Cartographic Analysis Research Articles

Characterization and Classification of Some Soils Adjacent to the Southern of Al-Najaf Sea – Iraq

The study area was selected in the Najaf Governorate. It's adjacent to the southern part of Al- Najaf Sea and its area ​​(17150.5 ha), located between the longitudes 425594E and 445138E and between the Latitudes 3521842N and 3538169N (UTM), it's covered the soil types and its geomorphological units which located within the sedimentary environment of Al- Najaf Sea. The semi details soil survey was carried out to selected area for study by grade soil system and according to soil texture examination results, ten heterogeneous sites were selected and geographically determined using a GPS device. In every study area, the pedon was digger and morphologically soil units soil units descripted. The samples were then taken from each diagnostic horizon and transferred to the laboratory for some chemical analysis and physical measurements. According to the results, the soil of the study areas was classified from the level of the order to level the family according to the American system (2014) and was completed to the level of the series based on the classification system of soil proposed by Al-Aqadi (1976 and 1982). The lands of the region were classified according to the productive capacity proposed by Klingebiel and Montgomery (1961).
 The results showed that there is a variation in the morphological characteristics, whether within the single pedon or the study area, due to the effect of the topographic factor, which was reflected in the characteristics and thickness of the horizons and the nature of their arrangement and the accompanying characteristics of each horizon. The pidogenical processes, mainly washing, loss and gain, salinization have been reflected in the presence of some subsurface diagnostic horizons like the calcic, gypsic and salic horizons, with the supremacy of the primordial evolution diagnostic surface horizon, represented by the Ochric horizon. The results of the texture class showed a difference in the soil content of the soil separators indicated that there was a difference in the soil content of the soil from the main soil separators, depending on the topographical location. The results of the cartographic analysis of the texture class map for the first meter indicated the dominance of moderately fine varieties (43.6%), while the coarse texture showed lowest percentage(5.3%). The studied soils was different with carbonate content and had a different distribution with depth due to the effect of situational conditions. The values ​​of this component ranged from 145 to 500 gm.Kg-1, the state of variation in the distribution pattern of this component in the study pedons is consistent with the state of variation in the calcification activity and the observed elevation of this
 component values in the sub-surface horizons due mainly to the nature of the parent material. The soil content of the gypsum ranged between 6 to 665 gm.Kg-1, with a general trend of high soil content of this component with depth. The percent of sodium exchange percentage was ranged between 3.2 to 8.4, and did not exceed the risk limits (15%). Classification of studied area showed existence two soil orders, The majority was within Aridisols order, which formed (92.5%)from studied area. The most common great soil groups were Typic Calcigypsids(44.75%), followed by Gypsic Aquisalids (29.53%), Typic Aquisalids (5.76%), Leptic Haplogicids (6.42%) and Typic Hapiogpsids by 6.04%. The Entisol order formed 7.5%, diagnosed in great sub group under the Typic Torrifluvents. The classification of the study area lands according to the determinants of productivity indicated that the IV class had the highest percentage of the total area (48.19%), while the I class did not exceed (5.23%). The following determinants were recorded: the texture, the drainage, salinity and gypsum percentage, which emphasizes the need to take the necessary administrative measures when exploiting these agricultural lands in the future.
 

Banking service quality literature: a bibliometric review and future research agenda

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to perform a meta-bibliometric analysis of the banking service quality and to provide various research streams. Another goal is to provide future research questions to explore these areas in more detail.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used three major academic databases (Scopus, ProQuest and EBSCO) from 1980–2021 and found 226 papers, where they performed the meta-bibliometric analysis by performing co-citation analysis, co-authorship analysis, cartographic analysis and content analysis.FindingsThe SERVQUAL model is the most used conceptual framework and model to study banking service quality. Structural equation modeling (SEM), followed by partial least squares SEM, is a majorly used method. There are three research streams in the literature: retail banking service quality, internet banking service quality and mobile banking service quality. Retail banking is the most studied stream, whereas mobile banking is the least studied stream. The study on banking service quality was initially conducted in developed markets, and later in emerging markets. All three streams have scope for further exploration, and hence, 44 future research questions have also been proposed.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has implications for bank managers, academicians and future researchers.Originality/valueThis study is unique in that it examines the meta-bibliometric dimensions of banking service quality and provides directions for future research for academicians and researchers.

