These three pages list non-Russian/CIS-language books, and a few long
articles, about natural history, ecology, conservation and related subjects in CIS
countries. This page contains authors R-Z; the second page
covers H-P, and the first page A-G.
Abbreviations: be-wj - British East-West Journal; IPST - Israel Program of Scientific
Translations; inc. - including; IWRB - International Waterfowl & Wetlands Research Bureau;
n.d. - no date; nw21 - Network 21; pub. - published by/publisher; rcn - Russian Conservation
News; RusAcSci - Russian Academy of Sciences, and similarly for the other republics' Academies;
st - Surviving Together (magazine of ISAR); transl.- translation/translated.
Rayfield D. The Dream of Lhasa: the Life of Nikolay Przhevalsky
(1839-88), Explorer of Central Asia, London: Elek, 1976, and Ohio State University Press,
1975[?]. The first English-language biography.
Reznichenko G.I. The Aral Sea Tragedy: Notes from a Scientific Expedition, Moscow:
Novosti Press, 1992. Obtainable from Aral Sea International Committee, 1055 Ft Cronkhite,
Sausalito, CA 94965, USA. Journalistic.
Rodin L.E. & Bazilevich N.I. Production & Mineral Cycling , Edinburgh:
Oliver & Boyd, n.d.
Rodionov S.N. Global and Regional Climate Interaction: the Caspian Sea Experience,
The Netherlands and Boston: Kluwer Academic, 1994. (rcn 7 p.13)
Rogacheva E.V. The Birds of Central Siberia, Husum: Husum Druck- und
Verlagsges., 1992. An English transl.of the author's Ptitsy Sredney Sibiri (1988) with
much additional material and photographs. The area covered is Krasnoyarsk Kray, which
includes an important meridional zoogeographical boundary.
Russow V. Die Ornis Ehst-, Liv- und Curland's mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der
Zug- und Brutverhältnisse, (herausgegeben von Th.Pleske), Dorpat, 1880.
Ryabitsev V.K. One Season in the Taiga, Edinburgh: Russian Nature Press, 1998.
An account of an expedition to the North Urals studying warblers. Illustrated by the author.
St George G., Ustinov L. Soviet Deserts & Mountains, Amsterdam: Time
Life International (Nederland), 1974. A photoalbum with text about Central Asia.
Sakhokia M.F. Botanical Excursions over Georgia, vol.I, Tbilisi: Academy of
Sciences of the Georgian SSR, 1961. Transl.from Russian.
Schekkerman H., van Roomen M.W.J. Breeding Waders at Pronchishcheva Lake,
Northeastern Taymyr, Siberia, in 1991, WIWO Report no.55, Zeist, Netherlands: WIWO, 1994.
Seebohm H. The Birds of Siberia, London: ..., 1901; also Gloucester: Alan
Sutton, and New York: Hippocrene, 1985. Popular accounts of his expeditions to the Pechora
with Harvie- Brown in 1875 and to the Yenisey in 1877; the Pechora expedition is also
described in Harvie-Brown's book.
Sekretareva N. The Vascular Plants of the Russian Arctic & Adjacent Territories,
Sofia & Moscow: Pensoft, 1999.
Semenov P.P. (ed.by Colin Thomas) Travels in the Tian'-Shan' 1856-1857,
London: The Hakluyt Society, 1998. In recognition of his work Petr Petrovich Semenov was
later allowed to add ‘-Tyan-Shanski' to his surname. Two of his sons - Andrey and Venyamin -
were prominent conservationists.
Severtzoff N.A. Faune des Vertébrés du Turquestan. Les Oiseaux, Budapest, 1888.
Transl.from Russian.
Shetler S.G. The Komarov Botanical Institute: 250 Years of Russian Research,
Washington DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1967.
Shtil'mark F.R. History of the Russian Zapovedniks, 1895-1995, Edinburgh: Russian Nature Press, 2003.
Singleton F. (ed.) Environmental Problems in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe,
Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 1987.
Skvortsov A.K. Willows of Russia & Adjacent Countries: taxonomical & geographical
revision, Joensuu (Finland): Univ.of Joensuu, 1999. Translation of Ivy SSSR,
Moscow: Nauka, for MOIP, 1968.
Smirin V.M., Smirin Yu.M. Animals in Nature, Edinburgh: Russian Nature
Press, 1999. Translation of Zveri prirody, 1991. Observations on a wide variety of
mammals, many seen on expeditions to various parts of the former Soviet Union, in a text
closely integrated with VMS's drawings.
Sokolov V. (ed) for Soviet Committee of the UNESCO Man & the Biosphere Programme Man
& Biosphere: leafing through the Priroda Journal, Moscow: Nauka, 1984, 249 pp. Articles
from Priroda.
Solomeshch A. et al. Red Data Book of Plant Communities in the Former USSR,
Lancaster: Unit of Vegetation Science of Lancaster University, 1997. Prepared by 7 Russian
specialists at Ufa, Tolyatti and Novosibirsk, and John Rodwell at Lancaster. Supported by the
UK Darwin Initiative. Available from Unit of Vegetation Science, Lancaster Univ., Lancaster
LA1 4YQ. Tel.: 01524 594504.
Sorokin Yu.M. ‘The Black Sea' in Goodall, vol.26 Estuaries & Enclosed Seas
(ed.B.H.Ketchum), 1983, pp.253-292.
Sparks J. Realms of the Russian Bear: a Natural History of Russia and the Central
Asian Republics, London: BBC, 1992. A beautifully illustrated book accompanying the
television series of the same name; with chapters on the Volga Delta, Tien-Shan, C.Asian
desert and steppe, the Arctic, Siberian taiga, and Kamchatka.
Stegmann B. Die Vögel Süd-Ost-Transbaikaliens, Leningrad: Acad.of Scis.of USSR,
1929.
Stejneger L. Results of Ornithological Explorations in the Commander Islands and Kamtschatka,
Washington DC: Govt Printing Office, 1885.
Stejneger L. Georg Wilhelm Steller: the Pioneer of Alaskan Natural History,
Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Univ.Press, 1936, reprinted 1970 by Gregg International Publishers Ltd,
Farnborough, UK. Not only Alaskan natural history: his travels in Kamchatka, the Komandor Islands
and other parts of Russia are also described.
Stewart John Massey (ed.) Lake Baikal: on the Brink? (Environmental Research
Series No.2, IUCN East European Programme), Cambridge UK: IUCN, 1991, pamphlet, 36 pp.
Stewart John Massey The Nature of Russia, London: Boxtree, in association with
Anglia Television, 1992. The best general introduction to the subject, with chapters on
tundra, taiga, steppe, the Caucasus, Volga Delta, Kamchatka, and Sikhote-Alin; beautiful
photographs. This is a good introduction to the main ecosystems, their natural history,
native peoples and environmental problems.
Stewart John Massey (ed.) The Soviet Environment: Problems, Policies and Politics,
Cambridge UK: Cambridge Univ.Press, 1992.
Stewart John Massey (ed.) International Environmental Cooperation. Russia: a Case
Study, London: Conservation Foundation's Russian Initiative, 1998. A survey of opinions
and recommendations regarding environmental cooperation, with useful practical guidance also
applicable to research cooperation.
Stroganov S. Carnivorous Mammals of Siberia, Jerusalem: IPST, 1969. Translated by
A.Birron.
Sukachev V.N. (ed.) Studies on the Flora and Vegetation of High Mountain Areas,
Jerusalem: IPST, 1965. Transl. of Materialy po izucheniyu flory i rastitel'nosti vysokogoriy,
1960.
Sukachev V.N. & Dylis N. Fundamentals of Forest Biogeocoenology ,
Edinburgh & London: Oliver & Boyd, n.d. Translation of Osnovy lesnoy biogeotsenologii ,
Moscow: Nauka, 1964.
Suschkin P.P. Die Vögelfauna des Minussinsk Gebietes, des westlichen Teils des
Sajan Gebirges und des Urjanchen-Landes, Moscow, 1913.
