Home – Home – Jornals – Geography and Natural Resources 2023 number 1

The four most common types of spatial structure (pattern) of landscape cover are identified. The regular nuclear pattern consists of repeating elements and there is a morphologically pronounced dominant, i. e. a nucleus (one or more). The regular denuclear pattern consists of repeating elements, and the nucleus is not pronounced. The irregular nuclear pattern consists of non-repeating elements and there is a morphologically noticeable dominant, i. e. a nucleus (one or more). The irregular denuclear pattern consists of non-repeating elements, and the nucleus is not pronounced. Based on spatial features, the most common types of integration and differentiation of landscape cover are identified. The background integration is caused by a single process (a set of processes) that organizes the entire space under consideration and often predetermines the uniformity of the territory. The central integration is caused by the impact of the center on the surroundings and the surroundings on the center. The catenary integration is caused by the middle and far lateral flows of any nature and by the impact on them. The border integration is caused by the connections and interactions of neighbouring areas at a common border. The background differentiation is caused by a unified process (a set of processes) which forms heterogeneity due to a different intensity. The central differentiation implies the formation of the center which plays the role of the leading or dominant element in the functioning and development of the geocomplex/geosystem, and is determined by a different nature and a different intensity of its interaction with other elements. The catenary differentiation manifests itself in a directional change of the properties of landscape cover along gradients and is caused by a change in lateral flows. The boundary differentiation is related to the fact that the boundaries are often a result of a barrier effect of some processes and the reason for the formation of a barrier effect for other processes (synecological, geochemical, geophysical, and geological). The locus differentiation consists in the formation of a separate patch in geocomponents and geocomplex, in the isolation of some part or in the division of the geocomplex into parts. It is emphasized that the selected types of spatial structure, integration and differentiation are applicable to geocomplexes/geosystems of all levels and to all geocomponents.