Home – Home – Jornals – Geography and Natural Resources 2025 number 3

The article presents the results of the study of the state of landscapes in the territory adjacent to the development site of the Sorsk mining and processing plant (SMPP), which is a large mining and processing enterprise. A comprehensive analysis of the changes in natural landscapes made it possible to identify three zones of the plant’s impact: direct, indirect and background influence. Criteria for assessing the sensitivity of soils and vegetation to dust and chemical pollution were developed based on the methodology of landscape planning of a territory. An integral assessment was carried out and sensitivity maps of landscape units within the impact zones of the SMPP were compiled. Landscape units of a low sensitivity degree are mainly represented by modified natural and anthropogenic complexes, i.e. power transmission line clearings, agricultural lands and residential areas, as well as some natural complexes occupying the upper forested parts of slopes and gently sloping surfaces of small river valleys with steppe grass meadows. Landscape units of a medium sensitivity level include gently sloping surfaces of small river valleys with sparse forests and grass-forb meadows, and slopes with mixed forests and forb-grass meadows. Highly sensitive landscape units are levelled bottoms of small river valleys and lake basins with birch forests and forb-sedge meadows, steep slopes with meadow rocky steppes, flat tops and saddles with shrubs and sparse forests, and slopes with low-grass alpine meadows. The analysis of the distribution of landscape units showed the prevalence of medium-sensitive units in the zone of indirect and background impact, which cover more than half of the area of the zones. The conducted studies provide grounds for drawing a conclusion about minor changes in the natural landscapes within the territory of influence of the SMPP; the results can be used to adjust the monitoring observation network.