Velibor Spalevic

Geomorphology of the Durmitor Mountains and surrounding plateau Jezerska Površ (Montenegro)

The geomorphological map of the northeastern Durmitor Mountains and the plateau Jezerska Površ (1:10,000, 47 km², Montenegro, Dinaric Alps) was prepared from an intensive fieldwork campaign and remote sensing analysis, and was compiled within a GIS. The basic components of the legend are (i) processes/genesis, (ii) materials, (iii) morphometry/morphography, (iv) hydrography, (v) vegetation and (vi) anthropogenic features. The geomorphological setting of the area consists of Mesozoic limestones which are physically deformed by Quaternary glacial and periglacial activity and chemically affected during interglacials. Glacial deposits on the plateau of three middle-to-late Pleistocene glacial phases are intersected by a well-developed network of palaeo meltwater channels. In the mountains, Holocene glacier retreat left behind a series of well-preserved recessional moraines. The map serves as a valuable tool for Quaternary research in the Durmitor Mountains, and also in other mountains of the Western Balkans.

Comparison of Groundwater Level Models Based on Artificial Neural Networks and ANFIS

Water table forecasting plays an important role in the management of groundwater resources in agricultural regions where there are drainage systems in river valleys. The results presented in this paper pertain to an area along the left bank of the Danube River, in the Province of Vojvodina, which is the northern part of Serbia. Two soft computing techniques were used in this research: an adaptive neurofuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and an artificial neural network (ANN) model for one-month water table forecasts at several wells located at different distances from the river. The results suggest that both these techniques represent useful tools for modeling hydrological processes in agriculture, with similar computing and memory capabilities, such that they constitute an exceptionally good numerical framework for generating high-quality models.

The role of tillage and crops on a soil loss of an arable Stagnic Luvisol

ABSTRACT The poor physical, chemical and biological properties make Stagnic Luvisol highly susceptible to water erosion on sloping terrains. The objective of this paper is to estimate the effect of different tillage treatments and crops (maize, soybean, winter wheat, spring barley, oilseed rape) on water erosion. The highest erosion in investigation period (1995–2014) was recorded in the control treatment with fallow, followed by the treatment that involved ploughing and sowing up and down the slope. Significantly, lower soil losses were recorded in no-tillage and treatments with ploughing and sowing across the slope. Regarding the crops significantly higher soil losses were recorded in spring row crops (maize and soybean) compared to high-density winter crops (wheat and oilseed rape) and double crop (spring barley with soybean). In the studied period, an average loss of 46 mm of the plough layer was recorded in the control treatment, while in treatment with ploughing and sowing up and down the slope average annual soil loss was 10 mm. According to the results of this study no-tillage and tillage across the slope are recommended as tillage which preserves soil for the next generations in agro-ecological conditions of continental Croatia.

Factors of land abandonment in mountainous Mediterranean areas: the case of Montenegrin settlements.

Abstract Land use changes have been investigated in the surroundings of 14 rural Montenegrin settlements in order to get specific information about trends in land abandonment since around 1950. Permanently, seasonally and less inhabited settlements with different geographic conditions were studied. This was done by interviewing local inhabitants, which enabled a holistic approach to reveal the underlying processes of land abandonment. According to the observed patterns of land use change, the study sites can be categorized into intensified, urbanized, extensified, overgrown and forested cases. The category of extensified settlements is characterized by a highly reduced agricultural management intensity, resulting in an increase in grasslands and fruit trees at the expense of cropland. This land use change is mainly related to emigrating and aging inhabitants, having less livestock. Such extensive land use is found in both permanently inhabited and abandoned villages. Only some studied settlements became largely overgrown by bushes and forest. The steep average slope gradients and a large distance to the nearest city are explanatory factors of such land abandonment. Land use intensification takes place in low-lying areas located nearby towns.

The Physical and Geographical Characteristics of the Lake Skadar Basin

Lake Skadar/Shkodra is the largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula, located in the Western Balkans with approximately 65% of its surface belonging to Montenegro and around 35% to Albania. The lake consists of two parts which correspond to the two circulation systems within the lake: the smaller part, Vucko blato, in the northwest and the larger, main part of the lake called Velje blato to the southeast – these two parts are connected by a narrow opening (of about 50 m in width) at the south end of the causeway at Vranjina.

ASSESSMENT OF RUNOFF AND SOIL EROSION IN THE RADULICKA RIJEKA WATERSHED, POLIMLJE, MONTENEGRO

Soil erosion is a natural process that is causing environmental concerns such as land degradation, soil loss, water pollution and ecosystem alteration. The Erosion Potential Method (EPM) is extensively used for identifying watersheds with such problems. One of 57 studied river basins of the Polimlje Region was Radulicka Rijeka Watershed where we studied soil erosion processes using the analytical and computer-graphic method IntErO, based on the EPM method. Calculated peak discharge from the river basin was 185 m 3 s -1 for the incidence of 100 years and the net soil loss was 13157 m3 yr -1 , specific 327 m3 km 2 yr -1 . The use of EPM method and the IntErO model to predict sediment yield, according to our experiences, is recommended for this Region and may also be suitable for making management decisions. At the same time, further research is needed to address model limitations regarding the further development in relation to the GIS adaptations.

