Mountain Relief Research Articles

Планово-высотная параметризация типов рельефа для диагностики опасных гравитационных процессов

The authors present the results of a comprehensive geomorphological analysis of the mountain relief types in the middle part of the Verkhnyaya Angara basin (lake Baikal region) for geoinformation diagnostics of dangerous gravitational processes. The relevance of the study is due to the increasing importance of the Baikal-Amur Mainline; the novelty lies in the fact that a high-precision plane-and-height assessment of the Baikal basin northern part’s hard-to-reach areas. The physical and geographical characteristics of the studied territory are given, tectonic and geological features of the relief formation are indicated. For the metric assessment and subsequent mapping of the terrain in the Arc GIS software environment, a digital model of the studied territory and raster coverings of morphometric parameters of slope and exposure were created based on isolines and elevation marks of the topographic base scale 1:100000. In the process of analyzing the model and geomorphological decoding of the arch-block mountains, the planned-altitude metric parameters of relief types with their characteristic forms and elements, morphometric properties with determining factors of formation and development of gravitational processes were established. High-mountain erosion-exaration-, denudation-erosion-; medium-mountain erosion-denudation-, denudation-erosion- and low-mountain denudation relief types are distinguished. For geomorphometric analysis and diagnostics of slopes, reference polygons characterizing the types of arch-block mountains relief, possessing certain geophysical properties and features were selected. To visualize each polygon, slope mapping-and-exposure was performed, as well as a satellite image was presented. As a result of the conducted research, a typical set of dangerous gravitational processes was identified for each type of relief, as well as their possible intensity, which can create risks of economic activity in mountainous areas. The results of the study can be used in design work for the modernization of the Baikal-Amur Mainline and the development of new mineral deposit

MODERN TRENDS AND INNOVATIONS IN THE MODERNIZATION OF RAILWAY LINES BASED ON EXPERIENCE IN THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA

The modernization of the Bulgarian railways has been underway for over 20 years. Hundreds of kilometres have been rehabilitated with funds from the European Union. The aim is to join the main Trans-European network, according to Regulation No. 1315/2013 [1] of the EU. Given the complex mountainous relief, the specific engineering objects are now the design and construction of a large number of tunnels (in the Sofia-Plovdiv section alone, over 16 tunnels are planned, the longest of which is 6 km long); the design and construction of railway bridges, some of which have unique dimensions; the rehabilitation of bridges; and the construction of drainage facilities, including drains, ditches, and culverts (some of the culverts have a unique length of about 80 m). The report analyses the main railway projects with a critical analysis of strengths and weaknesses, according to the EU cost-benefit analysis methodology. The analysis presented in this report is unique for Bulgarian railways, as it includes a large volume of projects in the field of designing and building railway infrastructure according to European and world rules, which have not been used in Bulgaria until now. This is only the first stage of scientific research, which involves collecting data, examining the data, and building a working hypothesis. After the completion of the construction (supposedly by around 2029), there will be measurements of the railway and a diagnosis of its condition. At this time, data will be collected again, and the credibility of the presented hypotheses will be verified. The conclusions will serve for the more adequate preparation of the technical assignments for future infrastructure projects in the field of railways.

Background activity of naturally occurring and reference values of fallout radionuclides in soils of mountainous areas (Armenia)

ABSTRACT Complex mountainous relief and diverse geology that are common for the whole territory of Armenia are strong limiting factors for regional scale geochemical survey, for assessment of the geochemical background of naturally occurring radionuclides (226Ra, 232Th, 40K) and reference values of artificial 137Cs. Sampling transects spanned by altitude in mountain ridges and massifs, representing the main geological formations of the area, are informative enough for a pilot assessment of background and reference activity of radionuclides in soils. A total of 131 undisturbed soil samples were collected from 8 mountain ranges and massifs throughout Armenia. HPGe detector-based gamma spectrometry was used for the quantification of radionuclide activity concentrations. Geology and soil type were the main factors in the formation of radionuclide composition in the soil. The reasonably close estimates of naturally occurring radionuclide background activity were obtained from the application of ‘Median ± 2MAD’ and Tukey’s boxplot methods. The results yielded by both methods could be employed as a background, contingent upon the specific objectives being addressed. The distribution of 137Cs exhibits strong dependence on the altitude and therefore, its reference activity concentrations were estimated at distinct elevation intervals applying the ‘Median ± 2MAD’ method.

