Spatial and temporal dynamics of sociocultural processes and their impact on the geoecological state of mountain river basins

The aim is to analyze the spatial and temporal dynamics of sociocultural processes and their impact on the geo-ecological state of mountain river basins using the Caspian region as an example. Research methods and materials. The research methodology included three stages: 1. Identification of sociocultural gaps based on statistical data; 2. Analysis of the dynamics of the nature management structure using the Land cover indicator; 3. Determination of the specific features of the impact on the landscape and its geo-ecological state. Research results. A set of maps of the land cover (Land cover) of the basins of the Sunzha, Sulak, Ulluchay (Russia), Atarchay, Karachay (Azerbaijan), Kheras, Gorgan (Iran) rivers was obtained, taking into account sociocultural gaps for the period since 1992. Conclusions. The dramatic transformation of the environmental management system in mountain river basins is due to socio-cultural gaps, the consequences of which have been military conflicts, socio-economic crises, population redistribution, and a change in technological patterns. Data on population size, demographic processes, especially migration and urbanization, and living standards are used as indicators. A comprehensive analysis of statistical data and historical and socio-cultural events makes it possible to determine long-term trends in the geo-ecological state of territories. It has been established that sociocultural gaps lead to a sharp change in the structure of environmental management, as reflected in the types of terrestrial cover. For the basins of the Caspian mountain rivers in Russia and Azerbaijan, these events were the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent military conflicts. The sociocultural gap of the 1990s of the 20-th century led to a drop in the area of arable land: by 14 % in the Sulak basin, 27 % in the Ulluchay basin, and 73 % in the Sunzha basin. In the post-conflict period, by 2009, the Sunzha basin was reintroduced into agricultural use, with a 11-fold increase in irrigated arable land compared to 1997, and a 15 % increase in cultivated land in mountain valleys. A common trend in the early 21st century for all the territories under consideration is the expansion of urbanized areas due to population growth. The economic growth of the 2000s, as a post-conflict period, was reflected in the growth of urbanized areas: 70 % in the Jerez River basin and 61 % in the Gorgan River basin

Drainage basin · Land cover · Land use · Population · Sociocultural evolution · Marine and environmental studies · Soil and Environmental Studies · Water Resources and Management