Geographia Polonica (2021) vol. 94, iss. 1

Abstract

The impact of a dispersed settlement on the changes of the land cover (LC) and landscape diversity (LDI) in the years 1950, 1986 and 2016 was analyzed on four spatially different levels: on the level of the whole cadastral area, 60 circular areas – hinterlands of hamlets, 15 circular areas in agricultural land outside hamlets and areas outside circular areas. The primary hypothesis that the landscape with a dispersed settlement is internally differentiated in terms of LC and LDI changes and that a dispersed settlement itself is an important driving force of these changes has been confirmed.

Keywords: dispersed settlement, hamlets, land cover change, landscape diversity, Slovak Republic, Hrušov

Ján Hanušin [hanusin@savba.sk], Institute of Geography Slovak Academy of Sciences Štefánikova 49, 814 73 Bratislava: Slovak Republic

Abstract

The increase of geomorphological research during the last decades in the Gorce Mts. caused the need for state-of-art review papers. The Gorce Mountains were formed as an isolated massif with Mt Turbacz (1310 m a.s.l.) as the highest summit. River channels are remodeled by sudden and high-level floods with the critical impact of log jams. The main processes influencing hillslope relief were landsliding, run-off, and tree uprooting. The review suggests the following issues await for studies: a long-term landscape evolution, monitoring of morphogenetic processes, and origin of landslides with their contribution to denudation rates. Also,current biomorphodynamics (uprooting process) has not been sufficiently studied.

Keywords: Geomorphology, relief, landslides, hillslope processes, fluvial processes, human impact, biomorphodynamics

Paweł Kroch [pawel.kroh@up.krakow.pl], Institute of Geography Pedagogical University of Krakow Podchorążych 2, 30-084 Krakow: Poland
Łukasz Pawlik [lukasz.pawlik@us.edu.pl], Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Earth Sciences University of Silesia Będzińska 60, 42-200 Sosnowiec: Poland

Abstract

Recently Montenegro has often been faced with extreme weather events. The aim of this paper is to provide a detailed synoptic analysis of a severe weather event, a waterspout, and to confirm an indication that in most cases such events could potentially be forecasted, which is of great practical significance, since human lives and property can be saved. The paper presents the research results of synoptic and mesoscale weather conditions which created a favourable meteorological environment for a waterspout development in Tivat (Montenegrin coast) on June 9, 2018, around 01 UTC (03 CET). Based on field survey analysis, the rating of tornado intensity by the Fujita scale (F-scale) has been done by assessing the damage. The synoptic type for this situation was CLOSED-SW and was determined by a detailed examination of atmospheric circulation. The results presented in the manuscript can help decision makers in Montenegro to take certain adaptation measures (above all, in tourism and construction) in order to mitigate the negative consequences of weather extremes.

Keywords: extreme weather, waterspout, synoptic conditions, Tivat, Adriatic Sea, Montenegro

Jovan Mihajlović [millennijum@hotmail.com], Faculty of Geography University of Belgrade Studentski trg 3/3, 11000 Belgrade: Serbia
Dragan Burić [dragan.buric@meteo.co.me], Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Geography University of Montenegro Danila Bojovica bb, 81400 Nikšić: Montenegro
Vladan Ducić [vladanducic@yahoo.com], Faculty of Geography University of Belgrade Studentski trg 3/3, 11000 Belgrade: Serbia
Milan Milenković [milenkovic011@gmail.com], Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić“ Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts Djure Jakšića 9, 11000 Belgrade: Serbia

