Open AccessForest cover dynamics in the Ukrainian Carpathians during 1988‒2007: A geomaticsbased geoecological analysis
Author(s) -
Ivan Kruhlov,
Tobias Kuemmerle,
Oleh Chaskovsky,
Jan Knorn,
Volker C. Radeloff,
Patrick Hostert
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
vìsnik lʹvìvsʹkogo unìversitetu. serìâ geografìčna
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2415-7201
pISSN - 2078-6441
DOI - 10.30970/vgg.2013.46.1473
Subject(s) - ecoregion , ukrainian , physical geography , geography , forest cover , environmental science , ecology , biology , philosophy , linguistics
Landsat TM/ETM+ images covering the whole Ukrainian section of the Carpathian Ecoregion and representing four time periods (1988–1989, 1994, 2000–2002, 2006–2007) were processed using SVM-classification and overlaid to detect changes in forest cover. The changes were analysed for the whole study area, for 33 individual meso-ecoregions and their seven orographic classes as well as for the 14 main river basins. The study showed decrease of forest disturbances, mainly caused by clear-cuttings, after 1988 and their slight increase after 2000 together with a significant increase of new forest succession areas. The obtained indices differ from those previously mentioned in Ukrainian publications. The distribution of the forest cover and its disturbances across the ecoregions and the basins reveals generally sustainable pattern – the stable forest cover increases with the growth of mean relative and absolute elevations. Relatively high recent disturbance rates in some meso-ecoregions, especially of low- and medium-mountains, are possibly caused by massive die-back of cultural spruce stands. However, it is not expedient to further increase the forest cover of the river basins and the region in general. Key words: Ukrainian Carpathians, forest cover change, remote sensing, ecoregions, river basins.