Land Cover Changes (1963–2010) and Their Environmental Factors in the Upper Danube Floodplain

Abstract

Abstract:To analyze the changes in the Upper Danube Floodplain, we used aerial photos to quantify the change of landscape pattern from 1963 to 2010. We focused on typical floodplain habitats, i.e., riparian forest and floodplain grassland. We used landscape metrics and transformation matrix to explore changes in land cover structure and composition. The active floodplain experienced increasing fragmentation from 1963 to 2010. Despite an increase of aggregation, riparian forest suffered a 2.3% area loss from 1995 to 2010. Arable land in the active floodplain declined by 28.5%, while its patch size significantly increased. Elevation, distance to river and soil quality were the most relevant environmental factors for the land cover change in the floodplain. Higher soil quality or longer distance to river led to an increase of conversion from grassland into arable land; grassland patches with poorer soil quality were likely to change into riparian forest; riparian forest closer to the river and with a lower height above mean water level tended to remain stable. This comprehensive understanding of historical land cover change and environmental factors is needed for the enhancement of landscape functions and sustainable development in the floodplain.

The Natural Consequences of Land Use Change on Transformation and Vegetation Development in the Upper Odra Floodplain

“…Riparian forest, as a flood-dependent ecosystem, is potentially an essential element of the riverine landscape [42]. However, the development of agriculture on fertile floodplains and deforestation in accordance with misconceived flood protections have led to the defragmentation of riparian forests and, in places, to their complete disappearance [30,[43][44][45]. This problem also applies to the section of the Upper Odra Valley discussed in this article, where areas of potential riparian forests have been taken up for crops and meadows.…”

“…The transformation of river valleys as a result of hydrotechnical works and disturbance of water relations may lead to the complete and irreversible destruction of riverside ecosystems together with biocenotic and social functions [24]. The impact of industrial and agricultural human activities on the transformation of river valleys has been documented in many regions of the world, most often manifested within urban boundaries in the form of river channel regulation [25][26][27][28][29][30]. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine land use changes in the river floodplain (1) and their impact on vegetation diversity in naturally meandering and channelized sections (2) against the background of environmental conditions.…”

Historical Geomorphological Research of a Ligurian Coastal Floodplain (Italy) and Its Value for Management of Flood Risk and Environmental Sustainability

“…In this paper, morphological modifications and landscape changes of the alluvial plain reach of the Entella River over the last 250 years are reconstructed using historical, recent and current cartography and modern aerial photos [8,[37][38][39], improved by the use of GIS. In addition, information about flood events, human impacts, land use changes and the expansion of urban areas was collected from historical archives and more recent works.…”