The quality of the forecast of the state of the ozone layer over various regions of the Nothern Hemisphere is analyzed, taking into account observations in recent years. The forecast was obtained using the concept of a dynamic climate norm and a model of a quadratic long­term trend of the total ozone content based on satellite observations for the period 1978–2017. The predicted values of the long­term trend of the total ozone content (TOC) are compared with the results of calculating the trend based on the data for the period that includes the forecast area. An improved third­degree polynomial trend model was used to better match the expected behavior of stratospheric ozone. Long­term trends in both models practically coincide within the pre­ viously used period, however, the forecast for the period 2018–2022 not justified in all cases. The reasons for the discrepancy and possible ways to improve the forecast are analyzed.

Based on the data of soil moisture determinations, the estimation of productive moisture reserves in the soil layer 0–20 cm on permanent plots of the points of the state network of hydrometeorological observations with soils of different mechanical composition, as well as on average for administrative regions was given. Duration of soil droughts and recurrence of years with soil drought by months on the territory of Belarus were estimated. The cyclicity of changes in the area of territories subjected to soil drought by administrative regions with the period of their maximum coverage of 9–12 years was noted; it is most pronounced in the southeastern part of Belarus .

A large-scale survey of the springs of the Republic of Belarus was conducted, which are not only surface water bodies potentially suitable as alternative non-centralized sources of drinking water supply, but also an element of the country's environmental safety. The increasing anthropogenic load on the environmental sphere, including water resources, depletion, radioactive, chemical and biological pollution of waters are the main potential or real threats to national security. Despite the rather large reserves of fresh drinking water in the republic, it is an exhaustible resource and, if mismanaged, it is subject to the threat of depletion. The study confirmed the presence of 1 183 springs on the ground, 95 % of which have a flow rate of 0.01–0.1 l/s, which allows providing a daily drinking water requirement of 4 liters per person, provided that 75 % of the verified springs are suitable.

This article presents the results of the study of trematodes developing with the participation of the gastropod Lithoglyphus naticoides. Total 7 414 specimens L. naticoides from the Pripyat and Dnieper rivers in Belarus was surveyed for 2021–2022. Twelve species of trematodes of the class Trematoda have been recorded, of which 11 species belong to the subclass Digenea and one species to the subclass Aspidogastrea. The species Aspidogaster conchicola is first recorded in the gastropod L. naticoides. This trematode species is characterized by parasitism in bivalve mollusks, and gastropods L. naticoides are an accidental host. The average value of gastropodes infection by trematodes for two years of research in both rivers was 27.02%. Trematodes of the species complex of the genus Apophallus and the species Sanguinicola volgensis were most frequently recorded, their infestation was 13.44 and 7.06 %, respectively.

The paper considers the possibilities and prospects for implementing a system of Management Units based on population structure and molecular genetic data for wildlife management in Belarus. We give an overview of benefits and downsides of Management Units as tools for adaptive management of resource, protected and invasive species and approaches towards their implementation, derived from published information and our own research on red deer (Cervus elaphus) population genetics. We conclude that the existing amount of molecular genetic data on red deer in Belarus is insufficient on it’s own for delineation of Management Units due to high role of anthropogenic effects on their population structure, and that a more complex approach and further study are required .

A metagenetic (access codes in NCBI GenBank PRJNA887 247, PRJNA8 875 562, PRJNA892121) analysis of mycobiomes of root endings of large­fruited cranberry seedlings cultivated on developed peatlands was carried out. 255 genotypic variants of fungi were identified. Among the dominant groups of micromicetes Sebacina spp., Oidiodendron maius, Rhizoscyphus spp. and non­cultivated mushrooms were noted among the dominant groups of micromycetes. According to the results of microscopic analysis of root endings, a feature associated with the development of an intracellular non­septate mycelial network with numerous swellings, formed presumably by endophytic fungi, was noted.

The taxonomic composition and quantitative indices of freshwater phytoplankton and zooplankton in the vicinity of the Belarusian Antarctic station "Mount Vechernyaya" were studied. In two subglacial Antarctic lakes 60 phytoplankton species were identified. They are characterised by low abundance and biomass. The dominating by abundance and biomass divisions are Bacillariophyta and Cyanophyta. The predominance of the Cyanophyta division is associated with a large amount of biogenic elements in the studied lakes. The species composition of zooplankton is poor and is represented by 5 species of rotifers, including also indeterminate individuals of the Bdelloidea subclass. A slight difference in the taxonomic structure of zooplankton of the studied lakes was revealed.

In the studied part of the Mukhavets River, 45 lowest defined taxa (LT) belonging to three phyla of macrozoobenthos: Mollusca – 15; Annelida – 3 and Arthropoda – 27. Among the collected aquatic invertebrates in the Mukhavets River, 18 species were noted for the first time. The observed species composition corresponded to the research season (October) and a traditional set of invertebrate species characteristic of the rivers in southern Belarus and varied from 18 (40.0 % of all collected animals) to 31 LT (68.9 %, respectively). The number of macrozoobenthos organisms varied from 503 specimens (41.9 % of all collected animals) to 107 specimens. (9.10 %, respectively) in the studied biotopes of the Mukhavets River. Among the identified animals, the species of invasive mollusks – Lithoglyphus naticoides (Pfeiffer, 1828) was noted, as well as a very rare species for Belarus, found only for the second time – Aulongyrus concinus (Klug, 1834). In addition, species protected in a number of Western European countries were identified in the studied site of the Mukhavets River.

Information is given on the species composition of lichens and closely related fungi in floodplain and upland oak forests of the broad-leaved-pine forest subzone of Belarus. The lichen biota of oak forests in the subzone of the broad-leavedpine forests is represented by 191 species: 178 species of lichens, 7 non-lichenized fungi: Chaenothecopsis pusilla, C. rubescens, Microcalicium disseminatum, Mycocalicium subtile, Sarea difformis, S. resinae and Stenocybe pullatula, 6 lichenicolous fungi: Abrothallus parmotrematis, Chaenothecopsis epithallina, Clypeococcum hypocenomycis, Sphinctrina turbinata, Stigmidium microspilum and Xanthoriicola physciae. Substrate and phytocenotic confinement of species is indicated; new habitats of protected lichen species are given: Calicium adspersum, Cetrelia olivetorum, Chaenotheca chlorella, Hypotrachyna revoluta, Lobaria pulmonaria and Parmotrema stuppeum.

The paper presents some suggestions for improving the establishment of quality standards for wastewater discharge. The question is considered in the informational aspects of this problem. Recommendations for improving the standards are given.

The analysis of morphometry (length and steepness) of slopes of arable and meadow lands by administrative districts and regions of Belarus was carried out. It is shown that slopes with a steepness of 1–3° prevail on agricultural lands, occupying 39.5 % with fluctuations in the regions from 31.8 to 48.2 %. Slopes with a steepness of > 10° make up 2.4 % of the total land area in the republic. The most susceptible to erosion processes are cultivated lands located on slopes with a steepness of 5 ° and above. There is a high proportion of arable land on such slopes in the Postavsky, Braslavsky, Mozyr and Gorodok districts. About 55 % of arable lands and 82 % of meadow lands are located on slopes longer than 500 m. The areas of arable and meadow lands on short slopes (< 100 m) occupy 13.2 and 5.5 %, respectively. As a rule, short slopes are more steep.

The new records of Oecanthus pellucens (Scopoli, 1763) and Myrmeleotettix antennatus (Fieber, 1853) in the southeast of Belarus are presented in this article. Currently, there are 5 habitats of Oe. pellucens and 3 habitats of M. antennatus in Gomel region.