Том 37, № 1 (2016)

This paper is concerned with the main statements of V.B. Sochava’s theoretical legacy which are currently central to the advancement of modern cultural geography. Among them are the geographical science studies: metageography and geographical tectology, structural-dynamical approach to culture and landscape, and the concept of the geosystem and its invariant. The study brings out the importance of systems approach to culture and landscapes as well as the significance of the theory of geosystems, a catalyst for the emergence of new cultural-geographical knowledge. The problem of geographical tectology as stated by V.B. Sochava is implemented by adjusting the methods and knowledge of related disciplines for the particular purposes of geographical investigation. An outline is given of the specific character of methodological development of cultural geography in circumstances where the postmodernism world outlook platform is dominant as well as of the “drift” of the interests of the scientific community from the material aspect of man–environment interaction to the postmodern “dematerialization” of social geography. These processes which are progressing more intensely in Western science have influence on national geocultural research. Furthermore, the key characteristics of postmodernization, i.e. recognition of the equivalence and uniqueness of cultural-geographical phenomena, the equality of research standpoints, and refusal from the search for a “metanarrative” unfairly push to the methodological periphery the issues related to evolution, hierarchy, and interobjective connections of culture and landscape. The dominant emphasis on the nonmaterial aspects of cultural-geographical phenomena and processes does not imply that their systems side has lost value. V.B. Sochava’s theoretical developments provide a meaningful potential source for a further advancement of cultural geography. Moreover, even the international science has recently shown an enhancement in the tendency toward the “restoration of materialism” in cultural geography. This paper is built upon an integral approach to demonstrate an avenue for a harmonious combination of the “material” and “nonmaterial” sides of the discipline.

A multifactor tourism typology of countries of the world having a structural-functional character has been developed. It provides insight into the typological features of the global spatial structure of international tourism, reflecting the intensity of international tourism flows, their geography, the importance of the tourism industry for the national economy as well as the general attributes of territorial organization of international tourism, and the dynamics of its development. Five main types of touristic types of countries have been identified. The following indicators were used for characterization of the countries and their comparison: the size of the territory, and the population size; the general level of socioeconomic development; the level and character of development of international tourism; the characteristic properties of touristic demand; the orientedness of tourism flows; characteristics of touristic offer; the degree of influence of international tourism on the national economy; characteristics of the state policy in the sphere of tourism, and touristic specialization. The first type includes the economically highly developed countries with mature national systems of international tourism forming the center of the world’s touristic space. The second type is represented by countries belonging to the semi-periphery of the world’s touristic space with an intensely forming state-supported polyfunctional system of international tourism. The third type includes moderately developed countries of the semi-periphery of the world’s touristic space with a polyfunctional system of international tourism in the stage of transformation and formation of a civilized travel market. The fourth type comprises small island states of the Caribbean Basin which belong to the semi-periphery and, in part, to the “advanced” periphery of the world’s touristic space. The fifth type combines developing countries belonging to the periphery of the world’s touristic space, with a weakly developed market of international tourism.

We have explored the possibility of using the geochemical characteristics of migration and accumulation of alkali metals (lithium, rubidium, and caesium) as the indicators of anthropogenic status of heavy metals in bottom sediments of small rivers of a technogenically disturbed (urbanized) environment. A study was made of the behavior of the above elements in bottom sediments of the rivers of Petrozavodsk (Republic of Karelia). The chemical composition of the sediments used in the study was determined with X-ray fluorescence spectrometer ARL ADVANT’X and mass spectrometer XSeries-2 ICP-MS; the content of organic matter in bottom sediments (from the LOI index) was estimated by the weighing method upon heating the samples under investigation to the temperature of 1100°C. As a result of the investigations, it was found that among the heavy metals, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Sb, W and Pb are of predominantly technogenic origin in river sediments, which Cr and Cs are of predominantly natural origin due to a high background of these elements in Quaternary formations of the study area. We determined a close association of the trace elements of technogenic status as well as of Li, Rb and Cs with content levels of iron-manganese formations and organic matter in river sediments, which does indicate a commonalty of the processes promoting their input into the urban water stream. It is established that the commonalty of accumulation of a number of heavy metals in bottom sediments with lithophylic elements (Li, Rb and Cs), due to the high chemical activity of these latter, makes it possible to use the geochemical characteristics of the alkali metals as the indicator of technogenic status of the main pollutants of the urban environment.

