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The aim of this research was to recognize the role of landslides and lithology in determining the within-year variability of stream runoff in small forested catchments. The research was conducted in 2022 in three areas located in the Outer Carpathians (Poland). In each of three areas, two small catchments were selected: a catchment with landslides and a control catchment. The presence of landslides increases the within-year variability of stream runoff: the degree of increase depends on the lithology of the catchment and the properties of landslides. These two factors determine the water storage capacity of the catchments. The greatest variability in stream runoff occurs in the catchment where impermeable shale dominates in lithology and landslides are numerous but relatively small. Smaller differences occur in the catchment mainly formed of thin-bedded sandstone, where there is one medium-sized landslide covering about 30% of the catchment area. The smallest differences occur in the catchment formed mainly of thick-bedded sandstone, where the entire landslide catchment is found within one large landslide. The size of landslides determines their depth, and consequently, the depth of landslide fissures: the deeper the system of landslide fissures, the longer the water transit time, and the greater the catchment storage capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variability of food resources considerably affects the habitat preferences of animals. In mast years, the availability of highly nutritive food increases significantly. We tested whether changes in the distribution of the areas of wisents, Bison bonasus L. concentration, in the Bieszczady Mountains, Poland, were connected with the availability of beechnuts. In the two beech masting years of 2013 and 2022, we considered the months with the highest availability of beechnuts, namely September and October. The beechnut crop varied significantly between as little as 2.4 g dry matter/m2, recorded within the Baligród herd's home range in 2013, and up to 238.8 g dry matter/m2 within the Tworylne herd's range, also in 2013. The analysis of the spatial distribution of beech stands within various parts of the wisents' home range showed that within the 95% kernel area, their share was mostly high, varying between 25.7% and 42.8%. Meanwhile, within the 50% kernel area, it was generally much lower, except for the year 2022 in the case of the Baligród herd. The densities of wisents varied significantly between the kernel areas of 95% and 50%, ranging between 0.04 and 0.08 animals/ha and 0.17 and 0.48 animals/ha, respectively. However, there was no statistical difference between the figures for all plots tested within the home range of the wisent population and plots dominated by beech. Based on the data obtained in this study, habitat selection patterns of wisents in the Bieszczady Mountains cannot be explained by the availability of beech stands and the phenomenon of mast years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical land use reconstructions help to assess climate change, interactions between ecosystems and human and strengthen the knowledge about these interactions. They are conducted on the basis of historical maps that only cover certain areas. Hence, there is a need to seek other maps enabling historical land use to be reconstructed. The aim of study is to assess the suitability of contemporary maps for reconstructing a historical non-forest area range in the Western Carpathians. The content of contemporary maps was compared with that of historical maps, including the number of glades, their area and the length of their boundaries. Over 60% of glades were reconstructed, which is 90% of the glade area inventoried based on historical maps. Over 50% glades with an area of less than 1ha were not reconstructed. However, the area they occupy does not account for 2% of the total glade area. Thus, it has no significant impact on the total area of the reconstructed glades. As much as 90% of the boundaries' length was reconstructed. The study shows that contemporary maps may be useful in reconstructing the forest and glades range and may be an additional source of information to verify the content of historical maps. • Contemporary maps are useful to reconstruct the historical land cover. • Reconstructing the land cover forms area gives better results than their boundaries. • Invariability of the plot structure make it easier to reconstruct past land use. • Large land fragmentation make it easier to reconstruct past land use. • Spatial range of different plots indicates the maximal range of past deforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ponds are common freshwater habitats in the European landscape that substantially contribute to local and regional biodiversity. Chironomids often dominate invertebrate communities in ponds but are usually disregarded in ecological studies due to relatively complicated taxonomy and identification issues. We present a comprehensive overview of the chironomid diversity in 246 ponds spanning a wide range of conditions extending from the Pannonian Plain to the Carpathians. Altogether, we recorded 225 taxa including 192 species from six subfamilies (Podonominae, Tanypodinae, Diamesinae, Prodiamesinae, Orthocladiinae and Chironominae). However, the chironomid taxa inventory is far from complete and about 16% of the total diversity of pond‐dwelling chironomids remains undetected. Chironomid alpha diversity showed a significant unimodal pattern along the elevation gradient with the highest number of taxa per pond expected around 790 m a.s.l. Gamma diversity also peaked in mid‐elevations (600–800 m), and the common chironomid taxa partitioned the 2100‐m long altitudinal gradient relatively evenly. The heterogeneity of chironomid communities among ponds measured as beta diversity was significantly higher in elevations below 800 m. Temperature and the proportion of surrounding forests significantly influenced alpha diversity of chironomid communities, while urban land cover and pond size had no significant effect. Ponds with a mean annual air temperature of approximately 4.8°C and a low proportion of surrounding forests are expected to harbour the most diverse chironomid communities. Our study showed that chironomids represent a very diverse and often exceptionally rich group of pond‐dwelling macroinvertebrates. Given the high diversity and broad range of occupied niches, chironomids should not be overlooked in pond ecology studies. On the contrary, they should be considered a potential model group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge about changes occurring in the genetic structure of populations is extremely important in the case of endangered species. Research studies