Proceedings of the International Conference Environment at a

University of Bucharest

Faculty of Geography

International Conference – Environment at a

CrossrOads: SMART approaches for a sustainable

future

Book of abstracts

Bucharest

2015

2

PROCEEDINGS

of the

International Conference

Environment at a CrossrOads: SMART

approaches for a sustainable future

2015 Annual Meeting of the Faculty of Geography

Bucharest, Romania

November 12-15, 2015

Edited by


Faculty of Geography, Department of Regional Geography and Environment

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Proceedings of the International Conference Environment at a CrossrOads: SMART approaches

for a sustainable future (ECOSMART), November 12-15, 2015, Editor University of Bucharest,

Faculty of Geography, Department of Regional Geography and Environment, Romania, 224 pp.

The Proceedings and conference schedule are available online: geo.unibuc.ro/ecosmart/

Conference secretariat: [email protected]

Editors: Cristian Iojă, Mihai Răzvan Niţă, Diana Andreea Onose, Ileana Stupariu

ISBN: 978-973-0-20300-4.

© 2015, University of Bucharest, Faculty of Geography, Department of Regional Geography and

Environment, Romania

mailto:[email protected]

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Table of content

Organizers ................................................................................................................................. 16

Conference scientific committee ................................................................................................. 19

Organizing committee ............................................................................................................... 20

Introduction............................................................................................................................... 21

Plenary speakers........................................................................................................................ 23

EMMANUEL REYNARD - The heritage value of landforms…………………………………………………….…….23

DAGMAR HAASE - Scenarios for sustainable European cities securing human well-being and biodiversity ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………25

CHANSHENG HE - Development of a watershed science for sustainable water resources management ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………27

GERARD BELTRANDO - The Crau plain (west of Provence), a land of economic and ecological issues changing …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..29

JURGEN BREUSTE - The concept of eco-cities - Implementing the ecosystem service approach and reduce resource consumption …………………………………………………………………………………………….……..30

IBRAHIM ATALAY - A new approachon the land capability classification ……………………………………31

DAN BALTEANU - Geography in a global environmental change context …………………………….…….32

IOAN IANOS - What does rural smart development means for Romania?.....................................33

ALEXANDRU-IONUT PETRISOR, ION ANDRONACHE, ANA-MARIA CIOBOTARU, DANIEL PIEPTANATU - Assessing the fragmentation of the green infrastructure in Romanian cities using fractal models and numerical taxonomy..................................................................................... 34

PRZEMYSŁAW SZOPA, JACEK CZERNIAK, ANDRZEJ GAJEWSKI - Biomonitoring of air pollution in urban areas of southern Poland ................................................................................................. 35

SANTIAGO GIRALDO ANDUAGA - Geo-spatial technology and the Environment .......................... 36

N.ELIZBARASHVILI, G.MELADZE, D.SVANADZE, R.ELIZBARASHVILI - First transboundary protected areas in Caucasus ...................................................................................................................... 37

ANA-MARIA TALOS - Influence of population lifestyle on local health profile. Case study: Ialomita County ....................................................................................................................................... 38

ALINA SIMION, MIHAI HOTEA - Rural tourism, a development vector in the Maramures areas .... 39

RODICA MEREȚ - The mineral waters in Rupea and their exploitation ......................................... 40

CALIN VALSAN, ELENA DRUICA, RADU PINTILII - Sustainable regional economic development and naive prediction models: The case of the greater Bucharest metropolitan area ........................... 41

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CRISTINA LINCARU, DRAGA ATANASIU, VASILICA CIUCA, SPERANTA PIRCIOG - Periurban areas and land use structure in Romania at LAU2 level: An Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis ..................... 42

CAMELIA TEODORESCU, CRISTIAN DRAGHICI, DANIEL DIACONU, RADU DANIEL PINTILII, OCTAVIAN TEODORESCU, ADRIAN SIMION - Ethno-creative zones in Oltenia and their implication into developing cultural tourism ................................................................................................ 43

DRAGHICI CRISTIAN CONSTANTIN, DIACONU DANIEL, TEODORESCU CAMELIA, PINTILII RADU-DANIEL, CIOBOTARU ANA-MARIA - Health tourism contribution to the structural dynamics of the territorial systems with tourism functionality ............................................................................. 44

ION ANDRONACHE, DANIEL PEPTENATU, ANA-MARIA CIOBOTARU, ANDREEA-KARINA GRUIA, NINA-MARGARETA GROPOSILA - Using fractal analysis in modeling concentration trends in the national economy ...................................................................................................................... 45

GABRIEL MINEA, MARY-JEANNE ADLER - Hydrometrical and hydrological field tests at microscale ................................................................................................................................................. 46

DANIEL CONSTANTIN DIACONU, CAMELIA TEODORESCU, RADU-DANIEL PINTILII, CRISTIAN CONSTANTIN DRAGHICI, DANIEL PEPTANATU, MIRCEA VISAN - The economical valorization of the swamps of Borsaros- Sancraieni, and the perspectives of the touristic function development ...... 47

ANA-MARIA CIOBOTARU, ION ANDRONACHE - Analysis of forest fund evolution between 2000-2012 using fractal analysis ......................................................................................................... 48

ELENA DRUICA, CALIN VALSAN, RODICA IANOLE - Opportunism vs. Commitment in Romanian Firms: A Case of Behavioral Economics? ..................................................................................... 49

RADU-DANIEL PINTILII, DANIEL PEPTENATU, ADRIAN-GABRIEL SIMION, ANA-MARIA ILIE, ALEXANDRA GRECU - Tourism, basic functionality versus complementary component of the territorial systems in Romania ................................................................................................... 50

BOJAN ĐURIN, TONI KEKEZ - Sustainable water and energy use for irrigation demands .............. 51

TIBERIU FLORESCU, ANDREI MITREA - The dynamic master plan - an innovative approach in contemporary urban and territorial planning ............................................................................. 52

MARTINA ARTMANN - Compact cities vs. living quality – applying the ecosystem services approach for building sustainable cities ..................................................................................... 53

GEORGE-LAURENTIU MERCIU, FLORENTINA-CRISTINA MERCIU, ANDREEA LORETA CERCLEUX - Socio-economic and environmental impact assessment of an abandoned uranium mining site. Case study: Ciudanovita (Romania) ............................................................................................ 54

GABRIELA MOROSANU, GISELE VERNIERS, LILIANA ZAHARIA - Assessing the physical quality of the Coşuştea River using the Qualphy method .................................................................................. 55

DENISA LAVINIA BADIU, CRISTIAN IOJĂ, MARIA PĂTROESCU, SIMONA RALUCA GRĂDINARU, ALINA CONSTANTINA HOSSU - Heterogeneity predictors of urban green infrastructures in Romanian cities ......................................................................................................................... 56

CRISTIAN VLADESCU, MIHNEA DOSIUS, SIMONA MUSAT, SILVIA FLORESCU - The territorial patterns of hospital services delivered for aggressions in Romania in 2014 ................................. 57

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CARMEN SASU, MARIUS CIUTARU, SILVIA GABRIELA SCINTEE, SIMONA MUSAT - Potentially life-threatening vascular events (myocardial and cerebral infarction) - geographical distribution and temporal evolution .................................................................................................................... 58

ABDELKADER ABDELLAOUI, ABDELKADER MEDJDOUB, BELAL RAMZI - Transport Information System: road infrastructure and transport networks (present and future) in the wilaya of Laghouat ................................................................................................................................... 60

FLORINA GRECU, LAURA COMĂNESCU - Synergy of natural hazards and geomorphosites (in Romania) ................................................................................................................................... 61

MARIUS LUCIAN MATACHE, CARMEN HURA, IULIA GABRIELA DAVID, LAURENTIU ROZYLOWICZ - Non-invasive monitoring of some organochlorine compounds in eggshells and feathers of birds from the Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park, Romania .............................................................. 62

ANGELIKA TAMÁSOVÁ - Challenges in the evaluation of urban ecosystem services - a case study from Bratislava .......................................................................................................................... 63

ANDREEA IONELA GACIU (PENE) - Barriers to access healthcare for a social vulnerable group: the case of Roma minority in Smârdioasa, Romania ......................................................................... 64

MARIUS CIUTAN, SILVIA GABRIELA SCINTEE, MIHNEA DOSIUS, CRISTINA MOTOTOLEA, CRISTIAN VLADESCU - Geographical distribution of avoidable hospital conditions, Romania, 2013 ............. 65

CRISTIAN IOJA - Overview of Urban Ecosystems Services Assessment in Romania ........................ 67

LAURA COMANESCU, ALEXANDRU NEDELEA - Flood Risk Perception. Case Study: Floods of September 2013, in Cudalbi (Galaţi County) ................................................................................ 68

ANTONIO TACHE, MONICA TACHE, CONSTANTIN CHIFTELEA - Assessment of functional policentricity in county residence municipalities in Romania ....................................................... 69

ALINA HUZUI-STOICULESCU, GEORGIANA TOTH, ALINA CHICOS, ROBERT STOICULESCU - What are the features of Romanian functional urban areas considering the human and natural capital? ... 70

MONICA DUMITRAŞCU, IRENA MOCANU, BIANCA MITRICĂ, CARMEN DRAGOTĂ, INES GRIGORESCU, CRISTINA DUMITRICĂ - Assessment of socio-economic vulnerability to dryness and drought phenomena in the Oltenia plain. A preliminary approach .............................................. 71

GABRIELA MANEA, ELENA MATEI, IULIANA VIJULIE, LAURA TÎRLĂ, ROXANA CUCULICI, OCTAVIAN COCOȘ, ADRIAN TIȘCOVSCHI - Arguments for integrative management of protected areas in the cities – Case study in Bucharest city ............................................................................................ 72

BEAT OERTLI, ELIANE DEMIERRE, CHRISTIANE ILG - Can biodiversity conservation be promoted when other services are targeted for urban waterbodies? .......................................................... 73

SILVIU COJOCARU, CRISTIAN DRAGHICI, CAMELIA COJOCARU - The impact of IT companies evolution over the business environment development and labor market in Romania ................. 74

ALEXANDRU IONUT CRUCERU, CEZAR BUTEREZ - How long did trips last at the end of the XVIIIth century according to Specht’s map? Case study – Saac district .................................................... 75

ANA MAGDALENA BAIDAN - Linking territories: transport planning around Bucharest ................ 76

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MOSTAFIA BOUGHALEM, ABDELKADER ABDELLAOUI, MOHAMED MAZOUR - Effect of different land use types and their implications on land degradation: the case of the watershed Isser-Tlemcen (Algeria)....................................................................................................................... 77

MOSTAFIA BOUGHALEM, KACEM MOUSSA, ABDELKADER ABDELLAOUI, MOHAMED MAZOUR - Toposequential analysis and cultivation of the land skills Misserghin region (the northern margin of the Great Sebkha of Oran, western Algeria). .......................................................................... 78

PETRONELA NISTOR - Geographic Accessibility vs. Affordability to Health Services. Case of Ilfov County, Romania ....................................................................................................................... 79

ROXANA CUCULICI - Land use/land cover changes related to mining activities in the Motru-Rovinari coal field ...................................................................................................................... 80

BOGDAN MIHAI, CONSTANTIN NISTOR, LIVIU TOMA, IONUȚ SĂVULESCU - High resolution landscape change analysis with photogrammetric techniques. A case study from Iron Gates reservoir area (1968-2012) ......................................................................................................... 81

FLORINA PAUNESCU - Teaching and assessing skills in environmental geography in a bilingual class .......................................................................................................................................... 82

EMANUEL BURETA - Recent dynamics of the most disadvantaged rural areas in Oltenia (Romania) ................................................................................................................................................. 83

H.AMIRECHE, D. DEKOUMI - Degradation of natural environments in the Algerian Oriental Tell: case of Beni Haroun dam basin. ................................................................................................ 84

SANDU BOENGIU, OANA IONUS, EMIL MARINESCU - Man-made changes of the relief due to the mining activities within Husnicioara open pit (Mehedinti County, Romania) ............................... 85

ADELINA TEODORESCU, DELIA IONESCU, CARLOS CUETO, NICOLETA BIRA - Corabia residents’ perception on industrial tourism development and their effects on local economy ...................... 86

ANTONETA STOICA - A review on geomorphology today. Denudation and stripping – minimum resistance at base level. ............................................................................................................. 87

IULIANA ARMAȘ, ALEXANDRU GAVRIȘ - Exploring social vulnerability Index in Bucharest at the 2011 census ............................................................................................................................... 88

SORIN CONSTANTIN, ȘTEFAN CONSTANTINESCU, FLORINA GRECU - North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and East Atlantic / West Russia (EAWR) indices variations impact on water turbidity in the Danube Delta coastal area ......................................................................................................... 89

YANGANG XING, PHIL JONES, GRAHAM ORMONDROYD, SIMON CURLING - Restoration of Degraded Urban Ecosystems for Healthy Cities- Developing technical and scientific references for Nature-Based Solutions.............................................................................................................. 90

VASILE POPA, OCTAVIAN COCOS - The role of socio-demographic, economic and environmental factors in perpetuating the conflicts in Yemen ............................................................................ 91

SERGIO GINESU, MANUELA CAPULA - Examples of polycyclic intrusions in granitic magmas in Sardinia (Italy, western Mediterranean Sea): some geomorphologic considerations.................... 92

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DONATELLA CARBONI, SERGIO GINESU, MARIAN MARIN - Coastal erosion and its use in northern Sardinia (Italy) ........................................................................................................................... 93

BOGDAN MIHAI, IONUT SAVULESCU, CRISTIAN IOJA, MARIA VISAN - Wildfires in temperate areas. A national level approach .......................................................................................................... 94

MARILENA ONETE, MINODORA MANU, FLORIAN BODESCU, MIRELA MOLDOVEANU, LARISA FLORESCU - Plant species from Bucharest as indicators of urban conditions ................................ 95

DORINA MICU - Evaluation of susceptibility to erosion of the area located at the contact between Lipovei Hills and Timis – Bega Plain ............................................................................................ 96

IOAN EUSTATIU MARINESCU, CLAUDIU POPIRLAN - Assessment of GSM HF-Radiation impact levels within urban residential area of Craiova city ..................................................................... 97

MIRELA MOLDOVEANU, MARILENA ONETE, ATHANASIOS GAVRILIDIS, ALINA DUMITRACHE, CIPRIAN BIRSAN, LARISA FLORESCU - Urban lakes in Bucharest – ecological significance of phytoplankton pigment fingerprint in the plankton foodweb ...................................................... 98

ALEXANDRA IULIA COZMA, CALIN BACIU - Using natural tracers to track the groundwater flow path and the residence time in a mining area ............................................................................. 99

GRAZIELLA BENEDETTO, DONATELLA CARBONI, GIAN LUIGI CORINTO - Sustainable Management of Tourist Arrivals in Protected Areas. The case of the Asinara National Park in Sardinia (Italy) . 100

VALENTIN COJANU, ALEXANDRU GAVRIȘ, RALUCA POPESCU - In search of emerging polities: a content analysis of thematic agendas of selected European cross-border cooperation structures ............................................................................................................................................... 101

AMALIA MIHAELA OGLINDOIU - Geodemographical characteristics of population in Balacita Piedmont Plateau .................................................................................................................... 102

IULIAN SANDULACHE, CATALINA SANDULACHE - Using photos in geography lessons................. 103

IORDACHE VIRGIL, RADU LĂCĂTUȘU, MARILENA ONETE, ION STELIAN, AURORA NEAGOE, RĂZVAN ORZA, GABRIEL BURTEA, FLORIAN BODESCU, DANIEL SCRĂDEANU - Public georeferenced data sets for coupling plant scale and catchment scale ..................................................................... 104

TEODORA ESTERA URSULICA - Relationship between the health care needs and the accessibility of the health care services in Botosani county .............................................................................. 105

ÁGNES TAKÁCS, MÁRTON KISS, ÁGNES GULYÁS, NOÉMI KÁNTOR - Components of micro-climate modification effect of urban shade trees – integrated approach promoting the development of ecosystem service indicators .................................................................................................... 106

MARIAN MARIN, DONATELLA CARBONI - The traditions as promoter of modernity in changing cultural landscapes .................................................................................................................. 107

ALIN-IONUȚ PLEŞOIANU, MIHAI-SORIN STUPARIU, ILEANA PĂTRU-STUPARIU - Identifying fine scale landscape patterns using wavelets-based techniques ....................................................... 108

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SORINA-MIHAELA BOGDAN, ILEANA PĂTRU-STUPARIU, LILIANA ZAHARIA, ANDREEA ANDRA-TOPÂRCEANU - The assessment of regulatory ecosystem services: the case of the sediment retention service in a mountain landscape in the Southern Romanian Carpathians ................... 109

S. ATHANASOPOULOU, L. STAMATOPOULOS,G. ALEVIZOS & A., I. ANDRIKAKOS-LANGOURAS - Holocene coastal dune development and environmental changes in Helis area (NW Peloponnese), Hellas ...................................................................................................................................... 110

IULIANA VIJULIE, GABRIELA MANEA, LAURA TÎRLĂ, ELENA MATEI, MIHAELA PREDA, ROXANA CUCULICI - Revival of the rice crops in the south of Romania: Pros and cons ............................. 111

ALEXANDR K. STRELKOV, SERGEY V. STEPANOV, SVETLANA YU. TEPLYKH, ASHOT M. SARGSYAN - Monitoring Pollution Level in Railroad Right-Of-Way................................................................ 112

VALENTINA-MARIANA MĂNOIU, ERTAN DÜZGÜNEŞ - The Holy Quran and Environmental Teachings ................................................................................................................................ 113

MAREK ZOLADEK - Transformation of tourism infrastructure in high mountain area - Based on selected areas .......................................................................................................................... 114

OANA PROFIR, GHEORGHE ROMANESCU, MIHAI-GABRIEL BALAN - Bârlad catchment – morphometric characteristics ................................................................................................... 115

ANDREEA LORETA CERCLEUX, FLORENTINA CRISTINA MERCIU, GEORGE LAURENTIU MERCIU - A model of development strategy encompassing creative industries to reduce visual pollution - Case study: Strada Franceză, Bucharest’s old city ............................................................................. 116

RADU-MATEI COCHECI, CATALIN NICULAE SÂRBU - Ecological renewal models – planning approaches in restrictive environments in Romania’s South West Region .................................. 117

MIHAI-GABRIEL BALAN, EUGEN RUSU, OANA PROFIR - Morphometric aspects in the Humor catchment ............................................................................................................................... 118

ROXANA CICĂ, NICOLETA IONAC, SORIN BURCEA, ROXANA BOJARIU - Climatology of hail in Southern Romania during 1961–2013 ....................................................................................... 119

IOANA STOICESCU, ILENA PĂTRU-STUPARIU, ALINA TUDOR-HOSSU, ALEXANDER PERINGER - Simulating landscape dynamics in pasture-woodlands of the Southern Carpathians: land-use guidelines for maintaining habitat diversity ............................................................................. 120

PETRE GASTESCU, PETRE BRETCAN, DACIAN TEODORESCU - The lakes of the Romanian Black Sea Coast-anthropic modifications, hydrological features and state-of-the-art ................................ 121

CLAUDIA IONELA VARAN, ALINA-MARIA TENCHE-CONSTANTINESCU - The impact of hidroconstruction of the Iron Gate dam on environment and local communities in the Danube valley ...................................................................................................................................... 122

FLORENTINA - IULIANA STAN, GIANINA NECULAU, LILIANA ZAHARIA - Study on the evaporation and evapotranspiration measured on Căldăruşani Lake ............................................................ 123

CRISTIANA VÎLCEA, MIHAELA LICURICI, OANA IONUȘ - Urban tourism. Acoustic comfort of accommodations in Craiova (Romania) .................................................................................... 124

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GEORGE SECAREANU - A multiscale analysis of Bucharest’s GDP on a NUTS 3 level ................... 125

MIHAELA UNGUREANU, DORINA CAMELIA ILIES, IOANA JOSAN, OVIDIU GACEU - Sustainable management of the protected areas. Study case: Padiș Karst Plateau ....................................... 126

NARCIZIA STEFAN TODICA - Impact of migration on economic development and demographic change in the rural space of Constanta County ......................................................................... 127

MARIA NASTAC, KARINA IORGOVAN, RALUCA VATAFU - The natural resources protection and the quality of life ........................................................................................................................... 128

ANDREI SCHVAB, IGOR SIRODOEV, MIRELA PARASCHIV, NATASA VAIDIANU, IRINA SAGHIN - Steps in understanding the role of instability upon urban systems ..................................................... 129

IOANA-DELIA MIFTODA, GHEORGHE ROMANESCU - The analysis of the flash floods from the Uz hydrographic basin registered at the Dărmănești hydrometric station ...................................... 130

CONSTANTINA ALINA HOSSU, CRISTIAN I. IOJA, LAWRENCE SUSSKIND - Environmental conflict resolution outcomes: comparative analysis of case studies from the U.S. and Romania ............. 131

IRENA MOCANU, BIANCA MITRICĂ, NICOLETA DAMIAN, MIHAELA RODICA PERSU, DANIELA NANCU - Rural and urban dwelling-houses quality characteristics in the Romanian Danube valley. A geographical approach ......................................................................................................... 132

IULIANA ARMAS, MIHAELA GHEORGHE - Comparison of multi-temporal differential interferometry techniques applied to the measurement of Bucharest city subsidence ....................................... 133

CATALIN IORGA - Types of Tourism in Tara Vrancei Land........................................................... 134

ANDREEA - FLORENTINA MARIN, IULIANA ARMAȘ - Shape characteristics of fluvial islets based on GIS techniques. Case Study: Danube's Islets between Giurgiu (km 493) and Oltenita (km 430) .. 135

ELENA IRINA CARCIUMARU - Strategies for the commercial exploitation of the western region’s spa potential ........................................................................................................................... 136

DAN CRISTIAN OPARIUC, ALINA RESTEANU, KARINA IORGOVAN - The public perception and attitude on general environmental problems Case study : Constanta and Vidin in the mirror .... 137

DAN CRISTIAN OPARIUC, RALUCA VATAFU, MONICA MIHAELA DRAGOMIR - The public perception and attitude on soil and forests pollution Case study : Constanta and Vidin in the mirror ......... 138

MARIA NASTAC, DAN CRISTIAN OPARIUC, FLORIAN COTAN - The public perception and attitude on water pollution Case study : Constanta and Vidin in the mirror ................................................ 139

KARINA IORGOVAN, DAN CRISTIAN OPARIUC, MONICA MIHAELA DRAGOMIR - The public perception and attitude on air pollution Case study : Constanta and Vidin in the mirror ........... 140

DANIELA STRAT - Wetlands - a significant feature of the salt karst landscape in the Meledic Plateau .................................................................................................................................... 141

ALEXANDRU ANGHELESCU - Evolutionism. Language, logic and thought .................................. 142

MARINA - RAMONA RUJOIU-MARE - Mapping land cover using Remote Sensing data and GIS techniques: A case study of Prahova Subcarpathians ................................................................ 143

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RUTH PERJU - The assessment of areas prone to flash floods in Bucegi Mountains (Romanian Carpathians) ............................................................................................................................ 144

LILIANA DUMITRACHE, MARIANA NAE, DANIELA DUMBRAVEANU - Romanian Health Care Professionals (Im)mobilities and Their Migration Strategies ..................................................... 145

MIHAI NICULIȚĂ, DAN CRISTEA - GeoEduGIS – a GIS geodatabase for educational purposes ...... 146

MIHAELA HĂRMĂNESCU, CRISTINA ENACHE - Vernacular and Technology. In Between ............. 147

GABRIEL SZEKELY, ALINA-MARIA TENCHE-CONSTANTINESCU - The analyzes of the urbanistic and ecological potential for regional development in Caransebeş .................................................... 148

MARIAN ENE - Open learning in the Faculty of Geography ........................................................ 149

ANDREEA MIHALCEA, ROMULUS COSTACHE, ANDREEA-VIOLETA MANOLACHE - Using GIS techniques for assessment the differences between recorded rainfall from hydrometric stations and radar products, in Romania ............................................................................................... 150

RADU PITIGOI, MIHAELA VERGA, ANDREEA ANDRA-TOPARCEANU - Groundwater Resources from Slănic Basin. Case Study: Penteleu – Blidaru Spring ................................................................... 151

JENI VASILESCU, DOINA NICOLAE, ANCA NEMUC, LIVIO BELEGANTE, LUMINITA MARMUREANU - Active and passive remote sensing techniques for atmospheric investigation ............................ 152

MARIANA NAE, LILIANA DUMITRACHE, GABRIEL SIMION, DANIELA ZAMFIR - Romanian Landscapes of Care Paradoxes: Geographical Divide in Health Care Needs and Health Care Supply ............................................................................................................................................... 153

IULIANA ARMAS, CRISTINA POSNER - Ethnographic and Psychometric methods addressing vulnerability and adaptation to floods in the Lower Danube, Romania ..................................... 154

CRISTIANA MARIA CIOCANEA, CARMEN SORESCU, MIRELA IANOSI, VASILE BAGRINOVSCHI - Assessing public perception on protected areas in Iron Gates Natural Park, Romania ................ 155

ELENA MATEI, DESPINA VASILCU, OCTAVIAN COCOŞ, DORIN MATEI, ROXANA CUCULICI, GABRIELA MANEA, IULIANA VIJULIE - Semi-subsistence farming development in a Carpathian declining mining area. A microscale study of landowners’ perception: Stulpicani commune, Romania ..... 156

GABRIEL OVIDIU VANAU, IOAN CRISTIAN IOJA, DIANA ANDREEA ONOSE, IONUT SANDRIC, SIMONA GRADINARU, MARIANA UTA - Air temperature regulation by urban trees and green infrastructure .......................................................................................................................... 157

FLORIN TATUI, ALFRED VESPREMEANU-STROE, FLORIN ZAINESCU, STEFAN CONSTANTINESCU - Shoreface Dynamics and Evolution on Danube Delta Coast ....................................................... 158

REMUS PRĂVĂLIE, GEORGETA BANDOC, CRISTIAN PATRICHE - Climate warming between 1961-2009 in the main agricultural region of Romania ...................................................................... 159

GHEORGHE SORIN CARABLAISA, AMALIA MIHAELA OGLINDOIU, FLORINA GRECU - The rainfalls precipitation recorded between 14th and 16th September 2014 and morphological consequences that have affected the town Orsova and the village of Svinita from the Danubian corridor of the Iron Gates ................................................................................................................................ 160

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IONUT COSMIN SANDRIC, IOAN CRISTIAN IOJA, GABRIEL OVIDIU VANAU, DIANA ANDREEA ONOSE, SIMONA RALUCA GRADINARU - Ground monitoring of the urban heat island in Bucharest in the framework of the UCLIMESA project ............................................................................... 161

ATHANASIOS ALEXANDRU GAVRILIDIS, CRISTIANA MARIA CIOCANEA, MIHAI RAZVAN NITA, DIANA ANDREEA ONOSE, IRINA NASTASE - Urban Landscape Quality Index – planning tool for evaluating urban landscapes and improving the quality of life ................................................. 162

VIRGIL DRAGUSIN - Speleothems as archives of environmental change information ................. 163

DRAGOS TOMA-DANILA, IULIANA ARMAS - Computing seismic loss estimates within a big city. Bucharest case study. .............................................................................................................. 164

RADU IONESCU - Urbanisation and Whistleblowing as Disaster Risk Reduction ......................... 165

ILEANA TANASE - Trends in low-flow variability of Romanian rivers .......................................... 166

ANA IRINA LEQUEUX – DINCA - The commons and their tragedy - implications for post-communist Romania .................................................................................................................................. 167

ADRIANA SUIU - Socio-economic activities, religious presence and urban visibility. The case of Romanian immigrants in Catalonia .......................................................................................... 168

BOGDAN OLARIU - Evaluating anthropogenic influence in Bucegi Natural Park, Romanian Carpathians ............................................................................................................................. 169

MIHAITA IULIAN NICULAE, MIHAI RAZVAN NITA, GABRIEL OVIDIU VANAU, MARIA PATROESCU - Evaluating the functional connectivity of Natura 2000 forest patches for mammals in Romania 170

MOJCA FOŠKI, SIMON SEVNŠEK, ALMA ZAVDONIK LAMOVŠEK - The impact of motorway construction on land use changes ............................................................................................. 171

CRISTINA ANDRA VRÎNCEANU, ȘTEFAN CONSTANTINESCU - Changes in sea surface height in the Black Sea basin – comparison between hydrological drought and wet periods .......................... 172

ANDREEA ANDRA-TOPARCEANU, MIHAI MAFTEIU, VERGA MIHAELA, CHRISTIAN STANCIU, NICHIFOR BOGDAN, FLORINA TATU - Geomorphological environment in relation to heritage and tourist sites of interest: The Roman Edifice with Mosaic case study, Constanta ......................... 173

IRINA IULIA NASTASE - Spatial patterns in urban landscapes: urbanization and urban forests. Case study: Brașov-Săcele, Romania ................................................................................................ 174

EFROS VASILE - Sustainable development and international tourism: criteria and indicators ..... 175

ADRIAN TISCOVSCHI, ROBERT MANTA, SIPOS ZOLTAN, MIHAITA HUSTIU - Characteristics of atmospheric instability in Titu plain. Case study: Severe convective phenomena, July 14, 2015 .. 176

CRISTINA GHIȚĂ, FLORINA GRECU - Micromorphology of the landforms emerged as a result of the hydroameliorative systems in the Romanian plain .................................................................... 177

MĂDĂLINA TEODOR, LAURENTIU ILIE, ROBERT DOBRE - An interactive map as a GIS tool for Romanian ski areas management and information .................................................................. 178

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ROBERT DOBRE, MARCEL BOLOȘ, LAURENTIU ILIE, MĂDĂLINA TEODOR, ANCUȚA NETCU - interactive map – a GIS tool for informing and monitoring the implementation of Romanian transport infrastructure projects .............................................................................................. 179

MĂDĂLINA ELENA RISTEA - Sensitivity assessment to erosion of the Romanian Black Sea coast 180

CRISTIAN IOJA, GABRIELA OSACI-COSTACHE - Wetlands change in urban areas – key indicator for ecosystems services assessment. Case study: Bucharest city (Romania) .................................... 181

ILIE RADOI - The Role of Church in Preserving Local Identity within the Area of Danube Gorge .. 182

RADU IRIMIA, IONUT SANDRIC, ZENAIDA CHITU, BOGDAN MIHAI - Landslide hazard analysis in the Luncavăț Catchment, România ........................................................................................... 183

MANUELA ANA MARIA ANGHEL - Urbanization and territorial cohesion. Case study: Region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada ...................................................................................................... 184

MIRELA PARASCHIV, IGOR SÎRODOEV, NATAȘA VĂIDIANU, ANDREI SCHVAB - Homelessness and the quality of the urban environment in Bucharest ................................................................... 185

MIOARA CLIUS, MADALINA RISTEA - Gaps in transforming the national parks of Romania in ecotourism destinations. Case Study: National Park Domogled-Cerna Valley ............................ 186

IGOR SÎRODOEV - Will learning from post-socialist changes help us to stop wasting our resources? ............................................................................................................................................... 187

ANCA MUNTEANU - Morphological considerations on the distribution of tourism infrastructure in the Piatra Craiului Massif ......................................................................................................... 188

CRISTINEL SANDU - Water sanitation and health in Calarasi County .......................................... 189

MARIA VIȘAN, MARGARETA SIMA - Practical solutions for exploiting the SIAFIM vulnerability map fires ................................................................................................................................. 190

LIVIU TATU, FLORINA TATU, MIHAELA VERGA, ANDREEA ANDRA-TOPARCEANU - Demographic changes reflected in the spatial evolution of Braila City ............................................................ 191

MARIUS BUDILEANU - Evolution of the Sulina mouth based on historical maps ......................... 192

RAZVAN MATEESCU, DANUT DIACONEASA, SILICA PETRISOAIA, ELENA VLASCEANU, DRAGOS NICULESCU - Application and validation of the coastal remote sensing and UAV surveillance techniques within wave-run measurements polygon from 2 Mai – Vama Veche shore sector .... 193

FLORIN ZĂINESCU, ALFRED VESPREMEANU-STROE - The importance of biogeomorphic interactions in determining the complexity of barrier breaching .................................................................. 194

POPESCU RĂZVAN, VESPREMEANU-STROE ALFRED, CRUCERU NICOLAE, POP OLIMPIU - Post Little Ice Age climate and vegetation changes: implications on permafrost processes from Retezat Massif ..................................................................................................................................... 195

VLADIMIR IONUT BOC - Recent approaches in bioclimatic landscape planning projects ............. 196

14

LAURA TÎRLĂ, IONUȚ ȘANDRIC, IULIANA VIJULIE, GABRIELA MANEA, ROXANA CUCULICI - Change detection analysis of the spruce forest in the Romanian Carpathians (1986-2014): an example from Căpățânii Mountains ....................................................................................................... 197

DIANA ALEXANDRA MAROLA - Management and protection measures against floods in the lower sector of the Siret .................................................................................................................... 198

ALFRED VESPREMEANU-STROE, FLORIN ZĂINESCU, FLORIN TĂTUI, LUMINIȚA PREOTEASA - Storm climate and morphological responses (from short- to long-term scales) on the Danube delta coast ............................................................................................................................................... 199

DIANA ANDREEA ONOSE, ILEANA PATRU-STUPARIU, MIHAI RAZVAN NITA, ATHANASIOS ALEXANDRU GAVRILIDIS, IRINA NASTASE - Quantifying the role of accessibility in the attractiveness of urban parks. Case study Bucharest ................................................................ 200

CRISTIAN IOJA, MIHAI-RAZVAN NITA, CONSTANTINA ALINA HOSSU, DIANA-ANDREEA ONOSE, DENISA LAVINIA BADIU - Contextual indicators with potential of activating/fuelling the environmental conflict in Natura 2000 sites .............................................................................. 201

DORINA CHEVAL, TEODORA MARCHIȘ - Literary text as a didactical tool in geography. Applications with the “Book of Apolodor” by Gellu Naum ......................................................... 202

RAMONA IVAN, SORIN PAVEL - Conversion and urban regeneration in the city of Timisoara. Redefinitions and controversy .................................................................................................. 203

LAURENȚIU ILIE, ROBERT DOBRE, MĂDĂLINA TEODOR - Relief suitability for ski area development and 3D panoramic map of the resort Obârşia Lotrului............................................................... 204

ALEXANDRA CONSTANTIN - The dynamics, forecasting and effects of using renewable energy sources in the European Union. The case for Romania .............................................................. 205

LIGIA BARBALATA, BOGDAN OLARIU - Tourism planning and development in Baiului Mountains, Romanian Carpathians ............................................................................................................ 206

VASILICA ISTRATE, LIVIU APOSTOL, OVIDIU MIRON MACHIDON, AUREL DANUT AXINTE, DANIEL FLOREA - The necessity for hail suppression system in vineyard and orchard areas from Moldova ............................................................................................................................................... 207

IULIANA NICHERSU, IULIAN NICHERSU - Multi-criteria cause- effect analysis for the integration of flood risk management into spatial planning ........................................................................... 208

OCTAVIAN MANDRUT - Geography and Environment in the National Curriculum ...................... 209

IOANA IPATE, IONUT IPATE, IONUT GIUSCA, LOREDANA GIUSCA - The impact of meteorological risk phenomena in performing mountain tourism ..................................................................... 210

GEORGIAN IONUȚ PURCĂREAȚĂ, BOGDAN ANDREI MIHAI, IONUȚ SĂVULESCU, ROBERT RĂZVAN DOBRE - A3 Motorway (Predeal – Râșnov Section) - GIS analysis of land suitability, cost and environmental impact analysis................................................................................................. 211

GABRIEL SIMION, LILIANA DUMITRACHE, SUDITU BOGDAN, MARIANA NAE - GIS datasets – the foundation for analysis of health care patterns and ageing in Romania .................................... 212

15

MIRELA VASILE, ALFRED STROE-VESPREMEANU, RAZVAN POPESCU - Topography control on freeze-thaw weathering assessment in mountain areas from the Romanian Carpathians .......... 213

IULIANA VAIDAN - Deva population, past and future ................................................................ 214

ALEXANDRA CAPRA - A modern approach of what rural tourism means in Soveja and Tulnici villages in Vrancea County ....................................................................................................... 215

ŞTEFANIA (OMRANI) GRIGORIE, FLOARE GRECU - The intervention of the anthropic factor on the Danube floodplain dynamics in the Olteniţa- Călăraşi sector ..................................................... 216

NICOLAE POPA - Mutations in the evolution of the growth poles and in setting up regional balances from Romania ........................................................................................................... 217

DIANA POPOVICI, IULIANA ARMAŞ, ALEXANDRA CAPRĂ - Decision management – new ways to make better spatial decisions ................................................................................................... 218

MIHAI IELENICZ - Constantin Brătescu – a life dedicated to modern geography ......................... 219

SORIN CHEVAL, DAN CONSTANTINESCU, ALEXANDRU DUMITRESCU, GABI CARACAȘ - Effective Monitoring and Alerting of Urban Heat Island Effect on the Indoor Thermal Risk in Bucharest (Romania) ............................................................................................................................... 220

DANIELA DUMBRAVEANU, ANCA TUDORICU, ANA CRACIUN - The European night of museums - Between Night and Museums .................................................................................................. 221

CORNELIU IATU, MIHAI BULAI - Assessment of national policies and strategies of tourism development in the post-communist period .............................................................................. 222

SIMONA GRADINARU, CRISTIAN IOJA, GABRIELA PAVELESCU, LIDIA NICULITA, CRISTINA LICARU - Explaining urban expansion in Romania: from county to local drivers ....................................... 223

16

Organizers

University of Bucharest – Faculty of

Geography, Department of Regional

Geography and Environment

www.geo.unibuc.ro

with the support of:

Ministerul Educaţiei şi Cercetării Ştiinţifice

www.edu.ro

Centre for Environmental Research and

Impact Studies

www.ccmesi.ro

Centre of Landscape – Territory –

Information Systems

landscape.cc.unibuc.ro

Society for Urban Ecology

www.society-urban-ecology.org

17

International Geographical Union

igu-online.org

Intergraph Computer Services

www.intergraph.ro

Multidimension

multidimension.ro

Universitur

universitur.ro/en/home

Casa Studenţilor

www.ccs.ro

Cercul Militar Naţional

www.cmn.ro

EcoNat

econat.biz

18

Wirtschaft und Natur GmbH

econat_wirtschaft_und_natur_gmbh-

berlin.firmen-informer.de

Domeniile Sâmbureşti

www.samburesti.com

19

Conference scientific committee

Jürgen Breuste, Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg, president of SURE

Emmanuel Reynard, Universitatea Laussanne, Member of Executive Committee of the IAG/AIG

Dagmar Haase, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin

Felix Kienast, ETH Zurich, WSL Biermensdorf, president of IALE

Eric Fouache, Universite Paris 1 Sorbonne, President of IAG/AIG

Abdelaoui Abdelkader, Universite Paris 12

Claudio Smiraglia, University of Milano

Prof. Ibrahim Atalay, Docuz Eylül University of Izmir

Anna Hersperger, ETH Zurich, WSL Biermensdorf

Fedor Lisetsky, National University fo Belgorod

Artur Badyda, Technological University of Warsaw

Zacharoula Andreopoulou, Aristotel University of Salonic

Laura Comanescu, University of Bucharest

Liliana Dumitrache, University of Bucharest

Iuliana Armas, University of Bucharest

Ioan Ianoş, University of Bucharest

Alfred Stroe-Vespremeanu, University of Bucharest

Stefan Constantinescu, University of Bucharest

Bogdan Suditu, University of Bucharest

Dan Balteanu, Romanian Academy

Sandu Boengiu, University of Craiova

Dănuț Petrea, “Babes Bolyai” University, Cluj-Napoca

Călin Baciu, “Babes Bolyai” University, Cluj-Napoca

Corneliu Iațu, “Alexandru Ioan-Cuza” University, Iasi

Petru Urdea, West University of Timişoara

Nicolae Popa, West University of Timişoara

Vasile Efros, Ștefan cel Mare University of Suceava

Alexandru Ilieș, University of Oradea

Gheorghe Damian, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Baia Mare University Center

20

Organizing committee

President: Professor Cristian Ioja, Head of Department Regional Geography and

Environment

Professor Laura Comanescu

Professor Liliana Dumitrache

Professor Alexandru Nedelea

Professor Iuliana Armas

Professor Cristian Braghină

Professor Ioan Ianoş

Professor Liliana Zaharia

Professor Ileana Stupariu

Associate professor Stefan Constantinescu

Associate professor Daniela Dumbraveanu

PhD Anca Tudoricu

Associate professor Marian Marin

Associate professor Gabriela Manea

Associate professor Ştefan Grigorescu

Lecturer Mioara Clius

Lecturer Vasile Popa

Lecturer Iuliana Vijulie

Lecturer Nicolae Mocanu

Lecturer Ionut Şandric

Lecturer Radu Irimia

Lecturer Gabriel Vânău

Lecturer Mihai Răzvan Niță

Lecturer Laura Tirlă

Assistant Roxana Cuculici

Researcher Viorel Popescu

Assistant Iulian Niculae

Assistant Diana Onose

Research Assistant Cristiana Ciocănea

Research Assistant Athanasios Gavrilidis

Research Assistant Alina Hossu

Research Assistant Simona Gradinaru

Mariana Uta

Book of abstracts. International Conference – Environment at a CrossrOards: SMART approaches for a sustainable future

Bucharest, November 12-15, 2015

21

Introduction

The International Conference Environment at a crossroads: smart approaches for a

sustainable future is organized by the Department of Regional Geography and Environment and

by the Faculty of Geography, in the period 12 -15 November 2015. The partners in organizing

the conference are: Society for Urban Ecology - South Eastern Europe Chapter.

