Abstract
Currently, a serious environmental issue is soil degradation, primarily caused by pollution, salinization, and the loss of organic matter. A significant part of the Kostanay Region's area, N Kazakhstan, is utilized for human economic activities, often resulting in detrimental consequences for ecosystems. Remote sensing technologies are the most suitable and cost-effective solution for monitoring soil conditions. This work aims to develop a method for evaluating soil cover dynamics under anthropogenic impact using remote sensing data. The technique, developed and tested in the Kostanay Oblast – one of the main mining regions focused on iron ore extraction and crop production – utilises satellite images and field survey results as input materials. As a result of the studies, it was established that the soil cover in the semi-desert zone in the southern part of the region, which exhibits a high degree of degradation, is associated with anthropogenic impacts and natural climatic features that affect soil pollution processes. In contrast, soils with a low degree of degradation are found in the forest-steppe and steppe zones, characterized by high economic development and resilience to anthropogenic impacts. Verifying the obtained results at the remaining 20% of field points allows us to assert that the indicators are reliable at 85% to 91%, confirming the appropriateness of the chosen research methods and techniques. Subsequently, based on the verified map of soil cover degradation, created through space monitoring over a specific period, it is possible to forecast the functioning of soil cover under conditions of anthropogenic impact.