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Природно-ресурсный потенциал и экологическая реабилитация деградированных ландшафтов
87
УДК 911.52 DOI: 10.36684/86-1-2023-87-91
STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE ACTIVITY OF MUD VOLCANOES ON THE
CREATION OF MODERN LANDSCAPES IN AZERBAIJAN
(IN THE IMAGE OF THE SOUTHEASTERN SLOPE OF THE GREATER CAUCASUS)
Afag Hajiyeva Zakir,
Candidate of Geography Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Public management
and social innovation Azerbaijan State University of Economics, Baku
Abstract. As we know, the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan ranks first in the world in
terms of the number of mud volcanoes. The study of the geo-morphological features of these
volcanoes shows that the geological structure and litho-logical composition of the area reveal the
existence of these natural monuments from ancient times to the present day. Mud volcanoes have
medical properties, therapeutic and cosmeticological advantages as well as negative effects on
natural landscapes. Naturally, breccias formed after volcanic eruptions cool and form badlands.
Dried breccias cover the surface of natural landscape areas for decades, retarding their renewal and
development.
Mud volcano areas are separated as a separate landscape type. Their activity creates changes
not only in natural landscapes, but also in the relief formation. The fragmentation of the relief is more
noticeable in the areas of active volcanic activity.
In the article, the changes caused by mud volcanoes in the landscape complexes of the studied
area and their role in the creation of modern landscapes is investigated.
Keywords: Greater Caucasus, mud volcanoes, breccias, differentiation, natural landscapes.
ИЗУЧЕНИЕ ВЛИЯНИЯ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ ГРЯЗЕВЫХ ВУЛКАНОВ НА
СОЗДАНИЕ СОВРЕМЕННЫХ ЛАНДШАФТОВ В АЗЕРБАЙДЖАНЕ
(НА ИЗОБРАЖЕНИИ ЮГО-ВОСТОЧНОГО СКЛОНА БОЛЬШОГО КАВКАЗА)
Гаджиева Афаг Закир,
канд. геогр. наук, доцент кафедры «Общественный управление и социальные инновации»
Aзербайджанский Государственный Экономический Университет, г. Бaку
Аннотация. Как известно, территория Азербайджанской Республики занимает
первое место в мире по количеству грязевых вулканов. Изучение геоморфологических
особенностей этих вулканов показывает, что геологическое строение и литологический
состав местности свидетельствуют о существовании этих памятников природы с
древнейших времен до наших дней. Грязевые вулканы обладают лечебными свойствами,
лечебными и косметологическими преимуществами, а также негативным воздействием на
природные ландшафты. Естественно, брекчии, образовавшиеся после извержений вулканов,
остывают и образуют бесплодные земли. Высохшие брекчии десятилетиями покрывают
поверхность природных ландшафтов, тормозя их обновление и развитие. Участки грязевых
вулканов выделены в отдельный тип ландшафта. Их деятельность создает изменения не
только в природных ландшафтах, но и в рельеф образовании. Фрагментарность рельефа
более заметна в районах активной вулканической деятельности.
В статье исследуются вызванные грязевыми вулканами изменения ландшафтных
комплексов изучаемой территории и их роль в создании современных ландшафтов.
Ключевые слова: Большой Кавказ, грязевые вулканы, брекчия, дифференциация,
природные ландшафты.
Природно-ресурсный потенциал и экологическая реабилитация деградированных ландшафтов
88
Introduction: The differentiation of the natural landscapes of the southeastern part of the
Greater Caucasus is also observed around the mud volcanoes that are widespread in the area. Mud
volcanoes cover the southeastern periclinal tilt zone of the Greater Caucasus, bordered by the Caspian
Sea to the east and southeast, the Agsu River to the west, and the southern slope of the Dubrar
mountain system to the north. The landscapes around the mud volcanoes of the mentioned area were
perfectly studied by B.A. Budagov and A.A. Mikayilov [3].
Mud volcanoes are especially widespread in the Gobustan physical geographic region of the
studied area. Mud volcanoes were studied by prominent researchers B.A. Budagov, A.A. Mikayilov
[4], A. Ahmadov [2] and others. It should be noted that mud volcanoes are also spread in other regions
of our republic. However, the mud volcanoes present in the area we studied play an important role in
the differentiation of landscapes.
