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JoEG Volume 3 (2010)
Catchment-scale relief development as the result of long-term agricultural activity, case study on Szekszárd hills, Hungary
Abstract:Human impact has played important role in the relief development of Szekszárd Hills, as the history of viniculture dates back to the Roman Times. Approximately 17 % of the area is used as vineyard. As viniculture is one of the most intensive land-use type and soil erosion is very severe on the loose loessy material of these hills, relief development is quite fast in the area. The aim of the study to estimate the catchmentscale erosional loss of the area caused by viniculture and to evaluate the role of artificial terraces on landscape development. Three smaller catchments were chosen as study areas in the north-east part of the hills. Based on the digital elevation model of the area the minimum net erosion was calculated. The calculations reflect that the amount of erosion was higher (1) on the slopes with southern exposure and (2) in tributary valleys close to the town. The accelerated erosion altered the longitudinal profile of the tributaries and the terraces changed the profile of the intercollin ridges.Manuscript:Changes of landscape structure and soil production function since the 18th century in northwest Saxony
Abstract:The objectives of this paper are (1) to reconstruct time series of the historical and current landscape structures based on historical docu-ments and serial cadastral maps, (2) to analyse the changes of agricul-tural production function by the application of historical soil assess-ments and (3) to analyse the connections between landscape structure and production function in reference to the social and economic driving forces. The case study area is today an intensively-used agricultural landscape located nearby Taucha-Eilenburg (NW-Saxony), Germany. Arable landscapes in Germany are changing with increasing dynamics: valua-ble structures and landscape functions of the traditional and multifunc-tional landscape were lost. New landscape structures replaced the traditional ones slowly or sometimes also in short time steps. There-fore, this paper focuses on the changes of landscape structures and that of the soil production function induced by land use since the 18th century. The changes are analysed on the basis of historical and serial cadastral maps and documents by covering four time steps from 1750 to 2005. The historical maps were scanned, geo-referenced and digital-ised in GIS. Thus, quantitative analysis of landscape structure changes on parcel level is enabled. The production function is explicitly recon-structed on the basis of the Prussian Taxation of the real estate of 1864 (Preußische Grundsteuerbonitierung) and The German Soil Taxation (Reichsbodenschätzung) of 1937. Changes observed on the serial cadastral maps were linked with the social and economical driving forces and the soil production function. Moreover, there is a high demand for the development of methodolo-gies to analyse and to assess time series of landscape structures, land use and landscape functions in the historical context of landscape development.Manuscript:Characteristics of the flow regime along the regulated Tisza river reach downstream of Tiszafüred
Abstract:An attempt is presented at clearing the reasons of some uncommon flow phenomena observed over the Tisza reach downstream of Tisza-füred and at pointing to the practical significance of the results ob-tained. Over six hundred thousand daily stage data were selected from the more than six million (!) water levels registered form 1876 to 2009 (on the gauges between Tiszafüred and Novi Be?ej (Törökbecse)). Drawing also on the data of ground water wells, the conclusions ar-rived at are believed to be of interest to theoretical fluvial hydrologists, yet also to river engineers engaged in designing and operating (when needed) flood control schemes.Manuscript:Creating excess water inundation maps by sub-pixel classification of medium resolution satellite images
Abstract:Excess water frequency factor, which indicates the number of inunda-tions in the area under study within a certain period of time, is the most dynamic variable among the parameters applied in the complex meth-odology of excess water hazard mapping. Creating excess water inun-dation maps, representing the situation in the most realistic way, was hitherto a critical moment in excess water hazard mapping. Instead of field measurements, since the database of Landsat satellite images became accessible in 2009, it is possible to process satellite images taken from the year 1985, with using new, non-traditional methods different from the pixel-based classification. These methods are mainly sub-pixel based classifications and they are applied principally on images taken in periods of extended excess water inundation, under clear weather conditions. In our research project, medium-scale map-ping was supported principally by hand-held or mounted multispectral (the bands of visible and infrared light) digital aerial photography. The photo-taking process, depending on the actual meteorological condi-tions, can be flexibly accomplished in the most extended inundation period, thus it is possible to create excess water maps at the scale of 1:10000.Manuscript:
