Georgia has been the country of vines and wine since ancient times, and historically vine growing and wine making has performed the function of one of the leading branches of economy. The diverse and rich information ...Georgia has been the country of vines and wine since ancient times, and historically vine growing and wine making has performed the function of one of the leading branches of economy. The diverse and rich information about growing vines and producing wine in Georgia can be found in historical and modem scientific literatures as well. Javakhishvili reviewed 413 vine species from the ancient period in his work： ＂Economic History of Georgia＂. Nowadays there are more than 420 species in Georgia or 2.5% of the whole world assortment, from which 27 are for wine, 14 edible and 41 standard species. According to the ecological and economic conditions, Georgia is divided into 11 main regions from the viewpoint of specialization and concentration of vine growing, of which Kakheti, Kartli, Imereti, Racha and Lechkhumi are the most important regions. All these regions are both producers and users of grapes and wine. The climate of Kakheti is favorable to develop the vine industry here. They are： Rkatsiteli, Saperavi, Mtsvane, Kabeme and Khikhvi. Kakheti gives more than half of branded wines of the republic. Fifty-four percent of vineyards of the country are placed, and 65%-68% of total wines in Georgia are produced in Kakheti.展开更多
The work deals with analysis of geographical factor as one of the main factor determining the historical change of a border on the example of Georgia. The research was conducted in two main directions： the evaluation...The work deals with analysis of geographical factor as one of the main factor determining the historical change of a border on the example of Georgia. The research was conducted in two main directions： the evaluation of historical transformations of state borders of Georgia throughout of XIX-XX centuries and identification the leading geographical factors. Special emphasis has been made on geographical and cartometric analysis of modern state border of Georgia. In order to identify the historical transformations of state border that have used different methods as well as GIS-technologies, the research is based on the historical, cartographical and statistical data. On the base of a lot of cartographic sources, it is concluded that the borderline in modem topographic maps is often plotted by ignoring the international practice related to plotting the state borders across the physical-geographical objects. This is why the geographical factor seems important in the historical transformations of the state border creating similarly a negative perspective in the future. The main results of research are： （1） classification of geographical factors causing the transformations of the state borders; （2） Evaluation of sensitivity of state border; and （3） creation of DB of the state border of Georgia, allowing continuing the studies in the future.展开更多
The article considers the variability of Nenskra and Nakra River basins glaciers’ parameters in the years of 1911-2014. Nenskra and Nakra River basins are located on the southern slope of the Great Caucasus, between ...The article considers the variability of Nenskra and Nakra River basins glaciers’ parameters in the years of 1911-2014. Nenskra and Nakra River basins are located on the southern slope of the Great Caucasus, between the Kharikhra, Shdavleri and Tsalgmili ranges, in Georgia, in particular in the Enguri River basin. In our research we used the catalogue of the glaciers of Georgia compiled by K. Podozerskiy in 1911. We also used the military topographic maps with the scale of 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 drawn up in 1960 (in former Soviet Union), where there are the glaciers mapped in detail and the ends of their ice tongues on the southern slope of Great Caucasus of those times. We also used the remote sensing method, which is the best modern way for the study of the dynamics of glaciers and this method is remarkable by a quick obtaining of results. The spectral images of the Landsat L8 OLI/TIRS (Operational Land Imager and Thermal Infrared Sensor) (USGS) received from the “Landsat” artificial satellite are the necessary materials for our study. We also used the field survey materials of 2014 (GPS data). The latest statistical information is also given about the glaciers located in the individual river basins;their morphological types, exposition and the dynamics are considered according to the individual years.展开更多
In Georgia, crucian carp Carassius carassius （Linnaeus, 1758） was known from only one locality after Kessler＇s record （1877-1878） with no new findings until 1985. Since then C. carassius rapidly and simultaneousl...In Georgia, crucian carp Carassius carassius （Linnaeus, 1758） was known from only one locality after Kessler＇s record （1877-1878） with no new findings until 1985. Since then C. carassius rapidly and simultaneously invaded almost all water bodies of Georgia. In 2004, it was for the first time noted that this invasive Carassius sp. could not be a C. Carassius, but was a form of Carassius gibelio （Bloch, 1792）. However no further data is available about this invasive species in Georgia. The aim of the present study was to investigate taxonomic status of Carassius sp. in Georgia using mtDNA phylogenetic analyses and mor- phometrie study of truss network system. Genetic analysis revealed that invasive Carassius sp. is closely related to the C. gibelio from Turkey and other countries. In contrast, morphometrically Carassius sp. from Georgia can be easily differentiated from those of Turkey indicating high intraspecific variability. This is the first time discussion on the current knowledge of the present distribution of invasive carp in Georgia with identifying current problems and future research directions needed.展开更多
The article presents the changes in the number and area of the Dolra River basin glaciers during the last century in connection with the climate elements. Dolra River basin is located in the south-ern slope of the Cen...The article presents the changes in the number and area of the Dolra River basin glaciers during the last century in connection with the climate elements. Dolra River basin is located in the south-ern slope of the Central Caucasus, in the territory of Zemo Svaneti and joins the Enguri River basin, which in its turn is the main center of the contemporary glaciation in Georgia. During the study, we used the 1:42,000 scale topographic maps of the 19th century, which were drawn up during the first topographic survey by using the plane-table surveying method. Also, we used the catalog of the glaciers of the southern slope of the Caucasus compiled on the basis of the 19th century maps in 1911 by a well-known researcher of the Caucasus K. Podozerskiy. In order to identify the area and number of the glaciers of the 60s of the 20th century, we used the work of R. Gobejishvili—the Georgian glaciologist of the 20th-21st centuries, composed on the basis of 1:50,000 scale topo-graphic maps of 1960. The data of 2014 have been obtained by the Landsat aerial images of L8 OLI/TIRS (Operational Land Imager and Thermal Infrared Sensor) taken in August 2014. In the mentioned study, except of the old topographic maps and aerial images, we used the climate in-formation that we have collected from Mestia weather stations (Mestia is the regional center of Zemo Svaneti, where the only operating weather station is located at present). Along with the dy-namics of glaciers, the course of the air temperature and atmospheric precipitation has been iden-tified in the 20th century and in the beginning of the 21st century.展开更多
