KHANYMEI RESEARCH STATION
Station Name and Owner
The Khanymei Research Station belongs to the National Research Tomsk State University, Russia.
Location
The Station is located south-east or Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, at the northern taiga of western Siberia in Russia at N63°43'19,73'' E75°57'47,91'' . Research sites are located in the flat hilly peatland (Palsas), having a little peat deposits 0,5-1,5 m (rarely — up to 3 m), which is confined to discontinuous permafrost. As a result of the active thermokarst, accompanied by the general uplift of the grounds, its hydrological activity is strongly expressed, a lot of water bodies are generated.
Biodiversity
The area is located in the northern taiga of West Siberia. Upland areas covered with pine and larch forests, occupy higher-drained areas of the territory. In river valleys grow coniferous forests. Research areas are located on the territory of peatlands Palsas, having a little peat deposits 0,5-1,5 m (rarely — up to 3 m)and with separated areas of permafrost. A lots of lake are "scattered" on the surface of the peat bogs. Lichens are usually occupy 70-80% of the ground surface.
The fauna is diverse. From the large mammals the following species should be note: the brown bear, lynx, moose, caribou, wolf, sable, fox, ermine, hare. Most of the avifauna is represented by migratory birds of aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats: swans, geese, goose, ducks, sandpipers, gulls. Pyakupur River River refers to the waters of the highest category, and contains ide, pike, burbot, perch, dace, roach, ruff, peled, whitefish, humpback whitefish, white salmon.
History and Facilities
The Station is newly equipped and open for international visitors. The first international projects started to implement in the station region in 2014. The main accommodation area hosts 10 people.The station is equipped by meteorological complex, by sensors and logger of the soil and grounds temperature (including permafrost), by sensors for the levels of surface and underground water, by sensors for the power of the snow cover. A mobile station and laboratory section consists of a living-wagon for 8 people, mobile laboratory equipped with modern analytical, microbiological and refrigeration outfit, and special instrumentation for sampling. Off-road vehicles are also available.
General Research and Databases
The research at Khanymey Station focuses on hydrology, meteorology, ecology, botany, zoology, and soil science (primary productivity and mineralization of organic matter). Research topics include: climate impact on the biotic cycle of carbon and accompanying elements in the Palsa peatlands; migration of water-soluble substances from the catchment ecosystems to the water bodies; hydrochemical, hydrobiological and microbiological characteristics of the surface waters; biogeochemical function of microorganisms; optimizing productivity; ornithology and fauna studies. Geo-information analysis system is currently being developed for collection, analyze and store information on geochemically conjugated landscapes, geochemical characteristics of surface and bog waters, bottom sediments, and peats.
Human Dimension
Nenets is a 6.3% of the population of the Pur region, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District. The main occupations of the indigenous inhabitants are herding, farming, fishing and harvesting of wild plants. Deer farms determines the life of the Nenets, and especially nomadism, closely connected with the biological habits of wild reindeer, which in summer moved to the coast of the sea, and in the winter — closer to the forest. Such movement of deers affected the nomadic Nenets, whose amplitude reaches five hundred kilometers. In the XX cen. the main part of them became settled. The history of the village Khanymej began in the second half of the 20th century with the construction of the railway Surgut-Urengoy. The main population of the village — Russians.
Access
The station is located in the south-east of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, Siberia, Russia and consists of two clusters. The main base is located on the watershed of Vengapur Pyakupur River, 70 km north of the Noyabrsk and 20 km north-east of the village Khanymey, Pur district; distant point is located on the main watershed between the rivers Nadym-Pur, in the North-Komsomolsk field. The nearest airport is in Noyabrsk, every day airport takes 1-2 flights from Moscow (journey time: 3 hours 25 minutes). Distance Noyabrsk Khanymey is 70 km by car.