rss_2.0Sciendo RSS Feed for Miscellanea Geographicahttps://sciendo.com/journal/MGRSDhttps://www.sciendo.comhttps://sciendo-parsed.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/64724862215d2f6c89dc2e1e/cover-image.jpghttps://sciendo.com/journal/MGRSD140216https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0045<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>This study investigates the impact of river engineering on the morphometry of the Vistula River channel near Warsaw, Poland, over a 172-year period. This research focuses on the examination of modifications in the Vistula channel between 1843 and 2015 that were associated with regulation, and evaluated their immediate and indirect consequences by analyzing parameters such as channel width, length, sinuosity, presence, and number of channel bars and islands. This study used historical topographic maps and contemporary aerial laser-scanning data to verify changes in the Vistula riverbed in the Warsaw region. Research has found that human-induced transformations directly affect erosion and accumulation, as well as material transport, and that changes in the river channels are most apparent in their cross-section and size of mesoforms.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00452024-09-11T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0035<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Calvino’s Invisible Cities tells a multitude of stories of invisible, unreal, utopian and anti-utopian cities and explores ‘the hidden reasons which bring men to live in cities: reasons which remain valid over and above any crisis’. Our contribution takes up some of the themes that Calvino places at the heart of his poetic meditation on city life. This includes his praise of magical enchantment; the desire for human company that pervades his meditations on the desert traveller’s – the solitary individual’s – view of the city; and the fundamental role of the human action that is most central to Calvino’s book, namely, storytelling itself. To pursue these themes, we take the reader on a journey to some of the northernmost inhabited parts of Iceland, where habitation itself is crumbling.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00352024-09-06T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0046<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>In this study, we analyzed the relationship between how a community views reservoir construction and the plan for local development around it. Specifically, we focused on the social perception of the Mucharz reservoir in Poland. The research hypothesis assumed that residents’ expectations of socioeconomic development around the reservoir dam determined whether they were satisfied with the project. Fifty-nine in-depth interviews with residents of villages adjacent to the newly created dam facility were conducted. The resulting data were analyzed using text mining methods. We identified three groups of people who perceived the reservoir in different ways. Most respondents perceived the reservoir positively, mostly because of economic benefits from investments, including job creation or intensive tourism development. However, these issues do not always determine whether a local community perceives a dam project positively.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00462024-09-02T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0043<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Memory embeds itself in Kraków, Poland, through both visible and subtle means, particularly in the Planty parkland surrounding the Old Town. Rich with monuments and landscape designs, this area commemorates some personalities from the Romantic Era, a crucial period for Polish national identity. Monuments and cultural markers celebrate figures and events from this era, reminding passers-by of Poland’s historical resilience. While some memory sites are overt, others blend into the everyday landscape, like old trees or historical paths, remaining unnoticed yet significant. The presence of Polish language inscriptions highlights a history of resistance against cultural suppression. Through an emplaced survey, I found that these embedded memories foster a continuous connection to the past, reinforcing Polish national identity. The Planty’s visible and subtle markers ensure that historical narratives remain a vibrant part of Kraków’s contemporary cultural landscape.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00432024-07-31T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0038<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The paper explores the substantial decline in European air transport during 2020, while employing interactive maps for visual analysis. According to the <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_mgrsd-2023-0038_ref_019">International Civil Aviation Organization’s (2020)</xref> economic analysis, there was a sharp 60% global reduction in passenger traffic during the combined second, third, and fourth quarters, equivalent to about 2.7 billion fewer passengers than in 2019. The established air traffic flow, which developed over decades, faced partial disruption due to COVID-19 restrictions. Consequently, the aviation industry strategically focused on restructuring to ensure the sustained operation of major air transport routes. Using OpenSky Network data and a Google Sheets environment for storage, our study utilizes the FlowmapBlue interactive platform to visualize the 2020 European airspace, and to define key air traffic corridors. Despite the substantial decline, the visualization reveals resilient routes and crucial connections, underscoring the imperative of preserving these links for effective crisis response in the future.