Evolution of the plain-taiga geosystems of Western Siberia

The role of the Ob-Irtysh valley in the dynamics and evolution of the soil-earth materials factor of taiga-plain landscape is considered. The study demonstrates the mechanisms of operation of the soil-earth materials factor that is responsible for the formation of zonal forest facies along the valley which undergo swamping at the final stage of their functioning. The progressive development of this regional process leads to marked changes of the biogeochemical situation, and to a deterioration of habitat quality. The problem is complicated by technogenic impacts on the landscape sphere of the oil and gas production complex of Western Siberia.     

Regional-typological study and mapping of geosystems: analysis of the implementation

We give an outline of the scientific-methodological principles of using the regional-typological approach in geographical research. Based on analyzing cartographic products, we demonstrate the differences in understanding and implementing the approach. The structurallogical schematic diagram for the regional-typological approach has been developed, which opens up possibilities for its implementation in the study and mapping of geosystems and can provide an integral, systemic idea of this approach.     

The dynamics of mountain geosystems in southern Siberia

Using three key areas as an example we examine the tendencies toward changes of the mountain geosystems in southern Siberia caused by fluctuations of climate. Presented are the quantitative parameters of the dynamics of nival-glacial geosystems (glaciers, perennial snow clusters, icings, and stony glaciers). Portions of large-scale maps for the key areas generated for a subsequent monitoring of the mountain geosystems are presented.     

Vegetable matter dynamics in geosystems of the Nazarovskaya forest-steppe

The long-term vegetable matter dynamics in geosystems of the Nazarovskaya forest-steppe is considered. The differences in phytomass reserves for the facies of the Berezovskii area are demonstrated. The study revealed a clear-cut rhythmic behavior of variability in phytomass and its life forms which is attributed to the bioclimatic situation not only in a current year but also in preceding years. It is shown that anthropogenically disturbed lands are experiencing a progressive succession which manifests itself in successive changes of the grass stand.     

Equilibrium-nonequilibrium states of ornithogenous geosystems in the north pacific islands

An analysis is made of the issue related to the structural-functional organization of ornithogenous geosystems evolving in islands with large maritime colonial bird nest clusters. It is shown that under moderate ornithogenous pressure (Talan Island), the long-term vital activity of birds acts as an ecological factor identical to light, heat and atmospheric precipitation, and the geosystem is in an equilibrium state. In the case of a strong impact exceeding the stability threshold (Shelikan Island), the geosystem switches to a nonequilibrium state, which is accompanied by a degradation of the soil-vegetation cover, a mass extinction of ornithophobic plant species, a change in soilformation directedness, and by a most dramatic development of erosion processes.     

Natural and transformed geosystems of the Tunkinskaya depression

The salient features of the economic development process encompassing the territory of the Tunkinskaya depression are examined for some time intervals of the 20^th century. A comparative analysis is made of the variability in the landscape situation. Quantitative indicators of natural and natural-anthropogenic complexes have been determined.     

The geosystems of the Southern and Middle Kuril Islands

The spatial structure of the landscapes on the Southern and Middle Kuril Islands is considered. The main regularities of their landscape structure are described. The study revealed a landscape asymmetry that has a different genesis as well as the character of influence of the landscape-forming factors for the Southern and Middle Kurils, with the volcanic factor holds a special position.     

Natural stability of vegetation in geosystems of southern Middle Siberia

We consider some theoretical and methodological issues relating to stability assessment of natural development of vegetation in geosystems. We have ascertained the evolutionary-genetic essentials of vegetation stability and presented the cartographic states of its assessment. The stability map for plant communities has been developed on a conjugate scale of predictive-cartographic products.     

Use of historical data in mapping geosystems of the Vitim basin

We examine the main stages of geographical investigations across the territory of the Vitim river basin. An analysis is made of the different-time specific character of the natural and economic situation in the key study area, the Muisko-Kuandinskaya depression. The schematic map of the present-day natural complexes is provided.     

Methods to identify geosystems with a commonalty of intercomponent relationships

We estimate the effectiveness of several methods of identifying different-scale functionally integral mosaic geosystems interconnected by a common type of intercomponent relationships by considering an example of relief – vegetation system. The form of the function is used to reveal the physical process that is responsible for the spatial differentiation. A comparison is made of the informational content and the limitations of using multi-regression equations, information measures of connection, nonparametric correlation coefficients, and the Jacobi determinant.     

东亚沿海山地末次冰期冰川与环境

对东亚沿海山地末次冰期冰川发育的气候条件、构造背景、冰进时序、发育规模等研究表明,台湾山地保存着3期冰川作用遗迹,冰川的最大前进规模发生在MIS3b阶段,其规模大于MIS2阶段;日本山地冰期系列齐全,包含了末次冰期的早(MIS4)、中(MIS3)、晚(MIS2)3个阶段的冰进,其规模是MIS4/3阶段大于MIS2阶段;而长白山存在2期冰川作用的遗迹,即末次冰盛期(MIS2)和晚冰期.在相似的冬雨(雪)型季风影响区,冰川发育的时序与规模也有一定不同,反映出在大气候背景下的区域性差异,在东亚季风影响范围内,末次冰期的环流变化在各地也很不一致.最新推算的现代理论雪线自北(日本)向南(台湾)依次递增,范围是2750～4245 m,除日本北部的高纬地区雪线降低值400 m之外,末次冰盛期(LGM)的雪线降低值在800～1300 m之间,平均值1000 m左右.东亚沿海山地冰川发育与新构造运动密切相关,更新世山体的快速抬升为冰川发育的内因,如台湾山地在末次冰期的MIS3b阶段,山体的抬升量约为250 m,对山体的高度和雪线变化有很大影响.     

