







































Georgian Geographical Journal 

 

Anthropogenic Transformation of 

Landscapes and Ecological Risk Factor 

Assessment 
Zurab Seperteladze1, Eter Davitaia1,* , Tamar Aleksidze1 , 

Nino Rukhadze1  
1 Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia

 

*Corresponding author: eter.davitaia@tsu.ge 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction 

At the modern stage of the interaction between nature and society, the interaction of society with 

nature has reached unprecedented levels, and its results have equalled the geological factor itself. There 

are almost no natural landscapes left in their original form due to direct or indirect human impact. The 

research of anthropogenic complexes, in particular the issues of their classification, mapping, and 

rational use of nature, is relevant. 

By influencing the nature of human society, various genetic origin complexes—anthropogenic 

landscapes—are formed. We cannot but agree with the opinion that (Milkov, 1978) the role of 

anthropogenic landscapes in the structure of the Earth's landscape envelope is growing at such a pace 

that in this case the role of the anthropogenic factor in the differentiation of modern landscapes is one 

of the main problems of landscape science. 

As for the research of anthropogenic landscapes of Georgia, even though the territory has been 

inhabited by human society since time immemorial and the anthropogenic impact on nature, in the 

conditions of the mountainous side, is increasingly growing and intense, its theoretical issues have not 

been fully studied and agreed upon. In this regard, D. is worthy of mention. Davit Ukleba monograph 

(Ukleba, 1983), where the theoretical, methodological, and constructional issues of the anthropogenic 

landscapes of the mountain and intermountain bar of Georgia are discussed for the first time. The close 

relationship between natural and anthropogenic factors is covered, and their connection with the main 

types of land use is shown. The author provides a scientific prediction of anthropogenic changes in 

landscapes, and measures are set for their more effective (optimal) use in the case of economic impacts.  

Refers to the same issue in the E. Davitaya, Z. Seferteladze textbook (Davitaia & Seperteladze, 2009) 

for students of higher education, which represents the first attempt at theoretical and practical research 

of modified landscapes in the native language. 

  

Methods and Materials 

Georgian Geographical Journal, 2024, 4(2) 48-53 

© The Author(s) 2024 

 
This article is an open access article distributed under 

the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons 

Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// 

creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). 

DOI: 

https://journals.4science.ge/index.php/GGJ 

Abstract 

All components of the landscape (especially living nature) are affected by 

anthropogenic effects, which disrupts the relationships established between 

them over a long geological time and ultimately leads to a change in the 

natural complex, which in most cases is of a negative nature and determines 

its degradation. Ecologically, anthropogenic transformation of wildlife is 

particularly harmful, which is carried out by taking advantage of the 

unreasonable, reckless nature of man, which is based on a purely consumerist 

spirit. When human society affects nature, a new variety of natural-territorial 

complexes is formed - anthropogenic complexes, which currently occupy a 

significant part of the terrestrial part of the entire earth. It originated with 

human society and will exist if there is mankind. Therefore, the essence of 

anthropogenic landscapes, its features, regularities and tendencies of 

development, productivity; Also, issues of sustainability, its potential 

opportunities and protection against external influences are one of the main 

tasks of geographical science. 

Keywords: Geochemical association, anthropogenic landscapes, 

Anthropogenicity coefficient, Ecological problem, Total fouling rate 

Citation: Seperteladze, Z.; Davitaia, E.; 

Aleksidze, T.; Rukhadze, N. 
Anthropogenic Transformation of 

Landscapes and Ecological Risk Factor 
Assessment. Georgian Geographical 
Journal 2024, 4(2). 48-53 

https://doi.org/10.52340/ggj.2024.04.02.06 



Seperteladze et al. 2024 4(2) 

49 
 

Each type of land use leads to the formation of a special category of anthropogenic landscapes. In 

addition, landscapes formed by one type of use are noticeably different from landscapes formed by 

other types of impacts. The degree of transformation of anthropogenic landscapes also varies in a very 

wide range. On an infinitely large area, man has changed its structure through agricultural, forestry, and 

agricultural impacts, mining operations, hydropower facilities, expansion of industrial enterprises, road 

construction, and urbanization. It should be noted here that the role of the human factor in arid 

landscapes is relatively small; mountain tundra, polar and high mountain deserts, as well as some 

sections of equatorial forest and northern tundra are practically preserved naturally. However, there are 

also signs of human expansion: separate industrial hubs and transport routes, as well as the results of 

the Some researchers (Preobrazhensk & Haase, 2003) believe that the change of natural landscapes and, 

accordingly, the creation of anthropogenic landscapes occurs at the level of elementary landscape 

