Territorial regionalization of landscape technosphere in Lithuania

The aim of investigation was to discover territorial differences in landscape technosphere (structural imprint from cultural and technological processes). The main processes forming technosphere are related to technology‐bound areal changes that transform landscape through land use change and urbanization (the latter term taken in ‘building up’ sense). This specific layer can be divided horizontally into areas (1969 individual ones, in the Lithuanian case, averagely 33 km2 in size each) with a homogeneous land‐use structure and organically unbreakable techno‐structural elements (settlements with a road net), these areas being named techno‐morpho‐topes (TMTs). Complex classification of TMTs according to the largest urbocomplex (settlements and other built‐up complexes) inside them and dominating land‐use gave 10 types of areal technogenization that were mapped. Analysis of classified TMT mosaic allowed to distinguish 53 individual technosphere regions having a homogeneous, irregular or rhythmic mosaic texture of TMT types. Asymmetry of regions in regard to large cities seems to be a dominating rule (the largest city is usually in the peripheral part of the region). The obtained data could be applied in land management by finding the best way to relate the administrative and economic regional system and technosphere structure. Relations of the technosphere regions with relief was traced in few places. This implies further investigations on the subject of relations between landscape natural and cultural elements, structures and processes. Lietuvos kraštovaizdžio technosferos rajonavimas Santrauka. Tyrimo tikslas buvo atskleisti kraštovaizdžio technosferos (kultūrinių procesų struktūrinio įspaudo) teritorinius skirtumus Lietuvoje. Pagrindiniai kultūrinimo procesai susiję su plotiniais pokyčiais. Kraštovaizdžio transformavimasis vyksta dėl žemėnaudos pokyčių ir urbanizacijos (užstatymo plėtros prasme), įgyvendinamų technologijų. Sukultūrinimas lemia ypatingą sluoksnį ant gamtinių kraštovaizdžio komponentų. Horizontaliai šis sluoksnis gali būti suskaidytas į nedidelius plotus (Lietuvoje – 1969 vidutinio 33 km2 ploto individualius arealus), kuriuose homogeniška žemėnaudos struktūra ir organiškai vientisi technostruktūriniai elementai (gyvenvietės ir kelių tinklas). Šie teritoriniai vienetai pavadinti technomorfotopais (TMT). Remiantis kompleksine TMT klasifikacija, pagal didžiausią jų viduje esantį urbokompleksą (gyvenvietė arba kitas užstatytas plotas) ir vyraujančią naudmeną nustatyta 10 plotinės technogenizacijos tipų. Jie buvo kartografuoti. Analizuojant klasifikuotų TMT mozaikos žemėlapį išskirti 53 individualūs technosferos regionai. Vienų jų TMT plotinės technogenizacijos tipų mozaika, jos tekstūra vienalytė, kitų netvarkinga, trečių ritmiška. Paplitęs bruožas – daugelio regionų asimetrija didžiausio jiems priklausančio miesto atžvilgiu (didžiausias miestas paprastai yra regiono periferijoje, paribyje). Gauti duomenys gali būti pritaikyti kraštotvarkoje geriausiai sąsajai tarp administracinių bei ekonominių regionų ir technosferos struktūros rasti. Ryšys tarp technosferos regionų ir reljefo bruožų pastebimas tik dalyje Lietuvos teritorijos. Ryšiams tarp kraštovaizdžio gamtinių ir kultūrinių elementų, struktūrų ir procesų atskleisti būtini išsamesni tyrimai. Reikšminiai žodžiai: kraštovaizdžio technosfera, Lietuva, technosferos regionai, technomorfotopai, plotinė technogenizacija. Районирование ландшафтной техносферы в Литве Резюме. Целью исследования было выявление территориальной неравномерности техносферы (структурного отпечатка культурных процессов) ландшафта в Литве. Главные процессы окультуривания связаны с площадными изменениями, которые осуществляются с помощью технических приспособлений, трансформирующих ландшафт через изменения земельных угодий и урбанизацию (распpостранения застроенных площадей). Слой техносферы, как бы надетый на природные компоненты ландшафта, горизонтально может быть расчленен на небольшие ареалы (в Литве – 1969 единиц со средней площадью 33 км2 ) с однородной структурой землеугодий и органически целостными техно-структурными элементами (населенными или другими застроенными местностями с дорожной сетью). Эти территориальные единицы названы техноморфотопами (ТМТ). Комплексная классификация ТМТ по двум признакам – доминирующему по площади типу застроенной территории (урбокомплекса) и доминирующих землеугодий – дала 10 типов площадной (ареальной) техногенизации, что было картографировано. Анализ типовой мозаики позволил выявить 53 индивидуальных района окультуривания с разными текстурными типами мозаики: однородным, беспорядочным или ритмичным. Наблюдается закономерная асимметрия многих районов, заключающих в себе большие и средние города: самая большая населенная местность находится на окраине, почти примыкающей к границе района. Полученные данные могут быть использованы в краеустройстве при нахождении оптимальной взаимосвязи между административной, а также экономической территориальными структурами и регионами техносферы. Территориальная связь между районами техносферы и рельефом наблюдается лишь местами. Поэтому необходимы более детальные исследования для выявления связей между природными и культурными элементами, структурами и процессами. Ключевые слова: техносфера ландшафта, Литва, районы техносферы, техноморфотопы, площадная (ареальная) техногенизация. First Published Online: 14 Oct 201