conducted in space and time allow us to identify factors that are influencing gene flow. Especially in the case of species occurring in the form of dispersed, more or less isolated populations, this is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies. The Carpathians are one of the most important capercaillies stronghold in Central Europe. The population here is fragmented, and at least, some groups of birds are small and isolated. This study aimed to determine whether the genetic structure of the capercaillie in the Polish part of the Carpathians has changed over the last decade. The research was conducted in three Polish national parks: Babia Góra National Park (BAB), Gorce (GOR) and Tatra (TAT). A total of over 1,300 non-invasive samples were collected for genetic analyses in two periods: 2010–2013 and 2021–2022. Individuals were identified using microsatellite markers. It was found that during the research period, there were approximately 200 capercaillie individuals in the Parks. The level of genetic variability in individual strongholds has not changed significantly. However, traces of a new gene pool were found in BAB, which could have appeared from other areas of the Carpathians where the species is being reintroduced. GOR shows features of a sink population: low genetic variability, low number of individuals and gradual decline in emigration. During the period covered by the study, the genetic structure has changed little: the studied strongholds are partially genetically isolated, but gene flow between BAB and GOR appears to be increasingly limited. TAT is a hybrid and transition zone for gene flow between smaller strongholds. The results emphasize the importance of areas with stable, numerous populations for the survival of smaller, peripheral groups of the capercaillie in mountain areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Res Historica is the property of Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the Second Republic of Poland, the Hutsul region was shown as a semi-wild, picturesque land, shrouded in folk mythology and magic. It was perceived as a center of life unspoiled by civilization, possessing great energy and spontaneity. A specific stereotype of the Hutsul region as an idealized land has developed, where the best qualities that characterize the area, people, and tradition have merged into a very attractive model of social life. The values of the Hutsul region were revealed to Poles in various areas of social interest such as tourism, art or travel

Here we present the first reliable record of the rare Hyperoscelis veternosa Mamaev and Krivosheina, 1969 from the headwaters area of the Some?ul River, Apuseni Natural Park, Romania. Species level identification was made by detailed examination of the single female genitalia, supported by DNA barcode data. The new finding confirms the presence of the species in Romania, whereas a very old, single and doubtful record from the Bucharest area dates back to 1900 needs further confirmation. The presence of the second species of genus Hyperoscelis from Romania is of high conservation value, and confirm the persistence of a relict biodiversity of an old-growth forests-spot in the Carpathians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming affects, among many other things, groundwater recharge conditions. Over recent decades, this phenomenon in the Carpathians has been emphasized by the changing role of snowmelt recharge in winter and spring. The aim of the study was to assess baseflow trends in 20 medium-sized Carpathian catchments in Poland and Slovakia. The baseflow was calculated using Eckhardt's digital filter. The trend analysis was performed using the non-parametric method separately for the series representing the baseflow throughout the whole year, and separately for seasons. The most evident changes were noted for the low baseflow in the summer and autumn, especially in foothill catchments. Statistically significant decreases in the low daily baseflow were expressed as a relative change, and ranged from −9% to −66% per 10 years for the summer, and from −12% to −82% per 10 years for the autumn. In winter and spring, trends in the low baseflow were not significant, except in high mountain catchments where 14% of increases in the low baseflow were noted in the winter and spring. The results indicate the changing role of snowmelt recharge in the Carpathians and the increasing problem of groundwater depletion in the summer and autumn, mainly in foothill areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The highlands of the Ukrainian Carpathians belong to the territories with the highest concentration of rare species and coenotic diversity in Ukraine. Due to highland ecosystem transformation, a large number of populations and communities of rare species are under the threat of degradation and elimination. Climate change. At present, effective growth and development of plants begins 2–3 weeks earlier compared to the 1980–90s. Sharp seasonal distribution of precipitation causes negative changes in the highland water-body hydrology regime affecting freshwater populations of plankton crustaceans and amphibians. Demutative successions. During the first 10–20 years of the succession its influence on the structure and vitality of the majority of rare species populations is mostly positive, but 30–40 year-long demutations usually cause negative dynamics. Overgro­wing results in the simplification of spatial structure and fragmentation, as well as decreasing of population density, disappearing of rare species from the community structure. Active protection measures should be locally implemented in protected territories: traditional type of grazing, mowing, and shrub or tree cutting in the cases of protection of extremely rare phytocoenoses and populations. Anthropogenic impact. Intensive recreation pressure causes digressive changes in numerous communities, which are located along the popular tourist paths to the glacial lakes, mountain summits etc. Unfortunately, the systematic violation of the protection regime in the highland zone of the Ukrainian Carpathians is obvious nowadays. Gathering medicinal and ornamental species poses a serious threat. Uncontrolled increase in the number of recreants in the highland areas for the last 5 years has destroyed its aquatic ecosystems more than in the previous 30–40 years. Usage of vehicles for recreation purposes (4×4, quads and motorcycles) refers to significant destructive factors for highland ecosystems. Protection measures. Population conservation and revival of communities is usually possible under the condition of moderate and short-term anthropogenic pressure. The visiting regime of the most popular highland sites must be put under control immediately, while mass ascensions must be completely forbidden.