Structure and functioning of soil zoocenoses of taiga geosystems of the Lena-Angara plateau

A unified methodological approach was used to study the soil zoocenoses of uneven-age industrial areas of the Kovykta gas and condensate field. Regeneration of the soil-biotic block is characterized by sequential changes in quantitative characteristics, and in the taxonomic and functional structure of invertebrate communities. The study revealed distinguishing characteristics of the progressive successions of drastically disturbed mountain-taiga geosystems, and the factors that are responsible for the direction and duration of the individual successions.     

Glacial history of the Antarctic Peninsula since the Last Glacial Maximum–a synthesis

The extent of ice, thickness and dynamics of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) ice sheets in the Antarctic Peninsula region, as well as the pattern of subsequent deglaciation and climate development, are not well constrained in time and space. During the LGM, ice thickened considerably and expanded towards the middle–outer submarine shelves around the Antarctic Peninsula. Deglaciation was slow, occurring mainly between >14 Ky BP (¹⁴C kilo years before present) and ca. 6 Ky BP, when interglacial climate was established in the region. After a climate optimum, peaking ca. 4 - 3 Ky BP, a cooling trend started, with expanding glaciers and ice shelves. Rapid warming during the past 50 years may be causing instability to some Antarctic Peninsula ice shelves.     

Automated construction of the boundaries of basin geosystems for the Volga Federal District

Using the Volga (Privolzhskii) Federal District as an example, we offer the solution of such a currently central scientific and methodological problem as automated identification of the boundaries of basin geosystems under different landscape and geomorphological conditions in terms of multiresolution digital elevation models. The main stages of work are described, namely the development of the digital elevation model, its hydrological adjustment, identification of the boundaries of basin geosystems, and validity assessment of results obtained. The technique has been developed for constructing a hydrologically valid digital elevation model with the purpose of identifying the boundaries of basin geosystems.     

Degradation of geosystems in the Belgorod region as a result of the economic activities

We determined the rates of anthropogenic degradation of vegetation cover, soils, the river network, the slope type of terrain, and of the geological framework of landscapes. A decrease of the anthropogenic transformation rate of the component composition of geosystems was revealed in the biogenic components – bio-inert components – abiogenic components series was revealed. The time of complete exhaustion of the natural-resource potential is forecast from the components of the physical-geographical environment.     

一种新型冰川地貌——山岳冰川型蛇形丘

蛇形丘一般发育在大陆冰川地区,其成因主要是冰下隧道中冰融水流动携带的砂砾堆积填充而成,组成物质为砂砾。该文提出山岳冰川地区也有蛇形丘发育,并阐述其成因、组成物质结构、地理位置等与大陆冰川地区蛇形丘的不同。利用该类地貌的航空立体影像进行分析论证,为山岳冰川型蛇形丘的存在、成因、物质结构、地理位置提供依据。     

Patterns in the sand: From forcing templates to self-organization

The nearshore region exhibits many striking morphological patterns with a variety of spatial and temporal scales. The formation of these rhythmic features has been initially ascribed, depending on the pattern in question, to spatial structures in the flow or geological constrains. These forcing templates have been hypothesized to provide the spatial structure that becomes imprinted on the shoreline or seabed morphology. More recently, new explanations for rhythmic patterns have involved interactions between fluid flow and sediment transport that create morphological feedbacks and lead to pattern self-organization. While forcing-template models do not explicitly treat transport of the sediment that makes up the pattern, self-organization models focus on the strong couplings within flow/sediment systems, and on interactions between emergent structures. We illustrate the sweeping shift from template explanations to self-organization by discussing four nearshore patterns: beach cusps, surfzone crescentic sandbars, inner-shelf sorted bedforms, and large-scale cuspate shorelines. Models involving self-organization show that local interactions between flow and sediment transport can collectively give rise to patterns with large-scale coherence and that the driving feedbacks can be associated with either topographical or grain-size composition instabilities. An approach based on self-organization also allows researchers to establish limitations in the predictability of the occurrence of rhythmic patterns and characteristics as well as to study mechanisms leading to the observed variability of pattern or lack of regularity.     

The self-organization of step-pools in mountain streams

Spontaneous, autogenic self-organization has been described in numerous geomorphic systems, but it has not been investigated in detail with respect to coarse bedforms in general or step-pools in particular. In this paper, we review the spatial organization of step-pool systems and present example evidence of step-pool development as an autogenic self-organization process. We then outline the mathematical language for defining spatially divergent self-organization and test these ideas using two unique field examples from Oregon (Andrews Experimental Forest) and California (Baxter Creek), where step-pools developed from planar beds in artificially manipulated channels. Results show that step-pool development is consistent with a spatially divergent self-organization phenomenon. Entropy increases as initially undifferentiated planar channels diverge into steps and pools, then declines when a series of steps and pools of consistent size and spacing is established, signifying stability in the system. The self-organization process is accompanied by increasing flow resistance and decreasing slope (through increasing the “vertical sinuosity” of the step-pool profile and creation of low- or negative gradient pool areas), suggesting a minimization of stream power. The self-adjustment of the step-pool bed profile over time represents another manifestation of a general process that results in rhythmic patterns on the surface of Earth.