AGB201505

Abstracts and References

Published: 03 August 2015

Slovenia as a European landscape hotspot

Drago Perko, Rok Ciglič

Abstract

In the first part of the analysis we tried to define places in Europe with higher diversity according to different natural landscape types or landscape regions. In order to get such “hotspots” four geographical classifications of Europe were analyzed (Environmental stratification of Europe [21]; European landscape classification [24]; Biogeographical regions [3]; Terrestrial ecoregions of the World [26]). At first maps of variety of landscapes were defined based on each classification that we took into account. This step was done by calculating a number of different unique natural landscape types or regions in radius of 50 km for each cell. Each map of variety of landscapes was then weighted (cell values were divided by a number of all unique types or regions in a division). At the final stage of this part all the maps were synthesized (averaged) into one map showing landscape diversity for the Europe. After that step we defined Europe's landscape hotspots and pointed out the most naturally heterogeneous countries. We found that among all of the European countries, Slovenia has the highest average landscape diversity. Such result gives the country some advantages in the field of tourism based on the natural values of landscape. One of the benefits of having high landscape diversity is making it possible to advertise Slovenia as a tourist destination, offering a "pan-European experience."

Keywords: landscapes, landscape diversity, regional geography, Slovenia, Europe;

Full Text PDF

Available Online First: 03 August 2015

References

[1] Aminudin, N. Establishing dimensions of country attractiveness for cross-border second homes, Journal of Tourism, Hospitality & Culinary Arts, Malaysia, vol. 4, pp 119–139, 2012.

[2] Bailey, R. G. Ecosystem geography, USA, 1996.

[3] Biogeographical regions, Europe (version 2011). European Environmental Agency. URL: http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/biogeographical-regions-europe-1 (28. 6. 2015).

[4] Bohn, U., Neuhäusl, R., Gollub, G., Hettwer, C., Neuhäuslová, Z., Raus, Th., Schlüter, H., Weber, H. Karte der natürlichen Vegetation Europas / Map of the natural vegetation of Europe, Germany, 2000/2003.

[5] Ciglič, R. Slovenija v naravnogeografskih členitvah Evrope, Geografski vestnik, Slovenia, vol. 81, pp 29–45, 2009:

[6] Ciglič, R., Perko, D. Slovenia in geographical typifications and regionalizations of Europe, Geografski vestnik, Slovenia, vol. 84, 2012.

[7] Ciglič, R., Perko, D. Europe's landscape hotspots. Acta geographica Slovenica, Slovenia, vol. 53, pp 117–139, 2013.

[8] Demeritt, D., Wainwright, J. Models, modelling and geography, Questioning geography: fundamental Debates, USA, pp 206–225, 2005.

[9] Diekmann, M. Deciduous forest vegetation in Boreo-nemoral Scandinavia, Acta phytogeographica suecica, vol. 80, Sweden, pp 1–116, 1994

[10] Digital map of European ecological regions. European environmental agency. URL: http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/digital-map-of-european-ecological-regions (29. 6. 2015).

[11] Dramstad, W. E., Fry, G., Fjellstad, W. J., Skar, B., Helliksen, W., Sollund, M.-L. B., Tveit, M. S., Geelmuyden, A. K., Framstad, E.: Integrating landscape-based values–Norwegian monitoring of agricultural landscapes, Landscape and Urbana Planning, Netherlands, vol. 57, pp 257–268, 2001, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0169-2046(01)00208-0

[12] Erhartič, B. Geomorfološka dediščina v Dolini Triglavskih jezer, Geografija Slovenije, Slovenia vol. 23, 2012.

[13] Europe's Environment: the Dobriš Assessment, Denmark, 1995, URL: http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/92-826-5409-5/chap03.zip (29. 6. 2015).

[14] Gams, I. Lega Slovenije v Evropi in med njenimi makroregijami, Geografija Slovenije, Slovenia, 1998.

[15] Gray, M. Geodiversity, valuing and conserving abiotic nature. United Kingdom, 2004.

[16] Hou, W., Walz, U. Enhanced analysis of landscape structure: Inclusion of transition zones and small-scale landscape elements, Ecological Indicators, Netherlands, vol 31, pp 15–24, 2013, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2012.11.014

[17] Jongman, R. H. G., Bunce, R. G. H., Metzger, M. J., Mücher, C. A., Howard, D. C., Mateus, V. L. Objectives and applications of a statistical environmental stratification of Europe, Landscape Ecology, Netherlands, vol. 21, pp 409–419, 2006, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10980-005-6428-0

[18] Kladnik, D., Perko, D. Zgodovina regionalizacij Slovenije, Slovenija, pokrajine in ljudje, Slovenia, pp 20–25, 1998.