Experience Analysis and Sample Distribution Problems in Local Level Landscape Monitoring

After summarizing experience of various countries in the field of landscape monitoring, it appears that the real changes of landscape have to be observed in a large scale (not smaller than 1:10,000) in order to avoid generalization of small landscape elements. Usually there are several levels of distributing the places of monitoring: 1) the level of sample area, when monitor territories are stratified by landscape types; 2) the level of investigation site that is distinguished inside the sample area for the more detailed research; 3) the level of transect or field investigation site, sometimes created in order to multiply the statistical data for some special aspect of monitoring. The paper offers an original method of distributing the landscape sample areas in Lithuanian territory, differing from most methods based on random choose of sample areas though thorough analysis of the analogous methods abroad was performed

Changes of Landscape Spatial Structure as a Result of Transformation of Land-Ownership

The aim of the research is to analyse the landscape structure changes from the end of the Soviet times in 1974– 1986 until 2005 when market economy existed in Lithuania. The changes of landscape structure were observed in 100 sample areas (squares) each of them having 2.5 km2 area and distributed in different landscape types. The changes in sample areas (squares) with determination of land cover structure transformations were observed using topographic photos and ortophoto images at a scale 1:10 000. More distinct manifestation of landscape re-naturalisation through land abandonment and conversion to forests, swamps and shrubs, also through transformation of arable land to meadows and pastures was the main direction of land cover changes. The opposite but lower scale conversion of forests, shrubs and other land use types to agrarian fields was also noticed. Acceleration of the conversion of landscape structure towards technogenisation through quick expansion of construction, recreational use and development of infrastructure was another important landscape structure conversion going on in the opposite direction of technogenisation. It manifested mainly as the change of agrarian fields, suburban gardens to built-up territories and as increase of percentage of other land use types related to them (ponds, streets and roads)

Moterų (ne)reprezentacija masinės kultūros vaizdiniuose

The article continues the Lithuanian academic discourse and centers on the analysis of imagery that make up a concurrent part of modern mass culture and form codes of symbolic gender representation. Women’s representation strategies that make possible or, on the contrary, impossible the representation of women as subjects in the mass media are approached from the point of view of psychoanalysis, gender theory, mass media and cultural studies. The author focuses on the codes of “everyday pornography”, i.e., the naturalization of gender hierarchy, objectification of woman’s image, erotization of violence, and silencing of women, that are deeply rooted in the Lithuanian mass culture. She also analyses visual strategies that reinforce masculine hegemony and links their deconstruction with the critical evaluation of heterosexual imperative that supports the normative gender system.Straipsnio tikslas – praplėsti Lietuvos akademinį diskursą analizuojant vaizdinius, kurie yra neatsiejama šiuolaikinės masinės kultūros dalis ir formuoja simbolinius lyčių reprezentacijos kodus. Remiantis psichoanalizės, lyčių teorijos, žiniasklaidos ir kultūros studijomis, čia nagrinėjamos moterų reprezentacijos strategijos, kurios padeda arba, priešingai, trukdo moterų kaip subjektų atstovavimui žiniasklaidoje. Kalbama apie „kasdienės pornografijos“ įsišaknijimą masinėje kultūroje ir ją paremiančius normatyvinio heteroseksualumo imperatyvus

VARIATION OF ACCUMULATING ASSOCIATIONS IN TOPSOIL OF THE OLDEST PART OF VILNIUS

The aim of research was to analyse and explain the variation of accumulating associations of 13 chemical elements Ag, B, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sn, V, Zn in topsoil of the oldest part of Vilnius. These elements characterise soil quality and are included in the check list of hygienic norm HN 60- 2004 of Lithuania. According to adjusted accumulating associations ordinary and unusual associations have been distinguished and distribution of the types or unusual associations has been analysed. They are often near present or former industrial sites, railway or streets with intensive traffic