Analysis: As it is known, mud volcanoes differ sharply from the surrounding areas due to the
nature and morphological characteristics of the parent rocks they develop on. That is why scientists
who have conducted research in this field distinguish mud volcanoes as an independent landscape
type. A special landscape type has been formed around the large mud volcanoes (Toraghay,
Kenizdag, Kalandartape, Otman-Bozdag, Nardaran, Ilanli, etc.) in the territory of Gobustan region.
Thus, depending on the orientation of the slopes of the mud volcanoes and the age of the breccias
materials, their landscapes differ from each other. As a rule, the southern slopes of mud volcanoes,
which are relatively humid, are sharply divided. A dense network of ravines, clay karst and badlands
develop on the southern slopes. The northern slopes are less decomposed because they receive
relatively more moisture. Therefore, strongly fragmented semi-desert landscapes developed on the
southern slopes of mud volcanoes. The formation of mud volcanoes unique landscapes depends on
the eruption period of the volcano and the breccias materials. B.A. Budagov and A.A. Mikayilov [4],
who had special services in the study of mud volcanoes, divided the landscapes formed on mud
volcanoes into 4 types based on the mentioned characteristics; landscapes formed on fresh, young,
ancient and washed breccias.
Landscapes formed on fresh breccias materials are very primitive, formed on craters and
breccias flows of volcanoes that erupted 15-30 years ago. Vegetation on the fresh breccias covering
the volcanic crater and its slopes was very sparse, and poorly developed semi-desert landscapes were
formed, mainly consisting of carnivores, carnivores, and partially blackthorn.
Landscapes formed on young breccias materials are formed in areas more than 100 years old
since the volcanic eruption. In areas where mud volcanoes spread young breccias, the soil cover is in
the initial stage of formation. Vegetation has a relatively diverse composition; it mainly consists of
blackberry, sedge, etc.
Landscapes of ancient breccias were formed on the steep slopes of mud volcanoes. In young
breccias, the soil cover is in the initial stage of formation, while in ancient breccias, the process of
soil formation continues. On the ancient breccias, sorghum, wormwood, cereals and various grasses
have developed [7].
The landscapes of washed breccias have a unique feature; they are formed in plain areas
around the volcano. Since the slopes of the mud volcano are regularly exposed to rainwater, the flow
of water from the surface of the breccias gradually washes away a certain amount of salts. The
mentioned saline water flow collects in the plain areas at the foot of the volcano and halophytization
of the landscape takes place. During the rainy seasons, the mentioned plain surface is covered with
new washing materials and renewed. It should be noted that the landscape of washed-out breccias is
characterized by the sedge plant, which resembles a young breccias covered landscape complex [2;
5]. Thus, mud volcanoes are constantly renewed due to their periodic re-eruption. In areas with
ancient breccias, dry steppe plant groups developed, and in young breccias, semi-desert halophyte
plant formations developed. In general, the vegetation density and species composition of areas with
mud volcano flows and cover are related to the age of the volcanic materials of that area [6].
Природно-ресурсный потенциал и экологическая реабилитация деградированных ландшафтов
89
The main element of landscape differentiation in mountainous areas is absolute height
variation. Taking this into account, the change in the absolute height of the relief in the area (Figure1.)
and its influence on the structural-genetic features of the landscape are given in comparative form in
table 1.
The southeastern part of the Greater Caucasus is characterized by the presence of valleys,
ravines, dome-like and plateau-like landforms, mud volcanoes, clay karsts and widespread badlands,
which play an important role in the differentiation of landscapes. The above-mentioned landforms
cover the area from the confluence of the Atachay and Tugchay rivers to the Langebiz ridge at
absolute heights of 50-200m to 500m.
The role of climatic conditions in the formation of landscapes in the southeastern part of the
Greater Caucasus is quite large. It is dominated by a mild hot and semi-desert desert climate with hot
and dry summers. The average annual temperature is 12-13.50C. Average annual precipitation varies
between 200-300 mm [1].
Depending on the climatic conditions, there is no river system with a constant flow in the
foothills of the studied area. As a result of all these mentioned, mountain semi-desert landscapes were
formed in the foothills. In the area, wormwood, sedum, oil salinary, wormwood salinary plants,
drought-resistant mountain xerophyte and blackthorn bushes are common in the area.
