corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences (2003) at the Biological sciences department. Section of general biology, background "General biology", director of the Polar-Alpine botanical garden-institute of the Kola Science Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, born in 1952, Russian, Dr.Sci.(Biology).       V.K.Zhirov is known as a scientific leader in the field of adaptation and ageing of plants. Personally by himself and under his management a number of fundamental studies have been carried out in the field of the role of age variability of the photosynthetic mechanism in the determination of adaptation strategy of a plant organism which has allowed to change essentially the traditional concepts of the formative role of ageing processes and physiological age in the onto - and phylogenesis of vascular plants. The most important scientific results V.K.Zhirov has received when studying a wide range of plants species, both native and introduced in the North, of various life forms and resistance to the impact of adverse natural and man-induced factors of the environment. Based on the extensive experimental data and long-term field observations he has developed an original concept of the trigger role of free-radical oxidation membrane lipids as a mechanism, connecting the function of growth, dormancy and ageing and determining the basic strategy of responses to the change of conditions of the environment.

      During the research he has carried out it has been established for the first time, that damages of plants from extreme factors of the North are connected with the increase of activity of free radical oxidations processes and some peculiarities have been studied of these reactions passing in a wide range of macroeffects from the physiological norm up to the manifested external damages. The revealed differences in adaptive biochemical reactions of various organs of perennial plants provide a possibility of a synthesis of classical and modern physical and chemical biology concepts at the determination of general regularities of a plant organism evolution.
      When studying hormonal mechanisms of plants resistance, V.K.Zhirov first proved the existence of an alternative and evolutionary more ancient mechanism of inhibitory hormones formation via an oxidizing disintegration of yellow pigments. The substantiation of the important role of this mechanism in adaptations of plants to extreme conditions of the environment and its dependence on the age condition of a plant organism represent a considerable step in the creation of synthetic theory of morphogenesis in plants, which fundamentals had been laid by N.P.Krenke in the first half of the twentieth century.
      Practical implementation of the concept by V.K.Zhirov are new methods of diagnostics of plants stress, which were applied in the research of agricultural plants growing in the Murmansk region. In terms of application the possibility of predictive assessment of resistance and efficiency of plants on the basis of the methodical approaches developed by V.K.Zhirov is also of great importance for the biodiversity preservation in northern regions and - especially - in the conditions of global climatic changes.
      V.K.Zhirov is wide known among botanists-physiologists and experts in agricultural plant growing of the Scandinavian countries and Finland. Since 1994 he has been organizer of ecologic-physiological and agroecological research of PABSI under international projects with participation of universities of Turku (Finland) and Tromso (Norway), botanical gardens of Tromso and Svanhovd (Norway), Arctic Centre Rovaniemi (Finland), Agrarian University of Sweden.
      V.K.Zhirov is the author of 112 research papers, including 5 monographs — “Albuminous composition and membrane lipids of introduced plants in the Polar region”, “Dormancy and winter hardiness of plants in the Far North”, ”Age-related modifications of plants in connection with adaptations and stress”, “Adaptations and age variability of plants in the north”, “Ethology of multilevel systems of stability of introduced and autochthonous woody plants”.
      V.K.Zhirov regularly presents the results of his research at forums of various level. Among them we can note All-Russia meetings in St.-Petersburg (1993); Puschino (1996); Moscow (1998, 1999); Petrozavodsk (1999, 2000); international symposia and conferences in St.-Petersburg (1991, 1992, 1993); Donetsk (1993); Oppdahle (Norway, 1993); Tromso (Norway, 1995, 1995); Prince-George (Canada, 1995); Rovaniemi (Finland, 1995); Vienna (Austria, 1996); Inari (Finland, 1996); Vilnius (Lithuania, 1996), Prague (Czechia, 1999), Anchorage (USA, 1999), Ulyanovsk (2001), Voronezh (2002).
      V.K.Zhirov successfully combines research work with scientific-organizational, administrative and teaching activity.
      From 1988 he was the head of research on physiology of plants at PABSI, first, as the head of structural group of physiology and immunology, from 1991 – the head of laboratory, which he had organized again, (since 2002 – a sector) of physiology and biochemistry. From 1992 to 1997, inclusive, he occupied the post of the PABSI deputy director for scientific work. In 1998 he was elected the PABSI director and a member of the Presidium of the Kola Science Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Since 1999, besides, he has been the head of department of experimental ecology of PABSI.
      In 1998-2002 under the leadership of V.K.Zhirov traditional studies in introduction, local flora, physiology, soil science and floriculture were intensified due to some new staff members and were further developed, including the general expansion of the scope of PABSI scientific activity. Some new scientific directions were formed (agroecology, biophysics, zoology), the number of doctors and PhD holders, post-graduate students grew, and the publishing activity was extended. The economic situation was stabilized and the material base of the institute was consolidated: the reconstruction of energy supply systems was carried out, new laboratory buildings started to be used, some new vehicles were acquired, the basic collection nurseries were modernized, and the network of stations and testing sites was enlarged.
      V.K.Zhirov pays a great deal of attention to practical implementation of scientific achievements of PABSI and to the development of applied research. Under his leadership, the works for development of new technologies of floriculture under cover has become much more active and the production of ornamental plants has grown.
      While attaching a great importance to educational activity of the institute under the program of integration with higher education institutions, V.K.Zhirov is engaged in the considerable work of developing PABSI interaction with local, federal and foreign universities. On his initiative, a training-scientific centre was established at PABSI, including the museum of history of botanical research in the Polar region and a base for summer students’ trainings and ecological schools, which has been used in the recent years by more than 10 Russian and foreign higher education institutions.
      V.K.Zhirov has been engaged in the active teaching activity and has been preparing highly skilled staff members. He holds professor posts at the Murmansk state pedagogical university and the Murmansk state technical university (MSTU). He is the head of geoecology chair (the base chair for PABSI), at the Apatity branch of MSTU. He was in charge of the preparation of 3 post-graduate students and 1 applicant. Under his leadership and with his participation as an adviser 2 doctoral and 2 master theses have been defended, 1 doctoral thesis has been prepared for defense.