Можно надеяться, что в ближайшее время появятся новые монографического плана публикации по результатам исследований наземных и морских экосистем в рамках проектов 3-го МПГ. Эта книга – только начало. Редколлегия благодарит Ю.И. Ивакину, И.С. Янтарову и А.В. Дьяконову (ММБИ) за большую помощь в подготовке материалов к печати.

Articles of this volume open a series of publications of Russian polar researchers from leading resewarch institutions of the Russian Federation who participate in the study of terrestrial and marine ecosystems of the Arctic – the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute KSC RAS, the Institute of Geography RAS, the Zoological Institute RAS, the Institute of Oceanology RAS, the Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden-Institute (PABGI) KSC RAS, the all-Russian Research Institute for Environmental protection, the Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology of the Ural Branch of RAS, the Extreme North Agricultural Research Institute and some others. There are preliminary complementation results of some IPY projects which are included in the international and Russian national programs as well as in long-term studies of terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

According to the resolution on the 3rd International Polar Year 2007–2008 running which was adopted by the WMO Congress the main effort for cooperation within the implementation of its tasks was anticipated for the current definition and assessment of future changes in climate and environment of polar areas. For the first time in the IPY practice wider directions of polar research and the inclusion in the IPY scientific program of projects related to research, assessment and monitoring of polar marine and terrestrial biota and ecosystems, and natural and anthropogenic factors affecting them were considered.

Taking this into account in 2005 within the framework of the Programme for Fundamental Research of RAS Presidium and the Department of Earth Sciences RAS directions of various integrated research of the Arctic and the Antarctic were formulated. The research of marine and terrestrial ecosystems was touched upon as well. Special meetings devoted to IPY preparation which were conducted in 2005 and 2006 have shown a high potential of RAS scientific institutions and Federal Service of Russia on Hydrometeorology and Monitoring of the Environment (Roshydromet) and their willingness to conduct researches in this direction.

In 2006 the IPY Interagency Research Coordination Committee was created for participation of the Russian Federation in the preparation and conducting of activities of the International Polar Year (IRRC) under the leadership of I.E. Frolov. The Commitee included representatives of leading institutions of the Russian Federation, conducting polar researches. Last meetings of IRRC determined the range of issues of this body, figured out ways to coordinate researches in the Arctic and Antarctic and expertise of proposals to the IPY national scientific program. The core array of proposals into the direction «Terrestrial and marine ecosystems of the Arctic and the Antarctic» (co-leaders G.G. Matishov and A.A. Tishkov) of the IPY National scientific program, which have passed a long coordination and approval, was consistent with goals, objectives and priorities of current polar researches of biota and marine and terrestrial ecosystems. All selected projects (over 50) represented the world level, were competitive in the «scientific market» of the polar research, had a real chance to perform works and to get a striking result at the end of the IPY in Russia.