The Rakhiv Mountains are part of the Maramoros massif of the Carpathians in the Transcarpathian region. The mountain massif plays an important cross-border role, as it is limited to the south by the Ukrainian-Romanian border. The main areas of development of the region are forestry and tourism. The specified types of activities contribute to the intensification of the development of dangerous exogenous processes within the slope geosystems of the region. The risk of their manifestation depends on the morphometric features of the relief of mountain geosystems. A morphometric analysis of the relief forms of the Rakhiv Mountains was carried out and slope parameters were calculated by groups of their steepness and exposure. Groups of slopes were distinguished according to the level of potential risk of dangerous exogenous processes, and the areas and shares of the indicated groups and subgroups of slopes were calculated. The degree of protection of the region by the existing objects of the nature reserve fund was determined. A GIS model was created to assess the risk of the manifestation of dangerous exogenous processes on the slopes of the Rakhiv mountains and the state of their protection. On the basis of the Copernicus Global Land Service geodata, the shares of vegetation cover types within the zones of different levels of risk of the development of dangerous exogenous processes were calculated. Steep and very steep slopes predominate within the mountain range (76.0%). As for the exposure of the slopes, the slopes of the northern (18.9%) and southern (15.4%) exposures dominate here. The highest and highest degree of risk of manifestation of slope processes is characteristic for the slopes located in the catchments of the tributaries of the Tysa River (Bily, Velikiy Potik, Kvasny) and in the interfluve of the Tysa and Kosivska rivers, which occupy 40.0%. About 42.6% of the slopes are characterized by a very high and high level of risk of dangerous exogenous processes and remain unprotected. At the same time, 78.4% of them are covered with solid forest vegetation, which can be affected by the use of solid forest felling. A similar situation is typical for slopes that are classified as higher than average and average levels of potential development of dangerous exogenous processes (43.6% of the total area of the study area). Almost 53.6% of these slopes are not covered by nature conservation areas. At the same time, the share of forest cover within their borders is only 59.8%. 22 objects of the nature reserve fund have been created within the Rakhiv mountains. Among them, the largest is the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve, namely its Kuzii and Maramoros massifs. In addition to the nature reserve, there are two nature reserves and 19 natural monuments. Environmental protection measures and the possibilities of their integration into the spatial planning system by determining the structural elements of the ecological network are proposed. Important measures to ensure the stability of the slope geosystems of the Rakhiv Mountains are the expansion of the Kuzii and Maramoro massifs of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve due to the inclusion of forests that perform soil protection and anti-erosion functions. This will significantly contribute to the establishment of nature conservation management in the study area, and in the future these territories may become part of the Ukrainian-Romanian transboundary UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Maramoros Mountains. It is necessary to provide conditions for the restoration of natural geosystems, especially forests on very steep and steep slopes of the region. Forest geosystems outside the territories and objects of the nature reserve fund require the implementation of approaches to forest management close to the environment. Among the approaches, it is worth noting the limitation of solid-forest felling and wood trawling. The development of the tourist infrastructure of the region should take into account the need to preserve the integrity of the local ecological network of the Rakhiv Mountains. Keywords: Maramorosh, Rakhiv Mountains, ecological network, steepness of slopes, exposure of slopes, dangerous exogenous processes.
The development of forestry, tourism and recreation industries in the mountainous part of the Transcarpathian region contributes to the intensive manifestation of exogenous geomorphological processes. The risk of their manifestation largely depends on the morphometric characteristics of the terrain. The purpose of our research is to analyze the risks of the manifestation of erosion and other morphodynamic processes in the southeastern part of the Polonyna Rivna (Runa). A digital elevation model and morphometric maps of the steepness of the earth's surface and the exposure of the slopes of the study area were compiled. Based on it the GIS model "Risk of manifestation of erosion processes and the state of protection of the slopes of the southeastern part of Polonyna Rivne" was created. Zones with the highest degree of risk of erosion and other geomorphological processes were identified. Their areas and features of distribution were established. The results of the calculations are presented in the tables. The highest degree of risk of erosion processes is characteristic of slopes located west and south of the peaks of Hostra Hora (1,405 m) and Polonyna Runa (1,480 m), as well as in the the territory between the Latoritsa and Vycha rivers. They occupy 18.88% of the study area. The degree of protection of the geocomplexes of the slopes by the objects of the nature reserve fund, the designed structural elements of the regional ecological network of the Transcarpathian region and the Emerald network were clarified. The prospects for the creation of new multifunctional nature reserve institutions here — the regional landscape park "Polonyna Rivna" and the national landscape park "Zhdymyr" — are outlined. The purpose of creation of these environmental protection institutions is to establish nature protection management and conduct monitoring studies. In order to prevent the development of erosive and other geomorphological processes within the most erosively dangerous groups of slopes, it is necessary to prohibit the use of continuous forest felling, wood trawling by dragging, and the movement of tracked forestry and tourist vehicles (quadricycles, jeeps). Key words: Polonyna Rivna (Runa); exogenous geomorphological processes; steepness of the earth's surface; exposure of slopes; nature reserve objects; ecological network; Emerald network.
Formulation of the problem. For the time being the formation of an ecological network in Ukraine is the most effective way to preserve biological and landscape diversity. This process is characterized by the use of two approaches. The first is based on national legislation, methods of spatial planning in accordance with the geobotanical and landscape features of the region. The second approach is based on the European legislation, in particular, the Bern Convention. Transcarpathian region is no exception. The project of the regional scheme of the ecological network was approved for the region and Areas of Special Conservation Interest (ASCIs – sites of the Emerald network), were determined and adopted by Standing Committee. Purpose and methods of research. Today there is a need for a comprehensive spatial analysis of the currently existing planning models of the regional ecological network of Transcarpathia and the establishment of the most important areas for biodiversity and landscape diversity protection. The purpose of our study was to characterize the main stages of formation of the ecological network of Transcarpathian region and to establish a list of structural elements of the ecological network, for which it is important to develop measures to protect biodiversity within them. We analyzed international and national legal documents, cartographic and planning documents to determine and characterize the main stages of development of the ecological network of the region. we compiled maps showing the spatial relationship of nature reserves, elements of the regional eco-network and areas of special conservation interest, using software QGIS 3.16.0, schemes: planning of the eco-network of the Ukrainian Carpathians, eco-network of Transcarpathian region, Transcarpathian territory planning areas; data on the Structural Elements of the Emerald Network, the network of objects of the nature reserve fund and their large-scale plans; detailed plans of forest plantations. Based on the obtained data, we conducted a spatial analysis of the elements in order to identify areas that require additional measures to preserve biotic and landscape diversity. Results of the research. Based on the obtained data, we have identified and characterized the main stages of formation of the ecological network of the Transcarpathian region. Based on a detailed cartographic analysis, we have identified areas that require natural research on the need for additional measures to preserve biotic and landscape diversity. Scientific novelty and practical significance. In our article for the first time a comprehensive and detailed spatial analysis of the currently existing planning models of the regional ecological network of Transcarpathia was conducted. For the first time, areas have been identified that do not currently belong to the nature reserve fund and areas of special conservation interest, but need to be studied in terms of their value to preserve biotic and landscape diversity.
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