Redalyc.Land Cover Related to Natural Landscapes in the Eastern Part Of
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Caderno de Geografia ISSN: 0103-8427 [email protected] Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais Brasil Vartolomei, Florin Land cover related to natural landscapes in the eastern part of Romania (The Romanian Side of Prut Basin) Caderno de Geografia, vol. 22, núm. 37, enero-junio, 2012, pp. 18-28 Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte, Brasil Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=333228743002 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative ISSN 0103-8427 Caderno de Geografia, v.22, n.37, 2012 Land cover related to natural landscapes in the eastern part of Romania (The Romanian Side of Prut Basin) Cobertura do solo relacionado às paisagens natural da prte leste da Romênia (A porção ro- mena da Bacia de Prut) Florin Vartolomei “Spiru Haret” University, Bucharest, Faculty of Geography [email protected] Artigo recebido para avaliação em 12/03/2012 e aceito para publicação em 17/04/2012 ABSTRACT In this research land cover is the observed (bio)physical cover on the earth's surface, as in european documentation of LAND COVER CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (LCCS): CLASSIFICATION CONCEPTS AND USER MANUAL. This analisys is based on Corine Land Cover 2000 methodolo- gy approved in 27 countries of EU. Corine Land Cover 2000 (CLC2000) is produced by the Euro- pean Environment Agency (EEA) and its member countries in the European environment infor- mation and observation network (Eionet). It is based on the results of IMAGE2000, a satellite imag- ing programme undertaken jointly by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission and the EEA. CLC2000 shows the land cover changes in ecosystems such as forests, lakes, pastures etc. and the impact of human activities (such as housing, food production, transport etc.) on land use. Forty-four land cover classes are used to map changes over time, all of which tell their own story of how decisions made across Prut basin in eastern part of Romania, have led to alternations in the landscape. The standard CLC nomenclature includes 44 land cover classes, grouped in a three-level hierarchy. Five main categories are "artificial surfaces", "agricultural areas", "forest and semi- natural areas", "wetlands" and "water bodies". The study area is very important because actually is a part of the eastern border of NATO and EU, with many geopolitically implications in state coopera- tion between Romania and Republic of Moldova sharing natural resources of Prut basin. Further analysis of spatial relations between land cover and soil cover can overview changes in evolution of these geographic factors in the last 20 years, also the impact on the environment. Keywords: Land Cover, landscapes, Prut, Romania types of use of each major class, for each setting 1. INTRODUCTION a single code is classified by levels, according to The purpose of this paper is to present Bossard et al. (2000, p. 6-75). the current situation of land use in the Prut Corine Land Cover 2000 (CLC2000) is basin, the least researched area in Romanian produced by the European Environment Agency geographical literature. To achieve this purpose (EEA) and its member countries in the Europe- a modern method of inventory of land use type an environment information and observation set at European level, fits all EU Member States network (Eionet). It is based on the results of was used. Working method called Corine IMAGE2000, a satellite imaging programme LandCover (CLC) is the demarcation of areas undertaken jointly by the Joint Research Centre within the characteristic of land use classes that of the European Commission and the EEA. support using high resolution satellite images CLC2000 shows the land cover changes in eco- and a unique legend. This legend details the systems such as forests, lakes, pastures etc. and 18 ISSN 0103-8427 Caderno de Geografia, v.22, n.37, 2012 the impact of human activities (such as housing, national level is heterogeneous, fragmented and difficult to obtain. food production, transport etc.) on land use. At Community level, in the CORINE Forty-four land cover classes are used to map system, information on land cover and changing changes over time, all of which tell their own land cover is directly useful for determining and story of how decisions made across Prut basin implementing environment policy and can be in eastern part of Romania, have led to alterna- used with other data (climate, inclinations, soil, tions in the landscape. The standard CLC no- etc.) to make complex assessments (e.g. menclature includes 44 land cover classes, mapping erosion risks). grouped in a three-level hierarchy. It was The benefits of using a single joint selected, briefly, in Table no. 1., part of the project to meet both Community and national "Corine Land Cover Technical Guide - (or even regional) “needs considerably Addendum 2000. Technical Report No. 40" influenced the general features of the land cover nomenclature and established only those classes project: scale, area of the smallest mapping unit with types of land use which are contained in and nomenclature” (MEYER, TURNER, 1994, the Prut river basin. p. 195). 