Assessment of the geo-ecological potential of the landscape districts (on the example of Sumy region, Ukraine)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the life potential support of the population, which reflects living conditions of the population in specific geosystems (on the example of the Sumy region, Ukraine). The main purpose of the article is to assess the geo-ecological potential of the regional landscape structures, namely the landscape districts of the Sumy region. The article highlights the theoretical and methodological foundations of the geoecological potential research, substantiates the theoretical aspects of the of “geo-ecological potential” concept, describes in detail the methodology of assessing geo-ecological potential, which is evaluated on the basis of natural geosystem potential, geosystem sustainability potential and technogenic geosystem load. The assessment of the natural potential of the Sumy region landscape districts (based on the humidity coefficient, the sum of active temperatures above 10°C, hydrothermal potential of phytomass productivity, annual precipitation, adverse natural processes such as landslides, flooding, rising groundwater levels, erosion, dry winds, hail, fogs) is conducted and the levels (low, below average, average and high) of the natural potential are defined. Three districts of the environmental sustainability of the regional landscape districts are established on the basis of component-by-component assessment of the meteorological potential of the atmosphere, surface water and soil sustainability potential, as well as biotic potential: below average, average and above average. The indicators of the population density of the region, coefficient of the territorial production concentration, economic development of lands (agricultural lands, built-up lands and open lands without vegetation), environmental pollution of the region (radiation and chemical air pollution, pollution of natural waters and soils) and the integrated indicator of technogenic load, which allows to establish the following levels of the technogenic load on the landscape districts of the region: below average, average and above average, are analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the assessment of the geo-ecological potential, which allows to establish 5 levels, of which only 3 are presented in Sumy region, based on which areas of geo-ecological potential of the landscape districts are identified: below average, average and above average and a map of the geo-ecological potential areas is created. It is established that the indicator of the geo-ecological potential of the landscape districts of the Sumy region ranges from 0.05 Psel-Vorskla landscape district (below average level) to 1.07 Esman’-Kleven’ landscape district (above average level). It is established that the higher the values of the natural potential and sustainability of the natural environment and the lower the indicators of technogenic load, the higher are the values of the geo-ecological potential.