The article contains a retrospective of the development of extraction of mineral resources in the mountain ecosystem of the Eastern Caucasus; the stages of environmental tension growth in various components of the biosphere of the region are also shown. It has been proved that in the areas of dislocation of existing mountain objects, landscapes and soils, which are an integral part of ecosystems, are distinguished by a pronounced zoning, each of which has certain components that influence the formation of ecological situation. The studies have shown that pollution of the soil horizon with heavy and toxic metals leads to depletion and degradation of the natural environment, a radical transformation of the landscape, leading fragmentarily to its steady destruction. It is shown that the ecological technical capacity of the territory depends on the volume of the air basin (in mountain canyons, gorges it reaches 200 meters height from the base), the totality of reservoirs of drains, land areas and soil reserves, the bulk of flora and fauna species; biochemical circulation flow rates (speed, mass of gas exchange, pure water increment, soil formation processes and biota productivity). The ecological situation formed under such conditions needs to be improved by adopting special scientifically grounded organizational, technical and technological measures to reduce the ecological load to the ecosystem of mountain landscapes and restore sustainable forms of its functioning. The results of the research given in the article can be useful for environmental agencies, design institutions and existing mining enterprises for taking necessary environmental measures to ensure sustainable development of the natural-technical system under the conditions of mountain landscapes of the Caucasus.
Keywords-extraction of mineral resources; landscape degradation; heavy metals; soil horizon; ecological technical capacity of territories; region biosphere; components of the biosphere; landscape properties.VIII
The article presents the results of theoretical research, field and instrumental measurements of traffic flow on the main streets of Vladikavkaz. It is shown that in the formation of noise pollution of the urban environment during the movement of vehicles on the roads of the Vladikavkaz city, the road covering material, vehicle speed, tire pattern wear and out-of-limit lifespan, etc., are of great importance. The economic analysis of noise shield devices of vehicles and the dependence of the decrease in the sound pressure of transport and the implementation costs are given. At the same time, the norms of permissible sound levels in residential areas depending on the time of day are shown, which is significant when assessing the environmental comfort of housing in noise-stressed areas of the city. At the end of the article, conclusions are given for various categories of institutions and control and supervisory bodies to ensure favorable sanitary and environmental conditions for the population.
The article presents the results of many years research on the surface infrastructure influence of mining industry of the North Caucasus on biosphere components in its area of activity. Considering that industrial mining of ores on the eastern slope of Caucasus Mountains (Sadonskoe silver-zinc deposit) began in the middle of the nineteenth century by Belgian industrialists and continues to the present. The accumulation of heavy and toxic metals in the soil horizon is shown (2.5–3.5 MAC), creating a real threat to health and livelihoods of the population living here. Fragmentary variability of landscapes, leading to the depletion of biological diversity, up to the disappearance of its various types has been revealed. According to the intensity of dust emission and the share of negative sources participation in the overall balance of dust pollution of the area atmosphere, it has been found that man-made deposits of ore processing waste are potential foci of catastrophic processes in the destruction of fencing dams by mountain streams, as they are located on terraced areas of mountain valleys. It is analytically established that safety, both general and environmental, can be achieved only by eliminating these sources from potentially dangerous places.
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