The Zemo Imereti Plateau is located in the easternmost part of the limestone region of western Georgia and is Caucasus’ only karst plateau. It is centrally located in a relatively elevated part of the intermountain p...The Zemo Imereti Plateau is located in the easternmost part of the limestone region of western Georgia and is Caucasus’ only karst plateau. It is centrally located in a relatively elevated part of the intermountain plain of the country of Georgia. Lithostratigraphical (petrographic, mineralogical, and XRD) research on terrigenous sediments found in caves in the region was conducted in the Upper Cretaceous limestones located at different hypsometric levels (400 - 700 m). This study focused on allochthonous deposits, which, due to sedimentological features, contains significant and complete information for paleogeographic reconstruction as opposed to the autochthonous sediments. Source provinces of the sediments’ origin were determined using petrographic analysis. Lithological study of the terrigenous sediments indicated their origin from the Racha range, as well as their transportation mechanisms, and sedimentation conditions during deposition. Approximate ages (the end of the Middle Pleistocene and the beginning of the Late Pleistocene) of ancient terrestrial sediments in Rganisklde Cave were achieved by taking into account the geological and geomorphological development of the region. Lithostratigraphical analysis of the cave deposits and modern archaeological data indicate that the formation of the caves in the Zemo Imereti plateau took place mainly during the end of the Middle Pleistocene and in the beginning of the Pleistocene;while on the southern slope of the Racha range and in the surrounding area of Ertso-Tsona (Caucasus southern slope), they formed in the Early Pleistocene.展开更多
Georgia is home to multiple, widespread limestone massifs with well-developed karst areas and their associated landscape features found throughout the country. Due to geological, geomorphological, and speleological ch...Georgia is home to multiple, widespread limestone massifs with well-developed karst areas and their associated landscape features found throughout the country. Due to geological, geomorphological, and speleological characteristics of the limestone massifs in Georgia, there are developments in classical karst processes and landforms, which contain very impressive karst features, such as dolines, caves, calcite depositions and others. For example, in Georgia, the world’s deepest caves are found, such as: Krubera-2197 m;Sarma-1830 m;Pantyukhina-1508;Ilyukhina-1275 m;Kuibyshev-1110 m, and others. Of these, Krubera Cave is currently the deepest in the world. The goal of this work is to present speleological investigation of Muradi Cave, which is developed in Racha limestone massif. Muradi Cave is unique as the fact that it contains almost all types and subtypes of speleothems and sediments recorded nowadays in the caves of the Caucasus region, and the mineral aggregates found in Muradi Cave are rare for the caves of the Caucasus region. Unlike many of the hypogene caves in the region, Murdai Cave is formed from a more traditional mechanism of speleogenesis, but the influence of tectonic activity and complex hydrologic regimes led to the development of speleothems and passage morphology less common in the region and likely from hypogenic overprinting. The primary objectives of this study of Muradi Cave included undertaking important investigation in this country, to better understand the speleogenetic processes.展开更多
Karst groundwater is the major natural resource of drinking water for many countries in the world. Especially in karstic regions, karst water requirements for settlements are provided from karst aquifers. Also, we sho...Karst groundwater is the major natural resource of drinking water for many countries in the world. Especially in karstic regions, karst water requirements for settlements are provided from karst aquifers. Also, we should consider, that karst groundwater is becoming more and more valuable for drinking water supply. Thus, karst groundwater quality and permanent ecological monitoring are very important for populations. Moreover, if we consider that the karst landscape is the extremely sensitive system towards anthropogenic activities, since exaclty the anthropogenic activities largely identify the karst water pollution-turbidity causing factors. This paper presents a new study regarding the quality of the karst groundwater of the study area, which contains important resource of drinking water. In the mentioned study, 12 water samples were collected from different locations of the 4 main karst springs (Krikhula, Dolabistavi, Kidobana and Sakishore) during the spring and summer of 2014 and 2015 years. The main aim was to identify chemical compositions (Ni, Ag, Co, Cd, Zn, Pb, Al, Mg, Fe, F, Cu), and also, it was important to detect Escherichia coli (E. coli). Our research regarding all these chemical compositions shows that all the values are low and under the environmental limit according to the Georgian standards. We measured chemical parameters of all these samples by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) in the chemical laboratory of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, country of Georgia.展开更多
Georgia＇s economic relations with China have been especially activated in the past couple of years. This includes both direct trade relations between the two countries as well as Chinese directinvestment in the Georg...Georgia＇s economic relations with China have been especially activated in the past couple of years. This includes both direct trade relations between the two countries as well as Chinese directinvestment in the Georgian economy.展开更多
Although, genetically engineered products （GM） have to be a broadly debated topic in different countries, there has been much less attention devoted to farmers＇ attitudes towards GM crops. This paper attempts to re...Although, genetically engineered products （GM） have to be a broadly debated topic in different countries, there has been much less attention devoted to farmers＇ attitudes towards GM crops. This paper attempts to research farmers＇ insights on GM crops in Georgia through February-March 2014. An in-depth survey of 611 farmers revealed that respondents lack sufficient knowledge about genetic engineering. They tend to have a negative attitude towards GM crops and are strongly against of import and adoption of GM seeds. An empirical examination based on analysis of variance and Pearson＇s correlation coefficient verified that both education and age were significant determinants of awareness of farmers about genetically engineered crops, while income used to have no significant influence on the farmers＇ decision to adopt GM crops. In addition, relationship between awareness about genetic engineering and farmers＇ decision to adopt GM crops has to be insignificant, as well.展开更多
