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Last update:
Nov. 22, 2005

Soil-Ecological Excursion
through all ecozones of Western Siberian Plain:
from steppe (near Kazakhstan border)
to tundra (near the Arctic Ocean coast)

The excursion covers all latitude bio-climatic zones from dry steppe near Kasachzstan border to bay coast on the Arctic Ocean through aspen-birch forest-steppe, subtaiga, typical Siberian taiga with three subzones (southern, middle and northern) to forest-tundra and southern part of tundra zone on one of the biggest accumulation lowland in the world - West Siberian Plain.

The field trip is aimed at demonstrating the real potential of ecosystems undisturbed by human activities as reference objects for ecological research in the developed countries to solve current problems on long-term development of the biosphere. The main focus is soil formation processes resulting from the interaction between climate, vegetation and geological substrata, interesting geographical conditions and experimental sites, not to mention research projects in various regions. You can see specifics of soil formation and ecosystem succession under continental climate conditions as well as the impressive wealth of unaltered or virtually untouched landscapes of great beauty compared with agricultural and forest lands. During the trip you can encounter a lot of soil types. Most of these soils are presented by unique local varieties and have different signs of cryogenic processes.

One of the complimentary aims of the excursion is to enable an interdisciplinary exchange of experience and knowledge, to get beyond the language barrier and to promote scientific co-operation with the Russian colleagues.

Experienced Russian scientists (a soil specialist, a geo-botanist, and a landscape scientist) are on hand to provide you with any information. Since opinions and interpretations usually differ among participants, the outcome is often a highly instructive, expert debate. Organizers have already had 8 years of experience in carrying out the excursions.

Both excursion route and focus of scientific commentary can be changed a bit, in case the majority of excursion participants wish to do so due to their specific interests.

Scientists and students specializing in ecology, soil science, botany, geomorphology and any related disciplines are welcome . Ideally, the group would be made up of 40% undergraduates, 40% graduate students and at least 2 lecturers, to do justice to both educational aims of the trip and academic interaction.

Schedule of the excursion in 2006: from July 30 to August 25

Please, feel free to contact us in Austria in Russia Dr. Prof. Andreas Richter Department of Chemical Ecology & Ecosystem Research; Faculty Center of Ecology, University of Vienna; Althanstr. 14, A-1090 Wien, Austria Dr. Pavel A. Barsukov Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry, 18 St. Sovetskaya, Novosibirsk, 630099, Russia Tel.: +43 1 4277-54252 Tel.: + 7 (3832) 225 088 Email: Andreas.Richter@univie.ac.at Email: pavel-b@inbox.ru

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