Geographica Pannonica Vol.25-4
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July 23, 2026Geographica Pannonica - Volume 25, Issue 3
Volume 25, Issue 3 content (click on a plus button for more):
USING GEOINFORMATION TOOLS FOR REDISTRICTING: SLOVENIAN EXPERIENCES
Authors: Boštjan Rogelj, Marko Krevs
Abstract: Electoral districts are an important component of the electoral system, as they have a significant impact on election results. Due to the uneven spatial distribution of electoral support political parties receive, district magnitude and the geography of electoral districts can have a decisive influence on the electoral viability of individual parties and candidates. Districting and redistricting are not a simple bureaucratic process but a politically very sensitive process with outcomes that can have far-reaching political consequences. Geoinformation tools can have a very important role in electoral district planning. In this article we aim to present the key advantages and disadvantages of their use. The presented results are derived from practical experience gained over the course of developing a new system of electoral districts in Slovenia.
Keywords: electoral geography; electoral districts; redistricting; geoinformatics; spatial decision support; Slovenia
Article info:
Received: February 07, 2021 | Revised: May 09, 2021 | Accepted: May 21, 2021
ECOTOURISM IMPACT ASSESSMENT ON ENVIRONMENT IN PROTECTED AREAS OF SERBIA: A CASE STUDY OF GORNJE PODUNAVLJE SPECIAL NATURE RESERVE
Authors: Vladimir Stojanović, Maja Mijatov, Jelena Dunjić, Lazar Lazić, Aleksandra Dragin, Dubravka Milić, Sanja Obradović
Abstract: Ecotourism is a nature-based type of tourism, especially represented within protected areas. No matter the fact, just like the other selective types of this sector, ecotourism might affect the environment. In a process of writing the Visitor Management Plan in the Gornje Podunavlje Special Nature Reserve (SNR) in 2019, one part of the study was related to general projection of the ecotourism development impact on eco-educational paths within this SNR. The research was conducted throughout November 2019, in the form of interviews. The sample obtained 12 experts for nature protection, who stated their attitudes on three important topics: tourism in protected areas in general, tourism in the Gornje Podunavlje SNR and ecotourism within three concrete sites: Karapandža, Štrbac and Bestrement.
Keywords: ecotourism; protected areas; impact assessment; experts’ attitudes; nature protection; plant sensitivity; animal sensitivity
Article info:
Received: May 21, 2021 | Revised: June 17, 2021 | Accepted: July 10, 2021
SPATIO-TEMPORAL CHANGES IN THE HEATWAVES AND COLDWAVES IN SPAIN (1950-2018): INFLUENCE OF THE EAST ATLANTIC PATTERN
Authors: David Espín-Sánchez, Carmelo Conesa-García
Abstract: The Iberian Peninsula has a complex orography, which determines an important altitudinal gradient and alternation of valleys and mountains, and periodic cold/warm advections air. In the present investigation the evolution of the characteristics of heatwaves (HWs) and coldwaves (CWs) (number of events, frequency, duration, magnitude, and amplitude) was analyzed. A total of 28 homogeneous-period weather stations (1950-2018), grouped into six regions (cluster). After submitting the meteorological series to a process of homogenization and data quality control, various ET-SCI indices were estimated in order to obtain evolution trends in each climatic region. In all cases, there was an increase, often significant, in the recurrence of HW events (0.3 / 10 yrs) as well as a decrease in CW events (-0.2 / 10 yrs). In addition, the evolution of the above indices and anomalies was correlated with the evolution of the global index of the East Atlantic (EAi).
Keywords: Iberian Peninsula; cluster; advection; indices; teleconnection; East Atlantic
Article info:
Received: January 5, 2021 | Revised: March 31, 2021 | Accepted: April 09, 2021
MEDIA OUTLETS IN VOJVODINA AND SLOVENIA: DEMOGRAPHIC-ECONOMIC INDICATORS AND MEDIA PLURALISM
Authors: Dinko Gruhonjić, Smiljana Milinkov, Miloš Katić
Abstract: The paper analyzes the relationship between demographic-economic indicators in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and the Republic of Slovenia. Both societies have relatively organized regulatory and political frameworks for the development of media pluralism. It has been established that there is a clear cause-effect relation between the number of media outlets in certain local self-governments and the average net salary: the municipalities and towns with the highest average salaries also boast the highest number of media outlets. However, our analysis has shown that the criteria and mechanisms for identifying risks to media pluralism are not provided: the variety of population representing different political, ideological, cultural and social groups and the variety of interests and standpoints relevant to the local and regional community.
