ALBERT

Description:    We examine the implementation of the program-target approach in a comprehensive typology of rural areas. The study has revealed stratification elements of rural territories and provides groups of areas according to the status of socioeconomic environment and the development potential and polarization. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Techniques Pages 380-385 DOI 10.1134/S1875372811040135 Authors N. V. Rogovskaya, Institute of Geography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia M. A. Grigoryeva, Institute of Geography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia Journal Geography and Natural Resources Online ISSN 1875-371X Print ISSN 1875-3728 Journal Volume Volume 32 Journal Issue Volume 32, Number 4

Description:    A comparison is made of the performance of different schemes (models) for calculating the monthly mean water runoff from the catchment. To maximize objectivity of results and for ease of the modeling process, a special-purpose software was developed in order to construct the models compared using a unified technology. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Techniques Pages 376-379 DOI 10.1134/S1875372811040123 Authors A. V. Ignatov, Institute of Geography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia Journal Geography and Natural Resources Online ISSN 1875-371X Print ISSN 1875-3728 Journal Volume Volume 32 Journal Issue Volume 32, Number 4

Description:    The hydrographic network structure of continents conveys the chief peculiarities of relief of mainland at the planetary level of organization. In eastern Eurasia, it is a general northward ramp occupying the entire Siberian part of Russia and the central elevation of the Tibetan Plateau and extending further in the form of Arctic shelves. The other continents are characterized by some elevation of their marginal parts, and by the presence of central basins with hydrographic nodes and rivers, or catchments. Content Type Journal Article Pages 308-314 DOI 10.1134/S1875372811040020 Authors G. F. Ufimtsev, Institute of the Earth’s Crust, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia Journal Geography and Natural Resources Online ISSN 1875-371X Print ISSN 1875-3728 Journal Volume Volume 32 Journal Issue Volume 32, Number 4

Description:    The Villány area, as a central part of the Tisza microcontinent/terrane along the European margin of Tethys, was characterized by intense subsidence in the Early and Middle Triassic, followed by a long interruption of subsidence in the Late Triassic to Middle Jurassic. During the Middle–Late Jurassic transition, marine sedimentation started with three distinct sedimentary episodes dated as Late Bathonian, Early Callovian, and Middle–Late Callovian, respectively. The succession is terminated by a thick limestone of Middle Oxfordian age. The sedimentary features, microfacies, and macroinvertebrate associations of these four stratigraphic units are documented and illustrated. The Middle to Late Jurassic sedimentary episodes of the Villány succession record an interplay of local and global factors and paleogeographical changes. At the beginning, local tectonic movements governed the main features of sedimentation, though the role of eustasy was also essential. From the mid-Callovian onwards, global climatic, biotic, and paleoceanographical changes controlled the nature and formation of the local carbonate sediments. The Callovian stromatolites are attributed to the activity of sulphate-reducing bacteria in a deep sublittoral, current-swept environment. Upwelling of eutrophic Tethyan waters is recorded by the prevalence of the Bositra filament microfacies in the Callovian. The long submarine hiatus at around the Callovian–Oxfordian transition mirrors a serious restriction of the carbonate budget, due to sudden cooling and a change in the oceanic current system (opening of a circumglobal Tethyan Passage), and to a higher amount of dissolved CO 2 . In the Middle Oxfordian, the carbonate production considerably increased in accordance with the sudden global warming. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Article Pages 1-29 DOI 10.1007/s10347-011-0287-8 Authors A. Vörös, Research Group for Paleontology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences–Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Ludovika tér 2, 1083 Hungary Journal Facies Online ISSN 1612-4820 Print ISSN 0172-9179

Description:    Investigations into the vegetation cover on the polygon-transect in the Kulikalon depression (Tajikistan) revealed the influence of anthropogenic pressure on the ecosystem of archovniks (juniper forests). Archovniks constitute the main landscape component of the Zarafshan geobotanical region. Only small areas occupied by them are not disturbed by human economic activity on the territory of the Kulikalon depression. Content Type Journal Article Category Geography Abroad Pages 386-393 DOI 10.1134/S1875372811040147 Authors O. Rahmonov, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland M. Rahmonova, Higher School of Ecology, Sosnowiec, Poland V. A. Snytko, Institute of Geography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia T. Szczypek, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland Journal Geography and Natural Resources Online ISSN 1875-371X Print ISSN 1875-3728 Journal Volume Volume 32 Journal Issue Volume 32, Number 4

