Higher Classes of Geographical Complexes and Layer Structure of the Geographical Sphere

• Published in: Geography and natural resources Vol. 44; no. 3; pp. 215 - 221
• Main Author: Osipov, S. V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01.09.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anthropogenic factors; Classification; Comparative analysis; Earth and Environmental Science; Economic Geography; Geography; Landscape/Regional and Urban Planning; Layering; Lithosphere; anthropogenic; diversity; landscape sphere; geocomplex; classification; technogenic; landscape; geosystem
• ISSN: 1875-3728; 1875-371X
• DOI: 10.1134/S1875372823030095

The aim of this paper is to clarify the system of higher classes of geographical complexes and to identify on their basis natural and natural-technogenic types of layering of the geographical sphere, as well as to discuss the landscape sphere concept. A model of the geographical sphere (geographical envelope, epigeosphere) is proposed on the basis of vertically alternating layers, each of which is a set of laterally bordering geocomplexes of the landscape level at the boundary between geospheres (atmo-, hydro-, and lithosphere) or within one of them. We have substantiated the classification scheme of seven divisions (classes of the highest rank) of natural geocomplexes: atmolithospheric (terrestrial), hydrolithospheric (bottom (underwater) and glacial-mineral (subglacial)), atmohydrospheric (air-water (water-surface) and air-glacial), atmohydrolithospheric (amphibious and glacial), atmospheric (air), hydrospheric (water and glacial), and lithospheric (underground (mineral)). The classification of geocomplexes is a uniform basis for a comparative analysis of the most diverse parts of the geographical sphere. This approach enables us to display not only the layering, but all aspects of the spatial structure and may be used not only at global and regional, but also at local levels. The same model enables us to reflect anthropogenic changes of the spatial structure. Four natural types of the layer structure of the geographical sphere (epigeosphere) are distinguished: terrestrial, amphibious (continental and marine) and glacial, midwater (marine and continental) and glacial, and deepwater (oceanic and marine) and glacial. Five technogenically modified (natural-technogenic) subtypes of the layered structure are identified: two in the terrestrial and one in each of the other types. The concept of the landscape sphere as part of the geographical sphere (epigeosphere) along the contact zones of partial geospheres is supplemented by the idea of the landscape sphere as a sphere allocated to the outer boundary of the lithosphere. In this version of the concept, the landscape sphere is formed by geocomplexes of three classes: atmolithospheric, atmohydrolithospheric, and hydrolithospheric.