As it is known fresh water represents conditioned factor for human body’s life. That’s why the superiority of drinking water is recognized as human body’s priority according to the international declarations. World...As it is known fresh water represents conditioned factor for human body’s life. That’s why the superiority of drinking water is recognized as human body’s priority according to the international declarations. World is experiencing deficit of quality water. Natural Disasters caused by the pollution of the fresh ground water is also very painful and acute, because it needed more time, more material and financial means for the liquidation of their results, and what the most important practically is, it is impossible to renew the initial natural conditions completely. All these conditions that the rational use of fresh ground water passed by the interests of separate countries and became worldwide, international problem-fresh water became as considerable raw material for the worlds import and export. Future prognosis is disturbing—according to the data of UN for 2025 year 2/3 of world population will be under the water deficit conditions. Above-mentioned shows how important fresh water is for humanity. Below we present briefly review about the situation of fresh ground water resources and the analysis of the problems in transboundary artesian basins of Georgia.展开更多
The reduction of glaciers of Mulkhura River basin over the last century is revised in the paper. Mulkhura River basin is located on the southern slope of the central Caucasus from the Mount Bashili (4148 m) to the Mou...The reduction of glaciers of Mulkhura River basin over the last century is revised in the paper. Mulkhura River basin is located on the southern slope of the central Caucasus from the Mount Bashili (4148 m) to the Mount Gistola (4860 m) and it is the main center of the contemporary glaciations in the Enguri River basin. The percentage reduction of areas of compound valley glaciers with the relation of air temperature and atmospheric precipitation is given in this paper. Also the paper considered the dynamics of the Tviberi and Tsaneriglaciers, which were the Georgia’s largest glaciers at the end of the 19th century. We used the catalog of the glaciers of the southern slope of the Caucasus compiled in 1911 by a well-known researcher of the Caucasus K. Podozerskiy, which was drawn up on the basis of the 19th century maps. In order to identify the area and number of the glaciers of the 60s of the 20th century, we used the work of R. Gobejishvili—the Georgian glaciologist of the 20th-21st centuries, composed on the basis of 1:50,000 scale topographic maps of 1960. The data of 2014 have been obtained by the Landsat aerial images of L8 OLI/TIRS (Operational Land Imager and Thermal Infrared Sensor) taken in August 2014. In the mentioned study, except of the old topographic maps and aerial images, we used the climate information especially air temperature and precipitation data of the Mestia weather station.展开更多
The article considers the variability glaciers parameters of Headwaters of the Enguri River in the years of 1960-1986-2014. The headwaters of The Enguri Riverare located on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, ...The article considers the variability glaciers parameters of Headwaters of the Enguri River in the years of 1960-1986-2014. The headwaters of The Enguri Riverare located on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, in Georgia. Detailed morphologic and morphometric description of glaciers is given. During our research, we used the topographic maps of 1960 and Landsat L5 TM (Thematic Mapper) aerial images, taken in August 1986 and 2014, and the GPS data of 2014. In the mentioned study, except for the old topographic maps and aerial images we used the climate information that we have collected from Mestia weather station (Mestia is the regional center of Zemo Svaneti), which is the only operating weather station in region. Along with the dynamics of glaciers the course of the air temperature has been identified, mainly trends of mean annual and monthly air temperatures for different periods 1961-2013, 1961-1986, 1987-2013 are made. According to them, main reasons for glacier retreat areanalyzed.展开更多
River Tergi, Aragvi and Asa-Arghuni, which occupy significant area of mountainous region of central Caucasus, by its geographic location, strategic meaning, peculiarities of natural landscape and infrastructural objec...River Tergi, Aragvi and Asa-Arghuni, which occupy significant area of mountainous region of central Caucasus, by its geographic location, strategic meaning, peculiarities of natural landscape and infrastructural objects (Trans-Caucasian highway, gas pipeline, water supply of the capital, Gudauri ski-mountainous complex) minerals, historic-ethnographic monuments, opportunities for development of mountainous tourism and mountaineering, where more important engineering projects are being planned;all the above give perspective of development of economic base, employment of the population and restoration of motivated villages, more over that the major part of their perimeter represents state border. At the same time, extremely complex relief, landscape-climatic conditions and sensitive geologic environment have been always defining peculiarities of settlement of population and agricultural activities and determining landscape-ecologic balance of geographic environment. However, whereas amount of land for optimal adaptation is extremely limited, its irregular adaptation causes critical degradation-devastation of lands. Consequently, this causes development of scaled and diverse geologic processes (land-slides, debrisflow, erosion, etc.), which have been complicated anyway and are followed by enormous material loss, forcing thousands of people to leave their homes, emptying if tens of villages and human sacrifice. The article considers conditions of development of a catastrophic debrisflow, which occurred in Dariali in the year 2014 and its negative consequences.展开更多
