Ecological-geological systems of limestone massifs of Mountainous Crimea

Ecological-geological systems are the main object of research in a new scientific field - ecological geology, which studies ecological functions of the lithosphere. Those functions of carbonate bioliths of the Crimean Mountains are characteristic. The main characteristics of abiotic (lithotope, edaphotope) and biotic (microbiocenosis, phytocenosis and zoocenosis) components of ecological-geological systems developed on limestone massifs of the Crimean Mountains are described. It has been demonsrtrated that the features of the lithotope are related to their high porosity and relatively high strength, which allows using limestones as a building stone. The specificity of the edaphotope of limestone massifs consists in the possibility of forming short-profile soils with a poorly developed humus horizon on slopes, and carbonate chernozems at the base of slopes on limestone wood. It is shown that the features of the lithotope and edaphotope of limestone massifs determine in whole the characteristics of phyto- and zoocenoses. The flora is dominated by calciphyte vegetation. Zoocenoses on the surface of limestone massifs are characterized by a relative diversity of fauna, in contrast to cave faunal complexes.