MEDICO-ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF DESERTIFICATION IN KALMYKIA 
Bananova V., Sangadguieva L., Nidjuli V., Borlikov G., Lasareva V., 
The State University of Kalmykia, Elista, Russia: 
The territory of Kalmyk Republic is situated at the South-East European part of Russia. According to the map of 
antropogenic desertification of Kalmykia 82,7% of its area is under degradation including 47,3% which is under intense and very 
intense desertification. The biogenic, biogenic-technogenic and technogenic desertification is distinguished due to the types and 
reasons similarity. The first one occupies the greatest territory — 64%. The new type of desertification — chemical — has been 
generated in Kalmykia during last decades. 
The human being technogenic activity has brought to the global spreading of heavy metals in atmosphere, soil, plants, 
water. In accordance with research results the most polluted are brown semidesert and light chestnut soils which are about 80% of the 
Kalmykia territory. The iron, magnesium, molybdenum, zinc contents in these soils are above standard from 30% to 100%. The 
plants reaction at heavy metals is different : the lowest one has Poa bulbosa, the highest — Artemisia lerchiana, galophity have the 
highest reaction at zinc. 
The irrational use of irrigational systems, the elevation of Caspian Sea level resulted to the intensive extension of partly 
flooded and secondary salted soils and generation of bogs and solonchak. The toxic salts amount in these soils is up to 94% from 
their general quantity with chlorine dominance. 
Analysis of the medico-geographical map of the Republic showed that the chemical type of desertification has brought to 
heightened nitrates and organic acids contents in vegetables, high hard water — to production of gall-stones and anaemia. During the 
last 20 years the pollution of sewage from chemical factories of Volgograd, Rostov, Astrakhan, Stavropol regions with concerogenic 
substances has been resulting to the increase in oncological diseases of population: men — 44%, women — 28%. In zones of the 
greatest influence of the chemical desertification the sick rate of cancer is up to 77% from the whole amount of inhabitants. The 
increase of oncological diseases in northern areas of Kalykia is to be expected in connection with generally toxic and mythogenic 
effects of pollution from chemical factories of Volgograd region. 
Therefore the desertification influence on landscape and population health shows that the Kalmykia Republic territory has 
to be recognized as the zone of ecological disaster and necessity of the search of measures for its recovery. 
668 International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXII, Part 7, Budapest, 1998