Biogeography, Landscapes, Ecosystems and Species of Zaonezhye Peninsula, in Lake Onega, Russian Karelia
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REPORTS OF THE FINNISH ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTE 40 | 2014 Biogeography, landscapes, ecosystems and species of Zaonezhye Peninsula, in Lake Onega, Russian Karelia Tapio Lindholm, Jevgeni Jakovlev & Alexey Kravchenko (eds.) Finnish Environment Institute REPORTS OF THE FINNISH ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTE 40 | 2014 Biogeography, landscapes, ecosystems and species of Zaonezhye Peninsula, in Lake Onega, Russian Karelia Tapio Lindholm, Jevgeni Jakovlev & Alexei Kravchenko (eds.) Helsinki 2014 Finnish Environment Institute REPORTS OF THE FINNISH ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTE 40 | 2014 Finnish Environment Institute Natural Environment Centre Layout: Pia Kauppinen Cover photo: Clouded Apollo, Parnassius mnemosyne and Rough Hawkbit, Leontodon hispidus meet in Zaonezhye. Andrei Humala. English revision: Minna Hartikainen The publication is also available in the internet: www.syke.fi/julkaisut | helda.helsinki.fi/syke Juvenes Print, 2015 ISBN 978-952-11-4404-2 (pbk.) ISBN 978-952-11-4405-9 (PDF) ISSN 1796-1718 (printed) 441 729 ISSN 1796-1726 (online) Painotuote FOREWORD Anna Kuhmonen Zaonezhye Peninsula has a distinctive and diverse natural heritage, and its unique habi- tats are included in regional nature conservation plans. Although the value of its habitats and landscapes has been known for a long time, the documentation necessary for the establishment of a protected area has been lacking and high conservation value forests have been threatened by forest logging. The Barents Protected Area Network (BPAN) project promotes and supports the estab- lishment of a representative network of protected areas in the Barents Region. Protected area networks are an important tool in biodiversity conservation as well as climate change adaptation and mitigation. A representative network of protected areas safeguards bi- odiversity, supports natural ecosystems and maintains ecosystem services. In addition to evaluating the network of protected areas in Northwest Russia, the BPAN project has implemented pilot projects in high conservation value areas in order to support the establishment of new protected areas. All the countries in the Barents Region - Russia, Finland, Sweden and Norway - are parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. In 2010, the parties committed to halt- ing the loss of biodiversity by 2020 and set the 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The Aichi Target 11 calls for at least 17% protection of terrestrial and inland water areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, by 2020. Protected areas cover 13.4 % of the Barents Region, while the level of protection in the Republic of Karelia is 4.7 % (2013). Regional and national conservation plans include 59 400 km2 of planned protected areas in the whole Barents Region. However, implementation of conservation plans takes time, and the global targets have been set for 2020. The results of the BPAN project show that the implementation of conservations plans should be quicker and more effective. In 2012, the BPAN project selected five territories in Northwest Russia where nature conservation was to be promoted through field studies as well as other activities. In the Republic of Karelia, a pilot project was implemented in the high conservation value forests of Zaonezhye Peninsula. Earlier studies on the peninsula showed that the area supported valuable habitats and species. However, even though forests were included in the regional conservation plan, they were at the same time leased by forestry companies and threatened by logging. Between 2013 and 2014, the BPAN project carried out field work and documented natural values within the planned Zaonezhye nature park, focusing on high conservation value forests. These activities were conducted by the Finnish Environment Institute, Ka- relian Research Centre and the Directorate of regional protected areas of the Republic of Karelia in cooperation with experts from the Universities of Helsinki and Eastern Finland, and the Finnish Nature League. This publication presents information on hundreds of red-listed species and valuable habitats. Promoting the protection of high conservation value forests on Zaonezhye Pen- insula has been an important part of the BPAN project. We are grateful to all researchers for their valuable input into the field work as well as this publication. For financing this work we thank the Nordic Council of Ministers, Ministry of the Environment and Min- istry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Sweden and Norway, and WWF-Russia. We hope that this publication contributes to establishing the valuable nature areas of Zaonezhye Peninsula as statutory protected areas. CONTENTS Foreword ............................................................................................................................3 Zaonezhye Peninsula – The pearl of Lake Onega ..........................................7 Introduction ........................................................................................................7 Old villages and traditional land use in Zaonezhye ....................................9 Nature studies in Zaonezhye .........................................................................10 Conservation activities in Zaonezhye ...........................................................12 Threatened species and proposals for their protection ..............................13 Acknowledgements .........................................................................................14 1 Geology and physical geography of Zaonezhye Peninsula area ............17 1.1 Geological description of Zaonezhye Peninsula......................................17 Introduction ......................................................................................................17 Geomorphology and Quaternary deposits of Zaonezhye ........................26 Igneous rocks, mineralogeny and commercial minerals of Zaonezhye Peninsula ..................................................................................29 1.2 Geomorphology and Quaternary deposits of Zaonezhye .....................35 Introduction ......................................................................................................35 Geomorphology ...............................................................................................37 1.3 Hydrological characteristics of Zaonezhye Peninsula ............................41 Introduction ......................................................................................................41 Results................................................................................................................41 1.4 Soils and their characteristics on Zaonezhye Peninsula ........................53 Introduction ......................................................................................................53 Soil types and their characteristics ...............................................................53 Conclusions ......................................................................................................55 1.5 Paleogeography of Zaonezhye Peninsula ..................................................57 Introduction ......................................................................................................57 Geological Periods ...........................................................................................60 1.6 Nature protected areas in Zaonezhye .........................................................75 Introduction ......................................................................................................75 Overview of protected areas in Karelia ........................................................75 Protected areas on Zaonezhye Peninsula and its adjacent islands ...........76 Planned protected areas on Zaonezhye Peninsula .....................................77 2 Biomes and biogeography of Zaonezhye Peninsula area .........................81 2.1 Modern landscapes of Zaonezhye Peninsula ...........................................81 2.2 Landscape structure of Zaonezhye Peninsula ........................................103 Introduction ....................................................................................................103 Results..............................................................................................................104 2.3 The structure of forest land and forest stands in Zaonezhye Peninsula ................................................................................... 111 Introduction .................................................................................................... 111 Results.............................................................................................................. 111 2.4 Forest structures and human impact on Zaonezhye Peninsula: a classification and case studies .................................................................125 Introduction ....................................................................................................125 Methods ...........................................................................................................126 Results and discussion ..................................................................................126 2.5 Mires of the Zaonezhye Peninsula............................................................131 Introduction ....................................................................................................131 Study area .......................................................................................................132