LANDSCAPE FACTORS FORMING THE STEPPE ZONE OF THE ZHAYIK RIVER BASIN OF THE WEST KAZAKHSTAN REGION Текст научной статьи по специальности «Науки о Земле и смежные экологические науки»

Hydrometeorology and ecology №4 2024

UDC 911.6

IRSTI 87.29.37

LANDSCAPE FACTORS FORMING THE STEPPE ZONE

OF THE ZHAYIK RIVER BASIN OF THE WEST KAZAKHSTAN REGION

S.T. Toxanbayeva* PhD, N.Ye. Ramazanova PhD, M.N. Musabayeva Doctor of Geographical Sciences

L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan

E-mail: [email protected]

This article examines the influence of various natural factors on the formation of landscape

and soil complexes in the Zhaiyk River basin. The key components considered in the study

include soil types, topography, and natural landscapes. The analysis reveals that the soils

of the region range from chestnut and chernozem to sod-podzolic and solonetz soils, which

determine the characteristics of vegetation and agricultural potential. Soil complexes are

largely shaped by topography, water regime, and climatic conditions. Based on cartographic

data obtained from satellite imagery and digital terrain models, an analysis was conducted

to assess the distribution of soils and their relationship with vegetation types, water

bodies, and other natural features. The results of the study reveal important patterns in the

distribution of soil types and assess their role in the region’s ecosystems, providing practical

insights for land resource management, agriculture, and environmental conservation in the

Zhaiyk River basin. Topography, in turn, affects water exchange and erosion processes,

which significantly influence soil types and their distribution. Special attention is given to

identifying the interrelationships between soils, topography, and vegetation, as well as the

role of these factors in the formation of sustainable ecosystems. The findings confirm that

the complex interaction of topographical and soil features influences the distribution of

landscape zones, which is crucial for planning agricultural activities and nature conservation.

Keywords: steppe zone, landscape, landscape map, West Kazakhstan region, anthropogenic factors, natural

factors, steppe landscapes.

Accepted: 24.05.2024 y.

DOI: 10.54668/2789-6323-2024-115-4-75-90

INTRODUCTION

The basin of the Zhaiyk River flows

through the territories of the Russian Federation

and the Republic of Kazakhstan. On the territory

of Russia, the river basin is located within the

Chelyabinsk and Orenburg regions, as well as

the Republic of Bashkortostan. On the territory

of Kazakhstan, the Zhaiyk River basin is located

within the Atyrau, West Kazakhstan and partially

Aktobe regions. The total length of the river is

2,534 km, the catchment area is 231,000 km2

(Petrenko et al., 2001, Ramazanov, 2009).

On the territory of the Russian Federation,

its length is 1450 km, its catchment area is 121900

km2 (52,8 %), and on the territory of Kazakhstan,

respectively, 1084 and 109100 km2 (47,2 %). The

Zhaiyk River originates on the eastern slope of

Uraltau and flows into the Caspian Sea. The river

basin can be divided into the following natural

provinces: The General Syrt, the Mugalzhar

Mountains, the Sub-Ural (Poduralski) Plateau, the

Caspian Lowland. The common Syrt serves as a

watershed of the Volga and Zhaiyk river basins. Its

surface is slightly wavy, with low (up to 200...360

m) outliers. Along the southern spurs of the Syrt

there is a vast pre-Syrt plain, the width of which

reaches 60 km near the city of Uralsk. Intersected

by numerous valleys of small rivers, it retains

a rocky character and only in the south breaks

off with a steep ledge to the Caspian lowland.

The Mugalzhar Mountains are an extension of

the Southern Urals. This uplift consists of the

northern and southern parts, separated from each

other by a wide intermountain depression. The

northern Mugalzhar occupy the space between

Ilek and Irgiz with a width of up to 200 km and

are mainly hilly and rocky hills. The Northern

Mugalzhar are divided into western and eastern

wings by the Oryu River. The western wing of the

Northern Mugojars (Or-Ilek interfluve) has the

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appearance of a plateau lying on the continuation of

the southern spurs of the Ural Mountains. To the west

of the watershed, the plateau is strongly indented by

watercourses and represents a shallow sandstone, and

to the east of it passes into a slightly framed plain,

dissected by a network of left tributaries of the Or

River. The southern Mugalzhar have a mountainous

terrain and their main western chain, the Mugalzhar

ridge proper, rises sharply (by 200...300 m) above

the adjacent the Sub-Ural (Poduralski) Plateau. The

Sub-Ural (Poduralski) Plateau adjoins the Caspian

lowland from the east and is a steep-hilly plain

dissected by the valleys of the Zhaiyk River and

its left tributaries Ilek and Utva (Ramazanov, 1998,

Ramazanov, 2003, Ramazanova et al., 2019).

The relief of the Sub-Ural (Poduralski)

Plateau indicates intensive denudation and erosion

processes, the main agents of which are water and

wind. The Caspian lowland frames the northern

part of the Caspian Sea. It is a dried-up bottom of

the retreating Caspian Sea and is characterized by a

leveled surface with traces of coastlines and coastal

ramparts. The surface of the lowland is dotted with a

variety of different-sized rock depressions, lakes and

shallow channels, which belong to certain coastlines

associated with different levels of the Caspian Sea.

