Europe's landscape hotspots

The main purpose of this analysis is to identify places in Europe that can be described as very diverse according to various natural landscape types or landscape regions. In order to obtain these “hotspots,” several geographical divisions of Europe were examined. The analysis was performed for most of Europe at 5 km resolution. First, maps of landscape variety were produced based on each division of Europe taken into account. This step was carried out for each cell by counting the number of different unique natural landscape types or regions that are present in a radius of 50 km around the cell. Several maps of landscape diversity were produced using this method. Each of them was then weighted; the cell values were divided by the number of all unique types or regions in a division. In the final stage, all of the maps were synthesized (averaged) into one map showing landscape diversity for Europe. With this data it was possible to determine Europe’s landscape hotspots and to define the most naturally heterogeneous countries. Among all of the European countries, Slovenia has the highest average landscape diversity; the highest absolute landscape diversity is located in the Norwegian part of southern Scandinavia

Analiza naravnih pokrajinskih tipov Slovenije z GIS-om

This volume analyzes two natural landscape typologies of Slovenia using quantitative methods and data layers. Based on two existing manually outlined typologies, several modeled natural landscape typologies were then produced using selected data layers and different geo-information tools. The main part of the analysis is focused on studying the compatibility of the modeled and original natural landscape typologies and on how successfully the original typologies can be reproduced using numerical models. By comparing the models and originals, it was also possible to establish the locations of the types that have been classified (confirmed) the same by different methods and those that have not been confirmed by any model. In conclusion, the volume presents findings on the use of GIS for identifying natural landscape types in Slovenia and proposes specific procedures for classifying Slovenia or other areas into natural landscape types and procedures for their evaluation. This volume also presents examples of various regionalizations and typologies, and lists available digital data layers and geo-information tools that can be used to make various typologies.V monografiji je predstavljena analiza dveh obstoječih naravnopokrajinskih tipizacij Slovenije z različnimi kvantitativnimi metodami in podatkovnimi sloji. V praktičnem delu raziskave smo s štirimi podatkovnimi sloji in različnimi geoinformacijskimi orodji na podlagi dveh obstoječih, ročno začrtanih tipizacij izdelali več modeliranih naravnopokrajinskih tipizacij. Osrednji del analize je namreč osredotočen na preučevanje usklajenosti modeliranih in izvirnih naravnopokrajinskih tipizacij oziroma na vprašanje, kako uspešno lahko izdelavo izvirnih tipizacij ponovimo s številskimi modeli. S primerjavo modelov in izvirnikov smo ugotovili, kje v Sloveniji so območja posameznih tipov, ki so po različnih metodah klasificirana (potrjena) enako, in kje so območja tipov, ki jih ni potrdil noben model. Na koncu so navedene tudi ugotovitve o uporabi GIS-ov za določanje naravnih pokrajinskih tipov Slovenije ter predlagani postopki tipizacije Slovenije ali drugih območij na naravne pokrajinske tipe in postopki za njihovo vrednotenje. V knjigi smo navedli tudi primere regionalizacij in tipizacij ter dostopne podatkovne sloje in orodja, s katerimi lahko izdelamo tipizacije

Information values of absolute elevation and elevation difference for illustration of thermal belt

This paper estimates the information gain and the information gain ratio, which are usually used in machine-learning processes, to assess which data layer – absolute elevation or elevation difference – better reflects the topoclimatic characteristics (especially the thermal belt). Both attributes are compared based on their information value in explaining the locations of vineyards, which depend largely on the thermal belt. The analysis is performed on 9,000 cells covering various winegrowing districts. In general, elevation difference proves to be a better attribute, but certain differences can be observed between individual areas, especially between the continental and submediterranean parts of Slovenia

The usefulness of unsupervised classification methods for landscape typification: The case of Slovenia

Supervised and unsupervised classification methods can be a useful tool in determining various geographical spatial divisions, especially regionalizations and typifications. Because Slovenia is geographically very diverse, its divisions are a particularly significant and interesting research challenge. The main objective of this article is to determine the effectiveness of unsupervised classification methods, and therefore we compare the well-established landscape typology of Slovenia from 1996 with landscape typologies that were modeled using various unsupervised classification methods. Our results show that landscape typologies modeled using unsupervised classification methods deviate more from the original landscape typology of Slovenia than landscape typologies modeled using random and expert-supervised classification methods

Management of small retention ponds and their impact on flood hazard prevention in the Slovenske Gorice Hills

