Tom 17 (2013): Zeszyt 4 (December 2013)
Thematic Zeszyt: Integrated Landscape Studies

At present, geoecology-related discussions are focused on the ability to provide systematic and universal landscape description in a variety of space and time scales, as well as in different functional systems. This requires the development of landscape schemes in the form of hierarchical structural and functional systems. This paper has therefore focused on concepts of crucial importance for landscape system description, such as scale, spatial range and structure and landscape functioning. The definition of these concepts and their characteristics are crucial for the ability to describe a landscape system, in terms of its structural and functional composition and valuation, as well as assessment of landscape and ecosystem functions and services. Therefore, the analysis allows a demonstration of approaches discussed in the subject literature and the authors’ opinions.

The main objective of this paper is to represent the hierarchical structure of an environment by using two concepts: typology and regionalization. The Płock Region (1,766.95 sq. km) and transect crossing this area (796.2 sq. km) is the research location. It was divided into 710 individual landscape units (319 in the transect border). The existing physical-geographical regionalization, including macro-, meso- and micro-regions, was elaborated using a deductive (top-down) method, which was supplemented by a more detailed regionalization, obtained by an inductive (bottom-up) method called analysis of borders (Richling 1976). The study area was divided into more detailed sub-regions: first-level regions (87 units), second-level regions (36 units) and third-level regions (9 units). In fact, the landscape structure of third-level regions is similar to micro-regions. This is proof of the complementary nature of the two approaches – deductive and inductive regionalization, and the hierarchical landscape structure.

The paper describes features of landscape boundaries in the lowland landscape of Poland and verifies their cross-scale properties. The diversity of lithology, morphometry and land use was taken into account by delimitation of the boundaries. A scale of 1:50 000 was set as the basis. Three structural features (length, contrast and sinuosity) and two functional features (permeability and stability) were examined.

The boundaries within the research area are typically of average length, low sinuosity, high permeability and low stability. A high correspondence between the diversity of abiotic components and land use is observed, resulting in a large number of high-contrast boundaries. However, this feature does not necessarily mean that these patterns are cross scale and can be applied at a higher level of landscape hierarchy.

A geochemical/typological and regional order has been explored to describe properties of landscape boundaries for different spatial scales. Only the first of the listed orders corresponds to diversification of boundary features.

The purpose of this study is to present opportunities for using landscape metrics to evaluate geodiversity on individual landscape levels. The research area is located to the west of the Płock Urban and Industrial Agglomeration in Poland. Within this area, hierarchically organized regional units were delimited (Richling, Malinowska, Szumacher 2013). The area is divided into 87 first-level regions, 36 second-level regions and 9 third-level regions. The units have been treated as basic fields for geodiversity analysis purposes using selected landscape measures and metrics, to include area, density, size, edges and diversity (among others, Shannon’s Diversity Index (SDI), Shannon’s Evenness Index (SEI), domination (D) and redundancy (R)) generated in Patch Analyst v. 5, Fragstats v. 4.0, ArcGIS v.10 and Statistica v. 10 software.

of the landscape from the viewpoint of the structure’s durability, characteristics and speed of change. The research focused on the area surrounding Płock.

In the analysed period (1987-2010) slight changes were detected with regard to the land cover, though they were significant in terms of the natural environment. No single dominant process determining land cover change was identified. Fluctuations prevailed (producing a slightly different picture in each microregion), with a fixed pattern maintained. Distribution, shape and spatial location of land cover types are only partly determined by land lie and habitat quality. Fragmentation of the terrain is relatively high, which reflects intense land use, at the same time indicating opportunities to preserve the wildlife and vegetation typical for agrocenoses.

The concept of catena in landscape surveys is used to demonstrate the surroundings of landscape units, their vertical structure and inter-unit processes, as well as the mosaic nature of the landscape. Furthermore, it reflects the structural and functional heterogeneity of the surveyed area, at the same time indicating types of links between landscape units, depending on a variety of geological, habitat-related and biotic conditions, including land use and its transformation arising from anthropopressure.

The catena survey performed included four key morphological and lithological units with varied landscape structure and functioning: glacial upland, vast outwash plains, the Wisła River valley and deepened channel valleys, as well as dune hills and hillocks. The results prove that the functioning of landscape systems depends on the forms of land use and their durability. Characteristics of leading components in catenas are diverse despite a similar genesis of landforms and relief shaping processes.