ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE RELIEF TRANSFORMATION IN THE ASTRAKHAN REGION

Abstract

Urbanization, industrial, agricultural and recreational land development actively transforms landscapes in the Astrakhan region. First of all, the processes of land development affect the relief of the area, and properties of rocks and unconsolidated sediments (physical-mechanical, chemical, toxicological, microbiological, radiological etc.). Environmentally hazardous changes in geomorphological conditions in the region are associated with deflation, suffosion, landslides, wave erosion and water erosion, pollution of soil, pasture and recreational digression of the landscape. Changes of geomorphological conditions take place due to natural, anthropogenic, mixed effects, including techno- and biogenic processes. Special concern is paid to transformation caused by the influence of wind and water flows, as well as the "new factor" - organized but mostly disordered activity of different kinds of tourists. Thus, erosion threatening area reaches 2031 10³ hectares, and deflation affects 29% of these areas. The annual number of tourists reaches 1.8 million people, most of which are spontaneous tourists. At one of the test sites on the beach of Volga-Akhtuba floodplain annual weight of waste from such activity amounted to 94 kg/hectare, and the amount of the people on the beach reaches up to 50 per 10 m along the shore. Damage can be reduced by a scientifically grounded environmental management.