This book highlights the aeolian processes in the desert zone of Kazakhstan and Central Asian Deserts, and analyzes the current status of dust and sand storms in Central Asia and Kazakhstan. It also highlights the analyses, dynamics and long-term observations of storms on the basis of numerous cartographic materials and satellite images. Dust/sand storms are a common and important phenomenon in the arid and semi-arid regions of Kazakhstan and Central Asia as well,especially in its southern parts, where areas are covered by a great variety of deserts and offer a significant source of mineral and salt aerosols. The deserts of Kazakhstan mostly cover lowlands and extend from the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea to the piedmonts of the Tien-Shan Mountain. In Kazakhstan and Central Asia desertification processes due to wind erosion in the form of dust/sand storms were observed in semi-desert and desert landscapes.

This book highlights the development of lake systems and water reservoirs as well as the impact of climate change on water resources in Central Asian countries. It provides information on the genesis of lake basins, physical and chemical properties of water in lakes, and the hydrological regimes (water balance and fluctuation levels) of lakes of Central Asia and Xinjiang. The book is useful for scientists and researchers whose work focuses on lakes and the use of natural resources, irrigation, hydropower and water supply, as well as for students and planners.

This book aims to identify the impact of tourism on social and economic development in the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan, and to predict the development of the tourism industry and identify any limiting factors for the development of the tourism industry in the Republic as a whole. The impacts of tourism on the region have been poorly understood since the country gained independence in 1991, and so improved methods for identifying and increasing the contribution of the tourism industry to the economic and social development of the region are needed. The book assesses the impact of tourism on the socio-economic situation in the Issyk-Kul region is assessed on the basis of statistical modelling and GIS mapping, provides a comparative analysis of the categories and types of tourism in the regions of the Republic, in particular in the Issyk-Kul region, and identifies factors that have a negative impact on the country’s tourism potential, as well as the shortcomings and prospects for future development. The book's primary audience will be scholars and researchers whose research focuses on the socio-economic impacts of tourism, as well as students and planners. It is expected that it will become a source of information and inspiration for all readers who feel responsible for initiating sustainable development and sustainable use of tourism resources in Kyrgyzstan and other countries.

This book analyses climate change influences on rainfall erosivity and soil erosion across Central Asia, provides an overview (past and projections) on the Central Asian countries where projected changes in rainfall erosivity and erosivity density are the greatest, and discusses the potential impacts on the environment across the region. This analysis is accomplished primarily using the RUSLE model with past and future climate projections, spatiotemporal variations of rainfall erosivity and soil erosion based on WorldClim, and Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) climate models (for Central Asia and separately Kazakhstan). The relationship between precipitation characteristics and erosion has been well established, but spatial and temporal projections of future rainfall erosivity in a changing climate in Central Asia have not been published significantly. Therefore, assessing rainfall erosivity and its consequences can assist specialists and researchers in achieving the best practices for soil conservation. The result of this type of research is all-encompassing, and may reflect normal variations in other parts of the world (for example, the arid and semi-arid regions) and is inherently limited to the Central Asian region.

This book focuses on the mineral deposits from the mining complex of Kazakhstan, including copper ores from the Nikolayevsky and Shemonaikhinsky open-pit quarries, and from the Kazchrome and Konyrat mines in Balkhash. This study assesses the geomechanical conditions of the rock massive, as well as strengthening and reinforcing processes. It develops methods for their assessment and provides detailed instructions on applying the methods. The book also summarizes the latest research and developments in formulating cement solutions to reinforce slopes and suppress dust on the roads of the quarry. The book’s overarching goal is to promote geological and mining engineering conditions that ensure the ecologically safe development of the mineral resource fields. Given its scope, the book will be of interest to mining engineers, researchers, and students in a broad range of geomechanical, geodesic, mining and environmental fields.

This book summarizes the outcomes of research results based on field works and recent studies related to soil cover of the dried Aral seabed in Kazakhstan. The purpose of the work was to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current state of the soil cover in the dried bed of the Aral Sea in order to study the processes that are occurring in the local soils as a result of anthropogenic impacts inducing soil degradation and desertification (e.g., soil salinization and deflation). Additionally, the book analyzes morphological characteristics and chemical-physical properties of soils in the dried bottom of the Northern Aral Sea in order to know how material properties can be transported during soil deflation in dust/sand/salt storms in the region, as well as to identify changes in long-term dynamics of aridization and climatic parameters such as temperature, precipitation and evapotranspiration in the Aral Sea region. The novelty of this research is reflected in the latest information on the vertical and spatial distributions of soils and their chemical properties in the region containing the dried bed of the Aral Sea in Kazakhstan. Consequently, an updated soil map (soil salinization and salinization degree, land degradation) of the seabed was obtained according to the collected field data and satellite-derived images such as those recorded by Landsat-8. The book is mainly addressed to scientists and researchers who study soil cover in the dried Aral Seabed and its region, as well as soil degradation and desertification in the dried lake playas and aridization in other arid regions. The book will also be useful for students and planners who feel responsible for the sustainable development and sustainable use of natural resources in Central Asian countries.

This book highlights studies of differentiation problems of natural geosystems because of anthropogenic impact. The systematic methodology of comprehensive ecological assessment of anthropogenic impact on natural geosystems and their differentiations on the level of technogenic conditionality for ensuring rational environmental management and environmental protection are discussed. The practical importance of this book lies in the evidence-based recommendations and actions for conservation and quality management of the environment in order to decrease the degree of anthropogenic impact and in prevention of degradation processes. The book is useful to the researchers, industrial, scientific, and other organizations in establishing the purpose of the problem and solution to environmental protection and rational environmental management.