Possibilities of land use change analysis in a mountainous rural area: a methodological approach     

Szilárd Szabó  László Bertalan  Ágnes Kerekes  Tibor J. Novák 《International journal of geographical information science》2016,30(4):708-726

Decreasing population density is a current trend in the European Union, and causes a lower environmental impact on the landscape. However, besides the desirable effect on the regeneration processes of semi-natural forest ecosystems, the lack of traditional management techniques can also lead to detrimental ecological processes. In this study we investigated the land use pattern changes in a micro-region (in North-Eastern Hungary) between 1952 and 2005, based on vectorised land use data from archive aerial photos. We also evaluated the methodology of comparisons using GIS methods, fuzzy sets and landscape metrics. We found that both GIS methods and statistical analysis of landscape metrics resulted in more or less the same findings. Differences were not as relevant as was expected considering the general tendencies of the past 60 years in Hungary. The change in the annual rate of forest recovery was 0.12%; settlements extended their area by an annual rate of 3.04%, while grasslands and arable lands had a net loss in their area within the studied period (0.60% and 0.89%, respectively). The kappa index showed a smaller similarity (~60%) between these dates but the fuzzy kappa and the aggregation index, taking into account both spatial and thematic errors, gave a more reliable result (~70–80% similarity). Landscape metrics on patch and class level ensured the possibility of a detailed analysis. We arrived at a similar outcome but were able to verify all the calculations through statistical tests. With this approach we were able to reveal significant (p < 0.05) changes; however, effect sizes did not show large magnitudes. Comparing the methods of revealing landscape change, the approach of landscape metrics was the most effective approach, as it was independent of spatial errors and ensuring a multiple way of interpretation.  相似文献   

Mid and late Holocene forest fires and deforestation in the subalpine belt of the Iberian range,northern Spain     

José M. García-Ruiz  Yasmina Sanjuán  Graciela Gil-Romera  Penélope González-Sampériz  Santiago Beguería  José Arnáez  Paz Coba-Pérez  Amelia Gómez-Villar  Javier Álvarez-Martínez  Noemí Lana-Renault  Estela Pérez-Cardiel  Carlos López de Calle 《山地科学学报》2016,13(10):1760-1772

The conversion of subalpine forests into grasslands for pastoral use is a well-knownphenomenon, although for most mountain areas the timing of deforestation has not been determined. The presence of charcoal fragments in soil profiles affected by shallow landsliding enabled us to date the occurrence of fires and the periods of conversion ofsubalpine forest into grasslands in the Urbión Mountains, Iberian Range, Spain. We found that the treeline in the highest parts of the northwestern massifs of the Iberian Range(the Urbión, Demanda, Neila, and Cebollera massifs) is currently between 1500 and 1600 m a.s.l., probably because of pastoral use of the subalpine belt, whereas in the past it would have reached almost the highest divides(at approximately 2100–2200 m a.s.l.). The radiocarbon dates obtained indicate that the transformation of the subalpine belt occurred during the Late Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Middle Ages. Forest clearing was probably moderate during fires prior to the Middle Ages, as the small size of the sheep herds and the local character of the markets only required small clearings, and therefore more limited fires. Thus, it is likely that the forest recovered burnt areas in a few decades; this suggests the management of the forest and grasslands following a slash-andburn system. During the Middle and Modern Ages deforestation and grassland expansion affected most of the subalpine belt and coincided with the increasing prevalence of transhumance, as occurred in other mountains in the Iberian Peninsula(particularly the Pyrenees). Although the occurrence of shallow landslides following deforestation between the Neolithic and the Roman Period cannot be ruled out, the most extensive shallow landsliding processes would have occurred from the Middle Ages until recent times.  相似文献   

Exploring seven hundred years of transhumance,climate dynamic,fire and human activity through a historical mountain pass in central Spain     

José Antonio López-Sáez  Francisca Alba-Sánchez  Sandra Robles-López  Sebastián Pérez-Díaz  Daniel Abel-Schaad  Silvia Sabariego-Ruiz  Arthur Glais 《山地科学学报》2016,13(7):1139-1153

A high-altitude peat sequence from the heart of the Spanish Central System (Gredos range) was analysed through a multi-proxy approach to determine the sensitivity of high-mountain habitats to climate, fire and land use changes during the last seven hundred years, providing valuable insight into our understanding of the vegetation history and environmental changes in a mountain pass close to a traditional route of transhumance. The pollen data indicate that the vegetation was dominated by shrublands and grasslands with scattered pines in high-mountain areas, while in the valleys cereals, chestnut and olive trees were cultivated. Strong declines of high-mountain pines percentages are recorded at 1540, 1675, 1765, 1835 and 1925 cal AD, which may be related to increasing grazing activities and/or the occurrence of anthropogenic fires. The practice of mountain summer farming and transhumance deeply changed and redesigned the landscape of the high altitudes in central Spain (Gredos range) since the Middle Ages, although its dynamics was influenced in some way by climate variability of the past seven centuries.  相似文献   

Changing human-environment interactions in medium mountains: the Apuseni Mts (Romania) as a case study     

Tamás Telbisz  Zoltán Imecs  László Mari  Zsolt Bottlik 《山地科学学报》2016,13(9):1675-1687