(http://sure.geo.unibuc.ro/), International Geographical Union (http://igu-online.org/) and

UNIVERSITUR (www.universitur.ro).

The conference will address topical issues internationally debated. Also, at national level,

the theme of the conference is of particular relevance since it addresses the complex analysis of

environmental and geographical landscapes in the European context. These objectives can be

found also in the National Sustainable Development Strategy and National Development

Strategy of Romania in the medium term.

The most important topics are: Applied geomorphology and Pedology, GIS and Remote

Sensing Applications, Climate Change Adaptation, Challenges in Water Management,

Environmental Sciences, Geodemographic Research, Sustainable Territorial Planning,

Urbanization and Territorial Cohesion, Tourism as a driver for sustainable development, Novel

teaching strategies for Geography and Environmental Sciences.

During the conference two workshops will be held: Challenges in the assessment of

urban ecosystems services (1) and Geography of Health and Health Care - Spatial inequalities

and inequities in health and Healthcare Provision: systematic embodied landmarks for territorial

development (2). The first one will be focused on assessing ecosystem services in urban areas.

This is a topic of great actuality from the scientific point of view and also new in our country,

which appeared as a consequence of intensifying the promotion of sustainable solutions in urban

environments. The second workshop will be focused on spatial inequalities in population health

outcomes and inequalities in access to health services and healthcare provision.

The participation of economic agents, who will present the results obtained in

collaboration with research entities from Romania and abroad (e.g. Intergraph Computers

Services, company that develops Geomedia geospatial solutions) will bring an added value to

this event. As well, there will also be presented results of national and international projects that

are aiming strengthening existing partnerships (e.g. between University of Bucharest, Technical

University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest, Ion Mincu University of Architecture and

http://sure.geo.unibuc.ro/

http://igu-online.org/

http://www.universitur.ro/



22

Urbanism, National R&D Institute for Optoelectronics - nationally or between University of

Bucharest, University of Salzburg, University of Liege, Centre Geophile - internationally).

The Ecosmart Conference benefited from an impressive number of over 200 participants,

from countries such as Algeria, Australia, Croatia, France, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Hungary,

Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, USA, and United Kingdom. The number

of papers presented at the Conference (either as oral presentations and posters) is 187.

Following the Ecosmart Conference, full papers can be published in Procedia

Environmental Sciences - Special Issue for the Conference and in other journals, such as: Human

Geographies, Journal of Urban and Regional Analysis, Annals of University of Bucharest,

Geography series, Geomorphology Journal, Journal of Environmental and Tourism Analyses.

We wish to address a special appreciation to all the people involved in the organization of

the scientific manifestation, members of the organizing committee, volunteers, partners and

collaborators.

On behalf of the organizing committee,

Professor Cristian IOJA



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Plenary speakers

Professor Emmanuel Reynard – Faculty of geosciences and environment, University of

Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

[email protected]

Emmanuel Reynard is Professor of physical geography at the University of Lausanne since

September 2005. He has been Director of the Institute of Geography (IGUL) from September

2008 to July 2012. He is Director of the Institute of Geography and Sustainability (IGD) since

August 2012. He has also been chairman of the Working Group on Geomorphosites of the

International Association of Geomorphologists (IAG) from 2001 to 2013. Since 2013, he is a

member of the Executive Committee of the IAG, as Publication Officer. Emmanuel Reynard is

also president of the Working Group on Geotopes (Swiss Academy of Sciences) and of the

Association “Mémoires du Rhône”– an interdisciplinary group of researchers who studied the

history of the Rhone River from a natural and social science perspective. The teaching activities

are related with physical geography, geomorphology, and geography of resources, landscape

studies, geomorphosites and geoconservation. His main researches are in geomorphology in

mountain areas, geomorphosites and geoconservation, water management.

Plenary: The heritage value of landforms

Geomorphology is the science that studies the genesis and the evolution of landforms at the

surface of the Earth. Today, geomorphologists work in three main domains: (1) the study of

landforms in the long-term geological framework and the large-scale contexts; (2) the

comprehension, measuring and modelling of geomorphological processes (process

geomorphology); (3) the place of geomorphology in landscape studies. Within the latter

framework a new current has developed during the last 20 years: the study of landforms as part

of regional or national geoheritage and geodiversity. Methods for the selection, the assessment

and the cartography of the geomorphological heritage have been developed. Actions for

promoting the geomorphological heritage within the tourism and education contexts have been

carried out. And, more recently, studies on the links between geoheritage, process

geomorphology and geodiversity have been launched. After an introduction on the relations

between geoheritage, landscapes and cultural heritage, this communication will focus on three

main topics:



24

the concept of “heritage trajectories” (Portal, 2010; Reynard et al., 2011), illustrated by

the history of the protection of erratic boulders in the Swiss Alps;

the integration of cultural and geomorphological heritage – synthetized by the concept of

“cultural geomorphology” (Panizza and Piacente, 2003; Coratza and Panizza, 2009),

illustrated by the case of troglodytic habitats in cuesta landscapes in Southern Tunisia;

the concept of “natural monument” and its implications for the protection and promotion

of geomorphological heritage, illustrated by the case of the Euseigne earth pyramids

(Swiss Alps).



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Professor Dagmar Haase – Landschaftsokologie, Geographisches Institut, Mathematisch-

Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultat, Humboldt Universitat zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany

[email protected]

Dagmar Haase works for the research group Landscape Ecology at Humboldt Universitat zu

Berlin and is titular professor in the Department of Geography. In the last ten years she has been

actively involved in several international and national projects dealing with urban ecosystem

services assessment, modelling and mapping land-use changes in urban areas. The research has

been published in relevant publication as Ecological Indicators, Landscape and Urban Planning,

Global Environmental Changes. She relies on an extended international and national network of

scientific connections due to the activities from different professional associations. She is guest

editor of several special numbers of Ecological Indicators, Ambio, Land Use Science and

Environmental Planning B. Also, she is a member of scientific board of Society for Urban

Ecology.

Plenary: Scenarios for sustainable European cities securing human well-being and

biodiversity

The plenary introduces a mapping approach to identify hot- and hard-spots for sustainability

transition by analyzing different stakeholder and policy-driven land-use scenarios for different

European cities, among them Berlin, Rotterdam and Stockholm. The scenario building bases on a

knowledge co-production process in which visions and transition pathways for the cities were

co-created by stakeholders and scientists together. Hereinafter, the visions were translated into

narratives and those into rules that drive a GIS-model framework that produced spatially explicit

maps. The plenary shows and discusses how this kind of straightforward scenario approach helps

to spatially identify, map and analyze change and transition potential in cities. By mapping

change, trade-offs and synergies between different land-use options among the scenarios, the

study disentangles the complexity of a stakeholder co-production process and to discover crucial

transition areas. Furthermore, multiple urban ecosystem services were valued for each scenario

and environmental impacts could be detected for the different visions/narratives. The mapping

approach applied marks a good way to communicate the consequences of induced land-use

change back to stakeholders and decision-makers and thus contributes with a visual loop of a real

co-design. Identifying the hot-spots of change enables to draw attention to the most rewarding

areas for transition and, what is more, it shows areas were different visions are not conflicting

but rather cross-benefitting each other. Additionally hard-spots or areas were existing visions



26

contradict each other and shows were careful mediation and the revision of change options might

be the way to go.



27

Professor Chansheng He – Department of Geography, Western Michigan University,

Kalamazoo, United States of America

[email protected]

Dr. He‟s is professor at Western Michigan University. His academic interests are in water

resources management, watershed hydrology, nonpoint source pollution modeling, hydrology of

the Great Lakes watersheds, water resources issues in China, and comparative analysis of Sino-

U.S. water resources policies. He has received numerous external research grants from the U.S.

Department of Agriculture, National Science Foundation, (NSF), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S.

Geological Survey (USGS), Michigan Departments of Environmental Quality and Natural

Resources, Kalamazoo Foundation, NSF of China, and The Chinese Academy of Sciences. He

has published over 100 articles and proceedings papers in leading national and international

journals. His current research projects focus on development and refinement of a watershed scale

water quality model (distributred large basin runoff model or DLBRM) to support water

resources research and decision making in the Great Lakes Basin, in collaboration with the

NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, and analysis of hydrologic impacts of

climate change and human activities in Northern China, in collaboration with Lanzhou

University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Dr. He serves as a reviewer for

research proposals for U.S. EPA, USDA, NSF, NASA, NOAA, USGS, and other national and

international institutions such as The State Natural Science Award and National Office for

Science and Technology Awards of China, and Australian and Belgium institutions. He reviews

manuscripts for over 40 national and international journals. He serves on the editorial boards of

Science China Earth Sciences , Resources Science, Journal of Resources and Ecology, and

Chinese Geographical Science (English edition). He is a member of the Association of American

Geographers (AAG) Publication Committee, and a member of the Steering Committee of

Commission for Water Sustainability, International Geographical Union (IGU). As a Fulbright

Specialist, he is also an Adjunct Professor of Lanzhou University, Shanghai Jiao Tong

University, and The Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural

Resources Research.

Plenary: Development of A Watershed Science for Sustainable Water Resources Management

Rapid population growth, fast urbanization, increasing economic expansion, drastic land cover

alterations, and climate change have resulted in a global water crisis. Worldwide, approximately



28

2.6 billion people lack access to safe drinking water supply and improved sanitation, and water-

associated diseases cause serious illness of over 300 million people each year, and by 2025 over

3.5 billion people will have water shortages. The World Economic Forum defines water supply

crisis as one of the top 5 crises facing the globe in the next 10 years. To address this pressing

challenge, researchers have called for the development of a predictive science of earth surface

dynamics by taking advantage of the advances in tracing, mapping, remote sensing, and

modeling technologies over the past few decades to reliably understand, model, and predict the

interwoven physical, biological, geochemical, and human dynamics that collectively shape the

Earth‟s surface. Moving toward this direction, we need to develop a watershed science that takes

into full account development and implementation of policies, processes, technologies, and

organizations for understanding, distributing, and improving the movement and characteristics of

water resources to meet the multiple needs of human societies and ecosystems in a socially

responsible, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable way.



29

Professor Gerard Beltrando - Université Denis Diderot Paris, France

[email protected]

Gerard Beltrando is professor at Université Denis Diderot Paris, Directeur de l‟Instruit des

Ecoles Doctorales de Paris Diderot and membre nommé du Conseil National des Universités

(Géographie, 2011-2012 à 2014-2015). He is Professeur Honoris Causa de l‟Université de

Bucarest (2004). In 2005, he obtained the Award Pierre-Jules-César JANSSEN for the book

« Les climats processus variabilité et risques » (Armand Colin Press). The main research

activities are related by the risks, vulnerability and land management, including climatology,

climate change, air pollution and health impact assessment. The main areas of interest are West

Africa, Champagne, Romania, Tunisia and Paris region.

Plenary: The Crau plain (west of Provence), a land of economic and ecological issues

changing

The Crau plain, dried paleo delta of Durance rivers, is a naturally steppe environment on which

man grazed sheep for over 4000 years which helped a unique ecosystem at the international

scale. With the creation of irrigation canals in the late sixteenth century, a part of the Crau was

transformed into hayfield, allowing one hand, the establishment of a “pastoral system – Crau hay

“and the creation of a strong link between the irrigated steppe part and the existence of an

abundant groundwater indispensable for 270 000 people and to local economic activities. Since

the early twentieth century, the plain sees his artificialization of land use to the detriment of the

steppe and the irrigated area to the profile of urbanization and the economic activities (military,

transportation, logistics platform, filing garbage, gardening, arboriculture …). The three main

activities and traditional functions of the plain are disturbed: (1) The ancestral system formed

between the itinerant sheep grazing and hay production Crau (labeled AOP); (2) The regular

flooding, in hot season, of the hay meadows, which allows feeding a grown water in which 80

M3 of water are withdrawn each year ; (3) The seasonal sheep grazing that allows maintaining a

unique biodiversity in the steppe (this area is co-managed by agricultural stakeholders and the

Regional Natural Conservatoire, Which is a very original management mode).

Today, the rapid change in land use raises the question of the viability of this territory, first to the

availability of groundwater that offer many benefits to people secondary for the maintenance and

protection of exceptional biophysical environment.



30

Professor Jurgen H. Breuste – Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria

[email protected]

Dr. Jürgen Breuste is professor in the Geography and Geology, Urban and Landscape Ecology

Paris Lodron at the University Salzburg, Austria. He was university lecturer for geography, geo-

ecology and urban ecology at the German universities in Halle, Greifswald, Dresden and Leipzig

and headed the department of Urban Landscape at the Environmental Research Centre

Leipzig/Halle for 10 years before joining his actual position in 2001. He is Honorary Professor of

East China Normal University Shanghai, and Capital Normal University Beijing, China, member

of several scientific boards and president of the International Society of Urban Ecology (SURE).

He has worked as project leader in a number of research projects on urban ecology and urban

development at EU level and in other international cooperation. He is specified in urban

ecosystem research, nature protection and modelling of urban development by numerous

publications.

Plenary: The concept of eco-cities – Implementing the ecosystem service approach and reduce

resource consumption

Worldwide there are many eco-cities in planning or even in realization, most of them in China.

Unfortunately it is mostly not very clear in which way their design and management will

contribute as a best practice example to urban sustainability. Such assessment of all relevant

ecological aspects of eco-cities is necessary. The ecosystem service approach focuses on

ecosystem services on which cities are depend on and from which urban dwellers can profit. This

and the resource consumption reduction concept must be applied in eco-city design, management

and evaluation. It is for sure, that especially these aspects are of high importance to make eco-

cities livable and sustainable.

An indicator based assessment approach of ecosystem services in eco-cities will be implemented

on the example of the Austrian eco-city Solar-City which becomes in 2015 10 years old. The

evaluation shows that Solar City fulfills several ecological aspects good or very good but beside

these other (e.g. soil) are mostly not included. This shows the fragmented approaches to the eco-

city concept in several examples worldwide and allows coming to a complete and sustainable

approach to comprehensive eco-city development.

The methodology allows developing eco-city standards, to compare eco-cities, and to improve

them.



31

Professor Ibrahim Atalay - Docuz Eylül University of Izmir, Turkey

[email protected]

Ibrahim ATALAY is professor in geography, soil and ecology at Dokuz Eylul University in

Izmir and Mehmet Akif Ersoy University in Burdur. He engages in applied geography on the

subjects of ecoregions, plant ecology, land degradation, desertification, and erosion. Dr. Atalay‟s

leading text books are Applied Hydrography, Soil Formation, Classification and Geography,

Ecosystem Ecology and Geography, Biogeography (with Recep Efe), Regional Geography of

Turkey and the World, Geomorphology of Turkey, Ecoregions of Turkey, Dictionary of Natural

Science and the author of more than 200 articles. He travelled most part of the World. His effort

is to continue of academic collaboration with Faculty of Geography of Bucharest University and

Institute of Geography, Romanian Academy; because he loves Romanian people and

geographers, in particular.

Plenary: A New Approach on the Land Capability Classification

Land capability classification is one of the very important in terms of sustainable land use. Many

land capability classification has been prepared and applied especially in the developed countries

such as USA, UK, and France. Most of the land capability classification mapping is an

adaptation of the US Department of Agriculture method. Up to now the criteria in the land

capability classification are topography especially inclination, slope and soil are taken into

consideration in general. Land Capability classes are designated by the numbers I through VIII.

I-IV land classes are suitable for agricultural practices. Remaining classes are unsuitable for

cultivation.



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Dan Balteanu – Romanian Academy, Romania

[email protected]

Dan Balteanu is full member of Romanian Academy, director of the National Institute of

Geography and professor at University of Bucharest. His research-work has focused on the

geomorphological aspects related to landslides, gully processes, and small catchments. The

impact of climate change on natural hazards-triggered technological hazards (NATECH) has

been among his major preoccupations over the past ten years. Prof. Dan Balteanu is Chair of the

National Geography Committee and of the National Committee for Global Environmental

Change.

Plenary: Geography in a Global Environmental Change Context

Global environmental change has increasingly become a key topic for Geography. Latest

evolutions, reflecting in the activities of the IGU Congress in Köln (2012) and the Moscow

Conference (2015), highlighted the diversity of geographical research themes in the conditions of

increasing human pressure on the environment. The new Global research programme on “Future

Earth–research for Global Sustainability” (2015-2025), developed under the ICSU and UN aegis

is structured in three broad themes: Dynamic planet; Global development; Transformations

towards sustainability (Future Earth Newsletter, October 2012). The integrated researches will

provide new insights on such aspects as global water, energy and food problems; sustainable

development of natural resources; development of resilient urban and rural settlements;

improvement of people‟s health condition; increased intensity of impacts on society and

environment of natural hazards, etc. Stackholders will be directly involved in the new

Programme, from co-design to co-production and the dissemination of results, generating

transdisciplinarity in the research process. The participation of Geography in the new trans-

disciplinary research programme implies re-discovering Applied Geography under the name of

“Geographical Services”. These aspects are illustrated in the paper by examples from existing

researches undertaken in some European projects.



33

Profesor Ioan Ianos – University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Ioan Ianos is full professor at the University of Bucharest and director of the Interdisciplinary

Centre of Advanced Research on Territorial Dynamics. His academic interest is focused on

territorial dynamics analysis, comprising urban, rural and regional development. He produced

over 230 volumes and scientific articles, published in different prestigious publishing houses

(Doccumentation Francaise, Palgrave, Harmatan, Elgar, University Press of America Inc.

Pennsylvania, Aldersholt). As an active member of the Association of American Geographers, in

2014 he received the Distinguished Scholar Award from the Regional Development and

Planning Specialty Group, recognizing his outstanding scholarly contributions. He is member of

the editorial board in national and international journals and reviewer at some well-known

journals as Area, Urban Studies or Geographical Review. With an important contribution in the

development of Romanian planning research he is a member of the National Register of Planners

and national technical commissions in the field.

Plenary: What does rural smart development means for Romania

Romania is one of countries with profound rural character in the European Union. Considering

present-day development level and the excessive connotation of the basic concepts, could the

rural localities take a big step to modernity. What kind of significance does the rural smart

development has. The presentation represents a critical analysis of this concept, presenting its

added value during the development process. Smart development includes economic growth,

social equity and sustainable livelihood, or using an adequate infrastructure with the main target

of achieving in a timely horizon (generally long-term) educated and informatized rural

communities. The key question is HOW could we realize this. Fundamental roles are played by

the quality of environmental elements, education levels, and infrastructures, the ageing process,

isolation, low resistance to urban pressure and globalization. The conclusion is that rural smart

development requires a balanced relationship between resources, rural actors and the quality of

environment, targeting a spiraled development



34

Assessing the fragmentation of the green infrastructure in Romanian cities

using fractal models and numerical taxonomy

Alexandru-Ionuţ Petrişor1, Ion Andronache

2, Ana-Maria Ciobotaru

2, Daniel Peptenatu

2

1“Ion Mincu” University of Architecture and Urban Planning & National Institute for Research and

Development in Constructions, Urban Planning and Sustainable Spatial Development URBAN-INCERC,

Bucharest, Romania; 2Research Centre for Integrated Analysis and Territorial Management, Faculty of Geography, University

of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

As the share of urban population increases globally each year, man-dominated systems tend to

sprawl over the natural ones, substituting and fragmenting them. Urban sprawl is the main cause

of many environmental issues, in tight connection with pollution and loss of biodiversity. One of

the main consequences is a decrease of the ecosystem services provided by the urban green

infrastructure. However, the extent of urban sprawl is spatially uneven due to the spatial structure

of human settlements. Among the methods used to pinpoint sprawl, fractal analyses have a good

potential for analyzing fragmentation, especially if used in conjunction with statistical methods.

This study aimed to assess, in an exploratory perspective, the level of fragmentation in the

Romanian cities covered by the Urban Atlas data, and determine its correlation with parameters

related to their demographical, economic and geographical characteristics. In addition,

taxonomical analyses were used to find whether cities or specific components of the green

infrastructure can be grouped. The results did not reveal a general trend, although it seems that

the green infrastructure consisted of agricultural/ semi-natural/ wetland areas, forests, green

areas, sports and leisure facilities and water bodies in all of them, in different shares. The

correlation analysis revealed that the population and its density and the share of the green

infrastructure within the total area are significantly correlated with most fractal parameters.

Similarly, the fractal dimension of the area, computed using Interactive Quantitative

Morphology, seems to correlate with most morphological parameters. The results suggest that

the degree of urban fragmentation is correlated especially with the population of cities and its

density, reclaiming planning measures aimed at controlling the densification processes (sprawl,

gentrification, location of specific activities etc.)




35

Biomonitoring of air pollution in urban areas of southern Poland

Przemysław Szopa, Jacek Czerniak, Andrzej Gajewski

Cracow University of Economics, Poland

[email protected]

Abstract: In urban areas gases from motor vehicles and the burning of coal in coal-fired furnaces

cause significant air pollution manifested by smog (Honour et.al. 2009). A special case is

Krakow in Poland. City is situated in the valley of Kraków-Częstochowa uplands. Due to poor

air circulation particulate matter concentrations of pollutants often exceeds the legal limit. Large

concentrations of pollutants adversely affect human health and the physiology of plants in the

study area (Gupta, Ghouse, 1987). This unfavorable impact of the environment on green plants

can be used for determining the degree of contamination in the study area, positive

correlation between the level of chlorophyll and level of harmful substances in the air has been

noticed. The largest concentration of pollutants was expected at the lowest point of the Cracow

city and along major thoroughfares of the city where during hour traffic comes to blocking of

streets and increase concentration of emissions from fuel combustion in the engines of motor

vehicles. In the article Evergreen plants was chosen as bioindicators of air pollution from spring

to winter. The choice of this type of plants was dictated by the ability to take measurements

throughout the year. Measurements were carried out using modern equipment based on the

measurement of the total fluorescence of chlorophyll compounds extracted from test plants. The

aim of the research is to select plants with the greatest sensitivity to specific types of pollution in

urban areas, taking into account changes in the level of chlorophyll during a year. The advantage

of growing evergreen plants in urban areas is to use them as natural air filters while maintaining

their advantages as biomarkers.




36

Geo-spatial technology and the Environment

Santiago Giraldo Anduaga

Civic Technologist at CartoDB, United States of America

[email protected]

Abstract: Innovations in mapping technology and data are re-shaping the ways in which we

understand and respond to environmental crisis situations on both a small and large scale. Open-

source Geographic Information Science (GIS) technology and the capacity for people and

organizations across the world to leverage this technology to efficiently understand, analyze, and

intervene in environmental issues has re-shaped the methods of environmental evaluation and

response. Organizations such as Global Forest Watch are using real-time data on web-based GIS

platforms to create analysis and help actors make rapid decisions in times of environmental

stress. Rapidly visualizing and understanding real-time information such as forest fires helps

environmental actors quickly evaluate a situation and act. During the recent earthquakes in

Nepal, real-time crowdsourced data quickly visualized with easily sharable and publishable GIS

mapping engines such as CartoDB created instances of human empowerment where relief efforts

could rapidly react to road damage, building damage, and destruction information to make more

informed decisions.

The possibilities for how easily accessible leading-edge mapping technology and data resources

are being used are paving new roads into the future. While the use of GIS for environmental

action has traditionally been reserved for spatial scientists, the urgent modern needs of

environmental response requires pragmatic approaches that seek to empower people on the

ground, organizations, and environmental actors. Web-based GIS technology can effectively

create a culture of driven environmental action for the challenges of the 21st century.




37

First transboundary protected areas in Caucasus

N. Elizbarashvili, G. Meladze, D. Svanadze, R. Elizbarashvili

I. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia

[email protected]

Abstract: Landscape Planning of Protected Areas was first carried out in 2009-2010 as in

Georgia so in the Caucasus under the initiative of Caucasian office of the WWF. The results of

the Landscape Planning were reported at the pan-Caucasian conference on the “Development of

Protected area”, which was held in Ankara (Turkey) in spring of 2010. The participants of this

conference were leaders from all Caucasian States and regional and head offices.

The methodology of the Landscape Planning was used in the south of Georgia (in Javakheti) in

order to create transboundary Protected Areas. Javakheti is a part of the volcanic origin

mountainous region between Georgia, Turkey and Armenia. It is one of the unique areas in the

Caucasian eco regions because of its ecosystem that contains mountain steps, subalpine herbs,

relict forest and humid territories.

Javakheti has international importance as there exist humid forests high above the sea that are

migration zone for birds from the Europe, Asia and Africa. Javakheti is among the Ramsar

Convention Site because of its surplus humid territories according the International Law on

Environment. Soon it becomes a real part of Ramsar Site as Georgia is connected to the above

mentioned convention from the year 1996. It„s worth to mention that in Georgia there exist s an

object with international status and it is The Black Sea beach zone and sough on Kolkheti

lowland.




38

Influence of population lifestyle on local health profile. Case study: Ialomita

County

Ana-Maria Talos

Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Many studies focusing on health pointed out territorial inequalities and inequities. It was

recognized the fact that rural areas have a precarious health status compared to urban areas, also

there differences in health status between the poorest and the most developed areas.

The main objective of the present study is to point out the importance of lifestyle in influencing

the population health status compared to other important determinants, using spatial analysis and

health survey.

In Ialomița County the values of health indicators are higher than the national average, which

reveals a poorer health status, and the major risks are related to circulatory system diseases.

The relationship between lifestyle and health status has been analyzed using two different

indicators: health services index and deprivation index. The first is resulted from the

standardization of demographic indicators (coverage of physicians), and the second one from

socioeconomic indicators (education, employment, housing endowment). Lifestyle resulted from

health survey variables: nutrition, stress level, physical activity, unhealthy behaviors, and

medical behaviors.

Preliminary results reveal the fact that there are several determinants that have a large share in

health: lifestyle, health services, environment, socioeconomic factors and age. There are

inequalities in health between rural and urban areas as a result of different access to healthcare,

medical services, medical education and lifestyles.




39

Rural tourism, a development vector in the Maramures areas

Alina Simion, Mihai Hotea

Babes-Bolyai University, Faculty of Geography, Sighetu Marmatiei Extension, Romania

[email protected]

Rural tourism has grown successfully in Maramures area, due to the existence of well-preserved

traditional spiritual values in time. But knowledge and deep understanding of Maramures area

cannot be achieved but by analyzing its geographical and historical context. Apparently

Maramures is an entire but throughout a detailed analysis one can se in its structure two

components: an administrative one and a historical one, which are independent from one another.

From the administrative point of view the county of Maramureș is structured in well-defined

economic-social territories from the geographic and historical point of view, with specific traits

and spiritual space, grouped in distinct ethnographic areas called "lands" (Maramureş Land,

Lăpuş Land, Chioar Land, Codru Land), clearly delimited just balances water and mountain

areas, and the disparities in terms of development and practice rural tourism.

Strong rural character and a degree of conservation of the elements of attractiveness are the main

cause of the differences in perspective in Maramureș country tourism and in the background (in)

existence of units of accommodation, food and entertainment that requires large workforce and

well prepared.

his paper aims to highlight the elements of attraction in the county in rural tourism which are

many and great, but capitalized differently, leading to the development of tourism and practicing

concentration only in certain localities.




40

The mineral waters in Rupea and their exploitation

Rodica Meret

Secondary School No 19, Braşov, Romania

[email protected]

This paper aims to highlight specific issues concerning mineral waters in Rupea (Braşov

County): physico-chemical characteristics, a short history of their exploitation, and future

exploitation options. The article is based on the synthesis and analysis of information obtained

from specialized scientific papers, archival sources, and field investigations and measurements

conducted between 2010 and 2015. The spatial analyses and the graphical representations and

mapping operations were performed by means of different techniques and specific software

programs: ArcGIS 10.1 (ArcMap 10.1), CorelDraw X7.

Geographically, Rupea City, within which the Băile Cohalm/ Rupeni spa was established, is

located in the Transylvanian Subcarpathians, 64 km northwest of Braşov and 53 km southeast of

Sighişoara. The Rupea mineral water springs are found in the Transylvanian Depression

geological unit. The presence of the salt layer in the Tortonian deposits (Miocene) at different

levels of depth and thickness explains the occurrence of concentrated cholorosodic waters, as

well as that of several types of salts, including potassium, calcium, magnesium, lithium, iron etc.

The presence of carbonic acid (volcanic origin) makes water mineralization particularly

complex. W. Hanko (1914) describes the mineral waters at Băile Cohalm as "one of the few

chlorosodic sulphated waters", used to treat rheumatism, dermatology-related conditions etc.

he mineral springs in Rupea have been used for therapeutic purposes by local residents until

1950 ("Iodine-sulphuric Mineral Spa"), as well as for household activities, which has continued

until present day. The six springs were captured in two pools, and the spa unit had 15 treatment

valve cabins. The spa was functional until 1950 (August), and living quarters for workers were

built in its vicinity; however, the old pavilions and basins remained until 2000. Currently, only

the salt water from the well located 1.5 km east from the city, towards Homorod (which locals

call "Slatina"), is still being used, and it is well maintained by the two managers of Rupea

Cityhall.




41

Sustainable regional economic development and naive prediction models: The

case of the greater Bucharest metropolitan area

Calin Valsan1, Elena Druica

2, Radu Pintilii

2

1Bishop's University, Canada,

2University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania,

[email protected]

This study attempts to predict aggregate profits for small and medium Romanian firms using a

relatively naïve model. We use a dataset consisting of 4,519 observations spanning a period of

eleven years, from 2001 and 2011. Each observation is obtained by aggregating the data

associated with all small and medium firms that can be found for a given NACE and SIRUTA

code in the greater Bucharest metropolitan area. Our sample includes a number of 1,514

observations that correspond to firms with aggregate zero turnovers and aggregate zero number

of employees. These are in fact shell companies, firms that are inactive, but somehow remained

in the evidence of the Romanian Trade Register Office. We split our sample into two distinct

periods, using the 2008 financial crisis as the dividing point. We fit a simple prediction model of

aggregate total profits as a function of four variables, using the pre-financial crisis period. We

test the predictions of our model using the post-crisis period.

The results are imparting three important lessons. First, we can greatly improve the prediction

accuracy of our model by excluding from our sample the shell companies. Many surveys and

economic studies conducted by the Romanian government take into account all companies in the

evidence of the Trade Register Office, whether active or not. We thus strongly recommend that

policy initiatives be based only on statistical surveys that only include firms in operation.

Second, we do not need very detailed information, a large number of explanatory variables, or a

very sophisticated model in order to achieve a good prediction power. Using only four variables,

our naïve prediction model boasts an impressive out-of-sample R-square of almost 62%.

Third, the 2008 financial crisis might have wreaked havoc in Western Europe and North

America, but it did not represent a true tipping point for the economy of the greater Bucharest

metropolitan area.




42

Periurban areas and land use structure in Romania at LAU2 level: An

Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis

Cristina Lincaru, Draga Atanasiu, Vasilica Ciuca, Speranta Pirciog

National Scientific Research Institute for Labor and Social Protection - INCSMPS, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The smart, sustainable and inclusive growth adopted by Europe 2020 demands new types of

information as it is the land use data as an indicator of the land (a primary production factor) -the

building block of any economy. Land use under the definition (FAO) of “what” is the purpose of

activities undertaken reflect how people are using the land in a holistic manner under the

consideration that the space integrates the society, economy and environment. On this

background we could characterize the periurban areas as the fringes that registered land use

changes from other activity (economic and non-economic activity) towards habitation land use

(social use), in a significant share. Starting from the article of Salvati & Carlucci (2014)

regarding the Urban growth and land Use Structure we develop an ESDA for periurban areas in

Romania at LAU2 level / NUTS 5 level. Land use categories are modeled for 2 years (2010 and

2014) using the indicator provided by TEMPO INS: AGR101B - Land fund area by usage. In

view to emphasize the urban fringes dynamics, we calculate the global and local Moran‟s

Indexes from the Spatial Autocorrelation Analysis (Anselin) using Arc GIS and GeoDA

software. This information represents the input for more efficient and effective decisions and

actions, useful also in socio-economic policies development, according with assumed purpose to

deliver a better life for everybody.




43

Ethno-creative zones in Oltenia and their implication into developing cultural

tourism

Camelia Teodorescu1, Cristian Draghici

1, Daniel Diaconu

1, Radu Daniel Pintilii

1, Octavian

Teodorescu2, Adrian Simion

2

1University of Bucharest, Faculty of Geography, CAIMT (Research Center for Integrated Analysis and

Territorial Management), Bucharest, Romania 2University of Architecture and Urbanism "Ion Mincu”, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The objective of this study consists of the involvement of the ethno – creative into the

development of the local economy. The domain of applicability of the creative tourism refers to

the subject creating or generating tourism. The ethno- creative tourism helpfully welcomes the

people who are eager to discover the cultural values of certain ethnical entities by the usage of

certain products and practice that inoculate the sensation of reaching beyond space and time, or

new bindings to the traditional ethno-cultural elements, by real involvement and self-learning.

There has been analyzed the geographical area of Oltenia Region, where ethnical groups may be

spaciously identified, as well as their creative values and possibilities, in the attempt of

developing a cultural ethno-creative tourism. The research has been founded on economical data

at CAEN - National Economy Activity Classification code level, as well as on data obtained as a

consequence of having consulted some representative samples as: creative artists, tourists and

resident population, surveyed by specific statistical methods. The results obtained emphasize the

remarkable impact of this prolific idea of development, which may certainly contribute to the

upheaval of the functional complexity of these territorial systems where such type of tourism

may be easily implemented. The cultural tourism relying on traditional values and creativity

directly contribute to economical multiplication effects. The development of the ethno- creative

tourism may correlate to creating new work places within a period of economical crisis and

relative social crisis. It may also be considered a popularization factor regarding cultural identity,

which plays such an important role in promoting cultural diversity.




