We have carried out geomorphological zoning of the Lena Delta eastern part based on morphometric analysis. First, we have mapped lineaments which are expressed in river network. The analysis of their spatial orientation made it possible to zoning study area. Further morphometric analysis of all revealed areas has allowed to geomorphological characterize they, illustrate their differences, identify a number of patterns, and finally classify them. Morphometric analysis’ results confirm the validity of manual mapping. In addition, our results have confirmed the correspondence of the mapped areas to neotectonic blocks, which have individual features.

Although international environmental cooperation goes back several decades, negotiation and rule-making processes aimed at ensuring sustainable development of the individual regions and world economy have intensified in last years. In the context of the simultaneous intensification of international pressure to “green up” world economy and the growing contradictions between the international actors, the team of authors set a goal to identify the areas of common interest and main disagreements in the positions of key actors on the transition to low carbon development. The research is based on the use of historical and systemic approaches, analytical, bibliographic, logical, structural methods. The authors put forward and test the hypothesis about the primacy of the international approach to the “greening up” of the modern economy. The evolution of the perception of greenhouse gas emissions from a natural satellite of economic progress (before the 1960s) to the main cause of global warming (since the 1990s) is shown. Key international climate agreements and initiatives were systematized, to record the transition from strict top-down benchmarks of harmful emissions reduction to softer self-determined commitments and “green” projects. The conducted correlation analysis revealed the reasons for national differences in the formation of the climate agenda. For the studied group of countries, population and GDP have the greatest impact on CO2 emissions. Developed countries are characterized by an inverse relationship: population growth and GDP growth lead to a decrease in emissions, which can be explained by the predominant share of the service sector in the national economy. Industry and foreign direct investment are the key generators of hydrocarbon pollution in the EU, in India and China respectively. The impossibility of resolving problems at the regional level has led to the delegation of authority to national and international institutions. The article will be of interest to specialists involved in the shaping environmental programs, experts in the field of the regional economy.

A new approach to modeling spatiotemporal dynamics in forest-steppe ecosystems amid climate change is proposed. This approach involves a morphometric analysis of the digital elevation model (SRTM). The resultant forecast is based on an analysis of the geological–geomorphological framework and takes into account the functional significance of specific relief forms and types and their impacts on the static and dynamic properties of ecosystems. Plain areas are most resistant to climatic changes, while areas with lacustrine relief are most vulnerable both under humidization and aridization conditions. Predictive mapping based on GIS and remote sensing (RS) data confirms the hypothesis of the focal–discrete nature of spatial changes observed in the forest-steppe zone of Western Siberia amid different climatic trends.

This paper is concerned with the presentation of the methodology to GIS mapping of the territory according to degree of vulnerability to aridification/humidification processes. The methodology is based on combination of different thematic information, such as paleogeographic, landscape, archaeological, geobotanical, with characteristics of the geomorphological framework built by using of the digital elevation model SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission). The area under consideration is located on the Baraba Plain, which has close to the surface position of groundwater. The interrelation between the parameters of landscape and moistening (ground and atmospheric) was considered through the concept of automorphic and hydromorphic lands, on the basis of the indicator of relative elevation derived according to a digital elevation model. Two models of vulnerability of the territory were built by using this indicator for four landscapes (with ridges, lakes, ridges and lakes, and plain) for aridification and humidification cases. The obtained results show areas, which are the most vulnerable to activation of exogenic processes dependent on climatic changes. The study concluded that automorphic surfaces are less vulnerable to humidification and more vulnerable to aridification. At the same time, hydromorphic areas of all types of landscape are vulnerable to both humidification and aridification. Thus, aridification is the most dangerous trend for the south of the West Siberian Plain. The novelty of these models is the ability to assess the degree of transformation of terrestrial ecosystems simultaneously over the entire area and locally for each of its sites at the medium-scale level of research. The proposed methodology allows correcting predictive models and paleo-geographic reconstructions depending on landscape features of the territory.