The history of karst terrestrial development has been restored on the background of many years’ field, experimental and laboratory researches (underground water tracing, structural deciphering of aerophotocytes, anal...The history of karst terrestrial development has been restored on the background of many years’ field, experimental and laboratory researches (underground water tracing, structural deciphering of aerophotocytes, analysis of boreholes and geological wounds) and analysis of the current literary sources carried out by us in the Zemo Imereti Plateau. Within the study area, karst and karst forms of the Jurassic-Cretaceous, Lower Tertiary (Paleocene-Eocene) and Post-Miocene (Sarmati) period were revealed. Lithobiostratigraphic analysis of cave subterranean sediments enabled us to identify the cave age. In Zemo Imereti Plateau, in the caves located on higher hypsometric levels, the sedimentation of subterranean sediments began in the Middle-Upper Pleistocene and it seemed that the caves’ formation was mainly completed in the mentioned territory.展开更多
In the paper, it is discussed reinforced coastal zones with resort-recreational functions, destructed in terms of anthropogenic pressure of the Black Sea, Georgia. Results of many years’ observations and researches p...In the paper, it is discussed reinforced coastal zones with resort-recreational functions, destructed in terms of anthropogenic pressure of the Black Sea, Georgia. Results of many years’ observations and researches prove low effectiveness of active methods of coastal protection, mostly causing and provoking intensive degradation of the beaches. Article highlights developing and constructing of free and unbounded beaches as an optimal coastal protection approach. Successful example of this approach was developing of coastal zone in 90s, in Gagra (West Georgia), Black Sea. Positive impact of this kind of artificial beach still survives. In the thesis, it is presented an attempt to scientifically prove extrapolation-traduction on the other similar coasts of the recovery of Gagra Zone beach. Based on morphodynamic analysis and comparison, according to the priorities of major features of reinforced coasts, it turned out that coast of three similar objects (Gagra, Ochamchire and Sokhumi) show homogenous aspects. Scientific expediency of providing extrapolation on other similar objects of etalon objects i.e. Gagra Beach recovered by successful coastal protection experiment. Thereby, for the purposes of creating free-artificial beach, choosing of wrecking zone of Ochamchire is based on coastal protection effectiveness and economical principals, including technical-economical effectiveness.展开更多
This study evaluates the distribution of COVID-19 cases and mass vaccination campaigns from January 2020 to April 2023. There are over 235,000 COVID-19 cases and over 733,000 vaccinations across the 159 counties in th...This study evaluates the distribution of COVID-19 cases and mass vaccination campaigns from January 2020 to April 2023. There are over 235,000 COVID-19 cases and over 733,000 vaccinations across the 159 counties in the state of Georgia. Data on COVID-19 was acquired from usafact.org while the vaccination records were obtained from COVID-19 vaccination tracker. The spatial patterns across the counties were analyzed using spatial statistical techniques which include both global and local spatial autocorrelation. The study further evaluates the effect of vaccination and selected socio-economic predictors on COVID-19 cases across the study area. The result of hotspot analysis reveals that the epicenters of COVID-19 are distributed across Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett, and DeKalb counties. It was also affirmed that the vaccination records followed the same pattern as COVID-19 cases’ epicenters. The result of the spatial error model performed well and accounted for a considerable percentage of the regression with an adjusted R squared of 0.68, Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) 387.682 and Breusch-Pagan of 9.8091. ESDA was employed to select the main explanatory variables. The selected variables include vaccination, population density, percentage of people that do not have health insurance, black race, Hispanic and these variables accounted for 68% of the number of COVID-19 cases in the state of Georgia during the study period. The study concludes that both COVID-19 cases and vaccinated individuals have spatial peculiarities across counties in Georgia state. Lastly, socio-economic variables and vaccination are very important to reduce the vulnerability of individuals to COVID-19 disease.展开更多
The Zemo Imereti (Chiatura) Structural Plateau covers the easternmost part of the western Georgia limestone belt and is the only region of the platform karst in the entire Caucasus. Zemo Imereti Plateau’s complex str...The Zemo Imereti (Chiatura) Structural Plateau covers the easternmost part of the western Georgia limestone belt and is the only region of the platform karst in the entire Caucasus. Zemo Imereti Plateau’s complex structural studies revealed that the karst landscape has been completely transformed due to human strong economic activities, mainly related to the manganese unplanned, predatory extraction. The ore mining process completely destroyed the soil and vegetation cover thus creating “anthropo-badlands”. Due to manganese open-cast mining, the layers located over limestones are almost totally removed and heavy rains stipulate intense washout of substances from loose rocks. Intense washout of manganese extracted from mines and high contamination of river water streams take place directly in the river beds. Karst sinkholes and wells are common in the plateau, which are often used as waste fills-storages by the local population. Contaminated underground karst waters flowing into the above mentioned landforms are directly related to the karst springs used by the population and occasionally cause their turbidity and contamination, which is also confirmed by our indicator tests. As a laboratory study of the samples showed, mineralization of underground karst waters in the study area is 1.5 - 3 times higher than similar values in neighboring karst areas, which should be explained by the widespread of manganese open pits in the feeding basins of underground karst waters. According to the materials obtained from our surveys and calculations carried out, karst (chemical) denudation (surface 64.2 - 190.6 m<sup>3</sup>/km<sup>2</sup>/year, underground 1.5 - 117.0 m<sup>3</sup>/km<sup>2</sup>/year) has been increased in the study area than in other karst regions of Georgia, which is also related to technologic factors.展开更多
The article deals with relations of Georgia to Europe in the late antique period and the early Middle Ages.The analyses rests on the Byzantium and the Western European,as well as on Georgian written sources:historical...The article deals with relations of Georgia to Europe in the late antique period and the early Middle Ages.The analyses rests on the Byzantium and the Western European,as well as on Georgian written sources:historical chronicles,hagiographic texts and other information,reflecting political relations of the Iberia and Lazika—those-days kingdoms,located on the territory of Georgia—to the Western European and Byzantine space.The offered analysis will concentrate on the shared characteristics of European space in the Middle Ages and will compare them to the general tendencies of development of Georgia in the same period.This enables to draw conclusion that Georgia was the part of the unified Christian space of the early Middle Ages.展开更多
