Asymmetry and symmetry of valley-river of landscape and technical systems

Abstract

The aim of the article is to consider the manifestation of landscape asymmetry and symmetry within the valley-river landscape and technical systems, which are confined to the flat part of Right-Bank Ukraine, on the basis of a generalized spatial and temporal analysis. Methods. The study is based on the ideas of F. M. Milkov on anthropogenic landscapes and «Pierre Curie principles»: the universality of symmetry, the forced symmetry and dynamism of symmetry, which were adapted in physical geography. Scientific novelty. In practice, application of the principles of symmetry and asymmetry has been widely implemented in landscape design and architecture in the design and construction of gardening landscape. In modern Ukrainian landscape science, this issue is only beginning to be considered at both theoretical, and practical levels. Individual publications are devoted to this problem, but there is no detailed research where asymmetry and symmetry of valley-river landscape and technical systems would be analyzed. Practical value is determined by the introduction into the practice of working with landscape and technical systems of universal principles of symmetry and asymmetry, which will make it possible to find effective ways of rational use of natural resources. Research results. It was noted that in the study of landscape and technical systems in them it is worth to distinguish elements of symmetry and asymmetry – auxiliary geometric images (points, lines, planes) in respect of which equal parts of geographical objects are repeated in a certain way. In complex landscape and technical systems basic engineering structures often play the role of such geometric images. It is noted that the leading role in the formation of the asymmetry of valley-river landscapes is played by the anthropogenic factor. Under its influence, natural landscape asymmetry can radically change. Depending on the development stages of landscape and technical systems, possible variants of landscape asymmetry and symmetry transformation from natural to anthropogenic are analyzed. On the example of valley-river landscape and technical systems of Right-Bank Ukraine (reservoirs, ponds, canals and bridges), manifestations of anthropogenic landscape asymmetry and symmetry are considered. Based on our own field research and spatial and temporal analysis of the economic development of river valleys of Right-Bank Ukraine, a model for the development of a typical pond valley-river landscape and technical system in the Southern Bug basin was developed, where one can observe the process of landscape asymmetry complication in various respects. The most typical variant of transformation is the one in which the natural landscape asymmetry changes into anthropogenic and manifests itself at all stages of development. It is concluded that the violation of geometric images of valley-river landscape and technical systems occurs as a result of the ineffective activity of the control unit. Consideration of individual properties of asymmetry and symmetry of valley-river landscape and technical systems is necessary for solving many problems associated with environmental management and the optimization of such systems. To this end, it is necessary to increase the attention of modern geographers and landscape scholars to study the problems of the influence of asymmetry and symmetry on the structure, dynamics and stability of landscape and technical systems.