Vulnerability of the Permafrost Landscapes in the Eastern Chukotka Coastal Plains to Human Impact and Climate Change

Alexey Maslakov, Larisa Zotova, Nina Komova, Mikhail Grishchenko, Dmitry Zamolodchikov and Gennady Zelensky
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Alexey Maslakov: Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
Larisa Zotova: Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
Nina Komova: Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
Mikhail Grishchenko: Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
Dmitry Zamolodchikov: Faculty of Geography and Geoinformatics, HSE University, 109028 Moscow, Russia
Gennady Zelensky: Non-Profit Partnership “Chukotka Science Support Group”, 689300 Lavrentiya, Russia

Land, 2021, vol. 10, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: Permafrost landscapes are particularly susceptible to the observed climate change due to the presence of ice in the ground. This paper presents the results of the mapping and assessment of landscapes and their vulnerability to potential human impact and further climate change in the remote region of Eastern Chukotka. The combination of field studies and remote sensing data analysis allowed us to identify the distribution of landscapes within the study polygon, reveal the factors determining their stability, and classify them by vulnerability to the external impacts using a hazard index, H. In total, 33 landscapes characterized by unique combinations of vegetation cover, soil type, relief, and ground composition were detected within the 172 km 2 study polygon. The most stable landscapes of the study polygon occupy 31.7% of the polygon area; they are the slopes and tops of mountains covered with stony-lichen tundra, alpine meadows, and the leveled summit areas of the fourth glacial-marine terrace. The most unstable areas cover 19.2% of the study area and are represented by depressions, drainage hollows, waterlogged areas, and places of caterpillar vehicle passage within the terraces and water-glacial plain. The methods of assessment and mapping of the landscape vulnerability presented in this study are quite flexible and can be adapted to other permafrost regions.

Keywords: permafrost; cryolithozone; cryogenic processes; landscapes vulnerability; active layer; Chukotka (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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