Tomasz Salata

LEVEL OF SPATIAL DIFFERENTIATION OF ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACT IN MAŁOPOLSKA

Detailed spatial analysis of area coverage was performed in the present paper, which allowed to determine numerous derivative parameters connected with human activity as well as natural processes. Data from Database of Topographic Objects in nominal scale 1:10 000 (in short: BDOT10k) in GML format were used as source materials and processing of the source data to object-relational form of SpatialLite database was performed. Methods of areas classification and valorization on the basis of land coverage diversity were used in the research after using modification of classes selection to BDOT10k. Borders of spatial objects had geo-referential precision to 3 m and were not subjected to generalization process. It provided possibility to achieve high degree of credibility of calculated parameters. Materials that concern ecological corridors were obtained from the General Directorate for Environmental Protection by means of WFS service. Geoprocessing methods and spatial connections in GIS heterogenic systems were used to perform analyses. The effects of all the conducted analyses allowed to identify problem fields where areas of ecological corridors became strongly anthropogenized. The results were presented as multilayered compositions and cartograms. The research area covered 15,200 km2 and ranged the territory of Małopolska province.

SPATIAL DIVERSITY OF ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE INDEX IN PODKARPACKIE PROVINCE

The paper presents a method for the analysis of spatial distribution of land cover based on data from Topographic GeoDatabase in a nominal scale of 1: 10000 (abbreviation: BDOT10k). The analysis of land cover and its development allow to specify a number of parameters derived from human activities and natural forces. Researchers use a variety of methods for classification and valuation of areas which have been modified for Poland. The diversity of types and variability of land cover has been presented in a form of an object – vector. An additional aim of this work is the inventory of the condition of the Podkarpackie Province in terms of the location of the areas with varying degrees of ecological features intensity in the mesoregions for future analyzes of land cover changes. The source data have been obtained in GML format and processed into an object-relational SpatiaLite database. The accuracy of geo-referenced boundaries of objects does not exceed 3 meters and was not generalized, which ensures a high degree of reliability of the calculated parameters. This was confirmed by the evaluation of the quality of the data in the BDOT10k database. Geoprocessing methods and spatial relationships in heterogeneous GIS systems were used. The results of the analyzes are presented in a form of spatial data, multi-layered compositions and cartograms. The research was conducted in the area of 17 844 km2 of Podkarpackie Province.

Algorithm of land cover spatial data processing for the local flood risk mapping

Floods are a natural phenomenon that has always been and will pose a threat to people’s life and health, their property and the environment. Total elimination of the flood is impossible, but the current state of knowledge enables the use of the available tools in order to reduce the scale of these threats. The aim of the study is to develop a methodology of identification of the areas of hindered flow of water, located in the immediate vicinity of rivers. The proposed methodology is based on a study of the land cover. The developed algorithm of land cover spatial data processing for the local flood risk mapping implements GIS tools. Verification of the developed method was carried out on the example of selected rivers in Poland, only one of which is covered by the plans of flood risk management and causes periodic floodings.

The analysis of land cover macrostructure in the suburban area of Krakow

The suburban areas are lands under strong anthropogenic pressure which results in their significant transformation. Identifying the direction of changes and their intensity is the basis of research based on the analysis of land use and land cover. The study involved the analysis of land cover in the area of suburban zone of the city of Krakow based on the vector geodata available in the European Environment Agency database (Urban Atlas download service). Geographic data were classified according to various categories of coverage. The area was divided into evaluation clusters that included covering buffer zones with the given parameters according to the distance from the city: zones 0–5 km, 5–10 km, 10–15 km and 15–20 km. All analyzes were performed by means of the QGIS software using geoprocessing tools and additional ones of spatial statistics (among other things Group Stats). The percentage of each category of coverage in relation to the total area was made for each of the separate buffer zones’ statements. The theory of changing the structure of coverage categories along with diverging from the city according to the diagram of reducing participation of heavily anthropogenic areas to those less exposed to it was confirmed on the basis of this analysis.

