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key areas should be considered as one monitoring system. Space 
photos allow to study global and regional processes, areal photos 
can be used to study such events that can't be interfeted by spa- 
ce imagery. 
Varions types of space photos can be used now to study 
the natural resorces. The Desert Institute, Academy of Sciences of 
Turkmen SSR, has elaborated the specifications of space photogra- 
phy (N.G. Kharin et al., I980). They are given in the table I. The 
proper selection of spectral bands has a great significance taking 
into consideration the needs of users. Let’s compare our recommen- 
dations on this subject with spectral bands of existing space plat- 
forms. This information is given in the table 2. (F.M. Hilwig, 1979; 
N.G. Kharin, I980). 
One can see that spectral bands of the Soviet "Meteor" 
and American "Landsat - 2" are practically the same. Lets compare 
these bands with that recommended by the Desert Institute. The band 
0,5-0,6 mkm 1s very useful to study soil erosion, salinization and 
waterlogginge The band 0,6-0,7 mkm is suitable to study landscapes 
and vegetation. In the band 0,8-I,0 mkm human changes in the lands- 
cape and water erosion can be studied. 
We have used in our investigations space photos "Meteor", 
"Saljut - 4", "Sojuz -22" and aerial photos. The Desert Institute 
has prepared a set of thematic maps covering the territory of the 
Turkmen SSR (landscape, geomorphology, vegetation, soil, pasture 
and erosion). In the process of compilation are desertification and 
site conditions maps. These maps contain information which measu- 
res, E.g., desertification spots around the desert wells were stu- 
died by space photos (N.G. Kharin, I980). Such information can be 
used in elaborating special measures on desert pastures improvement. 
Detailed study of natural environment has been conducted 
on the two key areas, characterizing different human pressure in the 
Turkmen desert. 
The first key areas was located in the sandy desert, south- 
east Karakum, in the bordering area of Karakum Canal, constructed 
in I955-I960. The key area demonstrates the high human pressure, be- 
cause the desert environment was changed after the canal construction 
The second key area was located in the sandy desert, cent- 
ral Karakum, where the change of desert environment was moderate. 
The area was used as a grazing land. 
The mentioned twvo. key areas have practically the same 
natural conditions. The climate is continental, it is characterized 
by high amplitude of air temperature,dryness and small precipitation 
rate. Summer is long, hot and dry, the temperature reaches 440', The 
weather in winter is not stable, beeing comparativey humid. Spring 
and autumn are not clear distinguisched. Precipitation rate is IOO- 
I50 mm, that is 20 times less than evaporation. Precipitation falls 
mainly in the end of winter and in the beginning of spring. Soil 
and vegetation cover are correlated with hot and dry desert climate, 
Sandy soils, takyr, takyr-like soils and solonchaksare widely dist- 
ributed here. Desert DSDS vegetation consisting of shrubs: 
semishrubs and herbs dominate in the areas under consideration. Along 
the Karakum canal hyhrophytes, halophytes and phreatophytes domina- 
te. 
We have used space photos and aerial photos. The interval 
between two photographic missions was II-I2 years. The repeated 
aerial photographic coverage was obtained by the same specifications, 
that provided the same pictorial guality of aerial photos. 
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