DEPARTMENT OF GEOECOLOGY

Basic research is concentrated on the study of changes in the state and dynamics of landscapes and ecosystems, including the diversity of coastal landscapes, lakes and mires, as well as on the application of paleoecological methods for the reconstruction of the dynamics of different ecosystems.

The paleoecology and remote sensing groups, which are conducting joint basic research project, focus on the response peculiarities of lake ecosystems to the impact of natural and human-induced forces. Novel methods (active induced fluorescent and optical spectroscopy) are applied to study the relationships between carbon cycling in lakes and its deposition.

The wetland group investigate the role of different environmental factors on the formation of bog water balance and the development of its structural levels. Attention is paid to the development and biodiversity of mires and to the scientific basis for the remediation of terminated peatlands.

The islands group, which studies mainly insular and coastal landscapes, focuses on dependence of biological diversity on the landscape pattern and changes in the human impact.

DEPARTMENT OF ECOPHYSIOLOGY

Under the reconstruction.

TARTU DEPARTMENT

There are two main basic research fields: plant ecophysiology and landscape ecology. Inquiry into plant ecophysiology involves productivity and survival under environmental stress with the aim to understand how ecophysiological properties of plants affect the structure of plant communities. The stomatal sensitivity to water deficiency, ozone tolerance, effects of increased CO₂ on plants and adaptations to stress occurring in leaf canopies are studied. The structure and functioning of Estonian coastal landscapes under different anthropogenic impact are the principal subjects of investigation in landscape ecology (in cooperation with Islands group).

NORTH-EAST ESTONIAN DEPARTMENT

Investigations of the dynamics and effects of different aero- and geotechnogenic factors caused by the oil shale industry on ecosystems in North-East Estonia are conducted. A method for the calculation of air quality indices that take into account the annual and short-time mean concentrations of pollutants was developed to improve the system of assessing ambient air quality, as well as to specify the areas where the pollutant concentrations may exceed the critical and guideline values for vegetation. The nature of the impact of rock blasting vibrations on environment was studied in openpit and underground mines. A set of data was analysed to determine the ground subsidence impact generated by underground mining on usable lands (forest and grasslands).

ÖI 04/94 Dynamics and influence of anthropogenic (aero- and geotechnogenic) factors on the ecosystems in North-East Estonia (1994-1997). Project leader A. Rätsep, senior personell: V. Liblik, A. Toomik, H. Kundel, Ü. Samlan, E. Rull, K. Maalma.

ÖI 05/94 Dependence of stress tolerance on the peculiarities of the genotype of plants (1995-1997). Project leader M. Mandre, senior personell: J. Klõseiko, K. Ots, K. Poom, J. Rauk, L. Tuulmets.

ÖI 06/96 Evaluation of the structure, state and dynamics of water environment at the external influences by laser remote sensing and in situ fluorimetry (1996-1998). Project leader S. Babichenko, senior personell: S. Lapimaa, A. Leeben, L. Porõvkina, V. Varlamov..

ÖI 07/96 Developmental pattern of an ombrotrophic bog morphostructure (1996-1998). Project leader M. Ilomets, senior personell: Ü. Kasemtsa, E. Karofeld, E. Lode, H. Villems..

ÖI 08/97 Inertness, tolerance and self-recovery of aquatic ecosystems (1997-2001). Project leader J.-M. Punning.

Subproject I: Present state. Subproject leader S. Babichenko, senior personell: A. Leeben, L. Porõvkina, V. Varlamov.

Subproject II: Paleoecological reconstructions. Subproject leader T. Koff, senior personell: T. Alliksaar, A. Karindi, K. Kruusement, K. Tõugu..

ÖI 09/97 Landscape diversity of Estonian coastal areas: structure, processes and functional relationships (1997-1999). Project leaders U. Ratas and A. Kont, senior personell: L. Kannukene, E. Nilson, M. Tobias, L. Truus..

ÖI 10/96 Plant stress-tolerance: dependence on genotype and influence on community structure (1997-2000). Project leader O. Kull, senior personell: A. Aan, Ü. Niinemets, A. Sõber.

ÖI 11/98 Impact of technogenic factors on the landscapes in North-East Estonia: identification and character of effects (1998-20019). Project leader V. Liblik, senior personell: H. Kundel, E. Rull, A. Rätsep, A. Toomik.