(facies) and microlandscape (Urocishche).  There is also an opinion that the change of landscapes takes 

place at other levels of taxonomic units, and not only elementary and micro-landscapes are under 

anthropogenic influence but also higher-ranked taxonomic units—species (Ukleba, 1983; Davitaia & 

Kikvadze, 2009) and this is understandable since the landscape The character of one of the main 

taxonomic units-species and its physiological "face", in addition to zonal and azonal factors, is mainly 

determined by local physical-geographical conditions and processes, The latter is easily subject to 

artificial regulation, namely anthropogenic influence. For this reason, as rightly noted by A. Ryabchikov 

(1974), not infrequently, several anthropogenic landscapes of different genetic order are formed within 

the same natural landscape. As for the higher rank of the landscape—class-type-subtype—their change 

is hardly subject to the anthropogenic factor. We share this opinion; we point out that until the 

fundamental change of the geostructure of the territory and the radiation process-landscape-creating 

main factors by humans, the complexes of the above-mentioned rank will exist in a natural form. Here 

we note that in the rank of anthropogenic landscape, at the level of facies and urochishche, it is possible 

to consider (in mining-industrial regions and riverside) terrykons, earthworks, korghans, guthagrovi, 

etc. 

When studying anthropogenic landscapes, as in the case of studying background (natural) landscapes, 

different methods are used, more often a complex of methods. Since anthropogenic complexes develop 

in the core of the natural landscape and represent one of the latter's genetic types, we used all the 

methods used in the study of natural landscapes in their study. In addition, since any kind of 

anthropogenic and natural complex is dynamic and constantly changing, a historical, retrospective 

method was used to study the issues of their dynamics, functioning, and further forecasting. 

When analyzing the topical issues discussed in the article, along with all the above-mentioned 

methods, it becomes necessary to use such effective research methods of anthropogenic landscapes as 

landscape-ecological and landscape-geochemical.  With the latter method according to the local 

(regional) features of the chemical "behavior" of the main topomorphic elements, we assessed the 

environmental situation of several objects in Georgia (Seperteladze, et al., 2007; Seperteladze, et al., 

2010). planetary migration of man-made waste, etc. 

Results 

Anthropogenic landscapes are characterized by changes in the exchange and circulation of biophilic 

chemical elements, disruption of the heat balance, changes in the type and quantity of vegetation and 

animal world, changes in soil processes, etc. In addition, the transformation of anthropogenic 

landscapes occurs significantly faster than the self-development of natural (original) landscapes. This 

indicates, on the one hand, that we should be especially careful and attentive to unwanted changes, 

which can be catastrophic, and on the other hand, it allows us to regulate and transform them into highly 

productive cultural systems in a relatively short period of time (one generation of people). 

Man's intervention in the natural environment first disturbed its chemical balance. In this case, both 

the removal of chemical elements from circulation and their technogenic migration into the natural 

environment are important. As mentioned above, because of human economic impact, a large number 

of chemical elements and their compounds reach the earth's surface, which, in case of volatility, move 

to a dispersed state and engage in intensive migration. 

The nature of the reaction to the technogenic impact of natural systems depends, first, on the 

landscape-geochemical situation (state) itself and the geochemical activity of the impact, one of the 

indicators of which can be considered the Clarks of chemical elements (the higher the Clark, the more 

natural these elements are). ability to adapt to systems) and chemical forms of substance accumulation. 

Geochemically inert technogenic flows (Neef, 1974) adapt to practically any natural situation, are not 



Seperteladze et al. 2024 4(2) 

50 
 

characterized by sharp differences from natural geochemical parameters, and do not cause significant 

changes. On the contrary, when the technogenic impact is not in agreement with the local conditions, 

there is a deviation from the state of normal functioning of natural landscapes to the formation of a 

fundamentally new geochemical situation. 

