Geoecological Zoning Research Articles

Geoecological effects of the outflow of 11-T Gunyushki geothermal well in the territory of the Chechen Republic

The purpose of the study is a geoecological assessment of the effect of groundwater flowing from geothermal wells through an energetically saturated coolant with its mineral component on natural and natural-economic components as well as on the structure of the entire enclosing landscape for the case of 11-T Gunyushki well of the Chechen Republic (Russia). The impact of the mineralized waters outflowing from geothermal wells on natural and natural-economic components and on the whole structure of the entire enclosing landscape is a challenging environmental problem for all oil and gas regions of Russia. Long-term outflow of thermal water from the well under consideration resulted in landscape trans-formation and suppression of the vegetation cover. Moreover, a stable source of pollution was formed in the place where untreated water from hand-crafted balneological facilities (baths, showers) was discharged that caused a radical restructuring of plant communities. The conducted research is based on the field data obtained by a team of authors on landscape mapping. Interpretation of high-resolution satellite images has shown the dynamics of landscape changes under the influence of thermal waters. The authors took water and soil samples and questioned local residents, which made it possible to adjust the scale and possibilities of using these waters. The research performed allowed to develop a physical-geographical profile, create a landscape map of the area affected by a geothermal well and an index map of the geoecological zoning of the area under investigation as well as identify the main types of the most transformed landscapes resulting from the combined impact of several anthropogenic factors (humidification and impact on the soil and vegetation cover). Conducted study has shown that more than 120 hectares of fertile lands were withdrawn from agriculture due to the anthropo-genic impact. The analysis of the index map of geoecological zoning demonstrates that 79 % of the territory is located in the zone of a weak indirect environmental impact, 7.14 % – in the zone of a strong indirect environmental impact, 13.5 % – in the zone of a strong direct environmental impact. The latter, requires reclamation in order to restore landscapes, since it undergoes desertification. Having performed a number of chemical analyses of water, the authors gave recommendations for the further use of thermal waters in the economy of the Groznensky region.

Methodology for Analyzing the State of the Natural Environment of the Plain Territories of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation

The purpose of the study is to develop a methodology for integrated geoecological zoning of the northern plain territories of the Russian Federation based on digital elevation models. Geomorphometric elevation parameters have been calculated to take into account: a) exogenous factors; b) endogenous factors – the coefficient of discrete- ness and energy intensity, fault density and the function of crushing the Earth’s crust. Such an integrated approach has no analogues and allows taking into account the impact on the state of the environment of exogenous and endogenous, climatic and other natural factors at the global, regional and local levels. As a result, a methodology for integrated geoecological zoning of the northern plain territories of the Russian Federation was developed on the basis of modern digital elevation models using GIS technologies and maps of geoecological zoning.

Geoecological zoning of the territory to assess the impact of municipal solid waste landfills on adjacent agricultural land

The paper shows that as a result of scientific study, original geoecological zoning of agricultural areas was developed to take into account and evaluate the impact of pollutants contained in the soil cover on the geoecological potential of the analyzed area. Zoning uses original criteria not previously used for these purposes, which also determines the novelty of the proposed study. The results of this zoning during the implementation of proposed works on the assessment of the territory will have critical and promising significance. This is determined by the fact that the proposed zoning will allow not only obtaining new, previously not used geoecological characteristics of the analyzed territory, but also assessing the geoecological stability of territorial complexes from the point of view of both a natural and an economic object in conditions of active impact of negative anthropogenic activity. The use of the proposed zoning is illustrated by the effect of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill on adjacent agricultural land. As shown in the above example, such zoning, along with the above, will allow determining the possibility of promising (planned) environmental and economic use of each of the allocated territorial zones taking into account the content of heavy metal salts in the soil with the development of methods and techniques for rehabilitation and restoration of the territories of these zones. The obtained zoning results may also be used for spatial correction, including the selection of locations for MSW landfills, incinerators, points of observation (monitoring) of the spread of pollutants, as well as the basis for initiating lawsuits related to the violation of the ecological state of territorial facilities and the geoecological state of the territory as a whole. The most important result of using the method of zoning agricultural areas described in the paper is the possibility of using the geospatial properties of the land to solve the economic and environmental problems of the country - the strategic task of its sustainable development.

