Physical and Geographical Zoning of Red-Coloured Sediments Landscapes in the Orenburg Urals

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to develop a scheme of physical and geographical zoning of landscape complexes of the Orenburg Urals, the leading factor in the formation of which are red-colored sediments. Materials and methods. Materials and methodological support are materials from literary and stock sources, as well as the results of previously conducted fi eld work on the study of landscape complexes of red-colored sediments. Results and discussion. Priority issues put up for discussion are the heterogeneity of the geomorphological expression of landscape complexes of red-colored sediments within the General Syrt and within the Pre-Ural trough, the diff erences between them in erosional dissection and asymmetry of watershed slopes. The key feature of physiographic zoning of the Syrtian relief, formed on red-coloured sediments of the Permian and Triassic age is the combination of various landscape-forming factors - neotectonic, litho-facial and climatic determining the morphological structure of landscape geosystems. The most important element of landscapes, formed on redcolored rocks, are eluvial and erosion-denudation forms of the General Syrt relief, playing the role of an indicator of physical-geographical zoning and typifi cation of landscapes of the the General Syrt and Pre-Urals. Conclusions. Tectogenic and climatogenic factors have unequal importance in the formation of red-coloured landscapes. From west to east, there is an increase in the importance of tectonic processes, both in general and within individual provinces and districts of red-coloured landscapes.