Geographia Polonica (1978) vol. 41

Potential for change in the water cycle on cultivated slopes

January Słupik

Geographia Polonica (1978) vol. 41, pp. 55-62 | Full text

Abstract

Land use is one of the important factors which differentiate both the quan-titative and qualitative water cycle structures in the soil. The term land use refers to the spatial arrangement of both vegetation cover and the agricultural activities of man. The knowledge of relationships between soil water cycle and land use makes it possible to determine the impact of man on the water cycle and to control the soil water cycle by rational land use.The above problem is discussed by taking as example the results of conti-nuous measurements at Szymbark in the flysch Carpathians. The study area is situated on the boundary of two major relief types: the Carpathian Foothills and the Beskidy Mts. (Beskid Niski, L. Starkel, 1973). In the Foothill region, slopes consist of flysch series with prevailing shales on which loamy soils have developed. Slopes are occupied by cultivated land. The forested Beskidian slopes are mostly made up of flysch sandstone and have loamy soils with high frequencies of skeletal particles. Forests are still in their natural state there (J. Staszkiewicz, 1973).

January Słupik, Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Św. Jana 22, 31-018 Kraków, Poland