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Scientific holidays: a summer Bios school for young ecologists was held at Ƶ
07 August

The 83-year-old scientific research Bios school of the University of Industrial Technologies and Design has completed its work on the basis of the Academy suburban center in the village of Molodezhnoye in the Kurortny district. From year to year, students, postgraduates and young scientists of Ƶ go on field trips, where they take water samples, perform hydrochemical and hydrobiological analyses, and also work on scientific projects dedicated to assessing the quality of the region's aquatic ecosystems.

The school's program was intense and included not only a grand opening, but also intensive research work. The main event for the participants was field research on the water bodies of the Vyborg and Kurortny districts of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region. Under the guidance of instructors, the young ecologists conducted the selection and analysis of about ninety samples of water, zooplankton and sediments. In the laboratory, the participants, divided into areas, mastered the methods of hydrochemical and hydrobiological analysis, determining various indicators under the guidance of mentors.


The research results turned out to be significant: the participants identified reservoirs that fully comply with regulations and are suitable for swimming (Blue Lakes, Lake Shchuchye). At the same time, problematic objects were identified where environmental standards are not observed (Middle and Lower Suzdal Lake, the Malaya Sestroretsk River, and the Sestroretsk reservoir).

The ten-day work resulted in a scientific and practical conference. Environmentalists presented the results of their research in the form of scientific research papers, presentations and emblems. The presentations were evaluated by representatives of educational institutions, relevant committees and legislative authorities. All the young researchers received certificates of completion of the course "Integrated environmental monitoring of natural ecosystems" and diplomas.

Young scientists shared their first observations.

The phytoplankton bloom in the Sestroretsk Spill became one of the most striking natural phenomena — the water literally "bloomed" before our eyes, which immediately gave food for discussions about trophic processes and anthropogenic influence.

Unfortunately, the Suzdal lakes have confirmed the status of a recreationally overloaded zone: garbage on the shores, film on the surface, and a large number of vacationers. Anthropogenic pressure is obvious here and, judging by the samples, affects the water quality.

The blue lakes turned out to be a real contrast — clean, calm, with clear water and minimal trace of a person. One of the most prosperous places on the route.

Shchuchye and Gladyshev lakes are special ecosystems of the marsh type. Despite the shallow waters and overgrowth, there is a high diversity of zooplankton and benthos. A particularly exciting moment: the pearl oystercatcher (*Margaritifera margaritifera*), a rare and protected species of mollusk that has almost disappeared from many regions, has been discovered on Lake Gladyshevsky.

But the "Rusty Ditch" has become, perhaps, the most disturbing object. Waters with a pronounced color due to the high iron content, which exceeds the maximum permissible concentration by several times. And, most importantly, this runoff eventually ends up in the Gulf of Finland, which makes the situation environmentally significant. This year, the Bios school proved once again that interesting science is born where there is nature, curiosity and a desire to understand.

The Higher School of Technology and Energy of Ƶ conducts a Bios-school with the support of the Interregional Public Organization "Ecological Club of Graduate Students, Students and Schoolchildren of the Baltic-Ladoga region" and the Foundation for Scientific Research of the XXI Century.