Scientists worked in all three clusters of the National Park: at mounts Ahvi, Varguno, Piro, on Mt. Vottovaara, and at Lake Pizanets. They comprehensively analyzed the park’s ecosystems to assess their present-day wellbeing, biodiversity, and human pressure. The surveys were part of the forest management inventory funded by Roslesinforg’s branch Karellesprojekt as ordered by Vodlozersky National Park.
Specialists of KarRC RAS produced geobotanical relevés of plant communities of different types and age categories to map the territory’s coenotic diversity and studied the soil cover. Tree stands were examined for pest and diseases. Recreational digression was assessed by surveying five tourist stopover sites: three on Mt. Vottovaara and two on Lake Pizanets shore.
Also, scientists revealed new locations with rare species of plants, fungi, lichens, and insects. In particular, entomologists Aleksey Polevoi and Andrey Humala found larvae of rare beetle species previously unknown for the national park. These were the speices Boros schneideri, Keroplatus tipuloides, Pytho kolwensis, Xylomya czekanovskii.
- The assessment of the park's forests revealed no potentially dangerous pathological processes in the ecosystems. There were no pest reproduction outbreaks in any of the sites. Fungal diseases of coniferous species are also rare. According to the surveys, the park’s forests are in very good condition. Although there are areas disturbed by human interference, valuable habitats have been preserved in the park. The study proved that establishment of the park was necessary to preserve the unique landscapes, - shared the expedition leader, Senior Researcher of the Laboratory of Boreal Forest Dynamics and Productivity Nadezhda Genikova.
The outputs of these expeditions will supplement the material from previous studies published in the monograph "The Natural Complex of Mount Vottovaara: Characteristics, Current State, Conservation" (Petrozavodsk, 2009).
As they say at the National Park, the studies by KarRC RAS scientists will form the basis for developing knowledge-based measures for the protection and management of the park. The data collected during the expedition will help organize sustainable tourism while minimizing the impact on the fragile natural ecosystems and work out effective biodiversity conservation programs.
