Studying the relationship between terrain parameters and growth conditions in the Voronezh region

Abstract

Modern research in the forestry industry is increasingly focused on digitalization and remote sensingEarth. One of the promising areas is the formation of a digital terrain model and its subsequent study. In this regard, the purpose of the work is to identify relationships and establish dependencies between the parameters of the relief and forest conditions for the accelerated determination of key forestry and landscape characteristics, incl. using remote methods. The objects of the study were forest plantations located in the Prigorodnoye forestry of the Voronezh region. The formation of a digital terrain model was carried out on the basis of aviation and space monitoring materials using specialized software. In the course of the work, features of the terrain were identified that potentially affect the formation of growing conditions, and tabular analytical materials were compiled that allow taking into account landscape factors on a per-allocation basis. Data on the average slope steepness, slope exposure azimuth and height above sea level of each section in degrees were obtained and their statistical parameters were analyzed.A correlation was established between the forest typological component, which characterizes the moisture content of the soil and the height of the site above sea level (0.23-0.29), as well as the steepness of the slopes (0.30-0.32). The results of the research indicate that such a trend can be traced even with insignificant elevation changes and slope steepness, which are typical for the Prigorodnoye forestry. Wetter soil conditions in the territory of the study region (A3, B3, C3) are located on micro depressions or have groundwater close to the surface. The revealed pattern will make it possible to carry out an accelerated determination of growing conditions by a remote method based on terrain indicators and consider the proposed methods as potential tools for forest accounting.