44

Health tourism contribution to the structural dynamics of the territorial

systems with tourism functionality

Cristian Constantin Draghici, Daniel Diaconu, Camelia Teodorescu, Radu-Daniel Pintilii, Ana-

Maria Ciobotaru

University of Bucharest, Faculty of Geography, CAIMT (Research Center for Integrated Analysis and

Territorial Management), Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The study aims to identify the role of health (SPA) tourism in developing the territorial systems,

characterized by the tourism functionality, in Romania, for the period 2000-2012, a period

marked by spectacular transformations, especially for this economic sector. Tourism has now

become a true economic engine, generating an increase in the functional complexity of the

territorial system, which is based on exploiting tourism resources. To quantify how tourism has

contributed to the economic development of these territorial systems in Romania a database of

NACE codes was set up, specific for the tourism activity, for the period 2000-2012, for territorial

mainframe systems with functionality resort. Based on this statistical support analyzes on the

evolution of the number of companies, number of employees, turnover and profit were made.

The results show the important role of health tourism in generating multiplier effects on other

components of the economic subsystem. They were defined two categories of territorial systems:

territorial systems where tourism plays a complementary role function and territorial systems in

which health tourism has a preeminent role in the local economy.




45

Using fractal analysis in modeling concentration trends in the national

economy

Ion Andronache, Daniel Peptenatu, Ana-Maria Ciobotaru, Andreea-Karina Gruia, Nina-

Margareta Groposila

University of Bucharest - Faculty of Geography/Research Center for Integrated Analysis and Territorial

Management, Romania

[email protected]

The study aims to develop a methodology for analyzing the trend of concentration of economic

activities in the main core of national polycentric network. A spatial projection has been realized

in ArcGIS platform, for the period 2000-2012, containing the number of companies, number of

employees, turnover and profit. The original images are converted to images created 8-bit

grayscale (using open-source software ImageJ) is then analyzed using Fractal Dimension

Higuchi and the open-source software IQM. The Higuchi fractal dimension is a measure of

irregularity and is calculated for time series directly in the time domain. The calculations are

carried out without phase space constructions. They have obtained three fractal dimensions

Higuchi: Dy horizontal fractal dimension, fractal dimension and fractal dimension Dx vertical

average. Higuchi average fractal dimension provides information on how the number of

companies, the profit, the number of employees and the turnover are spatialized, and the profile,

more or less chaotic disposed. An evolution of this indicator is shown by a higher fractal

dimension and vice versa. The results confirmed most of the results obtained by Higuchi Fractal

Dimension, Fractal difference that the Fractal Analysis System is a global fractal analysis.




46

Hydrometrical and hydrological field tests at microscale

Gabriel Minea, Mary-Jeanne Adler

National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The aim of this paper is to accuracy test the measured values of hydrometric instruments

installed in a calibrated water tank with overflow and the ways of determining liquid flow

elements. The hydrometry of liquid flow on experimental plots (runoff and water balance) of the

National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management, is based on continuously recording

variations in water level (water contact devices), with various hydrometric equipment.

Hydrological processing of water levels for determining the rates of liquid flow and hydrological

elements (such as: volume, depth, specific maximum flow, runoff coefficient) is performed with

the help of the "ParExp v1" software. In order to determine the accuracy of the hydrometric tools

we carried out two field experiments campaigns, by pumping water volumes with constant

intensity discharges (Q1 = 0.15 l/s, ... Q4 = 0,6 l/s ...), in a water tank with overflow (V = 0.38

m3). Hydrometrical equipment are based on the float principle (a mechanical limnigraph, Valdai

type and an electronically limnigraph SE-200 model, accuracy ± 0.003% by OTT) or on pressure

sensor technology (two pressure sensors U20L-04; one submerged and one suspended in air for a

precise compensation, accuracy ± 0.2%, by HOBO).

The results regarding the measurement of water level showed a good accuracy for water levels

accumulation in the tank and for the overflow from the water tank (45°) all hydrometric

equipment recorded instrumental errors at maximum levels. From the hydrological processing

we observed inconsistencies due to the accuracy of hydrometric equipment that are transmitted

to hydrological calculations.




47

The economical valorization of the swamps of Borsaros- Sancraieni, and the

perspectives of the touristic function development

Daniel Constantin Diaconu, Camelia Teodorescu, Radu-Daniel Pintilii, Cristian Constantin

Draghici, Daniel Peptanatu, Mircea Visan


[email protected]

The hereby study intends hyphening the specific details of the Swamps of Borsaros- Sancraieni,

which may certainly contribute to the touristic function of Sancraieni place. The hydro-geologic

research of Sancraieni Area has been developed on the grounds of the geological and tectonic

elements within the specialty studies accomplished up to the present, as well as based on the

physico-chemical analysis of the water extracted within the hydro-geologic drilling stations

belonging to The National Company of Mineral waters S.A. The economical profit has been

analyzed on the basis of several data bases concerning the years 2000 – 2012, regarding the

number of companies, stock capital, profit and employee number. On the grounds of this

statistical investigation there has been resourced the role of the tourism within local economy

dynamics, as well as the perspectives of the touristic function development starting from the

genuinely original elements of the study applied to the above mentioned area. The specific

profile of the area consists of the exceptionally qualitative water supply this area possesses,

which essentially catalyzes the formation of characteristic habitats of peaty slumps, which

constitute refugees for of a remarkable diversity of rare fauna and flora species. These mineral

gas water springs are particular as well for the fact that the mineral salts (limonite) this water

contains precipitate around themselves forming up cones, or spread all over as a muddy cover

which the local people call “borsar” – and that is where the name of the Slumps of Borsaros

place comes from. By specific facilities the slumps may undoubtfully contribute to the increase

of the number of tourists as well as to outcome in significant multiplication effects upon.




48

Analysis of forest fund evolution between 2000-2012 using fractal analysis

Ana Maria Ciobotaru, Iona Andronache

Research Centre for Integrated Analysis and Territorial Management, Faculty of Geography, University

of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania,

[email protected]

In this article we conducted a detailed analysis of forest funds (deforestation, regeneration) at

national level and in the development regions using fractal analysis - box-counting dimension. It

was used as image processing software for analysis (ImageJ software) and for fractal analysis

was used Fractalyse software. At national level, fractal dimension of forest areas is 1,15215,

which indicates the complexity, fragmentation, irregular arrangement in the territory of the forest

fund. Due to the accentuatednon-uniformity of spatial distribution of regenerate and deforested

areas, often pointlike appearance, fractal dimension is 0,9635 (deforestation) and 0,9189

(regeneration). West region Central and North-West region have a fractal dimension of 1,6,

followed by South-West and North-East regions when the fractal dimension exceeding 1,5.

Weak wooded regions, southeast Dobrogea and South Muntenia (1,4356) and the Bucharest-

Ilfov (1,1437), have lower fractal dimensions than the national average.

Fractal dimension of development regions indicate the fact that the highest values of

deforestation are found in the Central region 1,1477, North-West region 1,0829, West region

1,0535, North-East region 0,9903 and South-West region 0,9760, which reveals greater volume

of timber exploited but the deforestation was made more chaotic than organized. The lowest

values in South Muntenia and Southeast Dobrogea and Bucharest-Ilfov regions (0,5263) are

caused by the weak wooded areas, forests dominate the floodplain areas or the former secular

forests.

In the situation of natural and controlled regeneration, the fractal dimension is smaller because

the regenerated area is lower, but it covers a large part of the fragmentation and irregularity

induced by the deforestation. Fractal dimension of regeneration is higher than the deforestation

in South-West Oltenia and Center region where were made important reforestation campaigns.

On the opposite end is situated the Bucharest-Ilfov region where the difference deforestation -

regeneration reaches 0,1225 and plantations are needed to ensure sufficient green space / per

inhabitant. In studying the forest areas (as in other geographic features) a significant role is to be

played by the fractal analysis as mostly entirely these formsforests are fragmented, irregular and

discontinuous, unable to fit in the Euclidean geometry. Thus, the fractal analysis provides a

powerful tool of for analysis as a way to discriminate between two or more aspects or

evolutionary phases of the same form.




49

Opportunism vs. Commitment in Romanian Firms: A Case of Behavioral

Economics?

Elena Druica1, Calin Valsan

2, Rodica Ianole

1

1University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

2Bishop's University Canada

[email protected]

Romanian firms are classified according to their object of activity, summarized by an

identification number assigned by the Trade Register Office, and known as the NACE code.

Each NACE code indicates whether a given firm operates in the oil industry, agriculture,

forestry, tourism, grocery business, steel industry, information technology, entertainment etc.

When applying with the Trade Register Office, a firm must chose a primary and one or several

secondary objects of activity, and thus receives a primary and secondary NACE codes. It turns

out that a significant number of firms prefer to choose multiple possible objects of activity,

making their classification according to the NACE code almost impossible. For simplicity, we

call “committed” the firms with a well defined object of activity and “opportunistic” the firms

who are not committed to any specific type of activity.

In this paper we attempt to determine if and how opportunistic firms are different from the

remaining majority of committed firms. We use a dataset comprised of all Romanian firms in the

evidence of the Trade Register Office, spanning a period of thirteen years. Each observation

consists of all firms found for a given NACE code and geographic location – indicated by the so-

called SIRUTA code. We also use other variables measuring aggregate turnover, aggregate

profits, and aggregate number of employees.

We found significant differences between the majority of committed firms and the minority of

opportunistic firms. Aggregate profits, aggregate turnover, and aggregate number of employees

in the case of opportunistic firms tend to be significantly higher. Moreover, there is a much

higher degree of correlation among aggregate profits, aggregate turnover, and aggregate number

of employees in the case of opportunistic firms. Finally, these last two variables have a much

lower power in explaining profits in the case of committed firms. We speculate that these

differences might be explained in part by the same behavioral quirks that are responsible for the

lack of commitment in choosing the type of economic activity.




50

Tourism, basic functionality versus complementary component of the

territorial systems in Romania

Radu-Daniel Pintilii, Daniel Peptenatu, Adrian-Gabriel Simion, Ana-Maria Ilie, Alexandra

Grecu

University of Bucharest - Faculty of Geography/Research Center for Integrated Analysis and Territorial

Management, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The tourism is nowadays an economic component that must be taken into account, a

complementary sub-branch for the economic development of some territorial systems, especially

of those with specific resources. This study aims to reveal how tourism functionality of a

territory is a dominant or a complementary one. On the other hand it also shows the role of the

tourism phenomena in shaping the basic functionality of some local economies.

The methodology consists in a series of statistical analysis of data, for a period of 13 years

(2000-2012), containing at administrative unit level and NACE code, evolution of the number of

companies, particularly those operating in Tourism, the number of employees, turnover and

profit. The results are represented by a series of statistical and cartographic detailed analysis,

showing some correlation variations. For example: how the variation of the total profit is

influenced by the variation of the turnover, of the number of companies and of number of

employees. This are able to widely conclude the present contribution of the tourism sector in the

local economy, to show if the economic functionality of a territorial systems belong to the

tourism sector or there is also other economic activities that contribute to the complexity of the

economic profile.




51

Sustainable water and energy use for irrigation demands

Bojan Đurin1, Toni Kekez

2

1Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering, Varaždin, Croatia.

2Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Geodesy, Split, Croatia.

[email protected]

System approach and sustainable use of water and energy in all kinds of human activities is not

only because of financial reasons but it is also a legal obligation. This paper presents the

application of Critical Period Method for irrigation systems design. Irrigation system consists of

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) generator, pumping station, water reservoir and pipelines. PV generator

is used as a energy source for pumping station energy demands. For irrigation water demands,

groundwater is used in combination with rainwater. This solution is in accordance with

Directives and Strategies of European Union related to negative impacts of climate changes and

greenhouse gas emissions.




52

The dynamic master plan - an innovative approach in contemporary urban

and territorial planning

Tiberiu Florescu, Andrei Mitrea

Faculty of Urban Planning, UAIM, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Urban development has become less predictable and more difficult to manage today. Hence,

strategic planning needs a thorough change in attitude: first, it needs to change its ways of

analyzing urban phenomena, and second, it needs to change its ways in managing them.

These two major changes result in a need for flexible regulations for an efficient urban

development. The team working for the Dynamic Master Plan for Bucharest has constructed a

methodology based on insights gained form complex system theory, self-organization and

scenario building techniques.

This approach has a structure governed by four overlapping fields: the field of urban and

territorial planning, encompassing urban functions and urban structures; the field of spatial data

analysis; the structural field, comprising urban development goals and collaborative planning

techniques, and fourth, the operational field, which includes the management of urban

development opportunities.




53

Compact cities vs. living quality – applying the ecosystem services approach

for building sustainable cities

Martina Artmann

Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER), Dresden, Germany

[email protected]

The on-going worldwide urbanization is connected with expansive land consumption. Research

and policy suggest compact cities to reduce urban sprawl and its related negative impacts on the

environment. However, there is the need of a more integrative view on the concept of compact

cities to secure high living qualities according to the demands of urban residents also in the

highly sealed and densely built-up centers. To show up if a balance of demand and supply of

urban living quality is achieved, the ecosystem service approach is a powerful concept. Thus, it

illustrates human demands on urban ecosystems as well as the patchy supply of ecosystem

service within cities. In this study the supply of and demand on ecosystem services and quality of

life aspects are studied along a sealing gradient in Leipzig and Munich (Germany). By an online

survey of urban residents it could be shown that especially in highly sealed and densely built-up

areas a range of living quality aspects are not supplied according to the urban dwellers' needs.

This unequal distribution of living quality can reduce the acceptance of people towards a

compact city. The sealing gradient approach interlinked with the evaluation of supply and

demand of ecosystem services and aspects of the built-up environment can be one way to

approach sustainable compact cities. Such demands and supplies in quality can also feed into

decision support systems supporting the municipal planning staff in evaluating the suitability of

vacant and underused land for reuse strategies.




54

Socio-economic and environmental impact assessment of an abandoned

uranium mining site. Case study: Ciudanovita (Romania)

George-Laurentiu Merciu, Florentina-Cristina Merciu, Andreea Loreta Cercleux


[email protected]

Abstract: The issue of abandoned mine sites represent a major concern because they generate

social and environmental impacts in traditional industrial areas. The present study aimed to

analyze the effects generated by Ciudanovita ex uranium mining site located in the southwestern

part of Romania. The analysis is focused on both the socio-economic effects (professional

morbidity, high rate of mortality, unemployment, economic decline) and the environmental ones

(radioactive pollution, dumps, land degradation, soil and groundwater contamination).

Potential rehabilitation costs and lack of involvement of local government representatives

determine postponing the solving of identified problems.

At the same time, the authors pay particular attention to identifying opportunities for

redevelopment of rural locality based on rehabilitation and spatial planning actions.




55

Assessing the physical quality of the Coşuştea River using the Qualphy

method

Gabriela Moroşanu1, Gisèle Verniers

2, Liliana Zaharia

1

1Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

2Université de Namur, Unité de Recherche en Biologie Environnementale et Evolutive, Namur, Belgique

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

This paper aims to assess the physical quality of Coșuștea River by means of Qualphy method

(developed by Rhin - Meuse Water Agency, France, 1998, based on the principle of comparing a

stream with its geomorphological reference state. Coșuștea River (a 77 km long tributary of

second order of Jiu River through its collector, Motru River), belongs to the homonymous basin

(with an area of 449 km2) and it is located in the south-west of Romania. Following the Qualphy

preliminary procedure, three homogenous sectors, located in the upper, middle and lower basin

were selected for implementing the method: respectively Nadanova (270 m length), Şişeşti (210

m length) and Corcova (170 m length). Afterwards, the quality indices and sub-indices were

calculated in order to highlight both disturbed areas and close to natural state areas. The

information resulted from the field measurements and observations was processed in Qualphy

software, revealing for each of the selected sections, the hydrological, geomorphological and

ecological status for the three specific Qualphy sub-indices (corresponding to the river channel,

riverbank and floodplain) and finally, the overall score of the Qualphy index was calculated as a

weighted average (for each section). For the river channel, the Qualphy index showed a small

variation from a quite good state (at Corcova – 62.53% and Şişeşti – 63.6%) to a poor to good

condition upstream (at Nadanova – 50.25%), whereas for the riverbanks, the index was slightly

lower than the previous one for Corcova and Şişeşti sections (58.3% and 58,71%), but mediocre

for Nadanova section (50.25%). The Qualphy index of the floodplain illustrated a good to very

good quality, due to the small number of the hydraulic uses, ranging from poor to good condition

at Corcova (60.4%) to a very good state upstream (Şişeşti – 86.33% and Nadanova – 93.4%).

Despite the subjectivity required by the handling of the Qualphy software, limited to fewer

details than the items on the field worksheet, the river quality assessment through Qualphy

method, proved suitable in this endeavor to characterize Coșuștea river from the ecological

standpoint (existence or not of habitat complexity and nesting or breeding places for fish, birds

and insects), but more importantly, from the hydraulic and hydro-morphological perspective. As

a result of the overall score of Qualphy index for each of the three analyzed sectors (60.4 % at

Corcova, 69.5 % at Şişeşti and 73.8 % at Nadanova), derived from the three sub-indices, the

river meets the criteria for the satisfactory class of physical quality, with a reserved judgment in

the case of Corcova sector, whose final score is at the limit between the poor and good quality.

Therefore, adapted and applied on a larger scale, the Qualphy method could be further used in

the management plans of the Coșuștea River catchment.






56

Heterogeneity predictors of urban green infrastructures in Romanian cities

Denisa Lavinia Badiu, Cristian Iojă, Maria Pătroescu, Simona Raluca Grădinaru, Alina

Constantina Tudor


[email protected]

Urban green infrastructures are now considered key elements in improving the life quality of

residents and creating an appropriate framework for the development of sustainable cities.

In Romania, however, scientific concerns related to structural and functional diversity of urban

green infrastructures are relatively poorly assessed. Information available at the moment does not

provide specific groundwork to assess the relationship between the dynamics of urban areas and

green infrastructures at national level.

The analysis aims to identify the factors that determine the presence and the values of urban

green area at national level, taking a sample of 39 randomly selected cities in order to capture the

heterogeneity of urban green infrastructure nationwide. The second objective of this paper is to

identify typologies of cities depending on the structure of their urban green infrastructure. We

used a model of multiple linear regression to test parameters from the geographic and socio-

economic fields that can explain the variation of the green surface per capita index in cities of

Romania. We also applied a Multiple Correspondence Analysis to identify patterns between

cities based on the structure of urban green infrastructures.

We concluded that the density of built-up space, the proximity to transport infrastructure, the

founding period of the cities and the landform criteria are important predictors for the green

surface per capita index, which shows an important variation, from 6.3 m2 /person for Mioveni

city to 27.6 m2 / person for Iași.

The knowledge about the factors that determine the presence and the diversity of urban green

infrastructures can contribute to an efficient management in improving the areas with urban

green space deficit.




57

The territorial patterns of hospital services delivered for aggressions in

Romania in 2014

Cristian Vladescu, Mihnea Dosius, Simona Musat, Silvia Florescu

National School of Public Health, Management and Professional Development, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Background: The service use associated with domestic and street violence is not very well

known in Romania.

Objectives: To describe the territorial patterns and variation regarding the hospital services

provided to aggression's inpatients in 2014 (number of hospitalizations, length of stay, number of

interventions, hospital mortality associated to domestic aggression by spouse/parents/carrier /

other family member or either by friends either or by not known persons ).

Methodology: From the DRG database were considered the codes diagnosing the aggression, and

variables related to prevalence, severity, the type of interventions (medical or surgical or both),

the intensity of care (hospitalization days, number of procedures).

Discussion: The data were analyzed by district and after determining the average per country,

the districts were ranked, identifying those areas with critical aspects of care (high rate of

services provisions and extended length of stay). Out of 10287 hospitalizations, Iasi district and

Bucharest hospitals assisted almost 12% and respectively 9% of cases while the hospitals from

other 9 districts (Vaslui, Prahova, Timis, Brasov, Bacau, Cluj, Dolj, Constanta and Galati)

assisted each 3-6% of cases. The smallest values were registered for Bihor, Covasna, Salaj,

Ialomita, Giurgiu, Satu Mare, Valcea (0.2 – 0.9%). During 2014, the aggression's diagnostics

cumulated 48330 days of hospitalizations and over 150749 medical or surgical procedures for

persons with a median age of 37 years. The inter-quartilic age was between 25 and 50 years old.

Out of 101 deceased hospitalized persons, the largest proportions were recorded in the hospitals

of Bucharest (16.8%), Dolj (13.9%), Iasi (9,9%) and Bacau (8.9%). Large proportions of cases

were discharged from surgery departments (35.4%), oral maxillo-facial surgery (15.7%) and

neuro-surgery (15.2%) while much smaller proportions from Orthopedics (8.9%) and from Ear

Nose Throat (8.5%) departments. The median length of stay was 3 days, only 0.4% of

hospitalizations having length of stay above 30 days, until 107 days. The largest proportions of

persons with length of stay above 30 days were met in the hospitals of Bucharest (23.3%), Galati

and Iasi (11.6% each), Prahova (9.3%). Out of the total hospitalizations, 29% had not medical

insurance.

Conclusions: Given that both domestic and street violence belong to the avoidable causes of

death and morbidity, the intensive use of hospital services as a proxy of violence occurrence

draw attention to the areas where improvements consisting in prevention programs (with social,

psychological or medical approaches), better organization of social and medical services could

be tested and accomplished.




58

Potentially life-threatening vascular events (myocardial and cerebral

infarction) - geographical distribution and temporal evolution

Carmen Sasu, Marius Ciutan, Silvia Gabriela Scîntee, Simona Musat

National School of Public Health, Management and Professional Development in Health, Bucharest,

Romania

[email protected]

Background: Cardio and cerebrovascular diseases represent the most important disease category

in Romania, it is also marked by the highest mortality, myocardial and cerebral infarction

representing the main cause of death in our country.Objectives: To identify nationwide, regional

and county-level the distribution of two types of life-threatening vascular diseases, myocardial

and cerebral infarction and their temporal evolution.

Methodology: It was conducted analysis, data processing and interpretation of DRG data

(diagnostic related groups) reported by Romanian hospitals in 2010-2014 and were considered

related codes of recent installed acute myocardial infarction, with different locations and cerebral

infarction, affecting different vascular territories. The analysis was conducted for a period of 5

years, depending on demographic factors (gender, age) and socioeconomic (patient‟s residence,

educational level, occupation). Were analyzed not only validated cases, but the entire discharged

casuistry.

Results In the last 5 years total number of potential life-threatening vascular events such as

stroke and myocardial infarction reported by hospitals in Romania through national DRG

system, increased approximately constant over the observation period. If in myocardial events

values are observed constantly increasing from year to year, in case of stroke it is a slight

reduction in infarct total number of cases nationwide in the last 2 years. We can observe a

number of cerebrovascular events several times greater than cardiovascular events. Regarding

the distribution of cases by region, the highest values are found in the South and Northeast, the

most affected being Bucharest area and several counties, both in myocardial and cerebral

infarction. The most common forms of myocardial events were coded by hospitals as acute trans

mural myocardial infarction of the anterior wall and sub endocardium myocardial infarction and

as stroke most patients presented cerebral infarction due to thrombosis of cerebral arteries. The

study gender distribution indicates an impairment of male almost double in the case of cardiac

events, and an impairment equal to a slight predominance about the female sex in the last 2 years

in case of stroke. Data indicates a constantly increasing predominance of patient's urban




59

residence for cardiac events, while patients with cerebral infarction come from both residential

environments, almost similar from urban and rural area. The ages most affected were those over

65 and mature adult category (41-64 years), where the values are constantly increasing for

myocardial infarction, but significant percentages, particularly for cardiac events are registered at

younger ages (20-40 years).

Conclusions A better knowledge of the situation at national and local level regarding these types

of conditions allow targeted interventions so many fatal cases due to these events can be

prevented through an improved management of chronic conditions, both at the patient and health

system level.



60

Transport Information System: road infrastructure and transport networks

(present and future) in the wilaya of Laghouat

Abdelkader Abdellaoui1, Abdelkader Medjdoub

2 Et Belal Ramzi

2

1AIDEC International & Réseau Campus Numérique Avicenne Paris

2Université de Laghouat (Algérie)

[email protected]

At any time human activity has been an impact on the environment. Industrial development

related to transportation and energy use (in most non-renewable) amplified these impacts to

make them ineligible. Hertig JA noted in 2006 in his civil engineering Treaty on the

environmental impact studies that "the environmental protection concern is not new, but the

related internal legislation in place since the past mid-century has been under pressure from

special events at certain times and it does not ensure the necessary coordination between the

different specific laws." He added that "many projects were carried out on the basis of the sole

criterion cost / benefit, no legal obligation being practically provided to impose promoter‟s

consideration of environmental consequences."

Moreover, since the industrial revolution of the nineteenth century, the rhetoric of the "impact"

of the "effect induced" transport on urbanization and development has continued to support the

development of infrastructures communication. But taking into account the environment in

infrastructure and transport policy requires having as relevant valuation methods as possible

given the diversity and complexity of the impacts (Lamure 1993).

What about it in Algeria? And what about it especially in the wilaya of Laghouat ? In Algeria,

the space is, since the 60s, in continuous mutation and deep and, according to many authors,

skilled way more often anarchic by reference not to the lack of planning but rather the

distribution and form of areas occupation. Space planning diagrams are designed and offered

regularly in view of optimizing the use of land; measures and procedures are adopted to protect

sensitive areas (agricultural areas, steppe). The general finding is that reality is too distant

projections and forecasts: if the constructed space and large infrastructure does not meet this

worries global development, protection and promotion for many reasons, the network of roads is

continually questioning: Changing tracks, "ways of improvement", etc. It almost seems that there

is no long-term strategy and these network improvements obey rather to the pressure of special

events at different times. It then becomes legitimate and urgent, ask a number of questions and

try to provide answers: on what basis are developed major road infrastructure projects (policy

development, implementation strategies, realization) what is the regulation in the field, what is

the real procedure, what are the bases of data and information related to this subject, what are the

means of access to this information.




61

Synergy of natural hazards and geomorphosites (in Romania)

Florina Grecu, Laura Comănescu

Department of Geomorphology- Pedology and Geomatics, Faculty of Geography, University of

Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected], [email protected]

This work presents the inter-dependency reports between hazards and geomorphosites, even

proposing the term of geohazsite for the sites generated by hazards. There is a double

significance of the geomorphologic hazards in relation to geosites: of sites generation and of site

alteration, vulnerability or even destruction. The geosite can be vulnerable not only at the

generating hazard but also to other hazards, generally associated. The geosites constitute into a

sequence of temporary dynamic equilibrium of an evolutive system. In this respect, correlations

must be done between geomorphosites as a landform and the geomorphologic hazards, in the

perspective of dynamic geomorphology.

In the process of geomorphosite identification and selection some characteristics of the landform

as response to natural and/or antropic hazards are taken into account. Geomorphosites thus

become elements at risk, vulnerable to the environmental factors and to the natural and/or

antropic hazards.

In our acceptation, Geosites (term which also includes the geomorphologic sites) are relief forms

with a scientific, aesthetical, ecological, economical, and cultural value, in respect of human

perception, that complete the total heritage of a given territory, including the biodiversity and

human creation. Geomorphological hazard is defined as a probability for the occurrence of some

phenomena liable to changing the dynamic balance of slopes hence visible effects on the

environment and human activity. Consequently, the geomorphological processes (erosion,

transport and accumulation), through the action exerted on ground surface comes to create

forms/geosites vulnerable to both human interventions and to natural hazards. The dynamics and

evolution of these forms/geosites lead to the deterioration and destruction of the geosite, to the

generation of a new geosite or to the disappearance of the geosite

This work presents and the modelling systems and typification of geomorphologic hazards and

geomorphosites in Romania





62

Non-invasive monitoring of some organochlorine compounds in eggshells and

feathers of birds from the Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park, Romania

Marius Lucian Matache1, Carmen Hura

2, Iulia Gabriela David

3, Laurentiu Rozylowicz

1

1University of Bucharest, Centre for Environmental Research and Impact Studies, Bucharest, Romania

2Public Health Institute Iasi, Food Hygiene Laboratory, Iasi, Romania

3University of Bucharest, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The aim of this paper is to quantify the levels of DDT and its main metabolites (DDE, DDD) and

also of the HCH congeners in biological samples collected from birds living in the Lower Prut

Floodplain Natural Park, Romania. In order to limit the stress on the bird species, a non-invasive

approach was performed using chorioallantoic membrane of the eggs and feathers as

representative samples. DDTs are the main organohalogen compounds in both categories of

samples. Differences appear between species and categories of samples; for Anas sp., the

concentration is up to 10 times higher in eggs than feathers.




63

Challenges in the evaluation of urban ecosystem services - a case study from

Bratislava

Angelika Tamásová

Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Slovak Republic

[email protected]

The proposed paper responds to the current trends in the field of urban ecosystem services

research and focuses on several methodological approaches as field survey, mapping of selected

forms of vegetation and their species composition and evaluation of ecosystem services in urban

environment by selected indicators. It presents a case study from Bratislava – the capital of the

Slovak Republic –where urban ecosystem services are investigated by collection of data relating

in particular to the microclimatic function of selected vegetation structures.




64

Barriers to access healthcare for a social vulnerable group: the case of Roma

minority in Smârdioasa, Romania

Andreea Ionela Gaciu (Pene)


[email protected]

Ethnic inequalities in health are well known, but those inequalities are difficult to monitor due to

limited data. In Romania, Rroma population is generally perceived negatively by the rest of

society, most of the time living in informal settlements, without access to public infrastructure

and basic needs. The low level of education, reduced income, poor housing conditions and lack

of identity documents increase the vulnerability of this group, most often being disadvantaged,

despite the economic changes and reforms. The aim of the study is to identify and analyze the

barriers to access healthcare encountered by Rroma population from Smârdioasa, influencing

their poor health outcomes. The objective of this research is to point out the relationship between

economic, social and ethnic characteristics of this group and healthcare access, through

qualitative and quantitative methods, using statistical data and in-depth interviews. The

preliminary results show the precarious health status of this ethnic group and also the main

formal or informal factors limiting the access to health care facilities even though certain health

policies were directed particularly to this group. Also, the study reveals the need to re-design

health policies so that they could benefit from thus facilitating their social inclusion.




65

Geographical distribution of avoidable hospital conditions, Romania, 2013

Marius Ciutan, Silvia Gabriela Scintee, Mihnea Dosius, Cristina Mototolea, Cristian Vladescu

National School of Public Health, Management and Professional Development Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

In recent decades, the Romanian health care reform has focused mainly on developing primary

care, with its subsidiary role of relief hospitals less serious cases that can be solved in the

primary care sector. Standing problems were related to territorial availability (rural and isolated

areas) and public access to basic health services. Avoidable hospital conditions (AHCs) is an

indicator that can indirectly measure the access to primary health care and can be used to

compare health systems.

To analize disparities in potentially avoidable hospitalizations in Romania, in 2013, and to

identify some determinants associatted with a high level of this indicator.

We analyzed data on Romanian hospitals activity (no of admissions, sex, age, patient, residence,

type of admission, main diagnosis etc.) and demographic data (2013 population by district), as

well as the coverage of population with medical personnel and medical units. Data used for

hospital activity are part of 2013 DRGNational database; data from National Institute of

Statistics were used for resources data. We calculated hospitals activity indicators such as:

number of avoidable hospital conditions (according to List of ICD10 codes list used to identify

hospitalizations for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions in Annals of Family Medicine), and

standardized rates of avoidable hospital morbidity. Data were aggregated by region and district

level; cartodiagrams were used for graphical analysis.

During the year 2013, about 221176 episodes that can be classified as avoidable hospitalizations

were recorded, representing 6% of all hospitalizations. Over half of these hospitalizations have

one of the following six diagnoses: primary hypertension (over 20%); hypertensive

cardiomyopathy with congestive heart failure (6.3%); bacterial pneumonia, unknown (6%);

noninfectious gastroenteritis and colitis, unspecified (5.5%); acute interstitial nephritis (4.6%)

and type 2 diabetes mellitus with poor control (3.5%). District with the highest number of

avoidable hospitalizations are among the university centers districts and those with larger

population. In terms of avoidable hospitalizations density (number of avoidable hospitalizations /

no. of population * 100000 inhabitants), the top ranks districts in the south (Caras-Severin, Alba,

Teleorman, Ilfov, Olt, Giurgiu, Mehedinti). High rates of avoidable hospitalizations were




66

associated with high mortality and poor coverage of the population with family medicine

cabinets, and hospital beds, and number of doctors and number of nurses.

As the organization of primary care sector plays an important role in geographical disparities in

terms of avoidable hospitalizations, this study provides evidence for health policies and, in

particular, for policy in resource allocation, AHCs can be addressed by increasing the coverage

of population with medical staff and the availability of ambulatory and primary care in areas

with high rates of avoidable hospitalizations; these solutions can eventually lead to increasing

equity, quality and efficiency in provision of healthcare.



67

Overview of Urban Ecosystems Services Assessment in Romania

Cristian Ioja

Centre for Environmental Research and Impact Studies , University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Urban ecosystems services assessment represents important challenges for urban areas,

interested to promote measure for increase the resilience to environmental, social, economic and

political changes. At European level, more assessment tools were promoted in order to improve

the city capacity for a fast response to these changes (e.g. URBES, MAES, TEEB). Thus, the

evaluation of the city capacity to supply resources and services become an important step in

environmental planning. In Romania, few studies were promoted linked to urban ecosystems

services assessment. Cultural and regulating urban services assessment was the main subject of

these researches, that is too fragmented in terms of methodological approaches. In this paper is

presented main directions related with ecosystems services approaches in Romanian cities using

the most relevant national and international literature. Also, it proposes a vision of the future

researches in this field.




68

Flood Risk Perception. Case Study: Floods of September 2013, in Cudalbi

(Galaţi County)

Laura Comanescu, Alexandru Nedelea

Geomorphology-Pedology-Geomatics Department, Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest,

Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Cudalbi is a village in the county of Galați (Romania), located to 55 km north of Galati and

about 200 km from the capital Bucharest. The floods that occurred in Cudalbi in September

2013, were the result of the heavy precipitation fallen between September 11-12 and September

13-14 and the torrential flows loaded with high amounts of sediments (September 14-15).

Compared with other papers that have focused of the people‟s perception on how authorities

have managed such events, this paper emphasizes how people perceive the overall risks of

floods. For this study the authors used both the questionnaire implemented in the previous stages

(September, November 2013) as well as the interview method. The sample population was

chosen so that it would be representative for the village and no overlapping with the previous

questionnaires was possible. The questionnaire has 26 questions structured in three chapters

(most of them have single or multiple choice answers), and the present study focuses on the

chapter dealing with people‟s past experiences and their awareness about floods. The results

prove that people‟s perception about floods varies greatly depending on past experiences, age,

gender, level of education. Most interviewed people are aware of the main causes of floods and

what their attitude should be in front of such events. Individual perceptions differ from the

collective ones. This contribution is part of the VULMIN project (from the PCCA category),

managed by Professor dr. Alexandru Nedelea.




69

Assessment of functional policentricity in county residence municipalities in

Romania

Antonio Tache, Monica Tache, Constantin Chifelea

National Institute for Research and Development in Constructions, Urbanism and Sustainable Spatial

Development URBAN-INCERC; Bucharest, Romania

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

The main problem in adopting functional urban areas (or metropolitan areas) as territorial units

for analysis and policy formulation, in European countries, is the lack of accepted standards for

their identification.

Current economic development of the European territory is characterized by the

”metropolisation” process, resulting in an increase of economic output and innovation capacity.

The study assessed the functions of Romania‟s county residence cities, using concepts of ESPON

project 1.1.1. and an original methodology to establish the capacity of these cities to constitute

metropolitan areas.

The original methodology for assessing the functional polycentricity of Romania‟s county seats

includes three major phases:

- the first phase used statistical indicators to assess the functions of Romania‟s county residences,

with the concepts of ESPON project.

- in the second phase the values of each statistical indicators were transformed into 10 classes of

values according to statistical support (based on quintiles) of ARCGIS program.

- in the third stage the General index was calculated by aggregating the final values of specific

indicators of each studied area.

The results of the survey are quantified as follows: an assessment of Romania‟s county residence

city in in terms of mission requirements on ESPON areas; analysis and cartogrames for each

county municipality; final ranking of the general indicator of Romania‟s county capital.

Conclusion - The analyses reveal significant discrepancies in municipalities and county seat of

unbalanced development of the national territory, which requires national policies that build on

the strengths of cities, highlight priority national projects.






70

What are the features of Romanian functional urban areas considering the

human and natural capital?

Alina Huzui-Stoiculescu, Georgiana Toth, Alina Chicos, Robert Stoiculescu

National Research Institute Urban-Incerc; Bucharest, Romania

Centre for Migration Studies, University of Bucharest; Bucharest, Romania

CeLTIS Research Centre, ICUB, University of Bucharest , Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Present urban policies define the city‟s role in regard to new growth poles and the integrated

urban development. In this context, functional urban areas represent multinuclear urban

structures that interact beyond the administrative boundaries of the core city, hence behaving as a

single entity from various perspectives, ranging from demographic to political ones. In fact

human and natural capital stand as significant dimensions in measuring the polycentricism of

functional urban areas. Focusing on the human capital, the analysis reveals large disparities

between functional urban areas including the largest cities in Romania and the average or smaller

ones, if we consider the population volume and evolution, commuting, the remunerated

workforce and education, all influenced by the economic shortfall experienced by average or

small cities, a process that started with the industrial restructuring and was increased by the 2008

economic crisis. Functional areas of large cities differ from those of declining urban structures

on account of representing poles of population convergence, attracting workforce, concentrating

large shares of skilled population and offering better opportunities to the labour market for

people living in the outer area. Also, functional urban areas have the potential to form regional

planning systems that could initiate a processes of reorganising traditional environmental links

that have been established between urban centres and the supporting territory. The urban

ecosystem suggests a strong reliance on the natural capital of the territory, the spatial dispersion

process setting forth several consequences on this capital.




