Uniform Transnational Assessment of the Environmental Indices from the Romanian Catchment Area of the Tisa River

The uniform transnational assessment of the environmental indices in the catchment area of the Tisa river aims at rehabilitating, protecting and conserving the environmental systems, as well as creating a commonly strategic demarche concerning a sustainable spatial development, based on integrated intersectorial approaches of environmental issues, viewed in their territorial dimension. The information necessary in underlining the current situation in the Romanian catchment area of the Tisa has been structured according to the following categories of analysed indices: sources of surface waters, resources of drinkable water and water supply resources, the risk of not reaching the environmental objectives, significant sources of water pollution (punctual sources of pollution, diffuse sources of pollution, significant hydromorphic pressure), the quality of water, significant sources of air pollution, soils affected by agricultural and industrial activities, nature protection and waste management

THE ROLE OF THE "GEOSPACE” FORMATION PROGRAM IN DEVELOPING GEOGRAPHY TEACHERS’ COMPETENCE, IN RAISING THE DEGREE OF LESSON ATTRACTIVENESS AND IN IMPROVING STUDENTS’ RESULTS

This paper starts from the analysis of needs of specialty training for Geography teachers when confronted with the scientific evolution of the field and considering the challenges imposed by an ever changing educational system. Within this framework, the Faculty of Geography at “Babeş-Bolyai” University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, as a supplier of teacher training courses, organized a training course in the field of Geomatics. We analyzed the necessity and usefulness of this type of training course considering the number of teachers interested in this training course and an evaluation form of the course. Additionally, we evaluated the way in which the competences obtained during the formation program in Geomatics were put into practice on two separate components: an increase in the degree of attractiveness in Geography lessons and the improvement of students’ school performance. The efficiency of the training program was evaluated by comparing the knowledge taught during a reference lesson in which the teaching was carried out in two different ways. The following step was to apply a unique test to two different student groups with a similar level of knowledge, which revealed that the best results belonged to the students in the group in which the methods and techniques used to deliver the teaching were the ones acquired during the training course. By validating the initial hypothesis, we reached the conclusion that it was necessary to introduce these GIS-TIC contents in the educational context for preuniversity education

Mapping archaeological sites using digital cartography. Roman settlements from Potaissa to Napoca

Mapping archeological sites using digital cartography. Roman settlements from potaissa to Napoca. We aim to analyze and correct several archaeological and historical data regarding some settlements included in an official document, issued by the Ministry of Culture from Romania, entitled the List of Historical Monuments (Lista Monumentelor Istorice / LMI). We focused our attention on the Roman road from Potaissa to Napoca, the main imperial road of Dacia. We described the route of the Roman road and corrected the old information in the list of historical monuments regarding the discoveries within the territory of the village of Aiton. Methodologically, we used data from the old literature, the modern Austro-Hungarian maps from the XVIIIth and the XIXth centuries, information from regional gazetteers and different journals. We aimed to offer new insights regarding the accurate location of these settlements and to debate upon the spatial relations of these settlements and their position within the landscape of Dacia. At the beginning of the study, we presented the present situation concerning the databases in Romania covering archaeological sites. The second part of our study discusses how the archaeological sites are recorded in the list of historical monuments. Then we offered several case studies This type of methodological approach will be applied in the future for other areas, in order to reconstruct the former landscape of the province of Dacia, as accurately as possible, using digital tools and modern maps. Our contribution also improved the quality of the data sets used for the topographical descriptions of archaeological sites in Romania

Comparative assessment of landslide susceptibility. Case study: the Niraj river basin (Transylvania depression, Romania)

This study represents a comparison between two independent models used to evaluate landslide susceptibility in Romania: first, the model derived from the Romanian Governmental Decision no. 447/2003 (H.G. 447) and second, the bivariate statistical analysis. Considering the numerous objections to the first approach, which is also imposed by law, the accuracy of the results was analyzed using an alternative method which takes into consideration the reality from the field to a greater extent (the inventory of the existing landslides). The case study is focused on the Niraj catchment area (658 km2), a representative area for frequent landslide occurrence. The H.G. 447 model implies the estimation of the importance of eight factors involved in landslide occurrence: lithology, geomorphology, structure, hydro-climatic factors, hydrogeology, seismicity, forest cover and the anthropogenic factor. A thematic map was generated and analyzed for each one of the eight factors influencing slope instability and a specific coefficient was assigned. The statistical model, based on the bivariate probability analysis, was applied in order to predict the spatial distribution of the susceptibility classes. The probability of landslide occurrence was estimated based on the assumption that the prediction of the spatial distributions of landslides starts from the existing ones. In order to validate the model, the resulting maps were compared with the existing landslide maps: the relative landslide density index (R) and the relative operation curve (ROC) value were calculated, which indicate that the statistical model emphasizes a better correlation between the susceptibility classes and the active landslides (ROC value 0.972), the causative factors selected being relevant for the applied models