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00382024-07-31T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0037<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The Transylvanian Saxons are among the German ethnic communities that have a long tradition in the current territory of Romania. Their number and ratio in the ethnic structure of the country decreased considerably after the Second World War as a result of migratory flows caused by the geopolitical circumstances of the 20th century. Nevertheless, this ethnic community has had a major impact, visible to this day, on the arrangement of the geographical space and the place-name heritage in the areas of origin located in the Carpathian and Sub-Carpathian areas of Southern and Northern Transylvania, respectively. The preservation and conservation of the cultural heritage, specific to the regions that were inhabited by the Transylvanian Saxons, is a major objective of Romanian and European policies in the field. Given the context, this paper aims at highlighting the current place-name heritage of Saxon origin, official and informal alike, in the areas that were inhabited by this ethnic community. Data and information gathered from historical, statistical and bibliographic sources, as well as field information were used for this research.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00372024-07-31T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0041<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>This paper shows spatial variability of temperature and precipitation conditions across the four seasons in Poland and examines long-term trends in these parameters. The spatial variability of temperature in Poland is caused primarily by the clash of oceanic air masses from the west and continental air masses from the east. The spatial distribution of precipitation depends strongly on the relief and altitude above sea level. The seasons are generally getting warmer. However, average temperatures increase over time at different rates and levels of significance. Except in winter, no statistically significant trends were found in the seasonal precipitation totals.</p> <p>Seasons are periods when certain climatic conditions prevail. Depending on the criteria adopted, different types of seasons can be distinguished, such as meteorological, thermal, and calendar seasons. These are considered in this research. Consequently, different time frames of seasons result in varying values and patterns of meteorological characteristics. In this research, this concept is presented using Poland as an example.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00412024-07-31T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0036<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>This empirical study examines the motivational determinants driving the consumption of traditional local food and beverages in Latacunga in Central Ecuador (South America). This geographical area embraces a rich cultural and historical heritage, making it a year-round destination for tourists looking to experience its unique local cuisine and festivals. An online survey was conducted between September 2021 and February 2022, during which 445 valid questionnaires were collected; these were quantitatively analysed using binary logistic regression analysis. Model-based findings revealed that age, taste, health and safety concerns, cultural experience, and expenditure were the most significant factors influencing the consumption of traditional local food and beverages. This information will help understand tourists’ behaviour concerning gastronomic tourism, and help develop optimal positioning, branding, and marketing strategies for sustainable development at top-ranking destinations, particularly cities in Central Ecuador and other international cities featuring similar tourism characteristics.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00362024-07-31T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0039<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>In this study, we evaluated the integration of urban habitat data in spatial development documents across Poland’s 28 largest cities and assessed the implications for urban environmental management and biodiversity conservation. The detailed habitat maps identify critical areas for protection, enhancing ecosystem services, and supporting nature-based solutions that positively impact residents’ health and social cohesion. A total of 372 sources were analyzed and 467 habitat types were identified primarily from phytosociological surveys. However, only 33.2% of these habitats have been included in urban planning documents, highlighting a substantial integration gap. Complete taxa lists and habitat maps covering the entire city area, suitable for biodiversity management needs, are rarely included in urban planning documents. The findings have underscored the need for detailed habitat mapping to improve urban environmental management, biodiversity conservation, and public health promotion.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00392024-07-31T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0040<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Although knowledge about the role of space in the field of social movement studies is already well established, it is rarely discussed within the framework of urban spatial design (with some important exceptions). We consider not only how political power is related to architectural design in urban environments but also how it is performed (and contested) during protests within these spaces. We argue that urban spatial planning should address the dual nature of street demonstrations. Public assemblies are seen as symbols of democracy, but they are also disruptive and may turn into riots. This tension is evident along two design lines: facilitating and obstructing street demonstrations in a built-up urban environment. In our essay, we show that street protests are an immanent part of neoliberal democracy, and that cities cannot avoid street demonstrations or simply exclude them in the design process.