The tradition of serving trees has a long history in the Caucasus and therefore there is quite a long tradition of interest in these problems by different authors, including foreign scientists. The tradition starts wi...The tradition of serving trees has a long history in the Caucasus and therefore there is quite a long tradition of interest in these problems by different authors, including foreign scientists. The tradition starts with Apollonius of Rhodes. Since then it has been the field of permanent interest by scientists. The material presented in the report, that brings forward the specific practical aspects of sacral functions of sacral trees and forests and mainly deals with the mountainous part of Georgia （both East and West Georgia） and represents an attempt to compare Georgian ethnographic data with the materials found in Georgia by German scientists of the same period, which allows of drawing similarities and differences between these two sources of data. C. Hahn--a public figure living on the verge of the 19th-20th century, who had original material from Khevsureti and Svaneti, was chosen from German scientists. The first and important function is the connection of sacral trees with the world of the dead, which has a practical implication rather than a religious-ritual function, which is confirmed by the use of sacral forests as a burying place and for a ritual related to the dead; The second practical aspect of the sacral trees was their healing function. The purpose of the trees is established in the ethnographic material found virtually throughout the entire Caucasus. According to ethnographic data, there appears another function of sacral trees and forests. People used to gather there in order to solve important issues and reconcile conflicting parties. Sacred forests were a nature reserve for animal habitat and a kind of a haven for the people who, for some reason, had to shelter themselves in forests.展开更多
文摘Georgia has been the country of vines and wine since ancient times, and historically vine growing and wine making has performed the function of one of the leading branches of economy. The diverse and rich information about growing vines and producing wine in Georgia can be found in historical and modem scientific literatures as well. Javakhishvili reviewed 413 vine species from the ancient period in his work： ＂Economic History of Georgia＂. Nowadays there are more than 420 species in Georgia or 2.5% of the whole world assortment, from which 27 are for wine, 14 edible and 41 standard species. According to the ecological and economic conditions, Georgia is divided into 11 main regions from the viewpoint of specialization and concentration of vine growing, of which Kakheti, Kartli, Imereti, Racha and Lechkhumi are the most important regions. All these regions are both producers and users of grapes and wine. The climate of Kakheti is favorable to develop the vine industry here. They are： Rkatsiteli, Saperavi, Mtsvane, Kabeme and Khikhvi. Kakheti gives more than half of branded wines of the republic. Fifty-four percent of vineyards of the country are placed, and 65%-68% of total wines in Georgia are produced in Kakheti.
文摘The work deals with analysis of geographical factor as one of the main factor determining the historical change of a border on the example of Georgia. The research was conducted in two main directions： the evaluation of historical transformations of state borders of Georgia throughout of XIX-XX centuries and identification the leading geographical factors. Special emphasis has been made on geographical and cartometric analysis of modern state border of Georgia. In order to identify the historical transformations of state border that have used different methods as well as GIS-technologies, the research is based on the historical, cartographical and statistical data. On the base of a lot of cartographic sources, it is concluded that the borderline in modem topographic maps is often plotted by ignoring the international practice related to plotting the state borders across the physical-geographical objects. This is why the geographical factor seems important in the historical transformations of the state border creating similarly a negative perspective in the future. The main results of research are： （1） classification of geographical factors causing the transformations of the state borders; （2） Evaluation of sensitivity of state border; and （3） creation of DB of the state border of Georgia, allowing continuing the studies in the future.
文摘The article considers the variability of Nenskra and Nakra River basins glaciers’ parameters in the years of 1911-2014. Nenskra and Nakra River basins are located on the southern slope of the Great Caucasus, between the Kharikhra, Shdavleri and Tsalgmili ranges, in Georgia, in particular in the Enguri River basin. In our research we used the catalogue of the glaciers of Georgia compiled by K. Podozerskiy in 1911. We also used the military topographic maps with the scale of 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 drawn up in 1960 (in former Soviet Union), where there are the glaciers mapped in detail and the ends of their ice tongues on the southern slope of Great Caucasus of those times. We also used the remote sensing method, which is the best modern way for the study of the dynamics of glaciers and this method is remarkable by a quick obtaining of results. The spectral images of the Landsat L8 OLI/TIRS (Operational Land Imager and Thermal Infrared Sensor) (USGS) received from the “Landsat” artificial satellite are the necessary materials for our study. We also used the field survey materials of 2014 (GPS data). The latest statistical information is also given about the glaciers located in the individual river basins;their morphological types, exposition and the dynamics are considered according to the individual years.
文摘In Georgia, crucian carp Carassius carassius （Linnaeus, 1758） was known from only one locality after Kessler＇s record （1877-1878） with no new findings until 1985. Since then C. carassius rapidly and simultaneously invaded almost all water bodies of Georgia. In 2004, it was for the first time noted that this invasive Carassius sp. could not be a C. Carassius, but was a form of Carassius gibelio （Bloch, 1792）. However no further data is available about this invasive species in Georgia. The aim of the present study was to investigate taxonomic status of Carassius sp. in Georgia using mtDNA phylogenetic analyses and mor- phometrie study of truss network system. Genetic analysis revealed that invasive Carassius sp. is closely related to the C. gibelio from Turkey and other countries. In contrast, morphometrically Carassius sp. from Georgia can be easily differentiated from those of Turkey indicating high intraspecific variability. This is the first time discussion on the current knowledge of the present distribution of invasive carp in Georgia with identifying current problems and future research directions needed.