The Chizhinsko-Durinsko-Balika depression has the

largest dimensions. This is a huge lowland stretching

from the southern border of the Common Syrt almost

to the Volga-Ural sands. Its surface is covered with

vast expanses of estuarine meadows, among which

individual remnant massifs with a length of 2 to

30 km rise in places (Yegorova & Motrich, 2010,

Vilesov et al., 2009, Akiyanova & Vasilchenko,

2015, Salesa & Cerdà, 2020).

To understand the surrounding world

with the modern relationship between man and

nature, with human impact in the environment,

one of the solutions is to study the territory using

landscape analysis. Thus, the steppe zone in the West

Kazakhstan region of the Zhaiyk river basin has

been studied since ancient times, but it is now that

the study has become more detailed and detailed.

Landscape analysis of the steppe zone is

very important, because the steppe zone is one of

the most favorable zones for human settlement.

Therefore, timely landscape analysis of the steppe

zone is very relevant today. The need to study the

landscape analysis of the steppe zone of the Zhaiyk

River basin arose due to the anthropogenic impact

on the landscapes of the steppe zone and pollution

in Zhaiyk.

The factors shaping the landscape and its

components are closely related. Any component

of the natural environment that forms within

the landscape is a landscape-forming factor. In

this regard, landscape-forming factors include:

lithogenicity factors with geological and relief

characteristics, then hydrological and climatic

factors with water and climatic characteristics, the

following soil factors and biogenic factors. Also,

in parallel, special attention should be paid to

anthropogenic factors, since at present there is almost

no type of landscape without contact with human

activity. Landscape factors also have external and

internal types of influence, including such external

natural phenomena as: movements in tectonics,

relief-forming factors, solar radiation, atmospheric

circulation. And of an internal nature as a violation of

the energy and material balance in the system, which

subsequently leads to a change in any components of

the natural environment (Amelchenko et al., 2006,

Chibilev, 2008).

Therefore, the study of landscape factors in the

formation of certain territories is a very important

and relevant type of study of the structure of the

landscape and its principle of resilience to external

anthropogenic influences. The study of the steppe

zone is also significant, since the steppe zone is a

very fertile and densely populated area of human

settlement, and is of social importance. As a result,

the subject of the study was “Landscape formation

factors”, and the object of study was the steppe zone

of the Zhaiyk river basin in the West Kazakhstan

region (Darbayeva et al., 2020).

The purpose of the study was to study the

landscape factors forming the steppe zone of the

Zhaiyk river basin in the West Kazakhstan region.

In order to achieve these goals, the following

tasks were set:

– study of statistical, literary, cartographic

data on the object of research;

– determination of the steppe zone of the

Zhaiyka River basin on the territory of the West

Kazakhstan region;

– characteristics of the landscapes of the

steppe zone of the Zhaiyka river basin;

– compilation of relief, climatic, geological,

soil, plant, hydrographic maps using the ArcGIS

program;

– preparation of a series of maps;

– analysis of landscape factors forming the

steppe zone of the Zhaiyk river basin in the West

Kazakhstan region.

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MATERIALS AND METHODS

The article used methods of geographic

information mapping and comparative geographic

analysis, cartography and statistics, computer

science tools, in particular methods of geographic

information systems and technologies.

Also used: statistical method (processing

of quantitative parameters); graphical methods

(graphical representation of data in the form of

tables, diagrams, graphs); cartographic method

(compilation of a series of maps), namely landscape

mapping and systematics of landscapes and the

method of landscape classification is used.

Landscape mapping and landscape

systematics are in close logical connection. They

relate to each other as a way of modeling the landscape

structure of the territory, mutually complementing

each other and stimulating development. If the

systematics shows a structural and genetic model

of the landscape structure of the region, then the

landscape map shows a spatial model.

Before you start working in the ArcGIS

program with digital terrain models, you need to

download a DEB file from the Internet, where you

select your object and upload it to your computer

(laptop). Next, it is unzipped and saved on the

desktop or local disk C (D) in a specific folder. After

that, work begins in the ArcGIS program. DEM

files (DEM) are loaded into the ArcMap program.

For further work with DEM files, you should use

the tools of the 3D Analyst, conversion and Spatial

Analyst «Hydrology» group. These tools are used to

simulate the flow of water over the surface.

Digital relief models SRTM were used as

research material to highlight the Zhaiyk River

basin, cartographic material for the study area

according to landscape parameters.

The algorithm for processing the digital

relief model for highlighting the river basin is shown

in Figure 1.

Fig. 1. An algorithm for processing a digital relief model for highlighting a river basin

To identify the basin area, digital elevation

models (DEMs) were used, modern methods using

DEMs using 3D Analysis tools, conversion and

spatial analysis tools of the ArcGIS 10.8 program.

Modern methods for determining the

structure of landscapes were also used, based on

compiling a landscape map, mapping methods and

using the functions of the ArcGIS 10.8 program to

determine the structure.

