Geographia Polonica (2020) vol. 93, iss. 1

Durability of forest cover in the Ochotnica Valley (Gorce Mts.) and in the Solinka Valley (Bieszczady Mts.) in the 18th-21st centuries

Janusz Godziek, Bartłomiej Szypuła

Geographia Polonica (2020) vol. 93, iss. 1, pp. 69-88 | Full text
doi: https://doi.org/10.7163/GPol.0163

Abstract

Forests in the Carpathians are increasing their range mainly due to the expansion in former agricultural areas. In this study conducted for two valleys (88 and 69 km²) topographical maps from 18th to 20th century and an orthophotomap were used in order to determine the durability of forest cover. This durability is understoodas the period of time during which a given area was presumably occupied by forest. A digital elevation model (DEM) and a digital surface model (DSM) of 1x1m resolution were applied to investigate the relationshipbetween forest cover durability and altitude, slope, aspect and the mean height of trees. The variety of spatial structure of forest cover durability results mainly from the differences of the examined valleys accessibility. Positive correlation between forest cover durability and the mean height of trees and altitude found for both valleys. A directly proportional relationship between forest cover durability and slopes also occurs in the Solinka Valley.

Keywords: forest cover durability, Forest cover, Bieszczady Mts., Gorce Mts., digital elevation model, digital surface model, cartographic analysis

Janusz Godziek [j.godziek23@gmail.com (corresponding author)], Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Earth Sciences University of Silesia in Katowice Będzińska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec: Poland
Bartłomiej Szypuła [bartlomiej.szypula@us.edu.pl], Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Earth Sciences University of Silesia in Katowice Będzińska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec: Poland