The impact of climate on relief in the northern Japanese Alps within the past 1 Myr–The case of the Tateyama mountains

The impact of climate on mountain relief is often questioned, mainly due to the difficulties of measuring surface processes at the timescale of glacial-interglacial cycles. An appropriate setting for studying mountain erosion in response to Quaternary climate change is found in the Tateyama mountains in the Hida mountain range (northern Japanese Alps) due to distinct geomorphological features. The Japanese Alps uplifted within the past ∼1–3 Myr and experienced multiple glaciations during the late Quaternary. We use ultra-low temperature thermochronometers based on the luminescence of feldspar minerals from 19 rock samples and the electron spin resonance (ESR) of quartz minerals from 8 rock samples, in combination with inverse modelling to derive rock cooling rates and exhumation rate histories at 104–106 year timescales from three transects in the Tateyama region. While luminescence signals have already reached their upper dating limit, ESR signals (Al and Ti centres) yielded ESR ages of ∼0.3–1.1 Ma, implying surface processes active in the Pleistocene. Based on a negative age-elevation relationship, local relief reduction at a cirque-basin scale is identified over the past 1 Myr, whereas a positive age distribution with elevation for samples close to the mountain top does not follow this trend. Inverse modelling reveals rock cooling rates on the order of 20–70 °C/Myr, with slightly faster cooling for cirque-floor samples, which equate with erosion rates of 0.5–1 mm/yr that exceed rates from periglacial and slope processes in the same locality. Thus, our data suggest that Quaternary climate change coupled with distinct surface processes modified the slopes of the Tateyama mountains leading to a localised decrease in relief within an individual cirque basin over the second half of the Quaternary.

Defining the term watershed to reflect modern uses and functions as inter- and intra-connected socio-hydrologic systems

Despite the many programs focused on watershed education, the watershed concept is poorly understood, which can lead to a number of wide-ranging consequences from poor watershed planning and policy to inaccurate scientific studies. We argue that the definition of the term watershed, and the images that accompany the definition, contribute to these misunderstandings. The definition has remained very much the same since it was first documented in Europe in the mid-18th century. However, watershed uses and functions have evolved considerably in the past three centuries, notably in the many ways water moves within and across traditionally-defined watershed boundaries. In this study, content analyses of the definitions of the term watershed from textbooks and online sources, and the accompanying images, highlight that watersheds are nearly universally defined as an area of land that drains to a point on a river. More than half the images that accompany these definitions depict forested landscapes or high mountain relief. While over one half of online images depict human activities or developed landscapes, few textbook images do. These incomplete definitions and idealized images do not reflect the diversity of landscapes and watershed functions. The narrow description can contribute to an individual’s disconnection to their own watershed. Furthermore, the description of watersheds as lumped areas, rather than inter- and intra-connected socio-hydrologic systems, misses a fundamental element of the watershed concept: that activities at every point in a watershed impact all points downstream and are impacted by activities at all points upstream. Thus, we propose a revised definition of a watershed that better captures this connectivity: a watershed defines the boundaries of a system of hydrologically connected people, places, and things.

Особенности микроэлементного состава горных аллювиальных почв Западного Кавказа

The object of the study is the microelement composition of mountain alluvial soils, the formation of which occurs quite intensively due to the activity of processes that determine the development of soil cover in mountainous relief conditions. The study is based on the analysis of features forming the system of soil compounds of microelements in alluvial soils of river valleys of the Western Caucasus using the example of the Bolshoy Zelenchuk River valley. The study specified that alluvial soils are characterized by a constant supply of microelements in the composition of suspensions and dissolved substances in river waters, which during flood spills flood the flood-plain part of river valleys. In addition, microelements are supplied mechanically from the mountain slopes directly adjacent to the river valley. A certain role is played by the processes of aerial transfer of dust particles with air flows, including those of a transboundary nature. Rising groundwater also causes the movement of dissolved forms of trace elements in mountain alluvial soils in both radial and lateral directions. Based on the results of the study, we can conclude that mountain alluvial soils are characterized by a strong connection with soil-forming rocks, which are the most important source of microelements. Features of the development of the system of soil compounds of microelements in mountain alluvial soils are determined by the specific conditions for the occurrence of soil-forming processes in them. Their study is necessary due to the important environment-forming significance of mountain alluvial soils in modern landscapes of river valleys, which are the most developed areas of mountainous countries.