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00402024-07-27T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0034<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>This paper presents five sites located in the marginal zone of the Wartanian stadial within the Odranian Glaciation (MIS6a) on the border of the Central Polish Uplands and Lowlands, representing different glacial forms and geological structures: terminal moraine hill, undulating moraine hill, sedimentary margin of the ice sheet, kame hill, and outwash plain. This differentiation is also reflected in the petrographic composition of the gravels and the interesting surface microstructures of the Scandinavian erratic boulders. This small study area, with its high geodiversity, which we have identified and investigated, has considerable potential for sustainable development. Geotourism is a tool for this development in a peripheral tourist region, providing both economic benefits for the local population and conservation services for the geoecosystem.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00342024-04-30T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0033<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>This study delves into the synergy between remote sensing and satellite gravimetry, focusing on the utilization of Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) data for modeling delta Total Water Storage (ΔTWS) values derived from the GRACE mission. Various machine learning algorithms were employed to investigate the concordance between Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and AMSR-E observations. Despite the limited correlation in circumpolar permafrost areas, ΔTWS was successfully modeled with an accuracy of a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 3.5 cm. The Amazon region exhibited a notable model error, attributed to significant ΔTWS amplitude; the overall model quality was affirmed by Normalized Root Mean Square Error (NRMSE) and Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) metrics. Importantly, the effectiveness of AMSR-E Soil Moisture (SM) data, encompassing C (frequency of 4–8 GHz) and X (frequency of 8–12 GHz) ranges (~0.04 m and ~0.03 m wavelength, respectively) in modeling ΔTWS, even in heavily forested equatorial regions, was demonstrated.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00332024-04-30T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0031<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>In this article, we introduce a new dataset to complement the existing evidence on economic inequalities in Poland’s rural areas. This important dataset uses annual information on the beneficiaries of income support, which is paid to farmers within the European Common Agricultural Policy and covers the period 2014–2021. The data can be used to analyse the changing distribution of this support at municipality level using conventional inequality measures. Since part of the support is granted per eligible hectare, our data can also serve as a good approximation of land use distribution, and thus allow researchers to scrutinise the changes in the distribution of an important component of the wealth of many people living in rural areas. The paper presents selected findings on the distribution of income support granted to land users in the studied period and suggests potential research areas, for which the presented dataset can provide useful insights.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00312024-04-30T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0032<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The aim of this study is to assess the importance of geotourism before, during and after the eruption of the Tajogaite Volcano (September to December 2021) on La Palma, Spain. The methodology applied consisted of identifying the geotourism products on the island before the eruption, the importance of the volcano for geotourism – by means of a survey – and the geotourism products developed after the eruption. The findings show that, before the eruption, La Palma's tourism products (hiking, archaeology, stargazing and volcano tourism) were closely related to its volcanic heritage. During the eruption, Tajogaite became a tourist attraction for the island, drawing thousands of visitors and scientists. Lastly, now that the eruption has ended, geotourism is playing a key role in the various island recovery plans through the evaluation of sites of geotourism interest and the design of geotrails in natural and urban areas.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00322024-04-30T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0028<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>This paper provides a comprehensive description of preserved copper plates used for map printing in order to enrich the existing knowledge and, at the same time, contribute with new knowledge on the topic of the engraving of old maps. The dimensions, thickness, and weight of individual printing plates were measured. Qualitative indicators of the material were also examined. Printing plates originating from countries north of the Alps (former Czech lands) and from Mediterranean regions (Malta and Italy) are represented. For the purpose of the study, the term printing plate refers to a copperplate on which the engraving was made using the burin or line etching technique. These are some of the oldest reproduction techniques used for printing old maps. The period studied covers the 18th century, approximately. Studies dealing with a large set of printing plates and their classification are rather an exception (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_mgrsd-2023-0028_ref_014">Hameleers 1989</xref>). The issue of the qualitative properties of printing plates has not yet been comprehensively addressed in the literature focusing on the history of cartography.