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Volume XV |

Comparative Analysis of the FDI’s Spatial Localization Models in the Danube Provinces of Bulgaria

Abstract: The Danube provinces of Bulgaria are among the least developed NUTS3 regions in the country and in the EU. From that point of view, overcoming of their socio-economic underdevelopment is not only of particular interest for the Bulgarian regional policy, but is also at the base of realizing a successful strategy for sustainable territorial development of the cross-border region Romania-Bulgaria. Being a key factor in the discourse of regional development, the FDI should be scrutinized in a view to uncover the main regularities and trends in these provinces, as well as potentials and perspectives ahead of the separate administrative units. The analysis of some key indicators connected with the dynamics and distribution of the FDI stocks and their per capita ratio, with the FDI density, and with the proportion FDI-GDP, demonstrates the lack of a distinct and typical for all Danube provinces of Bulgaria trend in the investment activity. However, we find out a common feature in their spatial localization models – the predominant concentration of FDI in the regional centres. The study also discloses the correlations between sectoral structure and FDI supplies, as well as the FDI’s role for the changes in some key economic, social, and demographic indicators’ values in these provinces. The quantitative analysis’ results are complemented with qualitative characteristics of the processes as we put special emphasis on factors such as: the insufficient capacity for creating agglomeration effects; the lack of clusterization based on joint initiatives of the provinces; the relatively weak impact of the free trade zones and the industrial zones; the poor connectivity with the national transport system. The elaborated systematic territorial study of the foreign investments’ spatial models in the Danube provinces of Bulgaria is a solid base for designing/implementing a differentiated, adequate, flexible, and proactive regional and local policies.

Volume XV |

Geodiversity and geoheritage in Geography teaching for the purpose of improving students’ competencies in education for sustainable development

Abstract: Sustainable development has become one of the burning issues on a global, local and individual levels as a result of climate changes, pollution, rapid development and changes in the global information, economic, industrial and business sectors and value systems. In this sense, education for sustainable development, as part of lifelong learning, has become one of the most important strategic and educational policy issues in Serbia. The aim of this paper is to highlight the potential of geography as a school subject, with special reference to the role of the subject matter of geoheritage and geodiversity in education for sustainable development. The aim of pointing the benefits of integrated and out-of-classroom approaches in teaching geography, which favour an active, experiential and exploratory approach to learning about geodiversity and geoheritage, is that students can acquire competencies in sustainable development. As outcomes of geography classes, competencies also represent a basis for raising awareness and increasing accountability and responsibility in individuals for preserving geoheritage and geodiversity as part of the Serbian national treasure.

Volume XV |

Assessment of Nutritional Status and Deficiency Disease through Geographical Survey: A Case Study of Varanasi District in India

Abstract: Identifying the role of the diet at the start of many diseases and evaluating the nutritional status of an individual, family and community is significant for public health. The main objective of this paper is to geographically evaluate the nutritional status and deficiency disease in the development blocks of Varanasi district, India. Primary data are collected from 800 respondents of 16 selected villages (2 villages from each development block) in the rural part of Varanasi district and their results are analyzed with the help of SPSS statistical software. The study involved geographical survey based interviews using a questionnaire, measurement of nutrient intake and assessment of their general knowledge and awareness about nutrition and deficiency diseases on the basis of their occupational structure, house type and income status. The findings of this paper also show that the socio-economic status of the respondents is closely related with nutritional status of people living in the rural areas of Varanasi district. It is interesting to note that about 15% of household’s intake is still less than 1500 calories per capita per day, which leads to malnutrition and deficiency diseases. More than half of the respondents of the study area are found to be suffering from nutritional deficiency diseases.

Volume XV |

Morphological Analysis of Topolog Basin Fluvial Terraces: A Valleys System Evolution Approach

Abstract: The organisation of valleys network leads to the morphological identity of a territory, developing particular internal developmental models that take into account a number of parameters, such as the climatic, tectonic, eustatic and glacioeustatic ones, the local and regional basic levels or the local morphodynamics. Their highlighting is being reflected in the landscape by structural and quantitative differences resulted from the valley’s evolution up related to each terraces level. In that sense, a probative example is the Topolog’s basin which overlaps three morphostructural units having distinctive dynamics: the Făgăraş Mountains’ Group, the Argeş and Vâlcea Subcarpathians and the Cotmeana Piedmont. The analysis of the position, number, features and structure of the current fluvial terraces, of the way in which the hydrographic network was imposed in the landscape by its evolution enables the identification and tracking of some models with different characteristics on the three sections drained by the Topolog river. Therefore, in the mountain sectorthe valley’s evolution has imposed hydrographic disturbances, in the Subcarpathian one a deepening of the initialcourse and in the piedmont sector some changes through lateral dislocation determined by the amplitude of the elevation process and the thickness of the piedmontan deposits, concurrently with the existence of certain subsidence areas along the Olt river. The direct correlation between the structural features of terraces and the thickness of the deposits along the Topolog river wasaccomplished by an integrated interpretation of the data we have achieved from the electrical resistivity method (49 vertical electrical sounding) and geotechnical survey.

Volume XV |

A complex approach in the interdisciplinary field of karst geomorphology. The case study of Anina karst area (Banat Mountains, Romania)

Abstract: Karst regions are characterized by discontinuity and even by the lack of surface water drainage due to the fissured and porous rocks, but the rivers are often flowing in the underground. Our study area is represented by the Anina karst area, a karst region that is situated in the largest and most compact carbonate area in Romania, the Reșița – Moldova Nouă Synclinorium. This study aims to analyse a mature karst area using a complex approach in karst geomorphology. To achieve this assessment, we intended (i) to get an overall description of the morphology of the area using digital data and GIS methods; (ii) to obtain detailed data regarding cost evolution using geophysics, hydrogeology and speleology, and (iii) to correlate all the data to evaluate the karst terrain from the geomorphology perspective. Our research is still in progress, and yet we have results that are leading to a complex approach in karst topography research from a geomorphological perspective, using different fields of study as geology, speleology, spontaneous potential as geophysical method and computer science (GIS). Based on our field measurements we were able to correlate those features that are extremely important in karst solution processes, as water circulation, underground conduits, slope, soil properties, water properties in order to have a better understanding regarding the actual landscape in the Anina karst area and also in order to develop hypotheses regarding the possible evolution of karst landforms in the studied territory. Interdisciplinarity in karst topography studies is very important. Only by involving scientists, and techniques belonging to different scientific domains, we may understand in detail the karst topography. This complex approach is useful for stakeholders and local authorities in their feasibility studies and strategies for local development due to the fact that our study enriches the knowledge regarding karst environment “behaviour” in Anina region.