Ecological and hydrogeological state of oil and gas bearing areas of the Barents and Kara seas shelf

The article deals with the ecological and hydrogeological conditions of the hydrogeological structures in the Barents-Kara shelf. Based on the hydrogeological and geoecological state of the Barents-Kara shelf, geoecological hazards were considered and distributed within the oil and gas regions of the West Siberian and East Barents oil and gas provinces. Preliminary geoecological zoning was performed and eco-geological zones were identified on the territory of first-order hydrogeological structures corresponding to the borders of several oil and gas-bearing regions of the East Barents and West Siberian oil and gas-bearing provinces. Thus, the current geoecological state of the Barents-Kara shelf was assessed. When drawing up the map of geoecological hazards, the hazards of technogenic origin caused by human economic activity and natural origin were taken into account, in particular, the influence of the neotectonic mode on the territory of the Barents-Kara shelf.

Geoekologicheskoye rayonirovaniye akvatorii morskogo porta Arkhangel'sk pri provedenii dnouglubitel'nykh rabot

Based on point classifications, methods for geoecological zoning of water areas during dredging have been developed. Fourteen factors and quantitative indicators of their assessment are proposed characterizing the degree of negative influence of dredging on the ecological state of water areas. An expert assessment of the influencing factors significance was carried out. The weighting coefficients of the factors were calculated by the ranking method. Geoecological zoning of the seaport of Arkhangelsk water area in the Northern Dvina mouth area was carried out during dredging operations by means of a point-rating assessment of the water area. The areas most susceptible to the negative effect of dredging are those with the largest observed volumes of annual sediment accumulation (sea canals in the estuarine seashore zone (Mudyug canal)) and those with the highest level of pollution of waters and bottom soils (water areas with active harbour and other technogenic activities (Bakaritsa)). Delta areas, in particular the Maimaksan channel, have the most favorable conditions for dredging with the least possible negative impact on the ecological situation. With regard to the mentioned objects, a verbal-numerical scale of geoecological assessment has been compiled. The method can be recommended for use in all tidal estuaries of rivers in the Arctic seas.

Информационно-картографическое обеспечение исследования потенциальных трансформаций геосистем для цифрового атласа «Байкальский регион: общество и природа»

Based on the electronic atlas “Baikal Region: Society and Nature”, the problem of landscape-cartographic support for studying the transformations of vast territories is being solved. The transformation of geosystems is understood as changes in the natural environment due to spontaneous development or anthropogenic interference. In this context, potential and actual transformations are distinguished. The research of potential transformations is associated with a geographic forecast of possible changes in the state of the environment due to external impact, and current transformations include an assessment of its current ecological state. The area under investigation includes the territory of the Baikal basin, and the northern regions of Mongolia. This aspect is realized through the integration of a multitude of geographical data on the structure of natural systems, their sustainability and trends of anthropogenic transformations into a single target cartographic information system (CIS). The main requirement for the content of the target block of maps is the reliability of the results of a comprehensive research and their evidentiality if used to make management decisions to optimize the environment. A logical and methodological coherence of small-scale target mapping of the natural environment of a vast territory has been developed. The analysis of natural structures was carried out and a basic inventory map of geosystems of scale (M 1:5,000,000) was created. We developed a set of geosystem characteristics and carried out an environmental interpretation of information and integrated environmental mapping, aside from that implemented geoecological zoning of the territory. Based on the information synthesis of the obtained data and knowledge about the modern landscape structure of the region, the methods of polysystem analysis, we revealed the nature of sustainability, functions, value characteristics of geosystems and the patterns of their anthropogenic transformations. The presence of a single set of maps will provide a study of questions about potential and relevant transformations of geosystems. The small-scale maps of the Baikal region, compiled in a certain sequence on the basis of a single structural-hierarchical specialized classification, reflect a complex of environmental conditions that are important for making constructive-geographical, design, managerial, and environmental decisions.