The article examines the features of non-agricultural development in rural areas based on the research materials on rural entrepreneurship in the foothills and mountainous areas of the Ukrainian Carpathians, in particular in Lviv region. The methodological basis of the research consists of comparison, analogies, analysis and synthesis methods, process and system approaches etc. During the research the entrepreneurs’ sociological survey was conducted. As a result of the research a range of problems that inhibit the effective development of mountainous and foothills areas and the factors that complicate the formation and effective use of the entrepreneurship intellectual and personnel potential in the specified region are identified. The directions of non-agricultural entrepreneurship diversification are determined (namely tourist, accommodation, recreational, trade, transport and other services as well as folk crafts), and the expediency and advantages of the rural tourism development on the territory of the Ukrainian Carpathians and the foothills are substantiated. The motivational aspects of entrepreneurial activity in the rural tourism field are considered. It can be concluded that non-agricultural activity is one of the most important elements of rural residents’ alternative incomes and the intensification of economic activity in rural areas (in particular, foothills and mountainous). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abandonment of cultivation particularly applies to mountainous areas, characterized as less-favorable areas. In addition to natural conditions, changes in land use are also influenced by socioeconomic factors and systemic transformations. One factor that affected the agriculture of post-socialist countries in Europe was their accession to the European Union. A study of changes in land use that occurred during this period can thus offer interesting insights related to the contemporary landscaping process. To this end, this research analyzes Dukla, a small commune located in the Polish Carpathians for which land-use maps were made based on aerial imagery. These maps recorded the landscape just before Poland's accession to the European Union in 2003, and its current status as recorded in 2018. Abandoned land area was found to have decreased by 17% in the studied region over that time, with a simultaneous 12% decline in agricultural land area. In contrast, forest and settlement area had increased. In this commune, a clear division was seen between the foothills area, with distinct increase in the area of abandoned land; and the mountainous region, characterized by a decrease in abandoned land. It seems that in mountainous areas, the lack of potential for a non-agricultural livelihood induced farmers to restore abandoned fields. The analysis conducted also showed a reduced impact of environmental factors on abandoned land area. In 2003, this parameter was affected by topography, distance from forest, and soil quality; while in 2018, this only correlated to topography. [Display omitted] • The changes in land use after Poland's accession to the European Union were studied. • Opposite trends in land use in the foothills and in the mountains were found. • In the mountains, farmers started to use abandoned fields again. • In the foothills, the area of abandoned and forest land increased. • Environmental conditions played smaller role in land use transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sisyrinchium montanum is a perennial herb native to North America, introduced in Europe and considered weedy in many countries here. In Central Europe, it grows predominantly in the Eastern Carpathians in road verges, wet meadows and fens. The paper summarizes the occurrence in Slovakia within the whole of the Carpathians. The first report in Slovakia was dated back to 1931. In the western part of the country the species can be considered only a casual and a short-term one. In the eastern part, the Bukovské vrchy Mts and the eastern part of the Vihorlat Mts seem to be the centre of its naturalisation with clearly spreading along the forest roads. In the territory of Slovakia the species prefers sunny and open places, mostly the wet ones and it colonizes abandoned forest wood warehouses, forest clearings and wet meadows and fens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Carpathian Mountains have for centuries remained a fundamentally border region, split in many ways and, at the same time, subject to unifying metaphorical re-conceptualisations. The article has the goal of contributing the identification of the structural role of the imagined Carpathians in intra-regional and wider-scale exchange definition, and, consequently, their perception by internal and external actors. One therefore reviews the conditions nurturing the discourses of backwardness and progress as well as transition and in-between-ness of the Carpathian area. The article suggests to rely on the post-colonialist perspective to ground and to problematise the exploration of the discursive elements supporting liminality production and perpetuation. Being chiefly interested in the applied aspect of that scheme, the study looks at the liminality discourse as an example of frame-setting for international cooperation in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cessation of most human activities resulting from post‐World War II expulsions and forced displacements in Central Europe triggered massive land cover transformation in mountainous areas. However, many pre‐War traces of past landscapes have survived—imprinted in microtopography—in permanently abandoned villages. Currently, they constitute unique cultural heritage of communities no longer in existence. Our main goal was therefore to reconstruct a lost cultural landscape of mountain villages abandoned after World War II (WWII). The case study area comprised three such villages located in southern Poland, two in the Carpathians and one in the Sudetes. We used the national airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) dataset combined with archival cadastral maps and field survey to detect man‐made microtopographic features related to past boundaries, road network, agriculture and buildings and to interpret them in the landscape context. We demonstrated that the pre‐War human footprint left in relief was shaped largely by past landownership divisions, land use and environmental constraints (related to lithology, soils and topography). Our secondary goal was to assess the value and application opportunities of LiDAR in reconstructing past landscapes. We showed that 38–70% of non‐natural parcel boundaries and 65–79% of roads marked on mid‐19th‐century cadastral maps are still detectable using LiDAR. Therefore, we argue that the past landscape pattern, originating in late Middle Ages and subsequently transformed prior to WWII, remains well preserved in the relief and that LiDAR is an effective tool to reconstruct a past landscape of mountain villages abandoned after WWII. We also confirmed that customized LiDAR visualizations are more informative than ready‐to‐use shaded digital elevation models (DEMs), in particular when integrated with cadastral and field‐based data. We conclude that the greatest advantage of LiDAR is the capacity to provide a landscape context for isolated traces of past human activity, allowing for the reconstruction of entire spatial patterns and interrelationships developed by past societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reveals the content and methods of acquainting students with the peculiarities of the sacred art of the Carpathians as an important professional training of future artists. For students majoring in 023 "Fine Arts, Decorative Arts, Restoration" we provide a selective course "Sacred Art of the Carpathians'' helping students to get to know various regional trends of sacred art. Students study the peculiarities of the Car pathians' wooden church architecture, the construction of wooden temples, the peculiarities of icon painting, the tradition of landscape and household crosses of the Carpathian region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carpathian shepherding, i.e., seasonal mountain cattle farming is an inseparable part of life in the highland of eastern Moravia and Silesia, regardless of the debate as to its origins and extent. It is possible to observe not only the blending of what were essentially mountain practices with the domestic peasant tradition, but also the use of this method of farming across social groups. In one lithograph by the well-known Moravian painter and graphic artist František Kalivoda (1824-1859), in the sheep pasture above Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, there is an unusually large structure, which is presumed to be a sheepshed. This has not yet been reflected in the ethnography of these lands. The research, which was based primarily on archival, ethnological and archaeological research, complements the well-known but very fragmentary facts about mountain farming under manorial management and reconstructs the architectural form of the building and its functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The publication contains a brief summary and results of the 4th International Magyar Symposium held on October 15-19, 2018 in the Kazan and Bolgar (the Republic of Tatarstan). The symposium was dedicated to the current issues of the history and culture of ancient Hungarians, and was attended by scientists from Russia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Moldova and Ukraine. It features a round table discussion of the results of anthropological and paleogenetic studies of Early Medieval ethnic groups. Symposium participants presented their reports on the issues of the origin and history of the Magyars reflecting the results of archaeological, linguistic, socio-anthropological and natural scientific research. The work of the symposium included the opening of the exhibition “Ugro-Magyars in the Volga-Ural Region: Legacy of the Past” at the National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan, which presents the materials obtained as a result of long-term research of Early Medieval Ugro-Magyar sites.