Rozšíření myšivky horské (Sicista betulina) v Pošumaví na základě rozboru potravy sov (Rodentia: Zapodidae)

Distribution of Sicista betulina in the Šumava Mts. (Bohemian Forest, SW Bohemia, Czech Republic) based on owl diet analysis (Rodentia: Zapodidae). The Šumava Mountains are one of the three areas of a relict occurrence of the northern birch mouse (Sicista betulina) in the Czech Republic. The present study summarises all records of this species obtained there by the analysis of diet of three species of owls, the Tengmalm’s owl (Aegolius funereus), to a lesser extent of the Ural owl (Strix uralensis) and tawny owl (Strix aluco). A total of 355 sample sets from 228 localities was processed, positive findings concern 57 localities where the northern birch mouse was found (322 individuals). The presence of the species was confirmed in an area of approximately 1,400 km2, which corresponds to 13 mapping fields of the KFME, four of which extend into the territories of Germany and Austria (field numbers 7047, 7148, 7249, 7350). More than a third of the localities (37.0%) and nearly two thirds of the individuals (62.4%) come from four mapping fields (7048, 7049, 7148, 7149) covering mainly a peaty alluvial plain of the upper stream of the Vltava river and its surroundings. Data obtained by observation or capturing of the northern birch mouse give a similar picture. Thus, this territory with the high proportion of relict vegetation can be considered as the core area of the current occurrence of the mouse in the Šumava Mts. The altitude range of the northern birch mouse records from owl pellets is 680–1160 m a. s. l. with a mean of 871.7 m a. s. l. Almost a third of the localities (32.0%) lie in the altitudinal range of 700–800 m a. s. l., and more than four fifths of the records (82.7%) fall within the range of 700–1000 m a. s. l. However, these are only indicative values that can be influenced by the size of the individual hunting territories of owls (especially in a landscape with a steep mountainous relief). Our results confirm the previously described zoogeographical profile of the northern birch mouse in the Šumava Mts., i.e., that its distribution is limited only to the south-eastern half of this mountain range and ends roughly in the Kvildské pláně region in the north-west. Records of the northern birch mouse on the Bavarian side of the mountain range are in full agreement with this. It can be assumed that the species occurrence in the whole Bohemian Forest is primarily shaped by its Holocene history. Furthermore, it has been confirmed that the analysis of the diet composition of the Tengmalm’s owl is an effective method of study of the geographical distribution of the northern birch mouse.

Restoration Peculiarities of Ground Water Basins in the Mountainous Relief Regions

The goal of the present research is to figure out how to increase the efficiency with which water resources are used in mountainous relief regions on the example of the Ararat Artesian Basin of the Republic of Armenia. The accumulation of significant water runoffs in reservoirs under difficult hydrogeological conditions requires not only large investments in construction, but also in the transportation of water to the consumer, which is fraught with significant water infiltration losses. The paper shows that by the example of artificial recharge of the Ararat Artesian Basin, instead of building a new reservoir to collect 40 million m3 of water per year, which requires huge capital investments (5.75-6.25 USD/m3), the financial costs can be significantly reduced (0.05-0.075 USD/m3) by pumping the same volume of water into the groundwater basin. The obtained results can be used both in different regions of Armenia and in countries with mountainous relief.

Reviewing the Palaeontological and Palaeoenvironmental Heritage of the Monti Pisani Massif (Italy): A Compelling History of Animals, Plants and Climates through Three Geological Eras

