Up-to-date GIS based method as the important component of Landscape Planning to predict Caspian water level fluctuation impacts on the located along Caspian Sea Coastal Line Natural Protected Areas

摘要

The Caspian Sea is the largest closed body of water on the surface of the Earth. Its complete lack of any natural connection with oceans makes it a very special ecosystem, and as such particularly vulnerable to external forces, such as climatic conditions or man-made changes to inflow. Caspian Sea Fluctuations are periodic which are caused by various natural factors. The factors behind the changes in the level of the Caspian are still the focus of debate. Scientists have not ruled out the involvement of tectonic or geomorphologic causes. However these would appear to have a minor impact in comparison to changing climate factors, combined with the effects of human management of surface in the Caspian basin In the situation of Caspian Sea level decrease, marine costal constructions become unutilized and in case of Caspian Sea level increase, the dry land territories are being flooded what causes destroy of infrastructure. In this research was developed the methodology useful for the future Caspian Sea coastal management what is nowadays inevitable for Azerbaijan to support decision makers in their everyday activities related with the sustainable development of coastal zones. As the material for the research were selected the reliable data sources as high-resolution satellite imagery which can be compared with the aerial photography which was always suitable for the purposes of the coastal management. The high-resolution satellite imagery satisfied the needs of coastal environmental management giving almost the same results as aerial photography.