At the end of the 20th century, as the researchers became more convinced about the existence of the La Tène culture settlement zone in south-eastern Poland, there were more and more attempts at identifying the ethnicity of this population. Some of the researchers allowed for connecting the said settlement with the Anartophracti, known from Claudius Ptolemy' writings (Geography, III, 5, 8). However, in order to identify the La Tène culture population from south-eastern Poland with Ptolemy's Anartophracti, it is necessary to prove that Ptolemy's account concerned the peoples inhabiting the area of the upper San basin in the 3rd and possibly 2nd century B.C. It is thus necessary to prove that the geographical and chronological data are consistent. One more argument in support of the claim would be a proof that the name Anartophracti refers to a Celtic tribe. It would have to be also assumed a priori that the ethnonym of Anartophracti is not a duplicate of the name Anarti. In author's opinion, Ptolemy's writings do not allow to prove that the Anartophracti he mentions lived at the areas on the upper San river: they could have rather lived to the east or north-east of the Carpathians. Ptolemy's account is not clear enough to locate the Anartophractis' settlements. In author's opinion, Ptolemy's writings do not allow to prove that the Anartophracti he mentions lived at the areas on the upper San river: they could have rather lived to the east or north-east of the Carpathians. Ptolemy's account is not clear enough to locate the Anartophractis' settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) is the area where natural vegetation is close to housing and area of concern due to various negative consequences for humans and the environment including fire ignitions, landscape fragmentation and human-wildlife interactions. The WUI is a global phenomenon, and widespread in many countries but long-term WUI dynamics and the main factors causing WUI growth are unknown. Our goal was to assess WUI changes in the Polish Carpathians since the mid-19th century, based on high-resolution spatial data for 1860s, 1970s and 2013. We found that WUI covered already 30% of the study area in the 1860s but grew to cover nearly half by 2013, especially at lower elevations. Detailed analysis of WUI determinants confirmed the areas closer to regional administrative centres or located on steep slopes were more WUI-prone. Tourist trail density also fostered WUI occurrence. We conclude that in Central Europe, with a long history of human settlements and agricultural activities, WUI has been a persistent landscape feature for centuries, but increased in area in recent decades due to widespread abandonment of agricultural land combined with development of new residential areas. • 150-year period of WUI development in the Polish Carpathians was conducted. • WUI spatial determinants were assessed. • WUI grew from more than 30% in 1860s to nearly 49% in 2013. • WUI was very persistent over time. • Both housing growth and forest cover increase were responsible for WUI occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A viewshed analysis is of great importance in mountainous areas characterized by high landscape values. The aim of this research was to determine the impact of reforestation occurring on former pasturelands on changes in the viewshed, and to quantify changes in the surface of glades. We combine a horizontal and a vertical approach to landscape analysis. The changes in non-forest areas and the viewshed from viewpoints located in glades were calculated using historical cartographic materials and a more recent Digital Elevation Model and Digital Surface Model. An analysis was conducted using a Visibility tool in ArcGIS. The non-forest areas decreased in the period 1848–2015. The viewshed in the majority of viewpoints also decreased in the period 1848–2015. In the majority of cases, the maximal viewsheds were calculated in 1879/1885 and 1933 (43.8% of the analyzed cases), whereas the minimal ones were calculated in 2015 (almost 57.5% of analyzed cases). Changes in the viewshed range from 0.2 to 23.5 km2 with half the cases analyzed being no more than 1.4 km2. The results indicate that forest succession on abandoned glades does not always cause a decline in the viewshed. Deforestation in neighboring areas may be another factor that has an influence on the decline.

In ungauged catchments, flood hydrographs are usually simulated/reconstructed by simple rainfall-runoff and routing models. Horton’s and Schumm’s ratios serve as the input data for many of these models. In this paper, more than 800 Carpathian catchments (up to 35.2 km2 in area) were investigated in context of the “Horton’s and Schumm’s laws”. Results reveal that the “law of stream number” and “law of stream areas” are fulfilled in almost all catchments. The mean that values of the bifurcation ratio (RB) and the area ratio (RA) reach 3.8 and 4.8, respectively, and are thus comparable to values reported in other regions of the world. However, the “law of stream lengths” is not fulfilled in more than half of the catchments, which is not consistent with many theoretical studies reported in the literature. Only 383 (48%) catchments fulfill the “law of stream length”, with the mean value of the length ratio (RL)=2.3. There was no relationship found between the geological/geomorphological settings that influence river system development and the spatial distribution of catchments where the “law of stream length” was or was not was fulfilled. A similar conclusion was reached for the spatial distribution of the RB, RL, and RA ratios. These results confirmed that the use of Horton’s and Schumm’s ratios for the evaluation of the influence of geological/geomorphological settings on the river system development is limited. Among the lumped hydrological models, those requiring the RB, RL, and RA ratios have been extensively studied over last decades. This study suggests that the application of these models may be limited in small catchment areas; therefore, more attention should be placed on the development of hydrological models where the RB, RL, and RA ratios are not necessary.

