This research is dedicated to the investigation of the relations between the XXI century climate changes and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) variability of the taiga zone. For this purposes was used the observations of vegetation variability on the test area located nearby Syktyvkar city (Komi Republic, Russia), 16-day averages of NDVI data derived from TERRA/MODIS space imagery (spatial resolution is about 250 meters), and the air temperature and precipitation observations from Syktyvkar meteorological station. The research results confirmed the statistically significant positive correlation between NDVI and air temperature for all vegetation types of the test area, for both spring and autumn seasons. The weakest correlation was found for coniferous forest, namely, pine forest on poor soils, and the strongest correlation was found for meadows and bogs. Additionally the map of NDVI trends of the test area shows that the sectors of greatest positive trend located on the territories with non-forest cover, and as a result, the positive trend of air temperature is indicated most brightly on vegetation of non-forest lands. Thereby these lands can serve as climate changes indicator in the investigated region. The study was partially supported by Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR), research project No. 14-05-00858 a.

Medical geography and medical cartography can be denoted as classical application domains for Geographical Information Systems (GISs). GISs can be applied to retrospective analysis (e.g., human population health analysis, medical infrastructure development and availability assessment, etc.), and to operative disaster detection and management (e.g., monitoring of epidemics development and infectious diseases spread). Nevertheless, GISs still not a daily-used instrument of medical administrations, especially on the city and municipality scales. In different regions of the world situation varies, however in general case GIS-based medical data accounting and management is the object of interest for researchers and national administrations operated on global and national scales. Our study is focused onto the investigation and design of the methodology and software prototype for GIS-based support of medical administration and planning on a city scale when accounting and controlling infectious diseases. The study area is the administrative territory of the St. Petersburg (Russia). The study is based upon the medical statistics data and data collection system of the St. Petersburg city. All the medical data used in the study are impersonalized accordingly to the Russian laws.

Proceedings of the International conference

People have been using maps since immemorial times. However, since the end of the XX century when GISs became implemented into the processes of maps production, new types of spatial data models began to appear in addition to the usual cartographic imagery. Number of these models tends to grow, and consequently new terminology, classifications and standards are needed. Such terms as GIS-based mapping, geomatics and geoiconics have taken their place in the terminology of modern cartography. The article highlights the problems and trends of GIS-based mapping. Suggested several example projects which were done with the participation of the article authors, representing the integration of traditional and modern methods. The first example: the creation of maps with the original system of symbols, applying a design approach to the creation of map works. The work on the creation of the Atlas of Orthodoxy is a vivid example of this trend. The second example: the maps “support” the research and visualize or reflect the results of geoinformation analysis. Over the past ten years, active work has been carried out to support hydrological projects in the Arctic and Antarctic, as well as archaeological research in the Smolensk region and in the region of the Middle Yenisei. In such projects prevail, of course, mostly geoinformational approaches. The third example: the creation of maps using photographs and / or on the basis of aerial and satellite images. In archaeological studies conducted jointly with the Institute of the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the region of the Middle Yenisei; this kind of data is the most informative. Despite the innovations, it is extremely important to save the heritage of classic cartography, combining intelligently traditional and contemporary methods. Interaction of traditional and contemporary approaches is considered in this paper on the examples of projects carried out at the Department of cartography and geoinformatics of SPbSU.

Remote sensing technologies are widely used for production of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), and geomorphometry techniques are valuable tools for DEM analysis. One of the broadly used applications of these technologies and techniques is relief mapping. In the simplest case, we can identify relief structures using DEM analysis, and produce a map or map series to show the relief condition. However, traditional techniques might fail when used for mapping microrelief structures (structures below ten meters in size). In this case high microrelief dynamics lead to technological and conceptual difficulties. Moreover, erosion of microrelief structures cannot be detected at the initial evolution stage using DEM modelling and analysis only. In our study, we investigate the possibilities and specific techniques for allocation of erosion microrelief structures, and mapping techniques for the microrelief derivatives (e.g. quantitative parameters of microrelief). Our toolset includes the analysis of spatial redistribution of the soil pollutants and phyto-indication analysis, which complement the common DEM modelling and geomorphometric analysis. We use field surveys produced at the test area, which is arable territory with high erosion risks. Our main conclusion at the current stage is that the indicative methods (i.e. radiocesium and phyto-indication methods) are effective for allocation of the erosion microrelief structures. Also, these methods need to be formalized for convenient use.