Keywords: media outlets; economics; demography; pluralism
Article info:
Received: February 04, 2021 | Revised: April 04, 2021 | Accepted: April 06, 2021
A FORGOTTEN TRIBUTARY OF THE DANUBE – THE VAJAS RIVER
Authors: István Pánya
Abstract: During the examination of the historical geography of the Danube-Tisza Interfluve, the reconstruction of the medieval landscape was carried out, within which the channel conditions of the main watercourses were sketched. The Vajas River is assumed to be the most important medieval tributary of the Danube. It can be located based on historical maps, medieval and modern written sources. During the research, it turned out – based on our sources so far – that there was no tributary called Vajas on the right bank of the Danube. Only the tributaries/branches on the left bank of the river were called Vajas. The Vajas River was not uniform but consisted of at least four sections in an area of about 140 km from Kalocsa to Plavna.
Keywords: medieval Danube; Vajas River; medieval environment; historical geography
Article info:
Received: February 12, 2021 | Revised: April 06, 2021 | Accepted: April 09, 2021
NEW LANDSCAPE CONCEPTUALIZATION AS A GUIDELINE FOR SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY FROM SERBIAN SPATIAL PLANNING PRACTICE
Authors: Vladimir Pihler, Nevena B. Vasiljević, Dejan Đorđević, Luka Bajić, Dragana Dunčić
Abstract: This paper is focused on clarification of the basic principles for the establishment of an innovative approach in the field of landscape research through its application in spatial planning documents in Serbia. The key question is: how the practice of considering landscape character could direct new spatial arrangements, based on the development of strategic spatial planning documents? The paper describes the results of analysis undertaken during the development of the “Spatial plan for a special-purpose area The Cultural Landscape of Sremski Karlovci”. The landscape character assessment was the main methodology taken to define value of landscape character as the starting point for defining border of cultural landscape and “representative landscape units”, as well as for guiding sustainable land use management which is opposed to the traditional approach of land-use decision making. Based on landscape character value, this research provides the elements for creating a different conceptual framework for spatial planning in Serbia which is one of the most effective model of the implementation of the European Landscape Convention.
Keywords: Landscape conceptualization; landscape character; strategic spatial planning; European Landscape Convention
Article info:
Received: January 5, 2021 | Revised: March 31, 2021 | Accepted: April 09, 2021
SURFACE WATER POLLUTION WITH NUTRIENT COMPONENTS, TRACE METALS AND METALLOIDSIN AGRICULTURAL AND MINING-AFFECTED RIVER CATCHMENTS (A CASE STUDY FOR THREE TRIBUTARIES OF THE MARITSA RIVER, SOUTHERN BULGARIA)
Authors: Kalina Radeva, Kalin Seymenov
Abstract: This work analyses changes in the content of nutrient components and trace metals and metalloids at three tributaries of the Maritsa River flowing in Southern Bulgaria with catchments affected by mining and agricultural activities. Input data includes information about 14 chemical water quality parameters (N-NH4, N-NO3, N-NO2, N-tot, P-tot, P-PO4, Al, As, Fe, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) obtained from the Executive Environment Agency for the period 2015–2018. Two documented methods were used in this work to determine the pollution status of river waters – Heavy metal pollution index (HPI) and CCME Water Quality Index. The results based on the CCME WQI ranked water quality as “Poor” (WQI values range from 31.2 to 39.9). The HPI ratings achieve scores exceeding the critical pollution value of 100 for some of the metals (Al, Cu, Mn, and Zn), which indicates that water is seriously polluted concerning those variables. Therefore, it can be summarized that the river waters are not appropriate for safe drinking, agriculture, and household use because of significant nutrient and metalloids and trace metalscontamination.
Keywords: water pollution; water quality index; nutrient components; trace metals and metalloids; Bulgaria
Article info:
Received: February 10, 2021 | Revised: April 14, 2021 | Accepted: May 21, 2021