The Monti Pisani massif (Tuscany, central Italy) is an isolated mountain relief known for its rich geodiversity, including a remarkable palaeontological heritage from the Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras. The Palaeozoic record consists of exquisitely preserved plant remains and rarer invertebrates of Permo-Carboniferous age, which testify to extensive rainforests and large swamps that thrived in an alluvial system under a humid, (sub)tropical climate. In addition to invertebrate shells, invertebrate trace fossils and microbial structures, the Mesozoic record features a diverse Middle Triassic tetrapod ichnoassemblage consisting of tracks of lepidosauromorphs, archosaurs (among which are the earliest dinosauromorph fossils of Italy) and nonmammalian therapsids. These vertebrates lived in a subsiding costal setting that stretched across an expanding rift valley under a subarid climate. The Cenozoic record features abundant fossils of terrestrial vertebrates (including spectacular members of the mammalian megafauna) from karst deposits, testifying to the manifold inhabitants of the massif during the glacial and interglacial phases of the Late Pleistocene. Overall, this long-lasting fossil record remarkably demonstrates how much the Earth’s environments have been changing through the Phanerozoic. The outstanding palaeontological heritage of the Monti Pisani area is in need of specific efforts of conservation and valorisation, especially with respect to the many palaeontological sites that punctuate the massif.

Влияние горных факторов на избыточность солей и токсичность почвы в горных условиях

Introduction. The study of soil composition in mountainous areas is important for assessing its suitability for agriculture, land use planning and mining, influencing environmental policy and socio-economic development. Exploration of the composition of surface soil in these conditions is necessary to understand the specific factors affecting the formation and properties of soils. The study allows us to determine the physical-chemical properties of the soil, identify toxicity and problems with salt, which is important for preserving the quality of the soil and the environment in the mining industry. Research methods and materials. In the study of soil composition in mountainous areas, methods were used: sample collection taking into account geological features, physical-chemical analysis, measurement of mountain factors and data analysis using machine learning methods. This made it possible to identify the influence of mountain conditions on soil properties, to identify factors associated with salt excess and toxicity, and to develop approaches to preserve soil quality, important for environmental sustainability and socio-economic development of mountain Research results. Studies of salt redundancy and toxicity in the soil in mountainous areas, especially in the context of the mining industry, are extremely important. These studies help to assess soil pollution, identify sources of harmful substances and develop measures to prevent negative consequences, such as deterioration of soil quality and a threat to human health. The analysis of mountain factors plays a key role in risk assessment and the development of strategies to minimize the negative impact on the environment and preserve biological diversity in mountain ecosystems. Discussion of research results. The most important factor from the entire data set is the «Nutrient Availability Indicator in the soil», which has a significant impact on salt excess and soil toxicity. However, when only mountain factors are taken into account, «Slope 2» becomes the key for salt redundancy, and «Aspect B» and «Slope 2» for soil toxicity, simplifying modeling and allowing more accurate analysis of chemical properties associated with mountain features. Conclusion. Mountain conditions significantly affect the composition and properties of the soil, which can lead to excess salts and toxicity of substances, having a serious impact on the ecosystem and human health. Soil slope plays an important role in this context and can be key in determining risk and developing strategies for managing soil conditions in mountainous conditions. Risk assessment and environmental impact forecasting allow mining companies to create effective measures to reduce harm and increase the sustainability of production. Conclusions on the article. The article presents the results of research demonstrating that mountain conditions have a significant impact on the composition and properties of the soil. It was found that the features of the mountain relief can lead to the accumulation of toxic substances and excess salts, which have serious consequences for the ecosystem and human health. It has been established that the slope of the soil plays a key role in the formation of these phenomena, which can be useful for strategies for managing the soil condition in mountainous areas and reducing the negative impact on the environment. Suggestions for practical application and direction of future research. Research can be aimed at developing more sustainable management strategies for mountainous regions, taking into account the influence of geological factors on soil composition and possible environmental consequences. As well as the development of models that will allow to anticipate and assess potential risks to ecosystems and human health associated with the accumulation of toxic substances in mountain conditions, may be a direction for future research.

ANALYSIS OF THE "GURI I PLAKËS" AREA AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RECREATION, TOURISM AND ECONOMY, REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO

