- Biogeography (19)
- Climatology (36)
- Environment (76)
- Geomorphology (57)
- GIS and Remote Sensing (18)
- Human and economic geography (62)
- Hydrology (54)
- Regional geography (45)
- Tourism (42)
- Various (33)
Geographical studies and environment protection research
Subjects
Volume XV | Supplement 2
Temporal rainfall properties at events scale in the Curvature Subcarpathians (Romania)
Abstract: Characteristics of rainfall events (RE) play a determinant role in the hydrologic process in a small catchment (e.g., runoff formation, flood elements), water balance and water resource management. The goal was to investigate temporal rainfall properties at events scale. The study was based on long-term properties of rainfall events (e.g., depths, intensities), recorded in the warm semester (the period between 1 April and 30 September; 1980-2010) at Voinești Experimental Basin (VEB), Romania. Rainfall events values were recorded by a pluviograph, production of the former USSR. The rain gauge is situated at the central place of the VEB (altitude 500 m a.s.l.), in Curvature Subcarpathians. A valuable database with 1852 rainfall events characteristics was created. The depths (mm) and durations (min) of each RE were recorded and rainfall maximum and average intensities (mm/min) were calculated. Rainfall events were characterized by small depth (up to 15.7 mm; up to 90th percentile) ~ 93% and they were concentrated (34.4%) in May. Almost half of RE (48.2%), had short duration (up to one hour) and the smallest depth (95% confidence interval, 3.85–4.56 mm), while those with durations longer than 5 hours (10.5%) were specific the September (22.5%). Regarding maximum intensities of rainfall events, just 16 events exceeding 1 mm/min (0.86%), which denote insignificant occurrence – encountered phenomenon in all months, especially in August – and mild torrential character. Insignificant rainfall events correlations between rainfall parameters were observed. Just “time – depth” correlation has been notable (Pearson’s r: 0.631). Absolute frequency of rainfall events parameters in most cases shows a strong density of smallest interval. These results may have important implications for next runoff plot study.
Full article 10.5775/fg.2016.141.sDates:
Received: 27-12-2016 Accepted: 28-02-2017 Printed: 30-12-2016 Online: 21-05-2017
Affiliations:
- 1 National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management, 97E Bucureşti - Ploieşti Road, Sector 1, 013686, Bucharest, Romania
- 2 Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, 1 Nicolae Bălcescu Blvd., Sector 1, 010041, Bucharest, Romania
Citation:
Acknowledgements:
We thank National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management to provide the hydrological data and for allowing Mihaela ILIESCU M.Sc. and Florin DEDU M.Sc., currently studying for a master’s degree at the Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, to carry out practical activities, focused on documentation, create a high database (transfer and analyse data; data storage from paper to Excel worksheets format and research), in the team of the Section of Experimental Hydrology.
We appreciated Gabriela TOROIMAC Ph.D. and Dana CONSTANTIN Ph.D., respective anonymous reviewers that help to substantially improve the paper, and to Professor Liliana ZAHARIA Ph.D. (University of Bucharest), for the supportive and encouragement gave throughout the study.
Also, Gabriel MINEA would like to thank Ladislav HOLKO, Ph.D. - Institute of Hydrology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, for (re)search motivation in VEB database; Gheorghe NIŢĂ and Cătălin BARBU (fieldwork specialists of VEB), for their assistance during the field measurements and for supplying information about data collection techniques.
Copyright:
© 2017 The Author(s). Published by Forum geografic.
Provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License.
Open Access article.
Provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License.
Open Access article.
