MOUNTAIN GEOSYSTEMS: DEVELOPMENT AND PROBLEMS

The research area relates to the north-eastern part of Azerbaijan Republic. The available natural-geographical and soil-climatic conditions of this area, high biodiversity, unique and low-inclined relief and fertile lands along the river valleys were favorable places for settlement of population and development of farmlands throughout the history. Nevertheless, serious environmental problems related to nature use activities of humans are present even under conditions of high-level scientific and technological development. For this reason, one of the main objectives the contemporary global science is the protection of land resources, standing as the main food provider of the ever-growing world population. The geography of the area has been studied by some researchers in different years and in various aspects (Museyibov, 1998; Alizade, Tarikhazer, 2010; Mammadov Khalilov, 2002; Mammadov 2007 et al.), whereas the main emphasis was laid mainly on the formation and development of the area's landscapes. The territory of studied country is mountainous and here the per capita area of lands is less (0.18 ha). However, although land use has been led intensively in all times in the country, the problem of efficient use of mountain slopes has been studied weakly. The presented article deals primarily with scientific ways of solution of relevant problems.