Land use capacity and environment services

The increasing demand for food resulting from demographic growth has required more productive agropastoral practices. Consequently, new areas were selected for agropastoral production in an arbitrary way, disregarding land use capacity. This ends up in acceleration of degradation processes, mainly those related to water erosion. In this context, the system of land use capacity proposes the classification of maximum use allowed for land of a rural property or of a hydrographic sub-basin, in an attempt to make sustainable plans of use and management of natural resources. Concerning current use of land, the system indicates the sites where there are conflicts in use in relation to their use capacity. Thus, it is possible to propose measures to adapt land use to its use capacity. Therefore, in this study, the classes of land use capacity at the hydrographic sub-basin of Corrego Pedra Branca, in Alfenas, in the state of Minas Gerais, were evaluated. For that purpose, the following soil parameters were evaluated: effective depth, water permeability, texture, declivity, erosion class, base saturation, effective and potential cationic exchange capacity, and aluminum saturation. Soil analyses presented values of base saturation and of low capacity of effective and potential cationic exchange, which illustrate the low natural fertility of these soils, as well as aluminum saturation level harmful to most cultures. Thus, land use would be restricted to low impact, permanent crops, silvicultures, associated agrosilvipastoral system with conservationist management techniques, as, for example, direct seeding, soil correction and fertilization, and reforestation of permanent preservation areas

SOIL LOSS ESTIMATION OF S7-2 CATCHMENT OF THE SHIRINDAREH WATERSHED, IRAN USING THE RIVER BASIN MODEL

This study aims to estimate the soil loss of S7-2 Watershed of Shirindareh River Basin in Iran, using a simple but comprehensive “River Basin” model for erosion classification and prediction of erosion potential. Peak discharge from the S7-2 Watershed was calculated on 65 m3s-1 for the incidence of 100 years; the net soil loss on 4397 m³km-², specific 178 m³ km-² per year. The results of the research and earlier application of the “River Basin” model in the studied area of the Shirindareh River Basin in Iran shown that this approach is a good tool for rapid assessment of erosion risk to support decision-making and policy development.

TOWARDS A NEW CONCEPT FOR THE AGRICULTURAL LAND-USE PLANNING IN THE NEW SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN BULGARIA

The goal of this paper is to present a new concept for Agricultural Land-Use Planning as a land-administration activity in today’s market economy. The planning process consists of preparing projects for land use in the agricultural territories. Agricultural Land-Use Planning is developed for the purpose of materializing and stabilizing land tenure, for environmental protection and for ensuring efficient farm economy. The current market economy conditions are new to the country. So far, land management has served the principles of the centralized planned economy under the totalitarian governance of the land. The main deficiencies of that governance are connected with the alienation of land owners from their properties and the liquidation of their interest in land stewardship. Another problem has been the occurrence of soil degradation processes as a consequence of extreme soil exhaustion. The cooperative land cultivation in the past prevented land-use planning from addressing the issues of land tenure. The socio-economic conditions of today’s market economy pose new challenges to the Agricultural Land-Use Planning due to differing and compliance the interests in the public and private sectors. The strategy has to be constructed in such a way that it simultaneously secures land-tenure, environmental protection, and the farms’ economic prosperity. This brings together a number of activities such as research and assessment of soil quality, agricultural cadaster, appraisal of land property, soil protection and soil fertility, environmental and landscapes protection, agricultural land structure design, etc. Based on a survey conducted among professionals and farmers, and on the authors’ critical approach, a new concept for the Agricultural Land-Use Planning as a socio-economic activity has been developed. A number of design activities in the dynamic market environment are included, as well. The paper is written in the form of a comparison between the two socio-economic systems (centrally planned land-use and cooperative land cultivation systems) and contains the main highlights of the new concept.

EFFECT OF EXCLOSURE ON RUNOFF, SEDIMENT CONCENTRATION AND SOIL LOSS IN EROSION PLOTS

Nowadays watershed and rangeland management projects play the important role in water resources and soil management worldwide. Although watershed and rangeland management projects have the considerable importance as approaches to rural areas development and natural resources management, more studies have been focused on their effects on sediment and their effects on soil erosion have rarely been considered. The present study was conducted in two treated and control sub-watersheds with exclosure treatment and under grazing respectively, in Khamsan representative watershed with an area of 4337.27 ha in south of Kurdistan Province, Iran. Three plots were installed in each western, northern and eastern slopes for the runoff volume and coefficient, sediment concentration and soil loss measurement. The exclosure treatment was operated for installed plots in treated sub-watershed from 2007. Then, all the data of runoff volume and coefficient, sediment concentration and soil loss from USLE standard plots in both control and treated sub-watersheds for 52 events over the years 2009 to 2014 were compared and evaluated. Therefore, in order to the number of plots and subwatersheds, 18 USLE standard plot data were finally recorded and analysed for each storm event. The results showed the significant (p≤0.05) decreasing effect of exclosure treatment on runoff volume, sediment concentration and soil loss at plot scale. Finally, decreasing rates of 15.68, 6.13, 16.67, 24.37 and 21.43% due to exclosure respectively for runoff volume and coefficient, sediment concentration, soil loss and sediment yield were obtained. The variables of runoff volume, soil loss and sediment yield had statistically significant differences (p≤0.05) in treated and control sub-watersheds. The sediment concentration variable had p value of 0.058 and therefore the effect of exclosure treatment on sediment concentration was also significant (p≤0.06).