The aim of this study was to determine the spatial differentiation in the level of demographic ageing of Poland's population. The temporal scope of the analyses covers the years 2005-2024, as well as projections for the period 2030-2050. The research was conducted at the voivodeship level, and took into account the division between urban and rural areas. The study focused on the analysis of two measures that enable the identification of demographic changes, including the advancement of the ageing process: the demographic ageing rate index (Wstd) and the old-age index (Ist). The results of the analyses revealed differences in the degree of advancement of the ageing process over time, in spatial terms, and between urban and rural populations. The rural population has been ageing more slowly than the urban population across the voivodeships. The forecasts, however, indicate that in the future the average annual rate of population ageing will slow down.
Sandy beaches are dynamic and vulnerable environments shaped by the interaction of hydrodynamic, fluvial, aeolian, and anthropogenic factors. This study presents the results of multi-decadal and seasonal monitoring of Sidi Rbat beach, located on the right bank of the River Massa on the Moroccan Atlantic coast. Two complementary approaches were applied. The first was a diachronic shoreline analysis over 53 years (1970-2023), based on aerial photographs and high-resolution satellite images, using the DSAS (Digital shoreline analysis system) tool within ArcGIS. The second approach consisted of the topographic monitoring of three beach profiles conducted between January 2019 and August 2021 using a total station. Two digital elevation models (DEMs), generated in summer (01/09/2020) and winter (27/02/2021), were used to produce a differential DEM to quantify sand volumes and identify erosion and deposition zones. The results showed a general erosional trend, punctuated by phases of accretion. This erosion was mainly driven by geomorphological factors including beach configuration, hydrodynamic conditions characterized by energetic Atlantic waves from the NNW, and anthropogenic influences, particularly the reduction of sediment supply following the construction of a dam in 1972. At the seasonal scale, the beach displays a classical morphodynamic cycle, with winter erosion and summer accretion, suggesting the presence of potential sediment sources such as coastal dunes, north-to-south longshore transport, and offshore sediment remobilization. DEM analysis further highlighted the strong influence of seasonal hydrodynamics on beach morphology. This study provides a solid scientific basis for understanding mesotidal beach morphodynamics along the Moroccan Atlantic coast and supports integrated coastal zone management.
The study presents the occurrence of Genoa lows over Central and Eastern Europe during the period 2004-2024. The main research aims were: identification of the tracks of Genoa lows, analysis of their seasonal and interannual variability, and determination of their duration, intensity, and relationship with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). For this maps from the Deutscher Wetterdienst, ERA5 reanalysis data, and monthly NAO Index values were used. On this basis, 81 cases of Genoa lows were identified, and it was found that during the study period, fewer than 13% of cyclones originated outside of the Gulf of Genoa, while more than half of all lows disappeared over Central and Eastern Europe. Genoa cyclones moving along the easterly track predominated (48.1% of all cases), while they moved least frequently over the southern and western parts of the study area. Typically, autumn Genoa lows and those following the easterly path were the longest-lasting (often exceeding 100 hours). At the same time, the shortest duration were the summer lows and those following the southern route. The conducted research showed a continuation of the long-term decrease in the number of lows, as described in the literature, especially in summer cyclones. Significant irregularity and very long hiatuses (exceeding even 400 days) in the occurrence of Genoa lows were also confirmed. Similar to other studies, it was found that the negative phase of the NAO and the meridional circulation favour the genesis of the Genoa lows. However, the lows that formed in winter and moved along the southern track were more often associated with the positive phase of the NAO than the others.
The change in the Himalayan Forest landscape is not just an ecological concern but also a deeply social one. Chir Pine’s (Pinus roxburghii), once planted and promoted for timber value and economically important has now disrupted the ecological balance of the region. This study investigated the rural perceptions of local residents of Himalayan villages in the state of Uttarakhand, India, revealing Chir Pine’s dominant nature and aggressive spread. The voices of villagers echoed this aggressive spread, raising concerns about its far-reaching impacts on the region’s climate-forest interactions. The study utilised qualitative ethnographic fieldwork with a theoretical framing deduced from political ecology. The fieldwork was conducted between 2023-24 in Uttarakhand, which included a sample size (n=110) across 12 Himalayan villages with a blend of in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observations. The study explored how local communities interpret this ecological and climatic shift. The findings suggest that Chir Pine not only alters landscapes but also community ecological memories, rural people, agricultural patterns, and rural ecological knowledge systems. The local people’s perceptions narrate their experiences of disappearing springs, decreasing fodder availability, increasing forest fires, and the slow death of mixed forests turning into Chir-dominated forests. Rather than treating local perceptions as anecdotal, this study positions them as critical data points that offer early warning signs of broader socio-environmental and climatic stress.