Summarizing all of the above, we can come to the conclusion that the relief, climatic
conditions, lithological composition of rocks, exogenous geomorphological processes, etc. created
the structural territorial differentiation of natural landscapes in the southeastern part of the Greater
Caucasus, and the following landscape types were formed: 1. Arid denudation lowland semi-deserts;
2. Lowland steppe and xerophytic steppe landscapes; 3. Arid forest-bush; 4. Mountain-forest; 5.
Mountain-meadow and meadow-steppe; 6. Rocky subnival.
Figure 1. Absolute height map of the relief in the southeastern part of the Greater Caucasus
Природно-ресурсный потенциал и экологическая реабилитация деградированных ландшафтов
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Table 1
Differentiation of the landscape on hypsometric steps in the
southeastern part of the Greater Caucasus
№
Absolu
te
height
in-m.
Area
km2
In %
of the
total
area
Annual
averag
e
temper
ature
Average
July
temperat
ure
Temperature
s above
50degrees
total
Atmospher
ic
precipitati
on in mm
Humidit
y, year,
in Md
Main landscape
floors
1
>0
483,7
5,6
140<
260<
5000<
>200
>0,10
Plain, semi-
desert
2
1-500
4047,0
46,5
13,50
24-260
4200-5000
200-300
0,10-
0,15
Plain and
mountain semi-
desert
3
501-
1000
2401,2
27,6
11,50
22-240
3300-4200
300-400
0,15-
0,25
Dry steps, arid
forest and
thickets,
mountain semi-
deserts
4
1001-
1500
945,3
10,9
10,50
20-220
2500-3300
400-500
0,25-
0,35
Arid forest and
forest steps,
mountain forest,
mountain steps
5
1501-
2000
525,8
6,1
8,00
15-200
1200-2500
500-600
0,35-
0,45
Mountain-
forest, mountain
meadow-steps,
mountain
meadow
6
2001-
2500
212,8
2,4
7,50
10-150
900-1200
600-700
0,45-
0,60
Mountain
meadow,
subalpine
7
2501-
3000
62,1
0,7
5,50
5-100
600-900
500-600
0,60-
0,80
Subalpine and
alpine meadows
8
3000<1
18,1
0,2
>5,50
>50
>600
>500
0,80<
Alpine
meadows,
subnival
Total
8696
100%
-
-
-
-
-
-
The result: One of the most common types of arid-denudation relief is badlands. Bedland is
one of the widespread landforms in the foothills of the southeastern part of the Greater Caucasus,
especially in Gobustan, and has a special role in the differentiation of territorial landscapes. This form
of relief is also widespread in Tugchay and Atachay basins, along the Sumgaitchay valley, on the
southern slopes. Since the denudation process is going strong in these areas, soil and vegetation
cannot develop. In addition, since the mountain slopes are excessively divided by ravines, it is
completely inconvenient to use these areas.
The studied landscape complex passes more into dry steppe landscapes (up to 800-1000 m
absolute altitudes) along orographically connected river valleys. This complex has complex relief
features, including anticlinal ridges, cyclonic plateaus, interalgae depressions, and mud volcano cones
and plateaus with more dynamic development.
In the studied area, the semi-desert landscape of the lowland is used as autumn-winter
pastures, which is important in the development of sheep breeding in the republic. However, for the
development of animal husbandry here, the problem that needs to be solved is the lack of water,
increasing the productivity and improving the quality of pastures. It is important to identify fresh
underground water sources to provide water for animal husbandry in Gobustan [7].
Природно-ресурсный потенциал и экологическая реабилитация деградированных ландшафтов
91
References
1. National Atlas of Azerbaijan. Baku, 2014
2. Akhmedov A.G. Geochemistry of landscapes of mud volcanoes in the Southeast Caucasus.
Dis.cond. geographic sciences. – Baku, 1976, – 148 p.
3. Budagov B.A., Mammadov R.M., Mikayilov A.A. web. Degrees of desertification in the
Absheron peninsula / in the book "Desertification problems in Azerbaijan". – Baku, 2003, – p.
40-53.
4. Budagov B.A., Mikayilov A.A., Omarova KH.I. The landscape of regions where mud
volcanoes develop in Azerbaijan. Foundation of ANAS Institute of Geography. – Baku, 1972,
– 258 p.
5. Gupta R.P., Joshi B.C. 1990 Landslide hazard zoning using the GIS approach; A case study
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printing house, 2012, – p.216
7. Hajiyeva A.Z. Anthropogenic transformation of natural landscapes in the south-eastern slope
of greater Caucasus (based on study of pasture-hayfield landscapes). "Geography and natural
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