71

Assessment of socio-economic vulnerability to dryness and drought

phenomena in the Oltenia plain. A preliminary approach

Monica Dumitraşcu, Irena Mocanu, Bianca Mitrică, Carmen Dragotă, Ines Grigorescu, Cristina

Dumitrică

Institute of Geography, Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Oltenia Plain is one of the most important agricultural regions in Romania and one of the most

“sensitive” in terms of extreme weather phenomena (e.g. dryness and drought, heat waves, heavy

rainfall, hail storms) due to its location in the south-western part of Romania, associated with the

natural (e.g. sandy soils, sand dunes) and socio-economic (e.g. high levels of poverty,

unemployment, high degree of rurality) conditions. During the post-communist period, Oltenia

Plain was subject to major transformations which triggered significant environmental

consequences: land use/land cover changes, excessive fragmentation of farming land, emergence

of individual farms practicing subsistence agriculture, poor services in agriculture (e.g. irrigation,

fertilization, mechanization). All of these have turned this area into one of the most vulnerable to

extreme weather phenomena leading to severe degradation of agricultural land with direct impact

on crop production, human health and rural welfare. As a result, the paper aims to develop a

multi-criteria vulnerability assessment using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The

current study is seeking to identify relevant indicators in order to emphasize and assess various

components of socio-economic vulnerability to dryness and drought phenomena using the

statistical data available at LAU 2 level. As a result, three main categories of statistical variables

and indicators were taken into account: demographic and social features (e.g. population,

different vulnerable groups, medical care), economy (e.g. unemployment rate, employment in

agriculture, the share of land covered with different land use categories) and public utilities (e.g.

drinking water supply, sewerage system). Based on the resulted outcomes, the selected indicators

will be grouped in three major indexes defining: demographic and social vulnerability, economic

vulnerability and infrastructure vulnerability. Ultimately, an integrated socio-economic

vulnerability index to dryness and drought phenomena (using Hull score, average 50 and

standard deviation 14) will be computed. In order to point out some aspects related to the climate

particularities of dryness and drought phenomena the authors computed relevant climate

indicators (e.g. Palfai aridity index, Climatic Water Deficit, Thornthwaite Aridity Index) based

on the meteorological data of the most representative weather stations in the study-area.




72

Arguments for integrative management of protected areas in the cities – Case

study in Bucharest city

Gabriela Manea, Elena Matei, Iuliana Vijulie, Laura Tîrlă, Roxana Cuculici, Octavian Cocoș,

Adrian Tișcovschi


[email protected]

Protected areas should be considered as a complementary form of anthropogenic environmental

intervention geared towards restoring its balance by removing the causes of its visible

degradation. Some urban ecosystems may have ecological functions of interest; they can be

valued by creating urban protected areas as ecologically sustainable management models. This

approach meets the new recommendations of IUCN, concerning the conservation of valuable,

original ecosystems, which through mismanagement, non-protective, may suffer significant

degradation or irreversible disappearances. The study area is represented by Văcăreşti wetland, a

""sui generis"" landscape unit in the built-up area of Romania capital, overlaid on the Southern

compartment of Bucharest Plain. Taking into consideration the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems,

the purpose of the study lies in the analysis of the environmental context, economic and social

vulnerability of wetland ecosystem, as argument for manage the Văcăreşti wetland as urban

natural park with multiple functions: scientific, cultural, educational and social. The research

methodology was based on: the study of international documents on the issue of urban protected

areas, historical and statistical data collection on the study area; using GIS and diachronic and

synchronic analysis; monitoring of press articles, opinions from social networks and processing

of semi-structured interviews in QSR NVivo 10 software. The results revealed necessity of

integrative management of the study area, under the circumstances of contradictions between the

valuable natural and semi-natural potential and current anthropogenic and heterogeneous

exploitation, leaded by the group interests.




73

Can biodiversity conservation be promoted when other services are targeted

for urban waterbodies?

Beat Oertli, Eliane Demierre, Christiane Ilg

University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland, Switzerland

[email protected]

The conservation of biodiversity is rarely the targeted ecosystem service of small waterbodies in

the urban matrix. Usually other services are promoted for urban ponds and small lakes, such as

water retention, flooding prevention, climate regulation, water treatment, along with providing a

platform for environmental education, experience of aesthetic values and a space for leisure

activities (fishing, boating, bathing). But do urban waterbodies networks also host a biodiversity

valuable for conservation? Can ponds designated for other services be hotspots for urban

biodiversity or, on the contrary, do they host pest or undesirables species? A study of a hundred

ponds in a large European city (Geneva, Switzerland) evidenced a freshwater biodiversity with

various contrasting facets. The local and regional species richness of aquatic plants, aquatic

invertebrates, amphibians remained moderated if compared with natural areas, and these

waterbodies hosted only few threatened taxa. Therefore, the interest for conservation of these

communities is relatively low. Additionally, exotic species were numerous, especially aquatic

plants, and could potentially constitute a threat. Nevertheless, pest species and nuisances were

inconspicuous, biting dipterans being limited and claims of public remaining anecdotal (also

regarding frog songs). Nevertheless, the biodiversity of urban ponds often included flagship and

esthetics species (plants, frogs, damselflies) and provide therefore nature experience for urban

citizens. The biodiversity of urban wetlands presents here an opportunity for the social aspects.

Furthermore, targeted management measures to promote biodiversity could easily enhance their

conservation value.




74

The impact of IT companies evolution over the business environment

development and labor market in Romania

Silviu Cojocaru, Cristian Draghici, Camelia Cojocaru

University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

This study aims to identify the patterns related to the dynamic evolution of software and IT

services companies in the period 2000-2012, in Romania. Information Technology has proven

one of the most dynamic areas of Romanian economy, registering a growth rate over the overall

economy‟s growth rate. Also, the study is intended to identify the effects of this development on

the labor market and other local businesses. Concerning the methodology, Bucharest and other

cities with a population of more than 200,000 inhabitants were selected for the study. All

selected cities are large university centers, having faculties or university specializations in the

area of information technology.




75

How long did trips last at the end of the XVIIIth century according to

Specht’s map? Case study – Saac district

Alexandru Ionuț Cruceru, Cezar Buterez


[email protected]

Being among the first maps of Muntenia that had been made on a relatively big scale (approx.

1:57.600), and also among the first that were provided with modern topographic survey means,

Specht‟s map (1790-1791) represented through time an indispensable documentary source for

the geography and historical cartographical studies. A less known fact nowadays, and mainly

unexplored by researchers, is the content of the three manuscript tomes located at the Library of

the Romanian Academy, copied by Nicolae Docan in 1912, which elaborates the elements of the

plates. In the present work, on the basis of the information provided by the third tome, the

authors focus on the presentation of a single aspect: the distance in time between villages. The

analysis aims to assess how much time was spent on trips at the end of the XVIIIth century, with

the traditional means of traveling, in the interior of Saac district, frequently crossed by

merchants, due to the roads that connected Transylvania to Bucharest and Brăila.




76

Linking territories: transport planning around Bucharest

Ana Magdalena Baidan

Lille 1 – TVES, France

[email protected]

The transport system is a major contributor to urban growth, providing the answer to the main

and initial development needs: access. Yet in the current context of a capital leaving behind its

communist past (at an urban, administrative, political level), while agreeing to the European

demands, Bucharest is working on several fronts to move forward and lead in the creation of a

network and an efficient transportation infrastructure, sustainable and able to meet the needs of

all stakeholders.

From a practical standpoint, however, the situation is often complicated by the dysfunction

between the different responsible public institutions, through the role of private actors on the one

hand, and the need to involve civil society, on the other, or the brakes posed by the political or

economic / financial elements.

Starting from traffic flow management projects (underpasses or bridges), the need to install bike

lanes and finishing with the creation of the transport master plan of Bucharest, several dynamics

concerning transport in Bucharest are being created.

By analyzing all these elements of the system, we want to present an overview that is both

objective and clear, focusing on concrete projects that have been realized in recent years or are

currently being implemented, while reframing the situation in the European context, hoping that

this work will highlight the reality and the opportunities for a better progress and that it will

provide the basis for future research.




77

Effect of different land use types and their implications on land degradation:

the case of the watershed Isser-Tlemcen (Algeria).

Mostafia Boughalem1, Abdelkader

Abdellaoui

2, Mohamed Mazour

1

1Ctr Univ Ain Temouchent, Laboratory of Applied Hydrology and environment/DGRSDT, BP 284- 46000

Ain Temouchent, Algéria () 2Agence Internationale pour le développement de l’Education et de la Coopération (AIDEC), 61 Avenue

du Général de Gaulle, 94010 Créteil, France

[email protected]

Water erosion is one of the most active processes in soil formation. In the Algerian watersheds,

water and soil, vital resources needed for production, are currently experiencing degradation in

terms of quantity and quality. This process continues to grow and is reflected by the decline and

exhaustion of these resources and the worsening of environmental problems. To assess the risk

of runoff and erosion, we looked for indicators of the soil's ability to produce runoff.

This work focuses on water erosion observed in the northwest region of Algeria. It deals with the

specific case of cereals, whose surface status (SS) influences strongly the formation of runoff

during the rainy season, due to the formation of slaking crusts. The objective of this work is to

study the surface states under different modes of land use, practiced in the region in order to

apprehend the contributing areas of runoff and land loss. For this, surface observations were

carried out taking into account the spatial organization of SS created by the soil tillage. The

surveys (SS) are completed at the watershed of the Isser, at a scall of m2, on a six plots sample

submitted different cropping systems. These observations were completed by in situ

measurements of soil infiltrability. It shows that runoff is closely related to the hydrous and

structural state of soil. It decreases from upstream to downstream slopes and is higher on the

south-facing slopes than the north-facing ones.




78

Toposequential analysis and cultivation of the land skills Misserghin region

(the northern margin of the Great Sebkha of Oran, western Algeria).

Mostafia Boughalem1, Kacem Moussa

2, Abdelkader

Abdellaoui

3, Mohamed Mazour

1

1Ctr Univ Ain Temouchent, Laboratory of Applied Hydrology and environment/DGRSDT, BP 284- 46000

Ain Temouchent, Algéria 2Université d'Oran- Faculté des sciences de la Terre, de Géographie et de l'Aménagement du Territoire-

El Menouar B.P 1524 - Oran 31000- Algérie 3Agence Internationale pour le développement de l’Education et de la Coopération (AIDEC), 61 Avenue

du Général de Gaulle, 94010 Créteil, France

[email protected]

Toposequentiel analysis based on data and clay analysis, climate, vegetation, geology and

geomorphology of soil allowed identifying different type of soil in Misserghin area. We have

had expect the presence of three types of soil as following:

-The Ironsiallitic soils: we found them at the bottom of Murdjadjo Mount. It corresponds to an

agrological poor quality land. It‟s situated in a medium depth. These soils have one or more

adverse characters that can be developed in a modest way. It occupied the downstream part of

the studied Mount and by the installation of a dense forest on a relatively high slope.

- The Alluvial soils, which occupying the plain of Misserghin on a medium altitude slopes,

indicate an agrological good quality land, deep, naturally fertile and which has favorable

properties (nitrogen: 2,5 à 3 0/00, phosphate: 0,8

0/00), in which we did find diversified crops such

as grapes, grain, citrus, fruit trees etc.

- The Saline sodic soils (or salino-sols) are found in the downstream part of the catchment area

(in the proximity of the Sebkha SS) and they showed very poor agrological quality (to zero),

these soils have one or more extremely unfavorable edaphic characters and this land is occupied

by halophilic vegetation.

The key recommendation in relation to the development of agriculture in the north of the Great

Sebkha of Oran, is the concentration of farming activities in the alluvial soils that have good

agrological quality land where the slope is delivering an average vast plain like that of

Misserghin which served as a model of cultural aptitudes of studies based on a thin

toposequentiel analysis.




79

Geographic Accessibility vs. Affordability to Health Services. Case of Ilfov

County, Romania

Nistor Petronela


[email protected]

The socio-economic situation of Romania in conjunction with low level of education of the

population from rural areas have led to a poor addressability to health services. In the past few

years, Ilfov County has been going through a series of social, economic and demographic

changes that led to a proper ground for highlighting contrasts from the point of view of

accessibility to health services.

The present study focuses on the relationship between geographical accessibility and population

affordability to health services.

Data bases were processed using statistic, mathematic and spatial analyzes with SPSS and

ArcGis applications.

Territorial distribution of health units and medical personal were analyzed in order to evaluate

the geographical accessibility. The addressability was measured using different indicators such

as weekly doctor-hours available from consulting rooms during opening hours, and associated

nurse-hours of service, number of consultations in medical offices, etc.

The preliminary results highlight the fact that even if particulars groups in Ilfov Country are not

disadvantaged in terms of spatial/geographical access to health services, their affordability is

limited due to high costs (including informal payments), lack of information/education, negative

perception of doctors, which negatively affects their health status.




80

Land use/land cover changes related to mining activities in the Motru-

Rovinari coal field

Roxana Cuculici

Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest , Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The Motru-Rovinari Coal Field is located in the south-western part of Romania, overlapping the

southern part of the Getic Subcarpathians and the northern part of the Getic Piedmont, covering

522.54 sq.km. The study-area is distinguished as one of the foremost critical environmental

regions in Romania due to the radical land transformations that took place within the past fifty

years as a result of the expansion of human habitat and intensification of the mining activities.

As a result, land use/land cover changes stand out as the most sensitive recorder of

environmental changes in the region. The author are using modern GIS computer mapping and

statistical techniques for the processing of a wide range of cartographic documents covering the

analysed period in order to provide a spatial and temporal dynamics of land use/land cover

changes. Thus, several relevant topographical maps were taken into considerations (1940, 1956,

1970, 1990, and 2009). The analysed cartographic documents were chosen based on the specific

historical, political and economic drivers of change (e.g. the agrarian reforms, the opening of the

first coal mines) in order to highlight the causal relationships between land transformations and

the triggering key factors. Therefore, after the beginning of the mining exploitations, the study-

area faced critical land cover/land use changes which, together with the expansion of the coal

fields and the adjacent amenities (e.g. quarries, mine holes, tailings) have led to the expansion of

degraded lands against other land use categories (e.g. arable, forest and even build-up in the case

of settlements‟ displacements).




81

High resolution landscape change analysis with photogrammetric techniques.

A case study from Iron Gates reservoir area (1968-2012)

Bogdan Mihai1, Constantin Nistor

1, Liviu Toma

2, Ionuț Săvulescu

1

1University of Bucharest, Faculty of Geography, Bucharest, Romania

2GISBOX srl Bucharest, Romania

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected],

[email protected]

The paper proposes a methodology to integrate in the same GIS analysis data derived from

DECLASS 1 intelligence imagery (KH-4B satellite imagery from 1968, 1.5 m resolution, USGS

data collection), together with Romanian orthphotos from 2012. Both data sets were coregistered

in Stereographic 1970 projection after a photogrammetric workflow focused on the older data

coverage. Study area was the Danube River Valley between Orsova and Drobeta-Turnu Severin,

where the Iron Gates Dam and Reservoir generated a dramatic landscape and land cover change

between 1965 and 1972. Historical imagery from August 17, 1968 was obtained from archive in

the original data format (GeoTiff, perspective projection) on four frames covering the study area.

A photogrammetric workflow was developed in order to create image models with an accurate

orientation and to produce a correct mosaic based on aerotriangulation techniques with points

from independent data sources (historical maps and present-day orthophotos). Using the

corresponding Digital Elevation Model derived from declassified imagery, an orthophoto

coverage was produced. After coregistration of data we continued with a GIS analysis of the

diachronic datasets in order to map and analyze the changes (type, magnitude, trend etc.) within

the flooded areas and along the neighboring slopes (settlement built-up area movement, transport

infrastructure reconstruction, hidrotechnical works impact, deforestation, cropland flooding, old

historical vestiges situation – Ada Kaleh island etc.).







82

Teaching and assessing skills in environmental geography in a bilingual class

Florina Paunescu

"George Cosbuc" Bilingual National College, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

This paper presents my experience in bilingual teaching, an integrated programme for geography

and English language learning for upper secondary students. General geographical aspects are

linked with the geography of Great Britain and that of the USA, with an attitude of raising

students' awareness on environmental issues. The topics are a framework for the development of

(environmental) geography - related knowledge and skills, cognitive skills and language aspects.

Therefore, the paper presents various methods of teaching and assessing environmental issues in

four distinct structured texts which combine typical geographic skills (like completing a table or

a sketch) with methods used in English classes (like true / false questions). A special accent is

put on both the use of specific environmental vocabulary (synonyms, false friends, also

anticipated grammar mistakes) - as well as on discussions in class based on cause-effect

relationships between processes and phenomena.




83

Recent dynamics of the most disadvantaged rural areas in Oltenia (Romania)

Emanuel Bureța

Faculty of Geography, Univesity of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

This paper aims to analyze the mechanisms of functionality for the economic system of weakly

polarized areas in the region of "" Oltenia "". The “South-West” Region of Romania overlaps

the territory of the historical province of Oltenia. From a demographic perspective this area is

predominantly rural with a share of 52.5 % compared to 47.5 % for population that lives in the

urban areas. So here we meet large areas with a deeply rural character.

These areas are disadvantaged socio-economically, because of low productivity of the economic

system , one predominantly agricultural , but also because of poor infrastructure development ,

which produces a rift between them and urban areas of the region.

Agriculture is practiced on small and dispersed surfaces and the secondary sector, the one

responasabile for collecting and processing of products, is missing. This situation created a

sistem impossible to link with the economic needs of the cities, leading to the loss of markets.

Residents were shifted to jobs in main cities but, even this is not an economic solution to revive

their settlements. Capital brought by them represents the amount spent in the same unproductive

system.

The main goal of the study is to optimize the development process of these sites by creating new

points of connection between deep rural areas and urban centers.




84

Degradation of natural environments in the Algerian Oriental Tell: case of

Beni Haroun dam basin.

H.Amireche, D. Dekoumi

Institute of Management of Urban Technics University of Constantine 3, Algeria

[email protected]

Living areas of ecosystems of oriental Tell, weakened by their lithological and topographic

constitution are permanently experiencing intense processes of physical and biological

degradation in time space.

The observation and analysis of these phenomena for more than three decades have mostly

revealed the difficulty of partial or sequential approach and to report on the place and importance

of the different determinants in the functioning of these basins.

Erosion or the result of a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors seems finally as

surrender into dust of the substratum and its charriage by water.

The question of the study of erosion phenomena relates to the social relation to habitat and the

biotope and biosenosis restricted to the plant and animal kingdoms, or in other words, the

society's relationship with its natural environment. To understand this feedback type relationship

in its functional diversity, the study of the formation and evolution of the determinants of erosion

mechanisms seems unavoidable. It is through the history of living areas that it is possible to

detect the right time of the undermining of the operating mechanisms.

The spotting of the different factors, the nature of their interaction and their evolution, will lead

us to better predict the launching time of the phenomenon and specify therefore its path in this

case.

The question of the analysis of the spatial genesis, through the example of Beni Haroun basin

remains an important link in the knowledge of ecosystem functioning or local geo-systems and

the prediction of their future path.




85

Man-made changes of the relief due to the mining activities within

Husnicioara open pit (Mehedinti County, Romania)

Sandu Boengiu, Oana Ionus, Emil Marinescu

Geography Department, University of Craiova, Craiova, Romania

[email protected]

Depending on the relief, the technological process for lignite extraction from Husnicioara open

pit uses 2 or 3 excavation steps of the mine waste deposits that lie over the coal strata (I+IV);

first, the mining waste is deposited in the outer spoil tip and then in the inner tip, followed by

coal excavation on another step. So far, the mining activities have affected 3.5 km2, including

part of the Long Valley, Lake Valley and Fata Lacului and Padurea Dumbrava hills.

The lignite exploitation implies the dislocation, relocation and storage of materials, which has

caused a significant change of the local geomorphological context, leading to the construction of

some anthropic structures such as cavities and prominent relief forms. The area of the mining

exploitation is an artificial space that functions according to new rules. The takeover, transport

and depositing activities of the materials resulted from the coal exploitation caused the

destruction of the aquifer strata, the modification of the local lithology, the emergence of cavities

and prominent (temporary or definitive) forms, triggering or accelerating the geomorphological

processes within the exploited or neighbouring area, relief inversions, modeling of slope profile,

appearance of mining techno-structures, changes of the intensity and speed of the

geomorphological processes, emergence of conflicting relationships between the natural

components of the geomorphological system and the anthropic activity, environment pollution.




86

Corabia residents’ perception on industrial tourism development and their

effects on local economy

Adelina Teodorescu1, Delia Ionescu

2, Carlos Cueto

3, Nicoleta Bira

4

1Cernatesti School

2Galicea Mare School, Dolj County, Romania

3Peru Embassy in Romania

4N. Balcescu Oltenita, Calarasi County, Romania

[email protected]

After 1990 Romania recorded a noticeable economic transformation. Many functional economic

units in the city of Corabia shortly became only empty spaces, with no activity. Not to get

degraded to an extent that it may no longer take any destination, the study aims to integrate them

in the tourism activity, which almost does not exist in this city, despite its Danube harbour-city.

Residents‟ perception on the development of this activity is rather interesting, the data being

collected through a survey, highlighting both the positive and the negative aspects of tourism. It

becomes increasingly obvious the solution to develop a campaign focusing on the education and

awareness of the correct understanding of the service sector activities and which could precisely

understand the effects on local economy.




87

A review on geomorphology today. Denudation and stripping – minimum

resistance at base level.

Antoaneta Stoica

[email protected]

The present communication follows on the work previous presented in the book of Vlad Cristian

Bârligeanu entitled Morfostructural analysis of the Subcarpathians between the Ialomita and

Prahova Valley. The purpose of the communication is to improve the knowledge about structural

relief in the perspective of base levels assimilated to axes of minimum resistance – perceived as

host systems and in which the structural relief is integrated easily.

The motivation of the present study is related to approaching the theme of base levels in the

study of terrestrial morphodynamic and the ranking of irregularities in the landforms inspired by

the term of stripping.




88

Exploring social vulnerability Index in Bucharest at the 2011 census

Iuliana Armaș1, Alexandru Gavriș

2


2University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Bucharest city is among the highest exposed capitals to earthquakes. Memories about the large

damages produced during the past century and the daily seismic activity of the nearby Vrancea

area make Bucharest a center of interest to study its vulnerability. But because of the visible

destruction of 1977 earthquake, the focus was mainly on the build environment and less on the

social and economic vulnerability of this city. That is why; we strive to explore areas at risk and

their spatial association by applying Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI) at the 2011 census.

Throughout the analysis we discuss the results and comment on the census induced issues that

hinder on a clear identification of vulnerable areas.




89

North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and East Atlantic / West Russia (EAWR)

indices variations impact on water turbidity in the Danube Delta coastal area

Sorin Constantin, Ștefan Constantinescu, Florina Grecu


[email protected]

Large scale climatic changes can have important impacts on regional and local environments,

especially on fragile ecosystems like wetlands and coastal areas. In order to better quantify the

magnitude of such impacts on marine areas in front of Danube Delta, specific indicators can be

correlated with locally determined parameters. The analyzed climatic indicators within this study

are the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the East Atlantic / West Russia (EAWR) indices.

Their dynamics are linked to local processes (waves and currents), which can influence the

variability of total suspended matter in the water column. Detailed knowledge of the dynamics of

suspended sediments in this area is crucial for understanding the mechanisms that govern

specific geomorphological processes such as formation and evolution of barrier islands or

submerged bars. The sedimentary balance also dictates the evolution of the entire delta shoreline,

through appearance of erosion/accumulative sectors, particularly depending on the amount of

solid particulates at specific time periods and locations. In this context, turbidity products

derived from long time series of satellite data are used as an expression of sediment loads in the

upper water layers. Although the values of turbidity can be influenced also by other factors, such

as chlorophyll concentration, in the area of interest the main cause for large turbidity units is

represented by inorganic particulate matter from river input or caused by resuspension processes.

Analyzing 12 years of remote sensed turbidity values shows the degree of correlation between

large-scale atmospheric forcing systems and regional dynamics of suspended sediments.




90

Restoration of Degraded Urban Ecosystems for Healthy Cities- Developing

technical and scientific references for Nature-Based Solutions

Yangang Xing1, Phil Jones

1, Graham Ormondroyd

2, Simon Curling

2

1Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University, United Kingdom

2Bangor University, United Kingdom

[email protected]

Significant areas of ecosystems are being lost or degraded as a result of human activities. There

is growing concern for the health of urban populations as cities sprawl at an unprecedented rate.

Urban green infrastructures provide a notable range of environmental remediation benefits, and

pioneering health policy is recognizing nature as a cost-effective tool for planning healthy cities.

It is general recognized that ecosystems can provide air/water purification, soil erosion

protection, flood damage control, carbon sequestration and recreational facilities (green gym)

that contribute to human well-being, economic stability and physical security. However, there is

limited information on how specific elements of nature deliver health outcomes. In this study,

we developed a framework for identifying pathways through which nature bring environmental

remediation benefits, and highlight current evidence, established measurement methods and

future research needs.




91

The role of socio-demographic, economic and environmental factors in

perpetuating the conflicts in Yemen

Popa Vasile, Cocoș Octavian


[email protected]

Lying in a strategic region from the economic point of view, on the Bab al-Mandab Straits, the

Republic of Yemen is known for its ancient civilization, but also for the political instability

affecting the country for several decades. This situation has largely been influenced by the

population‟s structure and dynamics, as well as by the low economic level and the restrictiveness

of the natural environment. The population, which is very heterogeneous from the socio-cultural

standpoint, has known a rapid growth in the last half century, putting an increasing pressure on

the natural resources (water, soil, biodiversity), which have started to dwindle and to get worse in

terms of quality. In all this time, the low level of economic development has failed to bring about

visible improvements in the quality of life, which remained precarious for most of the people.

The inefficiency of governmental policies in solving these problems has been an almost

permanent reason for discontent among the population.




92

Examples of polycyclic intrusions in granitic magmas in Sardinia (Italy,

western Mediterranean Sea): some geomorphologic considerations

Sergio Ginesu, Manuela Capula

University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

[email protected]

Recent geological surveys, which have focused on the evolution of the hydrographic network of

northeastern Sardinia, have outlined examples of morphosites of geological interest that are

linked to the complex evolution of pluton emplacement. Two outcrops, the Cala Sarraina and

Fizza Ona sites, which are near a northeastern Sardinian coast town, are good examples of

morphosites along the edge of different plutonic units. These outcrops represent a well-exposed,

pillow-like horizon that is observable in the field for at least 100-200 m. The first outcrop is

underlined by the occurrence of the coast, whereas the second occurs in a large tafoni form.

Under the microscope, these aphyric rocks may be classified as granophyres; graphic textures are

commonly observed in the surrounding fine-grained rocks. In addition, a similar granitic

composition is observed in samples from the investigated area, indicating that pillow-like

structures may have resulted from the occurrence of local filter-press mechanisms under fast-

cooling conditions (i.e., granophyric and graphic textures) during their emplacement in the upper

crustal levels of satellite bodies. Overall, the two outcrops represent a good and rare example of

the emplacement mechanisms of granitic magmas in the Sardinian batholith. Many preserved

forms support the occurrence of inselbergs that characterize the entire Gallura landscape and the

northeasterly tilting northern block of the Sardinia basement in accordance with the Oligo-

Miocene tectonic movements. Some characteristics can be used to determine the development of

magmatic digestion; the first site, Cala Sarraina, is more mature than the Fizza Ona site




93

Coastal erosion and its use in northern Sardinia (Italy)

Donatella Carboni1, Sergio Ginesu

1, Marian Marin

2

1University of Sassari, Italy


[email protected]

The study provides an overview of coastal erosion in northern Sardinia, indicating the causes and

the effects of the most relevant and identifies critical areas in relation to the possible scenarios of

extreme event. The knowledge of the state of natural balance of the coasts is essential for

planning and protection in the medium-long term and requires careful evaluation of the risks and

potential dangers, obtainable through geomorphological, sedimentological and meteomarine data

interpretation, and degree and the human settlement type. Much of Sardinians waterways are

torrential and have poor solid discharges due to the presence of dams was 393 (56 large

reservoirs and 336 small reservoirs) that remove sediment to natural beach nourishment. It is

sufficient to calculate the volume of sediment trapped from the reservoir to have a dimension of

the phenomenon, total 4,372,933.5 m3 for Cedrino in use from 1989 to 1,085,700.0 m3 for

Cixerri in activity since 1992 and 2498.226,2 m3 for Bidighinzu in use since 1959. An

interference such significant contributions to the sea involves a sedimentary deficit in the system

which leads to an inevitable retreat of shorelines. For the evaluation of the areas with greater

sensitivity and vulnerability it is also considered the human load resulting from the presence of

infrastructure and activities along the coast and next to the river banks. It was also decided

through a questionnaire to assess the value of environmental asset (in this case a stretch of

coastline) is understood as a "sense of well received" by the people, because it became clear that

the remediation or enhancement cannot be delegated to a mere technical-scientific approach but

there has to be sharing community. The integrated analysis of these factors helped to identify

critical situations and vulnerabilities along the coasts of Northern Sardinia that led to the

mapping of areas at risk.




94

Wildfires in temperate areas. A national level approach

Bogdan Mihai1, Ionut Savulescu

1, Cristian Ioja

1, Maria Visan

2

1Faculty of Geography; University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

2Intergraph Romania, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Forest fires in Romania frequently occurred during the last decade, although climate and other

environmental features did not create typical conditions. From 2004, forest fires affect in

Romania more than 1000 hectares/year of different forest types (mainly coniferous). These

phenomenons are typical for the summer dry periods but the month of March has the largest

number of events, mainly in foehn type winds affected areas. Their magnitude and frequency are

not well known, since a historical forest fire inventory does not exist. Only recent reports

(starting from 2000) from the IGSU (National Emergency Situation Inspectorate), field mapping

and monitoring provide data about forest fires.

SIAFIM – Satellite Images Analysis for Forest Fire Monitoring project proposes a methodology

for Romanian forested regions starting from existing data. The GIS analysis integrates all the

environmental data coverage for Romanian territory, focusing on the identification of the

differences between forest stands (fuel modeling). This also integrates data derived from

processed remote sensing imagery produced by European sensors (Pleiades and PROBA V) as

well as orthophotos.

The project confirmed a special attention must be paid to wildfire in coniferous forests with a

higher economic and environmental value, situated in low accessibility areas (this introduce real

fire management difficulties). Another aspect is the occurrence of wildfires in protected areas

with rare forest stands (Pinus nigra ssp. banatica from Domogled-Valea Cernei National Park).

Although different approaches were done in Mediterranean areas, our project identified an

increasing role of the soil cover features.




95

Plant species from Bucharest as indicators of urban conditions

Marilena Onete1, Minodora Manu

1, Florian Bodescu

2, Mirela Moldoveanu

1, Larisa Florescu

1

1Institute of Biology Bucharest, Romania

2SC Multidimension SRL, Romania

[email protected]

Bucharest is the biggest city from Romania, presenting air and soil pollution due to traffic

agglomeration and other diffuse sources. On an urban-rural transect the plant species from five

sites have been inventoried and chemical analyses have been performed. The multivariate

statistical analysis of the vegetation reveals the differences among the sites and that the natural

trees and shrubs species had mainly disappeared, being replaced by alien planted species.

Remains of the natural vegetation are adapted to the modified conditions of the city. During

summer (increased temperatures, low humidity, etc.) the vegetation is scarce comprised from a

few dominant species and we can argue that the plants change their phenology in the city. The

chemical analysis of soils and plants revealed that the heavy metal content of these components

of the urban environment is different according with: the site complexity, the proximity with the

main traffic roads, management of the sites and plant species diversity. Due to the structural

complexity of the sites, aerial depositions (wet and dry) are kept at the soil level, vegetation‟s

high diversity not allowing to the dust particles together with pollutant to re-suspend in the air.

Plants influence and are influenced by their environment. Understanding plant species diversity

and its services in urban area and surroundings can bring a better understanding and protection of

biodiversity, ecosystems and proper and more use of green infrastructure.




96

Evaluation of susceptibility to erosion of the area located at the contact

between Lipovei Hills and Timis – Bega Plain

Dorina Micu

West University of Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania

[email protected]

The main objective of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of the relief: the morphometric

parameters (hypsometry, the slope of the terrain, the slopes, depth and drainage density),the

morphological parameters (curvature in plan and profile), but also the influence of geological

composition, of soils and how the land use to assess susceptibility to erosion at the contact

between Lipovei Hills and Timis - Bega Plain, using GIS technology. To achieve this goal, I

have had as purpose: the precise delineation of the area of study, the achievement of geological

mapping with scale 1: 200 000, manual digitizing contours from 5 to 5 m using a topographic

map with scale 1:25 000, which had the result obtaining digital terrain model and his

implementation to realize the hypsometric map, the slope of the terrain map, the exhibition

slopes map, the depth drainage map, the drainage density map, the curvature in plan map and the

curvature in profile map, the mapping of soils and the land use map, on which was drawn the

assess susceptibility to erosion map . Achieving this map had as a result identifying the existence

of a risk of erosion due to the composition of geological study area: sand, gravel, clay red and

loess Quaternary age and clay shale, sands and gravels of Neogene at altitudes exceeding 200 m

and where slopes exceed 16 ° classes and where the slopes is northwest, and the depth is 80 m

drainage and drainage density is about 3 km / km.




97

Assessment of GSM HF-Radiation impact levels within urban residential area

of Craiova city

Ioan Eustatiu Marinescu1, Claudiu Popîrlan

2

1Geography Department, University of Craiova, Craiova, Romania

2Informatics Department, University of Craiova, Craiova, Romania

[email protected]

The present study aims at analyzing the level of exposure to non-ionizing radiation for the

population inside residential areas of Craiova. This type of EM (electromagnetic radiation) is

generated mainly by GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) technology of wireless

communication based on the electromagnetic emitters (GSM antensas) needed for covering

wider territorial areas. They produce constant pulsed microwave radiation even when nobody is

using the phone, affecting the people inside and outside public and residential buildings.

Contributions in this filed show that there is a direct link between continuous exposure to

microwave radiation from cell phone towers and serious health problems over the years. Key

factors in this type of research are the distance and the direct line of sight to the cellular base

station (antennas). The study presents a series of measurements carried out both near the cell

towers and inside residential areas of Craiova. Romania. In most cases the HF radiation levels

measured values superior to recommended values. Finally there are considered some prevention

and minimization procedures for residential exposure as long as non-thermal biological effects

are not considered in any official standard and guideline.




98

Urban lakes in Bucharest – ecological significance of phytoplankton pigment

fingerprint in the plankton foodweb

Mirela Moldoveanu1, Marilena Onete

1, Athanasios Gavrilidis

2, Alina Dumitrache

1, Ciprian

Bîrsan1, Larisa Florescu

1

1Institute of Biology, Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania

2Centre for Environmental Research and Impact Studies, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

This study aims to identify patterns of phytoplankton pigment fingerprint in order to assess the

ecological dynamics of urban lakes. The evaluation of the changes in the features of biotic

components of a lake under various pressures as pollution, climate changes and invasive species

is the main goal of the actual ecological researches worldwide. The urban ecosystems are the

most endangered and less studied in order to find the link between biodiversity and ecological

services. Our study focused on the diversity assessment of some biotic component of urban lakes

in Bucharest, mainly phytoplankton and zooplankton. The functional diversity based on algal

fingerprint was assessed using in situ florometry. The study was conducted in Bucharest, in

2014-2015 period. The samples have been collected from a network of urban lakes on River

Colentina and from enclosed lakes as Tineretului, Circului, Morii. According to chlorophyll a

content of various algal types, the lakes were grouped in some clusters. Also, the phytoplankton

composition shaped the consumer levels, especially the zooplankton assemblages. The grouping

trend of lakes varied seasonally. This classification reflected the local conditions (nutrient

status), the lake origin and factors governing these ecosystems. Conservation of these urban

lentic ecosystems is important both from an economical and an environmental point of view and

can be done by the rapid, accurate evaluation and monitoring of their state of health.




99

Using natural tracers to track the groundwater flow path and the residence

time in a mining area

Alexandra Iulia Cozma, Călin Baciu

Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, România

[email protected]

The greatest challenge in the mining industry consists in the mitigation of AMD (Acid Mine

Drainage), therefore certain natural tracers, such as 222Rn, 226Ra, δ18O and δ2H are frequently

used in hydrological studies to determine the origin, dynamics and mixing of waters. A sampling

campaign has been carried out over a period of 9 months, in order to get a better understand the

flow pattern and estimate the residence time of groundwater in Rosia Montana mining area,

Romania. Water samples have been collected from 10 points (springs, dug wells, and gallery

outlets) in the period November 2013-July 2014. The 222Rn and 226Ra results reflect a low

level of radioactivity in the area, even more, the values are within the national and international

standards. Radon-222 concentrations range from a minimum of 2.43 Bq/L to a maximum of

10.40 Bq/L, with an average of 7.14 Bq/L. Regarding the Ra-226 concentrations, the minimum

value obtained is 25.33 mBq/L and the maximum value 210 mBq/L. The average concentration

of 226Ra is 130.02 mBq/L. In terms of stable isotopes, most of δ2H values of water samples

vary from -74.82‰ to -64.35‰. Most δ18O values of samples analyzed in the specified period

are in the range of -11.49‰ to -9.00‰, and are considered to be very close to the Local Meteoric

Water Line, and also to the Global Meteoric Water Line. The groundwater recharge in the

system of galleries comes from precipitations, and the underground circuit of the water is

relatively short.

