The article developed an algorithm for the integral assessment of anthropogenic impact (AI) with spatial discreteness for municipalities of the Baikal Natural Territory (BNT). It includes 21 normalized indicators for the 2014–2020 period, aggregated into 7 sub-indices (impact on the atmosphere, water, forest resources, agricultural impact, solid waste, disturbed lands and objects of accumulated harm, as well as background impact). To determine the weight of the indicators, a survey was conducted of experts representing the scientific community (specialists in the field of integrated assessments of certain types of impacts or in the field of environmental problems of the BNT), the expert community (leading rating agencies) and representatives of the environmental management system of the regions included in the BNT. The integral indicator made it possible to build a rating of municipalities and identify key factors in the formation of the environmental situation. According to the integral index, five types of territories are identified, subtypes are distinguished by the nature of the impact on the environment. A high level of AI is typical for large cities and localities of enterprises, especially mining, in which a full set of load components operates. The increased level is observed in cities, suburban municipalities with a high burden from the vital activity of the population, as well as in large agricultural areas with a developed extractive industry. The average level of AI is typical for a small number of rural areas and small towns due to the load from agriculture and forestry. The reduced level of impact is formed mainly in semi-peripheral areas, where the load on forest resources plays a special role, and some suburban areas with more developed agriculture. A low level of AI is typical for peripheral, sparsely populated municipal units with a noticeable proportion of pollution from heating oil in residential housing. For BNT, a special role in the formation of the ecological situation is played by large tracts of disturbed land, high volumes of solid waste generation and objects of accumulated damage left over from the period of Soviet industrialization.

Based on many years of geomorphological studies over the coast of the largest lake in the world, the outstanding Russian geomorphologist G.I. Rychagov formulated the idea of the Caspian Sea as a complex self-regulating system in which the altitude position of the basin level is determined not only by the values of the components of the water balance, but also by the topography of the bottom and the land adjacent to its' water area. Regarding the modern (Holocene) stage of its' development, the author determined the amplitude of level fluctuations in the range of absolute values from –25 to –30 m. The long-term forecast for the development of the Caspian Sea level was justified twice during the author’s lifetime. The experience of paleogeographical studies of the Caspian coast allowed G.I. Rychagov to formulate and solve a number of scientific and methodological issues. First of all, it showed the high information content of geomorphological data and geomorphological analysis in paleogeographical and forecasting work. Thus, data on the depths of incision of the mouth areas of the valleys of small rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, in addition to the heights of the surfaces of the Neo-Caspian marine terraces, turned out to be excellent indicators of the magnitude of sea level fluctuations. The close connection between the development of the Caspian Sea and the processes in its' basin required a detailed study of its' largest part – the Volga River basin. The key site here was the Satinsky educational and scientific polygon in the basin of the middle reaches of the Protva River. Many years of comprehensive work under the leadership of G.I. Rychagov made the Satinsky polygon one of the most studied geologically and geomorphologically in the central region of the East European Plain. The geomorphological and complex paleogeographical method of studying the relief of the territory and the Middle-Upper Neopleistocene strata composing it allow us to consider the test site as a stratotypic area for the Middle Neopleistocene of the region. The independence of two glaciations of the Middle Neopleistocene – Moscow and Dnieper – was shown.

Abstract—A method for calculating the complex index of the eco-geomorphological hazard of mining territories according to their influence on the ecological situation in the Baikal region is proposed. The described approach makes it possible to characterize in detail the consequences of mining for the ecological situation in the region. The proposed assessment takes into account not only the area of disturbed lands, but also other factors affecting the possibility of transport of pollutants and the degree of their hazard (in particular, the type of raw material extracted, the geomorphological position of the mining territories, the degree of the anthropogenic transformation of landscapes, the composition of anthropogenic deposits and the degree of reclamation of disturbed lands). To test the methodology, the complex index of the eco-geomorphological hazard of lands disturbed by mining was calculated for municipalities of the Baikal region for 2020. Municipalities were ranked according to the value of the complex index and a corresponding map was compiled.