Using the functionality of the ArcGIS 10.8

program, SRTM satellite images were processed, a

digital relief model was obtained, the boundaries

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of the Zhaiyk River basin were identified, then

the territory of the steppe zone was digitized and

layers of natural environment components were

created using the method of overlaying layers and

interpolation. As a result, steppe landscapes of the

West Kazakhstan region were identified.

The processing algorithm consisted of

several steps, including such types of work as

collecting and systematizing data on the research

object by natural components, data composition,

processing of cartographic material and creating a

landscape map using ArcGIS 10.8 program tools.

The source data and sources for the

geoinformation system are the basis of their

information support, which are extremely timeconsuming, due to the large mass of sources based

on analog data (maps on paper, tables, reports,

text, etc.), and digital forms and data processed by

it are needed to work in the digital environment

of GIS existence. As a result, at the moment they

are gradually moving from the analog database

to digital, which serves as progress in the field of

GIS technologies.

When working in GIS with the analysis

and evaluation of various sources of information,

it is necessary to take into account common

properties in the form of metadata.

When mapping the river basin, statistical

and cartographic data of the river basin are used,

such as: relief, quaternary sediments, soil cover,

plant resources, geomorphological and tectonic

maps, landscape changes, etc.

To study the steppe zone of the river basin,

cartographic data sources are used, namely general

geographic survey maps (soil, vegetation, relief,

hydrography, geomorphology, etc.), thematic

maps, namely maps of nature (geological,

landscape, physico-geographical).

Currently, in hydrological, geographical

and environmental studies, geoinformation

computer technologies are more often replacing

desk and field studies. It is very common to use

and process a digital terrain model through certain

functions and operations in a GIS program. So,

using operations through hydrological functions,

it is possible to divide the provided territory in the

form of a digital relief model into a river basin.

Digital terrain models today are modern

digital images from space depicting any territory

of the world. With the help of the ArcGIS program,

you can identify any object in a certain area.

Various methods are used to determine

the river basin. One of the modern methods is

the definition of a river basin based on a digital

relief model using 3D Analyst tools, conversion

and Spatial Analyst Tools of the ArcGIS program,

which is the most accurate for determining the

river basin, since digital relief models (satellite

images) are used.

Next, a series of steps were taken to create

a landscape map, for this purpose, a landscape

classification technique was applied, including

4 consecutive interdependent stages, shown in

Figure 2.

Fig. 2. The algorithm of the method of classification of landscapes

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The steppe zone of the Zhaiyk River basin

is located in some part on the territory of the West

Kazakhstan region. The territory lies deep in the

Eurasian continent and is remote from the Atlantic

Ocean and its seas with a distance of 2.5 thousand

kilometers. The Arctic Ocean is also far away.

This location influences the formation of a sharply

continental climate with a ratio of heat and humidity,

which has developed in the territory determines

the features of soil cover, vegetation development

and the formation of natural complexes.

The territory is not accompanied by bright,

pronounced borders and runs along the Caspian

lowland, along the Saratov and Samara regions of

the Russian Federation along the Common Syrt,

between the Aktobe region of Kazakhstan the

administrative borders coincide with the western

border of the Emben plateau, and between the

Atyrau region of the Republic of Kazakhstan runs

along that part of the Caspian lowland where the

Ryn Sands (Naryn) were formed. A distinctive

feature is the flat nature of its territory (Figure 3).

Fig. 3. Physical and geographical map of the steppe zone of the Zhaiyk River basin

The Zhaiyk River basin is located in the

West Kazakhstan region, and is located in the

deep part of the Eurasian continent. This territory

is characterized by plains.

The general scheme of the created

landscape map with the structure of the steppe

zone of the Zhaiyk River basin included the

implementation of certain actions.

The first action was to compile an

electronic geological map of the genesis of

sediments in the steppe zone of the Zhaiyk River

basin. The map was made using the vectorization

method of scanned geological and scanned

geomorphological maps. Information on the

genesis of sedimentation in the steppe zone of the

Zhaiyk River basin was entered into the attribute

data of the table (Figure 4).

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Fig. 4. Map of quaternary sediments of the steppe zone of the Zhaiyk River basin

As a second step, a map of the basin

landscape-territorial structure of relief structures

was compiled. Using a step-by-step determination

algorithm in the ArcGIS software package in the

branch of hydrology functions in the automated

synthesis of maps of drainage areas of the river

basin, which was described above in the subsection

using and processing a digital elevation model,

after processing the digital elevation model, we

obtained the territory of the Zhaiyk River basin

and the relief of the study area (Figure 5).

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Fig. 5. Map of the hydrographic network of the steppe zone of the Zhaiyk River basin

The third step was to create a soil map of

the steppe zone of the Zhaiyk River basin in digital

form by vectorizing a scanned soil map within the

West Kazakhstan region. Using the ArcCatalog

program, a shapefile was created and the name

of the shapefile of the «soil» of the steppe zone

of the Zhaiyk River basin was set, then the type

and coordinate system were set. When creating a

digitized map, first, the shapefile was copied into

the ArcGis program and using the Editor function,

the soils of the steppe zone of the Zhaiyk River

basin were digitized. Information on soil type,

numbers from the digitized map, numbers of

soil type, steppe zone of the Zhaiyk River basin

were entered into the table of attribute data of the

digitized soil map of the steppe zone of the Zhaiyk

River basin to create a soil map legend (Figure 6).

