Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Changing human-environment interactions in medium mountains: the Apuseni Mts (Romania) as a case study

  • Published:
Journal of Mountain Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The study of human-environment relationships in mountain areas is important for both theoretical and practical reasons, as many mountain areas suffer similar problems, such as depopulation, unemployment and natural hazards. Medium mountains constitute a special case within mountains, because they are more populated but less attractive as tourist destinations than high mountains. In this context, the Apuseni Mts (Romania) are considered as a case study. In this paper, we apply GIS-based, quantitative methods to characterize the strength and dynamics of human-environment interactions, taking into consideration some environmental factors (elevation, relative height, slope, river distance, lithology, land cover, natural attractions) as well as historical population and recent tourism data. We found that population density has strong (r 2>0.8) relationships with all relief factors (elevation, relative height, slope, river distance), and that best-fit functions are nonlinear. We outlined the varying demographic scenarios by elevation zones and interpreted the historically switching sign of population change versus elevation relationship. We demonstrated that lithology also has an impact on the spatial distribution of population, although it is not independent from the relief effect. The land cover of the mainly cultural landscape is very strongly correlated with relief parameters (especially slope), which suggests good adaptation. We pointed out the dominance of karst objects in the natural tourism potential of the Apuseni Mts and also explored further components of real tourism (spas, heritage, towns). Finally, we concluded that the environmental settings investigated do in fact constrain the spatial framework of society, but socio-economic changes in history can be explained from the side of society, which conforms to the theory of cultural possibilism.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abrudan I, Turnock D (1999) A rural development strategy for the Apuseni Mountains, Romania. GeoJournal 46: 319–336. DOI: 10.1023/A: 1006937023451

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Botan CN (2010) Ţara Moţilor. Studiu de geografie regionala (The Land of the Moţi. Study of Regional Geography). Presa Universitară Clujeană, Cluj-Napoca. p 527.

    Google Scholar 

  • Botan CN, Ilovan OR (2006) Trends of Industrial Reconversion in the Land of the Moţi. Romanian Review of Regional Studies 2(1): 113–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brondízio ES, Moran EF (eds., 2013) Human-Environment Interactions: Current and Future Directions. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer Scientific Publishers. p 434. DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-4780-7

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Büttner Gy, Feranec J, Jaffrain G, et al. (2004) The CORINE Land Cover 2000 Project. EARSeL eProceedings 3(3): 331–346.

    Google Scholar 

  • Büttner Gy, Kosztra B, Sousa A, Steenmans C (2010) CLC2006: Mapping Land Cover of Europe under GMES 26-34. In: Kalaitzidis C, Manakos I (eds.) Imagin[e, g] Europe: Proceedings of the 29th Symposium of the European Association of Remote Sensing Laboratories, Chania, Greece. p 460. DOI: 10.3233/978-1-60750-494-8-26

  • Buza M, Dimen L, Pop G, et al. (2001) Environmental protection in the Apuseni Mountains: The role of Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations (ENGOs). GeoJournal 54: 631–653. DOI: 10.1023/A: 1021757431777

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Castelein A, Dinh TTV, Mekouar MA, et al. (2006) Mountains and the Law. Emerging Trends. FAO Legislative Study 75, Rev. 1. Rome: FAO of the UN. p 91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cocean P (2001) Environment Threats in Romanian Karst. 13th International Congress of Speleology, Brasilia DF: 613–617.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen JE, Small C (1998) Hypsographic demography: The distribution of human population by altitude. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 95: 14009–14014. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.95.24.14009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Constantin V, Ştefănescu L, Kantor CM (2015) Vulnerability assessment methodology: A tool for policy makers in drafting a sustainable development strategy of rural mining settlements in the Apuseni Mountains, Romania. Environmental Science & Policy (52): 129–139. DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2015.05.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diamond J (1997) Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. W.W. Norton & Company, NewYork, USA. p 460.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drăgan M. (2010) Multi-scale Analysis of the Demographic Evolution in the Apuseni Mountains between 1880 and 2008. Romanian Review of Regional Studies 6(1): 57–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Judkins G, Smith M, Keys E (2008) Determinism within human-environment research and the rediscovery of environmental causation. The Geographical Journal 174 (1): 17–29. DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4959.2008.00265.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kienzle S (2004) The effect of DEM raster resolution on first order, second order and compound terrain derivatives. Transactions in GIS 8(1): 83–111. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9671.2004.00169.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiernan K (2011) Challenges for environmentally sustainable development of natural resources in the Nam Ou Karst, Northern Laos. Acta Carsologica 40(2): 341–355. DOI: 10.3986/ac.v40i2.18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koszegi M, Bottlik Zs, Telbisz T, Mari L (2015) Human-environment relationships in modern and postmodern geography. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin 64: 87–99. DOI: 10.15201/hungeobull.64.2.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mao X, Meng J, Wang Q (2014) Tourism and land transformation: a case study of the Li River Basin, Guilin, China. Journal of Mountain Science 11(6): 1606–1619. DOI: 10.1007/s11629-013-2871-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meybeck M, Green P, Vörösmarty C (2001) A new typology for mountains and other relief classes: an application to global continental water resources and population distribution. Mountain Research and Development 21(1): 34–45. DOI: 10.1659/0276-4741(2001)021[0034: ANTFMA]2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milošević MV, Milivojević M, Ćalić J (2010) Spontaneously abandoned settlements in Serbia, Part 1. Journal of the Geographical Institute Cvijić SASA 60(2): 39–57. DOI: 10.2298/IJGI1002039M