Based on the results of geomorphologic surveys carried out in 2021-2022 with the involvement of published materials, an original largescale (from 1:25 000 to 1:100 000) description of relief of urban areas of the Republic of Abkhazia (Gagra, Pitsunda, Gudauta, Noviy Afon and Sukhum) was compiled, and unprec-edented general geomorphologic maps were prepared, with morphogenesis-based legends. According to their morphostructure position and geomorphologic structure, the cities are grouped as follows: 1) completely lying in the area of the coastalmarine relief (Pitsunda and Gudauta); 2) located mainly within the sea terraces and erosion-denudation hills (Sukhum and Gagra); 3) completely located in the low mountains with a predominance of strongly dissected structural-denudation, fluvial and slope relief (Noviy Afon). A field survey revealed about 300 areas with unfavorable and dangerous geomorphologic processes within the urban areas, 44% of them are in Sukhum, 26% in Gudauta, 11% in Gagra, 10% in Pitsunda, 9% in Noviy Afon. The leading geo-morphologic hazards in all spectra are suffusion, erosion and biogenic processes. A list of other processes in a spectrum is predetermined by the geomorphologic position of cities. The widest range, which in addition to the abovementioned processes, includes also karst, mudflows and landslide processes (i.e. the most dangerous ones), is typical for urban areas with a complex relief structure, abundant in steep slopes and located within a narrow strip separating the spurs of the Main Caucasian Range from the sea (Gagra, Noviy Afon). The risk of destruction of street infrastructure (roadbed, communications, etc.) by dangerous geomorphologic processes was qualitatively estimated and its high dependence on the geomorphologic position of a particular section of the city has been established. In particular, the distribution patterns of recorded unfavorable and dangerous geomorphologic processes made it possible to state that the most favorable conditions for the construction and operation of urban infrastructure and buildings in general are within the leveled surfaces of the Late Pleistocene marine terraces, as well as the upper levels of floodplain terraces in the valleys of large rivers. Other levels of relief have certain disadvantages that impede the development of territories. Thus, the construction on the surface of the Holocene marine terrace is possible only if the foundations are waterproofed and soil is dumped in the lower areas. The development of high sea terraces, erosion-denudation and structural-denudation relief is difficult because of the high density of erosion dissection.

The purpose of the presented study is to develop a methodology for assessing the anthropogenic impact on the environment in the municipalities of the Baikal Natural Territory (BNT) and applying the obtained methodology to the studied territory. The article analyzes the existing methodological approaches to the assessment of anthropogenic impact on the environment. To carry out a comprehensive integrated assessment, the authors proposed an algorithm for calculating the anthropogenic impact index based on 22 indicators integrated into 7 subindexes (impact on the atmosphere, water and forest resources, agricultural impact, solid waste, disturbed lands and objects of accumulated harm, as well as background impact). The weight of the indicators was determined by interviewing experts representing the scientific community (leading experts in the field of integrated assessments of certain types of impacts or specialists in the field of environmental problems of the BNT), the expert community (leading analytical agencies developing environmental ratings), as well as the environmental management system of the regions included in the BNT. The inertial nature of the anthropogenic impact characteristic of municipalities within the boundaries of the BNT, as well as the general tendency to reduce the impact, has been revealed. At the same time, the absence of positive changes in the environmental state was noted, especially characteristic of the largest impact centers with their inherent unfavorable environment, which suggests the need to take measures to reduce the impact. The advantage of the methodology proposed by the authors can be considered the possibility of extending monitoring in the future, which opens up the possibility of using this algorithm to assess the environmental situation and form environmental policy priorities. The analysis of the results confirmed the quality of the integrated assessment methodology and showed that the districts, cities and towns of the BNT are highly polarized in terms of the level of anthropogenic impact concentrated in certain areas, primarily in the zone of atmospheric influence. The main strengthening of the AI is characteristic of municipalities located along transport corridors, the axis of which is the Trans-Siberian Railway, The Baikal–Amur Mainline and the «Power of Siberia» gas pipeline.

Anthropogenic transformation of relief within the Vorkuta industrial region during 90 years of economic development was for the first time quantitatively evaluated. Areas of predominantly direct (creation of anthropogenic relief) and indirect (change in the conditions of relief formation, spectrum and intensity of geomorphologic processes) transformation of relief are identified. About 25% (144 km 2 ) of the entire area of the region are under anthropogenic landforms (79 km 2 ), or with a significant change in the natural course of geomorphologic processes (65 km 2 ). Among the direct anthropogenic transformations of relief accumulative ones, i.e. the creation of positive forms of anthropogenic relief (dumps, embankments, etc.), prevail in terms of area and volumes of displaced matter; their total area is 75,2 km 2 and the volume is 417,8 million m 3 . About 30% of the area of all positive anthropogenic forms and 66% of their volume are mine dumps. Direct denudation transformations (creation of quarries, canals, etc.) are significantly smaller in area (3,8 km 2 ) and the volume of displaced material (72 million m 3 ). Indirect transformations of relief take place in the immediate vicinity of the zones of direct transformations (up to 1 km, mainly within 200 m). They include the changes in the spectrum and intensity of geomorphologic processes (primarily permafrost, slope and fluvial) due to disruption of the continuity of vegetation cover, changes in the hydrogeological regime, heat balance of permafrost, etc. The anthropogenic deposits are mainly the products of rock crushing including the coal-bearing rocks withdrawn during the excavation of underground workings. The largest volumes of anthropogenic sediments are concentrated in the dump fields of mines, the Pechorskaya Central Processing Plant and the Yun-Yaginsky open coal mine (up to 66% of the total volume), as well as in the embankments under settlements (up to 26%). Slope, erosion and aeolian processes which are rather marginal under natural conditions, have developed within the areas of anthropogenic relief; the spectrum of cryogenic processes has been changed there: the cryogenic weathering has become a leading process, while on the contrary, heaving and thermokarst are practically absent. The spontaneous combustion is the most dangerous geomorphologic process within the dump fields of operating and abandoned mines. The recorded signs of pyrolysis, e. g. surface hovering, release of hot gases and solutions, fumaroles, subsidence of the dump surface etc., indicate possible existence of large cavities and cracks in the dump body.