文摘The article presents the changes in the number and area of the Dolra River basin glaciers during the last century in connection with the climate elements. Dolra River basin is located in the south-ern slope of the Central Caucasus, in the territory of Zemo Svaneti and joins the Enguri River basin, which in its turn is the main center of the contemporary glaciation in Georgia. During the study, we used the 1:42,000 scale topographic maps of the 19th century, which were drawn up during the first topographic survey by using the plane-table surveying method. Also, we used the catalog of the glaciers of the southern slope of the Caucasus compiled on the basis of the 19th century maps in 1911 by a well-known researcher of the Caucasus K. Podozerskiy. In order to identify the area and number of the glaciers of the 60s of the 20th century, we used the work of R. Gobejishvili—the Georgian glaciologist of the 20th-21st centuries, composed on the basis of 1:50,000 scale topo-graphic maps of 1960. The data of 2014 have been obtained by the Landsat aerial images of L8 OLI/TIRS (Operational Land Imager and Thermal Infrared Sensor) taken in August 2014. In the mentioned study, except of the old topographic maps and aerial images, we used the climate in-formation that we have collected from Mestia weather stations (Mestia is the regional center of Zemo Svaneti, where the only operating weather station is located at present). Along with the dy-namics of glaciers, the course of the air temperature and atmospheric precipitation has been iden-tified in the 20th century and in the beginning of the 21st century.
文摘The Zemo Imereti Plateau is located in the easternmost part of the limestone region of western Georgia and is Caucasus’ only karst plateau. It is centrally located in a relatively elevated part of the intermountain plain of the country of Georgia. Lithostratigraphical (petrographic, mineralogical, and XRD) research on terrigenous sediments found in caves in the region was conducted in the Upper Cretaceous limestones located at different hypsometric levels (400 - 700 m). This study focused on allochthonous deposits, which, due to sedimentological features, contains significant and complete information for paleogeographic reconstruction as opposed to the autochthonous sediments. Source provinces of the sediments’ origin were determined using petrographic analysis. Lithological study of the terrigenous sediments indicated their origin from the Racha range, as well as their transportation mechanisms, and sedimentation conditions during deposition. Approximate ages (the end of the Middle Pleistocene and the beginning of the Late Pleistocene) of ancient terrestrial sediments in Rganisklde Cave were achieved by taking into account the geological and geomorphological development of the region. Lithostratigraphical analysis of the cave deposits and modern archaeological data indicate that the formation of the caves in the Zemo Imereti plateau took place mainly during the end of the Middle Pleistocene and in the beginning of the Pleistocene;while on the southern slope of the Racha range and in the surrounding area of Ertso-Tsona (Caucasus southern slope), they formed in the Early Pleistocene.
文摘Georgia is home to multiple, widespread limestone massifs with well-developed karst areas and their associated landscape features found throughout the country. Due to geological, geomorphological, and speleological characteristics of the limestone massifs in Georgia, there are developments in classical karst processes and landforms, which contain very impressive karst features, such as dolines, caves, calcite depositions and others. For example, in Georgia, the world’s deepest caves are found, such as: Krubera-2197 m;Sarma-1830 m;Pantyukhina-1508;Ilyukhina-1275 m;Kuibyshev-1110 m, and others. Of these, Krubera Cave is currently the deepest in the world. The goal of this work is to present speleological investigation of Muradi Cave, which is developed in Racha limestone massif. Muradi Cave is unique as the fact that it contains almost all types and subtypes of speleothems and sediments recorded nowadays in the caves of the Caucasus region, and the mineral aggregates found in Muradi Cave are rare for the caves of the Caucasus region. Unlike many of the hypogene caves in the region, Murdai Cave is formed from a more traditional mechanism of speleogenesis, but the influence of tectonic activity and complex hydrologic regimes led to the development of speleothems and passage morphology less common in the region and likely from hypogenic overprinting. The primary objectives of this study of Muradi Cave included undertaking important investigation in this country, to better understand the speleogenetic processes.
文摘Karst groundwater is the major natural resource of drinking water for many countries in the world. Especially in karstic regions, karst water requirements for settlements are provided from karst aquifers. Also, we should consider, that karst groundwater is becoming more and more valuable for drinking water supply. Thus, karst groundwater quality and permanent ecological monitoring are very important for populations. Moreover, if we consider that the karst landscape is the extremely sensitive system towards anthropogenic activities, since exaclty the anthropogenic activities largely identify the karst water pollution-turbidity causing factors. This paper presents a new study regarding the quality of the karst groundwater of the study area, which contains important resource of drinking water. In the mentioned study, 12 water samples were collected from different locations of the 4 main karst springs (Krikhula, Dolabistavi, Kidobana and Sakishore) during the spring and summer of 2014 and 2015 years. The main aim was to identify chemical compositions (Ni, Ag, Co, Cd, Zn, Pb, Al, Mg, Fe, F, Cu), and also, it was important to detect Escherichia coli (E. coli). Our research regarding all these chemical compositions shows that all the values are low and under the environmental limit according to the Georgian standards. We measured chemical parameters of all these samples by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) in the chemical laboratory of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, country of Georgia.
文摘Georgia＇s economic relations with China have been especially activated in the past couple of years. This includes both direct trade relations between the two countries as well as Chinese directinvestment in the Georgian economy.