The comprehensive utilization of the technique for substantiating the promotion of hiking tourism, with emphasis on infrastructural development to ease access to recreational sites for different categories of visitors. The goal of using specialized hiking trails is to furnish a means of acquiring a familiarity with the unique landscapes of the Khamar-Daban mountain range. The technique contains four consecutive stages, and their implementation is illustrated in terms of the model territory. An analysis is made of the socioeconomic and geoecological characteristics of the Baikalskii Biosphere Reserve, which, together with landscape assessment, serves as a basis for the generation of the zoning map for possibilities and restrictions as regards the promotion and development of hiking tourism. A zoning is provided, which takes into consideration the possibilities of hiking tourism, based on assessing a territory’s transport accessibility, estimating the cost of preparing a trail of each class, and on the geoecological characteristics of landscape. The map that identifies seven zones of different-intensity transformation of the territory for an integral development of hiking tourism is used in making recommendations for the preparation of hiking trails in the Baikalskii Nature Reserve. The landscapes are combined into zones according to the degree of suitability for the construction of trails of different classes. The algorithm for preparation of trails consisting of 10 consecutive stages (three stages of planning, and seven stages of preparation) is applied for a number of linear features. The most suitable classes of preparation are indicated for these trails, in accordance with the characteristics of landscapes and engineering restrictions within their boundaries.

A study is made of the lead, zinc, copper, manganese, chromium, nickel and iron distribution patterns in soils and bottom sediments of streams flowing on the eastern macroslope of the Subpolar Urals. Results were subjected to a statistical processing to show a wide variation in content levels of metals due to a set of lithological and landscape-geochemical factors. The study revealed a correlation of anomalously high concentrations in soils with occurrence zones of ore mineral resources. Particular attention is paid to the lateral differentiation of lead. It is shown that its accumulation occurs in accumulative landscapes of river valleys, and its increased content is observed in bottom sediments during deposition on the sorption barrier. It is found that formation of bottom sediments showing increased contents of metals is associated with sedimentation characteristics at the time when the flow velocity of rivers decreases at the transition from mountain landscapes to lowland landscapes. The accmulation of elements in different components of migration series is analyzed to reveal regular differences in elemental composition of soils of middle- and low-mountain, low-mountain/ piedmont and submontane-lowland landscapes and to permit the description of the background geochemical associations. Regional percent abundances are calculated and compared with results obtained for neighboring areas of the West Siberian Plain. The postulate concerning the determining role of the surrounding mountains in the formation of the trace element composition of soils in Western Siberia. A deficit of copper and zinc content in bottom sediments is pointed out. It is concluded that dissolved forms are dominant in the aquatic transport of heavy metals.

The soil genesis and classification position in different altitude-vegetation belts of the Middle Urals were determined on the territory of the Basegi Nature Reserve during 2009–2013. For improving the soil diagnostics (using the Northern Baseg mountain as an example), we quantified the group composition of iron compounds, and examined the distribution types of iron compounds across the soil profiles. The character of profile distribution of iron forms is governed by physical weathering and soil-forming processes: burozem formation, biological iron fixation, gleying, oxidogenesis, alfehumic illuviation, and redox alfehumic differentiation. No signs of podzolization were revealed in the soils. For the goletz belt, dry peat podburs (ocherous subtype) and ferruginized litho-sod-eluvozem were identified for the first time in conditions of the mountain tundra on the western macroslope of the Middle Urals. The study determined different combinations of the processes in the soils for the altitude-vegetation belts.

We examine the current ecological problems of the Balkhash region. An assessment is made of the ecological status of the territory and water resources among which Lake Balkhash and the Ili, Karatal and Lepsy were assessed as the most severely polluted rivers. Lake Balkhash is represented not only as a fishery water body but also as the unique center of the region’s ecological integrity. A rationale is provided for the need to carry out a geoecological monitoring as well as comprehensive measures for maintaining stability of the Lake Balkhash level, preventing the water bodies from pollution, the protection of the lakes’ floodplains, the preservation of tugai forests and saxaul vegetation, and a monitoring of desertification processes. Based on studying and analyzing the spatiotemporal physical-geographical characteristics of the territory of the Balkhash region, we constructed a fragment of the geoecological regionalization map. A study into the spatialregular distribution revealed the region’s dominant plant communities. The main pollution sources have been identified: mining industries, housing and communal facilities, influences from settlements, and agrocenoses, specifically irrigated agriculture. As a result of our investigations, it was found that all landscapes of the region have been undergoing changes due to anthropogenic impacts to become anthropogenic modifications of natural landscapes. It was further found that irrational consumption and ill thought-out strategies for utilization of biological resources, coupled with an inadequate scientific regulation of anthropogenic impacts, continue to inflict damage to the region’s bioresources.