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Fig. 6. Soil map of the steppe zone of the Zhaiyk river basin

In the same way, as in the third action, the

fourth action was to compile a vegetation map

based on an already existing paper map (the paper

vegetation map of the West Kazakhstan region

was made by scientists from the Department of

Botany of the West Kazakhstan University named

after M. Utemisov) in digital form by vectorizing

the scanned plant map of the West Kazakhstan

region (Figure 7).

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Fig. 7. Plant resources of the steppe zone of the Zhaiyk River basin

Then, using methods of analytical

operations of the ArcGis overlay program, the

structure of the landscapes of the steppe zone

of the Zhaiyk River basin was determined, the

already created polygonal classes of spatial objects

(Quaternary deposits, relief, soils, vegetation) were

subjected to an overlay using the Analysis Tools

function of the Overlay branch of the Intersect

tool with preservation of attribute data. Next, the

“Merge” procedure (from the ArcToolbox Data

Management Tools set) was performed for the

resulting class to remove boundaries between

objects with the same descriptions.

At the final stage of the action, the map was

designed, unique numbers of landscape stripes

and legends of the landscape map of the steppe

zone of the Zhaiyk River basin were created.

When studying the steppe zone of the

Zhaiyk River basin, 14 landscapes were identified:

12 plain landscapes and 2 valley landscapes. Plain

landscapes were classified as steppe type, of which

5 are denudation plains and 7 are accumulative

plains. Below is a map of landscapes with a

legend of the steppe zone of the Zhaiyk River

basin (Figure 8 and note to Figure 8).

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Fig. 8. Landscape map of the steppe zone of the Zhaiyk river basin

Note to Figure 8

Plain landscapes

Steppe

Denudation plains

1. Structural dissected plateau, composed

of clays, loess, loam, sandy loam with fescuefeather grass vegetation on southern chernozems,

in combination with wormwood-white wormwood

vegetation on dark chestnut soil;

2. Stratified-basement gently undulating

plain, composed of sands, clays, sandstones,

limestones with forb-pinnate feather grass

vegetation on southern solonetzic chernozems

with solonetzes and meadow-bog soils;

3. Stratified, intensely dissected plain,

composed of clays, loess-like loams with fescuefeather grass vegetation on dark chestnut normal

soil;

4. Layered ridge plain composed of

clays, loess-like loams with fescue-feather grass

vegetation on chestnut soils;

5. Stratified, intensely dissected plain,

composed of clays, sandstones, limestones with

fescue and forb-erkek vegetation on chestnut

normal and incompletely developed soils.

Accumulative plains

6. Marine plain, composed of clays,

loams, sands with forb-grass-meadow and fescue

vegetation on light chestnut and meadow soils;

7. Marine weakly dissected plain,

composed of clays, loams, sandy loams with

fescue-feather grass steppes on meadow-chestnut

and meadow soil;

8. Sea hilly plain, composed of clays,

loams, sands with cereal-dwarf wormwood

vegetation on normal light chestnut and meadowchestnut soils with solonetzes;

9. Alluvial hilly plain composed of sands,

loams with forb-erek vegetation on meadow,

chestnut meadow soils and sands;

10. Alluvial weakly dissected plain,

composed of loams, sandy loams, sands with white

wormwood-fescue and wheatgrass vegetation on

chestnut meadow soils with solonetzes;

11. Alluvial-proluvial plain, composed of

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loams, clays, sands with forb-herb vegetation on

meadow-chestnut and light chestnut soils;

12. Deluvial-proluvial dissected plain,

composed of gravelly loams, clays with fescuefeather grass vegetation on dark chestnut

carbonate-solonetzic soil.

Valley landscapes

13. Floodplain composed of loams, sands,

gravel and pebbles with forb-grass meadows and

small-leaved forests on floodplain-meadow soils;

14. The floodplain is highly dissected,

composed of loams, sandy loams, sands with trees,

shrubs and wheatgrass and forbs on meadowalluvial and meadow-bog soils.

The right bank part of the Zhaiyk River

basin belongs to the Aralsorko-Uzensky district,

and the left bank to the Kushumo-Uralsky district.

Only the extreme southeastern part of the small

area is included in the Uilsky district, UiloEmbensky district. In the south, a small territory

is occupied by the South Caspian region, which in

turn is part of the Guryev province. The southern

part belongs to the Ryn-Khakinsky district, the

southwestern part of this district is included

within the Khakinsky district, and the rest belongs

to the Ryn-Sands district. The southern part of the

left bank of the Zhaiyk River, in a small area, is

occupied by the Dossor-Koschagyl district, which

is part of the Ural-Embensky district.

The entire territory of the study object

belongs to the class of flat landscapes, which in

turn are divided into two subclasses: relatively

lowered plains and elevated plains, the border

between them runs along the 50-meter line.

The steppe zone of the Zhaiyk River

basin, according to Isachenko’s classification,

is represented by a subboreal semiarid (steppe)

zonal type of landscape.