Shannon entropy as a peri-urban landscape metric: concentration of anthropogenic land cover element

ABSTRACT Spatial concentration and quantitative spatial density of anthropogenic elements were assessed. The authors used original parameters of standing and progressive anthropogenic pressures in individual hexagons in a grid based on a land cover database and the current population structure. The calculated values of relative entropies for both parameters were similar. The relative entropy based on both pressures for the whole area was high (0.89). In peri-urban zones it was 50% less and in cities about 80% greater. A juxtaposition of standing and progressive pressure values revealed a trend towards a slight decrease in the values.

Fieldwork approach to determining the extent of agricultural land abandonment – case study

Agricultural land abandonment is an elusive phenomenon, as yet not fully defined. Even though it is common in Polish landscape, there are no measures to date that could quantify the phenomenon. Neither the data from the Central Statistical Office, nor the data from land registers include information on land abandonment. Therefore, there is a need for a systematic approach that could quantify and determine the extent of land abandonment. A fieldwork approach was designed for the purpose, and research was conducted on a test area of Okocim village in Małopolska region. Vegetation cover that could indicate the existence of land abandonment on the agricultural areas – such as trees, brushwood, and grass cover – was examined using a representative sample of 145 test fields. The fieldwork approach revealed that the extent of land abandonment in the test area is 37% of all areas officially classified as agricultural, which shows that the scale of the phenomenon is significant, and that there is a need to develop an approach to provide a more detailed picture of the distribution of land abandonment.

The method of determining surface water erosion influence on agricultural valorization of soils with usage of geoprocessing techniques and spatial information systems

Abstract The aim of the paper is to propose methodical solutions concerning synthetic agricultural analysis of production space which consists in combined (synthetic) – in spatial and statistical contexts – analysis and evaluation of quality and farming utility of soils in connection with soils erosive risk level. The paper is aimed at presentation of methodology useful in such type of analyses as well as demonstration to what extent the areas of farming production space being subject to restrictive protection are exposed to destructive effect of surface water erosion. Own factor (HDSP.E) was suggested, which is a high degree synthesis of soil protection in connection with degrees of surface water erosion risk. The proposed methodology was used for detailed spatial analyses performed for Tomice – the Małopolska rural commune (case study). The area model elaborated for the proposed methodology’s purpose faced with soils mechanical composition allowed to make a model of surface water erosion in five-grade scale. Synthetic evaluation (product of spatial objects on numerous thematic layers) of quality and farming utility of soils and also zones of surface water erosion risk allowed to assign spatial distribution of HDSP.E factor (abbreviation of high degree of soil protection combined with erosion). The analyses enabled to determine proportional contribution of the most valuable resources of farming production space that are subject to soil erosion negative phenomenon. Geoprocessing techniques used for the analyses of environmental elements of farming production space were applied in the paper. The analysis of spatial distribution of researched phenomena was elaborated in Quantum GIS programme.

Szacunek potencjalnych efektów ekologicznych energii biomasy drewna wierzby energetycznej w gminie Skała w ujęciu przestrzennym

Streszczenie. W pracy przedstawiono metodyke szacunku efektow ekologicznych rozumianych jako zmniejszenie zanieczyszczenia powietrza atmosferycznego wynikających z zastosowania wierzby energetycznej jako paliwa alternatywnego dla wegla kamiennego w gminie Skala w wojewodztwie malopolskim. Baze badawczą stanowila szczegolowa inwentaryzacja terenowa odlogow wystepujących na badanym obszarze. W konkluzji Autorzy wykazali efekty ekologiczne wyrazone niewyemitowaniem do powietrza takich zanieczyszczen jak dwutlenek wegla i dwutlenek siarki oraz istotnym zmniejszeniem emisji tlenkow azotu. Uzyskane efekty ekologiczne są szczegolnie istotne dla analizowanej gminy ze wzgledu na to, ze bezpośrednio sąsiaduje z Ojcowskim Parkiem Narodowym.