The concept of a structural map of geosystems

Most traditional landscape maps are still focused on reflecting regular combinations of geocomponents depending on the genesis of the geosystem and the position on the gradients of environmental conditions. But they contain little information about the nature of relationships between the spatial elements of geosystems. The article proposes a new concept of geosystem maps, which substantiate the development of methods for reflecting the internal structure of geosystems as both a cause and a result of lateral connections between spatial elements. Thus a concept of a structural map of geosystems is suggested. The concept is aimed at strengthening the systemic understanding of heterogeneous spaces. We propose a program of maps belonging to the land[1]scape family, but providing an explanation of the lateral relationships between the spatial elements of a geo[1]chore, the resulting texture and the ability of a spatial structure to self-develop. The geochores are characterized in terms of the complexity of internal structure, the position on regional ecological gradients, the set of internal ecological gradients, the range of the ecological gradient values, the types and intensity of lateral flows, the texture, the tendency of changes in the complexity of the structure, the presence of sharp and gradual boundaries, and the stability of their position. A structural map is a GIS layer that is built over a traditional landscapemap layer showing lower-ranking geosystems. The main purpose of using structural maps is to get an idea of the degree of space mosaic, the possibilities and limiting factors of economic activity, as well as the stability of the properties of components and the spatial structure. The maps will show the conditions for choosing the land use types and technologies that are sensitive to the size of land parcel and lateral influences of neighboring lands. From the viewpoint of a land user, this information facilitates the assessment of the reliability of land in the performance of socio-economic functions and cost. We use a case study in the Arkhangelsk region to characterize the geochores structure. Structural map of a geosystem is not an alternative, but an addition to traditional landscape maps. In the future, more explicit regional-specific criteria will be needed to identify significant structural characteristics.

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