Taking into account regional environmental conditions in the functioning of road landscape- engineering systems

Abstract


 
 
 We analyzed the effects of regional and local natural conditions on the process of construction and functioning of road landscape-engineering systems (RLES) – modern actively developing operating roads with the required infrastructure. It has been reported that compared with other anthropogenic landscapes, those of roads do not receive sufficient attention from environmental geographers and landscape scientists, especially regarding the impact of regional and local nature condi- tions on their functioning. On the example of a region, which is specific according to natural conditions and landscape structure – Podillia, we analyzed three natural factors that significantly affect the functioning of RLES in the region, particularly the manifestation of unfavourable processes in them. These factors include broad distribution (72% of the territory of Podillia) and thick layers of loess rocks (up to 5-7 metres), high differentiation of the surface and cloudburst pattern of atmospheric precipitations. Those factors create preconditions for the development of unfavourable processes in the RLES, especially if this is aggravated by poor planning of their construction and irrational exploitation of RLES of Podillia. In more details, it was analyzed in two natural areas of actively function- ing road landscape-engineer systems: Khmelnytsky-Vinnytsia (outskirts of Yakyshyntsi village) and Vinnytsia-Uman (outskirts of Voronovytsia town). We should note that the impact of local peculiarities of the natural conditions and unfavourable processes they had caused often depend on confinement of the RLES to two of the most dynamic types of landscape in Podillia – slopes and floodplains. Manifestation of local peculiarities of natural conditions and landscape complexes was analyzed on the example of Podillia`s com- monest slope-type habitats – ravine tracts that intersect the road landscape-engineer systems. The paper demonstrates that regional and local peculiarities of natural conditions of Podillia and their impact on the functioning of road landscape-engineering systems should be considered against the background of expression of zonal natural factors and current conditions of the development of society. Taking into account regional and local natural peculiarities in the process of construction and functioning of RLES is one of the realistic ways to ensure long and safe rational exploitation.