Geographia Polonica (2006) vol. 79, iss. 1

Abstract

This study examines the propositions that: 1. in high-mountain areas, the differentiationof vegetation units at the landscape (supra-ecosystem) scale is closely linked to variations in thegeomorphology of slopes and valley bottoms across various morphodynamic units; 2. morphodynamicunits constitute the natural boundaries of the vegetation-related landscape units; 3. differenttypes of geomorphological unit at the landscape scale are characterized by the vegetationtypes growing on them. These propositions were tested by comparing overlays of digital maps ofvegetation and geomorphology. A characteristic combination of plant communities was determinedfor each of the five types of morphodynamic unit identified.

Keywords: geomorphology, morphodynamic units, vegetation, landscape units, vegetation-relief links, Tatra Mountains, Poland

Anna Kozłowska [a.kozl@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland
Zofia Rączkowska [raczk@zg.pan.krakow.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Św. Jana 22, 31-018 Kraków, Poland

Abstract

This article presents vegetation mapping in Norway, with special emphasis on the mainoperational survey mapping system used by the Norwegian Institute of Land Inventory. A vegetationmap prepared with this system is used to predict regrowth of forest following the abandonmentof land use in a mountainous area of south-eastern Norway. Logging, outfield foddercollection and domestic grazing connected to summer dairy farming have been markedly reducedin the last few decades. Possible effects of changed climate on the upper potential forest-limitsare also predicted. The results make it clear that a large area in the sub-alpine summer dairy farmlandscape is exposed to regrowth after abandonment of land use. Forest advance often attributedto climate change is also shown to be the product of regrowth due to reduced land use. A preliminaryeffort is made to separate the effects of present regrowth from future climate change, as ameans of understanding the processes underpinning landscape changes.

Keywords: vegetation mapping, regrowth and climate scenarios, mountainous areas, land-use changes, summer dairy farming, Norway, forest-limit

Anders Bryn, Norwegian Institute of Land Inventory (NIJOS) Post office box 115 1430 Ås, Norway

Abstract

This paper presents: (1) a method by which to forecast future states of ecosystems onthe basis of deterministic models of development pathways, (2) necessary data to achieve this,and (3) an application of the above method to Poland’s Bory Tucholskie National Park. The threerequired datasets to predict vegetational states were a complex digital map of potential 1 and actualvegetation, scenarios concerning future anthropogenic impacts on vegetation and habitats,and general models of vegetation development. The chosen study area is shown to feature processesof vegetation transformation, such as degeneration, regeneration, restitution, succession,slow evolution from type to type, stabilization and fluctuation. The three scenarios applied entailed:(1) the development of plant communities in conditions of a stable habitat and persistenthuman impact; (2) fully spontaneous 2 development of vegetation in unchanged habitats and freeof human impact; (3) full achievement of a conservation plan’s recommendations. The resultsof modelling future states of vegetation show that regeneration and evolution will prevail as aresult of the first and second scenarios, resulting in noticeable changes in spatial and typologicaldiversity of vegetation, whilst regeneration and stabilization will be dominant processes accordingto the third scenario.

Keywords: potential vegetation, actual vegetation, dynamic circles of substitute communities, forecast, vegetation dynamics, National Park, Poland

Jan Marek Matuszkiewicz [jan.mat@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland
Jerzy Solon [j.solon@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland

Abstract

This paper concerns the relationships between potential natural vegetation and geomorphologicalforms. The study area covers a fragment of the Vistula river valley for which unitsof potential vegetation were identified and a digital vegetation map constructed. Correlations betweenthe potential natural vegetation and geomorphological forms were analyzed, and generalconclusions drawn in regard to the geomorphology of the valley (beyond the range of the detailedmap). Some changes to the general map have also been proposed and a hypothesis on the presenceof an ‘island’ of Pleistocene deposits within the Holocene valley advanced.

Keywords: potential natural vegetation, Holocene valley of the Vistula, terraces, Pleistocene deposits

Jan Marek Matuszkiewicz [jan.mat@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland

Abstract

This paper concerns the extent and causes of spatial and temporal land-use changesongoing in different habitats of the Vistula River valley in central Poland. The study area extendsalong that valley between the city of Warsaw and Włocławek, while the study period spans about150 years. The analysis was based on digital topographical maps from the 19th and 20th centuries,as well as a potential vegetation map. The history of land-use change was shown to be different ineach habitat in the study area, while the character of land-use and direction of changes that didarise were mostly determined by habitat conditions.

Keywords: map of potential vegetation, historical land-use changes, habitat diversity, digital map analysis, Vistula River valley

Anna Kowalska [aniak@twarda.pan.pl], Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00‑818 Warszawa, Poland