Since the ancient times, the natural landscape has been shaped, more or less efficiently, in order to serve the human use, whether for agricultural uses (for example the terracing proces of steep slopes, such as in Machu Picchu) or for social, religious or cultural uses (a good example is the city of Setenil de las Bodegras, built underneath a rock). The interconnections between geomorphology and territorial planning have been determining for centuries the development of the human communities and also the characteristics and the means of construction of the buildings constituting them. These relations that are forming through time as geomorphological processes (landslides, erosion, deposition, mass movement) are more and more important to territorial planning as the altitude increases, so that the most affected areas are the highlands, the Subcarpathians and the Carpathians. In order to see the cause-effect relations between geomorphology and territorial planning, is it important to study in detail how the environment influenced through time the evolution of human settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in land use induced by human activity trigger a number of processes in river catchments. These processes are particularly evident in the mountains, where wild vegetation overtakes abandoned arable land, stabilizing slopes and reducing sediment delivery to rivers. The energy of under-loaded rivers then makes incisions into their beds, which results in lower water levels. What is the rate of environmental changes induced by farmland abandonment, and does the environment restore its primary characteristics through a certain inertia? To answer these questions, we analyzed changes in land use in the Jasiołka River catchment located in the Carpathians, based on topographic maps from three periods covering more than 60 years. We also compared data on land use change with changes in the water levels in the Jasiołka River using regression models and principal component analysis. In the period analyzed, substantial transformations of the landscape were evident, mainly caused by dislocation of the population during and after World War II and, to a lesser extent, by changes in the political system in Poland after 1989. All these events led to the reduction of the arable land area, along with the enlargement of forest areas. Before World War II, arable land was the prevailing form of land use, taking up an area almost twice as large as the forest. Currently, the area of arable and forest land combined in the catchment area analyzed is similar, at approximately 42%. The response of the river to the changes in land use in its upper course, the location of the greatest extent of changes in landscape, is triggered almost immediately, decreasing the mean water level. In the mouth of the river, these processes occurred over a different period of time: The river incision was not as intensive and ended nearly 30 years later. The investigations strongly correlated the changes in almost all landscape elements with processes occurring in the river channel. Therefore, even small landscape components such as settlements or gullies that can exert a significant effect on catchment functioning should not be disregarded in this type of analysis. Together with large areas of forest, they regulate processes occurring on the slope and in the river channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the outcomes of the uncertainty investigation of a long-term forest cover change analysis in the Polish Carpathians (nearly 20,000 km2) and Swiss Alps (nearly 10,000 km2) based on topographic maps. Following Leyk et al. (2005) all possible uncertainties are grouped into three domains - production-oriented, transformation- oriented and application-oriented. We show typical examples for each uncertainty domain, encountered during the forest cover change analysis and discuss consequences for change detection. Finally, a proposal for reliability assessment is presented.

Copyright of Dissertations of Cultural Landscape Commission / Prace Komisji Krajobrazu Kulturowego is the property of Polish Geographical Society (Cultural Landscape Commission) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Short-duration extreme rainfall and flash floods are the major natural hazards in small Carpathian catchments. Quantifying forcing rainfall, hydrological responses and geomorphological impacts is the key to mitigating the negative impacts of flash floods. This article focuses on the hydrometeorological aspects of a flood event, the geomorphological changes of hillslopes and the river valley, in the Kasiniczanka catchment-48 km (Outer Carpathians, Poland). Results revealed that the flood in 2014 was generated by 6-h rainstorm with a total of 95.2 mm, and the mean intensity ranging from 7.1 to 31.3 mm h. The flood peak ranged from 60 to 171 m s, and it was approximately two times higher than an 0.1% flood. The unit peak flow ranged between 3.6 and 4.6 m s km, and the K index (which is non-dimensional measure and allows the comparison of flood magnitudes in catchments of differing size), ranged from 3.9 to 4.1. These two measures revealed that this flood was among the worst, recorded in catchments ranging from 13 to 48 km in the Carpathians as a whole. The most significant geomorphological changes were observed in unmanaged channel reaches (the upper and middle parts of the catchment), contrary to lower part, where the river channel was protected by a hydrotechnical infrastructure. Flood analysis enabled the evaluation of the flood risk management process, related to flash floods in small catchments. In this context, some proposals to reduce flood risk level are presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents research findings related to recreational use of forests located in protected mountainous areas with forestage of over 80%. The study was designed to identify recreational potential of the Carpathian national parks (Bieszczady National Park, Babia Góra National Park, Gorce National Park and Magura National Park; southern Poland) and to compare these findings with the actual number of visitors. The information received on the recreational potential of parks is important from the point of view of protection of natural resources and the financial situation of the parks. The calculated ratio may be an effective tool of management for park administration, that allows to reconcile statutory social and protective functions of national parks. The study determined the recreational potential of the forests with the use of recreational valorisation method designed for areas with varied terrain, and the evaluated factors included the stands of trees with their habitat and land relief. The permissible number of national park visitors, expressed as manhour/ ha/year ranges from 19.31 in Bieszczady National Park (BG: 19º 35' E, 49º 35' N) to 32.06 in in Bieszczady National Park (B: 22º 40' E, 49º 10' N). In 3 out of 4 investigated parks, Magura National Park (M: 21°25' E, 49º 30' N), Gorce National Park (G: 20º 10' E, 49º 35' N), B) recreation carrying capacity was not exceeded, whether or not the strictly protected area is taken into account. Only in BG was the recreation carrying capacity exceeded by nearly 24%, or by 85% if the strictly protected area is excluded from tourism-related exploitation. The presented procedure for monitoring access to mountain forests in national parks, from the viewpoint of natural resources conservation, can be applied in other mountainous areas covered with forests and exposed to tourist and recreational traffic, and in forests facing particular risk of recreational damage, e.g. in urban and suburban forests growing in areas with varied orography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new to Poland species of a myxomycete, Arcyria marginoundulata, was found at two distant localities in the southern part of the country. Polish specimens are typical and have all important features characteristic of the species: minute, grey, stipitate sporocarps, calyculus concentrically plicate at margin, spiny capillitium and small spores covered with few irregularly distributed larger warts. The species was found growing on alder female catkins. It seems that this substrate is specific for A. marginoundulata in Europe.