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milošević MV, Milivojević M, Ćalić J (2011) Spontaneously abandoned settlements in Serbia, Part 2. Journal of the Geographical Institute CvijiĆ SASA 61(2): 25–35. DOI: 10.2298/IJGI1102025M

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orăşeanu I, Iurkiewicz A (eds., 2010) Karst Hydrogeology of Romania, Belvedere, Oradea. p 443.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pantic M (2015): Delineation of mountains and mountain areas in Europe–a planning approach. Journal of the Geographical Institute CvijiĆ 65(1): 43–58. DOI: 10.2298/IJGI1501043P

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patterson LA, Doyle MW (2011) Hypsographic demography across scale. Professional Geographer 63(4): 514–529. DOI: 10.1080/00330124.2011.578534

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • PejnoviĆ D, HusanoviĆ-PejnoviĆ D (2008) Causes and consequences of demographic development in the territory of Velebit Nature Park, 1857-2001. Periodicum Biologorum 110(2): 195–204.

    Google Scholar 

  • Price LW (1986): Mountains and Man. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA, USA. p 507.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rabus B, Eineder M, Roth A, Bamler R (2003) The shuttle radar topography mission–a new class of digital elevation models acquired by spaceborne radar, Photogramm. Remote Sensing 57: 241–262. DOI: 10.1016/S0924-2716(02)00124-7

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruşdea E, Reif A, Povară I, et al. (eds., 2005) Perspektiven für eine traditionelle Kulturlandschaft in Osteuropa (Ergebnisse eines inter-und transdisziplinären, partizipativen Forschungsprojekt im Apuseni-Gebirge in Rumänien). Institut für Landespflege, Freiburg im Breisgau. p 401.

    Google Scholar 

  • SimiĆ, S, MilovanoviĆ B, JojiĆ-GlavonjiĆ T (2014) Theoretical model for the identification of hydrological heritage sites. Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences 9(4): 19–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sluyter A (2003) Neo-environmental determinism, intellectual damage control, and nature/society science. Antipode 35(4): 813–817. DOI: 10.1046/j.1467-8330.2003.00354.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Small C, Cohen JE (2004) Continental physiography, climate and the global distribution of human population. Current Anthropology 45(2): 269–277. DOI: 10.1086/382255

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song G, Li Z, Bao Y, et al. (2007) Spatial distribution regularity and influence factors of population density in the LRGR. Chinese Science Bulletin 52(2): 90–97. DOI: 10.1007/s11434-007-7027-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Surd V, Turnock D (2000) Romania’s Apuseni Mountains: safeguarding a cultural heritage. GeoJournal 50: 285–304. DOI: 10.1023/A: 1007170018729

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tătar CF (2013) Identity encounters. Host-guest interactions in the land of Moti (Romania). GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites 11(1): 66–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Telbisz T, Bottlik Zs, Mari L, et al. (2014) The impact of topography on social factors, a case study of Montenegro. Journal of Mountain Sciences 11(1): 131–141. DOI: 10.1007/S11629-012-2623-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Telbisz T, Bottlik Zs, Mari L, et al. (2015) Exploring relationships between karst terrains and social features by the example of Gömör-Torna Karst (Hungary-Slovakia). Acta Carsologica 44(1): 121–137. DOI: 10.3986/ac.v44i1.1739

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Varga EÁ (2002) Erdély etnikai és felekezeti statisztikája 1850-2002 (Ethnic and religion statistics of Transylvania 1850-2002). I-V. Pro-Print Kiadó, Csíkszereda. Available online at: http: //www.kia.hu/konyvtar/erdely/erd2002.htm (Accessed on 30 July 2015)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang C, Day M, Li W (2003) Landuse and land cover change in the Lunan Stone Forest, China. Acta Carsologica 32(2): 161–174.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Geography, Eötvös University, 1117, Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary

    Tamás Telbisz & László Mari

  2. Department of Geography in Hungarian, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400006, Cluj-Napoca, Str. Clinicilor 5-7, Romania

    Zoltán Imecs

  3. Department of Regional Science, Eötvös University, 1117, Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary

    Zsolt Bottlik

Authors
  1. Tamás Telbisz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zoltán Imecs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. László Mari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zsolt Bottlik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tamás Telbisz.

Additional information

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4471-2889

http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9879-7799

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3382-7800

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0337-5580

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Telbisz, T., Imecs, Z., Mari, L. et al. Changing human-environment interactions in medium mountains: the Apuseni Mts (Romania) as a case study. J. Mt. Sci. 13, 1675–1687 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-015-3653-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-015-3653-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation