Methods of the mathematical morphology of landscape

The paper discusses the mathematical morphology of landscape, which is a branch of the landscape science dealing with quantitative laws for the Earth surface mosaics, formed by natural units (bogs, aeolian ridges, karst, etc.), and mathematical methods of their analysis. The mathematical models are a core of the mathematical morphology of landscape. A mathematical model of a landscape pattern is a set of mathematical dependences reflecting most essential geometric characteristics of a landscape. The theory of random processes is a base for the mathematical models of morphological patterns. They appear to be an indivisible integral base for solving various tasks. The landscape researches, which deal with landscape metrics, new landscape laws, risk assessment, and development dynamics, are in need of the quantitative analysis of spatial landscape patterns.