Sushkin P. List & Distribution of Birds of the Russian Altai and Nearest Parts of
North West Mongolia, with a Description of New or Imperfectly Known Forms, Leningrad,
1925. In Russian & English.
Syroechkovski E.E. (ed.) Wild Reindeer of the Soviet Union, New Dehli: Amerind,
1984.
Takhtajan A. Flowering Plants: Origin & Dispersal , Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd,
1969. Translation of Proiskhozhdeniye pokrytosemennykh rasteniy, 2nd ed., Moscow, 1961.
Teplyakov V.K., Kuzmichev Ye.P., Baumgartner D.M., Everett R.L.
A History of Russian Forestry and its Leaders, Pullman WA, USA: Dept of Natural
Resource Sciences & Cooperative Extension, Washington State Univ., 1998.
Thienemann J. Rossitten: drei Jahrzehnten auf der Kurischen Nehrung, 2nd edn,
Neudamm: J.Neumann, 1928. The early history of the Rybachi ornithological station. In German.
Tischler F. Die Vögel Ostpreußens und seiner Nachbargebiete, Koenigsberg/Berlin:
Ost-Europa- Verlag, 1941. In German.
Tolmachev A.I. Vascular Plants of the Siberian North and the Northern Far East,
Jerusalem: IPST, 1969. Trans.from Russian. Originally published Moscow/Leningrad, 1966.
Tolmachev A.I. Flora of the Russian Arctic (vol.1: Polypodiaceae-Gramineae),
Edmonton, Alberta: Univ.of Alberta Press, 1995. Translation of vols.1 & 2 of Arkticheskaya
flora SSSR (Flora Arctica URSS); the Russian edition consists of vols.1-10, 1960-87.
Tolmachoff P. Siberian Passage: an Explorer's Search into the Russian Arctic,
New Brunswick: Rutgers Univ.Press, 1949.
Trevor-Battye A. Ice-bound on Kolguev, London: Archibald Constable, 1895.
Tzvelev see Vascular Plants of the Russian Far East.
Uspenski S.M. The Bird Bazaars of Novaya Zemlya (Translations of Russian Game
Reports, vol.4). Canada: Ministry of Northern Affairs & Natural Resources, 1958. Transl.of
Ptichiye bazary Novoy Zemli, 1956. ‘Bird bazaar' is a curious transl.of 'ptichi
bazar' (sea-bird colony).
Uspenski S.M. Life in High Latitudes: a Study of Bird Life, New Dehli: Amerind,
1984, and Rotterdam: Balkema, 1986. Transl.of Zhizn' vysokikh shirot: na primere ptits,
1969.
Tzvelev N.N. see Vascular Plants of the Russian Far East.
Vascular Plants of the Russian Far East, vol.1, Lycopodiophyta, Juncaceae, Poaceae (Kharkevich S.S., chief editor; Tzvelev N.N., volume editor). Enfield (NH), USA and Plymouth, UK: Science Publishers Inc. Translation of 1985 Russian edition.
Vernadski V.I. The Biosphere, New York: Copernicus 1997 or '98. This is the
first full English translation of Vernadski's 1926 book; annotated. Note: the publication of
this translation is to be welcomed, since the book is undoubtedly important despite being
badly written, repetitive, and expressed mostly in generalisations and abstractions. (I once
tried to translate it, but soon gave up.) Unfortunately this edition is not the definitive
translation of Vernadski's Russian text, since it has been embellished to make it more
readable and (inexcusably) more up-to-date. When James Lovelock wrote his Gaia: a New Look
at Life on Earth, published in 1979, he was not aware of Vernadski's work. It is tragic
that, owing to poor communication between different sections of the international scientific
community and the lack of a translation (although an article in English did appear in
American Scientist in 1945), Vernadski's contribution could not be acknowledged until it
was too late to be of much use.
Vernadski V.I. The Biosphere: an abridged version based on the French edition of
1929, Oracle, Arizon: Synergistic Press, 1986. A heavily doctored and unscholarly edition.
