Relief and geological structure of Vyzhnytskyi and Cheremoskyi national natural parks (Ukrainian Carpathians)

Abstract

Purpose. Analysis of the relief and geological structure of Vyzhnytskyi and Cheremoskyi national natural parks (NNP) as important components of natural complexes, which, as well as biota, are objects of nature conservation institutions. Methods. Field research, geological-tectonic and general geomorphological analysis of the NNP’s relief, review of regional descriptive materials and maps. Results. Vyzhnytskyi NNP and Cheremoskyi NNP are located in the South-Eastern part of the Ukrainian Carpathians within the Chernivtsi region. The analysis of the morphostructure and morphosculpture of NNPs is carried out taking into account the longitudinal (N-W – S-E) and transverse divisions of the Ukrainian Carpathians. The longitudinal division is associated with morphostructures of higher orders, such as second and third, and the transverse is associated with fourth and fifth orders of morphostructure. The analysis of morphosculpture of NNPs shows the types characteresed the Carpathian Flysch and Сrystalline Carpathians. Mountain ranges and ridges such as Bukovyna med-mountains, Pneve-Yarovytsi and part of Chyvchyn mountains are characterized by an asymmetrical structure – steep northeastern slopes and declivous southwestern slopes. The relic morphosculpture is represented by: 1) fragments of denudation surfaces of different ages such as Polonynska and Pidpolonynska within Cheremoskyi NNP as well as Karmaturska (analogue of Pidbeskid) within Vyzhnytskyi NNP; 2) extra glacial landforms within Cheremoskyi NPP; 3) areas of ancient longitudinal valleys. The inherited morphosculpture is represented by river valleys with a complex of terraces of different ages. The premountain part of Vyzhnytskyi NNP includes the relict ("dead") morphostructure of Bagno river valley. Modern morphodynamic processes represent a height (tier) differentiation. The highest tier of apical surfaces in the subalpine zone (1,450–1,600 m) of Cheremoskyi NNP is characterized by processes of slow displacement of debris and manifestations of gravitational, avalanche and nival processes. In the tiers of strongly dissected mеd-mountain and low-mountain relief of NNPs, the processes of planar erosion, deflux, and linear erosion play an important role in the modelling of the relief. The lower tier of the terraced and non-terraced bottoms of the valleys are associated with the processes of leaching and erosion as well as a significant accumulation of erosion products and mudflows. Among gravitational processes and block motions, stabilized and active displacements are the most recorded. Conclusions. In general, the territories of Vyzhnytskyi NNP and Cheremoskyi NNP fully represents the features of geological structure and relief of the south-eastern part of the Ukrainian Carpathians. In conjunction they form a fairly transverse conservation profile of the region from the premountain uplands to the highest ridges of the Marmarosy (Crystal) Carpathians.