One of the main reasons for the breakdown of internal relations in natural-territorial complexes is the 

specific nature of human impact on nature. This impact (especially on the ecosystem) in a relatively 

short period of time is often so sudden, strong, and arrhythmic that the living organism cannot adapt to 

it. The second important problem is the disruption of biogeochemical cycles in anthropogenic 

landscapes and chemical balance in natural landscapes, which was formed during the long geological 

period of their development. 

As a rule, because of human economic impact, there is a deterioration (simplification) of landscapes 

as a material system, as well as an increase in their productivity, which at the same time is accompanied 

by a decrease in the complexity and diversity of their structure, both qualitatively and quantitatively. A 

typical example of simplification of a material natural system is monoculture agricultural landscapes. 

Cultivation of a monoculture, the productivity of which man is interested, is accompanied by monotony 

of the landscape and deterioration of its balance (disruption). Thus, the high specialization of farming 

ultimately leads to the formation of monotonous, intensive, and cultural, but at the same time, 

unsustainable, landscapes. Therefore, one of the important problems is to develop a mechanism for 

regulating the productivity and sustainability of anthropogenic landscapes and overcoming the 

contradiction between human economic activity. In addition, it should be noted that the disturbed forest 

is poor in species composition; the quality of its wood has deteriorated. However, it should be noted 

here that it is more resistant to external anthropogenic influences; the species that create it are 

characterized by the ability to easily adapt to new conditions and a wide ecological spectrum. The 

growing trend of disturbed forest areas indicates that eventually, the natural forest gives way to 

secondary forests and forest scrubs. 

Table 1. Total indicators of chemical pollution of ore waters of Chiatura manganese deposit 

 

# 

points 

 

Chemical composition formula 

 

 

concentration 

coefficient 

Coefficient of total 

chemical fouling 

 

 

1 

Akhali darkveti M M2,5     SO475HCO328 

              (Na +K)62Ca27      

 

 

194,5 

 

188,5 

 

2 

Akhali Itkhvisi M Mo,85      SO457HCO341           

         Ca38Mg35(Na+K)26 

 

197,85 

 

190,85 

 

3 

 

Shukruti 

M M1,45   SO481HCO317 

              Ca64Mg28 

 

 

 

191,45 

 

186,45 

 

4 

  

Mgvimevi 

M M1,44         SO473HCO325    

          Ca51(Na+K)26Mg23 

 

 

199,44 

 

192,44 

 

5 

 

Koroxnali 

M1,97    SO480HCO318 

                Ca60Mg18 

 

187,97 172,97 

 

6 

 

Perevisa M0,98      SO473HCO324 

            Ca63(Na+K)22 

 

182,98 

 

176,98 

 

Based on the above, it can be noted that the complexes formed by the long-term effects of 

technogenesis are highly resistant, already adapted, and agreed with the environmental conditions. 

Because of this, the restoration of such soils and landscapes in general is difficult and often almost 

impossible.  

One of the necessary characteristics for the landscape-ecological assessment of mining regions and 

their key areas is the indicator of an anomalous level of concentration of chemical elements. For this 

purpose, the value of the concentration coefficient (K) was determined—the sum of the indices of the 



Seperteladze et al. 2024 4(2) 

51 
 

elements included in the geochemical formula of the ore. The latter gives a certain idea about the 

qualitative and quantitative assessment of the geochemical association of the mining region. For the 

overall quantitative assessment of the level of abnormality, the total rate of pollution was determined 

for each object by the formula (Sorokina, 1983). 

 

                   n   

               Zc= Σ Kc(i) (n _ 1) 

                         i=1    

                     

where n is the numerical value of the number of chemical elements included in the association, Kc(i)- 

is the concentration coefficient of chemical elements. According to the mentioned attitude, the total 

indicators of chemical pollution of ore waters of the Chiatura mining region (Table 1) are a clear 

confirmation of the rather severe and anomalous ecological level of the technogenic landscapes formed 

here of concentration. 

It is clear from the table that the high concentration of elements and the total rate of chemical 

contamination are observed directly in the ore mining area (with a radius of 100-200 m). The same 

regularity is observed in the river Kvirila and in the waters of the Rion, from the ore body to the mouth 

Kvirila and from the ore body to the confluence in the Rion waters (Table 2).  