Value co-creation in business-to-business context: A bibliometric analysis using HistCite and VOS viewer.

Value co-creation (VCC) recently displayed a significant increase in the frequency of publications in business studies and social sciences. Our study objects to explore the current state of VCC research in the business-to-business (B2B) context, principally in the marketing field. This research article extracted research papers on VCC in the B2B context published in the last two decades through the Web of Science (WoS). Initially, we applied HistCite to determine the research dynamics of VCC articles and then VOS viewer to conduct bibliographic coupling and cartographic analysis. Furthermore, we found the most co-occurred keywords in the abstracts, titles, and keywords. Our research explored that the United Kingdom was the most important country with 27 publications and 594 citations. Aarikka-Stenroos L was the most influential author, among his research is a systematic review which revealed that scholars of B2B journals adopted the term business "ecosystem" and studied the implications of ecosystem perspective in business and innovation networks and received the most citations. Industrial Marketing Management (IMM) was the most influential journal because it published 8 of the 10 most cited articles. One hundred and six out of 121 publications were in Business research and seventy-six were in management area, which made it the most hot and critical research area. Lappeenranta University was the most essential organization in VCC research based on the most records published and second-highest citations. Four research streams have emerged which indicate the prominent role of VCC in the B2B context (1) VCC and relationships, (2) VCC and organizational capabilities, (3) VCC and actors' engagement at various platforms, and (4) VCC and processes. Our research paper provided a base for conceptualizing publications related to business, management, operations research management science, and social sciences interdisciplinary on VCC in the B2B context. Content analysis has revealed that research work on VCC in the B2B context is at an early stage in the marketing arena. Along with bringing some sort of consensus regarding researchers' opinion toward the nature and modality of VCC literature and process in the B2B context, we urge future research to focus on how relationships and their precursors can be efficiently utilized to co-create and enhance value within B2B interactions. We also request future research to focus on making the VCC process sustainable and viable both on a time and economical basis. Organizations can involve customers and producers to work jointly to co-create value for their goods and services with negligible cost to achieve higher market shares and a competitive edge over rivals. This might be the first bibliometric study conducted on VCC in the B2B context (there are some Bibliometric VCC publications, but they are not B2B-specific, our research is the first Bibliometric study conducted on VCC in the B2B context) in the marketing field and can expose novel avenues for future research.

Manuscript Map of Illyricum, 1663, in the Pontifical Croatian College of St Jerome

In the Pontifical Croatian College of St. Jerome in Rome, a manuscript geographic map of Illyricum is kept, drawn in 1663 by the architect and geographer, Pietro Andrea Buffalini of Rome. Cartographic analysis of this map has been carried out on several occasions, and the ecclesiastico-legal and historico-geographic context of its origin analysed. As contribution to previous research on the 1663 map of Illyricum, the depiction of the coast on that map is cartometrically compared with that on geographic maps and nautical charts from the late 16th century and the first half of the 17th. On the basis of these analyses it is confirmed that, with the 1663 map of Illyricum, a qualitative step forward was taken in depicting the northeast coast of the Adriatic. In addition, on the basis of research into available written data sources, it is concluded that Ivan Lučić made a key (co)authorial contribution to the shaping of the geographic content of this manuscript map.

Влияние размещения экономических ресурсов на особенности пространственной организации России

Distribution of economic resources across Russian regions has attracted wide attention due to its significant impact on economic growth potential. Despite numerous approaches to the definition and classification of economic resources, there is no unified comprehensive methodology for assessing their spatial distribution and influence on spatial organisation of the national economy. Therefore, this article aims to study the organisation of the Russian economic space by identifying areas of resource concentration in regions, their spatial relationships and impact on socio-economic development. To this end, index and statistical methods, correlation and regression analysis, cartographic analysis are applied. In accordance with the modern strategic approach to the spatial development of Russia, the study examines the macro-regional level. Natural resources, human capital, and economic development indices were calculated in order to assess the distribution of economic resources and formation of layers (natural, social, productive) of the spatial framework of Russia. These indices are based on socio-economic indicators of Russian regions for 2010 and 2021. To determine areas of resource concentration, a correlation and regression analysis of the influence of indices as a numerical expression of layers of the spatial organisation was performed. A synthesis of the formed layers revealed the following Russian macro-regions of concentration of various economic resources and potential backbone regions of the spatial framework: Central (Moscow, Moscow and Kaluga oblasts), Ural-Siberian (Yamalo-Nenets and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous okrugs, Tyumen oblast), Central Black Earth (Voronezh and Belgorod oblasts), Northwestern (St. Petersburg, Leningrad and Murmansk oblasts). The findings can be used to identify ways to improve the organisation of the Russian economic space, increase the effectiveness of regional development policies and expand the methodology for assessing and forming other spatial layers of the economy.