Acknowledgements: The present contribution was financially supported by a grant of the

Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, CCCDI – UEFISCDI, project 3-005 Tools

for sustainable gold mining in EU (SUSMIN). "




100

Sustainable Management of Tourist Arrivals in Protected Areas. The case of

the Asinara National Park in Sardinia (Italy)

Graziella Benedetto1, Donatella Carboni

2, Gian Luigi Corinto

3

1Department of Science for Nature and Environmental Resources, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

2Department of Social and Human Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

3Department of Education, Cultural Heritage and Tourism, University of Macerata, Italy

[email protected]

Practices of sustainability are often far from rhetoric declarations and models for assessing

capacity of carrying capacity needs continuing proofs. Protected areas need more scientific

attention due to the political interest by national and local administrative bodies, divided between

strict conservation policies and the necessity to ensure financial resources coming from tourism.

There are many ways for assessing the Tourist Carrying Capacity (TCC), and a methodological

choice is necessary for any effective managing decision, today and in future times. In order to

cast a theoretical framework for future applications, we have examined national and international

literature review on application in case studies about parks and other tourist destinations.

Considering our review, we present the rationale for choosing a feasible model and democratic

procedures to be tested and implemented for the case-study. The Asinara National Park shows

the peculiarity to be located in a big island, even separated from that of Sardinia. The specific

site needs a rethinking of the management policies through the rationalization of arrivals to be

subjected to an assessment of the TCC consistent with the goals of the Asinara Park plan. The

tourist access rationing is easily detectable for programming and governing purposes. Thus the

venue is particularly good for an experimentation of policies on sustainable management, to be

oriented to the conservation of biodiversity and human activity management, through the

regulation of tourist arrivals.




101

In search of emerging polities: a content analysis of thematic agendas of

selected European cross-border cooperation structures

Valentin Cojanu, Alexandru Gavriș, Raluca Popescu

Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The paper starts from the hypothesis that the viability of emerging territorial units depends on the

way their members reach a converging approach towards issues of common concern. Based on

previous results, we rank ten selected cross-border cooperation structures (CBCS) according to

their institutional strength as a measure of assessment of their viability as polity. Data are then

collected for each CBCS for three areas of cooperation, i.e. economy, society, and environment,

in the form of policy documents. The analysis uses text mining techniques to explore the content

of documents on each selected region and on each areas of cooperation. The results are further

explored inside a thematic mapping of clusters, which is analyzed through content analysis. The

goal is to investigate and assess what is the cross-border cooperation level of policy convergence

inside EU selected case studies, based on the emerging themes.




102

Geodemographical characteristics of population in Balacita Piedmont Plateau

Amalia Mihaela Oglindoiu


[email protected]

Rising and growth of human settlements (199 villages) in this region was possible due to its

favorable natural geographical features of this region. The structure and evolution of

demographical phenomena depend on the social, political and economical frame. There has been

fluctuations in the evolution of the number of inhabitants. From 1977 to 2004 rate of population

growth in this region has permanently a negative value. Between 2004 and 2008 there has been a

change in the rate, recording positive values in 31 of the 36 towns of Balacita Piedmont (Bucovat

town recorded the highest rise 10.31%). The consequences of migration of population to cities

were until 2004, when the population focused on agriculture due to the worse economical

situation of Romania (subsidies for seeds, fuel). After 48 years of continuous decrease, the rate

of population growth records a rise of 1.35%. The financial support offered by the Romanian

state to mothers for raising their children was another element that led to population growth.

From 2008 until now there has been noticed a decrease in the number of inhabitants of this

region (positive values of the rate of population growth are recorded just in two of the 36 towns

of the piedmont). By analyzing the others demographic indicators there can be noticed the

following: an increase in the proportion of elderly population, a slow but continuous process of

demographic aging, a larger share of female population, a decrease in the share of active

population.




103

Using photos in geography lessons

Iulian Săndulache1, Catalina Săndulache

2


2Technical College Mihai I, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Photos are frequently used in teaching activities, for observing environmental components,

illustrating or explaining phenomenon and processes. Their use during lessons gives students the

competence of analyzing and interpreting an image. Teachers can use only a few photos in

different moments of the lesson or can realize slide-shows accompanied by short texts.

The efficiency of organized learning based on images is dependent on certain characteristics of

the photos: they are realized in a large format, clear and color, projected to a screen so that they

are visible from the entire class, represent a single essential aspect of the reality and do not

include other insignificant details, contain an element of size (human or tool) to correctly

appreciate dimensions.




104

Public georeferenced data sets for coupling plant scale and catchment scale

Virgil Iordache, Radu Lăcătușu, Marilena Onete, Ion Stelian, Aurora Neagoe, Răzvan Orza,

Gabriel Burtea, Florian Bodescu, Daniel Scrădeanu

Institute of Mathematical Statistics and Applied Mathematics, University of Bucharest, Bucharest,

Romania

[email protected]

Producing large geo-referenced data sets for characterizing environmental variables is a major

research objective. In Romania georefenced public raw data sets are practically absent. In the

framework of two ongoing research projects we adopted a concept framework focusing the

production of such data on coupled environmental processes, not on environmental objects as is

usually done in the environmental monitoring. Here we report the structure of the existing data

sets, their location on the web, and methodological issues related to the allocation of

geographical coordinates to the measured variables. We end the presentation by discussing the

role of geographical objects in coupling the mathematical models describing the targeted

processes.




105

Relationship between the health care needs and the accessibility of the health

care services in Botosani county

Teodora Estera Ursulică

Siomion Mehedinti Doctotal School, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The population‟s access to health care services is conditioned on the offer of medical services,

which, being unevenly distributed in the country and in Botosani County determines a limited

access of the population, especially in rural areas.

This paper focuses on the accounting and interpretation of the population‟s accessibility

indicators to health services in Botosani, in the period 2000-2013, in order to highlight the

inequalities outlined in the county between the two areas of life.

The spatial distribution analysis of health services index, shows that the rural Botosani County is

poorly covered by health services, compared to the urban area, causing a limited access of rural

population to health services.

The health needs index also shows that the population‟s dependence on health services is higher

in rural areas and lower in urban areas. This outlines an inverse relationship between the two

indices: the higher the health needs are the poorer the health services.

The spatial accessibility of public health services was analyzed taking into account the average

distance, that the patient has to cover up to the nearest medical unit (general practician office,

hospital, permanent center) and the temporal accessibility according to the time, that the patient

needs in order to cover the distance to the nearest medical unit, which depends on the type of

transport that the patient has available.

The outlined inequalities in people's access to health services have serious consequences on the

health status of population from Botosani County.




106

Components of micro-climate modification effect of urban shade trees –

integrated approach promoting the development of ecosystem service

indicators

Ágnes Takács, Márton Kiss, Ágnes Gulyás, Noémi Kántor

Department of Climatology and Landscape Ecology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary

[email protected]

Several indicators have been developed to evaluate urban ecosystem services for various

purposes on different spatial scales. Microclimate regulation is one of the most important

services of greenery that is directly perceived by urban population, therefore many studies have

been published in the last years aiming to map and evaluate this service. However, in many

instances these studies focus on the modification of only one parameter, generally of air

temperature. Nevertheless, human thermal sensation is formed by the integrated effect of all

thermal parameters, including air temperature, thermal radiation, air movement and air humidity.

That raises the necessity to evaluate the modification effect of urban greenery, especially of

urban trees, on these parameters separately, and, if it is possible, to compare different species

from this point of view. We would like to present some results of a longitudinal Hungarian study

with the above mentioned objective. Detailed microclimate modification capacity of four urban

tree species were investigated in the city of Szeged with a pair of special urban-

biometeorological stations. We compare the median values of the main thermal parameters

(temperature, humidity, wind velocity, as well as the short- and long-wave radiation components

from the upper and lower hemisphere) measured under the canopy of the trees, and in the sun.

Our results refer to clear summer days and reveal that trees have much greater modification

effect on the radiation fluxes than on air temperature and relative humidity. We discuss our study

also from the viewpoint of indicator development.




107

The traditions as promoter of modernity in changing cultural landscapes

Marian Marin1, Donatella Carboni

2


2Universita degli Studi di Sassari, Sassari, Italy

[email protected]

Traditions played a significant role in defining cultural landscape of Tara Lapusului county.

From specific land using methods to traditional building concepts, from individual and group

conservative behavior to the appearance of new oral expression, both tangible and intangible

traditions are in a complex process of changing. Could be interpreted tradition as a promoter of

modernity? It is possible to preserve the traditions using the modernity? Nowadays, structural

and mental changes, have appeared, due to people who are working abroad represents the most

influential factors in changing cultural landscapes process. The material landscape and the

cognitive landscape reveal new population approaches in the last fifteen years. Tara Lapsului

became a space of an ambivalent relationship, where traditions are competing with modernity,

where modernity sustained traditions, where together are defining the cultural landscapes.




108

Identifying fine scale landscape patterns using wavelets-based techniques

Alin-Ionuț Pleşoianu1,2

, Mihai-Sorin Stupariu2,3

, Ileana Pătru-Stupariu1,2

1Department of Regional Geography and Environment, Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest,

Bucharest, Romania 2Institute of Research of University of Bucharest, ICUB; Transdisciplinary Research Centre Landscape-

Territory-Information Systems, CeLTIS, Bucharest, Romania 3University of Bucharest, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Bucharest, Romania.

[email protected]

Pattern detection constitutes an important study direction in Landscape Ecology, due to the

complex relations between landscape structure and associated processes. The problem of scale at

which patterns are analyzed poses multiple challenges related to the difficulty of transferring the

results between scales. Most studies are made at large spatial scales, revealing mostly landscape

level processes that do not fit for smaller scales. Subsequently, due to the necessary usage in

ecological applications (e.g. ecosystem services, landscape planning) there is a high need for

identifying fine scale features such as isolated trees or bushes. For achieving this goal, one may

benefit of wavelets techniques, which are filtering methods used in multiresolution signal

processing for detecting various features in data. Their main advantages are the ability to work

on non-stationary data, and the facility to identify the scale and location of the features. In this

study, the Mexican Hat wavelet was convoluted with a 2D Canopy Height Model derived from

LiDAR data, for a wood pasture in Fundata, Romanian Southern Carpathians. The

methodological challenges encountered were the manipulation of the dilation parameter, the 2D

translation parameters, as well as the filter size of the mother wavelet (Mexican Hat). Further, we

needed a method for normalizing the output signal, in order to compare the results for different

daughter wavelets, and also to implement an option for zero summation of the values. The results

show proficiency to identify isolated trees within the canopy, as well as small grouped plots.




109

The assessment of regulatory ecosystem services: the case of the sediment

retention service in a mountain landscape in the Southern Romanian

Carpathians

Sorina-Mihaela Bogdan1, Ileana Pătru-Stupariu

1,2, Liliana Zaharia

1, Andreea Andra-Topârceanu

1


2Research Institute, ICUB; Transdisciplinary Research Centre Landscape-Territory-Information Systems,

CeLTIS, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The ecosystem services concept offers an interdisciplinary approach to the integrative study of

both socio-economical and ecological systems. The sediment retention service is mentioned

among the regulation ecosystem services in all the main international classifications (MA,

TEEB, CICES). It refers to the capacity of ecosystems to regulate the quantity of eroded

sediment reaching the stream network, and thus delivering benefits like maintaining soil and

water quality and reservoir functions. Our study aims to assess the link between possible land

cover changes and the sediment retention service. The analysis focuses on a mountain landscape

from the upper catchment of Raul Targului, Iezer Mountains in the Romanian Carpathians.

To this purpose, we considered recent changes in the forest landscape (2005-2012) and, with the

participation of local administrative stakeholders, we developed three land cover scenarios

(Business-as-Usual, Conservation and Development). For each resulting land cover map we

compared the provision of sediment retention services by using quantitative indicators: sediment

retention, sediment export and the amount of potential soil loss. We also tried to assess the

service in socio-economical terms. For the preparation of spatial data we applied GIS techniques

using the ArcGis software (ESRI) and for the modeling we used the InVEST 3.2 software

(Natural Capital Project). The results show important changes in the sediment export and

potential soil loss indicators between the scenarios, but little differences for the sediment

retention indicator. Nevertheless they are relevant for local planning and decision making

activities as an argument for the maintenance of large, un-fragmented forest areas.




110

Holocene coastal dune development and environmental changes in Helis area

(NW Peloponnese), Hellas

S. Athanasopoulou, L. Stamatopoulos, G. Alevizos & A., I. Andrikakos-Langouras

Department of Geology, University of Patras, Patras, Greece

[email protected]

Abstract. The coastal area of western Peloponnese is characterized by marine deposits of

Pleistocene and Holocene ages. It shows the effects of different phases of coastal morphology

evolution. During the Upper Pleistocene (Tyrrhenian interglacial age), a number of marine

terraces were shaped. In places, they are characterized by thin beach deposits along with a dune

belt and relative back dune deposits. Three important morphogenetic phases occurred during the

Holocene. The first was radiometrically aged from 7000 to 3810 BP. It was characterized by a

static coastline deposition of beach deposits, and by formation of dune belts. This event marks

the end of the rapid postglacial transgression that occurred during the Holocene Climatic

Optimum. In the next morphogenetic phase, between 3810 and 1400 BP, the rate of

sedimentation was higher than the rate of relative sea level change. The cause of this high rate of

sedimentation was possibly the proximity of the mouth of the Peneus River, and resulted in the

accumulation of predominantly fluvial sediments. During the last and younger phase, from 1400

BP to present, landward migration of the coast and deposition of aeolian sands occurred.

Archaeological and morphological evidences suggest that this phase should be related to a low

sea-level stand followed by a slow sea-level rise, up to the present position and by humid-

temperate climatic conditions. The collected data concerning the Holocene dune belts that occur

along the Helis (NW Peloponnese) coastline, suggest that main phases of dune development

could be related to the effects of sea-level changes, climatic conditions, and in a subordinate

way, to human activity.




111

Revival of the rice crops in the south of Romania: Pros and cons

Iuliana Vijulie, Gabriela Manea, Laura Tîrlă, Elena Matei, Mihaela Preda, Roxana Cuculici


[email protected]

In Europe, the rice is presently cultivated on small areas. The south of Romania is one of the

regions with tradition in rice agriculture, as the paddies are located at the northern rim of its

European belt. The aim of the study is to bring arguments for the benefits of reviving the rice

paddies in the Danube and its major tributaries floodplains, which are suitable for such kind of

farming. The research methodology was based on direct field survey, map interpretation,

diachronic analysis (1950-2014) and survey (semi-structured interview). Results have shown that

a decay period in rice farming had occurred during 1990 to 2000 because of the misapplication

of the agrarian policies in the rice-based agricultural societies. After 2000, a slight revival of the

rice paddies has occurred in the south of Romania, with the help brought by foreign investors on

the Romanian of the rice market. At the same time, the conflicting perception of the target

groups on both the advantages and disadvantages of this process (economic, environmental, etc.)

has been found.




112

Monitoring Pollution Level in Railroad Right-Of-Way

Alexandr K. Strelkov, Sergey V. Stepanov, Svetlana Yu. Teplykh, Ashot M. Sargsyan

Samara State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Russia

[email protected]

The paper describes environmental pollution in railroad right-of-way. The authors set a goal of

collecting systematic data about concentration of pollutants in soils and surface run-off, which

are close to railroad tracks and railway service enterprises. They also justified the choice of their

research sites and described pollution forms typical for areas, which are close to railroad tracks.

Petroleum products and iron were investigated as main pollutants. The authors carried out a set

of field-tested experiments to measure the level of railroad right-of-way pollution. The results are

summarized in graphs showing how the level of pollutant concentration in surface run-off

depends on the level of the same pollutant in soil samples. The paper considers the Russian

Legislation regulatory documents requiring enforcement of environmental protection measures

to decrease dirty discharge into water bodies.




113

The Holy Quran and Environmental Teachings

Valentina-Mariana Mănoiu1, Ertan Düzgüneş

2


2Department of Landscape Architecture, School of Forestry, Karadeniz Technical University

[email protected]

The Holy Quran, the sacred Muslim religious book, is also a sum of principles and teachings

covering all aspects of human life ‒ religious concepts, ethical and spiritual conduct precepts,

and rules and regulations on various aspects of everyday life. Moreover, it comprises numerous

rules on nature and environmental protection. About 750 verses (of 6236) refer to various aspects

of nature, to the relationship between man and nature, and to that between vegetal and animal

organisms and their environment.

The Holy Quran shows that nature is a whole, a complete and complex system, in which the

components support and protect each other. If one component is affected, the order and

functioning of the entire system, i.e. nature, are disturbed. It states “And the sky, He raised; and

He set up the balance. So do not transgress in the balance.” (55:7-8). In this respect, the Holy

Quran has started supporting a holistic approach to the environment approximately 1300 years

before the introduction of the academic concept of holism.

The aim of this paper is to briefly analyse some of the many ecological verses, i.e. the ones that

educate people in the spirit of nature conservation and responsibility towards its preservation for

future generations. The article highlights the eco-educational dimension of the Holy Quran by

means of a qualitative investigation. It addresses the ecological considerations on the rational use

of natural resources, ethical interactions between man and nature, and the rights of plants,

animals and of the physical elements of the environment.




114

Transformation of tourism infrastructure in high mountain area - Based on

selected areas

Marek Zoladek

Institute of Geography, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Cracow, Poland

[email protected]

In the XXI century mountaineering it is one of the most important forms of outdoor activity for

people in different parts of the world. In recent years this type of tourism is experiencing rapid

development. Increase in the number of tourists causes increasing development of tourism

infrastructure in high mountain area. This causes a rapid transformation of these areas. In

different parts of the earth can be found mountain areas with variable development of tourism

infrastructure. One of the poorest in the development of tourist areas is Miyar Valley located in

Indian part of Himalaya Lahoul. Since the discovery of the area for tourists in the late XXth

century Miyar Valley does not become crowded by visitors. This resulted in a slow

transformation of infrastructure in the valley. Another situation can be observed in the massif of

the highest peak in South America – Aconcagua. This popular area is well prepared for a large

number of trekkers and mountaineers. Among the facilities people can find base camp‟s tents, a

small restaurant, an internet café and a shower heated by solar panels. In another area of

mountain massif of Mount Elbrus in the Russian part of the Caucasus, can be observed high

environmental transformation. In this area the infrastructure allows visitors not only enjoy a meal

and use the accommodation. They can also use the cable car or specially modified snow

grooming on the way to the top. In 3 different studied areas can find various forms of

infrastructure development intended for trekkers. Currently, these areas are different

transformation. Research material collected during scientific expeditions in the years 2005-2014

in different parts of the earth. To their processing used GIS tools and SWOT analysis.




115

Bârlad catchment – morphometric characteristics

Oana Profir, Gheorghe Romanescu, Mihai-Gabriel Balan

Geography Department, Geography and Geology Faculty, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Iași,

Romania

[email protected]

The morphometric techniques developed the quantitative description of the geometry of the

drainage basins and its network which helps in characterizing the drainage network, comparing

the characteristic of several drainage networks and examining the effect of variables such as

lithology, rock structure, rainfall etc. The Bârlad catchment covers a large surface in eastern part

of Romania, left tributary of the Siret River, in which overflows, covers over 45% (over 7220

km2) of Moldavia Plateau. The Bârlad river and its tributaries brought a big contribution to the

landscape fragmentation and to the creation of its current energy. In hypsometric terms the

altitude of Bârlad hydrographic basin varies between 17 and 564 m, with an average elevation of

209 m. The relief energy range from 0 to 134 m, with an average of 30, 17 m. Within the Bârlad

hydrographic basin, slope varies between 0 and 32 °, with an average of 6º. Structurally, this

catchment overlaps on sectors with differentiated lithologies, corresponding to the southern part

of the Moldavian Platform and structural and tectonic-structural Bârlad depression, on which

relatively uniform monoclinic deposits of sedimentary layers develops. Geomorphometry

analysis of the study area was based mostly on 1:25 000 topographic maps, and at a resolution of

30x30 m based on SRTM altitude data. This study was aimed at the necessity of an analysis

which highlights the morphometric aspects of the Bârlad hydrographic basin.




116

A model of development strategy encompassing creative industries to reduce

visual pollution - Case study: Strada Franceză, Bucharest’s old city

Andreea-Loreta Cercleux1, Florentina-Cristina Merciu

1, George-Laurențiu Merciu

2

1The Interdisciplinary Center for Advanced Researches on Territorial Dynamics, Faculty of Geography,

University of Bucharest; 2Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest

[email protected]

The study is presenting some aspects about visual pollution observed in the Old City of

Bucharest, and more specifically in the street called Strada Franceză (French Street), and the

suitability of the corresponding area for developing creative industries. Among a wide range of

parameters used in the interpretation of visual pollution, the analysis focuses on the condition of

the abandoned buildings (as a whole or partially) which are mismatching today, unfortunately

and despite their known status as historical monuments for most of them, with the rest of the area

because of the negative effects caused to the environment, urban image and population. Strada

Franceză, from where the Old City gets its origins, includes all among its extent a lot of

architectural testimonies of different stages of Bucharest history that need to be saved. The

occurrence of disconnections in the buildings morphology and functionality is due to different

causes, some of them amplified after 90‟s. By using various analysis criteria in relation with the

area‟s history and the current socio-economic profile, including the contribution of external

factors in the future of these constructions, the proposed model of strategy contains the main

project steps that must be considered in order to achieve the objective of developing Strada

Franceză as one of the creative areas of Bucharest‟s Old City.




117

Ecological renewal models – planning approaches in restrictive environments

in Romania’s South West Region

Radu-Matei Cocheci, Catalin Niculae Sârbu

„Simion Mehedinți” Doctoral School - Faculty of Geography - University of Bucharest, University of

Architecture and Urban Planning „Ion Mincu” - Urban Planning and Territorial Development

Department

[email protected]

While areas with structural socio-economic issues have often been described in literature,

sometimes even becoming subject of national policies, the same cannot be said about areas with

significant environmental issues, which are rarely the subject of integrated policy.

Natural and anthropogenic systems co-evolve, producing upon each other opportunities as well

as restrictions for development. The complex territorial development of human settlements is a

result of these processes. The reclamation of broad wetlands along the Romanian Danube banks

and surface exploitation mining lead in much of the cases to the exhaustion of resources. The

abrupt ceasing of economic activities leads to negative social impacts, besides of the already

produced severe environmental impacts. In these cases, ecological renewal (including re-

naturing/re-wilding or ecological reconstruction) can become a new restriction for development.

Consequently, there are approaches which try to conciliate socio-economic issues with the

objectives for ecological renewal, despite their apparent restrictiveness. It is the case of the

Motru-Rovinari lignite basin studied here.

The first aim of this paper is to introduce the concept of restrictive environment, as the

environment where human development is restricted either due to natural or anthropogenic

factors, or due to specific legal provisions. Another aim is to propose a restrictiveness index for

the studied territorial administrative units.

We considered the hypothesis that spatial planning must directly address environmental issues

such as the need to reduce environmental damage due to anthropogenic activities. Consequently,

approaches such as ecological renewal should be assessed, taking into account their restrictive

dimension as planning instruments."




118

Morphometric aspects in the Humor catchment

Mihai-Gabriel Balan, Eugen Rusu, Oana Profir

Geography Department, Geography and Geology Faculty, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Iași,

Romania

[email protected]

Morphometric analysis as practiced in geomorphology that may be applied to a particular kind of

landform or to drainage basins and large regions generally. Morphometric analysis of a

watershed provides a quantitative description of a drainage system and it is an important aspect

of the watershed characterization. In this present study attempt has been to study the

morphometric characteristics of Humor catchment, situated in the south-eastern part of Obcina

Mare mountain subdivision, Eastern Carpathians. The study region comprises 106.15 km2, the

catchment stretch from 471 m a.s.l. in the southern part, at the confluence with Moldova river, to

1221 m a.s.l. in the north-western part. The Humor river floodplain gently slopes between 800

and 471 m a.s.l. along ≈ 22 km. This catchment overlays Paleocene to lower Miocene flysch

deposits, which represent the external nappes of the Eastern Carpathians, stacked on the pile of

basement nappes, which is eastward thrusted over the undeformed foreland deep, represented by

the Moldavian Platform. The Digital Elevation Model (DTM) was obtained through interpolation

from contour lines and height points digitized from 1:5 000 topographic maps. The DEM was

used to derive catchment area, the slope, relief energy and spatial distribution of the relief

orentation. Morphometric parameters have a particular importance in assessing the overall

morphology of this region, but also in assessing its morphogenetic potential. The general

appearance of the relief is in full compliance with the particular geological substratum and with

the activity done by the denudation factors.




119

Climatology of hail in Southern Romania during 1961–2013

Roxana Cică1,2

, Nicoleta Ionac1, Sorin Burcea

2, Roxana Bojariu

2


2National Meteorological Administration; Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

A climatology of hail has been developed for Southern Romania, using records performed at

weather stations from Southern Romania in 53 years (1961–2013). Also, the two reference

climatological periods (1961–1990, 1981–2010) have been considered. The methodology

consisted in calculating the multi-annual, seasonal, and monthly means of hail days in Southern

Romania, as well as the trend of the average hail days. The research included an analysis of

certain convection parameters that provide valuable information on the probability of occurrence

of severe convective storms. The results show a general decreasing trend of the mean annual

number of hail days in Southern Romania, in the 1961–2013 interval, while the monthly

distribution of the mean multi-annual frequency of hail days indicate an increase during the

warm seasons, with a maximum in June. The results also reveal an increase of the average

number of hail days with altitude. Comparing the multi-annual mean frequency of every month

of the year, specific to the two climatological periods (1961–1990, 1981–2010), one observe a

decreasing trend in the second reference interval. The spatial distribution of the multi-annual

mean frequency of hail days in Southern Romania, in the 1961–2013 interval, shows that the

mean number of hail days is less than 2. Another result is showing that the geographic

repartitions for spring and winter are similar with the annual spatial distribution, the frequency

being minimum in the east and maximum in the west and north-west areas of the studied region.




120

Simulating landscape dynamics in pasture-woodlands of the Southern

Carpathians: land-use guidelines for maintaining habitat diversity

Ioana Stoicescu1, Ileana Pătru-Stupariu

1,2, Alina Tudor-Hossu

1, A. Peringer

3

1 Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

2Institute of Research of University of Bucharest, ICUB; Transdisciplinary Research Centre Landscape-

Territory-Information Systems, CeLTIS, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania 3Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland

[email protected]

In the Romanian Carpathians, where pasture-woodlands are still managed in a traditional

manner, a process of landscape transition has started, towards either intensification or

abandonment. Several guidelines have been proposed for the management of pastures, which

focused on the regulation of grazing pressure (AGROMEDIU 2007-2013, Marușca et al. 2014).

Our study area, located in Fundata (Bran Passageway), pictures the loss of wood pastures to

forest due to encroachment. In order to test the management guidelines regarding their efficiency

for the conservation of diverse forest-grassland mosaics, we used the spatially explicit model

WoodPaM, developed by F. Gillet, A. Peringer et al. (2008). We adapted the model to the

environmental conditions of the selected location and used it to simulate pasture-woodland

landscape transitions based on the relationships among grazing intensity, tree cover, landscape

structure, forest-grassland ecotones and recent climate change.




121

The lakes of the Romanian Black Sea Coast-anthropic modifications,

hydrological features and state-of-the-art

Petre Gâştescu1, Petre Breţcan

2, Dacian Teodorescu

3

1Institute of Geography, Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania

2Valahia University Târgovişte, Romania

3Dobrogea Waters Administration, Romania

[email protected]

Unlike other regions in Romania, the lakes in Dobrogea are marginally positioned – closely

connected to the presence of the Danube on two fronts, to the west and north, and that of the

Black Sea, on the east. This characteristic/position is the result of paleogeographic evolution in

Quaternary and the current climatic conditions in Dobrogea. The paleogeographical evolution in

the Quaternary resulted in the formation of several depressions at the edges of dry land, where

fresh and salt/sea water accumulated.

The lakes on the Romanian coastline are grouped into two types of genetic depressions, a fact

partially reflected in the hydrological and physicochemical properties of these – fluvial-marine

limans and marine lagoons. Of the limans, we can mention the largest – Babadag, grafted into

the united valley of the two rivers of Northern Dobrogea, Taita and Telita, situated on the

western side of the Razim-Sinoie lagoon (the largest lacustrine complex from Romania), Tasaul,

initially at the mouth of the river Casimcea, draining into the Black Sea Techirghiol, after the

union of the two tributaries, Urlichioi (Derea) and Biruinta, Tatlageac, at the end of the Dulcesti

(Tatlageac) Valley, and Mangalia, in Albesti Valley. Of the lagoons, the most notable, by

surface area, are the lake complex of Razim-Sinoie, followed by Siutghiol, to which we can add

the old marsh of Comorova (through draining, resulting in three recreational lakes-Neptun,Cozia,

Jupiter) and the Herghelia-Mangalia marsh.

In relation to the size of the drainage basin, subterranean water sources, links to coastal marine

waters, and the semiarid, temperate-continental climate of Dobrogea, in natural conditions, the

spectrum of the chemical composition-mineralisation gradient of the water lakes has varied and

still varies from that of fresh water, brackish water, salty water and hypersalty water.

Anthropic interventions on the lacustrine area, the drainage basins and the links to coastal marine

waters, have resulted in significant modifications in the structure of the lacustrine ecosystems,

depending on the purpose of their use.




122

The impact of hidroconstruction of the Iron Gate dam on environment and

local communities in the Danube valley

Claudia Ionela Văran1, Alina-Maria Țenche-Constantinescu

2

1 Faculty of Geography, West University of Timișoara, Timisoara, Romania

2Banat University Of Agricultural And Veterinary Medicine King Michael I Of Romania, From

Timișoara, Timisoara, Romania

[email protected]

Although achieving economic development is a goal for all countries, regardless of the policies

implemented by their governments (communist, capitalist, etc.), it requires sacrifices major

impact on human communities and the environment. A frequent modern phenomenon in

developing countries as a result of intensive economic development, development-induced

displacement is characterized by forced displacement of human communities from different

geographical areas (Robinson, 2003; Jain, Dixena, 2008). Worldwide, the major cause of

population displacement are irrational exploitation of natural resources (deposits, water

resources, forestry ecosystems, etc); hydroelectric dams, the road and rail infrastructure,

irrigation channels, etc., to implement economic development projects. The largest displacement

of population (10 million people displaced annually), are caused by hydroelectric dams

construction. Using the methodology of historiography of the socialist theory development

induced displacement (DID), the article examines retrospective population displacements and

their consequences in the communist period (Romania, 1968), with the commencement of

construction of the largest hydroelectric power plants on the Danube and the largest dam and

reservoir (Dam Iron Gates I). Shown major impact economic (cheap energy, creating jobs),

social (the phenomenon of displacement of the population in the economic development of the

communist state - the displacement of approximately 30,000 people) and environmentally

(pollution, destruction of old settlements and building new settlements on the Danube Gorge),

emerged after the Iron Gates dam construction I.




123

Study on the evaporation and evapotranspiration measured on Căldăruşani

Lake

Florentina-Iuliana Stan1, Gianina Neculau

2, Liliana Zaharia

1

1Faculty of Geography; University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

2National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Evaporation and evapotranspiration are fundamental components of the water cycle and water

balance. Studying them allows a better knowledge and understanding of the mechanisms and

regularities that guides the movement of water in nature and also in the associated processes. The

general aim of this study is to analyze the evaporation and evapotranspiration measured on

Căldăruşani lake, these two processes having an important influence on the quantitative variation

of the water volume on lake. The study focuses on: 1) the analysis and comparison of the

measured values of the evaporation and evapotranspiration 2) the assessment of the volume of

water loss by evaporation. The data base includes climatic, hydrologic and morphometric data

on Căldăruşani lake. The analysis is performed for the 2014 year by using statistical and

mathematical methods (for example, linear correlations or equations to estimate the volume of

water loss by evaporation).

The results highlight higher values of the evapotranspiration (1588 mm/year), than those of the

evaporation (1050 mm/year). The volume of water loss by evaporation from Căldăruşani lake, in

2014, was around 2.9 mil.mc."




124

Urban tourism. Acoustic comfort of accommodations in Craiova (Romania)

Cristiana Vîlcea, Mihaela Licurici, Oana Ionuș

University of Craiova, Craiova, Romania

[email protected]

On the background of regional development, during the last decade, the number of the

accommodation units, especially hotels, increased significantly. Thus, if in 2001 there were 8

accommodation units (3 of which were hotels), in 2014, the number of registered units reached

35 out of which 18 were hotels, 9 guesthouse, 4 hostels and 2 motels and 2 tourist villas. Besides

the business tourism, Craiova city has the possibility (if it will become Cultural European Capital

in 2021) to increase the number of tourists, their trend, already increasing, is evidenced by the

63,144 tourists registered in 2014, as compared to 41,081 persons registered at the beginning of

the above mentioned period. This study analyses the present situation regarding the location of

the accommodation units from the point of view of the noise conform and accessibility. Also, the

authors of the study correlate the existing noise map of Craiova with their own measurements

(Sound Level Meter NL-31) performed for the main accommodation units existent,

measurements on the basis of which the units will be granted a grade value according to the

noise level, accessibility and related improvements. The results of the research consists in grating

value points for each hotel, which allows us to include the respective units in three category of

noise comfort (low, medium and high). The importance of the research consists in using the

results by local authorities, economic agents to locate and built new accommodation units in

Craiova and can even be extrapolated to other urban centers.




125

A multiscale analysis of Bucharest’s GDP on a NUTS 3 level

George Secăreanu


[email protected]

This article‟s main purpose is the multiscale analysis of Bucharest, from an economic point of

view. This is the reason why this research will have the GDP as a dependent value, which will be

explained through the GVA (the added value), this last one being the explanatory variable. The

EU will be used as study field and our analysis will be done on a nuts 3 level. This type of

territorial-administrative units, which will represent the study plan, will be debated in three

fields: the field of the analysis of the European Union (a European analysis) the field studying

the states which formerly had a centralized economy but are now part of the European Union (a

regional analysis) and then, an analysis of Romania (a local analysis).




126

Sustainable management of the protected areas. Study case: Padiș Karst

Plateau

Mihaela Ungureanu, Dorina Camelia Ilieș, Ioana Josan, Ovidiu Gaceu

Department of Geography, Tourism and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Geography, Tourism and Sport,

University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania

[email protected]

Padiș Karst Plateau is located in the central-western side of Apuseni Natural Park and it is

distinguished in the Romanian karst landscape through the density, variety and uniqueness of the

karst forms and phenomena, represented by: caves, potholes, pit-ponor, sinkholes, valleys and

fields of sinkholes, uvala, polje, dry valleys, blind valleys, gorges, ditches etc. The scientific

value of some of the natural components (endemic vegetation, ice caves, erosion remnants,

drainage systems and complex karst etc.) has led to their declared as natural reserves and

monuments, therefore Karst Plateau Padiș, in its entirety is included in the Apuseni Natural Park.

Through its quality of protected area, i.n. "natural park", natural and anthropogenic resources

management must be done in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. As

such, recreational tourism activities carried out within this area must have a eco-protective

character (hiking, specialized speotourism, study of nature, landscape photography etc.).

Exploiting the tourism potential is made by signposted routes. The present paper aims to

highlight the main environment issues of the Karst Plateau Padiş (soil degradation through

deforestation; overgrazing and uncontrolled circulation of tourists; the destruction of the

microreliefs from caves, especially speleothemsdue to lack of facilities and arrangements for

visiting failure; degradation and even destruction of vegetation by placing on the ground of the

grilles and overgrazing etc). At the end of the paper are proposed solutions to sustainable

management of natural and anthropogenic tourism resources from Padiș Karst Plateau.




127

Impact of migration on economic development and demographic change in

the rural space of Constanta County

Narcizia Stefan Todica


[email protected]

In recent years, Constanta county's rural area has experienced a number of demographic and

economic changes, based on the intensification of migratory movement. This paper aims to

analyze migratory flows in Constanta county, special attention being given to the urban-rural

migration, whose volume generated changes in both demographic (the increase of rural

population, the socio-professional changes in structure), economic (the increased activity of

interest) in terms of spatial organization (changes in the usage of the land, by increasing the

building space to the detriment of the agricultural space, the excessive tendency to land plotting,

the physiognomy changes of rural settlements).

The study shows several individualized socio-economical patters which were determined by the

migratory movement: Bedroom villages (people who have settled in recent years in villages near

the town where they worked – e.g. Valu lui Traian, Agigea) the main reason being the desire to

have a residence in an area that provides better living conditions than the urban area (area less

crowded both in terms of traffic and of density of built space, and also the presence of green

spaces); Villages that have seen an increase in tertiary activities (e.g. tourism: Vama Veche, May

2). The changes caused by the migratory movement in rural areas examined were highlighted in

evolutionary terms (between 1990-2011 analysis period) using different graphical and

cartographical materials.




128

The natural resources protection and the quality of life

Maria Nastac, Karina Iorgovan, Raluca Vatafu

ECOM - Association for the Protection of the Human Being and the Environment for a Sustainable

Development in the World

[email protected]

Good quality natural environments provide multiple benefits to health and well-being In contrast,

air pollution, noise, poor quality water, chemicals, radiation, and environmental degradation

cause diverse impacts on human health. Understanding of the links between the environment and

human health has evolved from perceiving them as isolated issues towards recognising the

interdependencies between complex systems.