By transition process, which is presented in the Republic of Serbia for many years, rural areas are also covered in great extent. Changes in national agricultural policy, in terms of orientation towards rural development and multifunctional agriculture, have led to situation that process of development must involve all stakeholders, from governmental institutions, via local community, to population of rural areas. Such approach to rural development could initiate easier integration into international institutions and European Union, as well as to strengthening of cross-border cooperation within the mentioned area of economy. The most part of the Carpathians in the Republic of Serbia is taken by the national park „Đerdap“ and its protected zone. Within the mentioned protected area, sustainable use of agricultural land is based on traditional system of mountain agriculture that provides a high degree of ecological rationality and represents a very good foundation for development of integral and organic production.Opening toward the international community and peculiarly clear commitment of Serbia to European integrations,requires a new definition of role and importance of agricultural sector. Therefore, it is estimated that now is the perfect time for establishment of concrete conceptual framework and Strategy that will answer to key questions within the agro-food sector. In this context, authors’ intention (they are also the members of the research team of IAE Belgrade which is the holder of the project III 46006 - Sustainable agriculture and rural development in function of Republic of Serbia strategic goals achievement within the Danube region) is to evaluate a social sustainability of agriculture in the area of the Carpathians in Serbia. Because of that, research is focused to administrative area of next municipalities: Golubac, Kučevo, Majdanpek, Kladovo and Negotin. Considering microeconomic character of research, it was used the original methodology , which could be useful for each area within the Danube region, providing the significant benefit to public administration and management during decisions-making process. At a given moment, by the authors'methodology, which covers the next criteria: density of agricultural population, density of active agricultural population and density of employees in agriculture. Based on this, it could be established the accurate diagnosis for chosen area, joining the estimation for each set of criteria that fits to the goals of sustainable agriculture in the Danube region.

Meriderma represents a recently described genus of nivicolous myxomycetes with high morphological variability. Due to many complications in its taxonomy and species recognition in the past, the group was considered a morphologically variable complex. Recent clarifications and recognition of morphological boundaries into species and morphotypes has fostered a classification revision of specimens found in the Carpathians. Material used in this study was systematically collected in the Polish part of the Carpathians from 2004 to 2009. As a result of micro- and macroscopic observations of 54 collections, we recorded nine taxa of Meriderma. Seven of these (all but M. carestiae and M. cribrarioides) are the first records for Poland and for the Carpathians overall. Our observations based on analysis of spore ornamentation by SEM are in accordance with recently proposed classification and confirm segregation of taxa based on spore ornamentation pattern.

One of the major land use and land cover changes in Europe is agricultural land abandonment (ALA) that particularly affects marginal mountain areas. Accurate mapping of ALA patterns and timing is important for understanding its determinants and the environmental and socio-economic consequences. In highly fragmented agricultural landscapes with small-scale farming, subtle land use changes following ALA can be detected with high resolution remotely sensed data, and successional vegetation height is a possible indicator of ALA timing. The main aim of this study was to determine the relationship between successional vegetation height and the timing of agricultural land abandonment in the Budzów community in the Polish Carpathians. Areas of vegetation succession were vectorized on 1977, 1997, and 2009 orthophotomaps, enabling the distinguishing of vegetation encroaching on abandoned fields before and after 1997. Vegetation height in 2012–2014 was determined from digital surface and terrain models that were derived from airborne laser scanning data. The median heights of successional vegetation that started development before and after 1997 were different (6.9 m and 3.2 m, respectively). No significant correlations between successional vegetation height and elevation, slope, aspect, and proximity to forest were found. Thus, the timing of agricultural land abandonment is the most important factor influencing vegetation height, whereas environmental characteristics on this scale of investigation may be neglected.

The present paper deals with the comparative analysis of the management types of two nature reserves: Les Hauts de Chartreuse (The French Alps) and Lăpuşna Resonance Spruce Fir (The Carpathian Mountains – the central group of the Eastern Carpathians). In these two nature reserves, the forest ecosystem plays an extremelyimportant role: in the French reserve, 45 percent of its total surface is covered by trees of European interest, while the Romanian reserve is a natural forest reserve. The management of these forest ecosystems has to preserve the natural ecological balance and, in both cases, wood exploitation is a priority at a local level, which means specific problems. The management of Les Hauts de Chartreuse nature reserve is marked by the opposition between the persons that own land within the reserve and its custodian’s will, which makes the application of the management plans difficult. The management ofLăpuşna nature reserve is under two threats – wood illegal exploitation and the local plan for tourist development. There is the following question that stands at the core of the present paper: What type of management has to be applied in the case of mountainousnature reserves in order to sustain the efforts of conservation and capitalization of forest ecosystems?

