A Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Land Use Changes in Two Mountain Valleys: with and without Dam Reservoir (Polish Carpathians)

Abstract

Wiejaczka Ł, olędzki j.R., BucaŁa a., kijoWska-stRugaŁa M. 2017. A spatial and temporal analysis of land use changes in two mountain valleys: with and without dam reservoir (Polish Carpathians). Quaestiones Geographicae 36(1), Bogucki Wydawnictwo Naukowe, Poznań, pp. 129-137, 5 figs, 4 tables.aBstRact: This study analyzed the temporal and spatial changes in land use taking place in two adjacent river valleys, located within the Polish Carpathians. The land use in 1977 and 2009 was presented for selected areas. In one of the valleys, a dam has been operating since 1994 along with a retention reservoir, which is an additional factor influencing the direction and scale of the land use changes. An analysis using GIS techniques showed that the general directions of transformation in both valleys in the land use structure are similar but with different intensity. In studied valleys a decrease of area with agricultural land and gradual increase in the forested area have been observed. In the valley with the reservoir few more changes were noticed. The decrease of the forested area by 5.5% and farmland by 8.2% on the areas submerged by reservoir was observed. The strip fields pattern has been changed into more dispersed. The road network development was also observed, as well as the change of nature of residential/agricultural buildings into residential/recreational.

Effects of hydroelectric dam construction on spatio-temporal changes of land use land cover in Bui National Park, Ghana

“…The water bodies increased significantly during the post-dam construction period, which can be attributed to the increase in the level of the reservoir created by the hydroelectric dam in the BNP, an observation that has been reported by other similar studies elsewhere (Obahoundje et al, 2018; Wiejaczka et al, 2017; Zhao et al, 2010).…”

“…The grassland decreased its cover from 2010-2020. Other researches (Chalise et al, 2019;Özüpekçe, 2019;Wiejaczka et al, 2017;Xu & Chi, 2019) have reported similar occurrence of post-dam grassland decline in protected areas. Illegal mining, uncontrolled cattle grazing and charcoal production could account for the decline of grassland during this period.…”

“…The grassland decreased its cover from 2010-2020. Other researches (Chalise et al, 2019;Özüpekçe, 2019;Wiejaczka et al, 2017;Xu & Chi, 2019) This causes reduction in quality and quantity of forage as well as modifying vegetation and soil formation due to soil compaction (Obahoundje et al, 2018;Panthi et al, 2017;Sharma et al, 2019). In some cases, cattle herdsmen attempt to cause regeneration of fresh pasture by consciously setting fire to the vegetation resulting in uncontrolled destruction of vegetation (Sharma et al, 2019).…”

Long‐term impact of land use changes on soil erosion in an agricultural catchment (in the Western Polish Carpathians)

“…Humans have powerfully influenced changes in every aspect of the landscape (Dale, King, Washington‐Allen, & McCord, ; Feranec, Jaffrain, Soukup, & Hazeu, ; Wiejaczka, Kijowska‐Strugała, Pierwoła, & Nowak, ; Wiejaczka, Olędzki, Bucała‐Hrabia, & Kijowska‐Strugała, ), which historically was conditioned by natural factors such as climate, relief, and soil properties (Bellwood, ; Lambin & Meyfroidt, ). Regardless of the type and duration of human activity in the natural environment, the effects of this impact typically first appear as changes in natural vegetation (Benjamin, Domon, & Bouchard, ; Bucała, Budek, & Kozak, ).…”

Human Impact on the Functioning of River Channels in the Polish Carpathians

“…Several factors that control channels morphology have been recognized. One of the most important of them are channelization, gravel mining [4], [5] and dams construction [6]. Moreover, land use and land cover changes (LULCC) can also lead to a river channels changes [7], [8].…”