This paper offers an overview of the main pollutants, their sources, their main effects on health

and the global environment, and what can be done to reduce them.




129

Steps in understanding the role of instability upon urban systems

Andrei Schvab, Igor Sirodoev, Mirela Paraschiv, Natasa Văidianu, Irina Saghin

CICADIT, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Instability is an omnipresent process that creates the conditions for adaptation and change. A

system cannot develop without it. In the present study we propose a method to measure system

instability through structural and functional changes. We are doing this by quantifying changes

and transfers in hierarchies and their amplitude. Highlighting system instability is important

because it shows the role that the system plays in its environment and consequently the measures

that can be taken to amplify or hinder (depending on the desired outcome) that role. We argue

that by creating this conceptual framework it allows the researcher to capture adaptive processes

associated with system instability and the emergence of new types of territorial structures. The

authors can thus capture both radical structural and functional changes. These non-linear

processes make the urban system of Baia Mare (our case study) to adapt to the changing of its

environment. System instability can lead to emergence of new structures, functions and

hierarchies that allow the existence of the system even if it is in another domain of attractors. The

method that we propose starts from the assumption that systemic hierarchy is a very stable

parameter of state. If the system is unstable significant changes of the internal hierarchy will

happen, and this will be reflected in a strong structural and functional shift. Measuring this

instability will help researchers to better understand the impact that change and adaptation has

over the system and the environment that it is part of. Understanding these processes may offer

policy makers the evidence they need to take actions in a conscious manner.




130

The analysis of the flash floods from the Uz hydrographic basin registered at

the Dărmănești hydrometric station

Ioana-Delia Miftode, Gheorghe Romanescu

Faculty of Geography and Geology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iasi, Romania

[email protected]

"The flash floods and the floods, both represent the most dynamic and the most dangerous

hydrological risk phenomena. The floods from the Uz hydrographic basin constitute important

threats, having an unpredictable and a high distribution over time. For the analysis of the past

floods, registered data from the Dărmănești station was utilized: 1977-1981; 1992-1997. The

data was retrieved from the Water Basin Administration Siret-Bacău. Among the registered

floods from these periods have been selected the most important, being analyzed their frequency

and their intensity. In order to prevent and alleviate the negative effects of the flash floods‟

occurrence, it was required the evaluation of particular features of the flash flood‟s waves: basis

flow, peak flow, increasing time, decreasing time, total time, the transited water volume, the

leaked water layer, the shape coefficient, the particular maximum leak. The features of the floods

were studied based on a temporal analysis. It has been analyzed the level oscillation during the

flood, in comparison with the attention level (AL), flooding level (FL), and danger level (DL). It

is remarkable that during all the years of the studied periods, floods have occurred which

exceeded the flooding level. The danger level was exceeded only during particular cases. During

these situations, the local population has been exposed to the risk, protection measures being

required.




131

Environmental conflict resolution outcomes: comparative analysis of case

studies from the U.S. and Romania

Constantina Alina Hossu1, Cristian I. Ioja

1, Lawrence Susskind

2

1Centre for Environmental Research and Impact Studies, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania;

2Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Cambridge,

Massachusetts, United States of America

[email protected]

Collaboration is an essential element of conflict management. It can provide a framework for

problem solving fostering a successful environmental conflict resolution process. This research

aims to evaluate and contrast U.S. and Romanian case studies of environmental conflicts in order

to evaluate the collaborative initiatives undertaken in the resolution processes. The case studies

refer to: a collaborative partnership to manage the grizzly bears conflict triggered by their

presence within the ranching communities (U.S.), the collaborative efforts to move the bears

away from a city (RO), a consensus-based planning process regarding the action plans for the

management plan of a watershed (U.S.) and the negotiation efforts over the actions proposed in

the management plan of a river valley in order to achieve a consensual agreement (RO). Based

on this evaluation, the research identifies how conflict resolution has created opportunities for

communities to learn and adapt. We expect that new ideas and theories will be developed in

order to expand the cultural scope of existing frameworks of conflict resolution in environmental

issues. Consequently, the findings of this research will provide useful insights on theory building

in the field of conflict resolution.




132

Rural and urban dwelling-houses quality characteristics in the Romanian

Danube valley. A geographical approach

Irena Mocanu, Bianca Mitrică, Nicoleta Damian, Mihaela Rodica Persu, Daniela Nancu

Institute of Geography, Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The dwelling, one of the main components of the urban and rural living conditions, represents

one of the key-issue in the national, regional and local sustainable development strategies. The

quality of dwellings is the result of the political, legislative, economic, demographic contexts, in

the framework of policy integration and coherent development provided by the EU Strategy for

the Danube Region (EUSDR). The present paper approaches the complex issues of dwelling

quality in the Romanian Danube Valley rural and urban communities, based on the territorial

disparities (LAU2 level) of three types of statistical indicators: dwelling stock (% of finished

dwellings, % of finished dwellings out of the total number of dwelling-houses), dwelling

development indicators: living floor m2/inhabitant, density of dwellings) and comfort indicators

(access to drinking water, sewerage, electricity, etc.). Differences in the quality of dwellings in

the Romanian Danube Valley are revealed by the Dwelling Quality Index (DQI). This study

relies on the statistical data provided by the National Institute of Statistics (the results of the

Population and Housing Census, 2011 and TEMPO Online).




133

Comparison of multi-temporal differential interferometry techniques applied

to the measurement of Bucharest city subsidence

Iuliana Armas1, Mihaela Gheorghe

2

1Department of Geomorphology-Pedology-Geomatics, Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest,

Bucharest, Romania; 2Faculty of Geodesy, Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

This paper aims to present some of the most popular multi-temporal differential interferomtery

(DInSAR) techniques that are used for monitoring surface deformations in different types of

areas. We focus on the urban area of Bucharest, where we applied the PS (Persistent Scatterers)

and SBAS (Small BAseline Subset) techniques and validated the radar displacement products

using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Both PS and SBAS methods generate

millimeter accuracy for ground displacement rates. The PS approach analyzes interferograms

generated with a common master image, looking at point targets that remain stable over time,

generating signal that remains coherent from an acquisition to another. The SBAS approach

relies on small baseline interferograms that maximize the spatial and temporal coherence. In this

paper we compare these techniques by applying them for the urban area of Bucharest using ERS,

ENVISAT and TSX images. The subsidence rate maps are compared from a quantitative and

qualitative point of view, taking into account also the type of movements that the techniques can

derive. The PS technique generates punctual differential subsidence between human made

objects, while the SBAS technique analyzes mainly the movement of the surface. The

movement derived by the PS technique is linear, while the SBAS approach can depict more

complex deformation patterns that can be useful in understanding nonlinear dynamical systems

that are common in geomorphic systems.




134

Types of Tourism in Tara Vrancei Land

Catalin Iorga

Edmond Nicolau Technical College, Focsani, Romania

[email protected]

This paper is focused on the most suitable types of tourism that could be developed in Tara

Vrancei Land, a zone with an outstanding natural and cultural heritage, where the tourism

industry is still undeveloped. After a theoretical and field research using topographic maps and

aerial photographs combined with the study of local accommodation, tourism services, host

communities and legislation we concluded that the most appropriate types of tourism that could

be developed in Tara Vrancei Land are the following: hiking, biking, adventure tourism, birds

and animals watching, phototourism, educational tourism, scientific tourism, religious tourism

,recreational tourism and gastronomic tourism. In this way is enhanced the niche tourism instead

of that of mass, according the international environmental laws and IUCN rules.




135

Shape characteristics of fluvial islets based on GIS techniques. Case Study:

Danube's Islets between Giurgiu (km 493) and Oltenita (km 430)

Andreea - Florentina Marin, Iuliana Armaș


[email protected]

Shape holds an important role in many fields such as Spatial Science, Mathematics, Computer or

Cognitive Science. Nevertheless, the definitions, goals and applications in each discipline are a

little different. In geography, shape has been primarily used as a descriptive tool (Boyce, Clark,

1964), but the need for a quantitative measure of shape that could address geographical

phenomena come with the quantitative revolution in the 1960's (Sovik, 2012).

This study aims to quantitatively characterize shape parameters of fluvial islets, using GIS

techniques. There were seven metrics selected for the analysis, namely: Length (L), Width (W),

Elongation (ELONG), Area (A), Perimeter (P), Interior Edge Ratio (IER), Shape Index (SI). For

the automation of the work flow, all processing functions were joined into a single graphical

model.

For case study we chose Danube sector situated between Giurgiu city (km 493) and Oltenita city

(km 430). Fluvial islets may not be permanent on the geologic time scale, due to natural or

human induced hydrological changes, but can remain in place over years and years, so we chose

to track their shapes evolution from 1864 to 2008. Information was extracted from historical data

sources, such as maps and ortophotoplans. The graphical model created has been run for each

year studied.

The results show some changes in the aspect of fluvial islets. In the period 1864-2008 the

number of islets increased slightly, with the total area ranging from 21.19 km2 to 27.96 km

2. In

the period studied, the shape turned from a rounded aspect to a more elongated one. Knowledge

of the information on the shape of those landforms are relevant for river restoration strategies,

nature conservations of islets or maintenance of the protected habitats."




136

Strategies for the commercial exploitation of the western region’s spa

potential

Elena Irina Circiumaru


[email protected]

Romania enjoys a vast and diverse array of natural therapeutic factors, such as mineral waters,

sapropelic mud, gas vents and so on. The significant number of these elements and their spatial

distribution are a result of the geographic location and geological structure of our country, which

has led to the creation of 160 spas and localities with beneficial therapeutic factors in Romania.

Spa tourism (the oldest and most specific form of tourism found in Romania) and balneotherapy

are constantly gaining new aspects, in parallel with the development and modernization of the

accommodation, catering treatment and leisure facilities offered by the resorts.

In order to understand the important role of spa tourism for Romania, it is necessary to view and

analyze it from a broad perspective. The issues of establishing the relationship between spa

tourism and two other adjacent concepts from the area of healthcare (medical tourism and

wellness tourism) and determining its multiple aspects, expressed by the resources and activities

involved in its touristic destinations will lead us to a broad vision of the role of spa tourism in

Romania‟s tourism market.

The three strategic questions that must be asked with regards to Romania‟s spa sector are: How

can we create an offer for several well defined internal or external markets, starting from

Romania‟s competitive advantages? How can we create a dynamic for a medium term

development project for the spa sector? What role can the state and the local authorities play?

In Romania, spa tourism is important because, unlike other types and forms of tourism, it has

several advantages: it is not influenced by changing seasons, benefits from a wide range of

natural therapeutic factors and the treatment products have various durations.




137

The public perception and attitude on general environmental problems Case

study : Constanta and Vidin in the mirror

Dan Cristian Opariuc, Alina Resteanu, Karina Iorgovan

ECOM- Association for the Protection of the Human Being and the Environment for a Sustainable


[email protected]

Environmental awareness is to understand the fragility of our environment and the importance of

its protection. Environmental public awareness comes from a result of general knowledge,

specialist knowledge of a particular problem and also sensitivity to, and a sense of, responsibility

for the environment. An active public, whose members are aware of the effects of human activity

on the quality of the environment and understanding the role they should play in the protection of

the environment, may induce positive reactions from politicians and decision-makers and

stimulate them to take the appropriate decisions. This aim of this paper is to identify the public

perception, attitude and behavior on general environmental problems from two regions :

Constanta and Vidin.




138

The public perception and attitude on soil and forests pollution Case study :

Constanta and Vidin in the mirror

Dan Cristian Opariuc, Raluca Vatafu, Monica Mihaela Dragomir



[email protected]

The beauty of our natural surroundings affects every human being. Picturesque landscapes

arouse aesthetic feelings. Every human being is able to wonder at the natural world and therefore

it is of great importance that such sensitivity be developed from the earliest age. Any signs of

damage to the environment cause strong negative feelings. Placing emphasis on aesthetic value

influences the development of ties between people and their environment. This aim of this paper

is to identify the public perception, attitude and behaviour on soil and forests pollution problems

from two regions : Constanta and Vidin.




139

The public perception and attitude on water pollution Case study : Constanta

and Vidin in the mirror

Maria Nastac, Dan Cristian Opariuc, Florian Cotan



[email protected]

Clean and plentiful water provides the foundation for prosperous communities. We rely on clean

water to survive, yet right now we are heading towards a water crisis. The health of the world‟s

freshwater resources depends on commitment from individuals, communities, and governments

to ensure that water resources are protected and managed in a sustainable manner. This aim of

this paper is to identify the public perception, attitude and behavior on water pollution problems

from two regions: Constanta and Vidin




140

The public perception and attitude on air pollution Case study : Constanta

and Vidin in the mirror

Karina Iorgovan, Dan Cristian Opariuc, Monica Mihaela Dragomir



[email protected]

Air pollution can damage human health through direct exposure via inhalation or indirectly

through exposure to contaminants transported through the air, deposited on plants and the soil,

and accumulated in the food chain. So to control air pollution all have to play their due role in

daily life. It can‟t be controlled with the enforcement of law only. It does need awareness to

ensure community participation to keep our air safe from all types of hazards. This aim of this

paper is to identify the public perception, attitude and behavior on air pollution problems from

two regions: Constanta and Vidin.




141

Wetlands - a significant feature of the salt karst landscape in the Meledic

Plateau

Daniela Strat


[email protected]

In the area of the Meledic Plateau that belongs to Mânzăleşti salt formation (Vrancei

Subcarpathians) it have been developed a great diversity of salt karst genuine features. Dolines,

as type of karst macroforms, are frequent and they are the most important element which defines

the distinctiveness of the geomorphological landscape from the western part of Meledic Plateau.

As salt rock dissolves in subsurface it creates void space into which overlying clay strata drape

and create peculiar landforms – dissolution and collapse dolines. These closed depressions are

circular, elliptical, often funnel shaped, or irregular with diameters ranging from a few meters to

a few tens of meters. Due to meteoric water source, the undulating topographic surface has

induced freshwater lakes and wetlands areas. With their characteristic plant associations – both

herbaceous and shrubs vegetation – in the study area wetlands are discrete units and biodiversity

hot spots that give specificity to general appearance of the landscape. Based on hydrological

features and main plant association criteria it has distinguished following types of wetlands:

seasonally wetlands, wet meadows, shallow marshes, deep marshes, ponds.




142

Evolutionism. Language, logic and thought

Alexandru Anghelescu


[email protected]

Cancer and resistance to antibiotics obliged us to ask if other earthly forms of life evolved to the

level of intelligent life. Signs of intelligence are found at its simplest levels. We try to see if logic

is used at these levels. Peter of Spain‟s supposition materials is applied to the chemical signals of

cells. Dynamic Logic is used to understand these chemical communications. “System of

communications” is used, instead of “language”. The development of live appears as the

development of an axiomatic system. The rights of unborn humans and God‟s rights over His

own creation appear as the most powerful arguments for conservationism.




143

Mapping land cover using Remote Sensing data and GIS techniques: A case

study of Prahova Subcarpathians

Marina-Ramona Rujoiu-Mare


[email protected]

"Land cover is one of the most important and dynamic factor in our geographical applications

(landscape analysis, natural hazards, spatial planning, thematic mapping). It reflects the

interaction between the spatial components and it is necessary to be updated frequently.

There are many land cover models available, such as Corine Land Cover or Global Land Cover

30, but they are not every time accurate at detailed scales. For long time, mapping land cover

was a difficult and time consuming task.

My purpose is to obtain a land cover model at detailed scale by integrating Remote Sensing data,

the land cover models available and GIS techniques. The study area is located in Prahova

Subcarpathian where the classes are various and complicated in configuration.

The methodology includes data processing, image interpretation, data filtering, thematic

classification, land cover models and ancillary data integration, validation, correction and land

cover mapping.




144

The assessment of areas prone to flash floods in Bucegi Mountains (Romanian

Carpathians)

Ruth Perju

National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management and Faculty of Geography, University of


[email protected]

In populated mountainous areas, where the probability of flash floods generation is high, the

study of the vulnerability of human communities to such extreme phenomena is a necessity. The

quantification and mapping of flash flood potential can be achieved by applying the

methodology of the Flash Flood Potential Index (FFPI), developed within a project of Colorado

Basin River Forecast Center (CBRFC), of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA) (Smith, 2003), further adapted depending on the data available and on the specificity of

the studies' aims (Mătreaţă and Mătreaţă, 2010; Zogg and Deitsch, 2013). FFPI is applied in GIS

environment by considering the values of the physiographic parameters, as gridded maps: slope

gradient, profile curvature, geology, soil texture, land use, each of which are classified, then

given a weight in the equation, in accordance with their importance in the occurrence of flash

floods. The result is a map that emphasizes (by suggestive colors and higher values) the areas

more susceptible to rapid flows. In Bucegi Mountains, a region important for tourism, thus with

great economical value, the highest values of FFPI is found at the steep extremities of the massif

(north-east, north and east) and on the slopes of Brătei Valley (southern part of the massif). But

the area of interest for the analysis of areas prone to flash floods is the eastern slope of Bucegi

Mountains, because of its vicinity with the settlements located in the Prahova Valley.




145

Romanian Health Care Professionals (Im)mobilities and Their Migration

Strategies

Liliana Dumitrache, Mariana Nae, Daniela Dumbraveanu


[email protected]

The paper presents a critical analysis of Romanian health professionals emigration, presented as

an alarming fact by the media and the health authorities but without having the precise

dimension of the phenomenon, various institutions presenting contradictory data, referring

especially to the potential migration.

Although the push and pull factors are well known, actually, there are not concrete studies to

reveal the consequences of doctors emigration at health units levels

The shortage of medical personnel is a reality faced mostly by public health units, however, is

still not proven that it should be directly related to emigration.

What is the profile of Romanian emigrant doctor? Are they renowned professionals or young

graduates seeking better opportunities for career development, which has not found an

acceptable employment in Romania, and therefore fits into the general trend?

Paradoxically, the number of physicians has increased in recent years, and Romania does not

impose any limit regarding the students‟ enrollment in medical schools.

Although the number of doctors is lower than in other European Union countries, actually there

are no studies to assess the physician workforce and the necessary to cover the needs for care,

larger issues representing their inequitable geographic distribution than number.

Also, it is not evident whether Romanian doctors emigration is compensated by immigration or

return migration, although media report occasionally such cases and representatives of major

private hospital chains asserts that emigration is a myth, Romanian physicians are directing

rather towards the private sector than abroad.




146

GeoEduGIS – a GIS geodatabase for educational purposes

Mihai Niculiță1, Dan Cristea

2

1Faculty of Geography and Geology, University “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” of Iași; Romania

2Faculty of Informatics, University “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” of Iași, Romania

[email protected]

GeoEduGIS (Geographic Educational GIS) is a free geodatabase which stores in a GIS

environment, resources which are needed in the educational process, especially but not necessary

restricted to geography teaching, and at all levels (gimnasium, high-school, faculty). The

geodatabase has also a geocatalog and a WebGIS viewer, where several maps can be browsed.

The system is maintained by WebGIS infrastructure, but it can be also downloaded and

replicated on local networks. The catalog give access to metadata and web coverage services

(WGS) for the available data, while the WebGIS viewer allow the browsing of the raw data, or

of several thematic maps, created with the data contained by the database. The coverage of the

database is global and national (for Romania), and the data comes from free sources, being

presented either as the raw data, either as processed products, which fulfill the requirements of

the educational process. From a technical point of view, the geodatabase and the GIS are based

on open source software and formats.




147

Vernacular and Technology. In Between

Mihaela Hărmănescu, Cristina Enache

"Ion Mincu" University of Architecture and Urbanism, Faculty of Urban Planning, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The challenges of 21st century are related to the community's ability to succeed a sustainable

management of the landscape‟s resources, in a world where tradition‟s nostalgia and the

heritigization are interpreted and re-used in relation with globalization and consuming. In a time

of dramatic changes on the social scale and technology, sustainability means more than

preserving traditions in places where the vernacular knowledge are important resources to

recovery the local identity. It requires a reformulation of their use, a suitable dynamic adaptation

of the contemporary world, merging with the technology integration into the landscape. This

paper proposes an introspection on the integration of indigenous values identified in the current

technology development through the transfer of information on landscape.

A smart landscape is an adaptable landscape. Adaptability is derived from the proposed uses of

technologies in a sustainable vision, in a balanced use of local resources and evolutionary

protection of the heritage. The resource, local heritage and technology need to be reconsidered in

a relationship with a return to the primary motivation - their coexistence in the landscape, which

can be seen as information‟s primary database that spawned the first technological elements -

clay, metal tools, first building blocks.

In a cyclical evolution, the technology returns in the 21st century landscape in the form of

information and its impact and consequences oscillates between transformation and conservation

nostalgia. In this context the dialogue between vernacular and technology gains materiality,

redefining old taboo-dispute between tradition and contemporaneousness.




148

The analyzes of the urbanistic and ecological potential for regional

development in Caransebeş

Gabriel Szekely, Alina-Maria Ţenche-Constantinescu

Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania” of

Timişoara, Romania

[email protected]

The town of Caransebes in located in Romania, Banat Region, at a point where high mountains,

hills and meadows meet at the confluence of the Timis and Sebeș rivers. The town has a very

special geographical position at the meeting point of different types of landscape. Concerning the

morphology of the settlement we can divide Caransebeș in different parts, which form totally

different layers. These differ in size, urban image, value, age, position, number and wealth of the

inhabitants, green surfaces. Central Caransebes represents an old urban fabrique, with relatively

dense population, architectural values, but also great problems due to the old age of the buildings

and the mediocre quality of the urban space. It is composed of the proper town centre, and the

surrounding rather narrow streets with small houses. The newer neighborhoods build during the

Communist Regime are composed of blocks of apartments, some of which show a decaying

image - of decrepit buildings and muddy playgrounds. The industrial part of the town is partly

abandoned, but lately new investments tend to reuse the land. The part of the town meant for

recreation needs much attention, because of its special qualities, and the lack of care and

investment from the part of the authorities. Analysis showed a surprising potential of many of

these urban spaces, and an interesting variety of zones for such a small town. Economic grows,

due to substantial recent investments in industry shows progress. There are great possibilities of

development by turning to account the potential of some precious green areas like Teius Region,

Teius Park and the river banks. The public space in central town also has potential. Proper

analysis and planning could turn a little industrial town into an attraction for tourists and a

healthy and nice place for the inhabitants. There is much unused geographical, urban and human

potential which only serious studies can identify.




149

Open learning in the Faculty of Geography

Marian Ene


[email protected]

Open learning in the Faculty of Geography has proven to be a flexible learning form which

students the possibility to combine their need for studying with activity at work, and manage

their own learning process within the host institution. Open learning is a modern form of

education, successfully applied in the advanced education systems, which provide training

instruments for a wide range of students from various domains. This learning form has real

development opportunities in the Faculty of Geography and we can already consider it a tradition

as it has been functioning since 18 years. During this time, the professors have succeeded in

adapting their knowledge and teaching methods to the requirements of the open learning system..




150

Using GIS techniques for assessment the differences between recorded rainfall

from hydrometric stations and radar products, in Romania

Andreea Mihalcea1, Romulus Costache

1,2, Andreea-Violeta Manolache

1

1National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management of Romania, Bucharest, Romania


[email protected]

The aim of this study is to achieve a comparative analysis between the daily precipitations

recorded at the hydrometric stations from national hydrological network and rainfall estimates

based on the radar data recorded, especially for events characterized by torrential rainfall.

In order to achieve this analysis, we used data recorded during summer 2015 (June, July and

August) in which rainfall events were relatively common. Thus, were analyzed the adjustment

coefficient data values from radar, reporting the amount of rainfall recorded at the amount

estimated by radar. Both data from the radar and the hydrometric stations data were analyzed in

Microsoft Excel, and the results were further introduced and spatialized in GIS environment.

In order to perform the spatial analysis, in ArcGIS 10.3.1 software, was established a fishnet of

rectangular cells with size of 0,5º latitude and 1º longitude in polygon format. Furthermore they

were generated, for each fishnet cells, the following products: ecart adjustment coefficient values

for each cell and median values of the adjustment coefficient for each cell.

Regarding the comparison between data from hydrometric stations and those shown by the

national radar, it may be noted that in most cases the data provided by the radar are

underestimated (especially in the southern part of the Romania), or overestimated (in the

Moldavian region).




151

Groundwater Resources from Slănic Basin. Case Study: Penteleu – Blidaru

Spring

Radu Pitigoi1, Mihaela Verga

2, Andreea Andra-Toparceanu

2

1Pure Aquamin,


[email protected]

In the current context of increased pollution of drinking water, identifying and capitalizing on

new sources has become a necessity, at least for domestic consumption.

Known as ""Penteleu - Blidaru"", the spring is located in the external edge area of Curvature

Carpathians (Buzau Mountains), at 900 m altitude, representing one of the major water sources

from Ploştina catchment, tributary on the right side of main river - Slănic.

The hydrogeological studies reveal that this source drains the aquifer stucked in Paleocene-

Eocene layers of Plopu.

The lack of pollution in the region and the physico-chemical, microbiological and organoleptic

characteristics of this water, confirmed by laboratory test results, classified this source as a

mineral water microbiologically pure, with a low mineral content (oligo-mineral, with a residue

sec at 180°C set between 185 and 400 mg/l). The total hardness value is 6.05° german grads (to

at least 5.0 as required by law) and pH is low alkaline (7.4), similar with human blood.

Moreover, the physico-chemical indicators that could pose a risk to human health (nitrogen,

copper and manganese) are below the minimum detectable (SLQ) by current methods of

analysis.

Although the high quality of the water allows its classification as mineral water, this is not

possible in the current legal conditions, due to low debits (<0.9 l / s) and amounts of the fees who

are too high.

Currently this source is captured, bottled and sold, being recorded in the Register of Drinking

Water from Romania as table water, non-carbonated, microbiologically pure, according to the

drinking water quality legislation.




152

Active and passive remote sensing techniques for atmospheric investigation

Jeni Vasilescu, Doina Nicolae, Anca Nemuc, Livio Belegante, Luminita Marmureanu

National Institute of R&D for Optoelectronics, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Observations are fundamental to improve atmospheric models by advancing process

understanding, evaluating model performance, and improving initial conditions via data

assimilation. Today the most advanced observations of the atmosphere are achieved by remote-

sensing instrumentation. In particular lidars (optical active remote sensing instruments) and

sunphotometers (passive remote sensing instruments) are used to characterize aerosols and

clouds.

The continental-scale or worldwide ground based networks (e.g. EARLINET- European Aerosol

Research Lidar Network; AERONET- Aerosol Robotic Network), which provide quality assured

data on a large temporal and spatial scale are relevant for climatology, but also for special events,

with strong aerosol influence like Saharan dust outbreaks, forest-fire smoke plumes transported

over large areas, photochemical smog and volcano eruptions.

A significant expertise was gained in Romania in the last decade referring to ground-based

remote sensing, contributing today to European databases on a regular basis regarding the

aerosols layers and their optical, microphysical and chemical properties. The aerosols

characteristics at the Romanian site (Magurele- Bucharest) are assessed based on measurements

carried out during two international measurement campaigns in the frame of ACTRIS

infrastructure (Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research InfraStructure Network). Several

episodes of biomass burning aerosols have been identified by synergistic approach based on

specific markers (linear particle depolarization ratio, Ängström exponent)."




153

Romanian Landscapes of Care Paradoxes: Geographical Divide in Health

Care Needs and Health Care Supply

Mariana Nae, Liliana Dumitrache, Gabriel Simion, Daniela Zamfir


[email protected]

"Despite the sustained efforts to reform the health system for over 20 years (a quarter of a

century), Romania is facing serious problems in satisfying population health care needs, chronic

underfunding of public health units, shortage of medical personnel, lack of GP in rural areas,

being frequently mentioned. The economic crisis accentuates these problems making more

difficult the access to healthcare of disadvantaged or vulnerable groups.

Poor health status of the Romanian population, demographic aging especially in rural areas and

high incidences of chronic diseases increases the need for health services and also healthcare

costs.

Although private health services have had a an extraordinary development in recent years, trying

to compensate in some way the gaps in the public sector, they are restrictive for most of the

population due to high costs, but also due to geographical location, these being concentrated

mainly in large cities.

This study examines the distribution of healthcare units and health care professionals,

highlighting the deep territorial discordances between the supply and the needs for health care

services and even deeper divide between the rural and urban areas from this point of view, with

important economic and social consequences further contributing to the deterioration of

population health.




154

Ethnographic and Psychometric methods addressing vulnerability and

adaptation to floods in the Lower Danube, Romania

Iuliana Armas, Cristina Posner


[email protected]

Floods are a link between society and nature and can be studied only trough multidisciplinary

science, anthropology with its focus on the link between nature, society and culture plays an

important role. There is a widespread belief that disasters are bad and that people are risk averse,

however evidence from floodplain study areas shows that in the past people coped living with

nature in a way that took advantage of flooding. Therefore researchers and managers should

consider evidence from local level before prescribing methodologies and strategies for mitigation

at national or regional level. Using qualitative methods such as ethnography (semi-structured

interviews, participative observation, field notes), which requires „inquiry from the inside‟ the

authors attempt to identify coping patterns at the village level from a local conceptual

perspective trying to provide evidence on vulnerability and adaptation to flooding in Lower

Danube Floodplain. The authors argue that situational and contextual approaches of vulnerability

and adaptation using ethnographic methods applied to Gostinu and Rast Villages from the Lower

Danube Floodplain can be correlated with psychometric indicators identified through a

quantitative questionnaire to produce tools, knowledge and information required by local

authorities designing plans and strategies for vulnerability and adaptation to floods.




155

Assessing public perception on protected areas in Iron Gates Natural Park,

Romania

Cristiana Maria Ciocanea1, Carmen Sorescu

2, Mirela Ianosi

2, Vasile Bagrinovschi

1

1University of Bucharest - Centre for Environmental Research and Impact Studies, Bucharest, Romania

2Environmental Protection Agency Caras-Severin; Resita, Romania

[email protected]

Iron Gates Natural Park, situated in the south-western part of Romania is protected for its

remarkable landscape, high biological diversity and unique habitats. Our aim is to examine local

people‟s knowledge, attitudes and perceptions towards Iron Gates Natural Park. Pertinent data

were collected through a questionnaire survey and the analysis revealed that local people‟s

perceptions were affected by many factors, including education, gender, age, occupation and

level of urbanization. Most respondents held a positive attitude towards protected areas and the

analysis of their attitudes and perceptions revealed potential conflicts that might affect

biodiversity conservation and protected area management. The main problems are the limited

knowledge and a poor communication with authorities which implies a lack of local participation

in conservation activities. Based on our studies, some recommendations are given for

improvement of Iron Gates Natural Park management.




156

Semi-subsistence farming development in a Carpathian declining mining area.

A microscale study of landowners’ perception: Stulpicani commune, Romania

Elena Matei, Despina Vasilcu, Octavian Cocoş, Dorin Matei, Roxana Cuculici, Gabriela Manea,

Iuliana Vijulie


Suceava "Stefan cel Mare" University, Suceava, Romania

Hermes College, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Globalization mechanisms, the new economic orientation of Romania after the Communism

collapse and as a member state of the European Union have led to several transformations in the

mountain rural space, which meant, beside others, changes of the land use, the closing down of

the unproductive mines. The study was conducted in Stulpicani commune, Suceava County,

Romanian Carpathians, between 2013 and 2015, where people turned into farming as the only

country uranium active mining, nearby was resized and others were decommissioned. The aim of

this paper is to analyze the semi-subsistence farmers‟ perception about their farms‟ development

in the framework of a large return to agriculture due to the declining mining activities, and

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In order to assess this, a field survey has been applied on

342 househeads of semi-subsistence farms involved in getting specific funding, which was

processed in SPSS v.17 soft through Chi-square test and PCA. The results show that semi-

subsistence farms represent the main suitable forms of economic development of the Romania‟s

mountain rural areas in consent with traditions and environmental offer. It is also revealed that

even at the first stage, 2009-2013, it is a high rate of trust in CAP, the continuation for 2014-

2020 exercise (Sub-measure 6.3) was broken by maladjustment at local offer and CAP

requirements. In this context, a common effort is needed, from local to national in order to keep

the tradition of farming and to find ways to maintain the advantages of EU programs to develop

farms further.




157

Air temperature regulation by urban trees and green infrastructure

Gabriel Ovidiu Vânău, Ioan Cristian Iojă, Diana Andreea Onose, Ionuț Șandric Simona

Grădinaru, Mihaela Uţă

Centre for Environmental Research and Impact Studies, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

A well-known effect of urbanization is the warming of the local climate relative to surrounding

rural areas, creating a phenomenon known as the urban heat island (UHI). UHI intensity varies

across a city and over time, but temperature differences may reach 9°C. Factors that contribute to

a UHI include the thermal properties, height and spacing of buildings, the production of waste

heat, air pollution, and differences in land cover and albedo. Since the UHI is related to the large

extension of artificial cover, the green areas of a city, especially those with large surfaces and

high plant density, as the parks, are extremely important to moderate the climate.

We have used the values recorded during 2008-2015 by a network of iDS1921G Thermochron

iButton devices, located in and outside the city to prove with irrefutable data that this

phenomenon exists in Bucharest. The network consisted of 30 sensors. The data we gathered was

validated by using official National Meteorological Administration measurements form three

ground based stations. Our map shows the atmospheric UHI and can be compared with data from

Landsat and MODIS in order to assess the UHI at the soil level. We located our recording

devices in the city‟s green spaces as they offered a good distribution across the city and

conditions similar to those of meteorological shelters. One of the most important conclusions is

that the UHI footprint in Bucharest is decisively shaped by the two largest parks of Bucharest,

one mitigating the negative effects in the northern part of the city (Herastrau Park) and the other

in the south (Tineretului Park).

The results have been obtained within the project UCLIMESA (Urban Heat Island Monitoring

under Present and Future Climate), ongoing between 2013 and 2015 in the framework of the

Programme for Research-Development Innovation for Space Technology and Advanced

Research (STAR), administrated by the Romanian Space Agency.




158

Shoreface Dynamics and Evolution on Danube Delta Coast

Florin Tatui, Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe, Florin Zainescu, Stefan Constantinescu


[email protected]

Our objective is to explain shoreface dynamics and evolution over the medium- and large-scales

(years, decades to centuries) along a wave-dominated, low-lying coastline (Danube Delta, Black

Sea). Our research comprises comparative analysis (profile to profile volume changes) of

historical and modern maps (since 1856) and bathymetrical measurements (2008 and 2014)

extending along both Romanian and Ukrainian sectors to water depths of 20 m; annual

bathymetries of the upper shoreface (2003 – 2014); LIDAR data (2011), satellite images,

ortophotos and GPS surveys.

At multi-decadal and centennial time-scales, the shoreface sediment volume changes are linked

to storminess, Danube sediment supply, longshore sediment transport (LST) distribution and

impact of engineering structures. The presence of active deltaic lobes (Chilia) or developing

barrier islands (Sacalin) induced significant increase of shoreface volumes in the last century,

while decreasing volumes are related mainly to retreating deltaic lobes (Sulina). The construction

of Sulina jetties accentuated the erosion by blocking the LST and inducing severe erosion

downdrift. In the last three decades, the significant decrease of Danube sediment input

determined an important reduction of shoreface volumes.

At multi-annual scale, shoreface morphodynamics is linked to storm pattern changes and river

floods. The different morphodynamic behaviour is related to the distance from river mouths,

with fully active shoreface in their proximity and seaward partially-active shoreface elsewhere.




159

Climate warming between 1961-2009 in the main agricultural region of

Romania

Remus Prăvălie1, Georgeta Bandoc

1, Cristian Patriche

2

1Center for Coastal Research and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Geography, University of

Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania 2Romanian Academy, Iaşi Divison, Geography Department, Iaşi, Romania

[email protected]

This work analyzes the spatial and temporal trends of air mean temperature in Romania‟s most

important agricultural area, the south-south-eastern region, between 1961 and 2009. In this

respect, multiannual (the entire period) and multidecadal (1961-1990, 1971-2000, 1981-2009)

trends were analyzed (with Mann-Kendll test and Sen‟s slope method) at 23 weather stations,

annually, seasonally and for the growing season of the region‟s main agricultural crops (maize

and wheat). Multiannually, the results showed statistically significant temperature increases, on

all temporal scales (maximum rate of 0.06 °C/yr recorded in summer, equivalent to a net

temperature rise of 2.82°C), except for the autumn season (cooling without statistical

significance). Multidecadally, the 1961-1990 period is marked by a general cooling, especially in

autumn (maximum values of -0.07 °C/yr or over 2 °C net cooling). In the 1971-2000 and 1981-

2009 periods, a general warming was observed (maximum in summer for both multidecades,

when positive rates peaked at 0.09 °C/yr, or 2.5–3 °C net warming), but the warming of the last

three decades is the most prominent in terms of spatial average magnitude and trend significance.

The results can be useful first and foremost for mitigating the climate change impact on

agricultural systems, by prioritizing future adaptation strategies enforced by policy makers.




160

The rainfalls precipitation recorded between 14th and 16th September 2014

and morphological consequences that have affected the town Orsova and the

village of Svinita from the Danubian corridor of the Iron Gates

Gheorghe Sorin Carablaisa, Amalia Mihaela Oglindoiu, Florina Grecu


[email protected]

According to the analysis of the recorded values from the days of 14th- 15th-16th September

2014 at the weather station Drobeta Trunu Severin, the most important weather station situated

near the Natural Park Iron Gates, resulted the fact that the clouds systems powerfully developed,

have brought rich precipitation, recording 170,4 mm with a maximum of 102 in 24 hours (the

first day), the total quantity of precipitation from September was of 228mm, an exceptional value

for the analyzed period of time. The recorded value from September 2014 is the highest from all

the row of analyzed data for September month between the period 1961/2014. The most affected

area by the hydromorphological hazard is inside or in Orsova town and Svinita village with

extension to Tekja, a village situated on the Serbian shore of the natural park in front of the two

Romanian settlements, where has been recorded a powerful impact over the environment and

over the local communities. Heavy rainfalls have produced floods, pluviodenudal and sudden

gravitational processes on all the studied surface. The negative effects of the hydromorphological

processes produced as a consequence of the precipitation from those days, have been measured

in damages of billions of lei, important material and human losses, destroying and affecting the

houses, the roads and the agrarian lands from the disaster area.




