Картографирование антропогенных нарушений на территории природного заказника «Воробьевы горы» (г. Москва)

Abstract

Specially protected natural areas in urban area are significant elements of green infrastructure, since they not only serve as a buffer zone or biodiversity conservation hotspot but also provide a large number of ecosystem services (mainly regulating, supporting, and cultural). At the same time, natural geosystems of protected areas in urbanized territories experience a complex negative anthropogenic impact: chemical and physical pollution, reduction of unsealed territories, violation of the landscape aesthetic, etc. “Vorobyovy Gory” nature reserve in Moscow on the picturesque slopes of the Moscow River valley has a unique biodiversity for a large city (more than 35 species of herbaceous plants and the same number of bird species living in the specially protected natural area are listed in the Red Book of Moscow), as well as a rich historical and cultural heritage. However, nowadays the nature reserve is under great anthropogenic pressure associated, among other things (such as air pollution, surface runoff, etc.), with changes in the land-use structure (construction of a new sports complex, installation of additional lighting poles, laying of new roads), installation of artificial landscape lighting systems, etc. All this leads to adverse changes in “Vorobyovy Gory” nature reserve ecosystems, which can lead to the loss of its conservation functions. The analysis of land-use dynamics on intensively transformed areas of the nature reserve was presented, endangered species of plants and animals were identified in this work. Maps of anthropogenic objects and detected ecosystem disturbances in the “Vorobyovy Gory” nature reserve (including the area affected by landscape lighting) were made.