 

Table 2. Chemical pollution of Rion and Kvirila waters total figures 

 

# 

 

Sampling location 

 

Chemical composition formula 

 

 

concentration 

coefficient  

 

Coefficient of total 

chemical fouling 

 

 

1 

KKvirila (Above 

Chiatura) 

 

M M0,23    HCO378SO415  

               Ca65Na31          

 

189,23 

 

184,23 

 

2 

Kvirila 

(ander Chiatura) 

 M Mo,41    HCO373SO443       

                Ca76Mg76   

                

 

268,41 

 

263,41 

 

3 

Kvirila (v. 

Shoraphani) 

 

M0,23    HCO372SO421 

                Ca66Na26 

 

185,23 

 

180,23 

 

4 

Kvirila (v. Simoneti)  

M0,27       HCO355SO425     

               Ca65Na26 

 

171,27 

 

166,27 

 

5 

Rion (under 

Samtredia) 

           HCO364SO414 

M0,17       Ca59Na30 

 

167,17 

 

162,17 

 

6 

 

Rion (above Poti) 

 

 

M0,24     HCO375SO414  

               Ca63Mg19 

 

171,24 

 

166,24 

It should be noted that we touched on only a few aspects of the geochemical functioning of the 

landscapes of mining objects (the geochemical functioning of the atmosphere, underground and surface 

waters and soils under the influence of technogenesis), and as a result of considering the problem with 

a complex approach that takes into account the human economic impact on the surrounding landscapes 

of mining regions, it is possible to study them in every way. Perfect forecasting of the further 

transformation and planning of the necessary measures that lead to maintaining the sustainability of the 

environment even in a highly critical ecological situation. In the process of interaction between man 

and nature, one of the interesting things is to consider the risk factor. 

It is generally accepted that risk is an integral part of every living organism. Any unwanted human 

impact is always accompanied by risk. what is the solution? No impact on nature! This is impossible, 

therefore there is only one solution - the "risk" assessment of the possible impact, thereby achieving the 

minimization of the influence of the undesirable factor (Tsaava et al., 2007). 

The concepts of danger and safety are also related to the concept of risk. Ecological danger is the 

possibility of unwanted processes and events in the environment that worsen the ecological condition 

of the environment. First, the safety of people and the natural environment is important for us. In its 

quantitative assessment, a "scale" is used, which is divided into risk units. According to the mentioned 

scale, G is the averaged unit of ecological safety, and the average life expectancy of a person is taken. 



Seperteladze et al. 2024 4(2) 

52 
 

It should be noted that one of the main issues of anthropogenic landscape research and environmental 

monitoring is situational modeling. When modeling natural systems, first we should achieve sustainable 

development of natural processes. Here, it is interesting how we call development "sustainable". The 

same system can be sustainable according to one opinion (of the researcher) and unsustainable 

according to the other opinion. Sustainability is one of the fundamental concepts of BTK. When we talk 

about ecosystem sustainability, overtly or covertly, we mean the following: there is an ecosystem that 

experiences anthropogenic or natural impacts, because of which its components or parameters acquire 

a certain value (positive or negative). This means that when determining the quantitative characteristics 

of ecosystem sustainability, both the degree of impact and the critical values of ecosystem parameters 

or components should be determined According to Sumner (2008), an ecosystem's resilience to impacts 

is its ability to keep its internal structural connections and state or to change to a different type of stable 

state with different structural connections and state. This can happen when the system is put in a 

situation that could make it unsustainable. First, it is necessary to assess the amount of risk that brought 

the system to an unstable state in a certain period. This can happen with strong anthropogenic impacts 

or with small but frequent explosions. In this case, several scenarios will be played in the model (Fig. 

1) and an approximate assessment of the transition of the system to an unstable state will be made. The 

numerical values of this assumption characterize the "risk" of an unstable system. The last stage of risk 

management is the correlation assessment of ecological damage and economic profit. 

