ON THE UPPER PLATEAU OF THE VOLGA HIGHLANDS IN PENZA REGION

Klikunov Andrey Aleksandrovich, Postgraduate student, Mordovia State University named after N.P.Ogarev
(Saransk, 68 Bolshevistskaya str.), a.klikunov@gmail.com

712(470,345)

Background. Upper plateaus are present in varying degrees throughout the central part of Volga Elevation and play a significant role in shaping the flora of this part of the Volga Elevation. Defining the general framework of the upper plateau layout in the central part of the Volga Elevation using remote Earth sensing data – a digital relief model (DRM), as well as obtaining the data on the contemporary percentage of forest land on the upper plateaus using satellite photographs present a certain scientific interest.
Materials and methods. The starting data in the research were the works of Russian scientists devoted to the Volga Elevation, its geological structure, topography, vegetation, as well as the remote sensing of the Earth – ASTER multispectral satellite photographs and digital relief model ASTER GDEM V.2. The basic research methods are geographic information modelling and mapping, process-ing of satellite photographs with the conversion Tasseled cap.
Results. The upper plateaus of the Volga Elevation are mostly located in Penza region, including the famous upland “Surskaya shishka”. On the territory of the region upper plateaus are present only in the Sura basin in Zasursky, Kadadino-Sursky, Kadadino-Uzinsky landscape areas. Studying the data on the contemporary percentage of forest land on the upper plateaus of the Volga Elevation in the Penza region, shown on the per-centage of forest land scheme reveals that the extent of their forest cover (stocking) in Zasursky area ranges from 30 to 70 % of the upper plateau area. In Kadadino-Sursky and Kadadino-Uzinsky areas the percentage of forest land on the upper pla-teaus ranges from 10 to 80 %.
Conclusions. The research data show that the latest means and techniques (geographic information systems, satellite photographs and digital relief models) allow to obtain objective data on the nature landscape compo-nents (topography, vegetation) of the region.

Volga Elevation, upper plateaus, GIS, remote sensing of the Earth.

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