THE DYNAMICS OF THE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF THE TEREK-KUMA LOWLAND DURING 120 YEARS

Abstract. Aim. This article is devoted to the analysis of climatic conditions of the territory of the Terek-Kuma Lowland. Data of the last 60 years (1951–2010) are compared with conditions of 1881–1935 (air temperature) and 1898–1948 (precipitation and relative humidity). Determination of tendencies in the age-old range, and for the last 60 years is given.

Location. Terek-Kuma Lowland, Eastern Ciscaucasia, Russia.

Methods. The following environmental parameters are characterized: the amount of monthly rainfall, average temperatures and humidity, evaporation, moisture ratio and the lack of moisture. Statistical characteristics (mean, variance, coefficient of variation) of annual precipitation, mean annual temperature and humidity, evaporation, lack of moisture are calculated. Separately, the same parameters were calculated for the warm (April – October) and cold (November – March) seasons. Significance of differences between them was assessed by the standard deviation (α) and the coefficient of variation (Cv).

Results. Our analysis of the moisture conditions of the Terek-Kuma Lowland in the last 60 years has shown significant changes in key climate indicators in comparison with the corresponding (for the duration of observations) rates in preceding years. The average annual temperature for the period , including for the warm season (April – October), increased by 0.6 °C, annual precipitation decreased respectively by 29.6 and 35.9 mm. Coefficient of humidity (ratio of annual precipitation to evaporation) in the ambient range from 0.11 in 1898–1948 increased to 0.14 in 1951–2010.

Conclusions. Aridity of the climate did not increase on this territory. In 1951–2010 coefficient of humidity increased to 0.14, and fits into the range for dry (arid) regions, while in 1898–1948 coefficient of humidity was 0.11 and it was an important characteristic of extra arid (very dry) areas.

1. Агроклиматический справочник Дагестанской АССР. 1963. Л.: Гидрометеоиздат. 72 с. Agroklimaticheskiy spravochnik Dagestanskoy ASSR [Agroclimatic directory of Dagestan ASSR]. 1963. Leningrad: Gidrometeoizdat. 72 p. (in Russian).

2. Залибеков З.Г. 2000. Процессы опустынивания и их влияние на почвенный покров. М.: РАН, ПИБР. 219 с. Zalibekov Z.G. 2000. Protsessy opustynivaniya i ikh vliyanie na pochvennyy pokrov [Desertification processes and their effect on soil]. Moscow: Russian Academy of Sciences, PIBR. 219 p. (in Russian).

3. Золотокрылин А.Н., Титкова Т.Б. 2012. Спутниковый индекс климатических экстремумов засушливых земель. Аридные экосистемы. 18(4/53): 5–12. Zolotokrylin A.N., Titkova T.B. 2012. Satellite index of climate extremes of drylands. Aridnye ekosistemy [= Arid ecosystems]. 18(4/53): 5–12 (in Russian).

4. Иванов Н.Н. 1948. Ландшафтно-климатические зоны земного шара. Записки Географического общества, новая серия. 1: 1–224. Ivanov N.N. 1948. Landscape-climatic zones of the Earth. Zapiski Geograficheskogo obshchestva, novaya seriya. 1: 1–224 (in Russian).

5. Иванов Н.Н. 1954. Об определении величин испаряемости. Известия Всесоюзного Географического общества. 86(2): 186–196. Ivanov N.N. 1954. On the determination of the potential evapotranspiration values. Izvestiya Vsesoyuznogo Geograficheskogo obshchestva. 86(2): 186–196 (in Russian).

6. Керимханов С.У., Кисриев Ф.Г., Соловьев Д.Г., Гурбаев М.О., 1967. Характеристика природных и экономических условий Дагестанской АССР. В кн.: Система ведения сельского хозяйства в Дагестане. Махачкала: Дагкнигоиздат. 617 с. Kerimkhanov S.U., Kisriev F.G. Solovyev D.G., Gurbaev M.O. 1967. Characteristic of the natural and economic conditions in Dagestan ASSR. In: Sistema vedeniya sel'skogo khozyaystva v Dagestane [The system of agriculture in Dagestan]. Makhachkala: Dagknigoizdat. 617 p. (in Russian).

7. Ковда В.А. 1981. Почвенный покров, его улучшение, использование и охрана. М.: Наука. 182 с. Kovda V.A. 1981. Pochvennyy pokrov, ego uluchshenie, ispol'zovanie i okhrana [The soil, its improve, using and protection]. Moscow: Nauka. 182 p. (in Russian).

8. Мирзоев Э.М.-Р., Алишаев М.Г. 1990. Теоретические основы рассоления почв дождеванием и освоения трудномелиорируемых земель Дагестана. Махачкала: Даг. филиал АН СССР. 166 с. Mirzoev E.M.-R., Alishaev M.G. 1990. Teoreticheskie osnovy rassoleniya pochv dozhdevaniem i osvoeniya trudnomelioriruemykh zemel' Dagestana [Theoretical basis of soil desalination by irrigation and development of difficult reclaimed lands of Dagestan]. Makhachkala: Dagestan branch of the Academy of Sciences USSR. 166 p. (in Russian).

9. Панкова Е.И., Герасимова М.И. 2012. Пустынные почвы: свойства, почвообразовательные процессы, классификация. Аридные экосистемы. 18(2/51): 5–13. Pankova E.I., Gerasimova M.I. 2012. The desert soils: properties, soil-forming processes, classification. Aridnye ekosistemy [= Arid ecosystems]. 18(2/51): 5–13 (in Russian).

10. Роде А.А. 1959. Климатические условия района Джаныбекского стационара. Сообщения Лаборатории лесоведения. 1: 3–40. Rode A.A. 1959. The climatic conditions of Dzhanybek permanent establishment. Soobshcheniya Laboratorii lesovedeniya. 1: 3–40 (in Russian).

11. Сотнева Н.И. 2004. Динамика климатических показателей второй половины XX века Джаныбекского стационара Северного Прикаспия. Известия РАН. Серия географическая. 5: 74–83. Sotneva N.I. 2004. Dynamics of climatic parameters of the second half of the 20th Century in Dzhanybek permanent establishment (north of Caspian Lowland). Izvestiya RAN. Seriya geograficheskaya. 5: 74–83 (in Russian).

12. Титкова Л.Б. 2003. Изменение климата полупустынь Прикаспия и Тургая в XX веке. Известия РАН. Серия географическая. 1: 106–112. Titkova L.B. 2003. Climate change in half-deserts of Caspian Lowland and Turgay in the20th Century. Izvestiya RAN. Seriya geograficheskaya. 1: 106–112.

13. Шашко Д.И. 1967. Агроклиматическое районирование СССР. М.: Колос. 335 с. Shashko D.I. 1967. Agroklimaticheskoe rayonirovanie SSSR [Agroclimatic zoning of the USSR]. Moscow: Kolos. 335 p. (in Russian).