Change of the urbanized and agricultural landscape in the Nemunas loops regional park

Protected areas are established to protect areas that are valuable from a natural or cultural point of view. Landscape change is inseparable from human activity, as humans rapidly change the landscape by urbanizing it or expanding the areas of cultivated land. In recent years, the areas of anthropogenic landscape in the natural landscape are increasing more and more, the urbanized landscape is expanding as cities expand, and the agricultural landscape is expanding as a person constantly expands the areas of arable land and intensifies agriculture. These areas are also increasing in protected areas. This work examines how and why the land cover changed in the Nemunas Loop Regional Park and its buffer zone during the period 1995-2018. CORINE land cover data were used to assess land cover change. Various research methods were used to determine the changes – analysis of scientific literature, online sources and information publications, cartographic analysis and comparative analysis. After analyzing the data, it was found that changes took place both in the regional park and outside of it, but more of them are observed in the buffer protection zone, and not in the regional park itself. This is because the park is divided into zones of functional priority, and they determine what and where human economic activity is allowed, so there have been a little fewer changes in the park territory because the territory of the regional park has more conservation-type territories, where human economic activity is strictly limited. In the buffer protection zone, human activity is not so strongly restricted, so more changes have taken place there, and there are more cities in this zone, so more intensive urbanization is observed here. Changes in the Nemunas loop regional park were determined by economic, social, and political reasons. The territory of the regional park changed during the global economic crisis, agricultural areas decreased, but forests and other natural areas increased, which indicates that the land cover could have been influenced by economic changes in the country. After changing the boundaries in the protected area, changes in the land cover are also evident, currently, the nature reserve of Punia šilo has been expanded, as a result of which the areas of cut forests in Punia šilo should decrease.

DYNAMICS OF THE FOREST LANDSCAPE IN THE MIKEMBO SANCTUARY: 20 YEARS AFTER ITS CREATION AS A FLORA AND FAUNA CONSERVATION RESERVE, UPPER-KATANGA, DR CONGO

Remote sensing is very important for conservation and biodiversity research and applications. For instance, it can be used for monitoring changes in ecosystems. Objective: The objective of this paper was to analyze the change in the forest landscape of Mikembo Sanctuary between 2002 and 2022 using satellite imagery. Method: Supervised classification by maximum likelihood algorithm was performed and helped to differentiate 3 land use classes. Results: The cartographic and statistical analysis show that land use dynamics of the study area are dominated by an increase in forest and a reduction in bare soil. The forest increases with 0.78 km2 (18.04% of the study area) and therefore had a rate of change of more than 32.25%. Conclusion: It has been demonstrated that the Miombo woodland, specially Mikembo Sanctuary is capable of regenerating naturally or by assisted means. Encouraging people for using alternative solutions is necessary to ensure the sustainable forest management and utilization.