文摘Although, genetically engineered products （GM） have to be a broadly debated topic in different countries, there has been much less attention devoted to farmers＇ attitudes towards GM crops. This paper attempts to research farmers＇ insights on GM crops in Georgia through February-March 2014. An in-depth survey of 611 farmers revealed that respondents lack sufficient knowledge about genetic engineering. They tend to have a negative attitude towards GM crops and are strongly against of import and adoption of GM seeds. An empirical examination based on analysis of variance and Pearson＇s correlation coefficient verified that both education and age were significant determinants of awareness of farmers about genetically engineered crops, while income used to have no significant influence on the farmers＇ decision to adopt GM crops. In addition, relationship between awareness about genetic engineering and farmers＇ decision to adopt GM crops has to be insignificant, as well.
文摘As it is known fresh water represents conditioned factor for human body’s life. That’s why the superiority of drinking water is recognized as human body’s priority according to the international declarations. World is experiencing deficit of quality water. Natural Disasters caused by the pollution of the fresh ground water is also very painful and acute, because it needed more time, more material and financial means for the liquidation of their results, and what the most important practically is, it is impossible to renew the initial natural conditions completely. All these conditions that the rational use of fresh ground water passed by the interests of separate countries and became worldwide, international problem-fresh water became as considerable raw material for the worlds import and export. Future prognosis is disturbing—according to the data of UN for 2025 year 2/3 of world population will be under the water deficit conditions. Above-mentioned shows how important fresh water is for humanity. Below we present briefly review about the situation of fresh ground water resources and the analysis of the problems in transboundary artesian basins of Georgia.
文摘The reduction of glaciers of Mulkhura River basin over the last century is revised in the paper. Mulkhura River basin is located on the southern slope of the central Caucasus from the Mount Bashili (4148 m) to the Mount Gistola (4860 m) and it is the main center of the contemporary glaciations in the Enguri River basin. The percentage reduction of areas of compound valley glaciers with the relation of air temperature and atmospheric precipitation is given in this paper. Also the paper considered the dynamics of the Tviberi and Tsaneriglaciers, which were the Georgia’s largest glaciers at the end of the 19th century. We used the catalog of the glaciers of the southern slope of the Caucasus compiled in 1911 by a well-known researcher of the Caucasus K. Podozerskiy, which was drawn up on the basis of the 19th century maps. In order to identify the area and number of the glaciers of the 60s of the 20th century, we used the work of R. Gobejishvili—the Georgian glaciologist of the 20th-21st centuries, composed on the basis of 1:50,000 scale topographic maps of 1960. The data of 2014 have been obtained by the Landsat aerial images of L8 OLI/TIRS (Operational Land Imager and Thermal Infrared Sensor) taken in August 2014. In the mentioned study, except of the old topographic maps and aerial images, we used the climate information especially air temperature and precipitation data of the Mestia weather station.
文摘The article considers the variability glaciers parameters of Headwaters of the Enguri River in the years of 1960-1986-2014. The headwaters of The Enguri Riverare located on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, in Georgia. Detailed morphologic and morphometric description of glaciers is given. During our research, we used the topographic maps of 1960 and Landsat L5 TM (Thematic Mapper) aerial images, taken in August 1986 and 2014, and the GPS data of 2014. In the mentioned study, except for the old topographic maps and aerial images we used the climate information that we have collected from Mestia weather station (Mestia is the regional center of Zemo Svaneti), which is the only operating weather station in region. Along with the dynamics of glaciers the course of the air temperature has been identified, mainly trends of mean annual and monthly air temperatures for different periods 1961-2013, 1961-1986, 1987-2013 are made. According to them, main reasons for glacier retreat areanalyzed.
文摘River Tergi, Aragvi and Asa-Arghuni, which occupy significant area of mountainous region of central Caucasus, by its geographic location, strategic meaning, peculiarities of natural landscape and infrastructural objects (Trans-Caucasian highway, gas pipeline, water supply of the capital, Gudauri ski-mountainous complex) minerals, historic-ethnographic monuments, opportunities for development of mountainous tourism and mountaineering, where more important engineering projects are being planned;all the above give perspective of development of economic base, employment of the population and restoration of motivated villages, more over that the major part of their perimeter represents state border. At the same time, extremely complex relief, landscape-climatic conditions and sensitive geologic environment have been always defining peculiarities of settlement of population and agricultural activities and determining landscape-ecologic balance of geographic environment. However, whereas amount of land for optimal adaptation is extremely limited, its irregular adaptation causes critical degradation-devastation of lands. Consequently, this causes development of scaled and diverse geologic processes (land-slides, debrisflow, erosion, etc.), which have been complicated anyway and are followed by enormous material loss, forcing thousands of people to leave their homes, emptying if tens of villages and human sacrifice. The article considers conditions of development of a catastrophic debrisflow, which occurred in Dariali in the year 2014 and its negative consequences.
文摘The history of karst terrestrial development has been restored on the background of many years’ field, experimental and laboratory researches (underground water tracing, structural deciphering of aerophotocytes, analysis of boreholes and geological wounds) and analysis of the current literary sources carried out by us in the Zemo Imereti Plateau. Within the study area, karst and karst forms of the Jurassic-Cretaceous, Lower Tertiary (Paleocene-Eocene) and Post-Miocene (Sarmati) period were revealed. Lithobiostratigraphic analysis of cave subterranean sediments enabled us to identify the cave age. In Zemo Imereti Plateau, in the caves located on higher hypsometric levels, the sedimentation of subterranean sediments began in the Middle-Upper Pleistocene and it seemed that the caves’ formation was mainly completed in the mentioned territory.
