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A continuous record of paleogeographic events in the Shantar islands since the end of the Pleistocene has been obtained by a multy-proxy study of the stratigraphy of the blanket peatland. The biostratigraphical studies included botanical, diatom, and pollen analyses. The age-depth model has been developed using seven radiocarbon dates. Data on the development of the environment have been obtained for the first time in the coldest part of the Sea of Okhotsk. The paleoclimatic events were synchronous and metachronous with the regional data and the global changes. The Younger Dryas was much colder in the Shantar islands than in other areas around the Sea of Okhotsk. The climate became more marine after isolation of the islands in the early–middle Holocene. The cold sea and the drifting ice were among the major factors that resulted in the poorly defined early and middle Holocene optimums in this area and in the characteristics of the climatic rhythm. Models have been proposed to explain the alternation of relatively warm and cold periods with different humidity. The age of periods of heavy snowfall, as shown by changes in the role of dwarf pine in the island vegetation, has been estimated. The local swamp and zonal landscape phases have been highlighted. Spruce appeared in this area ~11 410–10 345 cal yr BP, when a landbridge existed; spruce trees became common in the middle Holocene, especially at the turn of the middle–late Holocene. The thermokarst processes were one of the controlling factors of swamp landscapes. The environment underwent major changes in the Little Ice Age; the most severe conditions occurred ~500–260 cal yr BP. In the most-recent 210 years, the most considerable changes in landscapes were related to fires of a human origin.

Continued record of paleogeographic events in the Shantar islands since the end of the Pleistocene was restored on the basis of a multy-proxy study of the stratigraphy of the blanket peatland. Biostratigraphical studies included botanical, diatom and pollen analyses. The age-depth model was built using 7 radiocarbon dates. For the first time, data of the environment development were obtained for the coldest part of the Sea of Okhotsk. Synchronicity and metachronicity of paleoclimatic events with regional data and global changes have been established. The Younger Dryas on the Shantar islands was much colder than in other areas around the Sea of Okhotsk. The climate became more maritime after the isolation of the islands at the early-middle Holocene. The influence of the cold sea and the presence of drifting ice were one of the main factors, why the early and middle Holocene optimums were poorly manifested here, and also determined the specifics of climatic rhythm. Models explaining alternation of relatively warm and cold periods with different humidity are proposed. The age of periods with heavy snowfalls has been established, as evidenced by the change in the role of shrub pine in island vegetation. Phases of development of local swamp and zonal landscapes are highlighted. Spruce appeared on the area ~11410–10345 cal. yr. BP, when there was a landbridge, and spruce trees became common in the middle Holocene and especially at the boundary of the middle-late Holocene. One of the controlling factors for the development of swamp landscapes was thermokarst processes. Significant changes in the environment occurred in the Little Ice Age, the most severe conditions were ~500–260 cal. yr. BP. In the last 210 years, the most significant changes in landscapes have been associated with anthropogenic fires.

This paper presents geochemical, microprobe, paleomagnetic, and rock magnetic data from peat accumulated over the past 10 000 years in the area between the Khor and Kiya rivers (Khabarovsk krai). A horizon ranging in thickness between 75 and 100 cm with elevated concentrations of Ni, Zn, Bi, and Se is identified as a result of comprehensive studies. Magnetite and carbon spherules, as well as native iron found at the bottom of the horizon suggest an impact event that occurred about 5500 years ago. For the first time, peat deposits are a target of paleomagnetic research. Distinct inclination variations of the remanent magnetization vector are established in the horizon at a depth of 50 to 75 cm, which corresponds in time to the “Etrussia” geomagnetic excursion (2500 years ago).

The article examines the distribution features of specific organocryogenic landforms in the waterlogged areas of the cryolithozone of the Northwest Coast of the Pacific, within the borders of the Lower Amur and Southern Priokhotie. It is suggested that the considered landforms are closely related to the regressive processes occurring in certain mire areas due to thermokarst phenomena. Attention is focused on the specifics of morphometric features of the ridge-hollow reliefwith a parallel arrangement of elements formed in local runoff hollows and low-flow basins.

