Space monitoring of violation of the ecosystem condition of the Black Sea biosphere reserve as a result of military actions

Abstract

This work is devoted to the study of the impact of military actions on the environment of Ukraine based on the materials of remote sensing of the Earth. The authors proposed a methodology for determining the scale of fires and the degree of damage to nature conservation objects using the example of the Black Sea Biosphere Reserve. In particular, fires are identified with the help of the FIRMS service, which subsequently allows establishing the causes of their occurrence and predicting their direction of spread, as well as estimating the affected areas. The paper presents the results of satellite monitoring of the determination of thermal anomaly centers, their dynamics and extent of damage; a study of the areas flooded due to the lowering of the reservoir is presented; an approach to comprehensive monitoring of the disturbance of the state of ecosystems of nature-protected territories of Ukraine is proposed. The research was conducted in the period from February 2022 to February 2023. Temperature activity was determined in the Black Sea Biosphere Reserve and its adjacent territories, and areas of disturbance of the surface layer of the soil as a result of military operations were identified. The facts of fires, the presence of enemy military equipment, the construction of various fortification structures (trenches, trenches, shelters for equipment), the presence of firing positions, the location and movement of automobiles and other large vehicles have been proven. The proposed research can be used to monitor and document environmental crimes caused by military actions. The obtained results provide information to state authorities for decision-making regarding the preservation and restoration of valuable natural reserves and objects, and also allows forecasting changes in environmental risk due to military actions.