Home – Home – Jornals – Geography and Natural Resources 2019 number 3

A classification of anthropogenic meso-landscapes is developed, the landscape map (the map of meso-landscapes) of an thropogenic areas for Sikhote-Alin biosphere region is prepared, and the practical applications of the map and of a spectrum of anthropogenic geocomplexes/geosystems are outlined. The sequence of naturalness-artificiality of geocomplexes and geosystems was used for the classification of meso-landscapes: natural - techno-natural - natural-technical - technical. A diversity of natural-technical and techno-natural meso-landscapes is identified. They are dominated by agricultural fields in river valleys and rural settlements on sloping sites; dumps of surface rocks, roads of categories II-V, low-rise industrial buildings on sloping sites, and slurry tailings occupy a significant area. The diminished map of techno-natural and natural-technical areas for the Sikhote-Alin biosphere region and two maps of key areas (scale 1:50 000) are provided. The range of application for a landscape spectrum and the map of the techno-natural and natural-technical areas is outlined: assessment of the (geo)ecological status, analysis of the type and extent of land use, monitoring of anthropogenic changes in landscape cover, and optimization of nature management. Their use is especially important for regions with protected natural areas and natural and cultural heritage sites. It is pointed out that mapping of technical, natural-technical and techno-natural geocomplexes, when natural geocomplexes are not mapped, is significantly less time consuming for elaboration of a geographic information system and for the preparation of a map; this is especially true for a study territory which has been only slightly modified by human activity. In this case, mapping of anthropogenic geocomplexes alone is a very informative proximate method of assessment, analysis and monitoring.