HIGH-MOUNTAIN LANDSCAPES AS A MODEL OBJECT FOR
ODSERVATION OF TRANS-BOUNDARY AEROSOL TRANSFER
T.M. Kuderina
Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Moscow 119017, 29 Staromonetniy pereulok, Russia
e-mail: tmkud@yandex.ru
High-mountain landscapes of biosphere reserves, located in Caucasian and Altai mountains,
has been studied to determine the influence of the aerial migration from deserted plains of
the Central Asia on the mountain systems. To determine this impact the aerosol samples were
collected on autonomous landscapes that were positioned on windward slopes at the altitude
of 1500–2000 meters above the sea level. Results of observations during three summer and
autumn periods are discussed.
Due to the climate change the has increased. Aerial migration of fine-grained substances in the
“plains – mountains” system has grown. High-mountain protected areas as model keys for
experimental study of the regional and global transboundary transfer of substances present the main
interest.
Natural and political transboundary position of the Caucasus and Katun reserves is an important
factor in the study of the natural environment transformation. They are located in the eastern Europe
and central part of Eurasia respectively, in the mountain systems surrounded by plains, and may be
used as a natural laboratory for the study of the global and regional processes of the high-mountain
landscapes transformation. The impact factors causing landscapes’ transformation in the Caucasus
and Katun reserves currently include yearly alteration of air temperature, change of precipitation,
increase of atmosphere dustiness, intensifying of ice thawing, increase in transboundary aerosol
transport, change of hydrological regime and chemistry of river waters, increase of anthropogenic
influence, loss of biological diversity, transformation of vegetation at altitudinal belts, and etc.
The Caucasus and Katun mountain biosphere reserves located at the same latitude may be
characterized by background geochemical conditions. Western wind direction prevails in the
moderate climatic belt of Eurasia. Presence of high-mountain landscapes located at altitude 2000 m
and higher allowed to measure atmospheric aerosol above the boundary layer of surface atmosphere
(Fig 1, 2). Influence of other landscape components was also taken into consideration, which is
rather low under those conditions however.
The performed measurements allow comparison of aerosol chemistry in the European and Asiatic
parts of Russia with the consideration of air masses movement.
Assessment of the natural conditions and ecosystem services provided by the state biosphere
reserves was made on the basis of the methodological approaches of the International Programme
“Millenium Ecosystem Assessment”. Within the monitoring of the current status of the natural
environments performed during field works at the Caucasus and Altai a radiation survey was also
performed at the territory of the Caucasus and Katun biosphere reserves (Table 1).
Landscape-geochemical monitoring of natural high-mountain reservations included study of the
following landscape components: soil and grounds, surface water and groundwater, vegetation,
atmospheric precipitation and aerosols.
To determine this impact the aerosol samples were collected on autonomous landscapes that were
positioned on windward slopes at the altitude of 1500–2000 meters above the sea level.
Assessment of fine-grained aerosol content in the high-mountain landscapes was based on the
methods of landscape-geochemical study (1,3).
Table 1. Geographic coordinates, altitudes and date of field measurements.
Places of observation
Western Caucasus,
Dzhuga Mountain
Kavminvody, Bolshoe
Sedlo Mountain
Elbrus area,
Shatzhatmaz Mountain
Altai, Katun ridge
Geographic coordinates, altitude
N 43º53,015´ Е 40º27,708´
2199 m
N 43º53,259´ Е 42º47,485´
1380 m
N 43º44,379´ Е 42º39,574´
2083 m
N 49º43, 815´ Е 85º59,686´
2530 m
Date of measurements
August 2009
October 2009
November 2009
July 2010
Aerosol sampling was performed in accordance with the method of definition of microelements
mass concentration in the atmosphere aerosols of background landscapes on filters AFA-XA-20 by
the field aspiration sampler designed in the aerosol laboratory of Karpov Institute of Physical
Chemistry. GEOS Meteorological Station and Thermochron DS1922L simultaneously recorded
temperature and humidity of the air, cloudiness, speed and direction of the wind. Chemical
composition of the aerosol was revealed by the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission
spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Results of the global space monitoring were also used for calculating
reverse trajectories of air masses in the study period.
Analysis of chemistry of the atmospheric aerosol during western air masses transfer in the
background high-mountain landscapes of the Northern Caucasus and Altai (Table 2) reveled
elements of the global and local importance (2).
Table 2. Content of elements in the aerosol air in the Northern Caucasus and Altai, (%).