The border with the subboreal semiarid

(steppe) zonal type of landscape runs in the north

along the southern spurs of General Syrt, in the

northeast along the Podural plateau of the Ilek

River valley, in the south approximately along

the line of the villages of Borsy, Bogatyrevo,

Taldykuduk, Chapaevo-Dzhambeyta-Egindikul.

Within the West Kazakhstan region, steppe

landscapes are represented by two subtypes: the

northern part is moderate-dry steppe, the southern

part is dry-steppe.

The

humidification

coefficient

is

approximately 0,5. Solar radiation is 110...120

kcal/cm2, the sum of daily temperatures is above

10 °C and amounts to 28 °C.

The landscape map of the steppe zone of

the Zhaiyk river basin on a scale of 1: 2,000,000

shows the following types of landscape.

Subtype: Moderate-dry steppe.

Class: Flat

Subclass: Raised Plains

1. Type of landscape: A structural dissected

plateau composed of clays, loess, loam, sandy

loam.

This type of landscape occupies the

northern part of the Zhaiyk River basin. The

relief is represented by hills, gullies, hollows,

ravines and valleys of small rivers. The soil and

vegetation cover is represented by typical grassgrass phytocenoses on southern chernozems, in

combination with wormwood-white-wormwood

associations on the solonets srednestolbchaty. The

syrtic uplands are composed of certain clays and

are occupied by tipchak-kovyl communities on

dark-shtan carbonate-saline soils. In the hollows,

vegetation and soil cover are mainly represented

by wheatgrass on meadow rejuvenated soil, and in

ravines and gullies, due to additional moistening

of surface waters, shrub-tree plantations grow

on meadow and meadow-chernozem soil

(Amelchenko et al., 2006; Chibilev, 2008).

2. Type of landscape: A stratum-basement

gently undulating plain composed of sands, clays,

sandstones, limestones.

It occupies the northeastern part of the

right bank of the Zhaiyk River. The uvalisto-wavy,

uvalisto-flat terrain has a noticeable slope to the

south, towards the valley of the Zhaiyk River.

The soil-forming rocks are represented by loams,

sands and sandy loams, as well as sandy deposits.

The soil and vegetation cover consist of mixed

grass-pinnacular communities on the southern

saline chernozems with saline and meadow-marsh

soils.

Subtype: Dry Steppe

Class: Flat

Subclass: Landscapes of elevated plains

3. Type of landscape: A stratified

intensively dissected plain composed of clays,

loess-like loams.

The entire territory of the landscape

occupies the Poduralsky plateau within the Utva85

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watershed. The relief is represented by a steepundulating plain with absolute heights of 110...260

meters, dissected by a system of fairly wide river

valleys. Flat areas are characterized by microrelief

depressions and elevations. Salt dome tectonics

and erosion processes are well developed. Erosion

processes complicated their slopes with ravines,

gullies and river valleys, which dissected the

resulting elevated stratified plain.

4. View of the landscape: A flat, rocky

plain, composed of clays, loess-like loams.

The territory of the landscape is located

within the Precourt ledge. The terrain is flat, poorly

dissected. The valleys of small rivers are oriented

almost strictly from north to south, the territory

is divided into a number of watershed sections.

It has a slight general slope to the southwest. The

soil-forming rocks are heavy loamy deposits.

5. Landscape type: An intensely dissected

stratified plain composed of clays, sandstones,

and limestones.

The landscape is located in the far east,

occupies a small area of the Poduralsky plateau.

The relief is characterized by wavy and flat

elevations of the salt dome type. The surface is

dissected by the valleys of the sources of the Utva

River. Soil-forming rocks: heavy loams, sandy

alluvial deposits, as well as Cretaceous deposits.

The soil and vegetation cover is dominated by

typical and mixed-grass - coastal vegetation on

chestnut normal and partially developed soils.

Class: Plain

Subclass: Relative to the lowered plains

6. Type of landscape: A sea plain composed

of clays, loams, and sands.

It occupies the territory between the

valley of the Zhaiyk River, the ChizhinskyDurinsky and Balyktinsky floods, and in the

north, it borders the southern slopes of the

southern spur of the Common Syrt. The terrain of

the territory is a relatively elevated accumulative

marine loamy watershed plain, elevated by local

tectonic movements. It has a slope to the south.

Depressions of various shapes and origins are

quite common here, such as padinas, estuaries,

hollows, meso-micro-depressions, as well as

micro-elevations in the form of gophers. The soilforming rocks in the northern part are represented

by medium-saline heavy loams of marine and

ancient alluvial origin. In the south, they consist

of medium-loamy layered sediments.

Subtype: Dry Steppe

Class: Flat

Subclass: Relative to the lowered plains

7. Type of landscape: A marine poorly

divided plain composed of clays, loams, sandy

loams.

The surface of the landscape has a flat

appearance with slight slopes to the southwest.

There is a large lake basin Shalkar on the territory,

on the outskirts of which the salt dome concepts

of Santas and Sasai rise. This territory receives an

additional amount of surface and ground moisture

coming here from the Podural plateau and the

Pre-Salt ledge.