ОБЗОР ЭПИЗООТИЧЕСКОЙ СИТУАЦИИ ПО ЧУМЕ МЕЛКИХ ЖВАЧНЫХ ЖИВОТНЫХ В МИРЕ С ПРИМЕНЕНИЕМ КАРТОГРАФИЧЕСКИХ ИНСТРУМЕНТОВ

Plague of small ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious, transboundary disease. This emerging disease, along with bluetongue, is most frequently reported among small ruminants. The PPR pathogen can infect up to 100% of susceptible animals. The disease occurs most often in hyperacute, acute, and subacute forms, while from 30 to 70% of patients die. In this regard, the purpose of this work was to analyze the current epizootic situation of PPR in the world from 2018 to 2022. Primary data on epizootic outbreaks of plague of small ruminants for the period 2018-2022 in the world were taken from the international FAO Empress database. Statistical data processing was carried out using the tools of the Microsoft Excel 2016 program. Cartographic analysis of the PPR epizootic situation was carried out using ArcGis 10.4 GIS software. The authors of this article carried out a cartographic analysis of outbreaks of the disease under study, from which it follows that most of the PPR outbreaks are concentrated in Africa and Asia. The most affected regions are in the zone of North Africa (Algeria, Morocco), as well as Asia (Mongolia and the People's Republic of China). The results of data analysis showed that more than half (59%) of all PPR outbreaks in the world were registered in 2019. 15% in 2018, 13% in 2021, 7% in 2020. The PPR stationarity index for the period under review was 0.6 in Algeria, Israel, China, Morocco; in Bulgaria, Libya, Mongolia - 0.4; in the rest of the above territories by 0.2, respectively.

Cartographic analysis of anthropogenic impact on the Faya forest in Mali

Cartographic analysis of anthropogenic impact on the Faya forest in Mali

Spatial differentiation of rural territories in the Kaliningrad region: implications for socio-economic policies

The article analyses the challenges associated with the development of rural areas in the Kaliningrad region. The author analyses trends in the development of agriculture, population dynamics, and settlement patterns, while also exploring their interconnectedness and external impacts. The research draws upon comparative-geographical, economic-statistical, and cartographic analyses utilizing official statistical data. The study reveals that since the early 2000s, agricultural production in the Kaliningrad region has been outpacing the national average growth rate. This is primarily attributed to the advancement of larger organisations, while the growth rates of household and small-scale farms remain comparatively low. This development trend is underpinned by a surge in labour productivity accompanied by a substantial reduction in the workforce. Consequently, rural residents are increasingly seeking alternative employment opportunities, either moving to urban areas or engaging in a different type of economic activities. Contrary to the situation in most regions of the Russian Federation, the rural population of the Kaliningrad region is growing. This growth is facilitated by an influx of individuals from other parts of Russia and other countries. Following the polarisation theory, population growth is driven by municipalities in the western part of the oblast, while eastern rural territories are losing population due to both natural decline (common to the oblast as a whole) and migration. Eastern municipalities have the demographic potential to increase the working-age population, while the western part of the oblast does not. The region has been implementing a policy of support for rural territories, especially for the peripheral eastern municipalities. However, there is a need for the policy to be further reinforced, alongside the development of a comprehensive spatial development strategy for the region. The article outlines proposals in this regard.

Confessional structure of the population of the Russian empire at the turn of the 19–20 centuries: statistical and geographical analysis

The study of the confessional structure of the population in the post-Soviet space using geographical methods is currently a rare phenomenon. One of the reasons is the extreme lack of reliable statistical data reflecting the confessional structure of the population. Far from every population census conducted over the past decades in the former Soviet republics included questions about the religious affiliation of the population. The results of the first All-Russian population census, which was conducted in 1897, were used as a key source of statistical information. The article presents the results of a statistical and cartographic analysis of the territorial structure of the confessional composition of the population of the Russian Empire at the level of provinces and regions with some refinements at the county level. This information most fully reflects the religious diversity of the Russian Empire at different territorial levels. According to the results of the census, the following religions existed in the Russian Empire: Orthodoxy with co-religionists, Old Believers, Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism, Armenian Gregorianism, Armenian Catholicism, Reformed, Mennonites, Anglicans, Baptists, Karaites, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, paganism, etc.

Картографический анализ обеспечения доступности амбулаторно-поликлиничных организаций городов-миллионников УрФО

Introduction. The article is devoted to identifying features of spatial placement of health clinics in megacities and assessing the degree of compliance/ deviation with standards of pedestrian accessibility. Methods. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research is scientific ideas in the field of regional economics, spatial and normative analysis. Scientific novelty of the research consists in as- sessing availability and saturation of territories by health clinics, in the context of features of their spatial placement, taking into account the estab- lished regulatory requirements. Results. The place of the megacities of Ural Federal District among the megacities of Russia has been determined according to the conditions affecting availability of health clinics for the population. When carrying out a cartographic analysis of spatial placement of health clinics in Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk, district features of the cities studied were established, which made it possible to identify the existing problem areas characterized by an im- balance in the level of infrastructure facilities acces- sibility in relation to the regulatory requirements. The authors show the uneven coverage of clinic service areas, which reduces pedestrian and transport accessibility for citizens when receiving medical services. The features and differences of territorial localization of clinics in the actively built- up areas of Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk are revealed. Conclusions. The results obtained can be applied in the framework of determining priorities for implementing spatial transformations of studied territories and the authorities’ decision-making in order to increase medical services availability.

