements on the functional state of living systems.

Scientific research of the Department is based on the data of extensive expeditionary and experimental works, use of modern instrumental and digital approaches.

D.G. Matishov (1966–2015)  
Dr (Geography) 
Corresponding Member RAS Director-Organizer Institute of Arid Zones SSC RAS