Geoecological zoning of modern geological objects composed of technogenic soils. Distribution of Zn, Cu, Pb, Fe, Hg and As in technogenic dispersed soils and bottom sediments

The article presents a new methodology for the internal differentiation of technogenic objects (ash and slag dumps) based on ecological and geological studies of soils, bottom sediments, surface and underground waters, based on the allocation of three zones with various permissible types of nature management in their territory. The first zone (I) is the territory directly connected with the technogenic object (the bottom of the dump); the allocation of borders of the first kind is justified by the data of the cadastral division of land and the results of route surveys. The second zone (II) is the territory of the active manifestation of the impact of the object, which has a visual manifestation (the area of wind separation, the area of accumulation of solid surface runoff, the zone of drying or inhibition of the natural stand and growth), at the initial stages of the process of natural assimilation of exposure and/or at the initial stages of regression, first of all, phytocenosis. The third zone (III) represents the territory of active natural assimilation (general dispersion and/or concentration on natural geochemical barriers) of ash and slag material products (primarily, scattering flows of heavy metals and other pollutants). An analysis of the results of this work made it possible to specify the types of environmental protection measures that are carried out depending on the identified geochemical zones, the use of which—within the framework of projects of improvement and environmental monitoring of the sanitary protection zone—will significantly reduce the costs of nature users. The rationalization of the economic and legal components is associated with a decrease in the areas for a specific type of work, and all the activities of the nature user in the controlled territory.

Environmental Quality Assessment of Urban Areas Using Geoinformation Technologies (on Example of the Cities of Central Russia)

On the example of the urbanized territories of Central Russia (the cities of Voronezh, Lipetsk, Kursk, Belgorod, Tambov and others) geoecological aspects of environmental quality are considered. The content of anthropogenic pollutants in natural environments has been estimated. In the GIS environment, the levels of environmental risk for the population of large cities are calculated. A comprehensive geoecological zoning of the studied urbanized territories was carried out. Based on geoinformation technologies, a scheme of environmental and geochemical monitoring of an industrialized city has been developed.

Geoecological Zoning of the Northeastern Caspian

The article analyzes the role of the landscape structure of the northeastern Caspian region in the development of geoecological processes. The goal of the study was to conduct geoecological zoning of the northeastern Caspian based on a study of the main factors determining the nature and intensity of the development of modern landscapes and the main geoecological processes: the altitudinal and geomorphological differentiation of the territory that has developed during the long history of the development of the region; significant periodic fluctuations in the level of the Caspian Sea; and development in the region of economic activity, including the oil industry. A map of the spatial differentiation of geoecological processes in the landscapes of the northeastern Caspian was compiled based on their study within various anthropogenic modifications in six key areas. The spatial distribution of geoecological processes in the landscapes of the studied region was determined by direct and indirect deciphering features with synthesized multizonal satellite images from Landsat 5 and 7. Based on this map, a map of the geoecological zoning of the northeastern Caspian region was compiled via geoinformation mapping in the ArcGis 10.3 program. The map contained 25 geoecological regions and 127 subareas—territorial subdivisions (subspecies of modern landscapes) differing by the same type of natural (landscape) and anthropogenic factors of their formation. These factors determine the geographical distribution and the prevalence of certain geoecological processes.

Geoecological Assessment of Anthropogenic Impacts on the Osetr River Basin

This paper presents the results of a geoecological assessment of the human-induced impact on the geosystem components of the Osetr river basin in the Moscow region. To assess the surface water quality of this river basin, hydrochemical surveys were conducted which included the determination of parameters such as the pH index, water temperature, the amount of dissolved oxygen (O2), electrical conductivity, salt content, COD (chemical oxygen demand), BOD5 (biochemical oxygen demand for 5 days), etc. Within the framework of ecological monitoring, a reconnaissance survey of the dam in Zaraysk was conducted, during which the basic ecological indicators were determined. The assessment was performed to assess the radiation, chemical, sanitary, epidemiological, and physical–ecological risk factors. The work resulted in geoecological zoning of the middle part of the Osetr river basin based on water pollution levels (WPI—water pollution index, SCWPI—specific combinatorial water pollution index), the amount of human-induced impact, and the human-induced load (point-rating method), using definitions of five categories of river channel sections with human-induced load and ecosystem conditions.