Tree avenues in urban settings represent an important element of urban green infrastructure (UGI), providing ecological, aesthetic, and social benefits. However, they can also contribute to allergenic risks that affect public health. This study aimed to analyze the tree species distribution within tree avenues in the Nova Detelinara district of Novi Sad, Serbia, with a particular focus on their allergenic potential. A field inventory was conducted during April 2025, which identified 849 individual trees belonging to 39 species. Each species was categorized by its allergenic potential based on data in the literature, and an Index of Allergenicity of Urban Green Zones (IUGZA) was calculated for the detected individuals found in 14 observed streets to assess the overall allergenic risk of the species composition within the area. Analysis of the allergenic potential of the identified species showed that most species had low (41%) or moderate (31%) allergenic potential, with only one species which was very low. In the observed UGI element, trees with moderate allergenic potential were the most abundant (48%), followed by high (31%) and low (15%) potentials, while very high and very low allergenic potential were present in 6% and one tree, respectively. The IUGZA index values ranged from 0.01 to 0.37, classifying species composition in Stevana Mokranjca Street as high-risk (IUGZA > 0.3), whereas all other streets fell within the low-risk category (IUGZA < 0.2). The findings contribute to the development of more informed, local- and city-level approaches to establishing and managing the use of UGI, as well as species selection strategies that balance ecological criteria with public health considerations.
Urban densification can have various consequences. To identify and interpret these, spatial analyses of changes in the built environment over a specific period are needed. This article investigates the use of LIDAR point cloud data to detect changes in development in two large pre-fabricated housing estates in & Lstrok;& oacute;d & zacute;, Poland. Developed during the socialist era, these estates have undergone spatial and functional transformations over the past decades. The study uses LIDAR data from 2012, 2017, and 2021, supplemented with orthophotos, Google Street View, and fieldwork conducted in 2023 to identify and verify changes in development. The analysis included classification of point-cloud data, conversion to raster and subtraction of rasters to detect new and demolished buildings. The results show a clear trend to increase the density of buildings in both estates, with more than 11,000 m & sup2; of new built-up area added in each case. New developments include residential, commercial and service and communication facilities, often replacing open spaces or previously undeveloped areas. The study confirms that the LIDAR point cloud is a valuable tool for detailed detection of changes in various urban objects. Analyses based on this type of data can serve as a monitoring function. It also highlights the need to integrate historical data to capture earlier stages of transformation and suggests including development analysis in future research.
This study investigates the floristic, biological, and chorological diversity of three Ramsar wetlands in the Sebkhetes of Aur & egrave;s Wetlands Complex (SAWC) Algeria: Garaet Timerganine (freshwater), Chott Tinsilt (brackish water), and Sebkhet Ezzmoul (saline water). 154 taxa were recorded during field surveys. Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Fabaceae were the most represented families. Total taxa richness, Shannon diversity index (H ') and Pielou's equitability (E) showed relatively high values at Garaet Timerganine (S = 78, H' = 5.07, E = 0.82) and Sebkhet Ezzmoul (S = 52, H' = 5.38, E = 0.94), while Chott Tinsilt (S = 63, H' = 4.43, E = 0.73) exhibited moderate diversity with strong floristic homogeneity. The flora was predominantly composed of therophytes (48%) and hemicryptophytes (37 %), reflecting adaptations to salinity variability. Chamaephytes (9%), Geophytes (3%), Nanophanerophytes, Microphanerophytes and Phanerophytes were present in meaningfully lower proportions (1%). The chorology of recorded flora was dominated by the Mediterranean set encompassing 74 taxa, which constitutes 48.07% of the total flora. Species with a wide distribution set accounted for 56 species (36.30%), while the Northern set had a notable presence with 23 species (15%). Limonium pruinosum (Plumbaginaceae) was the only Saharan species exclusively recorded in Sebkhet Ezzmoul. Using Correspondence Factor Analysis (CFA), species distribution patterns were clearly aligned along a salinity gradient. Garaet Timerganine was associated with mesophilous taxa, Chott Tinsilt with stress-tolerant brackish species, and Ezzmoul with halophytes ones. This study highlights the fact that salinity shapes floristic diversity and guides adaptive wetland management in arid regions.