Spatio-temporal evolution of forest in Târgu Lăpuș, northern Transylvania, Romania, using Landsat satellite data

The use of remote sensing indices in order to obtain information for vegetation distributions, heath and patterns is a popular practice with applicability at different scales of detail. The present article presents an example of using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Change Detection method to identify the spatio temporal evolution of forest area in Târgu Lăpuș city, northern Transylvania, Romania. NDVI method is applied at different NDVI threshold values such as 0.1, 0.15, 0.3, 0.45 and 0.6. For the analyzed area, an area of 1.56 km2 with forest gain and 3.59 km2 with forest loss was identified. The advantage of using this method is the large time gap for which it can be done, in our situation being an analysis for the period 1983-2020 so that we can identify the trend of evolution of areas occupied by forests in a city where spatially built it often extends uncontrollably, affecting the degree of compactness of the forests and implicitly their protection functions

IDENTIFICATION OF SUITABLE GREEN AREAS FOR LEISURE AND RECREATION PLANNING, USING REMOTE SENSING TECHNIQUES AND GIS SPATIAL ANALYSIS. CASE STUDY: ZALĂU CITY

Identification of suitable green areas for leisure and recreation planning, using remote sensing techniques and GIS spatial analysis. Case study: Zalău city. The economical and social development that many cities have known in the recent decades has led to significant changes in terms of how the land is used. The analysis of how land use has changed in these areas highlights the emphasized and significant restriction of the territories occupied mainly by pastures, orchards, forest, areas suitable for development and improvement of leisure and recreation facilities. The need for space for recreation and leisure development resides in the need for a harmonious development of the human community and regional planning in accordance with the legislation. The study aims at identifying the areas which are suitable for setting local green spaces using remote sensing techniques and spatial analysis in the GIS environment for Zalău, a city which has known a very sudden expansion in the recent years

Identification and evaluation of the risk induced by landslides based on G.I.S. models of spatial analysis. Case study: Bicazu Ardelean, Romania

Having a strong impact on human activities, landslides represent one of the most frequent hazards encountered throughout the world, but also in Romania. As a result, various exhaustive scientific approaches try to identify the areas affected by this phenomenon or at risk, among the proposed methods being those offered by G.I.S. techniques of spatial analysis in tandem with statistical methods. In the present study, G.I.S. methods of spatial analysis were used, with a focus on methodologies capable of determining the probability of occurrence of landslides, possible and viable within any territory. The analysis was carried out in the area of the commune of Bicazu Ardelean, Neamț County, Romania, where multiple areas with a medium-high and high probability of vulnerability were identified, by means of a deterministic “white-box” type model, followed by an evaluation from the point of view of the risk induced on the territorial infrastructures. Both the model and the evaluation generated suitable results, validated in G.I.S. and in the field. The obtained results attested the viability of the working method, as well as the potential of its application in any other areas with similar morphometric characteristics

The Assessment of Favourability and Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Pinus Mugo in the Romanian Carpathians Using GIS Technology and Landsat Images

Favourability classification for forest species represents a fundamental activity for deriving technological solutions in forestry, as specialists need detailed information about the ecological requirements of forest species from environmental factors: climate, pedological characteristics and morphometric characteristics of the study area. The purpose of the present study was the use of the qualitative data extracted from the ecological records of the Pinus mugo species and the generation of a complex geospatial database for the entire territory of Romania. The results were represented by a collection of thematic maps generated on favourability classes for the Romanian Carpathians, as well as for the major landform subunits which had been the basis for the statistical analysis of the results. The validation of the results was performed by comparing the results obtained through the application of the model which used the frequency points reported in the European Atlas of the Forest Tree Species from Europe, 2016. In order to identify the spatio-temporal dynamics, LANDSAT satellite images from 30 years were used, which enabled the identification of the expansion and the reduction in size of the Pinus mugo area at a zonal level, a process which is dependent on natural factors, like climatic variations, or anthropic factors (overgrazing or works of cleaning the montain pastures)

STUDENTS’S PERCEPTION ABOUT THE EVALUATION SYSTEM IN UNIVERSITY. A CASE STUDY

This paper has been elaborated to realize a radiography of the existing situation related to evaluation, but also to identify the main deficiencies of the evaluation process. From a methodological point of view we questioned students from different specializations belonging to the Faculty of Geography, “Babeş-Bolyai” University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The chosen sample was not established from the very beginning but the questionnaire was applied during courses and seminars, so the percentage of the respondents is directly proportional to students’ presence at the respective classes. Regarding the evaluating practice, the study reveals a series of specific traits such as: high percentage of the written exams in students evaluation, high dose of subjectivity presented by the responding students or the existence of a rather big discrepancy in the respondents percentage of each specialization. We noticed students’ preferences for the evaluator’s feedback at the end of the evaluation process but, also, the chance of sitting again for the exam