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Quantify the changes in landscape patterns and their impact on ecosystem services values using land use land cover data in the middle reaches of the Damodar river basin
1-15Views:41Human activities continuously modify the landscape area for their purpose which forces the landscape structure to change continuously. Therefore, it is essential to examine the impact of changing landscape structure on Ecosystem services values (ESV). The study has quantified the dynamic of ESV using land use land cover data and landscape metrics. The study has applied the Costanza et al. (1997 &2014) method to estimate ESV in the Middle reaches of the Damodar River Basin area and the Getis-Ord Gi* technique to delineate the dynamic hot spot and cold spot region in ESV within the stipulated period. The study has shown that ESV varies with the changes in landscape structure. The diminishing of vegetation, agricultural land, water body area and the expansion of built-up area has shifted the ESV zone from the North-West part in 2000-2012 to the wider part of North-West and North-East in 2012-2023 and 2000-2023 periods and marked the North-West and North-East part as a more dynamic zone within the study period.
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The effect of aridification on dry and wet habitats of Illancs microregion, SW Great Hungarian Plain, Hungary
11-22Views:177By the beginning of the 21st century, investigations aiming landscape history and landscape changes became especially important in the environmental research. The decreasing number of natural areas called the attention of the world to the rapid changes in the landscape caused by human activities and climate change. Certain places are facing with increased problems caused by the sensitiveness of landscapes. In Hungary, in the Danube–Tisza Interfluve a continuous groundwater-table sinking process was observed, as a result of anthropogenic effects of the last century and the consequences of climate change. On the highest part of this mesoregion (e. g. Illancs microregion), the decrease of the groundwater-level has reached 7 metres compared with the 1970s which affected significantly the nature and the local inhabitants as well. This study aimed to investigate the effect of this aridification process on dry and wet habitats of Illancs microregion. It reveals the ongoing processes in the landscape, referring to the previously affecting factors. In case of dry habitats, fragmentation and invasive species play important role as threatening factors. Wet habitats are significantly decreasing, shift of the vegetation zones can be observed. The stands are degraded, their steppification is dominant and can be observed only in the deepest parts of the depressions.
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Assessment of spatio-temporal waterline changes of a reservoir: A case study of Ujjani wetland, Maharashtra, India
1-13Views:264The Ujjani reservoir is an artificial inland wetland and a potential Ramsar site in Maharashtra, India. The present study investigates the changes in the surface water area over time using remote sensing imageries (LANDSAT, LISS-III, Sentinel 2 series) for four decades (1981 to 2021) and the normalized difference water index (NDWI). The study reveals that the overall mean amount and rate of decrease in the surface water area are estimated at 20.50% (44.31 + 30.38 km2) and 0.75% year-1 (1.62 + 1.36 km2year-1), respectively. Furthermore, multiple correlation matrix analysis shows a strong positive correlation between surface water area and rainfall while a weak negative correlation with mean annual temperature (TMAX). Thus, indicating rainfall as the principal factor in inducing changes to the surface water area of the Ujjani wetland. However, the study also finds that the impact of the dramatic rise in population growth and anthropogenic activities in the form of overexploitation and land encroachments for agriculture are gradual but significant cursors to wetland degradation. Hence, the study recommends periodic monitoring, management, and conservation of wetlands, by employing stringent policies and effective technological measures.
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Human health risk assessment: a case study of heavy metal contamination of garden soils in Szeged
11-27Views:148The soils of the big cities, owing to the various anthropogenic activities, can be contaminated by heavy metals. The surroundings of the roads with heavy traffic as significant metal emitter source can be contaminated by heavy metals. The hobby gardens and the vegetable gardens directly along roads can be potential risky for people since unknown amount of heavy metals can be accumulated into organization of local residents due to consumption of vegetables and fruits grown in their own garden. Most metals are well-known to have toxic characters but we have known little what extent these metals exert influence on people living directly along road with busy traffic. During our research, metal contamination has been investigated in the gardens near the roads with heavy traffic in Szeged by measuring of metal contents in soil and plants samples. Enrichment factor has been calculated with the help of control soil samples far from roads having heavily traffic. Besides determination of the metal content of soil and plant samples, soil properties basically influencing on metal mobility has been examined in order to characterize the buffering capacity of the studied soils. The health risk quotients have also been determined to evaluate human health risk of the contaminated soils.
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Household heating in the light of climate change
53-65Views:100Greenhouse gas emissions resulting from anthropogenic activities play a significant role in climate change. The residential heating should be mentioned one of the main polluting source of greenhouse gases.This paper aims to give a comprehensive view about the amount of CO2 emission as well as objectives and strategies for reduction the GHG emission. In addition, we illustrate the example of an average Hungarian family house (100 m2 ), that biomass-based energy production what extent can reduce the current very high degree carbon dioxide emissions. We prepared investment analysis, as to what kind of ecological and economic benefits may result in heating modernization projects of a four-member family home. Additionally, a calculation method of CO2 emission from heating is demonstrated on the basis of IPPC report (2006); the role of biomass is explained in heating; furthermore I give an overview analysis about the significance of forests for reduction of CO2 concentration.