Border regions constitute the periphery of individual countries. Their location far from economic centres is often associated with an unfavourable economic structure, low technical and social infrastructure, and poor quality of life. However, border regions should not always be associated with the negative characteristics of peripheral regions. The question of whether a given border region is attractive for living largely reflects its demographic potential. The aim of this study was to identify demographic diversity in border regions in the context of the changing function of the state border associated with European integration. The study area comprised border regions in Germany and Poland, analyzed against the national background in 1995 and 2023. To capture the direction and pace of demographic changes, diagnostic indicators were used, and a demographic potential index was constructed using the zerounitization method. The research conducted has shown that the changes that have occurred in the demographic potential of border regions in the context of the evolving function of the state border associated with European integration are visible spatially. This applies particularly to the border that historically ran between two political and economic systems. The current diversity in demographic potential is influenced by the external border of the European Union. The research results have shown that the ongoing demographic processes in the spatial dimension were influenced by historical conditions, superimposed on the core-periphery system, which plays an increasingly important role.
Social-ecological systems (SES) are understood as human-environment systems that encompass all ecological and technological structures relevant to, and shaped by, human actions. They are complex systems in nature, comprising two main components - social and ecological - along with their numerous subcomponents. For analytical purposes, the SES concept must be both operational and measurable, which requires defining spatial and temporal boundaries. In this study, the municipality was selected as the basic territorial and administrative unit. In spite of their importance, evaluations and mapping of SES remain scarce, particularly in Latin America. This study assessed the SES status in a region of central-eastern Mexico - a priority biocultural region for conservation and development. The aim was to identify critical areas for interventions to enhance socio-ecological resilience and understand the key factors influencing SES. Results indicated a generally low SES status per municipality, with values ranging from -0.244 to 0.361. The highest values were observed in municipalities with high ecological integrity, low sensitivity to biophysical hazards, and stable ecosystem service availability. Spatial correlation analysis revealed a cold spot in the south-eastern area, where municipalities exhibited the lowest resilience and SES status. In contrast, a hotspot with the highest values was found in the centre of the study area, where the infrastructure (i.e., roads, hospitals) was first developed because of silver mining. A generalized linear model showed a negative correlation between Indigenous people and SES status. Urgent actions are needed to improve communication, healthcare, education, economic opportunities, to reduce their vulnerability to environmental challenges.
This article aims to examine the relationship between industrial transformation and suburbanisation processes in an urban agglomeration in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), using the case of the Wroc & lstrok;aw agglomeration (south-western Poland) in the 21st century. This relationship is analysed in the context of economic, demographic, and spatial changes occurring within the area under study. The analysis demonstrates that the observed shifts in the spatial distribution of industrial activity reinforce the dynamics of suburbanisation in the urban agglomeration. Conversely, changes in the use of industrial land and the accompanying demographic transformations (primarily within the core of the agglomeration) tend to mitigate the intensity of suburbanisation. These findings may have significant implications for spatial policy-making in CEE cities and contribute to their more sustainable development.
Global warming poses a significant socio-economic threat, with uneven effects across regions and sectors. This study examines whether climate variables have a long-run relationship with agricultural output, evaluates whether their impacts change over time, and whether their impacts vary by crop type in East Africa, using the fixed effects, the Dynamic Fixed Effects (DFE) and Pooled Mean Group (PMG) models. The study revealed that the included climate variables exhibit long-term effects on agricultural output. However, there are notable differences in the impacts of climate variables on agricultural production, influenced by temporal and methodological contexts. Aggregate analysis generally shows limited short-run significance, with temperature having negative and significant effects under the DFE model during 1980-2021. In contrast, the long-run findings reveal a positive effect of rainfall under both DFE and PMG models. A 1% increase in annual rainfall increases agricultural output by 0.76% and 0.27%, respectively, although this effect turns negative in the latter case over the more recent period. The effect of temperature is insignificant except under the FE model. Crop-specific results highlight rainfall as a generally positive factor, while temperature impacts vary, with the short run negatively affecting most crops with elastic effects. The long-term relationship between climate variables and agricultural output, together with the significant effect of irrigation, underscores the need for sustained investment in irrigation infrastructure and broader climate-smart agricultural practices that consider crop-specific responses. Overall, the study emphasizes the importance of climate-resilient agricultural investments and water management policies.
