Quantitative Analysis of the Structure of Forest and Steppe Areas in the Donetsk Region
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17308/geo.2021.1/3253Keywords:
ecological framework, ecological network, steppe and forest-covered territories, indicators of territory fragmentation, satellite images, QGISAbstract
The purpose of the study is a preliminary inventory and comparative quantitative assessment of natural sites of a number of the administrative-territorial divisions (ATD) in the Donetsk region. Objects and methods: using the method of visualizing space images from the free access of the Sentinel-2A satellite and the QGIS computer program, the number, areas, fragmentation indicators of two main types of natural (quasi-natural) ecosystems of the region were determined - steppe and forest-covered territories within the boundaries of three districts (Shakhtersky, Amvrosievsky, Starobeshevsky) and Donetsk-Makeevska agglomeration. Results: it was shown that, despite the quantitative predominance of forested sites over steppe areas, the latter significantly exceed the former in terms of occupied areas, which indicates the steppe nature of the landscape as a whole. Both steppe and forested areas have a high degree of fragmentation, which does not depend on the lower limit of the area of an individual site (all considered sites, sites with an area of more than 1 ha and sites with an area of more than 3 ha). In the aggregate of both types of natural territories, the Shakhtersky district is the richest in them. Amvrosiyevsky district follows it (both are located in the eastern part of the Donetsk region). The Donetsk-Makeevka agglomeration is in third place and the Starobeshevsky district is in last place. In general, all natural (quasi-natural) territories of the studied ATD occupy 21% of their area, which indicates a low level of preservation of the ecological framework in this part of the Donbass. The analysis of the spatial structure of the ecological framework in the studied ATD showed that the agrarian use of the landscape rather than the degree of urbanization influences its diversity most negatively. And the most positive factor in the conservation of natural diversity is the complexity of the relief structure of the territory.