The present paper starts from the following premises: the accessibility in the natural reserves can become a risk factor for the protected natural elements, if the access is not correlated with the interests of preservation. In this case the density and the quality of the transport network are the factors which increase the flow of visitors in a natural reserves. In order to prove this hypothesis we used two case studies: the Resonance pine of Lăpuşna and Les Hauts de Chartreuse natural reserves. So, for the two reserves it was analyzed the existing transport infrastructure, as well as its quality, which is translated in the time needed for driving until the entrance in the natural reserve.

We studied pseudoscorpions of the genera Roncus L. Koch, 1873 and Acanthocreagris Mahnert, 1976 (Neobisiidae) from some caves in Romania. One new species - Roncus zburatorul n. sp. - is described; supplementary descriptions of the hitherto unknown male of R. ciobanmos Ćurčić, Poinar, and Sarbu, 1993 and a second female of A. callaticola (Dumitresco and Orghidan, 1964) are also presented. The specimens studied are thoroughly described and illustrated. Taxonomic interrelationships and geographic distribution are briefly discussed.

Vasyl Herasymiuk, one of the most prominent contemporary Ukrainian poets, presents the struggle of the insurgents against the Soviet occupiers in the Carpathians in his literary works as an opposition of "own" and "other." The invasion of the occupier destroys the authentic Carpathian cultural continuum and the insurgent underground resistance becomes a symbol of the human struggle for dignity and the preservation of own identity. The article analyzes the specific model of history presented in Vasyl Herasymiuk's poetry. The connection between the insurgency and the poet's biography and the history of his family is demonstrated. The article also traces and analyzes the contamination of the images of UPA insurgents and opryshky, the transformation in the hierarchical verticality of space, and the development of the struggle, presented via the opposition of "own" -- "other," from a myth-ritual point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distribution and parameters of avalanche tracks on the slopes of asymmetric ridge of Babia Góra Mt. (1725 m a.s.l. - the highest massif in the flysch Western Carpathians) were studied in relation to slope relief, prevailing wind directions, snow cover thickness, treeline and timberline locations. The following sections of avalanche tracks were distinguished: starting zone, track zone and runout zone. The entire course of each track was described using the following parameters: the elevation [m a.s.l.], vertical drop Δh [m], maximum and mean inclination a [°], length on slope L [m]. The relationships between these parameters were analyzed on slopes of straight, concave, step-like and convex profiles. The character of starting zone (from a point or a line) and the form of avalanche track (confined or unconfined) were determined. Values of sinuosity index [%] were calculated. The longest avalanche tracks (>300 m, locally >800 m) occur on convergent slopes of different profiles with domination of straight once. 75% of avalanche tracks exceed the treeline causing lowering of the timberline by over 200 m. On divergent slopes, avalanches are not present. The most frequent are avalanche tracks of mean slope inclination in the range 26-40°. The application of LiDAR data and their linkage with field work investigations made it possible to reveal that the number of avalanche tracks on Babia Góra Mt. and their dimensions are greater than it was so far assumed. Their main concentration was determined on the steep northern slope of straight, concave or step-like profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hedonic Price Method helps develop a hierarchy of ski resorts, where the criterion is the ratio of the ski pass price to the quality of the service. Using a properly selected research sample and the nonlinear estimation method, one can estimate the impact of ski resorts attributes on ski pass prices. The estimated ski pass prices allow to compare the effectiveness of ski resorts in different countries. Material and methods. Data for the analysis, relating to the ski season of 2015/2016, were attributes of 245 ski resorts in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The quality index was constructed with the method of hedonic prices and nonlinear least squares estimation. Results. The average quality of Polish ski resorts is significantly higher than that of Czech and Slovakian ones. However, prices in the Polish resorts are highest in relation to the offered quality. In Poland, there are the largest number of ski resorts characterized by excessive (in relation to the offered quality) prices of ski passes. Conclusions. The features that most strongly affect the price of ski passes in Polish, Czech, and Slovakian ski resorts are: the proportion of fast and modern detachable chairlifts, the upper station altitude, and the ski season duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies concerning forest cover changes in the Polish Carpathians did not formerly extend further than the mid-19th century, because of the lack of detailed cartographic materials. Earlier forest changes, especially their magnitude but sometimes even their direction (deforestation, stabilisation or afforestation) are poorly investigated. This paper shows how to extend a temporal sequence of forest cover data for Zawoja village in the Polish Carpathians using non-cartographic data from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. We used non-cartographic data from the first Austrian cadastral system, the so-called Josephinian cadastre, carried out in the 1780s, and its revision done in 1819-1820. These data were compared with the stable cadastre and its two revisions (1844-1898) and mostly later cartographic materials (1861-2014). Thematic coherence of cadastral and cartographic data, conformity of Zawoja village boundaries in the analysed period, as well as errors of the earliest cadastral measurements were investigated. The data acquired in the 1780s and 1819-1820 enabled the estimation of the productive and non-productive forest area as well as the area of pastures and meadows partly covered with forest. Though possible measurement errors could add up to 7% of the total village area, the data clearly document the end of the deforestation phase ongoing in Zawoja until the first half of the 19th century, and later relative stabilisation of forest cover during the second half of that century. Data from the late 18th and early 19th centuries indicate a change trend opposite to the later, frequently described stabilisation of forest cover and progressive afforestation. Using the unpublished data extracted from cartographic materials, we also show this latter part of long term forest cover changes, thereby presenting an example of forest transition in the Polish Carpathians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most widespread land cover change processes in European countries is the increase in forest cover. Forest expansion on abandoned agricultural land has played a major role in marginal mountain areas since World War II, and especially affected the post--socialist countries in Central and Eastern Europe. This study aimed at mapping forest cover change and forest succession