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Mountain Arable Land Abandonment (1968–2018) in the Romanian Carpathians: Environmental Conflicts and Sustainability Issues

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  • Ionuț Săvulescu

    (Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, 010041 București, Romania)

  • Bogdan-Andrei Mihai

    (Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, 010041 București, Romania)

  • Marina Vîrghileanu

    (Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, 010041 București, Romania)

  • Constantin Nistor

    (Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, 010041 București, Romania)

  • Bogdan Olariu

    (Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, 010041 București, Romania)

Abstract

The agricultural mountain landscape in the Romanian Carpathians follows the same change trend in other European mountains, from variety and individuality to simplification and uniformization. Our paper proposes two complementary case studies from the Southern Carpathians—Poiana Mărului and Fundata, representative areas for the entire Carpathian ecoregion. The research focuses on a remote sensing approach with Corona KH-4B (1968) and Planet Scope (2018) images at 2.0–3.0 m resolution used for mapping arable plots pattern and size change. Landscape transformation modelling is focused on four-hectare sampled grid for both case study areas, followed by a landscape metric analysis. Fundata area is the most transformed, where arable plots disappeared under the service-based economy pressure. Poiana Mărului shows an earlier stage of landscape transformation, where the arable land abandonment process is incipient. The spatial and statistical analysis and field survey confirmed that tourism changed the traditional agricultural landscape, generating potential environmental conflicts and indicating the sustainability degree.

Suggested Citation

  • Ionuț Săvulescu & Bogdan-Andrei Mihai & Marina Vîrghileanu & Constantin Nistor & Bogdan Olariu, 2019. "Mountain Arable Land Abandonment (1968–2018) in the Romanian Carpathians: Environmental Conflicts and Sustainability Issues," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-11, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:23:p:6679-:d:290928
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    1. Ionel Muntele & Marinela Istrate & Haralambie Athes & Alexandru Bănică, 2023. "An Overview of Population Dynamics in Romanian Carpathians (1912–2021): Factors, Spatial Patterns and Urban–Rural Disparities," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-20, September.
    2. Ionel Muntele & Marinela Istrate & Raluca Ioana Horea-Șerban & Alexandru Banica, 2021. "Demographic Resilience in the Rural Area of Romania. A Statistical-Territorial Approach of the Last Hundred Years," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-17, September.

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