文摘In the paper, it is discussed reinforced coastal zones with resort-recreational functions, destructed in terms of anthropogenic pressure of the Black Sea, Georgia. Results of many years’ observations and researches prove low effectiveness of active methods of coastal protection, mostly causing and provoking intensive degradation of the beaches. Article highlights developing and constructing of free and unbounded beaches as an optimal coastal protection approach. Successful example of this approach was developing of coastal zone in 90s, in Gagra (West Georgia), Black Sea. Positive impact of this kind of artificial beach still survives. In the thesis, it is presented an attempt to scientifically prove extrapolation-traduction on the other similar coasts of the recovery of Gagra Zone beach. Based on morphodynamic analysis and comparison, according to the priorities of major features of reinforced coasts, it turned out that coast of three similar objects (Gagra, Ochamchire and Sokhumi) show homogenous aspects. Scientific expediency of providing extrapolation on other similar objects of etalon objects i.e. Gagra Beach recovered by successful coastal protection experiment. Thereby, for the purposes of creating free-artificial beach, choosing of wrecking zone of Ochamchire is based on coastal protection effectiveness and economical principals, including technical-economical effectiveness.
文摘This study evaluates the distribution of COVID-19 cases and mass vaccination campaigns from January 2020 to April 2023. There are over 235,000 COVID-19 cases and over 733,000 vaccinations across the 159 counties in the state of Georgia. Data on COVID-19 was acquired from usafact.org while the vaccination records were obtained from COVID-19 vaccination tracker. The spatial patterns across the counties were analyzed using spatial statistical techniques which include both global and local spatial autocorrelation. The study further evaluates the effect of vaccination and selected socio-economic predictors on COVID-19 cases across the study area. The result of hotspot analysis reveals that the epicenters of COVID-19 are distributed across Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett, and DeKalb counties. It was also affirmed that the vaccination records followed the same pattern as COVID-19 cases’ epicenters. The result of the spatial error model performed well and accounted for a considerable percentage of the regression with an adjusted R squared of 0.68, Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) 387.682 and Breusch-Pagan of 9.8091. ESDA was employed to select the main explanatory variables. The selected variables include vaccination, population density, percentage of people that do not have health insurance, black race, Hispanic and these variables accounted for 68% of the number of COVID-19 cases in the state of Georgia during the study period. The study concludes that both COVID-19 cases and vaccinated individuals have spatial peculiarities across counties in Georgia state. Lastly, socio-economic variables and vaccination are very important to reduce the vulnerability of individuals to COVID-19 disease.
文摘The Zemo Imereti (Chiatura) Structural Plateau covers the easternmost part of the western Georgia limestone belt and is the only region of the platform karst in the entire Caucasus. Zemo Imereti Plateau’s complex structural studies revealed that the karst landscape has been completely transformed due to human strong economic activities, mainly related to the manganese unplanned, predatory extraction. The ore mining process completely destroyed the soil and vegetation cover thus creating “anthropo-badlands”. Due to manganese open-cast mining, the layers located over limestones are almost totally removed and heavy rains stipulate intense washout of substances from loose rocks. Intense washout of manganese extracted from mines and high contamination of river water streams take place directly in the river beds. Karst sinkholes and wells are common in the plateau, which are often used as waste fills-storages by the local population. Contaminated underground karst waters flowing into the above mentioned landforms are directly related to the karst springs used by the population and occasionally cause their turbidity and contamination, which is also confirmed by our indicator tests. As a laboratory study of the samples showed, mineralization of underground karst waters in the study area is 1.5 - 3 times higher than similar values in neighboring karst areas, which should be explained by the widespread of manganese open pits in the feeding basins of underground karst waters. According to the materials obtained from our surveys and calculations carried out, karst (chemical) denudation (surface 64.2 - 190.6 m<sup>3</sup>/km<sup>2</sup>/year, underground 1.5 - 117.0 m<sup>3</sup>/km<sup>2</sup>/year) has been increased in the study area than in other karst regions of Georgia, which is also related to technologic factors.
文摘The article deals with relations of Georgia to Europe in the late antique period and the early Middle Ages.The analyses rests on the Byzantium and the Western European,as well as on Georgian written sources:historical chronicles,hagiographic texts and other information,reflecting political relations of the Iberia and Lazika—those-days kingdoms,located on the territory of Georgia—to the Western European and Byzantine space.The offered analysis will concentrate on the shared characteristics of European space in the Middle Ages and will compare them to the general tendencies of development of Georgia in the same period.This enables to draw conclusion that Georgia was the part of the unified Christian space of the early Middle Ages.
文摘The tradition of serving trees has a long history in the Caucasus and therefore there is quite a long tradition of interest in these problems by different authors, including foreign scientists. The tradition starts with Apollonius of Rhodes. Since then it has been the field of permanent interest by scientists. The material presented in the report, that brings forward the specific practical aspects of sacral functions of sacral trees and forests and mainly deals with the mountainous part of Georgia （both East and West Georgia） and represents an attempt to compare Georgian ethnographic data with the materials found in Georgia by German scientists of the same period, which allows of drawing similarities and differences between these two sources of data. C. Hahn--a public figure living on the verge of the 19th-20th century, who had original material from Khevsureti and Svaneti, was chosen from German scientists. The first and important function is the connection of sacral trees with the world of the dead, which has a practical implication rather than a religious-ritual function, which is confirmed by the use of sacral forests as a burying place and for a ritual related to the dead; The second practical aspect of the sacral trees was their healing function. The purpose of the trees is established in the ethnographic material found virtually throughout the entire Caucasus. According to ethnographic data, there appears another function of sacral trees and forests. People used to gather there in order to solve important issues and reconcile conflicting parties. Sacred forests were a nature reserve for animal habitat and a kind of a haven for the people who, for some reason, had to shelter themselves in forests.
