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Evaluation of Changes in Land Use and Their Influence on Ecological Stability of a Selected Area of the Dolný Spiš Region (Slovakia)

Author

Listed:
  • Peter Barančok

    (Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Štefánikova 3, 814 99 Bratislava, Slovakia)

  • Mária Barančoková

    (Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Štefánikova 3, 814 99 Bratislava, Slovakia)

Abstract

In this study, the landscape and ecological stability of the Dolný Spiš region are investigated, focusing on human-induced changes and land use patterns. The purpose is to assess the impact of industrial, agricultural, and social activities on the landscape structure, using current and historical data. Field mapping and data from the DATAcube (Database of the Slovak Statistical Office) and CORINE Land Cover databases (Landscape cover layer for the whole territory of Europe) were used to evaluate land use, with ecological stability measured through the coefficient of ecological stability (CES). Three methodologies—Míchal, Löw, and Miklós—were applied and adjusted for local conditions. The study area, predominantly covered by forests (over 80%), was classified as highly stable based on CES values, with forested areas contributing significantly to this classification. Additionally, the non-forested areas were analyzed to assess the full scope of anthropic influence, revealing low-intensity human activity, as indicated by the coefficient of anthropic influence (CAI), ranging from 0 to 0.45. The results demonstrate that the landscape’s ability to resist disruptive elements is strong, particularly in forested regions. Overall, in this study, the critical role of forests is highlighted in maintaining the ecological stability in the region and suggests that the landscape structure remains resilient despite ongoing changes in agricultural land use.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Barančok & Mária Barančoková, 2024. "Evaluation of Changes in Land Use and Their Influence on Ecological Stability of a Selected Area of the Dolný Spiš Region (Slovakia)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-21, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:23:p:10167-:d:1525824
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrzej Biłozor & Iwona Cieślak & Szymon Czyża & Karol Szuniewicz & Tomasz Bajerowski, 2024. "Land-Use Change Dynamics in Areas Subjected to Direct Urbanization Pressure: A Case Study of the City of Olsztyn," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-20, March.
    2. I. Machar, 2009. "Changes in the fragmentation and ecological stability of the Morava River floodplain forest in the course of the 20th century," Journal of Forest Science, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 55(3), pages 127-136.
    3. Xingsheng Xia & Wei Liang & Shenghui Lv & Yaozhong Pan & Qiong Chen, 2024. "Remote Sensing Identification and Stability Change of Alpine Grasslands in Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-19, June.
    4. Miroslav DUMBROVSKÝ & Veronika SOBOTKOVÁ & Bořivoj ŠARAPATKA & Radka VÁCHALOVÁ & Renata PAVELKOVÁ CHMELOVÁ & Jan VÁCHAL, 2015. "Long-term improvement in surface water quality after land consolidation in a drinking water reservoir catchment," Soil and Water Research, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 10(1), pages 49-55.
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