TOPONYMS AS REFLECTIONS OF LANDSCAPE AND ENVIRONMENT: ECOLOGICAL AND GEOGRAPHIC ASPECTS OF PLACE NAMING

This article explores the relationship between toponyms and the natural environment, focusing on how place names reflect geographical features and encode ecological knowledge. Drawing from examples across Central Asia, Europe, and indigenous societies, the study shows how toponyms serve as verbal maps, cultural eco-markers, and historical records of environmental change. It also highlights the role of toponymy in environmental protection and the symbolic reclamation of landscapes. Through interdisciplinary analysis, toponymy is presented as a valuable tool in understanding the deep connections between language, culture, and ecology