The most intense impact of Norilsk Nickel enterprises on biogeocenoses lies within the sanitary protection zones and does not show up sharply beyond them - Victor Glupov, Head of the Large Scientific Expedition

Viktor Glupov, Head of the Large Scientific Expedition and Director of the Institute of Animal Ecology Systematics at the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences speaking at a press conference in the TASS press center, said that the scientists within this expedition studied over 73,000 sq. km of territories adjacent to the areas of activity of Norilsk Nickel. According to him, these are areas with high-latitude and very ecologically fragile systems. In addition, observations were made along the Northern Sea Route.
"It was the integrated approach that largely determined the significance of the results, which we cannot fully realize now," the scientist said. These materials are being processed and the first publications on the subject of the expedition have begun. The fact is that in these areas there have been very few studies of such a systematic nature, and many of the studies themselves were very fragmented, he noted. “Therefore, when we entered certain groups of animals or plants, we simply received the latest data,” Glupov explained.
According to him, in general, the boundaries of the plant's influence on the ecosystem were determined and, most surprisingly, the most intense impact on biogeocenoses lay within the sanitary protection zones and did not sharply manifest beyond them, mainly remaining within the boundaries of 5-12 kilometers. "Further - a sharp drop in influence. For me, it was, let's say, completely unexpected, and the species diversity, as well as their abundance outside the zone of significant impact - and this is the plant itself and short insignificant territories around it - weakly depend on the remoteness of industrial facilities," said the head of the expedition noting that outside these zones they were comparable to the background ones.
It is also important that Norilsk Nickel allows scientists to work within the framework that they themselves determine, Glupov emphasized in conclusion.

Vladimir Malakhov, Rough&Polished