Space has an essential character for human life and activity. The reduction of touristic, recreational, sports spaces, etc., are affecting the quality of life and the health of the community in many urban areas of our country. Natural, hereditary values, etc., are of great importance for present and future generations, as a living environment for tourism and, physical and mental recreation. Tourism as an economic activity aims at the economic utilization and maximization of the natural and artificial values that a certain area, region or country has. This paper aims, based on the research results, to bring to every reader authentic data and information that show what it offers and what are the possibilities to form a tourist, recreational and sports center in the "Guri i Plakës" area, after considering the economic benefits that can be generated from this area. The work materials were: notebooks for keeping notes from the field work, handheld GPS for measuring coordinates where necessary, meter tape also for measurements, cameras, topographical maps at scale 1:50 000, geological and hydrogeological map (1:200 000), etc. The "Guri i Plakës" - in (eng: Old Woman's Stone) study area has an area of 125.08 hectares. 104.98 ha or 83.93% belong to the Municipality of Drenas (Gllogoc), while 20.10 ha or 16.07% belong to the Municipality of Obiliq. The research work identified two groups of values which make this area interesting for the development of tourism and recreation and are: natural and artificial values. The natural values include: the Drenica river the Dobroshec water source, the "Guri i Plakës", the Dora Stone (Guri Dora), the Folds in the Paleozoic formations, the karst relief in the limestone rocks. The Drenica River represents the main watershed in the "Guri i Plakës" research area. Relatively rich in aquatic flora and fauna. The study area is located in the central part of Kosovo, between coordinates 42° 40ꞌ 20ꞌꞌ N, 20° 56ꞌ 40ꞌꞌ E and belongs to the territory of Municipality of Drenas (Gllogoc) and Kastriot (Obiliq). It has an area of 125.08 hectares, with hilly mountainous relief with an altitude of up to 712 m. Important natural and artificial values have been distinguished in the study area. The proposed area "Guri i Plakës" has a physical and geographical position quite favorable for the development of a center (mini-center) for the development of tourism and recreation. Tourist activities (transit type or type of tourism) can be developed there, including activities such as: walking, camping, fishing, partly cycling, photography, recording video clips, part of the activities related to traditional nutrition (traditional food). The "Guri i Plakës" area can be used as a miniature laboratory because it contains many educational, research, scientific research components, etc. Lastly, the development of this area brings social, economic, etc. benefits for the entire community in its vicinity and other local and international visitors.

Некоторые вопросы исторической метрологии балкарцев и карачаевцев

The article is devoted to the study of some issues of historical metrology of the Karachay-Balkars, inextricably linked with their economic activity, which occurred in the mountainous conditions of the Central Caucasus. This article contains examples of used length, volume and square measure-ment units in the Karachay-Balkars’ traditional metrology, found in historical records. It is shown that it is necessary to start research on the socio-economic history of Balkaria in the 19th century from the study of historical metrology. The system of weights and measures was necessary for a clear regulation of feudal duties, “payment for blood” and wedding payments. But firstly, it was determined by the specifics of the economic activity of the people. The most common way to measure volume was to determine it through the capacity of a vessel. The name of the vessel was transferred to the name of the measure. Volumetric and ap-proximate units of measurement were widely used: “cart”, “arba”. Mountainous relief determined the use of such length measurement units as the distance of “hearing one cry” or “accessible to human vision.” The measure of the area of the land plot was or the labor costs for cultivating the land, or the volume of grain sown, or the volume of the harvest. The most commonly used crop measure was the mountain shock, «gorskaya kopna». This metric gradually obtained a meaning associated with the tithe. Mowed lands were estimated by the volume of hay harvested, and pas-tures by the number of livestock that could be kept on them.

კალაპოტურ პროცესებზე წყლის მაქსიმალური ხარჯის ზემოქმედების შეფასება

Mountainous relief of Georgia and climate change current trends increase the frequency of catastrophic phenomena that is manifested in particular in the fact that during intensive pouring rains takes place formation (passing) of water flows in large quantities and substantial river bed deformations. The main element of calculation of hydraulic constructions corresponding to these deformations is a value of maximum water discharge, determination of which is a complicated problem due to a question raised regarding the probability (percent provision) of this value, range of which is quite large - from 5% to 0,01%. In general, the less is the value of this probability, the more are the material expenses in the construction process (along with reliability). Different countries use different approaches when calculating maximum water discharges at the river crossings. Though, every single case has to be considered on the individual basis, the development of the common methodology, which gives us a result, close to the maximum to reality is no less important.