Volume XV | Issue 2
Volcanic Eruptions in South Europe and the Change of Carbon Dioxide Concentration – Case Study: “Moussala” Basic Environmental Observatory
Abstract: The volcanic eruptions are one of the most characteristic natural sources of CO2 in the atmosphere (IPCC, 1990, 2007). In order to study the effect of volcanic eruptions on the increased levels of CO2, we have used data from the Basic Environmental Observatory (BEO) “Moussala”, Bulgaria, for the period comprised between July 2007 and March 2015. The Carbon dioxide is not a health hazard gas and there is no established limit concentration by the Bulgarian and international law. In this study, we have accepted as extremely high values the values that exceed the 95th percentile of the distribution of the daily average values for the studied period. The days with exceeding CO2 concentration were analysed in terms of volcanic activity (Etna), which could affect the investigated area with the spread of air pollutants and also CO2. The simulations developed by the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) Model are used in order to describe the trajectory and dispersion of pollutant and products from eruptions of Etna in the atmosphere. A synchrony between the occurrence of days with extreme high concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere in the region of BEO “Moussala” and eruptions of Etna volcano was established in most of the investigated cases.The analysis of the results from BEO “Moussala” confirms the impact of the volcanic eruptions and Etna volcano, in particular, for the increasing of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. On the other side, it was established that the activity of Etna is not the only factor which has impact on the concentration of CO2. More detailed analyses concerning not only natural, but also anthropogenic factors have to be done in the future in order to clarify the reasons for the increasing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere (IPCC, 2014).
Full article 10.5775/fg.2067-4635.2015.241.dDates:
Received: 01-12-2016 Accepted: 15-01-2017 Printed: 30-12-2016 Online: 23-04-2017
Affiliations:
- 1 Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
- 2 Faculty of Geology and Geography, University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
Citation:
Acknowledgements:
This study is supported by ACTRIS -2 IA project in H2020 (2015-2019) “European Research Infrastructure for the Observation of Aerosol, Clouds and Trace gases”.
Copyright:
© 2017 The Author(s). Published by Forum geografic.
Provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License.
Open Access article.
Provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License.
Open Access article.
Volume XV | Issue 2
The Mediterranean Oscillation (MOI) and the Forest Fires in Romania in the Period 1986–2014
Abstract: The study examines the connection between the Mediterranean Oscillation (MOI) and the forest fires (the annual number of fires, the annual burned area and the average burned area per fire) in Romania in the period 1986–2014. Pearson’s correlation coefficient (R) was used for determination of the correlation connection. Two MOI datasets were used: MOI-1 (Algiers and Cairo) and MOI-2 (Israel and Gibraltar). Monthly, seasonal and annual values of MOI were used in the calculations. Results for the number of fires and MOI-1: the highest values of R (statistically significant at the level of p≤0.05) were obtained for April (–0.446) and June (0.423), and for summer (0.432). The annual burned area and MOI-1: the highest values of R (statistically significant at the level of p≤0.05) were obtained for April (–0.459), and for winter (0.406). The number of fires and MOI-2: the highest values of R (statistically significant at the level of p≤0.01) were obtained for June (0.556) and February (0.475), and for summer (0.507). The annual burned area and MOI-2: the highest values of R (statistically significant at the level of p≤0.05) were obtained for June (0.449) and February (0.439), and for summer (0.439). Results of the research could be used for the long-term forecast of forest fires in Romania. However, further investigations of the connection between forest fires and other climate indices are necessary.
Full article 10.5775/fg.2067-4635.2016.022.dDates:
Received: 09-10-2016 Accepted: 05-12-2016 Printed: 30-12-2016 Online: 23-04-2017
Affiliations:
- 1 Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić”, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Djure Jakšića 9, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- 2 University of Belgrade, Faculty of Geography, Studentski trg 3/III, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- 3 University of Belgrade, Faculty of Forestry, Kneza Višeslava 1, 11030 Belgrade, Serbia
Citation:
Acknowledgements:
The study is the result of project number 47007 III funded by Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia.
The study used data from the European Commission Forest Fires in Europe, Middle East and North Africa 2014, Joint Report of JRC and Directorate-General Environment (2015).
Copyright:
© 2017 The Author(s). Published by Forum geografic.
Provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License.
Open Access article.
Provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License.
Open Access article.
Volume XV | Issue 2
Shape characteristics of fluvial islets based on GIS techniques. A case study: the Danube’s islets between Giurgiu and Olteniţa
Abstract: This study aims to quantitatively characterize shape parameters of fluvial islets using GIS techniques. There were eight metrics selected for the analysis. For the automation of the workflow, all processing functions were joined into a single graphical model. For this case study we selected the Danube sector situated between the cities Giurgiu and Oltenita. We chose to track the evolution of the fluvial islets’ shapes from 1864 to 2010. Information was extracted from historical data sources such as maps and ortophotoplans. The graphical model created was run for each studied year.The results show major changes in the aspect of fluvial islets along the Danube reach. Between 1864 and 2010 the number of islets slightly increased with the total area ranging from 21.19 kmp to 27.96 kmp. In the period studied, the shape turned from a rounded aspect to a more elongated one. Knowledge of the information on the shape of those landforms is relevant for river restoration strategies, nature conservations of islets and maintenance of the protected habitats.