in one of the communes of the Polish Carpathians (Budzów) over two time periods: 1977-1997 and 1997-2009. We identified rates of agricultural land abandonment and forest succession and assessed the dynamics of the process using aerial photographs, orthophotomaps as well as cadastral and census data. The results showed that Budzów commune experienced an expansion of forest cover from 40% in 1977 to almost 45% in 2009, and a significant increase in forest succession from 1% in 1997 to 10% in 2009, at the expense of agricultural land area (54% in 1977 and 40% in 2009). If the trend is widespread over the Polish Carpathians, the real forest cover may be much higher than follows from statistical data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at a better understanding of the role of soil characteristics in piping activity in a mountainous area under a temperate climate. The recognition of favourable soil properties is widely described in badlands with dispersive materials, and in loess-covered hilly regions. In other regions – without dispersive materials or without extensive loess deposits – piping conditions draw hardly any attention. The survey was carried out in the Tyskowa catchment, in the Bieszczady Mts. (Eastern Carpathians). We focused on soil characteristics that can impact erodibility, including texture, structure, consistence, porosity, and bulk density. These characteristics, as well as selected chemical properties (pH, exchangeable cations, and sodium absorption ratio — SAR), were studied in detail for 4 soil profiles with a different position in relation to collapsed pipes (CPs): on a slope with abundant CPs and on one lacking CPs. We tested a hypothesis that soil properties control the occurrence of pipes, and we checked if there is any difference in soil properties on slopes with and without CPs. Moreover, we compared soil profiles within the slope with CPs. Additionally, detailed geomorphological mapping of piping forms was carried out in the selected catchment in order to determine the depth of the pipe formation. No clear difference in soil characteristics was observed between the slope with high piping activity and the one without it with Cambisols occupying both sites. The soils exhibit a large content of silt, which potentially enhances piping. The chemical properties do not differ among the analysed soils. However, the profiles at the site above CPs (with potential piping) and in the sinkhole are characterized by intense biological activity, the development of soil structure in deeper horizons (angular and subangular blocky structure down to 90–105 cm), high porosity, and low bulk density. To summarize, it is the combination of biological activity and soil properties (silty texture, well-developed soil structure, low bulk density, and high porosity) that determines the formation of pipes in the study area. Combining all the results from the soil profiles and the depth of pipes indicates that pipes develop on the boundary of B and C soil horizons, and the mean depth of pipe formation is almost 0.80 m with the maximum of 1.55 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the paper is to determine the role of mountain reservoirs in shaping the dominant cyclicity and energy of river flows. The paper compares a large complex composed of two reservoirs (Czorsztyn-Sromowce Wyżne) with a smaller reservoir (Besko). These reservoirs are located in the Polish Carpathians and are characterised by very different parameters and functions. Moreover, they operate on rivers (the Dunajec and the Wisłok) with different hydrologic regimes. Using Fourier spectral analysis of daily inflows, outflows and water levels in reservoirs for the period 1998-2012, it has been possible to identify the dominant frequencies of the considered time series with a percentage of spectral energy for these frequencies. Moreover, for signals created by river flow rates, changes in signal energy are associated with adequate changes in river energy. Therefore, by calculating the energy of the signal in the time domain, changes in signal energy can be observed before and after the water passes through the reservoir. Data on cyclicity of water levels in these reservoirs forms the background to the analysis of reservoir-induced changes in cyclicity of river flows. The conducted analysis revealed that reservoirs strengthen the regularity of the annual periodicity of stream flow in the studied rivers. Besides, these reservoirs significantly reduce the energy of water flowing out of them compared to the energy of inflow. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meriderma represents a recently described genus of nivicolous myxomycetes with high morphological variability. Due to many complications in its taxonomy and species recognition in the past, the group was considered a morphologically variable complex. Recent clarifications and recognition of morphological boundaries into species and morphotypes has fostered a classification revision of specimens found in the Carpathians. Material used in this study was systematically collected in the Polish part of the Carpathians from 2004 to 2009. As a result of micro- and macroscopic observations of 54 collections, we recorded nine taxa of Meriderma. Seven of these (all but M. carestiae and M. cribrarioides) are the first records for Poland and for the Carpathians overall. Our observations based on analysis of spore ornamentation by SEM are in accordance with recently proposed classification and confirm segregation of taxa based on spore ornamentation pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roads affect the geomorphological changes of gradients, the sedimentary budget and the hydrological response of a catchment. This study deals with the development and temporary evolution of an unpaved road network in the Polish Carpathians. The analysis focuses on the mid-nineteenth and the beginning of the twenty-first century, and was conducted in six catchments located in three main sub-regions of the Carpathians. Results revealed that road network density calculated using 1:10,000 topographic maps is usually comparable to the real values. The contemporary real road network density reached 7.4–8.4 km km−2 (foothills); 6.6–6.7 km km−2 (medium–high-mountain); 2.3–2.9 km km−2 (high-mountain) catchments, and these are one of the highest values recorded in mountain areas anywhere in the world. The “land famine” of the nineteenth century was discovered to be the main factor that influenced the high road network density in the foothills and medium–high-mountain catchments, whereas the excavation of natural resources, sheep grazing and the establishment of the national park, were considered to be such factors in the high-mountain of the Tatra Mts. Results revealed that the road network, usually considered as a permanent element of the environment, significantly evolves over time. These changes were mainly determined by the changes in the economy and the development of settlements and affected 45–90 % of the road network. The study emphasized that changes in the road network have a significant long-term impact on the mountain environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Acta Scientiarum Polonorum. Formatio Circumiectus is the property of Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Rolniczego im. Hugona Kollataja w Krakowie and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)