Description:    The increasing availability of data monitoring the phenomena that occur on the Earth makes it necessary to provide ad hoc tools allowing the researchers to exploit efficiently all information. The study presented in this paper has been dedicated to the design and implementation in a GIS environment of tools and indices for the analysis and inter-comparison of several datasets representing CO emissions at a global level. The objective of the work was to provide the scientists with an instrument for the consultation and processing of CO emission datasets, with as much automation as possible, besides guided setting of the parameters and interface for graph generation. Both proprietary and open source software have been considered, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. The use of proprietary software (ArcGIS 9.3) was requested by the users; for a more efficient customisation the implementation involved also the use of Python 2.5 language and of the Matplotlib library. Then the same kind of tools were implemented in a new module of the GRASS software (version 6.4), developed in C language. In this paper the tools are presented together with examples of CO emission datasets inter-comparisons. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s12518-011-0075-8 Authors Federica Migliaccio, Sezione Rilevamento, DIIAR, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32-20133 Milano, Italy Daniela Carrion, Sezione Rilevamento, DIIAR, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32-20133 Milano, Italy Cynthia Zambrano, Sezione Rilevamento, DIIAR, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32-20133 Milano, Italy Journal Applied Geomatics Online ISSN 1866-928X Print ISSN 1866-9298

Description:    The concept of geophysical systems of landscapes is suggested. This study identifies the energy components of the geophysical system of landscape and the most important functions that derive from them, which determine the boundaries and individuality of landscapes, and their differences in the rate of matter moisture transport. A methodological solution is suggested for the metric characteristic of landscapes from the system of intervals of basic hydrothermal indicators that control the rate of matter moisture transport and are used as a standard of functional stability of landscapes. Content Type Journal Article Pages 301-307 DOI 10.1134/S1875372811040019 Authors G. S. Makunina, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia Journal Geography and Natural Resources Online ISSN 1875-371X Print ISSN 1875-3728 Journal Volume Volume 32 Journal Issue Volume 32, Number 4

Description:    We outline the methods and results of cartographic analysis and assessment the present state of a large region’s geosystems: their structural, functional and functional-value characteristics have been revealed. Drawing on the notion of epiformations, we determined the ecological potential of geosystems at the regional level for nature management purposes. A fragment of the typological general-purpose interpretation map “Ecological potential of the Baikal region’s geosystems” is presented. Content Type Journal Article Pages 315-322 DOI 10.1134/S1875372811040032 Authors T. I. Kuznetsova, Institute of Geography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia I. V. Bychkov, Institute of System Dynamics and Control Theory, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia A. R. Batuev, Institute of Geography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia V. M. Plyusnin, Institute of Geography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia G. M. Ruzhnikov, Institute of System Dynamics and Control Theory, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia A. E. Khmel’nov, Institute of System Dynamics and Control Theory, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia Journal Geography and Natural Resources Online ISSN 1875-371X Print ISSN 1875-3728 Journal Volume Volume 32 Journal Issue Volume 32, Number 4

Description:    The paper presents a review of shallow lakes on two neighboring territories, Transbaikalia in Russia and Northeastern Mongolia. Five systems of shallow lakes are distinguished in the regions under study: Barguzin, Eravna-Gusinoozersk, Ingoda, Onon-Borzya, and Eastern-Mongolian systems. The shallow lakes are sub-grouped according to common chemical compositions and geochemical evolution types. Characteristics of ground- and surface waters feeding the lakes are considered. Based on results of trace element analyses of water samples from about 200 lakes and more than 100 springs, wells and boreholes, elements that manifest higher concentrations, resulting from evaporation of lacustrine waters, are determined. Prospects of assessment of ore-generating potential of the shallow lakes as ‘liquid ore’ sources in view of commercial extraction of Li, U, REE, and others metals are discussed. Content Type Journal Article Pages 323-332 DOI 10.1134/S1875372811040044 Authors E. V. Sklyarov, Institute of the Earth’s Crust, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia O. A. Sklyarova, Institute of Geochemistry, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia Yu. V. Men’shagin, Institute of the Earth’s Crust, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia M. A. Danilova, Institute of the Earth’s Crust, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia Journal Geography and Natural Resources Online ISSN 1875-371X Print ISSN 1875-3728 Journal Volume Volume 32 Journal Issue Volume 32, Number 4

Description:    Long-term data from meteorological stations have been used in assessing the thermal state of the soil layer in large depressions of the Prebaikalia and Northern Transbaikalia. We examine the characteristics of temperature distribution in depth over an annual cycle for seasonally frozen and permafrost soils. For the Baikalian type depressions we carried out a spatial differentiation of the lowest and highest (having regard to the temperature lag) mean monthly soil temperatures. It is concluded that within a single depression the thermal regime of the soil fluctuates over a very broad range. On the other hand, an identical situation with the temperature regime can occur in different depressions. Content Type Journal Article Category Regional Problems of Environmental Studies and Natural Resources Utilization Pages 363-369 DOI 10.1134/S187537281104010X Authors I. E. Trofimova, Institute of Geography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia A. I. Shekhovtsov, Institute of Geography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia Journal Geography and Natural Resources Online ISSN 1875-371X Print ISSN 1875-3728 Journal Volume Volume 32 Journal Issue Volume 32, Number 4