Vevers G.M., Pinner E. Animals of the USSR, London: Heinemann, 1948. A
brief introduction to the main mammals and a handful of birds, reptiles and fish; halftone
illustrations by Erna Pinner.
Viktorov S.V., Vostokova Ye.A., Vyshivkin D.D. Short Guide to
Geo-botanical Surveying, Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1964.
Volkov A.E. (ed.) Strict Nature Reserves (Zapovedniks) of Russia, Moscow:
Sabashnikov, for Russian Research Institute of Nature Conservation, and Biodiversity
Conservation Centre of the Socio-ecological Union, 1996. List of zapovedniks with address,
phone number, director and deputy director, year of formation, area, and 'Chronicle of
Nature' data for 1991- 92.
Walter H., Box E.O. [half a dozen long articles on deserts, the Caspian Lowland
and the Pamir], in Goodall, vol.5 Temperate Deserts & Semi-deserts (ed.N.E.West), 1983,
pp.9-270.
Weiner D.R. Models of Nature: Ecology, Conservation and Cultural Revolution in
Soviet Russia, Bloomington: Indiana Univ.Press, 1988. Describes the history of conservation
1900-35; Russian version published 1991.
Weiner D.R. ‘The changing face of Soviet conservation', pp.252-273 in Worster D. (ed.)
The Ends of the Earth, Cambridge UK: Cambridge Univ.Press, 1988.
Weiner D.R. A Little Corner of Freedom: Russian Nature Protection from Stalin to
Gorbachev, Berkley: Univ.of California Press, 1999.
Whitehead P.F. ‘Observations of the biota of the Middle Lena River, Yakutia, USSR',
Quarterly Jnl of Forestry, LXXVIII, no.2, April 1984.
Wilson A.M., Moser M.E. Conservation of Black Sea Wetlands: a Review &
Preliminary Action Plan (IWRB publication 33), Slimbridge UK: IWRB, 1994.
Wolfson Z. (= Boris Komarov) The Geography of Survival: Ecology in the Past Soviet
Era, Armonk, NY, and London: M.E.Sharpe, 1994, 160 pp.
Yakovlev G.P., Sytin A.K., Roskov Yu.R. Legumes of Northern Eurasia:
a check-list, Kew: Royal Botanic Garden, 1996. Covers former Soviet Union and Mongolia.
Yanitsky O. Russian Environmentalism: Leading Figures, Facts, Opinions, Moscow:
Mezhdunarodnyye Otnosheniya Publishing House, 1993. Obtainable in USA from Erin O'Neill at
ISAR, 1601 Connecticutt Ave, NW, Suite 301, Washington, DC 20009. (rcn 1 p.15)
Yudakov A.G. & Nikolayev I.G. Ecology of the Amur Tiger, Moscow: Nauka, 1987. English translation by Katharine Lofdahl and Alex Shevlakov available (Sept.2004) at www.5tigers.org and www.tigers.ru (page www.tigers.ru/books/ecolog/title_en.html).
Zabelina N.M. et al. Zapovedniks & Natural Parks of Russia, Moscow: Logata,
1998. In Russian and English; short accounts of the 99 zapovedniks and 33 national parks in
Russia at the time of publication; with some colour photographs. Produced by the ‘Zapovedniki'
Ecocentre in Moscow.
Zaitsev Yu., Mamaev V. Marine Biological Diversity in the Black Sea: a Study
of Change and Decline (Black Sea Environmental Series vol.3). NY: United Nation Publications,
1997. Well produced and the best up-to-date general introduction to Black Sea ecology.
Zhadin V.I., Gerd S.V. Fauna & Flora of the Rivers, Lakes & Reservoirs of
the USSR, Jerusalem: IPST, 1963.
Ziegler C.E. Environmental Policy in the USSR, Amherst: Univ.of Massachusetts
Press, 1987.
Zlotin R.I. ‘Geography and organisation of high-mountain ecosystems in the former USSR',
in Goodall, vol.3 Polar & Alpine Tundra (ed.F.E.Wielgolaski), 1997, pp.133-60.