One of the methods of water resource management is to construct small retention ponds. Within the framework of the “Possible ecological control of flood hazard in the hilly regions of Hungary and Slovenia“ project the management of small ponds and their impact on flood prevention were studied in selected catchments. Data on pond management were gathered from interviews with pond owners. In a pilot study, we conducted an inventarisation and classification of all retention ponds. Primarily they were constructed for more specific use: fishing, irrigation, watering livestock. These functions have been gradually replaced by leisure-time activities, aesthetics, and tourism. Spring, stream and rainfall-fed ponds prevail in the pilot area and reduce the flood risk. Due to the increased variability of precipitation patterns ponds are also becoming an important measure to limit drought consequences at a local level

A methodology for natural landscape typification of Slovenia

Based on digital data on relief, rock, and vegetation, the most significant elements of the internal structure of Slovenian landscapes and at the same time of their external appearance, a geographic information system and verification in the field were used to create several natural landscape typologies of Slovenia with a varying number of types. The most generalized typology is based on the spatial overlap of four relief, seven lithological, and seven vegetation units. It has twenty-four landscape types: four flat, eleven low hilly, six hilly, and three mountainous types

Determination of landscape hotspots of Slovenia

Based on digital data on relief, rock, and vegetation, the most significant elements of the internal structure of Slovenian landscapes, and their external appearance, a geographic information system was used to calculate landscape diversity of Slovenia. Areas with high landscape diversity are landscape hotspots, and areas with low landscape diversity are landscape coldspots. One-tenth of Slovenia with the highest landscape diversity was defined as landscape hotspots, and one-tenth of Slovenia with the lowest landscape diversity was defined as landscape coldspots. Most landscape hotspots are located in the Alpine part of Slovenia (more than two-thirds of their total area), and most landscape coldspots in the Dinaric part of Slovenia (almost half of their total area)

The disappearing cryosphere in the southeastern Alps: Introduction to special issue

Various ice bodies are an important source of paleoenvironmental data, and their study improves the understanding of present and future environmental conditions. Their changes are an important indicator of climate change. This special issue of Acta geographica Slovenica draws attention to the changing and disappearing cryosphere across the globe, with an emphasis on the southeastern Alps, and the necessity to conduct research in this field before the ice disappears forever. This paper briefly summarizes the current body of knowledge on glaciers, permafrost, cave ice, lake and river ice, and snow in the southeastern Alps, and it presents the contribution of Acta geographica Slovenica to this research and the main highlights of all five papers included in this special issue.Various ice bodies are an important source of paleoenvironmental data, and their study improves the understanding of present and future environmental conditions. Their changes are an important indicator of climate change. This special issue of Acta geographica Slovenica draws attention to the changing and disappearing cryosphere across the globe, with an emphasis on the southeastern Alps, and the necessity to conduct research in this field before the ice disappears forever. This paper briefly summarizes the current body of knowledge on glaciers, permafrost, cave ice, lake and river ice, and snow in the southeastern Alps, and it presents the contribution of Acta geographica Slovenica to this research and the main highlights of all five papers included in this special issue

From urban geodiversity to geoheritage: The case of Ljubljana (Slovenia)

The city of Ljubljana lies at the intersection of various geomorphological regions that have strongly influenced its spatial organization. Prehistoric settlements were built on marshland, a Roman town was built on the first river terrace of the Ljubljanica River, and in the Middle Ages a town was built in a strategic position between the Ljubljanica River and Castle Hill. The modern city absorbed all usable space between the nearby hills. This paper reviews some relief features in Ljubljana, their influence on the city’s spatial development, and urban geoheritage. The results indicate new possibilities for urban geoheritage tourism in the Slovenian capital and its surroundings

Karst as a criterion for defining areas less suitable for agriculture

The proposed European Union indicators for defining areas less suitable for agriculture in Slovenia are not entirely appropriate because taking them into account would omit some distinctly and clearly unsuitable areas–for example, Suha krajina (Dry Carniola) and Bela krajina (White Carniola)–and farmers would be unjustifiably financially harmed. In such a case, every European Union member state has the right to propose an additional indicator to reduce such discrepancies. With regard to actual natural conditions, in Slovenia especially some karst landscapes would be unjustifiably omitted, and so we have proposed a karst indicator as an additional criterion based on the distribution of karst (i.e., carbonate) rocks. Through spatial coverage of karst rocks and soils, we determined whether more reasonable and less strict application of European criteria regarding soil could be satisfactory for better results in defining areas less suitable for agriculture in Slovenia