Class: Plain

Subclass: Relative to the lowered plains

8. Type of landscape: A marine hilly plain

composed of clays, loams, and sands.

The landscape is located in the south in

the Barguzin depression. In the northeast, it is

bordered by the hills of the Pre-Syrtov ledge, and

in the north by the Shalkar uplift. In the western

part of the Zhaiyk River basin, the landscape

approaches the lower reaches of the Olenty,

Buldyrty and Kaldygaity rivers. In the southern

part of the district there are many depressions and

depressions on a flat plain. The northeastern part

of the landscape has a slope to the southwest, this

is reflected in the direction of the rivers that flow

into the Caspian lowland from the Poduralsky

plateau.

9. Type of landscape: Alluvial hilly plain,

composed of sands, loams.

The territory of the landscape is met by

islands, located in a narrow strip of the meridional

direction. The landscape occupies sandy massifs

in the southern part of the Pre-Syrtic ledge, as

well as small sandy massifs of the lower reaches

of the Kaldygaity River. There is a well-defined

orientation from northeast to southwest in the relief.

Here, various depressions alternate with elongated

increases. Sandy massifs are represented by bumpy

sands. The soil-forming rocks are represented

by sandy loams and sands of alluvial origin. The

groundwater lies at a depth of 2...5 meters.

Subtype: Dry Steppe

Class: Plain

Subclass: Relative to the lowered plains

10. Type of landscape: An alluvial poorly

divided plain composed of loams, sandy loams, and

sands.

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The landscape is represented by narrow

strips of valleys of the Utva and Ilek rivers. The

relief is dominated by valley plains with low

altitudes. The northern part is more elevated. In

the Utva River valley, chalk deposits often come to

the surface, and alluvial sediment cover is widely

developed in river valleys. There are ravines

and gullies that are occupied by various grass

and shrub vegetation on meadow and chestnutmeadow soils.

11. Type of landscape: Alluvial-proluvial

plain, composed of loams, clays, sands.

The territory is located in the south-east of the

region and occupies the south-western slope of

the Predsyrtovy ledge. The relief is dominated by

river-like depressions with elongated elevations,

as well as dunes and deep sandy basins, gullies.

The soil-forming rocks are represented by sandy

loams and sands of alluvial origin. Groundwater

lies at a depth of 2...5 meters. The soil and

vegetation cover is dominated by a mixed grasserk vegetation on meadow chestnut and light

chestnut soils.

12. Type of landscape: Devual-proluvial

dissected plain, composed of gravelly loams,

clays.

The landscape occupies the southern slope

of the southern spur of the Common Syrt. The

relief is flat and undulating, has a noticeable slope

to the south and is rather densely dissected by

hollows having a meridian direction. The territory

of the landscape is crossed in the latitudinal

direction by the valley of the Derkul River. The

average absolute height is 50...70 meters. Soilforming rocks are most often represented by

clays and heavy loams. The soil and vegetation

cover is mainly represented by typical grass-grass

vegetation on dark chestnut saline and meadowchestnut soils. The southern part of the landscape is

plowed, and has dark chestnut, normal, combined

with dark brown carbonate-brackish soil.

13. Type of landscape: Floodplains

composed of loam, sand, gravel and pebbles.

This landscape of the floodplain of the Zhaiyk

River occupies a segment from the mouth of

the Ileka River to the Chalk Mountains located

south of the city of Uralsk. Here the river valley

coincides with the Caspian trough. The floodplain

is from 12 to 20 kilometers wide and has a lakelike character. The height of the floodplain above

the boundary is on average 6...7 meters, it is

characterized by a flat-maned relief, against which

a network of flowing lowlands, lakes and old trees

develops. Soil-forming rocks: easily loamy, loamy

and clayey alluvial deposits.

14. Type of landscape: The floodplain is

strongly dissected, composed of loams, sandy

loams, and sands.

This section of the river valley runs from

the Chalk Mountains to the village of Antonovo.

Here, the river valley is characterized by a wide

floodplain (from 2...3 to 8...10 kilometers),

bordered by narrow (1...3 kilometers) flat abovefloodplain terraces that rise 8...11 meters above the

inter-level. Sometimes the higher second and third

terraces come close to the river.

Here, deep hollows alternate with high

crescent-shaped manes, and a coarse-grained

sandy relief is also widely developing. The soilforming rocks are composed of young Lower

Khvalyn sedimentary deposits of the Kushum

paleodelt, rich in lime carbonate, chloride and

sulfuric acid salts. In this regard, the salinity of

floodplain soils is increasing here.

In conclusion, it can be said that the

following key types of soils are found in the steppe

zone of the Zhaiyk River basin:

Chernozem soils occupy about 30...35 %

of the territory, mainly on the plains and in the

lowlands, where water accumulates, providing

high fertility. These soils support various types of

vegetation, including meadow and steppe grasses.

Chestnut soils are common in 25...30 %

of the territory, typical for slopes and slightly

elevated areas. They have a good structure and

provide good drainage.

Sod-podzolic soils occupy about 15...20 %

of the territory, they are found in wetter areas close

to reservoirs.

