The scientific department of the Russian Arctic National Park, the northernmost and largest protected area in Russia, invites everyone to take part in a remote volunteer program on the topic "Microplastic pollution of the marine and coastal environment".
Microplastics are small, less than 5 mm, particles of plastic that accumulate in large quantities in the environment, especially in aquatic ecosystems. The movement of microplastics in the environment, as well as their effect on living organisms, is still not well understood. The Russian Arctic wants to rectify this situation. Previously, in the national park, they were only engaged in monitoring and studying macro-waste in the sea and on the coast. Now they are preparing to study the microplastic pollution of the Arctic.
“The topic of pollution of the Arctic communities with microplastic is more than relevant for us,” explains Olga Netsvetaeva, the lead researcher at the national park’s research department. “In this regard, we invite volunteers who are ready to work with us in this field.”
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Now, the scientists of the Russian Arctic need help in selecting specialized literature, Russian and foreign, on the following topics:
- The origin and distribution of microplastics in the marine environment.
- Experience in studying microplastics in the marine and coastal environment of the Arctic, as well as other regions of the world.
- Public and state measures to reduce the level of marine and coastal pollution by microplastics, as well as measures to prevent such pollution (already existing and proposed in certain countries of the world and with their cooperation).
The scientists of the national park do not exclude the possibility that the most active and zealous assistants will subsequently be involved in scientific field work in a protected area.
All questions about participation in the program can be asked to the volunteer manager, lead researcher at the research department of the Federal State Budgetary Institution the Russian Arctic National Park, Olga Petrovna Netsvetaeva. Tel: 8 (8182) 65-38-58; E-mail: netsvetaeva
rus-arc.ru
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The Russian Arctic National Park was established on June 15th, 2009. To date, it includes the northern part of Severny Island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago with adjacent islands, and the Franz Josef Land archipelago. The task of the Russian Arctic national park is to preserve the cultural, historical and natural heritage of the western sector of Russian Arctic.