Climatic Сonditionality of Modern Hydroecological Processes in the River Flows of the Upper Don Basin

Abstract

Purpose: This article considers river runoff transformation taking into account the influence of modern changes in the leading climatic factors on hydroecological processes in the river basins of the upper reaches of the Don. Materials and Methods. Hydrometeorological information are obtained from official resources of federal and regional specialized departments and organizations, prepared for statistical analysis and graphical presentation. The analysis is based on using the landscape-hydrological method (geographical and hydrological methods), method of interpretation and graphical representation, hydrological analogy, Analysis and synthesis. Results and discussion. The river basin is considered as a complex natural hydro-ecosystem, the balance in which is disturbed when internal and external contradictions arise, caused by natural and anthropogenic forces. Climatic factors (atmospheric precipitation, air temperature) are considered as the natural component of the system disturbance, while the anthropogenic component is the transformation of the surface of the river basin and water use. It is noted that in modern conditions the genesis of river runoff is changing, the priority role of direct and indirect factors of its formation is changing. Conclusions. There is a slight variation in the annual and seasonal amounts of atmospheric precipitation, which cannot be the cause of modern changes in river runoff and water resources. The rising regional air temperatures is the leading climate driver in the transformation of the components of the hydrological regime and, as a result, the hydroecological state of water flows, and a serious trigger disruption of the natural hydro-ecosystem.