РОЛЬ ГЕОДЕЗІЇ В МОНІТОРИНГУ ГЕОЛОГІЧНИХ ПРОЦЕСІВ ТА ПРИРОДНИХ КАТАСТРОФ ДЛЯ ПОПЕРЕДЖЕННЯ НЕГАТИВНИХ НАСЛІДКІВ

The purpose of the study is to analyze the contribution of geodetic methods and technologies to the detection, assessment and monitoring of geological processes and natural disasters in order to minimize their dangerous consequences for society and the environment. Research methodology. remote sensing of the Earth, the use of satellite images and aerial photography to collect data on geological processes and the state of the environment. Method of geodetic monitoring. tracking changes in the position of objects over time, which allows detecting soil micromovements, potential landslides and other deformations. GIS technologies (geoinformation systems). Integrating and analyzing geodata to model geological processes and natural disasters, creating thematic maps that can display potential risks and assist in response planning. The results. The task of monitoring geological changes and natural disasters using cartographic methods designed to work with many users has been set and solved, significantly increasing the level of safety and prompt response to emergency events. An important aspect in the implementation of geodetic observations is the use of an integrated approach that includes field research, geodetic analysis and remote sensing data. This ensures higher accuracy and efficiency of monitoring. Scientific novelty. The research focuses on identifying effective approaches to the collection, processing and analysis of spatial data that can be used for timely prediction and prevention of catastrophic events, as well as for emergency response planning. The developed adapted model of risk assessment of natural emergency situations, which is based on the analysis of terrain conditions at various times, allows to increase the accuracy of risk assessments. Practical significance. The use of remote monitoring methods ensures prompt receipt of information and the possibility of taking measures for nature protection in a timely manner. The conceptual model made it possible to identify the factors of man-made influence, assess the condition of soils and vegetation, as well as perform a cartographic analysis of disturbed lands in order to develop measures for their restoration. The created thematic maps of the dynamics of disturbed lands serve as a basis for making management decisions aimed at systematic restoration and reduction of negative man-made impacts, opening up new perspectives for the use of interactive technologies in geodesy.

A Cartographic Analysis of Subject Status in Root SV(O) and VS(O) Orders in Algerian Arabic

This paper investigates word order derivation in root clauses in Algerian Arabic (AA) with a focus on preverbal and postverbal constituents. The data is collected from audio typed recordings of natural ongoing speeches of 40 Algerian informants. Four cartographic frameworks are applied: Rizzi’s (1997) Split-CP system, Frascarelli and Hinterhölzl’s (2007) topic typology, Kiss’s (1998) contrastive-information focus dichotomy and Belletti’s (2004, 2005) model of the low periphery. Empirical evidence shows that preverbal elements can have three readings: genuine subject reading, topic reading, or focus reading. Unlike Rizzi (1997) who assumes that topic is a unique category, and in line with Frascarelli and Hinterhölzl’s (2007), three kinds of topics are licensed in the AA left periphery: non-recursive aboutness topic, recursive familiar topics and non-recursive contrastive topic. AA left periphery hosts only contrastive focus, and informational focus occurs in lower positions. Empirical evidence also shows that AA manifest a low IP area containing low topic and low focus. Different arguments are used to support this view: the behavior of the copula ‘ka:na’, floating quantifier and the behavior of the exclusive particle ‘bark’.