A new approach to complex assessment of relief for environmental management based on quantitative index of geomorphological safety is developed. The «geomorphological safety» concept, and its implementation as a special type of natural safety is fully determined and proved. The short review of scientific works in the field of risk assessment of geomorphological hazards, stability and vulnerability is provided. An algorithm for conducting a comprehensive assessment of geomorphological safety based on a balanced consideration of factors and conditions of relief development in a particular territory is presented. The procedure and result of evaluation, also the significance of introducing weight coefficients in order to take into account the specifics of land-use are demonstrated using the example of a large-scale assessment of the geomorphological safety of agriculture and mining at a key site in the south of Moscow region. For plain and mountainous topography, as well as for the bottom of the World ocean, the specificity of the assessment procedure by the developed method is emphasized. An overview of significant criteria that should be taken into account when calculating the geomorphological safety index at different scales is given.

The article analyzes the concept of recreational-geomorphologic information and methodological approaches to its formation in Russian and foreign recreational-geomorphologic literature. The ideas about the importance of geomorphologic structure and dynamics of terrain for recreational activities are widely developed, first of all in West-European touristic practice (Italy, France, Switzerland, Slovakia, Romania, Portugal) and, for example, in Brazil. Since the end of the 1990s they began to develop in Russia. The present-day Russian geomorphology considers recreational geomorphology as an applied science in the context of applying geomorphologic theory for information support of a tourist product implementation. So far, this area is not well-developed, since not every Park or protected area in Russia is ready to cooperate with geomorphologists. On the one hand, it is because of the difficulties in understanding information about the terrain, its influence on the construction of recreational facilities and performing tourist activities; on the other hand, it is limited by the possibility of financing and targeted spending of funds. There is a need for scientific assessment and presentation of information about the terrain to the consumer. For example, to a tourist in a national Park through information stands at the points of view with maps and illustrations, describing the history of the territory and the dangerous processes that may occur on the tourist trail. Or to a recreation organizer to assist in selection of representative objects for site seeing, designation of routes, designing stands and booklets, and provisioning of websites.

Information about the occurrence of different types of anthropogenic objects, such as settlements, transport infrastructure, mining areas, etc., in the Arctic zone of Russia was collected and systematized. Information about anthropogenic objects was taken from the Internet open sources: cartographic projects, databases, projects and schemes for further development of the subjects of the Russian Federation. It has been established that only a fifth of the Russian Arctic territory is under economic development, while the rest of its territory practically lacks the anthropogenic objects. The degree of economic development of the Arctic territories gradually decreases eastward. The Republic of Karelia is characterized by the highest level of economic development (only 13,1% of its area is currently unaffected by economic activities), while the least developed subjects are the Krasnoyarsk Krai (95,2%) and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) (87,2%). Data on the presence, location, and types of anthropogenic objects underwent the k-means method of cluster analysis in order to identify characteristic combinations of objects corresponding to the different types of development. Six main types of development have been identified within the Arctic zone of Russia, each of them is characterized by the dominance of a certain type of anthropogenic objects (residential objects, roads of various categories, mining facilities, fossil fuel transportation objects, and logging infrastructure). A specific type of development, namely integrated development, was also identified, which is characterized by a combination of three to five types of objects within a limited area. Each type of development is characterized by a certain combination of trends and the degree of relief transformation. In particular, the greatest transformation of relief and geomorphologicl processes is typical of the opencast mining areas (525 quarries with a total area of 605 km 2 ). A large variety of anthropogenic forms of different sizes are forming and the natural course of relief-forming processes (permafrost, fluvial, slope, etc.) is totally disrupted there for long. The least significant impact on relief development is that of some linear transport structures, in particular, unpaved roads and underground gas pipelines. Depending on the types of development, the subjects of the Russian Federation which are the part of the Arctic zone are characterized by various forms of the influence of economic activities on relief development. For regions with the leading role of transport infrastructure (e. g. the Arkhangelsk region, Karelia, the Republic of Sakha), a more significant indirect human influence on relief development is characteristic, in comparison with the direct one (the areas with negative consequences along the pathways of infrastructure objects exceed the area of anthropogenic forms themselves). On the contrary, the most pronounced transformation of relief in mining areas (e. g. the Murmansk region) is associated with direct impact, primarily, the large-scale creation of anthropogenic forms. In general, the economic activity in the Arctic zone of Russia is rather weak: the transformation of relief and natural geomorphologic processes affects a total area of about 667 thousand square km, which is about 18% of the total area of the Russian Arctic.

