Assessment of the Vulnerability of the Coast of Lake Alakol to Modern Geomorphological Processes of Relief Formation

Akhmetkal Medeu, Adilet Valeyev (), Farida Akiyanova, Yuisya Lyy, Gulnura Issanova and Yongxiao Ge
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Akhmetkal Medeu: Institute of Geography and Water Safety, Science Committee, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
Adilet Valeyev: Institute of Geography and Water Safety, Science Committee, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
Farida Akiyanova: International Science Complex “Astana”, Institute of Geography and Environmental Research, Astana 010000, Kazakhstan
Yuisya Lyy: Institute of Geography and Water Safety, Science Committee, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
Gulnura Issanova: Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan
Yongxiao Ge: State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 7, 1-21

Abstract: Over the last few decades, increasing water levels of Lake Alakol have led to the activation of processes of modern relief formation of the coastal territory. This study will make it possible to assess the vulnerability of the lake shore to modern relief-forming processes, which pose a threat to the economic and infrastructural development of the coast. Through a combination of field research methods, analysis of the archival materials and satellite images, GIS mapping, as well as the application of the Coastal Vulnerability Index, developed by Gornitz, a map of the modern relief of the coast of Lake Alakol was created, where 13 geomorphological types of relief were identified, and a map of relief-forming processes and leading exogenous processes were identified. The values of the assessment of the degree of vulnerability of the coast to dangerous processes by the Gornitz method were obtained, where a high vulnerability covers 67.4% of the coast, an average vulnerability covers 2.9%, a weak vulnerability covers 13.3%, and low vulnerability occupies 16.4% of the coast. The degree of vulnerability of types of relief in the study area, the coast of Lake Alakol, was determined. High degree occupies 42.8% of the study area, medium—30.7%, weak—25.4%, and low 1.1%. A map of the complex assessment of the degree of vulnerability of the coast of Lake Alakol was created. It was revealed that low accumulative types of relief of the northwest and northeast coasts and alluvial-proluvial types of relief are highly vulnerable due to waterlogging and the intensity of abrasion processes. Identified natural features of the relief formation of the coast of Lake Alakol are recommended as a basis for making decisions on the planning and implementation of any economic activities on the coast, including infrastructure development of the coast and strengthening of the shores.

Keywords: coast of Lake Alakol; relief types; exogenous processes; vulnerability assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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