Botanical Gardens of Western Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Georgia

938 Botanical Gardens of Western Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Georgia change chambers. Other PABG laboratories investigate the effects of air pollutants (mainly SO2 and particulates) and the cultivation and use of nonsymbiotic, nitrogen-fixing Cyanobacteria as soil amendments. The region’s soils are acidic (pH 3.5–5) and of poor agricultural quality, thus requiring large amounts of fertilizer and lime. This poor soil quality is exacerbated by the smoke stack and waste water output of aging smelters on the Kola Peninsula. Travel to the PABG from Murmansk takes one past a nickel smelter surrounded by a smoking, reeking wasteland of twisted, stunted trees, slag piles, and acrid pools— grim testimony to the historic lack of environmental concern displayed by rulers seeking industrial output at all costs. Contacts: L.M. Lukyanova (director) and Alexander Choorikov (vice director), 84230 Botanical Garden, Kirovsk, Murmansk Region, Russia; phone 011 + 7 + 02-04-75.