In heterogenous natural landscapes the heavy metals are distributed
creating diverse biogeochemical provinces. They are intrazonal by character
and confined to areaswith different distribution degrees of chemical
elements (and their compounds) to be specifically interacted with
living organisms. The concept of biogeochemical provinces has been
first formulated by Vinogradov (1957). Kovalsky (1982) studied in detail
the interaction between different organisms (crops, animals,
human) and biogeochemical indices of their habitat. As a result of biogeochemical
zonation at the territory of the former USSR, 14 biogeochemical
provinces have been distinguished according to surplus or
deficit of microelements in natural habitats (Kovalsky, 1982). Having
used the data about the living organisms in natural habitats, Kovalsky
(1982) was the first to determine an optimal (threshold) level of microelement
content in the environment (prototype of the currently used
maximum allowable concentration or critical load). The areas have
been distinguished by him to show insufficient or abundant content of
microelements caused harm to living organisms including higher and
lower plants, zoocoenoses, and microbiocoenoses. At present, there
are provinces that provide a breeding ground for endemic diseases
due to deficiency or abundance of chemical elements in rocks and