Abstract

In the Northeast Himalayas (NEH) region, four major conventional land-use types are forest, Jhum lands,fallow Jhum lands and plantations, but little is known about their sustainability and responses to changes. We collected soil samples at two uniform depths (0-15 and 15-30 cm) from the Zunheboto district of Nagaland (India). The dataset was statistically analyzed by conducting an ANOVA-one way, principal component analysis (PCA) and calculating an additive soil quality index (SQIa). Our results confirmed that sand content, bulk density (BD), porosity, soil organic carbon (SOC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable calcium and potassium showed significant statistical differences among soil depths depending on the land use management. PCA results showed that soil texture, BD, porosity, SOC and exchangeable cations could be considered the major indicators to define soil quality. After estimating the SQIa, Jhum soils showed the highest valuesat the surface, while at 15-30 cm soil depth, fallow Jhum soils phase showed the highest ones. The conversion from natural forest to plantation does not hamper the SQ, but their conversion into Jhum may even increaseit, for a shorter duration. However, after 1-2 year of cultivation and conversion from Jhum into fallow Jhumland, soil quality could be reduced.

Keywords: land use management, Forests, cropland, soil quality, Northeast Himalayas

Gaurav Mishra [gaurav.mishra215@gmail.com], Rain Forest Research Institute Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education 785001 Jorhat, Assam: India
Jesús Rodrigo-Comino [jesus.rodrigo@uv.es], Department of Physical Geography University of Trier 54296 Trier: Germany; Soil Erosion and Degradation Research Group Department of Geography, University of Valencia Blasco Ibàñez, 28, 46010 Valencia: Spain

Abstract

The localization of Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) as a potential heat risk for the urban population was evaluated. The paper aimed to propose an approach to quantify and localize (SUHI) based on Landsat series TM, ETM+, OLI satellite imageries from the period 1996-2018 and recognize the Atmospheric Urban HeatIsland (AUHI) effects from long term temperature measurements. Using the theoretical relation between the Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the LST (Land Surface Temperature), SUHI intensity and SUHI risk maps were created from the combination of LST, NDVI, NDBI using threshold values to localize urban heat island in the Katowice conurbation. Negative valuesof SUHI intensity characterize areas where there is no vegetation, highly built-up areas, and areas with high surface temperatures. The urban grow – revealed from SUHI – and global climate change are acting togetherto strengthen the global AUHI effect in the region as the temperature measurements were indicated.

Keywords: NDVI, NDBI, Land Surface Temperature (LST), Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI)

Ádám Nádudvari [adam.nadudvari@us.edu.pl], Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Silesia Będzińska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec: Poland

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate the evolution of rainfall and flow in the Bouregreg watershed, and to identify the most vulnerable regions to climate change over a period of 36 years from 1977 to 2013. Results show significant variations between these sub-regions in term of monthly flows and monthly regimes. January and February rainfall amounts are the most affected by the reduction of rainfall since the drought started end of the 1970’s, inducing a reduction of flows at all hydrological stations mainly since 1979. The year 1996 shows very high precipitations over all sub-basins, and also separates two periods with different rainfall time series variations according to two regions over the basin: the region of the Tsalat sub-basin in the Southeast wet and mountainous area (Middle Atlas) shows a durable decrease of rainfall compared to the Ain Loudah sub-basin in the Center-West semi-arid plateau area.

Keywords: climate change, rainfall, standardized index, rupture, watershed, Bouregreg, Morocco

Rajae El Aoula [elaoula.rajae@gmail.com], Research center of GEOPAC, Geophysical laboratory and Natural Hazard University of Mohammed V in Rabat, Scientific Institute Morocco Rabat: Morocco
Gil Mahe [gilmahe@hotmail.com], UMR HydroSciences Montpellier IRD: France
Nadia Mhammdi [nmhammdif@yahoo.com], Research center of GEOPAC, Geophysical laboratory and Natural Hazard University of Mohammed V in Rabat, Scientific Institute Morocco Rabat: Morocco
Abdellatif Ezzahouani [gmezzahouani@gmail.com], Water center, Natural resources, Environment and sustainable development Laboratory of Geoscience, Water and Environment University of Mohammed V in Rabat Rabat: Morocco
Ilias Kacimi, Water center, Natural resources, Environment and sustainable development Laboratory of Geoscience, Water and Environment University of Mohammed V in Rabat Rabat: Morocco
Kenza Khomsi [k.khomsi@gmail.com], National Directorate of Meteorology Casablanca: Morocco