Assessment of the Economic Consequences of Riverbank Erosion: The Case of the South Morava River, Serbia

Landscape transformation, degradation and destruction are caused by fluvial processes as the predominant erosive processes in Serbia. The loss of arable land due to riverbank erosion is permanent, and the economic consequences are, therefore, especially pronounced. The primary aim of this study was to quantify the intensity of riverbank erosion in the lower part of the South Morava River (Serbia) during period 1924–2020, evaluate its economic consequences, and conduct a cost benefit analysis of revetment investments. The economic effects of riverbank erosion were analyzed by means of land loss and reduction in the quantity of agricultural production. An interdisciplinary research approach was applied using specific methodological procedures to calculate the riverbank erosion and soil (land) loss intensity (geographic information system-GIS), the economic consequences of riverbank erosion (ECRE), and the results of an investment decision-making model. The results showed that 202.6[Formula: see text]ha of arable land was lost during the observed period, the value of arable land loss was almost 622,000[Formula: see text]USD, and the loss in agricultural production was 7.5 million USD (discount rate 3.7%). The model is seen as the main research output and can be used for the assessment of long-term capital-intensive infrastructure projects in developing countries. The analysis identified the river segments that are economically viable for investments in riverbank revetments to preserve the largest area of fertile agricultural land. The results are especially valuable for river channel management, environmental planners and policy-makers, who deal with decisions regarding planning and the protection of bank erosion in areas of particular interest

Transformation of Abandoned Railways into Tourist Itineraries/Routes: Model of Revitalization of Marginal Rural Areas

Railways that were once utilized by conventional speed trains but now lay technologically outdated and neglected are scarcely in use today, with many lying abandoned. These rail networks sprawl across vast areas, posing a substantial impediment to sustainable land use and management. Our research advocates for the adoption of tourist itinerary/route as a viable model for the transformation of abandoned railways into sustainable and functional systems. This innovative concept involves repurposing abandoned railways into tourist itineraries with the aim of utilizing them for tourism and commercial ventures. Recognizing a knowledge gap, particularly the absence of scientifically grounded models, on a selected case study (abandoned regional railway number 223 in the Toplica District, Serbia), we develop and present a model for the identification and Tourist Evaluation of Abandoned Railways (TEAR model). The defined model comprises a total of 27 sub-indicators categorized into four groups of indicators: natural tourist values (NV), anthropogenic tourist values (AV), tourist attractiveness of the railway (TA), and functional values (FV). The findings from the TEAR model suggest that the abandoned railway holds significant tourism value, with a rating of ≥0.7. Specifically, three sets of indicators—NV, AV, and TA—indicate a high level of tourist values (≥0.7), while FV falls within a moderate range of tourist values (0.4 ≤ V < 0.7). This endeavor not only supports sustainable local and regional development but also contributes to the enhancement of rural landscapes and the revitalization of rural areas. Importantly, this initiative aligns directly and indirectly with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), thus fostering progress towards broader economic, societal, and environmental objectives

Water transportation planning in connection with extreme weather conditions; case study – Port of Novi Sad, Serbia

The Danube has a length of 588 km in the Republic of Serbia. The water transport on this river is underused. The hazardous events have a great impact on the traffic on this river, and the understanding of these events is of great importance. This study focuses on hazardous events on the Danube with the main focus on the port of Novi. The hazardous events used in this study are extreme air temperatures, devastating winds, drought, and heavy precipitation. The hazardous events were represented using geographic information systems (GIS), geostatistics, and numerical methods. The potential of the river transport network and the port capacity were analyzed and compared with the hazardous events of the last 30 years. The results showed that three areas of the port are of great importance for port security, and two areas are extremely affected by hazardous events. The distance of the port of Novi Sad from heavy precipitation events is 6.8 km in the southwestern direction. The periods of extremely low precipitation (climatic drought) were in 1994, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2019, and 2021. Extreme average maximum temperatures were in 1995, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2015, and 2019. On the other hand, minimum average temperatures were in 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2017, and 2018, and the strongest winds were in 1995, 1998, 2003, 2009, 2012, and 2014. The methods and techniques of GIS, used in this research, have confirmed new potential geographical positions of the port that can be better adapted to future climate changes. Another main objective of this research is to recommend better spatial planning and construction of new green corridors

An Assessment of the Climate Change Impacts on the Distribution of the Glacial Relict Woodpecker Three-Toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus

The Three-Toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus is a rare and endangered woodpecker on the Balkan Peninsula. Despite being widely distributed in Northern Europe, its distribution on the Balkan Peninsula is limited to high-altitude forest habitats, where it represents a glacial relict. Assessing the climate change impacts on its distribution can be crucial for improving the conservation and future survival of this specialist species on the Balkan Peninsula. We used species distribution modelling (SDM) to identify its potential distribution in the past (last interglacial and last glacial maximum), present, and future (2050 and 2070). Our results indicate that this species had the greatest distribution during the last glacial maximum, after which its distribution contracted to areas where suitable environment persisted (high altitudes). The largest territory of the Balkan Peninsula has an unsuitable environment for the species to inhabit, while highly suitable habitats have the smallest share in the total area of suitable habitats. All future models show a decrease in the area of suitable habitats compared with the current period, indicating that global warming has a negative effect on the distribution of the species. We recommend that conservation activities must be of greater extent to ensure the species’ survival in the Balkans