Brackish soils – about 10...15 % of the

territory, are common in places with high salinity,

especially in low-lying areas and in areas with

difficult drainage.

Quantitative characteristics of the

landscapes of the steppe zone of the Zhaiyk River

basin indicate a significant variety of natural

conditions that affect the distribution of soil

types, vegetation and water resources. These data

play a key role in environmental monitoring and

planning for the sustainable use of land resources,

agriculture and nature conservation in the region.

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Toxanbayeva, Ramazanova, Musabayeva. Landscape factors forming...

CONCLUSION

An important new understanding of

the complex interaction between natural and

anthropogenic forces came from studying the

landscape features affecting the steppe zone of

the Zhaiyk River basin in Western Kazakhstan.

We have carefully studied and demonstrated

several factors influencing the unique landscape

architecture of this area using Geographic

Information System (GIS) technologies.

The results show that although human

activity is gradually changing the terrain,

geological and climatic elements are needed to

determine it. Comprehensive cartographic data

combined with digital terrain models made it

possible to fully understand the interaction and

changes of various elements over time.

The discovery of fourteen separate

landscapes of the steppe zone highlights the

biological richness of this area.

Since geomorphologically the territory

is part of the Caspian basin, with the features

of the elevated plain and tectonic uplifts and

depressions, which is expressed in the relief (for

example, the Janybek-Urda uplift, the Ashiozek

depression) and the territory is located deep in a

temperate climatic zone with a continental climate,

pronounced seasons and its characteristic warmth,

low-snow winters and lack of precipitation. Thus,

the landscape analysis used in this study allows us

to give a modern description of the landscapes of

the steppe zone of the Zhaiyk river basin and show

the landscape features of the object of study.

It is necessary to implement sustainable

management

strategies

that

prioritize

environmental integrity along with human

development. This work highlights the need for

continuous monitoring of terrain changes caused

by human activity and serves as a fundamental

tool for subsequent research.

An improved understanding of the

landscape dynamics of the Zhaiyk River basin will

help more successful conservation projects and

promote harmonious coexistence between human

activities and natural ecosystems.

This study highlights the need for

landscape analysis to solve environmental

problems and clarify complex relationships within

ecosystems. Our ongoing research of the Zhaiyk

River basin highpoints the need to preserve its

unique landscape to ensure a sustainable future for

its people and natural resources.

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N., Romanova, S., Toksanbaeva, S., & Wendt, J. ((2019).

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БАТЫС ҚАЗАҚСТАН ОБЛЫСЫ ЖАЙЫҚ ӨЗЕНІ АЛАБЫНЫҢ ДАЛАЛЫҚ

БЕЛДЕУІН ҚАЛЫПТАСТЫРАТЫН ЛАНДШАФТТЫҚ ФАКТОРЛАР

С.Т. Токсанбаева* PhD, Н.Е. Рамазанова PhD, М.Н. Мусабаева г.ғ.д.

Л.Н. Гумилев атындағы Еуразия ұлттық университеті, Астана, Қазақстан

E-mail: [email protected]

Бұл мақалада Жайық өзенінің алабында ландшафттық және топырақтық кешендердің

қалыптасуына әртүрлі табиғи факторлардың әсері қарастырылады. Зерттеу барысында

талданған негізгі компоненттер — топырақ түрлері, рельеф және табиғи ландшафттар.

Талдау нәтижелері аймақтағы топырақтардың каштанды, қара топырақты, дерново-подзолисті және сорлы топырақтардан тұратынын көрсетеді, олар өсімдіктердің түрлері

мен ауылшаруашылық әлеуетін анықтайды. Топырақ кешендері рельеф, су режимі және

климаттық жағдайлардың әсерінен айтарлықтай қалыптасады. Спутниктік суреттер мен

сандық рельеф модельдерін пайдаланып алынған картографиялық деректер негізінде топырақтардың таралуы мен олардың өсімдіктер типтері, су айдындары және басқа табиғи

ерекшеліктермен байланысы бағаланды. Зерттеу нәтижелері топырақ түрлерінің таралуындағы маңызды заңдылықтарды анықтап, олардың аймақтың экожүйелеріндегі рөлін

бағалайды, бұл Жайық өзенінің алабындағы жер ресурстарын басқару, ауылшаруашылық

қызметі және қоршаған ортаны қорғау үшін практикалық ақпарат береді. Рельеф, өз кезегінде, су алмасуына және эрозия процестеріне әсер етеді, бұл топырақтардың түрлері

мен олардың таралуына айтарлықтай ықпал етеді. Топырақтар, рельеф пен өсімдіктер

арасындағы байланыстарды анықтауға ерекше назар аударылған, сондай-ақ осы факторлардың тұрақты экожүйелердің қалыптасуындағы рөлі қарастырылған. Алынған нәтижелер топографиялық және топырақтық ерекшеліктердің күрделі өзара әрекеттесуінің

ландшафттық аймақтардың таралуына әсер ететінін және бұл ауылшаруашылық қызметін жоспарлау мен табиғатты қорғауда маңызды рөл атқаратынын растады.