Matua is a typical small volcanic island in the Central Kuril Isles. Most of it is occupied by telescoped stratovolcanoes, the youngest of them is the active Late-Holocene Sarychev Peak. Periodical large-scale input of pyroclastics and lava is a background for the Matua island coast evolution. The latest catastrophic eruption which changed the coastline of the island occurred in 2009, but the original volcanic coasts are almost absent. Different types of abrasion coasts are most common for the stratovolcanoes area. Accumulative coasts, occasionally abraded by tsunami, are more characteristic of the terraced plain within the south-eastern part of the island. Most coasts are very stable. The rate of cliff retreat is minor, except of the coast formed in recent pyroclactics, where it can reach 30-60 m/year. Unambigious tracks of the south-eastward alongshore sediment flow were detected at northern and southern coasts of island.

The article presents a methodological approach to assessing the geomorphological safety of sea coasts based on the close interdependence between geomorphological conditions and active coastal recreational activities. One of the key stages of the proposed assessment is recreational-geomorphological zoning, which results in separation of regions, districts and local areas in relation to relief homogeneity and recreational situation. The suggested approach is based on the quantitative indicators of the environment — conditions of relief formation and the geomorphological properties of the territory. Group of criteria for the situation of relief formation includes lithological, hydrometeorological, human and social factors. Among the group of geomorphological criteria are: morphometric characteristics of the coast, the dynamics of the coast and the activity of slope processes. Resultant geomorphological safety was classified into three classes: the most suitable areas for recreation; territories subject to further refinement; and inconvenience territories that cannot be used at all. The results of the geomorphological safety assessment are designed to increase the effectiveness of recreational environmental planning. The suggested principles of geomorphological assessment can be used not only for the Baltic region, but almost for any coastal region, which may require some correction of criteria.

Изложены принципы построения легенды морфодинамической карты берегов. Показаны изменения, происходящие с рельефом морских берегов Европейской России за последние 30-50 лет. При отнесении берега к тому или иному морфодинамическому типу учтены: его генезис; литология береговых уступов, включая льдистость пород на берегах с многолетней мерзлотой; сведения о приливно-отливных и сгонно-нагонных колебаниях уровня моря; данные о темпах отступания/выдвижения берега, полученные в результате сопоставления разновременных топографических карт и космических снимков. Сформулированы основные принципы прогноза развития берегов: бассейновый подход - учет особенностей определенного морского водоема; региональный подход - учет характеристик рассматриваемого побережья; анализ современного состояния берегов - через проведение их типизации; ретроспективная реконструкция развития берегов; сценарный (предметный) подход - геоморфологический прогноз. Приведен пример такого прогноза для побережья Самбийского полуострова в юго-восточной Балтике.

Non-conflicting functioning of natural and natural-technogenic systems inRussiarequires the strategic planning of nature management, which should be based on both the results of complex assessment of natural risks (including geomorphologic ones) and the evaluation of territorial sustainability for different types of economic activity. The type and intensity of landform morphology transformation within a particular area determine the degree of stability of the socio-geomorphologic systems, and, as a result, the degree of geomorphologic safety of the territory. A complex index is suggested for the assessment of geomorphologic safety, which aggregates multiple indicators of landform morphology and relief formation features with due account of their importance for different types of nature management. The proposed algorithm of complex evaluation of relief for the nature management purposes allows a qualitative assessment of the prospects of development and the ecological-economic efficiency of different types of nature management for a particular territory in terms of real and potential geomorphologic threats. Application of the integral index makes it possible to indicate territories which require monitoring and control of the functioning of nature-economic systems. The results of the integral assessment of the geomorphologic safety ofRussiacould be used as a basis for the elaboration of strategic decisions at the federal level, rating the regions according to the favorability of the investment environment, etc.

The variety of morphological features and physiographic differences of sea coasts in European Russia is described from arctic deserts and tundra on the Barents Sea coasts to the Submediterranean landscapes, semi-deserts and deserts in the coasts of the Caspian and Black Seas, as well as differences in economical development of the coasts. The problems of forecasting of sea shore development are discussed: the general approach to forecasting; set of necessary maps to make; direction and amplitude of sea-level changes over the period of interest. The scenario approach is substantiated that answers the question – how will the coast develop under different changes of sea level and climate conditions. Morphogenetic types of the sea coasts and the legend of sea coast morphogenetic map are described as the basis for further researches.