Туризам у функцији одрживог руралног развоја на простору Новог Пазара

Велики значај за одрживи рурални развој недовољно развијених простора Србије имају природне и антропогене туристичке вредности. У овој студији спроведено је анкетно истраживање методом одабира испитаника, а анализом економских, социјалних и културних аспеката и аспеката животне средине сагледава се тренутно стање, са циљем да се јасно дефинишу све јаке и слабе тачке руралних насеља на простору административне територије Новог Пазара. Вредност индикатора добијена је као резултат просечних вредности сродних питања, а Индекс одрживог руралног развоја (IORR) представљен је просечном вредношћу свих индикатора. Коначни резултат IORR је 0,94, што показује да простор има перспективу развоја одрживог туризма. Резултати истраживања могу се искористити за планирање могућности даљег развоја руралних насеља у истраживаном простору, с циљем да се слабе стране и претње минимизирају, а јаке стране и прилике максимизирају, и то захваљујући туризму заснованом на одрживом развоју

Changes in the social status of the population in the post-Yugoslav period and the impact on housing in Belgrade

In the post-socialist period, there were many changes in the post-Yugoslav region. The dissolution of the state and the civil war were just some of the most important events. The successor states went through the post-socialist transition at a different pace. The political and economic transition had a significant impact on the social status of the population. According to numerous international urban studies, there is a causal relationship between the social status of the population and the housing situation. Looking at the social status of the population in Belgrade, it is obvious that the social status decreases from the centre to the periphery. The housing situation in Belgrade is very heterogeneous. First, there is a historical centre filled with buildings from different eras: from the pre-World War II period, from the socialist period and from the post-socialist period. Secondly, there are socialist neighbourhoods that surround the historic core of the city. Finally, there are the neighbourhoods on the periphery, which are mostly informally built. The withdrawal of the state and the reintroduction of market mechanisms in the housing sector, drastic proportions of owner-occupied housing, the expansion of illegal construction activity, international isolation during the 1990s and the subsequent reconnection to the global economy, albeit with extremely weakened institutions, characterised post-socialist housing and urban development in Belgrade. Added to this was another wave of demographic pressure from the former Yugoslav republics and Kosovo. Through the lens of social status and housing situation, we observe the patterns of residential segregation in the post-socialist period. Due to the incomparability of statistical data from different periods, we use a combination of sources and research approaches. The first two decades of the post-socialist period were analysed at the level of census units, using data on the education of the population as a proxy for their social status

Comparative Geomorphometric Analysis of Drainage Basin Using AW3D30 Model in ArcGIS and QGIS Environment: Case Study of the Ibar River Drainage Basin, Montenegro

Geomorphometric analysis provides crucial insights into the hydrological characteristics by delineating the land-surface features of a drainage basin. The study focused on analyzing the geomorphometric parameters of the Montenegrin segment of the Ibar River drainage basin using the ALOS Global Digital Surface Model 30 m (AW3D30). Geomorphometric parameters, covering linear and areal parameters, were computed using standard mathematical formulas in LibreOffice Calc software and hydrology tools in commercial GIS software ArcGIS, as well as open-source software QGIS with SAGA GIS modules. Results reveal a dendritic pattern in the stream network, with an inverse relationship between stream length and order, and an elevated bifurcation ratio indicating heightened vulnerability to flooding, influenced by geological, geomorphological, and climatic factors. Furthermore, examination of diverse areal morphometric parameters, such as drainage density, stream frequency, form factor, circularity ratio, and elongation ratio, unveils the hydrological dynamics of the Ibar basin. This characterization illustrates the region as possessing high permeability and dense vegetation cover, suggesting vulnerability to erosion and consequent effects on water and sediment discharge. Additionally, this study underscores the significance of user-defined parameters in geomorphometric modeling, particularly in selecting algorithms within analysis software, which significantly impact drainage basin parameters

Thermal assessments at local and micro scales during hot summer days: a case study of Belgrade (Serbia)

Increasing thermal risk in cities is endangering the health and well-being of urban population and is driven by climate change and intensive urbanization. Therefore, if we plan to enlarge the capacities of cities to be more climate resilient in the 21st century, more detailed monitoring of urban climate on local and micro scales is needed. For this research we performed two microclimate measurement campaigns in urban area of Belgrade, during hot summer days in 2021. In total, five measurement sites were chosen in different urban designs and different local climate zones (LCZs). For thermal monitoring (air temperature – Ta and globe temperature – Tg) the Kestrel heat stress tracker sensor with 1-min measurement resolution was used, but we used 10-min average values. Obtained results showed distinct thermal differences (up to 7 °C on average) between densely built-up areas and green areas. Differences between built-up LCZs are lower with values from 2 to 4 °C. Important part of this research was microclimate monitoring on sites within the same LCZ (intra-LCZ variability). Results showed that shadows and short- and longwave radiation play a paramount role in thermal variability. Direct and reflected radiations on one measurement site increased Ta up to 6 °C and Tg up to 12 °C when compared to other measurement site (in a similar urban design), which was in the shadow