Evaluation of spatial heterogeneity of the territory relief at the example of the research site 'Stukalova balka'

Abstract

 In article there are presented prospects of modern GIS-methods application (for example an analysis of digital elevation model (DEM) data for ecological and administrative evaluation arable land on a local territorial level). On a example of scientific plot "Stukalova balka" (Slaviano-Serbski district of Luhansk region) the trends of distribution of terrain heterogeneities of the relief and their relation with some ecological and economic characteristics of land are determined. A feature of such research is an investigation on the local territorial level "field-group of fields" (Area 107 hectares), that demands an application of new methodical approaches for building a DEM and analysing of data. DEM was built on a base of topography maps (Scale 1: 10000) and determination of some ecological and administrative evaluation soils indicators was conducted by literature sources and archive data. Further data construction and analysis were conducted in Esri® Map Viewer and Quantum GIS® program environments. On the basis of DRM the maps of slope relief gradients were also constructed. Provided cartogram gives a complete picture of the erosion in problem part of the polygon territory. Dispersion of hypsometric marks values of the relief can serve as a criterion for homogeneity/heterogeneity of the site. Defined connections between slope gradient and content of humus and some water and soil physic properties: coefficient of moisture and coefficient of moisture deficit (chernozems ordinary with different level of soil runoff). Analysis of DEM data in this case is an effective way of conducting preliminary field studies at the local level (field - group of fields), although some technological aspects of their formation require further studying and optimization.