Iwona Szumacher

Application of landscape metrics in the evaluation of geodiversity

Abstract The purpose of this study is to present opportunities for using landscape metrics to evaluate geodiversity on individual landscape levels. The research area is located to the west of the Płock Urban and Industrial Agglomeration in Poland. Within this area, hierarchically organized regional units were delimited (Richling, Malinowska, Szumacher 2013). The area is divided into 87 first-level regions, 36 second-level regions and 9 third-level regions. The units have been treated as basic fields for geodiversity analysis purposes using selected landscape measures and metrics, to include area, density, size, edges and diversity (among others, Shannon’s Diversity Index (SDI), Shannon’s Evenness Index (SEI), domination (D) and redundancy (R)) generated in Patch Analyst v. 5, Fragstats v. 4.0, ArcGIS v.10 and Statistica v. 10 software.

Effects of visitor pressure on understory vegetation in Warsaw forested parks (Poland)

Visitor’s access to understorey vegetation in park forest stands results in the impoverishment of plant species composition and a reduction in habitat quality. The phenomenon of biotic homogenisation is typical in urban landscapes, but it can proceed differently depending on the scale, a detail that has not been observed in previous studies. This research was carried out in seven Warsaw parks (both public and restricted access). Thirty-four forested areas were randomly selected, some subjected to strong visitors’ pressure and some within restricted access areas, free of such impacts. The latter category included woodlands growing in old forest and secondary habitats. Public access to the study areas contributed to the disappearance of some forest species and their replacement by cosmopolitan non-forest species, leading to loss of floristic biodiversity in areas of high ecological importance at the city scale. Some human-induced factors, including soil compaction and changes in soil pH, moisture and capillary volume, were found to cause habitat changes that favoured native non-forest plants. Despite changes in species composition, the taxonomic similarity of understorey vegetation in both categories—public access and restricted access—was comparable. In a distance gradient of measurements taken around selected individual trees, there was found to be significant variation (in light, soil pH and compaction) affecting the quality and quantity of understorey vegetation (including rare species). In conclusion, the protection of rare forest species could be achieved by limiting access to forested areas, particularly in old forest fragments, and we highly recommend its consideration in the proposal of future park restoration plans.

Delimitation of landscape units treated as estimation fields in the modelling of a landscape system

Abstract The main objective of this paper is to represent the hierarchical structure of an environment by using two concepts: typology and regionalization. The Płock Region (1,766.95 sq. km) and transect crossing this area (796.2 sq. km) is the research location. It was divided into 710 individual landscape units (319 in the transect border). The existing physical-geographical regionalization, including macro-, meso- and micro-regions, was elaborated using a deductive (top-down) method, which was supplemented by a more detailed regionalization, obtained by an inductive (bottom-up) method called analysis of borders (Richling 1976). The study area was divided into more detailed sub-regions: first-level regions (87 units), second-level regions (36 units) and third-level regions (9 units). In fact, the landscape structure of third-level regions is similar to micro-regions. This is proof of the complementary nature of the two approaches – deductive and inductive regionalization, and the hierarchical landscape structure.

Soil as the landscape balance indicator

Abstract The subordinated position of soil in the geosystem allows it to be used as an indicator of the landscape balance. Examples where soil plays such an indicative role are presented in this paper. The theory of the “geochemical landscape” has been used as the theoretical-methodological basis. Soil properties indicating direction, intensity and quality of matter migration in the landscape have been discussed (profile environment, pH, redox, quantitative and qualitative humus properties). The indicative role of soil in the monitoring of “sustainable landscape” has also been characterized. According to the authors, three models of this landscape can be created: natural, rural and urban sustainable landscapes.

Application of the catena concept in studies of landscape system dynamics

Abstract The concept of catena in landscape surveys is used to demonstrate the surroundings of landscape units, their vertical structure and inter-unit processes, as well as the mosaic nature of the landscape. Furthermore, it reflects the structural and functional heterogeneity of the surveyed area, at the same time indicating types of links between landscape units, depending on a variety of geological, habitat-related and biotic conditions, including land use and its transformation arising from anthropopressure. The catena survey performed included four key morphological and lithological units with varied landscape structure and functioning: glacial upland, vast outwash plains, the Wisła River valley and deepened channel valleys, as well as dune hills and hillocks. The results prove that the functioning of landscape systems depends on the forms of land use and their durability. Characteristics of leading components in catenas are diverse despite a similar genesis of landforms and relief shaping processes.