Importance of Soil Quality in Environment Protection

Soil quality can be characterised by the harmony between it’s physical and biological state and the fertility. From the practical crop production viewpoint, some important contrasting factors of soil quality are: (1) soil looseness – compaction; (2) aggregation – clod and dust formation; friable structure – smeared or cracked structure; (3) organic material: conservation – decrease; (4) soil moisture: conservation – loss; water transmission – water-logging; (5) at least soil condition as a result of the long term ef ect of land use moderates or strengthens climatic harm. In our long-term research project practical soil quality factors were examined in arable i eld and experimental conditions. We state that prevention of the soil quality deterioration can be done by the developing and maintaining harmony between land use and environment. Elements of the soil quality conditions such as looseness, aggregation, workability, organic matter, water transport are examined and the improving methods are suggested. Tillage and production factors which can be adopted to alleviate the harmful climatic impacts are also summarised

Human-environment relationships in modern and postmodern geography

In this article we analyse the human-environment relationships in geographical research from the end of the 19th to the beginning of the 21st century. We highlight paradigms, which aff ected our way of thinking about man-environment relations. Discussing scientifi c approaches and paradigms in geography the leading scientists who had infl uential thoughts and helped the shaping of a paradigm will also be mentioned. The research on human-environment relations has appeared in geography from time to time, but the connecting paradigms had also diff erent stories through time and space. Undoubtedly, the nowadays reviving determin- ism had the greatest infl uence, but possibilism has also had a signifi cant impact on our discipline. Research on human-environment relationships reappeared in a new form through the discourse on global climate change. Postmodern, poststructuralist, and postcolonial approaches changed radically the basis of human-environment research. In this paper, we argue that geography needs to renew not only its philosophical basis and theoretical context, but the connections between the two subdisciplines of geography (i.e. between physical and human geography) must be refreshed too

Changing Human-Environment Interactions in Medium Mountains, the Apuseni Mts (Romania) as a Case Study

The study of human-environment relationships in mountain areas is important for both theoretical and practical reasons, because many mountain areas suffer similar problems, namely depopulation, unemployment and natural hazards. Medium mountains constitute a special case within mountains because they are more populated but less attractive as tourist targets than high mountains. In this context, Apuseni Mts (Romania) is considered as a case study. In the present paper, we applied GIS-based, quantitative methods to characterize the strength and dynamics of human-environment interactions taking into consideration some environmental factors (elevation, relative height, slope, river distance, lithology, land cover, natural attractions) as well as historical population and recent tourism data. We found that population density has strong (r2>0.8) relationships with all relief factors (elevation, relative height, slope, river distance), and that best-fit functions are nonlinear. We outlined the varying demographic scenarios by elevation zones and interpreted the historically switching sign of population change versus elevation relationship. We proved that lithology, too, has an impact on the spatial distribution of population, though it is not independent from the relief effect. The land cover of that mainly cultural landscape is very strongly correlated with relief parameters (especially slope) that suggests a good adaptation. We pointed out the dominance of karst objects in the natural tourist potential of Apuseni Mts and explored further components (spas, heritage, towns) of real tourism as well. Finally, we concluded that the studied environmental settings in fact constrain the spatial framework of society, but socio-economic changes in history can be explained from the side of society, which conforms the theory of cultural possibilism

Importance of Soil Quality in Environment Protection

Soil quality can be characterised by the harmony between it’s physical and biological state and the fertility. From the practical crop production viewpoint, some important contrasting factors of soil quality are: (1) soil looseness – compaction; (2) aggregation – clod and dust formation; friable structure – smeared or cracked structure; (3) organic material: conservation – decrease; (4) soil moisture: conservation – loss; water transmission – water-logging; (5) at least soil condition as a result of the long term effect of land use moderates or strengthens climatic harm. In our long-term research project practical soil quality factors were examined in arable field and experimental conditions. We state that prevention of the soil quality deterioration can be done by the developing and maintaining harmony between land use and environment. Elements of the soil quality conditions such as looseness, aggregation, workability, organic matter, water transport are examined and the improving methods are suggested. Tillage and production factors which can be adopted to alleviate the harmful climatic impacts are also summarised

Exploring Relationships Between Karst Terrains and Social Features by the Example of Gömör-Torna Karst (Hungary-Slovakia)

Human-environment relations have some special characteristics on karst terrains, and karstlands are usually less densely inhabited areas principally due to hydrologic, topographic and pedologic reasons. However, the natural factors of karst terrains and socio-economic development are rarely discussed together, and the relationships are usually expressed in qualitative terms. Therefore the aim of this paper is to explore the direct and indirect quantitative impact of natural settings on socio-economic development of karst terrains using GIS-aided, statistical methods as a modern approach within geographic possibilism by the case study of Gömör-Torna Karst (whose Hungarian part is known as Aggtelek Karst, while the Slovakian part as Slovak Karst). Relationships between natural factors (elevation, slope, relative height, distance from significant rivers) and land cover as well as between natural factors and social data (population density, settlement density, mean settlement population, population change, road network density) have been studied by regression analysis in order to determine how strongly these social parameters are influenced by the above natural factors. In certain cases (land cover categories, road network) slope is the best estimator, while in other cases (population density, longterm population change), the distance from significant river provides the best correlation. Many karstlands are depopulating and ageing areas worldwide. So is the case for the Gömör-Torna Karst as well, but there are several interesting questions in connection with it. First, whether it is a recent process or a longterm situation. Second, wether the karst is different from the neighbouring non-karst areas from the viewpoint of demography. Third, whether the karst area is homogeneous from social point of view. Cluster analysis based on demographic changes since 1828 helped to explore inner variations of population scenarios. Certain social characteristics (e.g. unemployment) show a relatively (but only relatively) favorable present position of Aggtelek karst, while the Slovak Karst is economically more disadvantageous. Karst-related tourism is measurable but it has a decreasing trend and it is rather localized around Aggtelek. Human attitude is also an important factor, that is also briefly discussed based on semi-structured interviews with local people

MÓCVIDÉK – TÁJI ADOTTSÁGOK ÉS ÉLETMÓD EGY ÁTALAKULÓ VILÁGBAN

Egy OTKA kutatás keretében immár három éve foglalkozunk a természeti környezet adottságainak a társadalom aktivitására tett hatásaival, illetve ezek mértékével. Kutatásaink során eddig kifejezetten a karsztos és nem karsztos területek összehasonlítására törekedtünk, ezért olyan tájegységeket választottunk mintaterületként, ahol kiterjedt karsztfelszínek is találhatók. Ugyanakkor a vizsgált folyamatok ettől elvonatkoztatva is különösen érdekesek lehetnek egy olyan makroregionális értelemben vett periféria területen, mint Köztes-Európa, ahol e periférián belül további, a helyi gazdasági erőterektől távol eső elzárt, így elmaradott térségeket is találhatunk, ahol az átmenet immáron több évtizedes története tovább mélyített egy sor korábbi gyökerű problémát. Az alábbi tanulmányban kifejezetten a társadalomföldrajz irányából közelítve, egy kulturális szempontból lehatárolható, a szűkebb és tágabb közösségek számára is szimbolikus jelentőségű tájegységet, a Mócvidéket vettük górcső alá.A Mócvidéken élők tájhasználata történelmi léptékekben is sajátosságokat mutat a környező területekhez képest. A tengerszint feletti magasság által befolyásolt gazdasági aktivitási formák, valamint az ennek megfelelő sajátos településhálózat önmagukban is egyedi táji jellemzőket adnak