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Volume XXIII |

Clarity of the Black Sea – historical measurements of Secchi Depth

Abstract: Water transparency is a primary indicator used to evaluate the status of marine ecosystems. Although a subjective measure, Secchi Depth (ZSD) is one of the “oldest” and most widely used optical parameters in studies that focus on surface water clarity, with probably millions of observations available in the last century. As recent satellite observa-tions do not cover such extended periods from the past, a comprehensive understanding of the spatio-temporal dy-namics of water transparency requires consistent historical data. In this regard, the present study aims to integrate in-formation from archives of in situ ZSD measurements available for the entire Black Sea. Several potential sources were investigated. Among them, two were identified to have historical measurements of ZSD in the Black Sea, SeaDataNet and Black Sea Ecosystem Processes and Forecasting / Operational Database Management System (NATO SfP ODBMS). A database with all available observations was aggregated for this study, containing a total of 5100 records between 1960 and 2016. The analysis of the spatial variability of ZSD was performed based on a square grid of 30 km x 30 km covering the entire Black Sea region. For each cell, statistics such as the average and the number of ZSD measurements were calculated. Moreover, the spatial and temporal homogeneity of the in-situ observations are assessed and dis-cussed.

Volume XIX |

Agriculture drought assessment based on remote sensing, cloud computing, multi-temporal analysis. A case study: the Mostiștea Plain (Romania)

Abstract: Agricultural drought is one of the most important natural hazards worldwide, affecting a significant proportion of the global population. Earth Observation multi-spectral imagery satellites can provide a comprehensive picture of all land and sea areas of the Earth. Free of charge and open access imagery from missions such as Sentinel-2 provides high quality imagery with rapid high revisit period. Earth Engine© developed by Google Inc. provides the possibility to view and analyse petabytes of remote sensing data in archives that include more than thirty years of satellite imagery and scientific datasets. This paper proposes a cloud- based computation approach and analysis of multi-temporal, high resolution Sentinel-2 imagery on the Mostiștea Plain (Romania) in order to evaluate the agriculture drought. Custom javascript code was created in the Code Editor for calculating and analyzing remote sensing-based indices between 2017 and 2019. The results were classified into six classes: Water, No drought, Light drought, Moderate drought, Heavy drought, Severe drought. According to the classification, the southern half of Mostiștea Plain was the most affected area by a heavy agricultural drought during 2017-2019 period.

Volume XI |

The Evaluation of Geomorphosites from the Ponoare Protected Area

Abstract: In the present paper we present a new method of evaluating the geomorphosite. The method is presented by us/ our team and it was tested in the protected area Ponoare. In the first part of the article, we will apply, for the geomorphosites inventorized here, the other methods of evaluation known worldwide, and after that we will evaluate geomorphosites by following the new method proposed by us, a method which is adapted to geomorphological reality and to the reality of touristic exploitation of the analysed area. There were taken into account the methods developed up to now in the specialized literature, namely: the method of evaluating the touristic value of geomorphosites for the evaluation of the touristic value conceived by J. P. Pralong in 2005, the method developed in 2007 by E. Reynard et al.; the method developed at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia by P. Coratza and C. Giusti in 2005; and the method proposed at the University of Cantabria by V. M. Bruschi and A. Cendrero in 2005; the method developed by the University from Valladolid by E. Serrano and J. J. Gonzales Trueba in 2005; the method proposed by the University of Minho in 2007 by P. Pereira, the Greek method developed by N. Zourous in 2005 and the Slavonian method proposed in 2012 by B. Erhatic. The results obtained show different quantitative values compared to previous methods, but comparing the rank obtained by each geomorphosite during the evaluation, the rank stays the same. The values are situated in a different deviation compared to other methods, having in view that for additional values firstly the cultural value is reduced in the analysed area.

Volume IX |

The Landscapes Differentiations in the Prahova Sector of the Bucegi Mountains

Abstract: The physiognomic complexity as the main characteristics of the Bucegi Mountains landscape is the result of lithology, structure, tectonics and high altitude, which led to the vertical zoning of modelling conditions. There can be separated: the landscape of erosion outliers and the structural plateaus from the alpine area, the landscape of Prahova scarp and that of the plains at the Bucegi mountain feet. Up to about 2200 m, the landscape of erosion outliers and structural plateaus was mostly affected by human activities, mainly the tourism and uncontrolled grazing. The landscape of the Prahova scarp of the Bucegi is notable by high touristic anthropization on the slopes of the Vârful cu Dor – Furnica – Piatra Arsă mountains, neighbouring Sinaia, where there are frequent degradations of the roads and paths improperly located and maintained. The Bucegi slope northwards of Piciorul Pietrei Arse still preserves the natural landscapes in dynamic equilibrium (which possess a great tourist and alpinist potential). At the scarp foot, following the modelling of the Cretaceous flysch and sedimentation of large talus material, there resulted a relief with smooth field – plai (Plaiul Fânului,Plaiul Coştila, Munticelu, Plaiul Stânei, Plaiul Peleşului, Plaiul Furnica) – rounded interfluves with a slope below 300, compared to those over 300 (often over 500 within the scarp.

Volume VIII |

Inventoring and Evaluation of Geomorphosites in the Bucegi Mountains

Abstract: Geomorphosites stand for relief forms or geomorphologic processes that in time have gained an aesthetic, scientific, cultural, historical or economic value, as a result of human perception. Taking into consideration the above mentioned definition, the present paper aims at inventorying and evaluating part of the geomorphosites in the Bucegi Mountains. The final purpose is to propose some measures for a better protection and tourist promotion. The presence of numerous geomorphosites in the Bucegi Mountains is the direct result of the presence of limestones and conglomerates, as well as the succession of different modelling systems in time (glacial, periglacial, fluvial). We analysed this area since there are many and varied geomorphosites, and at the same time, it is one of the major tourist destinations (the largest number of tourists and the best tourist infrastructure within the Romanian Carpathian Mountains).