161

Ground monitoring of the urban heat island in Bucharest in the framework of

the UCLIMESA project

Ionuţ Cosmin Şandric, Ioan Cristian Iojă, Gabriel Ovidiu Vânău, Diana Andreea Onose, Simona

Raluca Grădinaru


[email protected]

"Urban climate represents a major element for environmental stability and housing quality

especially in the large metropolitan areas. UCLIMESA (Urban Heat Island Monitoring under

Present and Future Climate) project was aimed at better understanding the urban climate, the

associated use of remote sensing and the relationship between air and surface urban heat island.

Ground monitoring of the urban heat island in Bucharest was directed to the atmospheric urban

heat island. The iButtons used in the monitoring process were organized in a rationale network

inside green areas in the city and its surroundings. The network produced data over a period of

approximately 6 months.

The data derived from this network may represent the basis for a wide variety of analysis

including the general characteristics of the urban heat island (intensity, amplitude), the spatial

distribution of the phenomena, the relation with the local characteristics, the hot-spots analysis

and the temporal dynamics of the heat island.

The use of iButtons overcomes the main limitation of the ground based measurements used until

now in the monitoring process of the urban heat island, namely the impossibility of registering

simultaneous values for various points covering a large surface.




162

Urban Landscape Quality Index – planning tool for evaluating urban

landscapes and improving the quality of life

Athanasios Alexandru Gavrilidis, Cristiana Maria Ciocanea, Mihai Razvan Nita, Diana Andreea

Onose, Irina Nastase


[email protected]

Researchers and planners worldwide have emphasized the need for a better planning in an

urbanizing world. The expansion of urbanized areas has increased people‟s access to modern

facilities and urban infrastructures but decreased the quality of life due to social imbalances

characterizing large cities. The quality of urban landscape can be used as an indicator of high or

low quality of life levels.

Our study proposes the assessment of urban landscape using an Urban Landscape Quality Index

(ULQI) that can be used for mapping the landscape quality within a city. The methodology used

for calculating ULQI was based on an expert assessment of the urban landscape items from a

first rank city from Romania followed by a multicriterial analysis. The assessment was made for

each district of the city resulting in an urban landscape quality map for our study case. The

results were validated by comparison with a survey targeting the landscape quality perception of

the locals.

The study showed that using ULQI in order to assess the urban landscape is an efficient and

useful tool that doesn‟t require plenty resources and can generate an outline over a city in short

period. ULQI values can be used by planners, landscapers or authorities in order to prioritize the

areas of an urban area that need to be taken into consideration.




163

Speleothems as archives of environmental change information

Virgil Dragusin

Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Romania

[email protected]

During the last few decades, speleothems have proven themselves as a valuable source of

information about past environmental change. Taking advantage of their suitability for absolute

age determinations and their ability to store a large and diverse number of environmental

proxies, speleothem studies brought to light changes that took place during the Quaternary.

Here we will present the fundamental notions of speleothem work, including notions about the

uranium disequilibrium series, the behavior of oxygen stable isotopes through the hydrological

cycle or the influence of soil processes on stable carbon isotopes in speleothems.

Further, we will illustrate these notions with several examples from Romania, from the last

glacial cycle. We will see how the region around the Eastern Mediterranean responded to the

increase in temperature during the Middle Holocene, how seasonality changed during the letter

part of the Marine Isotope Stage 3 and how the Southern Carpathians witnessed optimal

conditions for plant activity during the warmest part of the Marine Isotope Stage 5e.




164

Computing seismic loss estimates within a big city. Bucharest case study.

Dragos Toma-Danila1,2

, Iuliana Armas2

1National Institute for Earth Physics, Romania


[email protected]

"The seismic risk analysis of big cities is a very demanding yet necessary task; the modeling of

such complex systems requires first of all insightful input data at a good resolution, referring to

local effects, buildings, their residents and economical aspects. Also, seismic risk assessment

methods with good confidence levels are needed. Until recent, these requirements were not

fulfilled for Bucharest, one of the most endangered capital city in the world due to earthquakes.

Based on the 2011 and 2002 buildings and population census data at census tract level, on actual

hazard studies at city level and on the framework of the near-real time System for Estimating the

Seismic Damage in Romania (SEISDaRo), we estimate for the first time the possible building

damage and human losses, for more than 100 areas defining the entire city. The methodology

applied relies on 48 vulnerability curves for buildings, on the Improved Displacement

Coefficient Analytical Method for computing building damage probabilities and on empirical

methods for deriving the social impact.

In order to compare the results with real losses, one of the scenarios is for the 4 march 1977

Vrancea earthquake (Mw 7.4, H 94 km) that produced 1424 deaths and 7598 injuries in

Bucharest.

The analysis and representation of the results is performed through the use of GIS; by using

overlay analysis with satellite imagery or other data we try to provide an even higher resolution

of the vulnerable areas. Best practices for seismic risk mapping are also expressed."




165

Urbanisation and Whistleblowing as Disaster Risk Reduction

Radu Ionescu


[email protected]

Urban areas bring together complex technical systems and human habitation. The issue with this

proximity is that it creates exposure to a wide range of hazards for the communities relying on

these systems for employment, transportation, power, communications, and other, quite crucial,

goods and services. Any technical system can, and, given enough time, will fail if it is

mismanaged or if there is organizational misbehavior involved. Post disaster enquiries contain a

sad account of mismanagement and of people cutting corners. They also show that there were

others who were in the know, tried to speak up, but were overruled or silenced. Quite simply

opacity hides vulnerability. The necessity is therefore to understand what those managing these

technical systems think about whistleblowing and its ability to inform of hidden risks within their

organizations. This is critical both for them and the communities they operate in.




166

Trends in low-flow variability of Romanian rivers

Ileana Tanase

National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Romania has a transitional climate between temperate and continental with four distinct seasons,

and with various climate influences, reflected by the hydrological regime. Low flows in Romania

usually occur in late summer when precipitation is low and evaporation is high and in winter

when precipitation is frozen in ice and snow. Lately, because the climatic change, droughts tend

to be longer lasting than floods in same areas (Svensson et. all, 2005).

This paper aims to analyze the trends in low-flow variability of rivers in Romania. It is based on

data flow (daily, monthly, annually) recorded at 54 gauging station, with a natural runoff regime.

The local significance of trends has been analyzed with the nonparametric Mann-Kendall test for

annual, monthly and seasonal low flow in the last 34 years (period 1980-2013).

The results show, in the case of the lowest annual values of the mean daily discharge, a positive

trend at 22% of the considered stations and a negative trend at 11%. A relatively similar trend is

observed for the annual minimum monthly mean discharges (20% increase and 17% decrease).

Increases in minimum monthly flow were particularly evident in February, March, and

December, perhaps reflecting seasonal shifts toward earlier spring melt and later autumn freeze-

up, respectively. The main identified trends for the seasonal low flow is winter (positive) and

summer (negative). Together with other drought or water scarcity indicators, knowledge of river

low flow trends is important for establishing appropriate management measures of the water

resources, in the context of climate changes.




167

The commons and their tragedy - implications for post-communist Romania

Ana Irina Lequeux - Dinca

Department of Human and Economic Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest,

Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The common pool of resources represents an already defined concept approached by both

economists and political scientists. Its tragedy, generally described as an individual independent

way of acting which endangers the common use depleting the common resource and

jeopardizing its sustainability, applies today to various environmental and economic resources

both globally and particularly such as in the case of Eastern European post-communist countries.

As a subject of complex and profound political and societal changes after 1989, influencing the

system of property and administration, Romania brings into matter the tragedy of commons

revisited after having also witnessed a tragedy of anticommons. The present study focuses on

theoretical aspects of this issue illustrated through practical implications addressing the

sustainability of natural resources and economic activities in the present-day Romania. In order

to scientifically support ideas both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered, analysed and

further illustrated through appropriate methods. Sectors such as protecting natural areas, forestry,

deindustrialization and mining activities or sustainable tourism are among the key domains to

illustrate the interest for a current study of the tragedy of commons in this country.




168

Socio-economic activities, religious presence and urban visibility. The case of

Romanian immigrants in Catalonia

Adriana Șuiu


Universitat Jaume I de Castelló, Spain


When they decided to leave their homeland, the immigrants prepare their luggage with

everything they need in order to start a new life. They also take, without realizing, their culture,

traditions, gastronomy, customs and religion, etc.

The phenomenon of migration from Romania to Spain should be also analyzed from the cultural

and religious point of view because immigrants carry with them their own culture and religion.

The protagonists of this study are people who emigrated from Romania and have become quite a

large community in Catalonia. The object of the study is the knowledge of socio-economic and

religious activities and the evaluation of the urban visibility of the Romanian immigrants who

have settled in Catalonia. I will also pay particular attention to the following issues as regards the

visibility of Romanians in Catalonia: the symbiosis between the Romanian population and

Catalan population (the linguistic similarity), the syncretism, the importance of the religious

practice, the opening up spaces for practicing various activities, the preservation of national

identity, the cultural contamination, the way the immigrants keep in touch with their relatives

from Romania, the gastronomic habits, the presence of Romanian institutions and organizations

etc.

When they arrive in Spain, Romanians are interested to practice their own religion. They started

to constitute a lot of churches in Spain. There are Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Roman Catholic,

Protestant and Neo-Protestant churches. The Neo-Protestant churches include: Baptist churches,

Adventism, Pentecostalism, Evangelism. The church managed to bring together the members of

the Romanian community in Spain. Beside the Orthodox community, the Neo-Protestant

community has had an important development in Romanian community.





169

Evaluating anthropogenic influence in Bucegi Natural Park, Romanian

Carpathians

Bogdan Olariu


[email protected]

The study presents an evaluation method for the anthropogenic influence in protected areas. Thus

the environmental problems were mapped constructing a database used as input for the analysis

model. A case study was chosen for Bucegi Natural Park it presents almost all types of

environmental impact factors that one could find in a protected area. The anthropogenic

influence is the expression of the actual environmental state which indicates the level of change

from the initial state, expressed in quantifiable data. The methodology used for the study was

based on field data collection, processing and analyzing, then validation and finally cartographic

representation. Firstly, land cover was mapped, using orthophotos, same as all the impact factors

(constructions, roads, tracks, sheepfolds, pastures, utilities, traffic, affected vegetation, soil

erosion and any other environmental disturbance). Afterwards, all these data were analysed using

GIS tools. The InVEST model was applied (Tallis et al 2013) which uses land cover, habitat and

protection status, together with impact factors and sensitivity scores to create an anthropogenic

influence overview. A grid was generated for the study area and based on all raster data that was

mapped and analyzed, scores were derived. The result is a new raster map, with information for

all levels of anthropogenic influence. This methodology stands for a solution when evaluating

the environmental state of the Natural Park, helping the park‟s management to improve

protection measures.




170

Evaluating the functional connectivity of Natura 2000 forest patches for

mammals in Romania

Mihaita- Iulian Niculae, Mihai Razvan Nita, Gabriel Ovidiu Vanau, Maria Patroescu


[email protected]

Maintaining and improving landscape connectivity represents a central objective in biodiversity

conservation. The present study aims at evaluating the functional connectivity for mammals of

forest surfaces included in the Natura 2000 sites from Romania, and identifying the priority areas

based on the principles of spatial conservation planning.

For the present study we used the distribution of 17 species of protected mammals included in

the Habitats Directive. The species were divided in three groups according to the dispersion

distance and the average home-range size: small mammals (1km; 1ha), intermediate (10km;

100ha) and large mammals (100km; 1000ha).

For measuring the connectivity of forest patches we used a graph theory approach and the

software CONEFOR 2.6 and ArcGis 9.3. The importance of each patch as an indicator for the

connectivity of forest surfaces was determined using a binary index, the Harary index (dH).

Results reveal that forest surfaces included in the Natura 2000 network present a high

connectivity for terrestrial mammals with a large dispersion value and home range when

compared with other categories of mammals. The index values above 0 ensure a good

connectivity and dispersion for terrestrial mammals.

Furthermore, results evidence that the connectivity objective of the Natura 2000 network is not

totally fulfilled, especially for forest surfaces, requiring that future human activities should focus

on increasing the connectivity of the network.




171

The impact of motorway construction on land use changes

Mojca Foški1, Simon Sevnšek

2, Alma Zavdonik Lamovšek

1

1Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

2Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic of Slovenia, Slovenia

[email protected]

Motorway construction is a major development which is assumed to greatly affect land use

changes. Taking the example of the motorway cross completion in Slovenia, we will show

whether this assumption is correct, and to what extent does the planned land use change besides,

of course, the existing land use. We assume that great changes occur, which show a trend of

construction land growth (urban land use) at the expense of reducing forest and agricultural land.

The impacts of motorway construction were determined by using a comparative analysis of

selected Slovenian municipalities with motorway connections and those that lack motorway

connections. The study was conducted in the period 2002–2012 when Slovenia intensively

implemented its National Motorway Construction Programme (2004). For this purpose, we

particularly monitored demographic, economic, and spatial indicators, such as new and cancelled

house numbers, and land use. Study results show that motorway construction greatly influences

land use changes; nevertheless, land use changes are also dictated by other socio-economic

development factors.




172

Changes in sea surface height in the Black Sea basin – comparison between

hydrological drought and wet periods

Cristina Andra Vrînceanu, Ștefan Constantinescu


[email protected]

"Dynamic topography is one of the youngest branches in Oceanographic research and although

the subject has been tackled for a long period, research has been scarce compared to other topics.

Moreover, regional studies are rare compared to a global ones, albeit having a more in depth

view is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of oceanic circulation and the impact over the

climate and climate changes.

This research focuses on the Black Sea basin and aims to identify some of the changes in

dynamic topography over three temporal intervals represented by 2003, a year with hydrological

drought, 2005-2006 and 2008-2010, portraying wet periods. The context is to analyze and

quantify the variation of the sea surface topography and to identify possible factors that

determined them.

The methods comprise analysis of delayed time products obtained from Ssalto Duacs

multimission altimetry products, computed for a mean profile gridded (1/8°x1/8° on a regular

grid), comparison and correlation with other hydrological and meteorological data.

The preliminary results aim to create an overview of the distinct variations of the sea surface

height in the Black Sea basin and serve as a basis for further analysis of the conditions that

determined the fluctuations.




173

Geomorphological environment in relation to heritage and tourist sites of

interest: The Roman Edifice with Mosaic case study, Constanta

Andreea Andra-Toparceanu1, Mihai Mafteiu

2, Verga Mihaela

1, Christian Stanciu

3, Nichifor

Bogdan4, Florina Tatu

1


2MM Georesearch

3University of Florida, United States

4SEP

[email protected]

Over the history, a series of edifices have been built as a result of certain strategic, economic,

social or religious requirements, edifices which nowadays are included in the national or world

heritage.

The contemporaneous changes are added with the development of urban environment (new

constructions, sewage and water supply installations, the modernization of transport

infrastructure, the rise in the number of inhabitants and/or tourists) and its can cause different

responses from the edifices and from the hydrogeological and geomorphological environment.

The perspective of this paper is given by the relation between the historical monument – The

Roman Edifice with Mosaic heritage from Constanta - and the geomorphological and

hydrogeological environment in its capacity of support, also the anthropogenic impact that

society has on it. The south-west Black Sea front cliff is the morphological surfaces which have

served as base for the three terraces construction of the Roman Edifice with Mosaic in the IV

A.D. century, near the ancient harbor Tomis. The loessoid complex and Sarmatian limestones are

the geological features and the water table are below 3 meters. However the high humidity of

temporary infiltration (at least from the past 20-30 years) causes suffusion on the one hand, and

slip processes on the other hand. The consequences reverberate through waving on the museum

wall with arches and mosaic.

Local features of the cliff, hydrogeological conditions, present geomorphological processes

arising from the intensification of human activities, implicitly tourism endangering of permanent

degradation of the largest Roman Mosaic in Eastern Europe.




174

Spatial patterns in urban landscapes: urbanization and urban forests. Case

study: Brașov-Săcele, Romania

Irina Iulia Năstase

"Simion Mehedinți" Doctoral School, Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest

[email protected]

The urban landscape is the result of socio-economic development and urbanization patterns

which continue to have a significant impact at different scales. Minimizing the negative impacts

of urbanization remains an important objective in order to achieve a sustainable development.

The expansion of impervious surfaces, such as buildings, has determined changes in the land

use/land cover matrix of urban areas. This study aims to quantify the landscape fragmentation

focusing on the spatial relationship between urban forests and built up areas. The study area

comprises neighborhoods from two urban areas: Brașov and Săcele. The data used consists of

aerial images from two different years (2005 and 2008) based on which land use/land cover

maps were created. The changes between the two moments chosen were quantified using

landscape metrics. A spatial multi-criteria analysis was applied to compare the linkages between

urbanization patterns and urban forests in the selected urban areas. The results highlight the

increase of built up spaces close to urban forests and the higher fragmentation of the landscape,

mostly in Săcele. This information can be helpful in terms of urban planning and urban forestry.




175

Sustainable development and international tourism: criteria and indicators

Efros Vasile

„Ştefan cel Mare” University, Suceava, Romania

[email protected]

The concept of sustainable development enters into a wide number of domains, including

research. International tourism doesn´t make any exception, which in recent decades, plays an

important role in the global economy. For these reasons sustainable development can not be aut

of this branch.

Based on WTO materials, World Bank and IMF, were calculated following values, which can

become the basis of determining the degree of sustainability of tourism: share of tourism receipts

in the country's GDP, the number of arrivals from 1 aq.km. of the country and 1 capita, tourism

receipts per capita, the ratio of receipts and tourist arrivals, the number of places in hotels per

1,000 inhabitants, the number of tourist arrivals reported together in hotels etc. Based on these

and the relations between them we evaluate some prerequisites for sustainable tourism from the

point of view of the economic and tourism possibilities available in the country.




176

Characteristics of atmospheric instability in Titu plain. Case study: Severe

convective phenomena, July 14, 2015

Adrian Tiscovschi, Robert Manta, Sipos Zoltan, Mihaita Hustiu


National Meteorological Administration Bucharest

[email protected]

Supercells are one of the most complex mesoscale atmospheric processes. A supercell is usually

associated with severe convective weather and has a lifespan ranging between 1 and 4 hours, and

in some cases even 8 hours (Markowski & Richardson, 2010). Typically, most tornadoes and

large hail cases (over 5 cm) are linked with supercelullar convection. Also, strong wind gusts

that may exceed 100 km/h, high electrical activity, sometimes even 200 lightnings per minute

(Markowski & Richardson, 2010) and heavy rain that can accumulate significant amounts of

water in very short intervals are often caused by supercells. During the warm season of 2015, in

the geographical space of Romania were reported at least three severe convective events related

to supercelullar storms. One of them has developed on July 14, 2015 in the eastern county of

Dâmbovița and was detected by ECC C-band radar from Bucharest. The presence of rotation and

the TDS (Tornado Debris Signature) observed in the radar products have been validated on the

ground by a well defined mesocyclone, hail and strong wind gusts. There were reports of trees

and many roofs brought down by wind gusts, and most of the crops have been compromised

partially or totally in Răcari city.




177

Micromorphology of the landforms emerged as a result of the

hydroameliorative systems in the Romanian plain

Cristina Ghiță, Florina Grecu

Department of Geomorphology, Pedology and Geomatics, Faculty of Geography, University of


[email protected]

"The minor landforms of the flat interfluves in the Romanian Plain have resulted from the

synergy of the natural factors (climate, hydrogeology, geomorphology and phytogeography), but

mostly of the anthropogenic ones (dammings, reservoirs, irrigations, draining works, levellings,

terracing etc.).

Taking into account the agricultural potential of the area, the works undertaken here have led

over the time to causal genetic and functional alterations of the overall mophohidrography and

soil cover. Consequently, the hydric regime changed, while the soils suffered further degradation

(by settling, waterlogging, gleysation, salination and alkalization). The major purpose of this

research was the assessment of spatial distribution and morphology of the landforms that came

into existence as a result of the hydroameliorative works undertaken in the Romanian Plain, east

of the Argeş River, and implicitly, of the dynamics and vulnerability of these lands to settling

phenomena, waterlogging conditions, gleyzation and salination proceses.

Between 1976 and 1988, on the Danube‟s terraces between Argeş and Mostiştea, an area affected

by intense settling processes, was in operation at full capacity the Mostiştea I irrigation system.

Therefore, the groundwater raised up, because of the land unevenness, as the water coming from

precipitation was scarce. This is proved by the weak direct correlation between the areas

occupied by the isophreate lower than 3 m and the amount of precipitation fallen during the same

period. Along the irrigation-drainage canals appeared areas with waterlogging conditions, while

intrazonal soils occurred in close dependence on the intensification of settling processes and the

enlargement of the croves and tiny valleys.




178

An interactive map as a GIS tool for Romanian ski areas management and

information

Mădălina Teodor, Laurentiu Ilie, Robert Dobre


[email protected]

The goal of this project is to create a digital interactive map that would integrate all the ski slopes

in Romania. Most of the times, during the winter season, on weekends or holidays the saturation

of certain ski resorts is obvious. Sometimes skiers encounter the difficulty of choosing a resort;

this choice is subjective and directly influenced by some elements such as the slopes features, the

characteristics of the snow, the weather, the number of skiers in the resort, the location of the ski

slopes and the proximity to other resorts.

The study area is represented by the Romanian Carpathian space where 35 winter sports resorts

were identified. They cumulate 159 ski slopes on a total length of 231 km. From the total of 159

slopes, 10 slopes are aimed at children and beginners, 43 are easy slopes, 78 are medium slopes

and 28 are difficult slopes. The cable transport system totals 77 chairlifts, 24 ski lifts, 6 gondolas

and 4 cable cars.

CartoDB application was used to create this map. The application is a GIS tool using Shapefile

layers that have a spatial description and can integrate GIS programs.

This map could be a very useful information element because it can view and consult

incorporatedly the characteristics of the slopes according to the accessibility, performances or

desires of the tourist. The application can be very useful for the resorts managers because it

integrates all the ski areas and facilitates the management of the ski slopes.




179

Interactive map – a GIS tool for informing and monitoring the

implementation of Romanian transport infrastructure projects

Robert Dobre1, Marcel Boloș

2, Laurentiu Ilie

1, Mădălina Teodor

1, Ancuța Netcu

1


2Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania

[email protected]

The development of the transport infrastructure in Romania represents a national priority which

aims to ensure the connectivity of the population and business environment in all transport

sectors. The transport sector represents at the same time 'the engine of economy' of a state or of a

region. Therefore, this subject should be necessarily handled with special attention.

The implementation of infrastructure projects is done very often with a delay caused directly or

indirectly by numerous factors. The stages of implementation of a project from the intent until

the starting of the operation involve many aspects, each generating delays. Monitoring these

steps and the quickness and efficiency managing the problems that may occur can accelerate the

process of implementation.

Thus, creating a complex information tool that would provide detailed and updated spatial

information for all beneficiaries of the projects during their implementation represents a reliable

and modern solution.

The database can be viewed through an online platform accessible from any workstation

connected to the internet. The platform provides general information about the projects: the route

of the project, the relief units crossed, as well as technical information for the beneficiaries. Such

information is: physical stage of the work, financial progress, payments performed, critical

sectors from a geomorphological viewpoint, the stage of the approvals, maps, situation plans,

GIS resources.

Both the interactive map and associated information represent the GIS tool that could monitor all

the projects identified in the General Master Plan of Transport.




180

Sensitivity assessment to erosion of the Romanian Black Sea coast

Mădălina Ristea


[email protected]

"The vulnerability of the shoreline to different hazards is a topic of great interest in climate

change studies. In the past years a series of indices that assess vulnerability were used on

different coasts of the world. The present study uses a sensitivity approach (sensitivity is a part

of the vulnerability analysis along with exposure and adaptive capacity) because it assesses only

the physical indicators of the Black Sea coast, without taking into account any socio-economic

variables.

The methodology consists in applying a Coastal Sensitivity Index (CSI) which comprises a

number of 5 variables: shoreline evolution, beach width, coastal slope, Storm Impact Potential

(SIP) and relative sea-level rise, which were ranked on a scale from 1 to 4. The formula used for

the index is the arithmetic mean of all the ranked variables mentioned above. A number of 4

sensitivity classes were established: low sensitivity (1), moderate sensitivity (2), high sensitivity

(3) and very high sensitivity (4). The results of the analysis are displayed in a GIS-based

sensitivity map of the Romanian coast.

The future directions of this study are: (a) establishing all the socio-economic variables that are

relevant to the area of interest and integrating them in an overall vulnerability analysis and (b)

using a decision support system in order to determine the coastal risk.




181

Wetlands change in urban areas – key indicator for ecosystems services

assessment. Case study: Bucharest city (Romania)

Cristian Ioja, Gabriela Osaci-Costache


[email protected]

Wetlands became key areas for promoting urban sustainability. Over the years, their perception

in urban areas has been radically changed from unhealthy and dangerous to very attractive land-

use. Now, urban wetlands are considered important providers of multiple ecosystems services.

The paper aims to emphasize the fact that wetlands changes are a key indicator for ecosystem

services assessment. The study area is located in Bucharest, in Tineretului area (16.5 km2). Using

historical maps and aerial images (1856, 1900, 1955, 1977, 1990, 2005, 2012), wetlands changes

have been analyzed. The results show: (1) major decrease of urban wetlands (86%) due to

conversion in built-up areas, agricultural lands and green areas; (2) increase of wetlands area due

to human intervention; (3) reducing the role of urban wetlands as ecosystems services providers.

Thus, in the 19th Century, wetlands in the case study area covered 1.29 km2, with large surfaces

(between 6 and 27 ha) and agricultural land around. In 2012, the surface has decreased to 0.18

km2, located especially in urban parks or with dominant built-up areas around. Also, Dâmbovița

floodplain was radically changed, through movement to the south (82-805 m), reduction of

length (from 7207 m to 4938 m) and decreasing of meander coefficient (from 1.653 to 1.02).

Due to massive human intervention during communist time, new wetland was created in

Văcăreşti area (0.26 km2). However, more ecosystems services of wetlands are considerably

diminishing in case study area. Our study shows that wetlands change could be an important

indicator for ecosystems services assessment.




182

The Role of Church in Preserving Local Identity within the Area of Danube

Gorge

Ilie Radoi


[email protected]

Over the years, in a particular community, the Church has kept the unity and identity of the

members who belonged to the Orthodox confession. Human communities spread in wide

geographical areas have also kept some of their characteristics. It is possible that this specific

affiliation to the confession has given the identity of the community- a local or regional identity

well –grounded, which has been preserved over the history. Thereby, the identity of the Serbian

and Romanian communities from Danube Gorge area is a socio-cultural product. By the simple

presence of the Orthodox Romanian and Serbian communities, the church had an essential role

in preserving the local identity in the Danube Gorge area. In the area, the proof of the Serbian

presence has been stated from the 15th century in several localities. Through the history, have

been made many efforts in order to keep the religion and this efforts changed the “face” of the

churches. So, taking this into consideration, is it still possible to discuss about a church that

belongs to the community and has an important contribution to preservation of cultural, linguistic

and territorial identity?




183

Landslide hazard analysis in the Luncavăț Catchment, România

Radu Irimia1, Ionut Sandric

1, Zenaida Chitu

2, Bogdan Mihai

1


2National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The study assesses the landslide hazard in the Luncavăţ catchment, part from Căpățânii

Mountains and Getic Subcarpathians. Luncavăț catchment spreads over an approximate 300 km2

and over 65% of the area is moderately or highly susceptible to landslides. The spatial

component of the landslide hazard was calculated as the mean value of three difference methods:

HG447/2003, weight of evidence and weighted overlay. It was found that the results from all the

methods converge for approximate 75% of the Luncavăț watershed. However, the bivariate

method had some severe deficiencies and parts of the high and medium landslides susceptibility

classes did not overlapped with the actual landslide inventory map. The result of the multivariate

technique was more sensitive to the different local features of the test zone and it resulted in

more accurate and homogeneous susceptibility maps. The temporal component of the landslide

hazard was estimated as the probability and landslide to trigger for a return periods of 10, 25 and

50 years. The statistical analysis made use of the landslide inventory that comprises 35 landslides

with temporal information. The result of this work can be used by local authorities to help them

to identify high risk landslide areas, and those that are safe for constructions and other human

activities




184

Urbanization and territorial cohesion. Case study: Region of Waterloo,

Ontario, Canada

Manuela-Ana-Maria Anghel


[email protected]

I have studied the Southern region of Ontario, more specifically the Regional Municipality of

Waterloo, where I have spent almost four months and noticed important elements regarding land

use and infrastructure planning. In this particular case I wanted to emphasize the project

“Complete Streets for Canada” policy, initiated by Toronto Centre for Active Transportation.

The following case study is consisted by an analysis of Kitchener, the main urban centre of

Waterloo. I have considered the following parameters: investments, restoration and re-use of

heritage resources, employment by industry, population profile, labor force profile, business

profile, income, wages and cost of living, community, age characteristics, mother tongue-total

population excluding institutional residents, how different nationalities interact, immigrants. I

have accessed the previous information from the Statistics Canada, available on the Government

of Canada‟s platform.

Moreover, I have focused my study on Kitchener‟s progress in the last years and the

environmentally sensitive landscapes in Waterloo, information collected from the Regional

Growth Management Strategy Greenlands Strategy Implementation.

In conclusion, does City of Waterloo present cohesion?




185

Homelessness and the quality of the urban environment in Bucharest

Mirela Paraschiv, Igor Sîrodoev, Natașa Văidianu, Andrei Schvab

CICADIT (Interdisciplinary Center for Advanced Research on Territorial Dynamics), University of


[email protected]

Urban poverty represents a constant issue for the sustainable development of cities as it impacts

the quality of the urban environment. Homelessness stands out as the extreme expression of

urban poverty, associated with multidimensional dimensions of exclusion and a specific use of

the urban territory. Romania is one of the European countries with the highest rates of extreme

poverty, being concentrated in Bucharest – the predominant polarization centre of both growth

and increased inequalities. The study includes a qualitative assessment of the quality of the urban

environment in Bucharest, based on the relation between homelessness, the urban territory and

the general population. The empirical analysis included (1) field observations to investigate the

homeless localisation‟s effects on the environment, (2) a direct survey on a sample of homeless

people to find information on daily practices and the use of the urban territory and (3) a

questionnaire conducted on the Bucharest residents to highlight the interactions established

between the general population, homelessness and the urban space, in the framework of an urban

environment explored from two perspectives – physical environment and social environment.

The results evidence in what manner the territorial manifestation of homelessness represents a

source of urban environment quality degradation. The main findings argue that homelessness

specificities influence the quality of the urban environment and participate at the generation or

intensification of existing environmental problems in the city. The analysis‟ conclusions

emphasize useful insight to increase the quality of the urban environment and to support the

sustainable development of Bucharest.




186

Gaps in transforming the national parks of Romania in ecotourism

destinations. Case Study: National Park Domogled-Cerna Valley

Mioara Clius, Madalina Ristea

Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The importance of protected areas in the development of ecotourism activities is recognized for

more than two decades around the world. In Romania, the national ecotourism development

strategy approved in 2009, states that national parks are priority destinations for this form of

tourism and the law requires that the objective of management plans is supposed to be the

assessment of the ecotourism potential and recommends its correlation with visitation strategies.

Of the 13 national parks of Romania, 12 are located in the Carpathian Mountains and although

they have an impressive natural tourism potential, they fail to impose themselves as ecotourism

destinations. The National Park Domogled–Cerna Valley (NPDCV) is situated in the Carpathian

Mountains, in the south-western part of Romania and occupies an area of 61 211 ha. NPDCV

belongs to the II IUCN category and aims to protect habitats that are representative on the

national scale, landforms, natural and traditional landscapes. Assessment of current situation was

achieved by aggregating a set of indicators: the accessibility of the park to the national and local

infrastructure, the density of touristic routes and their degree of overlap with areas where the

visitation is allowed, the identification and quantification of the types of structures that can be

converted into eco lodges and the efficiency of financial management and human resources. The

results of this work point out that the gaps in developing an ecotourism destination can be

overcome by revising the management plan and the visitation strategy, but also for the focus of

conservation and investment projects.




187

Will learning from post-socialist changes help us to stop wasting our

resources?

Igor Sîrodoev

Ovidius University of Constanța; University of Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Incorporation of the former socialist countries in the European Union structures have been

challenging for both the core countries and the new periphery. Discrepancies between the EU

member states started to deepen, while results of the equalization efforts have turned out to be

weaker than expected. Explanations have been provided and solutions proposed. New financial

instruments were designed to diminish the gap between the core and the periphery. However, the

impact of the EU funds was low just because the periphery was not capable enough to absorb

those funds. The problem seems to be in the same place as before. We suppose that it was not

the instruments‟ fault, but their designers‟ one. In our work we come with arguments that local

features had to be taken into account. We argue that lessons of post-socialist transformations

must be taken into account when designing new EU-wide development policies.




188

Morphological considerations on the distribution of tourism infrastructure in

the Piatra Craiului Massif

Anca Munteanu


[email protected]

This material aims to present the peculiarities of the distribution infrastructure in the Piatra

Craiului Massif. It presents some unique morphological features, the limestone ridge, with two

steep slopes, which makes the anthropic activities. There are two major types of arteries, the

form of forest roads, access, the main valleys at the base, which delimit massive and tourist

paths, reaching up to the highest part of the ridge. Distribution of the 45 touristic routes over the

whole surface is uneven, subject to general morphological appearance. How are found on land

adjacent to the link between the areas, lodges and sightseeing. By addressing this material fills

the link between the substrate and how the data submitted information showing the unique

features of Piatra Craiului Massif.




189

Water sanitation and health in Calarasi County

Cristinel Sandru


[email protected]

"The present research tries to highlight the relationship between water quality and waterborne

disease incidence in Calarasi County. For this purpose it were analyzed data provided by the

Public Health Department of Calarasi County since 2008 and until 2014 (between 2008 and

2014). During this period of time, many changes occurred in the method of water supply to the

population, especially in rural areas.

The results of water analyses samples were correlated with the occurrence of diseases. The

diseases included in the research are: acute infantile methemoglobinemia, BDA, dysentery and

hepatitis acute hepatitis A.

It was investigated whether progress toward centralized water supply systems in rural areas

managed to reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases by increasing drinking water quality

The analyzed data on water supply systems were: the percentage of population connected to

these services, the tariffs and the capture sources.

In the end, it was made a comparison between rural and urban areas in terms of water quality and

waterborne disease incidence.




190

Practical solutions for exploiting the SIAFIM vulnerability map fires

Maria Vișan, Margareta Sima

Intergraph Computer Services, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The management of the environmental risks begins by their assessment. This evaluation was the

subject of several research papers and several risk models were developed. One was developed

by ourselves in SIAFIM (Satellite Images Analysis for Fire Monitoring) project dedicated to fire

forest, developed by Intergraph Computer Services together with its partners: the University of

Bucharest - Center for Environmental Research and Realization Impact Studies, National

Institute for Research and Development Optoelectronics - INOE 2000, Research Institute for

Artificial Intelligence, Romanian Academy and funded by Romanian Space Agency in STAR

program. Environmental vulnerability to forest fires is an important part of risk; it is, in fact, the

challenge exposed to this evil and therefore merits special attention by policy makers. Applying

the proposed model and service suggests the use of geomatics technologies in the space of

vulnerability. The vulnerability map is not a means to fight, but it helps decision makers to plan

and exercise proper control. Forest fires impact your business or you are an institution that

calculates the environmental impact of the life and safety of citizens and the reaction rate

translates into economic losses or human lives or prevent them, then a practical solution today is

to call services (web) that gives you actionable information on vulnerability to fire forest. The

results of SIAFIM project was tested in pilot areas in Romania and was widespread throughout

the country and today can be offered as a SaaS service providing information on the spatial

distribution of areas susceptible to fires in Romania.




191

Demographic changes reflected in the spatial evolution of Braila City

Liviu Tatu1, Florina Tatu

2, Mihaela Verga

2, Andreea Andra-Topârceanu

2

1Military Topographic Directorate, Bucharest, Romania


[email protected]

Together with socio-economic factors, political and legislative climates who have succeeded

over the time, population is an essential component of territorial development for a city,

representing the most dynamic element of urban landscape. The pace of demographic growth,

structure, natural and migratory movement and spatial distribution of population in correlation

with the rhythm and the specific of the economic development can impose the trends of spatial

extension of a city. With an advantageous geographical position on the Danube shore, with

opportunities for territorial extension offered by nature, Braila City has made notable steps in its

development as an important urban and economic center, becoming an attraction for an

increasing number of inhabitants. Social and economic phenomenon that took place inside the

city, the massive industrialization from the middle of XX century which determined the rural

exodus, the demographic explosion due to the pronatalist policy on the one hand and location

and connections with other rural or urban settlements on the other hand, determined a permanent

growth and development of Braila City. This paper aims to analyze the relation between the

dynamic of population and the spatial extension of the city by statistical and cartographic data

processing and some socio-economic aspects that influenced the development of Braila City in

the last one hundred years.