[19] Meeus, J. H. A. Pan-European landscapes. Landscape and urban planning, Netherlands, vol. 31, pp 57–79, 1995, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0169-2046(94)01036-8

[20] Melik, A. Slovenija, Geografski opis, I. splošni del, 1. zvezek, Slovenia, 1935.

[21] Metzger, M. J., Bunce, R. G. H., Jongman, R. H. G., Mücher, C. A., Watkins, J. W. A climatic stratification of the environment of Europe, Global Ecology and Biogeography, United Kingdom, vol. 14, pp 549–563, 2005, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-822X.2005.00190.x

[22] Mücher, C. A., Bunce, R. G. H., Jongman, R. H. G., Klijn, J. A., Koomen, A. J. M., Metzger, M. J., Wascher, D. M. Identification and Characterisation of Environments and Landscapes in Europe, Netherlands, 2003.

[23] Mücher, C. A., Wascher, D. M., Klijn, J. A., Koomen, A. J. M., Jongman, R. H. G. A new European landscape map as an integrative framework for landscape character assessment, Landscape ecology in the Mediterranean, inside and outside approaches, Proceedings of the European IALE conference, Portugal, pp 233–243, 2006.

[24] Mücher, C. A., Klijn, J. A., Wascher, D. M., Schaminée, J. H. J. A new European landscape classification (LANMAP): a transparent, flexible and user-oriented methodology to distinguish landscapes, Ecological Indicators, Netherlands, vol. 10, pp 87–103, 2009, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2009.03.018

[25] Noirfalise, A. Map of the natural vegetation of the member countries of the European community and of the Council of Europe, Luxembourg, 1987.

[26] Olson, D. M., Dinerstein, E., Wikramanayake, E. D., Burgess, N. D., Powell, G. V. N., Underwood, E. C., D'Amico, J. A., Itoua, I., Strand, H. E., Morrison, J. C., Loucks, C. J., Allnut, T. F., Ricketts, T. H., Kura, Y., Lamoreux, J. F., Wettengel, W. W., Hedao, P., Kassem, K. R. Terrestrial ecoregions of the World: a new map of life on earth, BioScience, country, vol. 51, pp 933–938, 2001, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0933:TEOTWA]2.0.CO;2

[27] Peel, M. C., Finlayson, B. L., McMahon, T. A. Updated world map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, country, vol. 11, pp 1633–1644 2007, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007

[28] Perko, D. The regionalizaton of Slovenia. Acta geographica/Geografski zbornik, Slovenia, vol. 38, 1998.

[29] Plut, D. Regionalizacija Slovenije po sonaravnih kriterijih, Geografski vestnik, Slovenia, vol. 71, pp 9–25, 1999.

[30] Perko, D., Hrvatin, M., Ciglič, R. A methodology for natural landscape typification of Slovenia, Acta geographica Slovenica, Slovenia, vol. 55, 2015, DOI:

[31] Ritchie, J. R. B., Zins, M. Culture as determinant of the attractiveness of a tourism region, Annals of tourism research, United Kingdom, vol. 5, pp 252–267, 1978, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0160-7383(78)90223-2

[32] Rivas-Martínez, S., Penas, A., Díaz, T. E. Worldwide bioclimatic classification system, 2009, URL: http://www.globalbioclimatics.org/ (29. 6. 2015).

[33] Špes, M., Cigale, D., Lampič, B., Natek, K., Plut, D., Smrekar, A. Študija ranljivosti okolja, Geographica Slovenica, Slovenia, vol. 35, pp 1–150, 2002.

[34] Tang, J. C., Rochananond, N. Attractiveness as a tourist destination: a comparative study of Thailand and selected countries, Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, United Kingdom, vol. 24, pp. 229-236, 1990. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0038-0121(90)90005-R

[35] The indicative map of European biogeographical regions: methodology and development, France, 2006.

[36] Udvardy, M. D. F. A classification of the biogeographical provinces of the World, IUCN Occasional paper, vol. 18, pp 1–50, 1975.

[37] Vengesayi, S. A conceptual model of tourism destination competitiveness and attractiveness, ANZMAC 2003 Conference Proceedings, Australia, pp 637–647, 2003.

[38] Walz, U., Syrbe, R.-U. Linking landscape structure and biodiversity, Ecological indicators, Netherlands, vol. 31, 2013,

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2013.01.032