This study aimed to examine the attitudes of residents in municipalities within the Be & lstrok;chat & oacute;w Industrial District towards changes in their living environment in the context of the planned closure of a mining and energy complex. The studied area is located in the central part of Poland, it is an industrial center with the dominant mining and energy industries, and the main core is an openpit lignite mine. The study was conducted in 2024 in six municipalities in the study area, involving a group of 220 respondents (representing over 3% of the total population of the study area) and utilising a questionnaire. It was found that the social attitudes of the inhabitants of the Be & lstrok;chat & oacute;w Industrial District towards industry and transformation are twofold. On the one hand, there is a growing awareness of the need to move away from coal due to both economic and environmental factors. On the other, there is a visible attitude of fear related to job losses, youth migration, and the marginalisation of the region. Quite often, both respondents and local authorities adopt a passive attitude towards the upcoming changes. The authors conclude that residents should be empowered and involved in the process of implementing changes, enabling them to have a meaningful impact on the actions of local authorities and the transformation of their community.
This study evaluated the effectiveness of policies aimed at curbing deforestation in the Amazon biome, specifically focusing on how these policies changed agricultural land-use patterns in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, throughout the 21st century. Utilizing land use and land cover (LULC) maps, we analyzed the transformation of natural forests into agricultural lands over time by comparing pre- and post-policy implementation with a Spatial Durbin Model, recognizing potential spillover effects on neighbouring municipalities. Our research indicates that disincentives such as environmental penalties and land use planning decreased deforestation rates when accompanied by intense monitoring efforts. Brazilian rural credit incentives stimulate farmers to adopt environmental compliance, which has an important role in slowing down deforestation, although the Central-West Constitutional Fund (FCO) resources have limited regional impact. We observed in LULC maps that the major growth of cropland occurs in pasture areas, which in turn is displaced to the Amazon biome frontier and causes new deforestation spots, although this process lost strength after 2008 owing to new institutional path. Ultimately, the research highlights the ongoing challenges of achieving long-term sustainability amidst economic pressures, especially commodity prices, emphasizing the need for innovative policies to promote sustainable agricultural practices.
Post-mining areas are increasingly being adapted as cultural and educational tourist attractions, contributing both to the preservation of industrial heritage and to regional development. The aim of this article is to identify the motives for visiting and to examine the perceived image of post-mining areas as a tourist attraction, using the case of the Krzemionki Archaeological Museum and archaeological-nature reserve. By "perceived image" the study understands visitors' affective impressions and cognitive evaluations of the site. In the theoretical section, the broader term "tourism product" is used to denote the composite bundle of attractions, infrastructure, accessibility, services and experiences, whereas in the empirical part the Krzemionki site is treated as a tourist attraction within its destination. The study employed the diagnostic survey method. It was found that the main motive for visiting the Neolithic striped flint mines was the desire to learn and expand knowledge about prehistoric flint mining, Neolithic communities and their cultural heritage. Furthermore, the image the Museum formed among all visitors was strongly positive and did not significantly differ between the studied groups. A strong, positive image of the examined tourist attraction can become a hallmark of the region and contribute to its socio-economic development, especially for visitors from Ostrowiec County in the & Sacute;wi & eogon;tokrzyskie region and those from outside the region.
This article proposes an analysis of the phenomenon of street art as found in Katowice, a post-industrial city, by mapping, documenting, organizing, and linking it to the industrial history of the city and wider region. These general studies connect the socioeconomic aspects of districts degraded by the mining and steel industries with street art as a form of “soft” social revitalization. Drawing on fieldwork, cartographic and literature review, and her own educational experiences, the author presents the opportunities the Katowice murals. The author is particularly interested in the connections between post-industrial murals and the degraded and unrevitalized Szopienice-Burowiec district, the second largest district in the city in terms of street art. The article includes tables comparing data from the studied areas and maps of murals in Katowice-Śródmieście and Szopienice-Burowiec.