On the problem of territorial distribution of sample areas for landscape monitoring purposes

Today landscape change monitoring becomes important in the field of sustainable development planning. Real changes of landscape have to be observed in a large scale (not smaller than 1:10,000) in order to avoid generalization of small landscape elements. In such a scale it is rational to perform the monitoring in sample areas that would be enough statistically abundant. The paper offers an original method of distributing the landscape sample areas in Lithuanian territory, differing from most methods based on random choose of sample areas though thorough analysis of the analogous methods abroad was performed. The work was sponsored by the Environmental Agency at the Lithuanian Ministry of Environment. In accordance to the spread of different natural landscape types (like clayey plains, morainic hills, sandy plains, etc.), a set of 100 sample areas (2.5 km2 each) was distributed in Lithuanian territory. To increase the sample area number in smaller landscape types (spit, coastal sandy plain, delta), some proportional corrections were made. Thus, the largest number of the sample areas was assigned to the most spread clayey plains (22), the smallest number – to sandy coastal plain (3). In order to find a concrete place for each sample area inside the landscape type a computer program was employed and the highest representation principle applied. Several tens of thousands possible positions of the sample areas were tested in order to find the best in representing land cover structure. This was achieved by calculating relative remoteness of tested samples’ land cover structure from the respective landscape type structure, further selecting the most patchy samples. Selecting the position of a sample area was also influenced by the buffer capacity (resistance to the chemical impact) of landscape, mostly concentrating on the areas with less buffer capacity (more sensitive to chemical pollution). Santrauka Tvariajai pletrai planuoti tampa aktualia kraštovaizdžio kaitos stebesena. Realūs kraštovaizdžio pokyčiai Lietuvos mastu turi būti fiksuojami stambiuoju masteliu (ne smulkesniu nei 1:10 000), vengiant nepageidautino smulkiu kraštovaizdžio elementu generalizavimo. Tokiu masteliu racionalu būtu pokyčiu stebejimus atlikti etalonuose, ju skaičius turetu būti statistiškai patikimas. Pateikiama originali kraštovaizdžio monitoringo etalonu išdestymo Lietuvos teritorijoje metodika. Darbas buvo atliktas remiant Aplinkos apsaugos agentūrai prie Lietuvos aplinkos ministerijos. Metodika parengta atsižvelgiant ir i užsienio šaliu patirti. Pagal kraštovaizdžio tipu paplitima proporcingai buvo išdalyta 100 2,5 km2 ploto etalonu, papildomai koreguojant (padidinant) etalonu skaičiu mažai paplitu‐siuose kraštovaizdžio tipuose (nerijoje, pajūrio lygumoje, deltoje). Taigi daugiausia etalonu (22) buvo skirta plačiausiai paplitusioms molingosioms lygumoms, mažiausiai (3) – pajūrio lygumai. Etalonams konkrečios vietos buvo parenkamos kompiuterine programa ir vadovautasi didžiausio reprezentatyvumo principu. Kiekvieno kraštovaizdžio tipo buvo išbandyta nuo keliu šimtu iki keliasdešimties tūkstančiu galimu etalonu padečiu, nustatyta pagal žemes dangos struktūra reprezentuojančios geriausiai. Etalonu vietu parinkimas buvo siejamas ir su kraštovaizdžio buferiškumo cheminei taršai arealais, daugiau koncentruojant mažesnio buferiškumo (jautresniuose cheminei taršai) plotuose. Резюме В настоящее время мониторинг изменений ландшафта становится актуальным для планировки сбалансированного развития. Реальные изменения ландшафта в Литве должны быть прослеживаемы в крупном масштабе (не мельче чем 1:10.000) во избежание нежелательной генерализации мелких структурных элементов ландшафта. В таком масштабе рационально осуществлять наблюдения на специально выделенных эталонных территориях, число которых должно быть статистически достаточным. В статье приведена методика расположения названных эталонов на территории Литвы. Работа выполнена при поддержке Агентства по охране окружающей среды при Министерстве окружающей среды. Методика разработана с учетом опыта зарубежных стран. С учетом распределения ландшафтных типов пропорционально было поделено сто эталонов площадью 2,5 км2 каждый. Дополнительно корректировалось (увеличивалось) число эталонов в мало распространенных ландшафтных типах (на косе, приморской равнине, в дельте). Наибольшее число эталонов (22) было отдано глинистым (наиболее распространенным) равнинам, а наименьшее (3) – приморской равнине. С целью подбоpa для эталонов конкретных мест была применена компьютерная программа, а также следовали принципу наивысшей репрезентативности. В каждом ландшафтном типе было испробовано от нескольких сот до нескольких десятков тысяч возможных положений эталонов с целью определить лучшее положение по репрезентативности земельно покровной структуры. Подбор мест для эталонов был осуществлен с учетом сопротивляемости ландшафта химическому загрязнению. Больше эталонов размещалось в наименее устойчивых ареалах. First Publish Online: 10 Feb 2011 Reikšminiai žodžiai: kraštovaizdžio monitoringas, stebėsenos etalonai, didžiausio atstovavimo principas, žemės dangos struktūra, gamtiniai kraštovaizdžio tipai. Ключевые слова: мониторинг ландшафта, эталонные ареалы, принцип наивысшей репрезентативности, структура земельного покрова, природные типы ландшафт

