River 
Sea 
APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSED DATA FOR STUDYING OF 
TUNDRA AND TAIGA ECOSYSTEMS TRANSFORMATIONS 
Dr. Kirsanov A.A. - Deputy Director 
in Geology and Ecology, VNIIKAM, RUSSIA 
ISPRS, Commission VII, Working Group V 
Remote Sensing Environmental monitoring, Ecosistems Dynamic, 
Technogenic influence. 
KEY WORDS: 
ABSTRACT: 
The extending of mine areas in the Russian North leads to increase of technological 
influence on environment. As a result there occurs transformations of Tundra and Taiga 
Ecosystems which may be irreversible. Therefore monitoring is needed to control the 
development of negative processes. Realization of monitoring is maximum effected on 
basis of Remote Sensed Data (RSD). RSD allows to make follows : 1) to record and to 
analyze the types intensity, relationships of different influences on environment with 
enough accuracy and quickness over large areas; 2) to predict trends of Ecosystems 
development to finish future by analysis of the Earth's space image obtaining at 
different times. RSD are based on system approach to environmental monitoring as they 
imagine the decreasing spatial model of Earth's surface for depicted on their territory. 
The scale row of RSD provides possibility of diverse level ecosystems studying. 
Knowledge acquisition and aero-space and geological-landscape data are formed to 
provide complex investigations. They are basis of Integrated Geographical Information 
Systems which allows to operate and analyze various information. Dynamic of Tundra 
and Taiga Ecosystems influenced from of large metallurgical and mine enterprises is 
observed on example of sites in the Western Siberia and the Kolsky Peninsular. 
natural environment at the Norilsk area 
are: 1) activity of the powerful Norilsky 
integrated mining and metallurgical plant 
1. THE NORILSK AREA 
At present natural environment of the 
Norilsk area is subjected to intensive 
anthropogenic forces. The result of this 
influence is the natural landscape distur- 
bance, Which makes bad ecological situa- 
tion for living organisms and vegetation. 
The technogenic influence leads to de- 
struction of surface covers, disturbance 
of thermal region of thawing layers in 
different seasons, the intensive develop- 
ment of bad cryogenic phisical/geological 
processes, Which proceeds very slowly in 
ordinary conditions. 
The main Sources of technogenic forces to 
for extraction and refining of mineral 
resources; 2) landscape transformations 
due to launching of Khantaiskaya hydro- 
electric power station and filling of reser- 
voir which was not prepared to flooding. 
This fact led to rotting of flooded vegeta- 
tion and to increase of fenol contents in the 
water. 
Gas and smoke erruptions of Norilsky 
mining and metallurgical plant play the 
vital importance for creation of bad eco- 
logical situation. These erruptions contain 
compounds of oxygen and hydrogen with 
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International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B7. Vienna 1996