Advanced views regarding the post‐virgin land geographical space of Eurasia and Russia in the light of current land reforms

Aim. To analyse the consequences of the virgin lands (1954‐1963) agrarian‐social megaproject, and of current land reforms. To elaborate contributions to the Russian post‐virgin land space development strategy.Material and methods. Historical records and sources, field geographical observations data and survey information have been used. The convergence principle, cartographic, comparative historical and comparative typological analyses, expert assessment and the logical method of generalizations have been applied.Results. A notion concerning the cumulative consequences of the largest agrarian‐social megaprojects, such as the Virgin Land campaign of 1954‐ 1963 and land reforms in Russia and Kazakhstan in the 1990s, has been developed. The actual socio‐economical and ecological problems of post‐ virgin land areas have been examined. A differentiated assessment of the self‐reconstruction potential of the steppe is given. The value of a system of formed steppe cores is demonstrated through the example of post‐ virgin land space in the Orenburgskaya oblast and a series of recommendations on these rational utlisation of these cores is proposed.Conclusion. The post‐virgin land space in Russia is characterised by a series of acute agroecological and conservational problems, such as poor development of adaptive animal husbandry and fodder production and priority accorded high risk dry crop farming. The realisation in practice of agronomy extensive approaches based on irreversible natural resources mobilization and on soil consumptive commercial crops expansion are accompanied by topsoil degradation. Under current conditions, the conservation and restoration of title (key) steppe biological objects and the more effective realisation of post‐virgin land space developmental potential both require urgent strategic initiatives by the Russiann Federation Government.

Towards the new Common Agricultural Policy for Biodiversity: custodian farmers for sustainable agricultural practices in the Apulia region (South of Italy)

The international debate on biodiversity has become increasingly explicit and predominant in different disciplinary fields, requiring efforts especially on a regional scale. The future Common Agricultural Policy will be integrated and strategically connected with the objectives of the Green Deal and biodiversity protection, requiring new approaches, especially at local level. Through a review of the international literature and programming documents, the path of a significant case in the south of Italy, the Apulia region, characterized by a progressive loss of biodiversity in agriculture, will be traced. The regional government has launched a significant initiative called “custodian farmers” within the framework of the CAP in the two programming cycles 2007-2013, 2014-2020 for the protection and maintenance of biodiversity. Using a combination of different sources, we will focus on this initiative to evaluate its weight and significance at the regional level through cartographic analysis. The results will be critically analyzed and will provide reflections for the future.

Informativeness of the Long-Term Average Spectral Characteristics of the Bare Soil Surface for the Detection of Soil Cover Degradation with the Neural Network Filtering of Remote Sensing Data

The long-term spectral characteristics of the bare soil surface (BSS) in the BLUE, GREEN, RED, NIR, SWIR1, and SWIR2 Landsat spectral bands are poorly studied. Most often, the RED and NIR spectral bands are used to analyze the spatial heterogeneity of the soil cover; in our opinion, it is outmoded and seems unreasonable. The study of multi-temporal spectral characteristics requires the processing of big remote sensing data based on artificial intelligence in the form of convolutional neural networks. The analysis of BSS belongs to the direct methods of analysis of the soil cover. Soil degradation can be detected by ground methods (field reconnaissance surveys), modeling, or digital methods, and based on the remote sensing data (RSD) analysis. Ground methods are laborious, and modeling gives indirect results. RSD analysis can be based on the principles of calculation of vegetation indices (VIs) and on the BSS identification. The calculation of VIs also provides indirect information about the soil cover through the state of vegetation. BSS analysis is a direct method for analyzing soil cover heterogeneity. In this work, the informativeness of the long-term (37 years) average spectral characteristics of the BLUE, GREEN, RED, NIR, SWIR1 and SWIR2 bands of the Landsat 4–8 satellites for detecting areas of soil degradation with recognition of the BSS using deep machine learning methods was estimated. The objects of study are the spectral characteristics of kastanozems (dark chestnut soils) in the south of Russia in the territory of the Morozovsky district of the Rostov region. Soil degradation in this area is mainly caused by erosion. The following methods were used: retrospective monitoring of soil and land cover, deep machine learning using convolutional neural networks, and cartographic analysis. Six new maps of the average long-term spectral brightness of the BSS have been obtained. The information content of the BSS for six spectral bands has been verified on the basis of ground surveys. The informativeness was determined by the percentage of coincidences of degradation facts identified during the RSD analysis, and those determined in the field. It has been established that the spectral bands line up in the following descending order of information content: RED, NIR, GREEN, BLUE, SWIR1, SWIR2. The accuracy of degradation maps by band was determined as: RED—84.6%, NIR—82.9%, GREEN—78.0%, BLUE—78.0%, SWIR1—75.5%, SWIR2—62.2%.

