Research of landscape structure of high-mountainous part of interstream area of Qarasu and Qurmuxchai Rivers

The research of exogenic relief forming processes allows to consider the particularities of forming of high-mountainous landscapes of the Azerbaijan part of the Great Caucasus and their space and time difference on the example of various massives. Some results of visual interpretation of aero photo images of scale 1:25000 and analysis of field study in this work allow us to characterize the condition of part of landscapes of the Southern Slope of the Main Caucasian Ridge for making optimal natural defense measures. The researches in this direction allow making a sketch map of erosion danger ,which may serve the theoretical base for correction in the organization of economy activity. Research of the landscape situation in high mountains of the Southern Slope of the Main Caucasian Ridge has always been complicated by difficult environment. For this reason there is a sharp need in objective estimation of its condition in scientific researches. Experience shows that an effective tool for these purposes is the use of space information including aerial photographs. With their help it is possible to track the changes occurring in the mountain-meadow landscape zone actively used as pastures and hay making areas, and, most importantly, to define the most vulnerable sites for carrying out of nature protection actions. Besides, during the last decade the given territory is more actively involved in the sphere of tourist industry, which, along with agriculture, already is an important component of human activity in the high mountains of the Azerbaijan part of the Great Caucasus. Large tourist complexes ready to host a considerable number of people are under construction here. Tourist routes, along which a developed infrastructure that would influence mountain landscapes can be created in the future, are defined. For this reason there is a necessity of revision of traditional classification of settlements, inclusion of ''recreation centres'' as an independent settlement type, which is crucial for defining the character of anthropogenic load on high-mountainous landscapes. Researches in this zone have quite an applied character. So, the given territory, where ancient settlements and historical monuments are located, tourist objects are built, needs assessment of safety of buildings, their security from landslides and mud flows. Various ministries and departments, along with scientists, should be involved in the work as this problem gets strategic character for the state, where development of non-oil sphere is an important state problem for the near future.

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