RISK OF DEFLATION AND WATER EROSION IN THE ARABLE LAND OF THE STAVROPOL TERRITORY

Abstract

Stavropol Territory is one of the leading agricultural regions of Russia, where crop production plays a key role. However, changes in the structure of agricultural production and the failure to adhere to soil conservation practices led to intensified land use, contributing to degradation processes. The impact of anthropogenic factors was worsened by climate change, including rising temperatures, increased climate extremes, and the frequency of droughts. The study conducted a geoinformation analysis of the arable land of the region for the risk of water erosion and deflation based on satellite imagery from 2022. It was determined that 54% of arable land was in a high-risk zone. The most at-risk zone was the extremely arid zone of the region, where 95% of arable land did not meet protection standards. The zone of sufficient moisture was classified as land predominantly susceptible to water erosion, while the extremely arid zone was classified as land predominantly susceptible to deflation. One region in the arid zone and three regions in the unstable moisture zone were classified as areas susceptible to both deflation and erosion processes. The results confirm the importance of using remote sensing data and GIS technologies, which enable the analysis of vast arable land areas and facilitate more effective adaptation of crop production to changing soil and climate conditions.