The paper presents the method of identifying the most vulnerable territories under exogenous processes caused by aridification/humidification. It is based on the assumption that some forms and types of relief increase resistance of terrestrial ecosystems to external influences, while other kinds of relief make them vulnerable. The relationship between landscape and moistening (ground and climatic) is of great importance to plains which have groundwater close to the surface. We have used morphometric analysis to divide the territory into hydromorphic and automorphic landscapes. Hydromorphic territories are those that are affected by additional surface moistening and groundwater, while automorphic landscapes are less dependent on groundwater under normal atmospheric moisture. The territory is ranked according to the degree of vulnerability by expert evaluation method. The developed approach is based entirely on using GIS software (ArcGIS 10.2.1) and processing the DEM SRTM. As a result, two models of vulnerability of natural terrestrial ecosystems to exogenic processes on Baraba Plain (Western Siberia) have been created for both aridification and humidification cases. The opportunity to estimate the vulnerability is the novel feature for these models of terrestrial ecosystems, in both regional and local scales. The results obtained confirm the existing ideas about the discrete mosaic character of changes in spatial landscape patterns in the area under consideration. For the southern part of Western Siberia where farming is risky the assessment of the potential degree of vulnerability for ecosystems under conditions of increasing climate aridity and extremes is relevant.

This paper proposes the method of GIS-mapping of landforms and relief types based on recognition by DEMderived morphometric characteristics. The objects for mapping are defined during preliminary study. It involves geological maps, literature and field research data. An approach implemented with four alternative technological sequences: the mapping of landforms; the mapping of relief types based on landforms areas ratio in a moving window; the mapping of relief types based on supervised classification with using training area; zoning by thematic criteria (allocation of areas with certain geomorphological conditions). It can be applied alternately or simultaneously depending on study area characteristics. The proposed method have some advantages: using objective criteria for selecting of landforms and relief types allows to increase the objectivity of cartographic works generally; using GIS-technology reduces complexity of cartographic work; using of statistics to identify similarities and differences of various forms and types of relief. However, the method requires certain skills of a researcher in geoinformatics for selection and optimization of recognition algorithms.

Geoinformation technologies are applied to an analysis of the living environments of Paleolithic people, using a territory along the route of a future gas pipeline planned for construction in the Altai Mountains as an example. GIS modeling of a paleoenvironment is based on the notion of a paleolandscape's geological and morphological framework. The SRTM digital model of terrain, and geological maps of scale 1: 200,000 were used. The main factors that control localization of sites have been selected: the presence of flat, even grounds suitable for settlement; proximity to sources of raw materials; good conditions for sun exposure; and water availability across the territory. Verification of known Paleolithic sites showed the adequacy of GIS-modeling and its suitability in the optimal search for new sites.

Based on the stratigraphy of Paleolithic sites on the northern Angara, the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene history of the region is reconstructed. Findings of recent salvage excavations in the Boguchany flooding zone as well as the evidence of Quaternary geology, geomorphology, neotectonics, and archaeology jointly disprove the “young Angara” model proposed by G.I. Medvedev and other “geoarchaeologists.” The principal event postulated by that model – the alleged disastrous outburst of the Angara along the Baikal channel 12–7 ka BP is supported neither by the relief nor by the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene sedimentation record nor by the stratigraphy of the Paleolithic sites on the northern Angara.

Based on the stratigraphy of Paleolithic sites on the northern Angara, the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene history of the region is reconstructed. Findings of recent salvage excavations in the Boguchany flooding zone as well as the evidence of Quaternary geology, geomorphology, neotectonics, and archaeology jointly disprove the “young Angara” model proposed by G.I. Medvedev and other “geoarchaeologists.” The principal event postulated by that model – the alleged disastrous outburst of the Angara along the Baikal channel 12–7 ka BP is supported neither by the relief nor by the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene sedimentation record nor by the stratigraphy of the Paleolithic sites on the northern Angara.