Methodology of geoinformation small-scale mapping of geosystems for environmental risk management

Abstract

Within the framework of the thematic section “Ecological state of the natural environment, natural environmental risks” of the electronic geographical Atlas of North and Northeast Asia, a methodology for small-scale mapping of geosystems has been developed as a procedure for preparing scientific information about a natural geographical object to ensure environmental risk management. The scientific basis of the research is the theory of spatial and temporal organization and the methodology of constructive integration mapping of geosystems. Natural ecological risk is understood as the probability of negative changes in the structure and functioning of geosystems in the case of natural or anthropogenic phenomena and processes in the habitat. The methods of creation, structure, and content of the unified information and cartographic system of the Mongolian-Siberian region of geosystem content of scale 1:5 000 000 have been developed. For these purposes, geographically and conceptually inconsistent maps of the geosystems of the regions of Siberia and Mongolia were analyzed. The patterns of spatial and temporal organization, regional features of functional differentiation of natural systems are revealed. Based on the results of the study, scientific generalizations were made concerning the description of geosystems of regional rank, their typification, classification, and zoning. The prognostic potential of small-scale maps of geosystems in relation to geographical studies of natural environmental risks based on the procedure for analyzing geosystems by typological functional, structural, and dynamic features is revealed. The characteristics of natural factors of the intensity of functioning, ecological functions of geosystems served as indicators in the environmental regulation of the use of natural systems, allowed to correctly substantiate environmental recommendations to minimize undesirable consequences. A specialized classification is demonstrated—a legend and a zoning map of the territory of the Mongolian-Siberian region, reflecting the sequence of multi-stage cartographic studies of natural environmental risk and the structuring of physical and geographical information. The created maps make up the basic set in the structure of spatial data of the electronic Atlas, new maps of geosystems can be created on their basis.