Earth’s Cryosphere, 2012, Vol. XVI, No. 3, p. 62-71

LOCAL LANDSCAPES AS INDICATORS OF GEOCRYOLOGICAL ZONING (CASE STUDY: EUROPEAN NORTH-EAST)

G.G. Osadtchaya, N.V. Tumell*

Management, Information and Business Institute, Department of Ecology and Nature Management,
169316, Komi Republic, Ukhta, Senyukov str., 15, Russia; galgriosa@yandex.ru
* Lomonosov Moscow State University, Department of Geography, 119991, Moscow, Leninskie Gory, 1, Russia; ntumel@mail.ru

Geocryological zoning is demonstrated in regular changes of the character of permafrost parametres of a territory. There are considerable discords when defining geocryological zoning of Bolshezemelskaya tundra, which demand defining more precisely the borders of geocryological zoning and subzones. It is supposed to use the landscapes-indicators (in range of local landscapes) as main index of zone belonging. It is possible to use the groups of forest, marshy, tundra local landscapes and peatbogs as indicators. On whole the cryogenic relief is the most considerable index when the local landscapes-indicators are used for geocryological zoning. That is why the universal group of indicators is the group of peatbogs, seldom – tundra. Marshy local landscapes are practically not used for indication. Forest local landscapes in some cases can be the indicators, but they do not depend on frost characteristic.

Key words: Geocryological zonality, landscape indication, local landscapes.