The coal industry, alongside manufacturing, was one of the key industries that determined the settlement-economic development of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB). This research focuses on the economic potential of the eastern part of the USCB, i.e. the Dąbrowa Basin (DB), and covers the period of industrialization up to 1918. At that time, there were over 160 coal mines, both deep and open-cast, operating in the region. The largest number of former hard coal mines were located in the present area of Sosnowiec (41,1%) and Dąbrowa Górnicza (28,6%). This research attempts to clarify the role of coal mining in the transformation of the DB’s economy and settlement network. In order to understand the mechanisms contributing to the accumulation of economic growth in certain places, the influence of a group of interdependent causal factors (spatial, economic and institutional) was analysed. Reference is made to the theory of poles of development and Myrdal’s process of cumulative causation. Several dozen archival cartographic materials (mainly topographic maps and mining field plans) were used to analyze settlement and functional changes in the DB area from an evolutionary perspective. This allowed for a discussion on the connection between coal mining and other factors driving changes in economic and settlement structures in DB. An attempt was also made to stage the transformation process of the studied towns and to determine their genetic and morphological changes. The transformation of the rank of localities stemming from the emergence of specialized central places is also described.
In the 1970s, in the Szopienice district of Katowice, Poland, symptoms of long-term lead poisoning were identified in children living in the vicinity of the Non-Ferrous Metal Works „Szopienice” . Publicly available documents state that approximately 5,000 children were initially examined in secret by the authorities of the People’s Republic of Poland. The aim of this study was to determine whether selected living representatives of the group that suffered from lead poisoning in the 1970s, as well as their family members, were aware that the health effects of exposure to harmful environmental factors occurred after a long period. During pilot field research, an attempt was made to gather information that would enable an assessment of the community’s knowledge of basic environmental medical issues. Special attention was paid to the attitudes of the selected group (those with lead poisoning from the 1970s in Szopienice) towards lead poisoning. The respondents demonstrate limited knowledge regarding the effects of lead poisoning. Consequently, there is a clear need to implement educational initiatives, particularly in the areas of health prevention and awareness-raising about the consequences of lead exposure. Notably, the respondents express a positive attitude toward the diagnostic capabilities offered by environmental medicine, including approaches focused on individualized patient care.
Photographic publications played a key role in promoting coal mining in the Ostrava-Karviná region (OKR) and across the entire Czechoslovakian industry. Throughout the 20th century, these publications reflected the wider socio-political, economic and cultural contexts and served both documentary, ideological and economic purposes. Early photographic works often depicted mining as a symbol of industrial progress, reinforcing regional identity and economic ambitions. Over time, photography in this area evolved from simple illustrative material to a systematically structured medium used especially during the socialist period for ideological messages. After 1989 the transition to a market economy led to a decline in state-controlled publications on mining. In their place, free photographic work often focused on documenting the post-industrial transformation of the region, depicting themes of environmental change, industrial decline and cultural memory. This was a significant shift, where visual narratives no longer served the propaganda, but critically engaged with the history, heritage and socio-economic impact of mining. The aim of thisarticlewas to present the basic outlines of the hitherto unprocessed topic and, above all, to map all photographic publications related to the Ostrava-Karviná district in the Czech Republic. The research methodology was based on analysis, comparison and description of sources – of photographic publications. The results of the researchwas a basic overview of the published titles in the industrial region under study, which contributes to the understanding of contemporary thinking on the promotion of industry, and is nowadays an important reference to the industrial heritage in Central Europe.
Ostrava used to be one of the significant industrial and cultural centres of Silesia. It became part of Czechoslovakia in 1918, with the character of the territory being multi-ethnic, multilingual, and with industrial dynamics. This article explores various approaches to literary cartography and establishes a method of creating a printed Literary Map of Ostrava 1918–2018 (including places, events, personalities, institutions, texts). The map is trying to record the emergence, consolidation and transformation of the literary identity of the city of Ostrava over a period of one hundred years. It presents the aspects that determined the character of the map (including among others, the back part of map which includes interpretations, uses the princip of synecdoche and aspects of complexity too). It depicts the emergence reference of individual points on the map in relation to the historical, socio-economic, political and religious aspects of the city and includes work with temporal and spatial layers which were used in the preparation of the thematic map. The map presents, through the application of synoptic literary map theory, the nature of the semantic network through which literary history is reflected. It explains the inspirational significance of a cartographic treatment of literary history that goes beyond locational character. It not a map of fictional places.