Methodology for local correction of the heights of global geoid models to improve the accuracy of GNSS leveling

At present, one of the methods used to determine the height of points on the Earth's surface is Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) leveling. It is possible to determine the orthometric or normal height by this method only if there is a geoid or quasi-geoid height model available. This paper proposes the methodology for local correction of the heights of high-order global geoid models such as EGM08, EIGEN-6C4, GECO, and XGM2019e_2159. This methodology was tested in different areas of the research field, covering various relief forms. The dependence of the change in corrected height accuracy on the input data was analyzed, and the correction was also conducted for model heights in three tidal systems: “tide free”, “mean tide”, and “zero tide”. The results show that the heights of EIGEN-6C4 model can be corrected with an accuracy of up to 1 cm for flat and foothill terrains with the dimensionality of 1°×1°,2°×2°,and3°×3°. The EGM08 model presents an almost identical result. The EIGEN-6C4 model is best suited for mountainous relief and provides an accuracy of 1.5 cm on the 1°×1° area. The height correction accuracy of GECO and XGM2019e_2159 models is slightly poor, which has fuzziness in terms of numerical fluctuation.

Spatial optimization of the economic benefits of the potential hydropower locations: study case upper citarum river

Hydropower is a renewable energy source that provides clean energy services and contributes to climate change mitigation by replacing fossil fuel energy production sources. The Upper Citarum Watershed in West Java, Indonesia, is described as a giant basin known as the Bandung Basin, which is type by mountainous relief with an elevation of 750-2300 meters above sea level, a slope of 30-90%, and a radiating river flow pattern. This study focuses on the potential of small hydropower with a run-of-river scheme that acts as a filler for the study of hydropower potential with a pump storage scheme by the Australian National University. Climate data in the study area were analyzed using the SWAT model to obtain Cumulative Discharge Frequency and identify potential discharge by adopting the method of previous studies. The results identified 7 SHPs with P exceeding 500 kW and below 2000 kW. BHUMI ATR BPN can predict land value and land cover in areas designated for hydropower development. The findings suggest improvements in aspects such as proper forecasting, on-the-ground valuation, and calculations relating to economically viable sustainability.

The influence of mountainous relief on the vertical gradient of precipitation and pluvial zoning in the central slope of the Gulf of Mexico

Although variation of air temperature with respect to terrain altitude is widely understood, less is known about the altitudinal behaviour of precipitation. The eastern slope of Mexico is the most contrasting physiographic province of the country due to its relief. This area is also one of the most important regions of Mexico and of the intertropical region of America because of its biodiversity. Due to the vital and ecosystemic value of precipitation, this work seeks to analyse the altitudinal distribution of precipitation as a function of the relief. Our main methodology consisted of analysing the climatological normal of 86 weather stations to determine accumulated precipitation during rainy, dry and annual periods. Precipitation was correlated with the altitude of the relief, which allowed the study area to be divided into groups relative to the degree of accumulated rainfall throughout the year, as well as by the gradient of variation according to the elevation of the terrain. The results indicated that during the year, precipitation was favoured by the humidity of the Gulf of Mexico and decreased at a rate of ‐3.7 mm/m in coastal areas. Subsequently, precipitation increased with the altitude of the relief at a rate of 0.7 mm/m, between ~700 and ~ 1500 masl, which is where the greatest accumulation of rainfall was concentrated. Thereafter, it decreased by ‐0.9 mm/m until it reached the highest volcanic watershed. Crossing this watershed, the foehn effect caused rainfall rates to be much lower than on the windward slope, where the central plateau of the country begins.

FLORA OF BARKOV MOUNTAIN (FLORA OF MOUNT BARKOV (SUBPOLAR URALS) AND ITS ROLE IN THE CONSERVATION OF RARE PLANTS

A list of vascular plants of the Barkova Mountain in Subpolar Urals (1320 m above sea level) made up of 237 species from 124 genera and 45 families is published. The high taxonomic diversity of the flora is predicated on a number of factors: mountainous relief and significant altitudinal range (670 m), the presence of several altitudinal vegetation belts and a vast mountain-top plateau, heterogeneous bedrocks, climatic conditions of subarctic highlands, and the general history of the flora formation during the Late Pleistocene. The flora of the Barkova Mountain occupies a transitional position, with both arctic montane and boreal features, and is classified as hypoarctic montane with regional characteristics. Two taxa (Sedum roseum and Castilleja arctica subsp. vorkutensis) are included in the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation, 27 taxa - in the Red Data Book of the Komi Republic, and 13 - in the Appendix to the regional Red Data Book. Many protected species are represented by marginal populations in the study area. Two species (Ranunculus kamchaticus and Draba pauciflora) have single records for the Komi Republic. Despite the recent significant human impact, the Barkova Mountain is important for the conservation of the floral diversity of the region, the Yugyd Va National Park and the Virgin Komi Forests UNESCO World Heritage Site.