Soil Contamination in One of Preschools Influenced by Metal Working Industry

The aim of research was to estimate the present impact of drill plant or other pollution sources on soil anomalies of the preschool area and to reveal the depth of penetration of pollutants. Soil samples from 9 cores in the territory of the preschool were taken from 5 depth intervals: 0-0.5 m, 0.5-1.0 m, 1.0-1.5 m, 1.5-2.0 m and 2.0-3.0 m. Total number of samples was 45. Each sample was sieved to less then 2 mm fraction, milled and homogenised with binder before pressing 2 pellets. All pressed pellets were analysed by energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence for determination of the contents of harmful chemical elements As, Ba, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sn, V, Zn and major elements Al, Ca, K, Fe, Mg, Na, P, S. Si, Ti. Samples where maximum permitted concentrations of Mo, Pb, Sn are exceeded occur not only in the uppermost layers, but also in the deeper layers. The highest median contents of most harmful chemical elements, except V and As, are in the uppermost 0.0-0.5 m layer and decrease with depth until 2.0-3.0 m or 1.5-2.0 m. To eliminate the influence of soil clay content in different samples, normalisation of concentration coefficients by the median of Al, K and Ti concentration coefficients was used. The depth of penetration is largely influenced by lithological composition of soil and is much deeper in sandy soil without layers enriched in clay

Variability of estimated contamination extent depending on calculation methods

The aim of research was to analyse the changes of contamination extent (E, %) estimated using two methods of background calculation by eliminating anomalies outside the interval mean±2s or median±2MAD (s is standard deviation, MAD is median absolute deviation) and optional normalisation. Two methods were used for estimation of background values (B) and upper threshold values (T) of Ag, As, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sn, U, V, Zn and selected major elements according to their contents in topsoil samples from football fields in less contaminated districts of Klaipėda. Then two different sets of B and T values were applied to the whole geochemical data set. After determination of two sets of concentration coefficients (Kk), four sets of enrichment factors were calculated: two simple (EF1) (normalisation by Al) and two complex (EF3) (normalisation by Al, K, Ti).  Estimation of E using T values resulted in lower percentage compared to percentage of sites where Kk1, EF11 or EF31, because the latter 3 indices depend on B values. Since all T values obtained by median±2MAD method are much lower (by 6-37.1%) than by mean±2s method, respective E is much higher: for 11 pollutants it is higher by more than 5% (range 6.3-34.2%). Since the absolute difference between B values estimated by two methods is much lower (only for Sn and Mn exceeds 5%) than the difference between T values, the influence of different B values on estimated E is much lower. Higher than 5% absolute difference between two sets of E estimated according to Kk1 is observed for 5 pollutants, according to EF31 for 4 and according to EF11 only for 3 pollutants. So E estimated according to EF11 is least of all influenced by the method of determination of B values, besides, it usually gives the highest E