Түйін сөздер: дала зонасы, ландшафт, ландшафт картасы, Батыс Қазақстан облысы, антропогендік факторлар, табиғи факторлар, дала ландшафттары.

ЛАНДШАФТНЫЕ ФАКТОРЫ, ФОРМИРУЮЩИЕ СТЕПНУЮ ЗОНУ

БАССЕЙНА РЕКИ ЖАЙЫК ЗАПАДНО-КАЗАХСТАНСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

С.Т. Токсанбаева* PhD, Н.Е. Рамазанова PhD, М.Н. Мусабаева д.г.н.

Евразийский национальный университет имени Л.Н. Гумилева, Астана, Казахстан

E-mail: [email protected]

В данной статье рассматривается влияние различных природных факторов на формирование ландшафтных и почвенных комплексов в бассейне реки Жайык. Ключевыми компонентами, рассмотренными в исследовании, являются типы почв, рельеф и природные

ландшафты. Анализ показывает, что почвы региона варьируются от каштановых и черноземных до дерново-подзолистых и солонцовых, которые определяют характеристики растительности и сельскохозяйственный потенциал. Почвенные комплексы в значительной степени формируются под влиянием рельефа, водного режима и климатических

условий. На основе картографических данных, полученных с помощью спутниковых

снимков и цифровых моделей рельефа, был проведен анализ для оценки распределения

почв и их взаимосвязи с типами растительности, водоемами и другими природными особенностями. Результаты исследования выявляют важные закономерности в распределении типов почв и оценивают их роль в экосистемах региона, предоставляя практическую

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информацию для управления земельными ресурсами, ведения сельского хозяйства и охраны окружающей среды в бассейне реки Жайык. Рельеф, в свою очередь, влияет на водообмен и процессы эрозии, которые существенно влияют на типы почв и их распределение. Особое внимание уделяется выявлению взаимосвязей между почвами, рельефом

и растительностью, а также роли этих факторов в формировании устойчивых экосистем.

Полученные результаты подтверждают, что сложное взаимодействие топографических и

почвенных особенностей влияет на распределение ландшафтных зон, что имеет решающее значение для планирования сельскохозяйственной деятельности и охраны природы.

Ключевые слова: степная зона, ландшафт, ландшафтная карта, Западно-Казахстанская область, антропогенные факторы, природные факторы, степные ландшафты.

Information about authors/Сведения об авторах/Авторлар туралы мәліметтер:

Toxanbayeva Sabina – PhD, Senior lecturer of the Department physical and economic geography of L.N. Gumilyov

Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazhymukan str., 13, [email protected]

Ramazanova Nurgul – PhD, Acting Professor of the Department physical and economic geography of L.N. Gumilyov

Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazhymukan str., 13, [email protected]

Musabayeva Meruert – Doctor of Geographical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department physical and economic

geography of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazhymukan str., 13, [email protected]

Токсанбаева Сабина Турсыновна – PhD, старший преподаватель кафедры физической и экономической географии Евразийского национального университета имени Л.Н. Гумилева, г. Астана, ул. Кажимукана, 13,

[email protected]

Рамазанова Нургуль Есеновна – PhD, и.о. профессора кафедры физической и экономической географии Евразийского национального университета имени Л.Н. Гумилева, г. Астана, ул. Кажимукана, 13, [email protected]

Мусабаева Меруерт Насурлаевна – Доктор географических наук, доцент кафедры физической и экономической географии Евразийского национального университета имени Л.Н. Гумилева, г. Астана, ул. Кажимукана, 13,

[email protected]

Токсанбаева Сабина Турсыновна – PhD, Л.Н. Гумилев атындағы Еуразия ұлттық университетінің физикалық және экономикалық география кафедрасының аға оқытушы, Астана қаласы, Қажымұқан көшесі, 13,

[email protected]

Рамазанова Нургуль Есеновна – PhD, Л.Н. Гумилев атындағы Еуразия ұлттық университетінің физикалық және экономикалық география кафедрасының профессор м.а., Астана қаласы, Қажымұқан көшесі, 13,

[email protected]

Мусабаева Меруерт Насурлаевна - География ғылымдарының докторы, Л.Н. Гумилев атындағы Еуразия ұлттық

университетінің физикалық және экономикалық география кафедрасының доценты, Астана қаласы, Қажымұқан

көшесі, 13, [email protected]

Authors contribution/Вклад авторов/Авторлардың қосқан үлесі:

Toxanbayeva S. – creating software, conducting statistical analysis, conducting a research, resources, preparing and editing

the text, visualization

Ramazanova N.– concept development

Musabayeva M. – methodology development

Токсанбаева С.Т. – создание программного обеспечения, проведение статистического анализа, проведение исследования, ресурсы, подготовка и редактирование текста, визуализация

Рамазанова Н.Е. – разработка концепции

Мусабаева М.Н. – разработка методологии

Токсанбаева С.Т.– бағдарламалық жасақтама жасау, статистикалық талдау жүргізу, зерттеу жүргізу, ресурстар,

мәтінді дайындау және өңдеу, көрнекілік

Рамазанова Н.Е. – тұжырымдаманы әзірлеу

Мусабаева М.Н. – әдістемені әзірлеу

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