Permafrost landscapes are particularly susceptible to the observed climate change due to the presence of ice in the ground. This paper presents the results of the mapping and assessment of landscapes and their vulnerability to potential human impact and further climate change in the remote region of Eastern Chukotka. The combination of field studies and remote sensing data analysis allowed us to identify the distribution of landscapes within the study polygon, reveal the factors determining their stability, and classify them by vulnerability to the external impacts using a hazard index, H. In total, 33 landscapes characterized by unique combinations of vegetation cover, soil type, relief, and ground composition were detected within the 172 km² study polygon. The most stable landscapes of the study polygon occupy 31.7% of the polygon area; they are the slopes and tops of mountains covered with stony-lichen tundra, alpine meadows, and the leveled summit areas of the fourth glacial-marine terrace. The most unstable areas cover 19.2% of the study area and are represented by depressions, drainage hollows, waterlogged areas, and places of caterpillar vehicle passage within the terraces and water-glacial plain. The methods of assessment and mapping of the landscape vulnerability presented in this study are quite flexible and can be adapted to other permafrost regions.

The diagnosis of the geoecological state of natural landscapes during the economic development of the permafrost zone should be established by assessing destructive cryogenic processes. Furthermore, the geoecological state should be considered in terms of landscape resistance to an increase in cryogenic processes. In this paper, we examine and determine lithocryogenic stability parameters, including permafrost distribution over an area, annual mean temperature, ice content (humidity), and the protective properties of the vegetation. Activation of cryogenic processes in Western Siberia was estimated in terms of the area, development rate and attenuation, natural landscape damage, and hazards to engineering and mining facility operations. The evaluation procedure and the improvement in expert numerical scores are shown. A number of approved methods are proposed for creating assessment maps at various scales using landscape indication methods, decoded satellite images, expert assessments, statistical calculations, and analysis of spatial geographical information systems. Methodical techniques for digital geocryological mapping on the basis of the landscape are presented at scales from 1:3,000,000 to 1:20,000,000. All the maps were created by the authors and can be used for a wide range of applications, including design, survey organizations, and education.

The diagnostics of natural landscapes geoecological state in the course of the permafrost zone economic development should be based on the assessment of the destructive cryogenic processes formation. It is expedient to consider it in terms of landscapes resistance to cryogenic processes increase. The choice of lithocryogenic stability parameters is substantiated. These are: permafrost distribution over the area, its annual mean temperature and ice content, protective properties of the vegetation and etc. Cryogenic processes activation is estimated with regard to their area, development rate and attenuation, natural landscapes damage, hazard for engineering facilities operation. The assessment procedure, and the way of improving expert numerical scores are shown. At Geography Faculty of Lomonosov Moscow State University, the authors have developed a number of the approved methods of making evaluation maps of different scales applying the methods of landscape indication, modern methods of space images decoding, methods of expert scores, the method statistical calculations and methods of spatial GIS-analysis. The technique of Atlas geo-information mapping on the landscape basis has been introduced in seven atlases at scales from 1:3 000 000 to 1:20 000 000. These maps are widely used in design and survey organizations and in education.

The article considers one of the urgent tasks of cryolithozone geoecology—predictive assessment of cryogenic landscapes response to impulse anthropogenic mechanical impacts. This problem is especially significant at pre-project stages of engineering and geographical surveys in northern territories. The content of the author’s methodology for compiling matrix legends and landscape-typological maps, as well as a step-by-step procedure for assessing the stability of northern geosystems to anthropogenic impacts are presented. The methodology was developed and tested at the Geography Faculty of the Lomonosov Moscow State University. It is based on the analysis of the influence of leading natural factors on the stability of cryogenic landscapes during anthropogenic disturbance of the surface, considering the freezing and thawing processes that determine the development of hazardous relief-forming processes. The methodology was tested on a number of test sites located in the arctic and subarctic natural zones in the Western Siberia north. A comparative analysis of the potential stability of landscapes (at the level of natural boundaries and terrain types) to the activation of hazardous relief-forming processes was carried out. The assessment and subsequent mapping were carried out at different scales (from 1:50 000 to 1:500 000). The main methods for assessing the sustainability of landscapes were landscape indication, decoding of remote sensing data, expert assessments, calculation and statistical and spatial analysis. The ranking of geocomplexes by the degree of vulnerability to anthropogenic development was carried out on a landscape basis using integral indices obtained in various ways. This made it possible to compile assessment permafrost-geoecological maps aimed at substantiating restrictions on mechanical impacts on the natural environment.