Technogenic transformation of the Lena River floodplain near Yakutsk and assessment of landscape disturbance

Abstract

The Tuymaada Valley located in the Yakutsk region represents the most developed region within the Lena River fllodplain. Landscape studies conducted here between 2016 and 2022 revealed a significant level of technogenic transformation: 30.4 % of its sites showed a high and moderate degree of disturbance. The primary driver of landscape development was the transformation of forested areas into meadows due to centuries of grazing in the floodplain. The current trend in evolution involves replacing agricultural stows with residential ones, leading to an increase in mechanical disturbances to the landscape structure. Water protection dams have removed significant areas of the left bank floodplain from the flood zone. Consequently, some of its stows become swamped, while others transform into dry wastelands with low-value steppe meadows. Currently, at the investment justification stage, the issue of providing comprehensive protection for the entire left bank of the Tuymaada valley from the adverse effects of floods and inundations is under consideration. For its continued growth, it is essential to implement not just protective measures but also environmental and improvement measures for both existing and new urban, rural, and economic-technical zones on the developing technogenic terrace.