Wskaźnik ekspozycji widokowej jako narzędzie optymalizacji punktów widokowych – studium przypadku Szczebrzeszyńskiego Parku Krajobrazowego

Landscape vantage points constitute the basic visual resource of the landscape, enable observation of panoramic panoramas, and thus cultural ecosystem services flows. The panoramic view is the tourist destination itself, therefore the functioning of the vantage points is related to the network of tourist routes. The optimization of the network of vantage points is a key issue of tourist function management as well as landscape physiognomic resources protection. The GIS-based visibility analysis is the most appreciated regarding landscape visual resources; it has theoretical and practical explanations. Theoretically, despite its multi-sensory character, the landscape can be regarded as “areas, as perceived by people”. In consequence, this puts a privilege to GIS software because, since the very beginning of its development, the viewshed algorithm computes the visible area and its reverse version (reverse viewshed) computes the area of visibility. This study applies reverse viewshed in search of landscape vantage points. The study aims to propose the methodology of visual exposure indicator (VEI) calculation, which is a geo-information supporting tool of the vantage point optimization process. The VEI values describe the given place’s suitability for vantage point location in terms of view panorama exposition conditions, which, combined with information about tourist routes, enables the vantage point location optimization. The VEI spatial variability analysis also allows for locating the vantage points so far not pointed on the tourist maps. The study was carried out on the example of the Szczebrzeszyński Landscape Park, as a result, it was proposed to expand the existing network up to 45 viewpoints. The resulting visual landscape resources quantification cannot be equated with visual landscape character and quality assessment; however, the proposed GIS framework provides objective results that precisely localize and measure them. The conclusions and limitations of the method were discussed in the context of geocomputation as well as the landscape conservation plans practises.Punkty widokowe stanowią podstawowy zasób fizjonomiczny krajobrazu, umożliwiają obserwację panoram, a tym samym warunkują przepływ kulturowych usług ekosystemowych. Widok panoramiczny sam w sobie bywa celem podejmowanej aktywności turystycznej, stąd też funkcjonowanie punktów widokowych związane jest z siecią tras turystycznych. Optymalizacja sieci punktów widokowych jest więc kluczowa dla prawidłowego kształtowania funkcji turystycznej regionu oraz ochrony jego zasobów fizjonomicznych. Celem pracy jest metodyczna propozycja wskaźnika ekspozycji widokowej, będącego geoinformacyjnym narzędziem wspierającym proces wyznaczania i optymalizacji sieci punktów widokowych. Badanie przeprowadzono na przykładzie Szczebrzeszyńskiego Parku Krajobrazowego, w efekcie zaproponowano rozbudowę istniejącej sieci do 45 punktów. Wnioski wypływające z metody i jej ograniczenia omówiono w kontekście praktyki przygotowania operatów ochrony walorów krajobrazowych

Quantification of Biodiversity Related to the Active Protection of Grassland Habitats in the Eastern Lublin Region of Poland Based on the Activity of Soil Enzymes

This study focused on the impact of extensive sheep grazing on soil enzymatic activity in the grassland habitats of the Eastern Lublin region of Poland, situated within the ecological Natura 2000 network of: Kąty (PLH060010), Stawska Góra (PLH060018), and Zachodniowołyńska Dolina Bugu (PLH060035). This study involved soils under sheep grazing and soils in uncultivated areas (wasteland). Two-year study was conducted in 2 periods of each year: spring (before the start of sheep grazing) and autumn (after grazing). Beneficial effects were found for extensive grazing by sheep on soil enzymatic activity within each tested habitat. It is worth underlining that a clear stimulation of enzyme activity was detected already in the first year of observation. In the second year, the enzyme activity in the soils of habitats under sheep grazing was approximately 1.5 times higher than in the soils without grazing. The observed higher activity of the tested enzymes in soils under sheep grazing indicated the usefulness of studies on the enzymatic activity of soils as a sensitive indicator of soil response, such as observed here with the applied active system of biodiversity protection in the valuable natural grassland habitats of Natura 2000

Introducing GEOBIA to landscape imageability assessment: a multi-temporal case study of the nature reserve “Kózki”, Poland

Geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) is a primary remote sensing tool utilized in land-cover mapping and change detection. Land-cover patches are the primary data source for landscape metrics and ecological indicator calculations; however, their application to visual landscape character (VLC) indicators was little investigated to date. To bridge the knowledge gap between GEOBIA and VLC, this paper puts forward the theoretical concept of using viewpoint as a landscape imageability indicator into the practice of a multi-temporal land-cover case study and explains how to interpret the indicator. The study extends the application of GEOBIA to visual landscape indicator calculations. In doing so, eight different remote sensing imageries are the object of GEOBIA, starting from a historical aerial photograph (1957) and CORONA declassified scene (1965) to contemporary (2018) UAV-delivered imagery. The multi-temporal GEOBIA-delivered land-cover patches are utilized to find the minimal isovist set of viewpoints and to calculate three imageability indicators: the number, density, and spacing of viewpoints. The calculated indicator values, viewpoint rank, and spatial arrangements allow us to describe the scale, direction, rate, and reasons for VLC changes over the analyzed 60 years of landscape evolution. We found that the case study nature reserve (“Kózki”, Poland) landscape imageability transformed from visually impressive openness to imageability due to the impression of several landscape rooms enclosed by forest walls. Our results provide proof that the number, rank, and spatial arrangement of viewpoints constitute landscape imageability measured with the proposed indicators. Discussing the method’s technical limitations, we believe that our findings contribute to a better understanding of land-cover change impact on visual landscape structure dynamics and further VLC indicator development

Sheep and Horse Grazing in a Large-Scale Protection Area and its Positive Impact on Chemical and Biological Soil Properties

This paper looks into the impact of free grazing by sheep and horses on the chemical and biological properties of soils in the partial protection zone of the Roztocze National Park. The study sampled three different types of pastureland in the area: pastures for sheep, horses and for combined grazing by sheep and horses. Compared to an ungrazed reference pasture, free grazing significantly stimulated the activity of enzymes which catalyze the transformation of organic matter (dehydrogenases, phosphatases and ureases) and it also positively influenced other chemical properties of the soils. Among the soils under free-grazing management, the pasture grazed to horses underwent the most advantageous changes in terms of the eco-chemical status of the soil

Enzymatic Activity and Content of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Soils under Low-Stack Emission in Lublin

Soils from the Lublin area exposed to low-stack emission from home heating and transport were investigated. Changes in soil enzymatic activity and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) content were analysed. Soil samples were collected in July and November 2016 and January 2017. Results of the study show that enzymatic activity and PAHs content depended on types of buildings, study period (intensification of pollutant emission from household heating), traffic volume and atmospheric air movement. Low enzymatic activities and high PAHs contents in the soils were observed in the autumn-winter period in the areas with dense single-family housing and located in the vicinity of streets with intense road traffic

Variable Geometry in Miniature Gas Turbine for Improved Performance and Reduced Environmental Impact

A miniature gas turbine (MGT) is proposed as a promising future energy source. Increasingly stringent requirements related to harmful combustible gas emissions and a trend towards improved energy generation efficiency drive the quest for new MGT technologies. Variable geometry systems are promising due to enhanced heat management and flow control. Variable combustor cooling and dilution holes together with the variable area nozzle (VAN) system allow for the improvement of gas turbine performance and reduction in pollutant emissions. The proposed systems are based on hot-section geometry changes, in which the size of the combustion chamber holes and turbine nozzle angle can be adjusted. Component and module experimental research were performed at the Warsaw University of Technology, on an MGT test stand. A significant decrease in fuel consumption (up to 47% reduction) and harmful nitrogen oxide emission reduction (NO–by 78% and NO2–by 82%) were achieved. These results are related to combustor turbine inlet temperature (TIT) increase up to 1230 K. The tests of the variable geometry systems have also shown an impact on gas turbine power and specific fuel consumption

Discrete Element Modeling of Intermetallic Matrix Composite Manufacturing by Powder Metallurgy

This paper presents a numerical and experimental analysis of manufacturing of intermetallic ceramic composites by powder metallurgy techniques. The scope of the paper includes the formulation and development of an original numerical model of powder metallurgy of two-phase material within the framework of the discrete element method, simulations of powder metallurgy processes for different combinations of process parameters, and a verification of the numerical model based on own experimental results. Intermetallic-based composite NiAl–Al 2 O 3 has been selected as representative material for experimental and numerical studies in this investigation. Special emphasis was given to the interactions between the intermetallic and ceramic particles by formulating the special model for adhesive contact bond. In order to properly represent a real microstructure of a two-phase sintered body, a discrete element specimen was generated using a special algorithm. Numerical validation showed the correct numerical representation of a sintered two-phase composite specimen. Finally, micromechanical analysis was performed to explain the macroscopic behavior of the sintered sample. The evolution of the coordination number, a number of equilibrium contacts, and the distribution of the cohesive neck size with respect to time are presented