Azov Upland

Azov Upland is a plateau or a set of hills in southeastern Ukraine that corresponds to the southeastern part of the Ukrainian Crystalline Shield (as the Azov Crystalline Massif).

In the north the Azov Upland borders on the Dnieper Lowland and the Donets Ridge; in the northeast, on the Donets Ridge; in the southwest, on the Black Sea Lowland; in the south, on the Azov Lowland (an extension of the Black Sea Lowland).

The foundation of the Azov Upland is composed of crystalline formations—granites, gneisses, syenites, migmatites, basalts, etc—and is covered primarily with loess and loesslike loam. The crystalline foundation is exposed both in river valleys and on watersheds. The watershed located between the basin of the Dnieper and the tributaries of the Sea of Azov forms the highest part of the Azov Upland. This is a gently undulating, monotonous plain with an elevation of between 200-250 m. Rising above the plain are mounds (mohyly), denudated remnants, composed of crystalline formations, that resisted erosion. They are oval-shaped, with gently sloping sides. The highest of these is Belmak-Mohyla or Horyla 327 m (1,073 ft); others are Korsak-Mohyla, Tovmak-Mohyla 307 m (1,007 ft), Mohyla Hancharykha, and Kamiani Mohyly, which rise 100 m or more over the surrounding plain. Burial mounds, erected throughout the ages, also cover the watershed. The slopes of the Azov Upland, and in particular the southern slopes, are dissected by rivers that cut deeply into the crystalline formations and create rapids and waterfalls. The river banks, gouged by ravines and gullies, make a picturesque granite landscape.

The climate of the Azov Upland is temperate-continental, similar to that of the neighboring Donets Ridge. Temperature and atmospheric precipitation (400-500 mm annually) depend also on the elevation of the locality. The soils are ordinary medium-humus and poor-humus chernozems. The natural vegetation is that of a mixed herbaceous, fescue-feather-grass steppe. The area is now almost entirely under cultivation. The original vegetation is preserved at the Kamiani Mohyly Nature Reserve.

External links

• Azov Upland at the Encyclopedia of Ukraine