192

Evolution of the Sulina mouth based on historical maps

Marius Budileanu


[email protected]

This paper studies the dynamics of the Sulina branch mouth by analyzing the influence of human

intervention on sediment deposition at the point at which the Danube river empties into the sea.

Following the creation of the European Commission of the Danube (ECD) in 1856, the Sulina

mouth underwent important improvement works. The first stage of jetty construction started in

1858 and was completed in 1861; the northern dike measured 1411 m, while the southern dike

measured 914 m – today the length of the dikes is approximately 9 km; the role of the jetties was

to exceed the length of the bar which, in its natural state, extended over the entire mouth. At the

same time, the ECD drafted bathymetric plans (based on seasonal bathymetric measurements),

subsequently published in complex atlases of the Sulina mouth. Our goal is to indexing and

ranking of all types of cartographic materials produced by (ECD), as well as other cartographic

materials published after 1940. All this maps will further stand as a starting point for

geomorphological analysis like sedimentation rates and volume calculation.




193

Application and validation of the coastal remote sensing and UAV

surveillance techniques within wave-run measurements polygon from 2 Mai –

Vama Veche shore sector

Razvan Mateescu, Danut Diaconeasa, Silica Petrisoaia, Elena Vlasceanu, Dragos Niculescu

NIMRD "Grigore Antipa", Constanta, Romania

[email protected]

Within an Pilot project of COSMOMAR, Center of Competence in Space Technologies for the

South-Eastern Romania, was developed, in the summer of 2015, an experimental session for the

waves run-up process investigation. The polygon of measurements were aimed primarily to

develop specific methods to facilitate certain space surveillance technologies applications on the

shore sector of 2Mai – Vama Veche. During the field sessions, it were used specific equipment,

including UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) techniques for coastal monitoring and rapid

assessment of the coastal response to sea state regime, digital-scoping techniques, as well as

classical topographical equipment.

The paper-work will present the results obtained during the coastal zone surveillance/continuous

integrated monitoring, using unmanned aircraft, highlighting the technical advantages, the spatial

data resolution and the probability of the overall vision of coastal geomorphological features.

The UAVs were suitable for use of multiple sensors, in particular for the monitoring of the

coastal areas mainly in high-resolution mapping systems, providing the analysis of the hydro-

morphological evolution on the sea-land interface features in certain marine hydrological events.

It will be presented the results of complex analysis of data from various sensors deployed within

a polygon measurements conducted in order to investigate several vulnerable beach and cliff

area."




194

The importance of biogeomorphic interactions in determining the complexity

of barrier breaching

Florin Zăinescu, Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe


[email protected]

Deltaic barriers and spits are among the most highly dynamic and vulnerable coastal landforms

rapidly changing their dimension, plan position and morphology. Spits are often composed from

an attached barrier near the river mouth, a central barrier backed by a lagoon and a distal tip

usually forming a beach ridge plain reflecting the erosion-accumulation transition alongshore the

barrier. The high shoreline mobility of the narrow and low Sacalin barrier is mainly driven by

coastal storms and associated processes: longshore and cross-shore sediment transport,

overtopping, washover fan building and sediment transport during breaching. The barrier spit

was frequently breached in the central part and, episodically it experiences large elongation and

retreat rates (up to 500 m/year and 80 m/year). The in-depth analysis performed on the evolution

indices in correspondence with the storm climate and storm-induced sediment transport indicate

that the long term evolution is orchestrated by the storm climate, the preexisting barrier island

morphology and the interactions with backbarrier reeds (Phragmites australis). Moreover, the

central sector of the Sacalin spit appears to be controlled by the dynamics and patterns of

breaching which play a major role in the decadal erosion rates. The time evolution of the central

barrier retreat, which historically has had some of the fastest shoreline retreat rates of over 20

m/yr appears as an intricate patchwork of former and recently deposited breach sands that extend

progressively with time into the backbarrier lagoon. Hence, a new 3-stage model of breaching

and building up behavior is developed that emphasizes the role of cross-shore sand transport

during breaching and biogeomorphic interactions in the migration and periodically widening of

the barrier.




195

Post Little Ice Age climate and vegetation changes: implications on

permafrost processes from Retezat Massif

Răzvan Popescu1, Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe

2, Nicolae Cruceru

3, Olimpiu Pop

4

1University of Bucharest Research Center (ICUB), University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

2Faculty of Geography - University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

3Faculty of Geography - Spiru Haret University, Bucharest, Romania

4Faculty of Geography - Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

[email protected]

"Geomorphological evidences and several types of thermal, topographical and geophysical

methods applied in the highest massifs of the Southern Carpathians indicate that most of the rock

glaciers are currently relict or inactive. Only a few rock glaciers are probably active or contain

active sectors in their upper parts as indicated by their expressive topography and lack of

vegetation. They are located only in the granitic massifs (Retezat and Parâng) above 2100 m

altitude. Pinus mugo shrubs are among the most encountered species colonizing the blocky

surfaces of rock glaciers and they are well suited for growth ring analysis, i.e.

dendrogeomorphological investigations.

The present work aims at assessing the age of Pinus mugo installed on rock glaciers fronts from

three rock glaciers from Retezat Massif and their implication on post Little Ice Age climate

changes and permafrost creep processes. Another purpose is to evaluate the vegetation changes

in the alpine area of Retezat Massif in the last 50 years based upon old and recent aerial imagery

comparison and to correlate it with the alpine climate changes from the last 70 years based on

meteorological data.

Additionaly, the results of the dynamic measurement applied on Judele rock glacier in 2012-

2014 time interval are presented.




196

Recent approaches in bioclimatic landscape planning projects

Vladimir Ionut Boc

University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine - Landscape Architecture Department,

Romania

[email protected]

"Nowadays, bioclimatic planning and design are well known concepts in the field of architecture

and urban planning which have been deeply researched in the last half century. In landscape

architecture, the development of bioclimatic principles and their application in projects and

strategies appeared much later, mostly in the last 20 years, although some principles date back to

Antiquity. Bioclimatic landscape planning has been developed in order to improve the

relationship between human habitats and the natural environment as well as to ameliorate the

microclimate influence on human health and comfort.

The approach is focused on analysing recent bioclimatic landscape planning projects from

several cities located in different climatic zones of the world, including hot-arid zones, hot-

humid areas, temperate-humid areas, etc. The research aims to identify, evaluate and compare

methods of analysis, planning and implementation used in each case study.

The results of the study indicate the main factors underlying the development and

implementation of projects in bioclimatic landscape architecture, presenting the impact of

proposed interventions on bioclimatic variables. The conclusions set out the main methods used

and the benefits of woody vegetation, the most significant controlling factor of the bioclimatic

variables in most geographical areas.




197

Change detection analysis of the spruce forest in the Romanian Carpathians

(1986-2014): an example from Căpățânii Mountains

Laura Tîrlă, Ionuț Șandric, Iuliana Vijulie, Gabriela Manea, Roxana Cuculici


[email protected]

The forests have been intensively exploited since ancient times in the Romanian Carpathians,

especially where the natural environment has created optimal conditions for traditional activities

like shepherding or timber processing. The study focused on the changes that recently affected

spruce forest in the Căpățânii Mountains (a sub-unit of the South Carpathians). The change

detection analysis was performed on four Landsat imagery: 1986, 2000, 2011 and 2014. Results

show the natural restoration of spruce forest during the last 25 years, especially on the less

exposed surfaces to human activities. The area covered by mature forest (>60 years) on the

young forest account has increased by 17% until 2011, although the spruce forest has generally

lost ground by about 4.8%. Rapid changes have locally occurred between 2011 and 2014: small,

but numerous parcels were completely clear-cut, and the timberline was sensitively lowered on

some areas. Overall, the following phenomena were emphasized: a) the impact of large-scale

deforestation in mountain areas under the communist regime; b) the regenerative capacity of

spruce on the formerly deforested areas, favored to some extent by the decrease of shepherding

and grazing; c) the current small-scale, but intensive logging on private properties enabled by the

recent changes in forestry legislation and shifts in local economy.




198

Management and protection measures against floods in the lower sector of the

Siret

Diana Alexandra Marola


[email protected]

"The main purpose of this project is to analyse the lower section of the Siret to propose a viable

flood protection measure. To achieve this goal, they were established several objectives. In the

first stage relevant parameters (geology, soils, land use, geodeclivity) that influence vulnerability

to flood in the studied area were studied.

In the second stage it was aimed proposing a safeguard against flooding. The proposed measure

is the construction of a reservoir that takes some of the Siret flow during torrential rains. To

choose the most optimal location of a lake, they were taken into account existing

geomorphological factors and variations of the river flow. It has also been determined riverbed

dynamics between 1982-2005.

In the last phase of the project, two possible options for the location of a lake were proposed to

demonstrate the suitability of the land for this solution. Finally, through this study it was proved

the need to build a reservoir in the study area.




199

Storm climate and morphological responses (from short- to long-term scales)

on the Danube delta coast

Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe, Florin Zăinescu, Florin Tătui, Luminița Preoteasa


[email protected]

An expected consequence of global climate change that will potentially impact the coastal

landscape in the 21st century include an increase in storminess or at least an increasing

storminess variability, which could result in an intensification of coastal erosion and more

frequent flooding of low-lying coasts. Storminess can vary as a function of the local climatic

variability, ultimately controlling the intensity of the coastal dynamics.

Hourly wind speed and direction data registered between 1960 and 2014 at five meteorological

stations placed on the Romanian Black Sea coast were used to analyse the coastal storm (v ≥ 10

m/s, T ≥ 24 h) regime: mean wind speed, total duration, resultant wind direction, storm severity

index – SSI and storm impact factor - SIF.

The coastal storms temporal variability shows three active intervals (1961-1973, 1975-1978,

1995-1998), with high intensities of both the erosional and accretional coastal processes, and two

calm periods (1989-1994, 2005-2012), with a decrease of 50-70% of the shoreline migration

rates. The last interval (2005-2014) is an exceptional negative anomaly, the storm frequency

being half of the multi-decadal average. All intervals are strongly negatively correlated with the

North Atlantic Oscillation (r = - 0.76), which demonstrates the control of climate variability

systems on the frequency and intensity of winter storms on the Romanian Black Sea coast.

This coast is subject to intense geomorphological processes with a net domination of erosion

(70% of total shoreline length). The strongest coastal processes are recorded during winter, due

to high storms frequency and magnitude. The storm activity is responsible for 62% of the total

longshore sediment transport (LST); moreover, the high prevalence of northern storms (89%

from all storms) imposes an unidirectional development for many coastal processes at different

time scales: LST, aeolian sediment transport, sand wave migration and deltaic lobes lop-sided

development.




200

Quantifying the role of accessibility in the attractiveness of urban parks. Case

study Bucharest

Diana Andreea Onose, Ileana Pătru-Stupariu, Mihai Răzvan Niță, Athanasios Alexandru

Gavrilidis, Irina Năstase


[email protected]

Accessibility is one of the characteristics that shape the attractiveness of urban parks. There are

many examples in the world of parks with numerous endowments and facilities that are

underused due to their location in relation with the residential areas or the center of the city

meanwhile parks with lower diversity or quality of endowments attract larger flows of visitors.

The aim of the study is to quantify the proportion in which the attractiveness of urban parks is

dependent of their accessibility. In order to obtain a value as objective as possible we applied

observation sheets (to assess the existing facilities and their quality and the general access to the

park) and questionnaires (to evaluate the reasons for which the population chose to come into the

park) for 20 urban parks in Bucharest considered as representative. Spatial analysis (used to

delineate the attractiveness pools of the parks) and statistical analysis were used to quantify the

role of accessibility in the attractiveness of four different categories of urban parks (metropolitan,

municipal, neighborhood and transition parks). The results of the study can help to better

understand what the population prefers regarding the urban parks and to highlight the parks with

good accessibility and problems related with the facilities or the other way around.




201

Contextual indicators with potential of activating/fuelling the environmental

conflict in Natura 2000 sites

Cristian Ioja, Mihai-Razvan Nita, Constantina Alina Hossu, Diana-Andreea Onose, Denisa

Lavinia Badiu


[email protected]

The rapid expansion of the network based on some dominant scientific arguments and the impact

of the imposed restrictions on the local and regional economies have determined the activation of

numerous environmental conflicts in Natura 2000 sites. The high percentage of network surface

(22,68% of Romania‟s surface) makes the competition between the conservation and

development as complex, especially because the sites were declared without the consultation of

the public. Moreover, Natura 2000 sites have inherited many conflicts related to the resources

depletion, socio-economic problems, unclear institutional mandates regarding land ownership,

existing threats or some negative perceptions. Energy production, water, forest and non-

renewable resources exploitation are just a few of the environmental conflicts causes from these

areas. The paper aims to emphasize main spatial indicators that could be used for assessment of

natural, social, economic and historic characteristics of Natura 2000 sites with role in

activating/fuelling the environmental conflicts.




202

Literary text as a didactical tool in geography. Applications with the “Book of

Apolodor” by Gellu Naum

Dorina Cheval1, Teodora Marchiș

2

1„Miguel de Cervantes”

Theoretical Bilingual Highschool, Bucharest, Romania

2 „Sfântul Andrei” School, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

Many of the literary text students come by are also a source of geographical information.

Through regular reading these information are assimilated becoming part of the informal

education. The aim of this study is to exemplify ways in which this information can be used in an

organized manner, through non-formal activities or during the geography class.

The applications organized as a case study are based on a very known and loved book which is

studied in the V-th grade – “Cartea lui Apolodor” (Apolodor‟s Book), wrote by Gellu Naum. The

book presents in lyrics the journey of the penguin Apolodor who in search for his family travels

from Bucharest to Antarctica on a very long and complicated path. The books geographical offer

is very generous: geographical names, descriptions of some natural environments, a path which

crossed all the continents. The success of a such transdisciplinary teaching approach is

guaranteed by the expressivity of the lyrics and the dynamic of the facts that arouse the curiosity

of each and every student and determines him to look on the map the extraordinary places

presented in this journey.




203

Conversion and urban regeneration in the city of Timisoara. Redefinitions

and controversy

Ramona Ivan, Sorin Pavel


[email protected]

The urban development of the city of Timișoara is a result of historical evolution. For centuries,

the city has incorporated various influences and each of these has defined the current

characteristics of urban space. Even if between urban structures belonging to different ages there

are obvious contrasts, Timișoara has individualized urban spaces with specific characteristics, its

own identity and well-defined functional links. The 21st century has found Timișoara with vast

areas of great historical value (but in a precarious state of conservation), with large

neighborhoods of blocks (but with serious problems of image quality and infrastructures), with

large industrial areas abandoned (without concrete projects for the conversion) and, in addition,

with significant reserves of land for the built in proximity to the central area. In the context of the

pressure of large real estate projects and the urgency to resolve some problems absolutely

binding (in terms of movement and mobility, the rehabilitation of the historic centre), some

questions concerning the most appropriate solutions for the urban development of Timisoara

have not delayed to appear: How much of the city's architectural heritage must be rehabilitated

and in which way? The city's current profile (with modest buildings that height) must be

retained? Big real estate projects are a solution for conversion of abandoned industrial spaces?




204

Relief suitability for ski area development and 3D panoramic map of the

resort Obârşia Lotrului

Laurențiu Ilie, Robert Dobre, Mădălina Teodor


[email protected]

"First of all, the study represents an evaluation of morphometric and morphographic relief

parameters designed to identify the eligible areas for ski development. Our goal is to achieve the

suitability map for ski area development by analyzing the environmental factors (hypsometry,

slopes, aspect, geology, land cover, soil and geomorphological processes) by means of GIS

techniques.

Secondly, using the result above, we propose to create a new panoramic map for Obârșia

Lotrului resort. The map would contain all the highlights of the resort (existent and proposed).

This map was made by using GIS and graphic software. The first step was to extract the outline

from the topographic map and to create the Digital Elevation Model. To represent the land

surface, aerial images from 2009-2010 and 2012-2013 were used. The next step was to digitalize

the ski slopes with polygon vector types and overlay them on the aerial images with 3Deffects

added. After that, the line vectors were represented with a certain symbol corresponding to the

difficulty level of the ski slopes. The graphic program was used to add the other map elements,

such as the geographical information, texts and other useful information.

The work puts forward new areas in order to develop tourist infrastructure for winter sports in

accordance with European standards and a new and quite intuitive 3Dmap. This work can be

very useful both for tourists and for the policy makers. It would also help the local authorities to

access funded projects to develop the Obârșia Lotrului ski resort.




205

The dynamics, forecasting and effects of using renewable energy sources in

the European Union. The case for Romania

Alexandra Constantin

Eco Simplex Nova, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

The paper aims at issuing trends at the level of the energy sector of the European Union,

Romania included, for the year 2020, which allow for the assessment of the targets achieved in

this sector in accordance with the rules imposed at the European Union level, as well as analysis

of the potential of developing and use of renewable energy sources.




206

Tourism planning and development in Baiului Mountains, Romanian

Carpathians

Ligia Barbalata, Bogdan Olariu

Faculty of Geography, University of Geography, Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

This study aims to analyze the touristic potential of Baiului Mountains, using the cartographic

method, in order to represent the key elements by which these mountains assert in terms of

tourism in Romanian landscape.

Baiului Mountains, bounded by Prahova and Doftana Valley, are very climbable. Despite this

fact, they are not well-kept. One of the problems Baiului Mountains face in terms of hiking and

tourism development is the lack of markings. The content represents field research and illustrates

the approval of a tourist route, very important for hikers, and not only.




207

The necessity for hail suppression system in vineyard and orchard areas from

Moldova

Vasilica Istrate1,3

, Liviu Apostol1, Ovidiu Miron Machidon

2, Aurel Dănuț Axinte

3, Daniel

Florea3

1Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iasi, Romania

2Regional Meteorological Centre Moldova

3General Conf Grup

[email protected]

Agricultural areas from Moldavia region, especially vineyards and orchards are affected annually

by hail. Based on data from weather stations in the period 1967-1998, in the vineyard and

orchard areas recorded on average 0.8 - 1.7 annual hail cases. The losses suffered by large

vineyards in Vrancea, Vaslui and Galati counties affected by hail of about 3700 kg / ha. From the

economic point of view, it is appropriate to implement a hail suppression system to protect these

areas. Hail prediction and hail supression is performed using synoptic information, upper air data

or radar information. Active intervention in the atmosphere is achieved by introducing silver

iodide into the Cumulonimbus clouds using anti-hail rockets. The work to combat hail is

achieved in 2012 by the Iasi county where Cotnari Hail Supression Group acting by 5 rocket

launcher points.




208

Multi-criteria cause- effect analysis for the integration of flood risk

management into spatial planning

Iuliana Nichersu, Iulian Nichersu

Danube Delta National Institute for Research and Development, Romania

[email protected]

"This paper aims to present a study on the integration of hydraulic aspects to the theory,

modeling and practice of spatial planning, as this is becoming an increasingly common concern

in studies of both spheres (or systems). From this perspective we can highlight two main

approaches - hydraulic scenarios input for a strategic spatial planning process, in order to

achieve integrated management of flood risk, and on the other hand, to use information from

hydraulic scenarios in spatial planning scenarios to reduce the effects of floods .

Spatial planning is an inclusive concept of four aspects: socio-economic and cultural elements in

the context of permanent environmental requirements.

Given that the effects of flooding are on the economy, society and environment (including loss of

life, property or environmental imbalances), and considering the comprehensive elements of the

concept of spatial planning (analyzed here as subsystems), it can be said that flood risk

management is interdependent with the spatial planning. On the other hand we can say that flood

risk management is a condition of proper spatial planning and success.

CONSIDEO program is a very important tool in the analysis of the interactions between flood

risk management and spatial planning system, as it can bring to the fore a wide selection of sub-

system elements. Using this program it can be achieved a number of scenarios concerning the

relationships between these factors and can be done a detailed analysis of how they interact or

act on spatial planning.




209

Geography and Environment in the National Curriculum

Octavian Mandrut

“Vasile Goldis” Western University, Institute for Educational Sciences, Romania

[email protected]

"This paper represents an attempt of transferring and adapting, from the Theoretical Geography,

some key elements useful to a substantial renewal of the Educational Curriculum (National

Curriculum). The specific curriculum fields where the key, selected new elements of Geography

and Environment may play a significant role are as follows: the study field, the methodological

elements (the cartographic method and GIS), the internal taxonomy of Geographical and

Environmental sciences (organised on elements, phenomena, processes, systems, structures and

interactions), the undertaken definition of the modern Geography, the conceptual system and

specific terminology, the taxonomic organisation of the geographical space, the dual nature of

Geography and Environment (physical and human), the integrated nature of Geography, the

elements of the paradigmatic dimension, the educational development and the achievement of an

innovative framework.

The dual nature of Geography (as a natural science and as a science related to the society) gives

it distinctive opportunities of integrating some transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary elements

into the National Curriculum as well as into the educational process as a whole.




210

The impact of meteorological risk phenomena in performing mountain

tourism

Ioana Ipate1, Ionuț Ipate

2, Ionuț Giușcă

3, Loredana Giușcă

4


2Faculty of Transportation, Polytechnic University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania

3University of Reading, Department of Meteorology, United Kingdom

4University of Birmingham, Geophysics and Earth Sciences, United Kingdom

[email protected]

"There have been researches done along the time regarding meteorological phenomena and the

way they regulate human society , concluding that human society is molded of their occurrence

and evolution on a time and space reference scale.

Regarding mountain tourism performing in Fagaraș mountains, once those risk phenomena are

susceptible to occur some safety precautions are applied ending up to tracks closures for certain

sectors and certain periods.

Phenomena with the greatest impact on mountain tourism are mainly the winter ones such as

avalanches.

The triggering factor in avalanches generation has a meteorological or non-meteorological base.

The non-meteorological factor is related to the aspect of topography ,slope and even the human

fingerprint.

Risk phenomena have a major impact nevertheless Fagaraș mountains have an outstanding resort

potential in winter-sports performing."




211

A3 Motorway (Predeal – Râșnov Section) - GIS analysis of land suitability,

cost and environmental impact analysis

Georgian Ionuț Purcăreață, Bogdan Andrei Mihai, Ionuț Săvulescu, Robert Răzvan Dobre


[email protected]

"This study focuses on one part of the future A3 Motorway. It transits the hydrographical basins

of Râşnoava and Ghimbășel, spread in Clăbucetele Predealului Mts, Bucegi and Postăvaru

Massifs. The perspective of communication ways in this area is geographically conditioned,

primarily by the morphodynamics of the surrounding landscape and the lithological substrate.

The working methodology was based on the GIS analysis of four main factors: geodeclivity,

lithology, pedology and land use. The final raster of land suitability was obtained by integrating

the factors in a geographical algebra equation which was mapped with Raster Calculator function

of Spatial Analyst extension in ArcGIS. Through reclassification we obtained a raster with four

categories of land suitability values: suitable lands, lands with moderate suitability, lands with

low suitability and unsuitable lands.

The possible routes were then analysed according to the resulted raster, highlighting the shares

held by each route for the four categories of suitability, thus making possible the estimation of

environmental impacts and costs in relation to the values mentioned in Romania‟s General

Transport Master Plan (2015).

Even if the specialized engineering software offers easy modelling alternatives for a route, we

found that they do not take into account important factors such as lithology or active

geomorphological processes. Therefore, the GIS analysis of land suitability must be the

preceding stage for any infrastructure project, as it perfectly highlights the favourability degree

of new designed routes and relieves any additional costs for maintenance, rehabilitation and

remodelling in the post-construction phase.




212

GIS datasets – the foundation for analysis of health care patterns and ageing

in Romania

Gabriel Simion, Liliana Dumitrache, Bogdan Suditu, Mariana Nae

Department of Human and Economic Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest,

Bucharest, Romania

[email protected]

GIS datasets for analysis health care services and ageing presumes access to different digital

layer on land uses, population, health care units. Ideally, the information must have spatial

resolution enough to separate between similar patterns as well the access to official statistical

data to be transferred to GIS format. Datasets must be available at the national, regional and local

level, and it is a priority to collect and put together, in many cases manually digitization

information using satellite imagery, topomaps and field survey. Ageing and demographic decline

underpinned major challenges for economies and health care services. Description and analysis

of spatio-temporal patterns of ageing and health care patterns became a priority for sustainable

development, balanced, coherent and integrated various categories of disadvantaged areas. In the

literature, most critical analysis enhanced the effects of ageing on economic development and

socio-demographic structure changes due to the effects of demographic transition. Ageing can

have negative effects on economic development or in the population access to the health service.

This presentation attempts to analyse the spatial and temporal patterns of demographic

structures, using different methods, such as ESDA (Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis) or

different GIS datasets collection. These approaches may both contribute to a better

understanding of health care patterns and identify of ageing areas in Romania, thereby helping to

detect clusters and spatial polarization trends.




213

Topography control on freeze-thaw weathering assessment in mountain areas

from the Romanian Carpathians

Mirela Vasile, Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe, Răzvan Popescu


[email protected]

"It is widely acknowledged that topographic characteristics exert a great influence on the

occurrence and intensity of most geomorphological processes, mainly by the imposed thermal

and humidity conditions. Thus, the consideration of parameters such as orientation, slope and

ground cover highly increases the reliability of most process-distribution analyses on medium-

high spatial scales.

Freeze-thaw weathering is a significant process in mountain environments, contributing to the

continuous shaping of landforms and mountains evolution. Within this study, we evaluate in-situ

ground frost conditions (thermal behavior) compared to air frost which was constantly used

when describing the very intensity of weathering (i.e. the detachment of rock/soil particles or

fragments). We used different exposures, slope values and altitudes and tried to quantify the

persistence of insulating snow cover. Our work presents examples of in-situ air, soil and rock

temperature analyses from sites in the Eastern and Southern Romanian Carpathians located in

inter-mountain depressions (Poiana Ştampei, Joseni), on low to mean altitude interfluves and

plateaus (Bucegi Mountains) and from high altitude interfluves and compact vertical rockwalls

(Bucegi and Retezat Mountains).

The results prove the increased relativity of air frost in estimating ground frost and the consistent

variation of active diurnal freezing, seasonal frost and snow cover duration, which clearly

modify with altitude and present a strong influence by the degree of surface exposure. The

thermal regime in rockwalls expressed the effect of direct solar radiation on exposed (snow-free)

surfaces, with the clear distinction of diurnal and seasonal freezing on north and south-oriented

steep slopes.




214

Deva population, past and future

Iuliana Vadan

[email protected]

"Deva, an urban settlement with a high population dynamics, grows between 1912 and 1992

about 7.8 times more. The demographic growth, expressed through the natural increase, has

evolved in time. In the first half of the 20th century it stagnated, but after 1948 it increased

spectacularly, between 1948 and 1956. Then, it began to decline, registering ever lower values in

1977 (6.4 per mille) and 1990 (2.4 per mille), culminating in 1996 with a negative value.

This phenomenon has multiple explanantions and implications, and comes as a consequence of

changes taking place in the contemporary Romanian society. One of the main reasons would be

the rethinking of family size, the increasing number of women involved in economy, as well as

the ever decreasing rate of marriages.

The migrating population from the rural areas had a great importance, with Deva representing,

until 1990, an important point of attraction to the inhabitants of the Hunedoara county.

At present, the town‟s population is 56,664 (according to the 2011 census) and keeps declining

as the natural and migratory increases are negative.




215

A modern approach of what rural tourism means in Soveja and Tulnici

villages in Vrancea County

Alexandra Capră


[email protected]

Soveja and Tulnici are two villages from Vrancea Depression in which the rural tourism is

present and in fact represents the main economic field for local community. The term of rural

tourism is used for a specific type of tourism in which the nature with its primitive and ancient

forms is preserved. Rural tourism for Romania and particulary for Vrancea Depression with

special view on Soveja and Tulnici villages means for local community to preserve the original

way of living, of popular art and rituals. These two villages are located at the contact with the

mountains in small depressions called basinets and the landscapes are wild with small

anthropical interventions and in fact this means rural tourism - a location with wild nature, fresh

air and local traditions. Having these for this type of tourism we need modern touristic

infrastructure which is very important for international tourism. Analyzing the touristic

infrastructure in these villages we can say that the needs of any tourist is fulfilled because the

rural tourism lovers are honest and simple people with the need to reconnect with their own

origins, with nature and traditional simple life , rituals, food.




216

The intervention of the anthropic factor on the Danube floodplain dynamics

in the Olteniţa- Călăraşi sector

Ştefania (Omrani) Grigorie, Floare Grecu


[email protected]

Starting with the second part of the twentieth century, the Danube floodplain suffered the

greatest degree of anthropic interventions. The main aim of this numerous involvements was to

convert this area into a major agricultural region. The significant human interventions that has

profoundly altered the floodplain is represented by its damming.

The first mention of damming area (Botzanet al., 1991) covers the period between 1905 and

1906, when there were dammed 334 ha at the Monastery regale state and 3150 ha in Giurgeni for

the Eforia Civil Hospitals, and between 1906 and 1910- the 1493 ha of the 1779 ha belonging to

State Farm's Spanţov, following a 1906 law that which foresee the damming of the Ministry of

Agriculture properties (M.A.D.).

Among other major human intervention which affected this floodplain sector it can also be

mentioned: the draining of the lakes, swamps and marshy areas; the construction of a dense

drainage network channels; the agricultural accomplishments; the leveling topographic work

surfaces (for the filling of the water basin screated by the desiccation and, also the leveling of the

higher surfaces as the bank sands, locally called ,,hillock"); the deforestation (clear-cutting trees

in the river meadows) and the afforestation; the construction of the industrial buildings (the

former Călăraşi Steel Factory implied interventions on the floodplain relief, in particularby

building the steel channel, which is large) etc.

It was concluded that, before 1950, the floodplain evolved under natural conditions, being

covered by numerous lakes and marshes, but after 1950 it was completely changed as a result of

human intervention.




217

Mutations in the evolution of the growth poles and in setting up regional

balances from Romania

Nicolae Popa


[email protected]

In Romania, more than in other countries of Europe, between the Capital (Bucharest) and the

large mass of the provincial cities and towns, is a group of large cities, the second echelon,

traditionally composed by 7 regional polarization centers, whose population exceeded at a given

time or exceeds currently 300 thousands of inhabitants. With one exception, these cities have

been designed growth poles, in 2008. However, the liberal evolution of the Romanian urban

system in the past two decades was entailed some disparities and to impose a certain hierarchy,

both in terms of population number, but especially in terms of socio-economic performance. The

paper proposes to address these differences across many demographic and economic indicators,

within the framework of a quantitative analysis, able to provide a good insight in to differentiated

dynamics of 7 poles and the trends of regional development planning, especially in the wake of

the crisis triggered in Romania in 2009.




218

Decision management – new ways to make better spatial decisions

Diana Popovici, Iuliana Armaş, Alexandra Capră


[email protected]

Because of the increasing volume of information, the decisions tend to be more difficult to make.

Achieving an objective and making a suitable decision may become a real challenge, in the

context of growing needs and lack of resources (financial and spatial). In order to better deal

with spatial decision problems, spatial decision support systems (SDSS), that combine

management with GIS tools, have been developed. SDSS offers support in the decision making

process (how a decision should be made) and it does not focus on the result (what decision that

should be made). SDSS can also involve a large number of stakeholders and criteria, in the same

time, making from SDSS a great tool to use in spatial planning. A limitation for this method is

that, regardless of the mathematical results, the final decision has to be made by the decision

maker. The present paper aims to illustrate the importance of decision management through two

different study cases, first implying a natural risk and second having a more economical nature.




219

Constantin Brătescu – a life dedicated to modern geography

Mihai Ielenicz


[email protected]

Constantin Brătescu was one of the most famous university professors and geographers in the

first half of the 20th

century. After having graduated the faculty of literature and philosophy in

Bucharest (he was the disciple of the great Simion Mehedinţi) and geography lectures attendance

in Berlin (he had Albrecht Penck as professor) thanks to a scholarship granted by the Society of

Geography, Constantin Brătescu had an intense university life in Cernăuţi and Bucharest. In both

cities he led geography departments and made complex researches with geomorphologic, historic

and ethnographic character. His studies were oriented towards the Danube Delta, Dobrogea, the

Black Sea basin, Bucovina and the Danube and relied on a competition among ideas generated

by fieldwork, intuition and a realistic confrontation with the scientific literature. They represent a

treasure of original and viable problems and solutions. Simion Mehedinţi stated that “No one

promoted with a greater interest and understanding the Low Danube lands than the

geomorphologist and etnoographer Constantin Brătescu”.




220

Effective Monitoring and Alerting of Urban Heat Island Effect on the Indoor

Thermal Risk in Bucharest (Romania)

Sorin Cheval1, Dan Constantinescu

2, Alexandru Dumitrescu

1, Gabi Caracaș

3

1National Meteorological Administration, Bucharest, Romania

2Academy of Technical Sciences of Romania

3Nemetschek Romania

[email protected]

Extreme temperatures and heat waves occur frequently in Bucharest during the warm season,

triggering significant heat stress and thermal risks, especially in buildings with inappropriate

ventilation and architecture, and climate change scenarios convey upon warming trends in the

next decades. This study promotes an enhanced methodology for the effective monitoring of the

Urban Heat Island (UHI) impact on the thermal regime within buildings, in order to develop an

alert system capable to issue early warnings for indoor thermal risks in Bucharest. Ground-based

meteorological data and satellite products were used to compute the ambient summer

temperature over several test areas for the summer months, while the indoor climate was

dynamically modeled with an hourly resolution. The thermal risk was determined using standard

comfort indices, e.g. Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied

(PPD), as well as the specific thermal and functional characteristics of selected buildings. Taking

into account the expected climate warming, the results reveal (1) the essential need for

developing alert systems designed to predict in real time the indoor health risks, and (2) the high

potential of using multiple data sources for UHI monitoring. The results were obtained within the

national project REDBHI (Reducing urban heat island effects to improve urban comfort and

balance energy consumption in Bucharest - PN–II–PCCA–2013–4–0509).




221

The European night of museums - Between Night and Museums

Daniela Dumbraveanu1, Anca Tudoricu

2, Ana Craciun


2Universitur

[email protected]

This paper aims to examine and analyze the impact of the European Night of Museums (ENoM)

as a cultural event which tries to provide a new perspective on museums.

As an international event, it manages to shape the local realities regarding the situation of

museology, the relation between people and museums, highlighting at the same time the

discrepancies inside the society.

The cities have recently become stages for events, and the ENoM is a particular case due to the

fact that it happens at night, bringing culture in the streets and animating the cityscape.

The results show that the Romanian Night of Museums is a real success among the events alike

due to the fact that it satisfies various needs of the community: to communicate, to explore the

city at night, to manifest their need of belonging and to share a common identity in a European

context.




222

Assessment of national policies and strategies of tourism development in the

post-communist period

Corneliu Iatu, Mihai Bulai

Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iasi, Romania


In the communist era the touristic policies and strategies followed the main directory lines of the

communist party from an instrument for creating a new identity for the working class (years ‟50-

‟60) to mean of supporting an ephemeral international opening (years ‟70) and to an important

recoil (years ‟80).

The transition period between 1990-2000 put the policies and strategies in tourism in background

because of the collapse of the mass tourism and the occurrence of various small and medium

touristic enterprises. After 2000, with the perspective of the European and euro-Atlantic

integration, there is a period of economic increase which will bring a sustained implication in the

development of touristic policies and strategies, through the National Master Plan in Tourism

and the National Plan for Territorial Planning – Section VI – Touristic Areas. After the crisis in

2008, the national policies in tourism follow a heterogeneous course from the creation of the first

Ministry of Tourism and a sustained strategy of national branding to a stagnation and uncertainty

related with the politics. The study highlights the main directory elements of the national

strategic documents after 1990, the evolution of the organizational structures and the way in

which a series of key concepts – tourism, sustainable touristic development, sustainable tourism,

territorial planning, touristic governance – are included, understood and instrumented in these

documents.





223

Explaining urban expansion in Romania: from county to local drivers

Simona R. Grădinaru1, Cristian I. Iojă

1, Gabriela Pavelescu

2, Lidia Niculiță

3, Cristina Lincaru

4

1Centre for Environmental Research and Impact Studies, University of Bucharest, Romania

2National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics, INOE 2000, Romania

3Tehnical University of Civil Engineering, Bucharest, Romania

4National Scientific Research Institute for Labour and Social Protection, Romania

[email protected]

Urban expansion is increasingly gaining attention in Europe and also in Romania. For control

measures to be proposed, there is a need to identify the drivers behind dynamics of urban areas.

The aim of our paper is to identify the factors that drive urban expansion in Romania. As they

vary at different governance levels, we focused our analysis on two levels: a) county, and b)

local. Variables representing social, economic, spatial planning and infrastructure, and

environmental aspects were used in four linear multiple regression models to determine their

influence over the dynamics of built-up areas at county level. To determine the local drivers, we

defined a logistic regression model using the presence of new built-up areas as a dependent

variable and a set of spatially explicit variables that cover socio-economic and planning aspects

as explanatory variables. We used: a) Corine Land Cover data sets to extract the land cover

spatial information on the built-up area dynamics at county level, and b) and aerial images to

obtain land use and land cover data al local level. The results showed that at county level, the

subsidies played an important role in the evolution built-up areas, whereas at local level land use

and economic variables had great explanatory power.




224

Proceedings of the International Conference Environment at a CrossrOads: SMART approaches

for a sustainable future (ECOSMART), November 12-15, 2015, Editor University of Bucharest,

Faculty of Geography, Department of Regional Geography and Environment, Romania, 227 pp.

The Proceedings and conference schedule are available online: geo.unibuc.ro/ecosmart/

Conference secretariat: [email protected]

© 2015, University of Bucharest, Faculty of Geography, Department of Regional Geography and

Environment, Romania

ISBN: 978-973-0-20300-4.

Documents

Proceedings of the International Conference Environment at a