ÖI 12/98 Dynamics of landscape patterns under the natural and human influence: processes and functional relationships (1998-2001). Project leader A. Kont, senior personell: M. Ilomets, E. Karofeld, E. Lode, E. Nilson, R. Pajula, U. Ratas, L. Truus, Ü. Valgma.

Natural geography:

ESF 2034 Site-dependent regularities of the atmospheric deposition (1996-1998). Principal investigator J.-M.Punning, senior personnel T. Alliksaar, A. Karindi, T. Koff, K. Tõugu.

ESF 2035 The development and stability of the landscape-geochemical systems of Estonian small islands (l996-l997). Principal investigator U. Ratas, senior personnel E. Puurmann.

ESF 2873 Influence of the vegetation and landscape structure on the modern pollen influx (1997-1999). Principal investigator T. Koff, senior personnel M. Kangur.

Soil science:

ESF 2033 Variability of quantitative soil parameters along parent material gradient and their effects on plant communities in Estonia (1996-1998). Principal investigator A. Kont, senior personnel D. Makarenko. J. Kirs, J. Aruväli (University of Tartu) and I. Rooma.

Ecology:

ESF 2036 Relationships between mire plant communities structure and site hydrochemical conditions on the meiotrophication gradient. (1996-1997) Principal investigator M. Ilomets, senior personnel H. Fridolin, Ü. Valgma.

ESF 2037 Mechanisms determining the depth of a leaf canopy (1996-1998). Principal investigator O. Kull, senior personnel A. Aan.

ESF 2038 The impact of multicomponent air pollution on the ecosystems in the areas of oil shale mining and processing (1996-1998). Principal investigator V. Liblik, senior personnel H. Kundel, M. Mandre, J. Rauk, E. Rull, A. Rätsep, L. Tuulmets, J. Kruusma (University of Tartu).

ESF 2047 Tolerance of different coniferous species to alkaline air pollution: morphological-biochemical aspects (1996-1997). Principal investigator M. Mandre, senior personnel J. Klõšeiko, K. Ots, K. Poom, L. Tuulmets.

Physics and optics:

ESF 2043 Investigation of the influence of the thickness of the hydrocarbon film on the water surface on the fine structure of the RAMAN stretching band induced by laser (1996-1997). Principal investigator V.Varlamov, senior personnel S. Babichenko.

Marine sciences:

ESF 2041 Investigation of fluorescent characteristics of natural and technogeneous water organics for ON-LINE diagnostics of the water quality of Estonian sea and inland waters (1996-1998). Principal investigator S. Babichenko, senior personnel O. Davõdova, S. Lapimaa, A. Leeben, L. Porõvkina, E. Rull.

ESF 3231 Evaluation of water quality based on the fluorescent characteristics of phytoplankton community (1998-1999). Principal investigator L. Porõvkina, senior personell S. Lapimaa, A. Leeben, E. Rull.

Biophysics:

ESF 2044 Co-ordination between stomatal opening and some other processes in the plant in changing environment. Dynamics of correlation formation (1996-1998). Principal investigator A. Sõber, senior personnel O. Kull, K. Aasamaa (University of Tartu).

Mining :

ESF 2046 Blast vibration impact on the rocks of overburden in areas of oil-shale openpits and mines (1996-1997). Principal investigator A. Toomik, senior personnel: V. Liblik, A. Rätsep, K. Maalma, T. Tomberg (Tallinn Technical University), V. Undusk (Eesti Põlevkivi).

ESF 3233 The blasting depth^,s impact on the intensity of ground vibrations (1998). Principal investigator A. Toomik, senior personell T. Tomberg (Tallinn Technical University).

Environmental technology:

ESF 3232 Development of two-wavelenght specialized LIDAR for detecting, mapping and measurements of thickness of oil films on water surface (1998-2000). Principal investigator V. Varlamov, senior personell S. Babichenko.

Forestry:

ESF 2048 Combined effects of light and temperature on the annual net carbon gain of deciduous forest trees (1996-1997). Principal investigator Ü. Niinemets, senior personnel O. Kull.

ESF 3235 Interactive effects of multiple environmental stress factors on canopy gain in temperate conifers: a sensitivity analysis with Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris (1998-2000). Principal investigator Ü. Niinemets, senior personell O. Kull, A. Sõber, Ü. Tamm (Estonian Agricultural University), M. Rahi (Institute of Zology and Botany).