Geoecological Analysis of the Effects of Pipeline Transport on the Environment of Transit Regions (Voronezh Region, Russia)

Aim. To analyse the anthropogenic impacts of pipeline transport systems on the environment. The main objectives of the study include: determination of the typology of the impacts of pipeline geosystems, assessment of the geo-ecological risk for natural landscapes of the Voronezh Region and the development of geo-ecological mapping of the territory indicating the degrees of influence of pipeline transport on the environment. Material and Methods. In order to comprehensively assess the influence of the oil and gas economy, a method of fractional differentiation of the Voronezh Region has been developed for identifying regional zones according to the degree of environmental risk using a points system and subsequent calculations. Results. Geo-ecological zoning was developed of the risks of the impacts of the regional pipeline system on the environment together with the mapping of negative natural processes. An algorithm for methodical statistical calculation is proposed, including indicators of regional risk levels, the ratio of negative processes in the area of pipeline transportation, the degree of environmental friendliness of the pipeline system, and an integral indicator of the risks of influence of pipeline transport. Conclusions. The research revealed the geo-ecological situation in areas influenced by pipeline transport in the Voronezh Region. The authors have developed a program for the organisation of environmentally safe pipeline transport and have proposed an algorithm for using GIS technologies for quick analysis of the degree of risk. The rehabilitation of land disturbed by the regional pipeline system has also been taken into account and a program proposed to optimize the functioning of the system in the context of the region's social, ecological and economic challenges.

Methodology of the geoecological functional zoning of territories subjected to anthropogenic disturbance due to waste disposal

In the present contribution, the geochemical relationships of territorial units (landscapes), namely sewage sludge disposal sites and historical municipal solid waste landfills, that can be considered as chemical elements migration models and as dynamic components of ecological-geological systems (landfill site adjacent area recreation area)., is described. Since the study of pollutants migration in multicomponent systems is extremely time-consuming, the development of theoretical methods, able to simulate these processes, is of particular relevance. Therefore, in the present study, a geochemical model for substance migration in anthropogenically modified geoecological bodies and their surrounding was conceived, making use of complex mathematical processes and data analysis methodologies (parallel use of factor, cluster, canonical and discriminant analysis tools), and considering both geochemical specialization/composition of parent rocks and land use (functional geoecological zoning).

Геоэкологическое зонирование акустического воздействия на окружающую среду при разработке месторождений флюсовых извест-няков

The aim of the article is to study the specifics of the acoustic impact on the environment arising during the drilling and blasting operations in the quarry of mineral resources. An experimental study was conducted on the Sokolsko-Sitovskoye fluxing limestone deposit, geographically located in the Lipetsk region. Method. Analysis of the results of field noise level measurements and geo-ecological zoning based on them. Results. The result of the work is geo-ecological zoning, based on the author's field research, statistical analysis and graphic modeling. Conclusion. Features of environmental management in this area create the need for organizing and conducting integrated earth acoustic studies that contribute to the development and implementation of environmental protection measures. The article is for the specialists in the field of environmental protection.

Current Problems in Organizing Water Protection Zones at Water Bodies: Case Study of the Uglich Reservoir

A retrospective review of the current scientific publications on the problems of water protection zones at water bodies is given. The content of regulations on water protection zone in the RF Water Code 2006 now in force is interpreted. The legislations regarding the establishment of water protection zones and riparian buffer strips at water bodies in Russia and other countries are compared and analyzed. The technologies and specifics of the development of geoinformation system “Water Protection Zone and Riparian Buffer Strip of a Water Body” are demonstrated as applied to determining the boundary of the water protection zone and riparian buffer strip for the Uglich Reservoir. Assessment of the anthropogenic load onto a drainage basin within the water protection zone of the Uglich Reservoir and a method for geoecological zoning of its territory are considered as an example.

Geoecological zoning of developed territories

Geoecological zoning of developed territories

Карта геоэкологического районирования Сибири

Карта геоэкологического районирования Сибири

Scientific-innovational principles of geoecological zoning of administrative territories of Belarus

Scientific-innovational principles of geoecological zoning of administrative territories of Belarus