1.1-The CORINE land cover project. 2. STUDY AREA The land cover project is part of the General physical and geographical CORINE programme and is intended to provide characteristics of the Prut basin are summarized consistent localized geographical information of below, to highlight the close link between the the land cover of the 12 Member States of the various components of the geographical European Community. Heymann et al. (1994, p. environment and enhancement of the so-called 8-28) consider that the project is necessary for land use types. the following reasons: Prut basin is located in eastern part of Romania (Fig. 1). The evolution and - preliminary work on the CORINE geographical aspects are related to those of the information system showed that information on land cover, together with information on Moldavian Plateau. The surface of the Prut relief, drainage systems etc., was essential basin occupies 10970 sq km in Romania for the management of the environment and natural resources; information on land cover (ATLAS OF ROMANIA WATER CADAS- therefore provides a reference source for TRE, 1964) (Fig. 2). various CORINE database projects; Also according to the Geographical - in all the countries of the Community, the Monography of Romania (1969) space analyzed information on land cover available at overlaps three structural units: Moldavian 19 ISSN 0103-8427 Caderno de Geografia, v.22, n.37, 2012 Platform (up to Fault Falciu-Plopana), Barlad obvious adaptation to the structure. Monoclinic Platform (between faults Falciu-Plopana and structure favored the emergence of positive and Adjud-Oancea) and Covurlui Platform, subsequent valleys. Main steps to be taken in presenting each with a socket fluted formations morphology, have values of 300-500 m in the covered by a blanket, with monoclinic willing north-west, 300-400 m in the central part, 150- parties 200 m in the north-east and south and have a The landscape is presented as a series of relatively balanced distribution. Altitudes above large interfluves, hills separated by wide 500 m are few and isolated, and the „low rates valleys, carved in monoclinic sedimentary meet along the Prut river corridor (130 m blankets. General inclination of the relief is Oroftina, Ungheni near 32 m and 15 m to the south-south-east and is in line with the confluence to the Danube in south part)” orientation of major valleys, reflecting an (BĂCĂUANU, 1968). Figure 1 - Position of Prut basin within Danube basin (source for GIS shp. vector: www.geo-spatial.org) Due to its extra-Carpathian region away of annual precipitation. This basin is directly from the influence of air masses from Atlantic exposed to continental air masses in the air from Ocean, but the wide-open action of air masses the west to lowering the surrounding physical with continental origin in the east, northeast and geographical units, frequently suffer föehn north, the Prut basin receives moderate amount processes, so precipitation is low, generally 20 ISSN 0103-8427 Caderno de Geografia, v.22, n.37, 2012 around 500 mm (564 mm to Rădăuţi in north (MOLDAVIAN PLATEAU, 1980). part and 529.4 mm to Iasi in central part) error of the total sample. Moreover the size of the sample „can be determined for each stratum 30% 30% separately according to the expected variation in 40% every stratum” (URSU et al., 2006, p. 193-198). In the CLC 5 land cover classes were Ucraina Romania Rep. Moldova established: (1) artificial surfaces, Figure 2 - Surface distribution of Prut basin by country in which it extends. (2) agricultural areas, (3) forests and seminatural areas, 3. METHODS AND MATERIALS (4) wetlands The land cover items will be identified at (5) water bodies. points whose geographical locations are determined by random sampling. The To apply this methology, GIS facility stratification can be done according to the land was used. This analysis combine cover items and/or according to geographical morphometrical results and land use inventory regions. in GIS methodology. These integrated GIS The input parameters for the random systems are mostly provided by a vector sampling procedure are the digital land cover database manager, designed to work together map and the amount of random sampling points with raster data. A proper design of the GIS for each stratum. In the first phase of the engine for CORINE Land Cover mapping is procedure, strata are selected and the amount of required to reach the high performance levels points to be drawn in every selected stratum is one needs in operations typical of an integrated determined.