Full article 10.5775/fg.2067-4635.2016.047.dDates:
Received: 09-10-2016 Accepted: 15-12-2016 Printed: 30-12-2016 Online: 23-04-2017
Affiliations:
- 1 University of Bucharest, Faculty of Geography, Department of Geomorphology-Pedology-Geomatics, Nicolae Bălcescu 1, 010041, Bucharest, Romania
Citation:
Acknowledgements:
University of Bucharest, Faculty of Geography, Department of Geomorphology-Pedology-Geomatics, Nicolae Bălcescu 1, 010041, Bucharest, Romania; 1
Copyright:
© 2017 The Author(s). Published by Forum geografic.
Provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License.
Open Access article.
Provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License.
Open Access article.
Volume XV | Issue 2
The Assessment of Artificial Water Surfaces Regeneration in Stachinez Swamps Protected Area by Using Remote Sensing and In–situ Data
Abstract: The Satchinez Swamps, a remnant of the swamps once specific for Banat Plain, is an ornithological reserve since 1942 and the habitat of many protected bird species. Draining works conducted in the seventies affected the reserve by decreasing the water surface area. Thirty-five years later, hydro-technical works aiming to restore the former aquatic surfaces within the buffer zone were conducted. Thus, in 2005 a water delivery canal from the discharge canal of Satchinez reservoir towards Balta Mare was built. The objective of this study is to assess the efficiency of the hydrological works carried out in 2005 by using temporal analysis of some normalized difference indexes derived from satellite images, in relation to precipitation data (recorded at Timisoara meteorological station) as an indicator for wetland restoration. We used geospatial data from different time periods: historical maps (1953, 1962 and 1984), orthophotos (1963, 1970, 2005 and 2012), oblique airphotos (2004) and 38 Landsat satellite scenes (1984-2015), two images per year, for the dry season respectively for the rainy season. We noticed a slight increase of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in Balta Mare and on the relict watercourse of Sicsău stream, which shows the expansion of reed and suggests an increase in soil moisture. During the dry season, for the period before the restoration works (1984 – 2004) there is a strong, very significant correlation between Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and precipitations (r =0.7008, p = 0.0011). After 2005, this correlation no longer occurs (r = -0.1083, p <0.05), which demonstrates that precipitations are not the main water supply for Balta Mare anymore. For the 1984 – 2015 period, during rainy months the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) indicate the presence of water in Balta Mare, but during the dry months, it demonstrates the lack of water which underlines the temporary character of this pond and confirms the field observations. We conclude that the restoration did not succeed in the rebuilding of the former water surfaces of Balta Mare, but has an effect in increasing the underground water level in this area followed by reed extension.
Full article 10.5775/fg.2067-4635.2016.058.dDates:
Received: 10-09-2016 Accepted: 25-12-2016 Printed: 30-12-2016 Online: 23-04-2017
Affiliations:
- 1 Faculty of Chemistry, Biology and Geography, Department of Geography, West University of Timișoara, Timișoara, Romania
- 2 Faculty of Chemistry, Biology and Geography, Department of Biology and Chemistry, West University of Timișoara, Timișoara, Romania
Citation:
Copyright:
© 2017 The Author(s). Published by Forum geografic.
Provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License.
Open Access article.
Provided under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License.
Open Access article.
Keywords
agriculture
Banat
Bucharest
Bulgaria
climate change
COVID-19
Craiova
cultural tourism
Danube
deindustrialization
demographic decline
drought
Environment
erosion
European Union
flash flood
flood risk
geodiversity
geomorphology
geomorphometry
GIS
human pressure
Hungary
land cover
landscape
land use
morphometry
Oltenia Plain
pollution
precipitation
regional development
remote sensing
Romania
rural-urban fringe
rural area
rural tourism
Serbia
Southern Carpathians
sustainability
sustainable development
tourism
urban development
urban sprawl
urban transport
water pollution
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