Detection of past landscape elements in marginal mountain areas—the example of the Western Carpathians

Abstract

There has been a growing interest in applying airborne laser scanning (ALS) in studies on past landscapes. This includes in marginal mountain areas; however, the usefulness of using ready-made ALS data has not been assessed quantitatively this type of area. This paper aims to compare the usefulness of different visualisation techniques of ready-made digital elevation model (DEM) to detect landscape elements connected with past human activity in marginal mountain areas in the Western Carpathians. Six different DEM visualisation techniques were compared, and some problems were identified in the detection of landscape elements using ALS data and field mapping. This study illustrates that it is impossible to point out the most useful DEM visualisation technique that could be applied in marginal mountain areas characterised by varied natural conditions. However, the results confirmed the usefulness of negative openness in road detection and positive openness during the detection of embankments of agricultural terraces and balks. Furthermore, it was indicated that DEM visualisation techniques provide the possibility to measure the length of detected embankments of agricultural terraces and balks on abandoned land and it is impossible to measure them during field mapping due to dense vegetation. On the contrary, in most cases it is impossible to detect stone mounds using DEM visualisation techniques due to their varied size. This study emphasises the necessity of being aware of limitations during using ready-made ALS data.

Environmental and Land-Use Changes as a Consequence of Land Reform in the Urej River Catchment (Western Tajikistan)

“…As a result of land cultivation and animal grazing, the following landforms have developed: stone walls, mounds and enclosures, agricultural terraces and beaten paths typical of areas intensively used for animal grazing (Figure 14). These forms are typical of many mountain areas worldwide [82]. They are visible not only in areas that Contemporary climate change may have a negative impact on the water abundance of these regions (glaciers are already shrinking), which may, in turn, exert a colossal negative impact on the functioning of high-mountain societies.…”

“…As a result of land cultivation and animal grazing, the following landforms have developed: stone walls, mounds and enclosures, agricultural terraces and beaten paths typical of areas intensively used for animal grazing (Figure 14). These forms are typical of many mountain areas worldwide [82]. They are visible not only in areas that are currently utilised but can persist for decades or centuries after land abandonment [83][84][85].…”