2025 Issue №2

This article examines the history of geoecological research on cities, tracing developments from the origins of the field to current trends. The following key stages in the evolution of geoecological studies of urban areas are identified: (1) early research, spanning from the 19th century to the early 20th century; (2) the development of geoecology and urban ecology in the mid-20th century; (3) the rise of eco-urbanism and sustainable development during the 1970s—1990s; and (4) contemporary trends of the early 21st century. Particular attention is given to how the historical trajectory of geoecological studies highlights the growing need to develop comprehensive methods for assessing urbanized areas, integrating factors of diverse origins that impact human well-being in the modern city.

The development of domestic tourism in Russia requires the more active integration of recreationally significant territories into this sector. This fully applies to the Kaliningrad coast of the Baltic Sea, as evidenced by the increased volume of tourist flows in recent years. A comprehensive approach to assessing the attractiveness of areas located in the "land—sea" contact zone is proposed, based on a component-wise evaluation method using 25 indicators that reflect the natural characteristics of coastal landscapes and the degree of their anthropo­genic transformation. The methodology was tested on 31 sections of the Sambia Peninsula’s coastline. The analysis of their attractiveness revealed a predominance of areas with a high level of appeal (56.8 % of the studied coastal length) and a complete absence of low-attrac­tiveness territories. This indicates, on the one hand, the high recreational potential of the area and, on the other, the insufficient realization of this potential. Based on the assessment re­sults, sections with varying priorities for recreational development have been identified.

This study focuses on investigating atmospheric zinc deposition in the Kaliningrad Re­gion using biomonitoring methods. The moss species Pleurosium schreberi and Hylocomium splendens, collected in 2020, were selected as bioindicators. The primary aim of the study was to assess the spatial distribution of atmospheric air pollution by zinc in the region and to identify its sources. Epithermal neutron activation analysis was used to determine the metal content in the moss samples. The obtained data were processed using statistical methods and backward air mass trajectory modeling. The results indicated that zinc concentrations in the mosses varied significantly, reaching maximum values in the southern and central parts of the region. A comparison with 2015 data revealed a 46 % increase in zinc accumulation lev­els. The study established that the main sources of pollution include both local industrial facil­ities and transboundary transport of air masses from Europe, particularly under prevailing southwesterly winds.

This study examines the morphometric characteristics of the Letny — Zimny pond sys­tem in Kaliningrad as factors potentially influencing the ecological condition of small artifi­cial water bodies. Based on hydroacoustic surveying conducted with the "AsCor" software-hardware complex, which simultaneously recorded current depth and geographic coordinates of the surveyed bottom areas in real time, bottom relief maps of the ponds were created for the first time. Key morphometric parameters were determined, including the surface area, basin shape, enclosed water volume, shoreline length and shoreline development index, width, depths (average and maximum), catchment area, specific runoff index, among others. The investigated water bodies are classified as excavation ponds, characterized by small size, shal­low depth, and limited catchment areas. It was noted that such ecosystems may experience short-term fluctuations in water levels and hydrochemical characteristics, driven by both nat­ural factors (precipitation, groundwater) and anthropogenic influences (flow regulation). The study emphasizes that maintaining favorable ecological conditions in these ponds is possible through proper management and development, taking into account the basin morphology and the biogenic load originating from the catchment area.