 

"Risk" management model 

 

 

 

Scenario I 

 

Natural 

condition 

assessment 

 Scenario II 

 

Assessment of 

the state of 

ecocide 

 Scenario III 

 

Assessing the 

state of geocide 

 Scenario IV 

 

Correlative 

assessment of 

economic gains 

and ecological 

damages 
Figure 1. Risk Management Model 

 

Conclusion 

An in-depth study of how humans affect the environment and even create landscapes requires first 

classifying and mapping this system. This needs to be done based on several factors, such as looking at 

the system in different natural settings, types of farming, the amount of change in created landscapes, 

their growth, and natural landscapes and how they are connected to human-made changes and others. 

Thus, because of the analysis of the geochemical features of underground and surface waters, soils, 

and atmospheric air of the landscapes surrounding the objects in an ecologically acute state, it can be 

concluded that in any region technogenic (mining, water, sedimentary, transport- communication, 

tourist-recreational, belligerent, etc.) as a result of the impact, there is a change in the appearance of 

both individual components and the entire complex and the deterioration of the landscape-ecological 

situation (condition). A high concentration of chemical elements is observed directly in the "epicenter" 

of impact (close to the ore body with a radius of 100-200 m), and in the following areal zones, the 

geochemical activity of elements is slowed down and depleted of ingredients (Davitaya, 1990). 

Considering the above, we considered it possible to separate three main landscape-ecological zones 

on a separate technogenic region: 

I. Ecologically dangerous zone—with significant pollution intensity and strongly expressed zonal-

complex anomalies (area zones of the first order of migration of elements). 

II. Ecologically less dangerous zone—with average pollution intensity and local-complex anomalies 

(areal zones of the second order of migration of elements - natural-technogenic and partially recultivated 

landscapes). 

III. Potentially dangerous zone—with insignificant intensity of contamination and weak anomalies of 

small component composition (active quarries, bulk complexes and reconnaissance-research areas). 



Seperteladze et al. 2024 4(2) 

53 
 

Competing interests 

The authors declare that they have no competing interests. 

Author Contribution Statements 

ED and Z.S. developed the theory and performed the calculations. Z. S. and E. D. supervised the 

project and conclusions of this work. T. A. and N. R. worked out the technical details and performed 

the numerical calculations of the proposed experiment. All authors reviewed the results and contributed 

to the final manuscript. 

ORCID Id 

Eter Davitaia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1849-9554 

Tamar Aleksidze https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3842-1623 

Nino Rukhadze https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5658-9598 

Reference 

Davitaia, E. (1990). Estimation of the possibility of restoration of technogenic landscapes and their ecological 

suitability by the method of multifactorial regression analysis (on the example of the Chiatura manganese 

mine).  Bulletin of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences, 137. No. 2. 329-331. 

Davitaya, E., & Kikvadze, T. (2009). Optimization problems of Technogenic landscapes of Georgia. Tbilisi. 

Universal. 

Davitaya, E., & Seperteladze, Z. (2009). Anthropogenic Landscapes. Tbilisi. TSU. 

Milkov, F. (1978). Handmade landscapes. Moscow. 

Neff, E. (1974). Theoretical foundations of landscape science.  Moscow. 

Preobrazhensky, V., & Haase, G. (2003). Structure, dynamics and development of landscapes. Moscow. 

Ryabchikov, A.M. (1974).  Structure and dynamics of the geosphere. Moscow. 

Seperteladze, Z., Davitaya, E., Machavariani, L., & Kikvadze, T. (2010). Geoecological state of mountain-ore 

regions of Georgia and optimization of natural environment. Bullet. Agrarian science. 8. No. 4. 20-26. 

Seperteladze, Z., Davitaia, E., & Kikvadze, T. (2007). Natural Anthropogenic Mining Complexes and the 

Problems of Their Optimization. Bulletin of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences, vol. 175, no. 3. 

64-66. 

Sorokina, E.P. (1983). Mapping of technogenic anomalies for the purposes of geochemcal assessment of 

urbanized territories, Voprosy geografii. No. 120. Misl. pp. 43-48 

Sumner, G.  (2005).  Mathematics for geographers. Moscow. 

Tsaava, G., Abramya, T., & Tsaava, D. (2007). Riskology, Financial and Banking Credit Managment. Tbilisi. 

Ukleba, D.B. (1983).  Anthropogenic landscapes of Georgia. Tbilisi. Metsniereba. 

 

 

 

 


