Characteristics of geoecological conditions in the river mouths of Vaigach Island during the summer low-water period

The authors have considered the geoecological characteristics of the mouths of small rivers the Krasnaya, Varkul’yakha, Drovyanaya and Taleyakha in the southern part of Vaigach Island in summer. For this island, as well as for other Arctic islands, the most typical is the presence of lagoon-type river mouths. The authors have analyzed the obtained data in accordance with the requirements of the marginal filter model developed by academician A. P. Lisitsyn. They have revealed that in the lagoon estuaries there is a superposition of gravitational, coagulation-sorption and biological stages in a small area and a higher degree of metal accumulation in algae compared to bottom sediments. To prevent the ingress of toxic elements into seawaters through river mouths during the destruction of permafrost on the Arctic islands, the researchers suggest creating phytobarriers from algae adapted to a wide range of salinity fluctuations.