Comparative analysis of watershed basins landscape structure in Southwest Asia region based on remote sensing data.

In recent years it has become evident that techniques implemented while studying landscape structure of a large geographical area should be comprehensive and consider both endogenous and exogenous factors affecting its formation.

Owing to a specific location in the active zone at the junction between three tectonic plates — the African, the Arabian and the Eurasian - Southwest Asia region, which is subdivided into the Anatolian plateau, the Armenian plateau and the Iranian plateau, was chosen as a target territory. To conduct a further landscape analysis three above-mentioned geographical subregions were segmented into 9 marine basins, with the largest - the Persian Gulf basin, the Caspian sea basin, the Mediterranean sea basin, and the Black sea basin - occupying areas of 1710000, 250000, 330000, 710000 sq.km respectively. In our view, these basins are stated to be isolated macro-geosystems with directed substance and energy flow, where rivers and streams play an essential role in their functioning.

 Thus, according to data obtained from segmentation we can also claim that the target territory is located at the intersection of large watersheds, which is reflected in the basin landscape structure.

Bearing in mind these separate geographical units and taking into account the classification we built up, dominant folded, volcanic and depressive morphostructures were distinguished within each basin. As a result, the Caspian sea basin was represented by all the morphostructures present in the classification with folded and depressive occupying virtually equal areas, whereas the Black sea, the Mediterranean sea and the Persian gulf basins were dominated by folded morphostructures.

Depressive morphostructures in foregoing units appeared in large river valleys and intermontane areas, while volcanic morphostructures were not significant, but they expanded impressively on the Armenian plateau.

Moreover, each morphostructure type represents characteristic landscape patterns according to natural areas and altitudinal zonality concepts, the latter applied to mountain ranges. So, using remote sensing datasets and ArcGIS software general sequence of landscapes in the main mountain ranges, such as Pontic ridge in the Black sea basin, Taurus mountains in the Meditteranean sea basin, Elburz in the Caspian sea basin and Zagros in the Persian Gulf basin were visually interpreted.  Then, a comparative analysis of the interrelation between landscapes in watersheds  was conducted.

Eventually, the obtained data could be applied to further studying and mapping of Southwest Asia region landscape structure formation and, subsequently, refreshing soil cover maps using remote sensing data.