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00282024-04-30T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0030<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>On the floodplain of a sandy, braided river in the Central European Lowland, we studied the sedimentary texture of two crevasse splays, which were: (1) formed due to a levee breach in the 2010 flood, and widely documented by hydrological, bathymetric and LIDAR data, (2) developed under natural conditions when the channel was not embanked by artificial levees (dikes). We compare the sedimentological results with a geomorphological map, a model of the floodplain geomorphology showing different facies of fluvial deposition derived from a meandering river, and deposits in cut banks of the river channel. The statistical parameters of the grain size composition and geomorphic features of the splay, shaped by overbank flow through the broken embankment, are similar to the natural landform. Most of the cut banks (60% of alluvial deposits were mapped there) consist of lithofacies representing proximal floodplain; 30% were distal floodplain (muds), and 10% channel (coarse sand with gravel, pebbles and cobbles). We speculate about the palaeogeography of the Lower Vistula, and the origin of muds and coarse deposits in the banks of the channel. We link these unusual sediments with avulsion, deposition in side arms during ice-jam conditions, and dredging of the channel bottom by suction excavator, which reached the fluvioglacial, suballuvial layer on the bedrock protrusion.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00302023-10-31T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0029<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The Sulejów reservoir is one of the largest reservoirs in Poland and is exposed to a large flux of nutrients from both point and diffuse sources, which leads to an excessive amount of eutrophication and cyanobacteria bloom. The underlying inspiration for this paper was to use a 1D HEC-RAS hydrodynamic model to improve the knowledge of sedimentation conditions and the chemistry of bottom sediments in the context of reservoir eutrophication and algae bloom. Field sampling was performed, and chemical concentrations of Total Organic Carbon, Total Phosphorus, and Cadmium were measured in samples from bottom sediments. The deepest parts of the reservoir and the presence of sediment traps coincide with the highest concentrations of organic carbon, nutrients, and heavy metals. The paper has shown that reservoir hydrodynamic modelling and precise bathymetry maps provide very valuable information that can be used for the interpretation of bottom sediment chemistry patterns and for understanding the conditions of sedimentation.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00292024-01-31T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0026<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Geomorphological and sedimentological research carried out in the vicinity of Vilnius (SW Lithuania) aimed to determine the age and stages of development of gullies in relation to climatic conditions and human activity. Two gullies located on the northern slope of the Vilnia river valley were examined in detail. The sedimentological features of the sediments which form fans at the mouths of the gullies were analysed. Three main lithological units were distinguished. On the basis of radiocarbon datings, the beginning of gully erosion was determined to be in the Middle Ages. This process began with intensive settlement in this area. Further stages of a cutting which were distinguished include early modern times and the period from the seventeenth century to the present day.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00262023-10-31T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0027<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Progressing climate change is often reflected in changing biometeorological conditions. The Sudetes Mountains, located in the Polish–Czech border area, are concerned by this phenomenon. The goal of this paper is to evaluate the influence of atmospheric circulation on multiannual changes in biothermal conditions using the UTCI index. In the analysis, data for 1991–2020, from both Polish and Czech meteorological stations, was considered, while the circulation factor was evaluated using the Lityński classification. The research indicated a positive tendency of UTCI values for the majority of circulation types, which consequently contributed to a decrease in the frequency of cold stress categories. In the summits, a decline in the number of days with extreme cold stress was the most characteristic feature, especially under anticyclonic and northern circulation. Tendencies of heat stress occurrence were in most cases statistically insignificant, except for cyclonic and transitional circulation.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00272024-01-31T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0021<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The article presents an assessment of Poland's participation in Earth observation programmes within its 10 years of membership in the European Space Agency (ESA). A diagnosis of the current state of affairs makes it possible to assess the actions taken to date by policy-makers and to indicate the directions which should be taken in the future so that satellite data on the Earth's surface is more widely utilised and available.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-00212024-01-31T00:00:00.000+00:00en-us-1