Power games in images of mass culture

Atstovavimas yra opi tema, ypač kai kalbama apie atskirties grupes dominuojančioje kultūroje. Pastaroji pasitelkia įvairiausias strategijas atskirties mechanizmams sukurti, palaikyti ir paversti juos nematomais. Viena tų strategijų yra lyčių sistema, kuri individus klasifikuoja kaip vyrus ir moteris, ir įteigia, jog socialinės, politinės, simbolinės lyčių reprezentacijos skirtumai yra sąlygoti prigimties. Ypač tai pasakytina apie vizualinės kalbos kodus, kurie sukuria globalaus moterų regimumo iliuziją, bet neužtikrina jų atstovavimo. Moterų (vyrų) vaizdiniai dažnai naudojami kaip pagrindiniai reklaminės strategijos komponentai. Pasitelkus lengvai atpažįstamus vaizdinius, moteriškumo (vyriškumo) kodus, reklama lengviau pasiekia asmens tapatybės šerdį ir greičiau atkreipia vartotojų dėmesį, įtikina juos. Tačiau reklama eksploatuoja ne bet kokius įvaizdžius. Ji remiasi ne tiek realia moterų (vyrų) elgsena, kiek stereotipiniu jų elgesio įsivaizdavimu. Todėl šių įvaizdžių negalima vertinti kaip lyčių patirties atstovavimo žiniasklaidoje. Tai daugiausia liečia moteris, kurių lytiškumas reklamose tapatinamas su heteroseksualaus vyro seksualinėmis fantazijomis.Representation is a sensitive subject, especially if we speak of marginal groups in a dominating culture. The latter uses various strategies in order to recreate, support, and make invisible the mechanisms of separation. One such strategy is the gender system, which defines individuals as men and women and suggests that the differences in social, political and symbolical representations of gender are natural. This is particularly true of the codes of visual language that create the 'illusion' of the global visibility of women, but does not guarantee their representation. Images of women (and men) are often used as the main components of advertisement strategies. By using easily recognisable images and codes of femininity (and masculinity), advertisements out to the core of identity and attract the consumers' attention (as well as convince them) that much faster. However, advertising does not exploit just any image. It refers not so much to the real behaviour of women (and men) as to the stereotypical imagination about their behaviour. Thus, one should not take those images as representations of gender experience in the media. This is particularly prevalent of women whose sexuality is identified via typical heterosexual fantasies [of the man in an advertisement]

Metaphors of the body plastic

Moterų kūrybos problema yra vienas tų klausimų, kuriuos feminizmo teorija nuolat permąsto. Jo formulavimas ir galimų atsakymų paieška kyla iš siekio lyčių lygybės idėją pagrįsti ne tik socialinėje – politikos, ekonomikos – srityje, bet ir dvasinėje plotmėje. Tuo tarpu Lietuvos dailėtyroje vis dar nėra gilesnių, lytiškumo aspektus aptariančių tradicijų. Kalbant apie meno reiškinius, dažnai liekama atgyvenusios, humanistinės vientiso (o tai reiškia falinio) subjekto sampratos rėmuose. Feminizmo keliamos problemos lietuvių dailės interpretacijose dažnai traktuojamos kaip trumpalaikė, kultūrinio ar psichologinio ir socialinio pamato neturinti mada, nesuvokiant, kad lytiškumas yra pamatinis, žmogaus tapatybę formuojantis aspektas, nulemiantis individo sąveiką su išoriniu pasauliu, savirefleksiją ir raiškos ypatumus. Šio straipsnio tikslas – iš dalies užpildyti atsiradusias spragas. Antra vertus, lytinė individo tapatybė formuojasi daugialypėje biologinių, socialinių, kultūrinių veiksnių sąveikoje, kurie nuolat kinta. Straipsnyje apsiribojama tik kelių plastinės raiškos priemonių pagalba įvaizdinamų moters kūno metaforų analize. Lietuvių dailėtyroje išplitusią humanistinę vientiso subjekto sampratą siekiama papildyti teorine plastinių moters kūno metaforų analize. Remdamasi psichoanalize ir feminizmo teorija, autorė daro išvadas, kad seksualus, gyvas, juslus moters kūnas palieka ženklų pėdsaką moterų kūryboje.Questions of women's art peculiarities have got a strong reflection in the feminist theory. Unfortunately, Lithuanian art theory still lacks a deeper tradition of gender aspect analysis. Speaking about the phenomenon of art, it frequently remains in the out-of-date humanistic, unified (it means phallic) frame of subject interpretations. In this article the author tries to fill in these gaps and discuss some theoretical preconditions that allow to analyze the plastic metaphors of feminine body. When discussing Lithuanian women's arts she refers to psychoanalysis and feminism theory and comes to the conclusion that the sexual, alive, sensitive woman's body leaves a significant trace in female artists' artworks. Their body metaphors do not imitate stereotypes rooted in culture but deny the hegemony of the rational, exploring, dividing, controlling sight. In their artworks a look suggests touching, a flat surface - an inner space, awareness is enriched by aspects of feeling that negate the division/embodiment bound and subject/object dichotomy. Female artists do not use "pornographic" interpretations of the sexual body that eroticize the woman's body and make it a fetish or an object of violence. Their artworks become "annals" of unconscious, intuitive gestures that reveal deep, not verbalized sensuality of the body