The article presents the results investigating the species composition of the bryophytes based on field research of mire ecosystems of the Big Shantar Island. This study found a total of 75 bryophyte species, including 60 species of which belong to mosses and 15 species of liverworts. The most species-rich family of bryophytes of the National Park, Sphagnaceae includes 22 species. The sections Cuspidata comprises 8 species and Acutifolia – 8 species. Calliergonaceae (7 species) is the most represented family of the Bryopsida (38 species), and Scapaniaceae (5 species) and Cephaloziaceae (4 species) are the largest taxa of liverworts. The distribution of the identified species is considered in relation to the sites of mires.

The paper considers the features of waterlogging of a flat watershed, unique in its structure and evolution, between the valley complexes of the two largest watercourses of Khabarovsk Territory. The Tugur and Nimelen rivers had rather powerful debit of water flows during the Pleistocene and were repeatedly redirected from the northern azimuth (the Sea of Okhotsk) to the southern one (the Amur catchment). This process continued partly at the early stages of the Holocene, as the stratigraphy of the peat deposits of the bogs formed indicates here.

An energy-saving technology for the production of carbon materials from agricultural wastes and sphagnum moss has been developed. The materials produced may be used in the manufacture of petroleum sorbents and also tungsten and titanium carbides.

The mechanochemical synthesis on tungsten carbide on the basis of carbon obtained by plant pyrolysis is considered.

The production of functional nanocomposites on the basis of plant matter and minerals is considered. Such nanocomposites are promising as anodes in lithium polymer batteries, as sorbents, and as carbon sources in the synthesis of titanium carbides.

Complex studies of the sorptive properties of carbon materials obtained from regenerative vegetable raw materials have been made. The possibility of using such materials as enterosorbents has been considered.

The technological aspects of the formation of nanofibrous carbon (multiwall nanotubes from 10 to 70 nm in diameter) in the process of the mechanical activation of amorphous carbon (1–27 h), which was obtained by the pyrolysis of sphagnum moss at a temperature of 950°C are considered. The sequence of the formation of a nanofiber structure and the change in the physicochemical characteristics of the formed nanotubes are presented. It is shown that the formation of nanotubes occurs in the bulk of carbon particles.

Two nanocomposite systems—amorphous carbon + nanoparticulate silicon and nanofibrous carbon + nanoparticulate tungsten—have been fabricated from vegetable and mineral raw materials: sphagnum moss, field horsetail, and scheelite. We examine the possibility of using the nanocomposite systems as anode electrodes of lithium-ion polymer batteries.

Technique for production of powder sorbents from renewable plant raw materials, wastes from cereal plants and sphagnum moss species, were considered. Their sorption properties with respect to dissolved and emulsified oil products were studied.

A power-saving technology was developed for preparing functional nanocomposites from renewable vegetable raw materials and nanosized elements.

The liquid phase of peat from the deposits of the Middle Amur basin was investigated by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive analysis in order to estimate the possibility of obtaining new sorbents on its basis. It was shown that organic compounds with fractal forms and properties can be obtained on the basis of peat hydrolyzate. The concentration of carbon in them corresponds to the composition of the humic complexes extracted from peat deposits. The resulting high-molecular-weight compounds actively sorb small organic particles. The samples investigated can be used to develop a fundamentally new class of efficient petroleum sorbents.

The authors present information about the resources of sulfide silt peloids at the Bichevskoye peat field of the Khabarovsk region. Their physicochemical properties, the fragmentary carbon composition of the liquid and concentrated peat phases, as well as the elemental composition of the organic compounds present in peat hydrolysates are described. The results of high-tech investigations confirm the presence of biologically active humic substances in the peat.