Analysis of Priority Thematic Areas in the Study of Alluvial Fans as Landscape Formations

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to discuss three priorities of the many priority areas in the study of alluvial fans as landscape formations: methods aimed at diagnosing and studying them; identifying the potential of the thematic maps involved; their transformation to gain new knowledge about the object. Materials and methods. The object of the study is the landscapes of the alluvial fans of Kazakhstan, studied by the author since the 70s of the last century, as well as literary and stock natural-historical materials. Alluvial fans are considered from the standpoint of general scientifi c systemic and natural science approaches − spatial, ecological and basin. Results and discussion. The division of alluvial fans into smaller fans appears as one of the main regularities of the territorial structure of these natural formations. Landscape units of alluvial fans that are morphologically similar, but occupying diff erent positions in the runoff system, are not similar, they meet the criteria of homology. The composition of thematic maps involved in the study of alluvial fans in the aspect of landscape geography is considered; their explicit and hidden potential, the possibility of their transformation to obtain new knowledge are evaluated. Conclusion. New types of maps are introduced into scientifi c circulation for diagnosing and studying the morphological structure of alluvial fan landscapes - maps of streamlines of former water-ground fl ows, maps of analogs and homologues of fan formations. Hydrogeological maps have a clear and highest potential studies of alluvial fans. The topic of the possibility of converting thematic maps to obtain new knowledge about alluvial fans as objects of landscape science is put up for study.