Landscape ecological analysis of the modern delta of the ural (zhayik) river

Abstract

Varied tourist values of places increase the possibility of practicing various forms of tourism. This study presents a landscape and ecological analysis of the Ural delta, taking into account its potential for tourism development. The delta of the described river is an important natural value due to its tourist values. It can be classified in the geosites category as a valuable asset affecting the tourist potential of the region. This scientific article discusses the methodology of landscape-ecological analysis of the delta areas in consideration of anthropogenic transformation of natural environmental components. We identified the main factors of anthropogenic transformation of the soil and vegetative cover. By employing geographic information technologies (software support and satellite data), up-to-date soil and vegetation maps of the Ural delta were created. With the help of estimated geo-ecological figures, we produced a map displaying anthropogenic disturbance of landscapes. The obtained results can be applied in territorial planning and ecological-geographical studies for construction of large economic objects.