Chemical
element
Al
Si
S
Li
Na
Mg
K
Rb
Sr
Cs
Ba
Са
Se
Sb
Sc
Fe
Co
Ni
Caucasus
Bolshoe
Dzhuga
Sedlo
Shatzhatmaz
Mountain
Mountain
Mountain
Elements of global occurrence
3,66195
14,81228
4,15936
9,18212
28,26840
0,95608
41,40892
13,16687
40,23784
0,00980
0,01254
0,01242
38,82500
8,05076
48,08016
1,09817
3,49110
5,34387
0,13404
0,07471
0,00059
0,13517
0,14840
0,02721
3,83642
24,23265
4,07972
Elements of regional and local occurrence
0,00198
0,84213
Altai
12,459
20,055
12,459
20,055
6,878
4,219
5,568
0,033
0,141
0,002
0,259
18,540
0,024
0,003
0,067
6,216
0,006
0,146
Cu
Zn
Y
Zr
Cd
Hg
Pb
Sn
1,71539
0,00299
0,01493
0,01462
0,64026
2,17866
0,03715
0,00083
0,02157
0,01875
0,13451
0,712
0,212
0,009
0,017
0,003
0,291
0,038
Atmospheric aerosol above the boundary layer on the Caucasus contains considerable amount of
salts (Na, S) which are probably of marine origin. Surface atmosphere of Kavminvody (Bolshoe
Sedlo Mountain) contains various elements. With air masses movement to the east, to Altai, they
get enriched with terrigenic elements (Al, Si, Li). Elements of regional occurrence including heavy
metals may be used as indicators of technogenic impact of the surrounding industrial areas on the
high-mountain areas of the Caucasus and Altai.
For the purpose of landscape-geochemical monitoring the Clarke’s concentration (CC) of elements
in soil of the study area were calculated, as well as aerosol concentration coefficients (CAC)
relative to Earth crust. In the studied mountain soils and crystalline rocks the CCs are low. Most of
the elements are in the dispersed state. Soils and rocks of the Mountain Altai are rich in polymetals
which are common for the Ore Altai geochemical province
Analysis of the chemical composition of the fine-dispersed aerosols due to transfer of the air masses
from the plains of the Central Asia toward studied high-mount regions showed that main element of
the global significance is Clarke’s concentration (CC) of the sulfur. In Altai region CC value for
sulfur varied from 470 up to 740 and in Caucasus it varied from 480 up to 830. Increased CC values
for sodium (2-9) and calcium (3-5) were observed in Altai, and for calcium (4-11) and potassium
(2-3) in Caucasus. Accumulation of these elements on mountain’s slopes is in a close relationship to
the global transfer of the air masses from salty plains of the Central Asia to the studied territories.
Lithium is a typical lithogenic element for natural mountain landscapes. In Caucasus and Altai
regions its CC level varies from 4-5 to 6-7 correspondingly. However, as significant regional and
local indicators for Altai natural reservation has been shown scandium with CC level around 40,
and for Caucasus territory titanium (6-17) and chrome (50-105). Origin of these heavy metals,
found in mountain aerosols in high concentrations, cannot be simply explained thus demanding
further investigation. There are several possible mechanisms of their accumulation in natural
mountain reservation that may exist. It could be combination of some natural processes, industrial
mountain activity and refinery plants, and long way aerosol transfer.
Conclusions
Current transformations of the environment cause acceleration of the natural and human-induced
desertification and land degrading in the Eurasia’s landscapes. Feedback mechanisms in the system
“mountains – plains” are growing which results in the atmospheric transfer of elements to higher
altitudes. Obtained data indicate that high-mountain landscapes are good models for studying of
regional and global geochemical fluxes and environment alteration. International cooperation and
efforts for studying such territories would be very useful.
Bibliography
1. Glazovskaya M.A. Geochemistry of natural and technogenic landscapes. Moscow.
Geographical Faculty of Moscow State University. Second edition. 2007. 350 pp.
2. Ivanov V.V. Ecological geochemistry of elements. Handbook (in 6 volumes). Moscow.
“Ekologiya”. 1994-1998.
3. Perelman A.I. & Kasimov N.S. Geochemistry of the landscape. Moscow. Astreya-2000.
1999. 768 pp.
Fig 1. The view from the saddle of Elbrus on the northern piedmont plains.
The height of the boundary layer – 2000 m.
Beshtau Mountain 1400 m a.s.l.
Fig 2. The movement of air masses enriched with aerosol to the field station of the Institute of
Atmospheric Physics Russian Academy of Sciences, Shatzhatmaz Mountain.