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The object of this study are hillslopes of the Vis island. The slopes can be defined as relief surfaces determined by geographical position, slope inclination (related with horizontal surface) and slope aspect. Recent slope shapes can be defined as result of series of natural and anthropogenic factors during relief genesis and evolution. It is possible to correlate slope characteristics with geological structure and other natural geographic features (climate, soils, vegetation etc.) using geomorphometrical analysis. The main aims of this study are: a) analysis of morphometrical relief indicators (hypsometry, slope inclination and slope aspect), b) analysis of relationships between morphometrical indicators, and c) analysis of relatioships between morphometrical parameters, structural and lithological features, in order to gain more detailed understanding of exogeomorphological and morphostructural features of the investigated area. The final intention is to assess extent and intensity of dominant geomorphological processes. Special attention was given to detailed geomorphometrical analysis of morphostructures of Vis island in GIS environment based on DMR. Applied geomorphometrical relief analysis included use of different methods for precise calculation of numerical relief parameters of investigated area, which enabled mutual comparison of specified parameters and comparison with maps of tectonic units and lithology. The aim of this approach is more exact analysis and interpretation of morphometrical relief parameters as indicators of characteristics of endogenous and exogenous processes in the investigated area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of its general morphological and morphostructural characteristics it is possible to distinguish several parts of Vis island: northern, central and southern ridge and northern and southern valley, which are elongated in W (WSW) - E (ENE) direction. Morphologically, most prominent are the southern valley (bigger, built of karst poljes and economically more important) and ridge which dominates the central part of the island. Carbonate foundation of the Vis island is restructured by tectonics, and sea level rise of 120 m after the last ice age gave the island its recent contours. Cracked carbonate rocks, which were exposed to different climatic and biological processes, were the foundation of karst relief formation. Exogenous destructive and accumulative processes (karst, fluvio-karst, derasional and abrasional) have formed the final appearance of Vis island. The material which had been washed away from slopes or eroded by paleostreams activity accumulated in morphological depressions in interior part of the island, while along the coastline it was washed away or restructured as beach sediments by wave activity. Vast areas of more or less steep slopes were transformed by anthropogenic activity, or to be more precise, by terracing for grapevine cultivation. Dry stonewalls, which had the function of retention of the soil on the steeper parts of the slopes, served as a supporting element for terraced plots. Today, because of their greatly reduced function, vast areas of terraced poljes on hill-slopes are becoming overgrown and dry stonewalls are collapsing because they are not under maintenance anymore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basic assumption of this paper is that the relationship between geological basics, geomorphological and pedological characteristics, with structural features of the natural and cultural landscape can serve as a criterion to determine landscape typology with respect to sensitivity to natural processes and anthropogenic influences. Karst natural and cultural landscape of Vis Island, continuously developed under the influence of traditional agriculture, transformed Vis Island into landscape of unique identity and relevance in the wider context of the Adriatic and the Mediterranean. Its characteristics are significant typological variations, authenticity and interdependence of natural and cultivated landscape structure, which makes significant difference respective to appearances of natural and human environment on other Adriatic islands. In this paper character and scope of the impact of natural and social features of the landscape were assessed and sensitivity of areas to existing and potential adverse natural and anthropogenic influences was estimated. This is especially important due to the fact that in the future the island of Vis can expect significant transformation of natural and cultural landscape, as a result of synergic effect of recent natural and social processes. The last are represented through the stronger trend of abandonment of agricultural land, parallel with the spreading of tourism and related activity which leaves the consequences on the natural and cultural landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]