Karst denudation as a factor of landscape genesis Central Chernozemic Region

Abstract

Karst denudation during the Neogene-Quaternary period plays one of the leading roles in the formation of paleo- and modern landscapes of the Central Chernozemic region. In many areas it predetermines the processes of lithological genesis of landscape and significantly affects the specifics of economic activity. In this connection the authors have made an attempt to examine the present situation of karst spreading in the region, to supplement the data on the geography of karst processes and to reveal the main factors influencing the intensity of karst denudation. The work is based on many years of field studies carried out by the authors in the region, which revealed the main habitats of karst landscapes distribution in the Central Chernozemic Region. This information was supplemented with modern data on karst distribution obtained by interpretation of high-resolution satellite images. As a result, more than 15 thousand karst and karst-suffosion relief forms were identified in the region. New areas of karst denudation development were also identified for the Lipetsk Region. The map of karst and karst-suffosion landscapes density created for the Central Chernozemic region for the first time became the result of this work. In addition, the main factors influencing the intensity of karst processes were determined. Among them: the depth of occurrence of carbonate rocks, their material and chemical composition, fracturing and chemical aggressiveness of natural waters. The conclusion focuses on the applied aspect of the study of karst landscape genesis.