DEM Study on Hydrological Response in Makkah City, Saudi Arabia

The changes in catchments can be analyzed through the generation of DEM, which is important as input data in hydrologic modeling. This study aims to analyze the effect of anthropogenic activities on hydrological studies based on DEM comparison and GIUH hydrographs. The four DEM datasets (SRTM, ALOS, Copernicus, Sentinel-1) were compared to the topographic map of Makkah City and GPS data in order to assess the quality of the DEM elevation. The GIS Arc Hydro toolbox was used to extract morphometric and Horton–Strahler ratio characteristics to generate a GIUH hydrograph of the catchments of Wadi Nouman and Wadi Ibrahim inside Makkah City. Based on the DEM comparison, Copernicus and SRTM have the highest accuracy, with R2 = 0.9788 and 0.9765, and the lowest RMSE, 3.89 m and 4.23 m, respectively. ALOS and Sentinel-1 have the lowest R2, 0.9687 and 0.9028, and the highest RMSE, 4.27 m and 6.31 m, respectively. GIUH Copernicus DEM on Wadi Nouman has a higher qp and lower tp (0.21 1/h and 2.66 h) than SRTM (0.20 1/h and 2.75 h), respectively. On Wadi Ibrahim, the SRTM has a greater qp and lower tp than Copernicus due to the wadi having two shapes. Based on the anthropogenic effect, the stream network in the mountain area is quite similar for SRTM and Copernicus due to the dominant influence of the mountainous relief and relatively inconsequential influence of anthropogenic activities and DEM noise. In the urban area, the variation of the stream network is high due to differing DEM noise and significant anthropogenic activities such as urban redevelopment. The Copernicus DEM has the best performance of the others, with high accuracy, less RMSE, and stream flow direction following the recent condition.

Interrelationships among mountain relief, surface organic layer, soil organic carbon, and its mineral association under subarctic forest tundra

Efforts to estimate the impact of climate change-induced forest expansion on soil carbon stocks in cold regions are hindered by the lack of soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration data. The presented study addressed the information gap by establishing SOC concentration and its variability in two catchments inside the vast, remote, and rugged Putorana Plateau. Additionally, it explored interrelationships among the terrain relief, vegetation cover, surface organic layer, SOC and its mineral association on the northernmost boundary of the forest-tundra biome traversing the northwestern part of the Central Siberian Tableland. Soil samples were taken from the active layer on the slope base, middle, and below the upper forest boundary. Subsequently, they were analyzed for SOC concentration by dry combustion. Multiple linear regression identified associations between slope angle and surface organic layer thickness and between SOC concentration and surface organic layer thickness, clay content, and dithionite-extracted Al. Clay content and surface organic layer thickness explained 68% of the overall SOC concentration variability. When used with data produced by remote sensing-based multipurpose large-scale mapping of selected biophysical factors, the acquired regression equations could aid the estimation of SOC across the rugged terrain of the Siberian Traps.

Comparative Study on Sediment Delivery from Two Small Catchments within the Lena River, Siberia

This paper studies the possibility of using the WaTEM/SEDEM model to assess sediment yield from the catchment area within the Lena River catchment. The study was carried out based on a comparison of predicted data and measured data of the suspended sediment yield at the gauging stations of the state monitoring network of Russia. The study was performed within two areas, with plain and mountainous relief. The first site is located within the catchment area of the river Chara with an area of 4150 km2. The second site rests on the catchment area of the Lena River between the Tabaginskiy and Kangalassky capes near Yakutsk city. The catchment area of this site is 15,740 km2. The values of sediment yield from the “Yakutsk” catchment area are in much better agreement with the values of the measured sediment yield values than in the “Chara” catchment area. The predicted sediment yield from the study area remained almost unchanged from the period 1986–2019 and amounted to 3.5 t/km2, while the suspended sediment yield in the Lena at the Tabaga gauging station slightly increased from 7 to 9.45 t/km2 per year.