The study of human-environment relationships in mountain areas is important for both theoretical and practical reasons, as many mountain areas suffer similar problems, such as depopulation, unemployment and natural hazards. Medium mountains constitute a special case within mountains, because they are more populated but less attractive as tourist destinations than high mountains. In this context, the Apuseni Mts (Romania) are considered as a case study. In this paper, we apply GIS-based, quantitative methods to characterize the strength and dynamics of human-environment interactions, taking into consideration some environmental factors (elevation, relative height, slope, river distance, lithology, land cover, natural attractions) as well as historical population and recent tourism data. We found that population density has strong (r ²>0.8) relationships with all relief factors (elevation, relative height, slope, river distance), and that best-fit functions are nonlinear. We outlined the varying demographic scenarios by elevation zones and interpreted the historically switching sign of population change versus elevation relationship. We demonstrated that lithology also has an impact on the spatial distribution of population, although it is not independent from the relief effect. The land cover of the mainly cultural landscape is very strongly correlated with relief parameters (especially slope), which suggests good adaptation. We pointed out the dominance of karst objects in the natural tourism potential of the Apuseni Mts and also explored further components of real tourism (spas, heritage, towns). Finally, we concluded that the environmental settings investigated do in fact constrain the spatial framework of society, but socio-economic changes in history can be explained from the side of society, which conforms to the theory of cultural possibilism.  相似文献   

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Robinia pseudoacacia</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Melandrium album</Emphasis> in trace elements biomonitoring and air pollution tolerance index study     

A. Nadgórska-Socha  M. Kandziora-Ciupa  R. Ciepał  G. Barczyk 《International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology》2016,13(7):1741-1752

The accumulation efficiency of selected trace elements in the leaves of Melandrium album and Robinia pseudoacacia grown on heavy metal contaminated sites in comparison with a non-contaminated one was evaluated. The study was undertaken to calculate air pollution tolerance index and to determine the contents of selected metabolites: glutathione, non-protein thiols, ascorbic acid, chlorophyll and the activity of antioxidant enzymes: guaiacol peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. Such estimations can be useful in better understanding of plants defense strategies and potential to grow in contaminated environments. The results in the most contaminated site revealed higher contents of metals in M. album leaves, especially Zn, Cd and Pb (3.4, 6 and 2.3 times higher, respectively) in comparison with the R. pseudoacacia. Better accumulation capacity found in M. album was shown by metal accumulation index values. The plants could be used as indicators of Zn, Cd (both species) and Pb (M. album) in the soil. Glutathione content (in both species) and peroxidase activity (in M. album), general markers of heavy metals contamination, were increased in contaminated sites. In most cases in contaminated areas R. pseudoacacia had decreased ascorbic acid and chlorophyll levels. Opposite tendency was recorded in M. album leaves, where similar or higher contents of the above-mentioned metabolites were found. In our study, M. album and R. pseudoacacia proved to be sensitive species with the air pollution tolerance index lower than 11 and can be recommended as bioindicators.  相似文献   

Temporal and spatial changes in soil micronutrients in managed <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nothofagus pumilio</Emphasis> forest of Tierra del Fuego,Argentina     

Romina Mansilla  Juan Carlos Nóvoa-Muñoz  Xabier Pontevedra-Pombal  Verónica Pancotto  Antía Gómez-Armesto  Julio Escobar  Alicia Moretto 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2016,75(9):738

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Estimation of thermal conductivity of rocks from their mineralogical composition (Asturian Coal Basin,NW Spain) for modelling purposes     

C. Andrés  R. Álvarez  A. Ordóñez 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2016,75(3):266

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Evolution of the pollution in the Piedras River Natural Site (Gulf of Cadiz,southern Spain) during the Holocene     

J. Lario  J. Alonso-Azcárate  C. Spencer  C. Zazo  J. L. Goy  A. Cabero  C. J. Dabrio  F. Borja  C. Borja  J. Civis  M. García-Ródriguez 《Environmental Earth Sciences》2016,75(6):481

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The Juchatengo complex: an upper-level ophiolite assemblage of late Paleozoic age in Oaxaca,southern Mexico     

Grajales-Nishimura  José Manuel  Ramos-Arias  Mario Alfredo  Solari  Luigi  Murillo-Muñetón  Gustavo  Centeno-García  Elena  Schaaf  Peter  Torres-Vargas  Ricardo 《International Journal of Earth Sciences》2018,107(3):1005-1031

International Journal of Earth Sciences - The Juchatengo complex (JC) suite is located between the Proterozoic Oaxacan complex to the north and the Xolapa complex to the south, and was amalgamated...  相似文献   

Hydrogeology and sustainable future groundwater abstraction from the Agua Verde aquifer in the Atacama Desert,northern Chile   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Javier Urrutia  Jorge Jódar  Agustín Medina  Christian Herrera  Guillermo Chong  Harry Urqueta  José A. Luque 《Hydrogeology Journal》2018,26(6):1989-2007

The hyper-arid conditions prevailing in Agua Verde aquifer in northern Chile make this system the most important water source for nearby towns and mining industries. Due to the growing demand for water in this region, recharge is investigated along with the impact of intense pumping activity in this aquifer. A conceptual model of the hydrogeological system is developed and implemented into a two-dimensional groundwater-flow numerical model. To assess the impact of climate change and groundwater extraction, several scenarios are simulated considering variations in both aquifer recharge and withdrawals. The estimated average groundwater lateral recharge from Precordillera (pre-mountain range) is about 4,482 m³/day. The scenarios that consider an increase of water withdrawal show a non-sustainable groundwater consumption leading to an over-exploitation of the resource, because the outflows surpasses inflows, causing storage depletion. The greater the depletion, the larger the impact of recharge reduction caused by the considered future climate change. This result indicates that the combined effects of such factors may have a severe impact on groundwater availability as found in other groundwater-dependent regions located in arid environments. Furthermore, the scenarios that consider a reduction of the extraction flow rate show that it may be possible to partially alleviate the damage already caused to the aquifer by the continuous extractions since 1974, and it can partially counteract climate change impacts on future groundwater availability caused by a decrease in precipitation (and so in recharge), if the desalination plant in Taltal increases its capacity.  相似文献