Modern trade relations between the Republic of South Ossetia and Russian regions: Features, trends, barriers, risks

Touches upon the foreign economic interactions of the partially recognized states - the Republic of South Ossetia. The development of states that have arisen, as a rule, as a result of armed conflicts, and are designated in world practice through variousterms (unrecognized states, secessions, de facto states, etc.), has a constant scientific interest. In recent years, research has been updated in the search for factors and mechanisms of self-development of such states, which does not imply absolute economic and social isolation, therefore, one of the mechanisms is external relations and trade interactions. The purpose of this study is to substantiate the features, trends, barriers and risks of export-import relations of the republic with the regions of the Russian Federation. The study was conducted using methods of empirical analysis of statistical data, as well as normative and cartographic analysis and presentation of results. The main sources of analytical information were the site data ru-stat.com. The period of the analysis is January 2013 - January 2022. The analysis revealed the current features and trends of trade relations between Russia and South Ossetia, including the transition of the customs authorities of South Ossetia to the standards of the Eurasian Economic Union; an increase in import volumes and tax revenues from it. There are three types of barriers to increasing imports to Russia - transport and logistics, institutional, and structural. The emergence of certain risks of the foreign trade relations with Russia is not excluded, in particular, the occurrence of pandemics like COVID-19, exchange rate fluctuations of the Russian currency, sanctions pressure. In general, the republic has long-term trade relations with Russian regions, primarily in terms of imports. Nevertheless, the Government of the Republic faces the strategic task of strengthening and increasing trade interactions.

From Dasein to the Posthuman, Or toward a Rhizomatic-Coexistence-in-an-Open-World

Abstract This article presents a brief mapping of Martin Heidegger’s theory of Dasein within the critical posthumanism framework. Adopting a cartographic analysis, it maps some similarities and differences between Heidegger’s fundamental ontology and critical posthumanism. It relies especially on Braidotti’s posthumanist arguments and theories to explain both the relational and transversal features of Dasein (in the posthumanist framework) and the weak anthropocentrist ones (in Heidegger’s fundamental ontology). In this paradigm, the Heideggerian concept of Dasein is situated both beyond and between classical humanism and weak anthropocentrism, given that Heidegger is deconstructing the metaphysical dialectic of binary oppositions (between human and animal), while remaining anchored in some type of weak anthropocentrism. Relying on a posthumanist and post-anthropocentrist methodology, the posthuman convergence twists the existential inquiry of Dasein and opens up a vitalist–materialist and immanent approach to the posthuman. This attracts the conceptual deterritorialization of Dasein (from its existential paradigm) and its reterritorialization in an open materialist process ontology of becoming, toward the posthuman, which is situated on the basis of an immanent, rhizomatic, transversal, and symbiotic movement given by our multiple belongingness to this material world, which relies on relational assemblages with human/non-human others, the environment, the Earth, and so on.

LANDSCAPE DIVERSITY OF THE TERRITORY OF THE TOBOL RIVER BASIN WITHIN THE KOSTANAY REGION

The relevance of the study of landscape diversity has become one of the current directions of modern geographical research, allowing to obtain new scientific and practical results in the field of nature management and environmental protection. A comprehensive study and assessment of the diversity of the landscapes of the region is due to the increasing anthropogenic impact on its natural environment. The transformation of natural landscapes in the study area is associated with the raw materials orientation of its economy. As a consequence of the development, we have a wide variety of degrees and types of modifications of natural geosystems. The main results of the assessment of the landscape diversity of the territory of the Tobol river basin within the Kostanay region, performed using GIS, are presented. Landscape diversity evaluation performed using series of landscape diversity indices: uniqueness, relative wealth, landscape mosaic, landscape complexity, landscape fragmentation and the entropy measure of the complexity of landscape drawing (The Shannon index). The factors that determine the landscape diversity of the study region are considered. The results of cartographic analysis of the landscape diversity of the region are presented. A map of the landscape diversity of the territory of the Tobol River basin within the Kostanay region according to the Shannon diversity index has been compiled.