The geomorphological effectiveness of extreme meteorological phenomena on flysch slopes

Extreme events tend to cause large-scale slope system changes. During the last ten years, a series of extreme meteorological events caused considerable transformation of the slopes and valleys in various parts of the Carpathian Mountains. This paper presents the geomorphological effects of extreme rainfall and thaw events on the slopes of two catchments: the Łososina catchment (Beskid Wyspowy) and the Hoczewka catchment with an area around the Solińskie Lake (Bieszczady Niskie). The bulk of the discussion concerns a study carried out in the Łososina catchment after three separate extreme events that were followed by a considerable transformation of the slopes due to landsliding. The studies carried out in the Bieszczady Range, where a single extreme event produced only spatially limited effects, were mainly used for comparison. I he disparity between the responses of the two slope systems was a result of differences between the systems themselves, including their geology, geomorphology and landslide record, and of the difference in the scale of the extreme events

Slope relaxation following landslides in the Łososina River Basin, Beskid Wyspowy Mts., Poland

The paper presents results from a study of the functioning of slopes in conditions where the dynamic equilibrium has been upset and sliding has been followed by slope relaxation. The research was an attempt to analyze large-scale changes in slope morphology in the Łososina River basin in the Beskid Wyspowy mountain range caused by an extreme rainfall event in 1997. The enormous scale of the sliding process that occurred on the slopes of the Łososina basin provided an opportunity to study the role of mass movements in landform development in mountains of medium height. The paper attempts to summarize the rate and course of slope relaxation processes using geomorphological mapping done from 1997 to 2000. The study tested the hypothesis that following the occurrence of an extreme event, slope relaxation processes will slow down mass movement processes to the point where they stop acting on the slope, and ultimately a new set of slope development processes will emerge

The role of anthropopressure in the transformation of high mountain areas (Tatra and Monts Dore Mountains)

Under an extensive tourist penetration, mountain areas have been experiencing a high degree of anthropogenic degradation. Tourist traffic leads to the destruction of vegetation along roads and paths and nearby facilities, largely as a result of a considerable acceleration of geomorphologic processes. The paper presents certain environmental considerations, including relief, geology and climate, as well as micro-relief within tourist paths and morphogenetic processes infl uencing slope transformation within tourist areas in selected mountain areas. The general issue of the tourist-infl uenced degradation was discussed using two high mountain areas: the Tatras and Monts Dore mountains (Massif Central, France). In all of those areas, the anthropogenic geomorphologic features are highly diversifi ed and well visible in the overall land relief. Tourist paths, roads and ski pistes constitute areas of overlapping natural and anthropogenic degradation. Wherever the natural vegetation, and especially the turf cover has been destroyed a state of permanent imbalance can be observed, as well as the development of crionival, aeolian and pluvial relief. The natural and anthropogenic processes infl uencing the morphodynamics of the roads and paths greatly vary in rate depending on the ground resistance, slope inclination and exposure, morphodynamical tier, type of surface, vegetation cover, season of the year and the intensity of the tourist traffic. Human activity in the mountains accelerates the circulation of energy and matter within individual slopes but sometimes also within entire massifs. The Monts Dore massif revealed the greatest degradation of its paths and tourist roads, followed by the Tatras

The infuence of roads and touristic paths on the development of the relief of Temperate Zone Mountains

Due to the forest management and development of tourism and winter sports, many mountain areas are intensively used. Therefore, they have been experiencing a high degree of anthropogenic degradation. In the paper the environmental conditioning for microrelief of touristic path and roads are discussed. Furthermore, the morphogenetic processes shaping the slopes under the anthropogenic influence running along the mentioned features will be taken under consideration. The research problem will be presented on the example of medium and high mountain area in the Polish Carpathian Mts. (the Beskid Niski Mts., the Pieniny, the Western Tatras) as well as on the example of the Monts Dore (Massif Central, France)