Natural and medical sciences

The article studies current trends and problems of demographic development in Central Russia. Particular attention is paid to the Smolensk region which is considered to be one of the most demographically troubled Russian regions. The causes of the drop in absolute and relative fertility rates in the region have been revealed. One of them is the dramatic change in the age structure of the population due to the fact that demographic development entered the recession phase which in its turn might be partly explained by the "demographic echo" of the Great Patriotic War.

The article discusses the emergence and development of geo-demographic research in Russia, the US and Europe. It was concluded that despite the differences in purpose and nature of this kind of research, the geo-demographic classification remains the primary methodology in the analysis of geodemographic situation. The cluster analysis is applied to study territorial differentiation of geo-demographic development of the Kaliningrad region.

The article studies changes in migration relations between the Kaliningrad region and other regions of Russia and the former Soviet republics in 1990s and 2000s. Migratory flows intensity was assessed on the methodology of calculation of interregional migration intensity ratio (KIMS). The study analyzes the information on the annual arrivals and departures in the Kaliningrad region since 1992 provided by the Kaliningrad regional statistics office. Mapping of migration areas dynamics in the Kaliningrad region for incoming and outcoming flows in the 1990s and 2000s revealed two new zones of gravitation in the neighbouring countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), which today play an important role in shaping both incoming and outgoing flows. A compact zone that used to exist in the Baltic countries changed its profile during the analyzed period and shifted from a migrant provider to a reciever. Interregional Russian relations at this time were characterized by both balanced intensity of migratory relations a nd new migration gravitation zones.

Kaliningrad / Vistula Lagoon is a trans-border (it includes border territory of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Poland), maritime (combines a water body, and a land area) territorial system, which requires a special attitude to coordination between between the concepts of spatial, territorial and strategic planning. The article studies the issues of spatial, territorial and strategic planning in the modern management practice in Russia and in the region of Kaliningrad / Vistula Lagoon in particular. The research focuses on the opportunities of creating mechanisms for coordination and joint work of Russian and Polish partners to provide for common or related programs of spatial planning in the region. The research was carried out by Russian and Polish partners in the framework of the international project "Opportunities and Benefits sharing the Vistula Lagoon", implemented within the "Lithuania — Poland — Russia" cross-border cooperation programs in the years 2007—2013, financed by the European Unio n and co-financed by the Russian Federation.

The border as a spatial and socio-cultural phenomenon has been an immediate subject of study for a long time. A convincing reason supporting this statement is the existence of an independent branch of science on borders, "limology" (Latin: limes — Border). For the geographical sciences border is also a traditional subject of study, where the interest focuses on its impact on the geographical objects (border regions) and the functions possessed by the border rather than the border itself. The article presents the analysis of existing scientific approaches to determining border functions. It also proposes the author's own typology of the border regions, based on a combination of the barrier and contact functions of the border.

The article focuses on the tourist attractiveness ranking for cities in the world and in Russia. It also refers to an opinion poll on touristic attractiveness of Kaliningrad among residents and tourists. The city has been evaluated on various criteria. It helped to identify the most popular leisure and recreational activities.

This article provides information about the potential of the Kaliningrad region in eco-tourism, obstacles and prospects for the development of natureoriented types of tourism. It presents the areas with the highest potential for eco-tourism and a list and a map of the most important sites on the South-East coast of the Baltic Sea (Russian part). The research emphasizes "Curonean Spit" National Park as a "pilot" area for sustainable tourism development in the Kaliningrad region.

This paper summarizes the results of gravity surveys conducted across two palaeoincisions cut into the sub-Quaternary surface in the coastal area of the Kaliningrad region near Svetlogorsk. Strong local negative anomalies caused by the palaeoincisions are observed on the gravity anomaly profiles. The analysis of the palaeoincision's spatial distribution by using gravity data assumed that there is the system of intersecting V-shaped depressions rather than individual paleostructures buried in the subsurface.

Samples of epiphytic lichens Hypogymnia physodes were selected in the forests of the Kaliningrad region. Content of Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni, Ag, Sr, Rb in the lichen thallus was determined by atomic absorption and X-ray fluorescence analysis. The chemical analysis of elements resulted in the maps of spatial patterns of metals distribution. It is proposed to use the data as a "reference point" for monitoring air pollution research in the Kaliningrad region.

The long-term dynamics of humus in the mixed forests soils of in the Pregolya River Basin was modeled and analyzed for 1960—2015. Evapotranspiration values were calculated and a dynamics analysis of this parameter for period 1960—2015 was carried out. The impact of changes in meteorological factors on dynamics of forest phytomass has been defined.