Pravalie_2_2013

CONSIDERATIONS ON SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF FOREST ECOSYSTEMS IN SOUTHERN OLTENIA
R. PRĂVĂLIE1
1Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest, email: pravalie_remus@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT. – Considerations on Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Forest Ecosystems in Southern Oltenia. Because southern Oltenia is  one  of the Romanian regions most exposed to climate risk phenomena such as aridification, it is necessary to analyze spatially and temporally the forest areas considered to play an essential role in maintaining an optimal ecological balance in the region. This paper aims to analyze the dynamics of forest areas in the last three decades, attempting the same time to highlight the most important negative consequences on the environment and human communities. Following the diachronic analysis in the analyzed period (1981‐2006) it comes out that there are large spatial differences at territorial level. The highest dynamics of forest ecosystems have been observed in the area of sand dunes. These dunes are found over large areas in the analyzed territory and their destabilization following deforestation is currently one of the major causes of intensification of aridification phenomenon, that has negative consequences at environmental, economic and social level.
Keywords: forest ecosystems, spatio‐temporal dynamics, sand dunes, impact, environment.
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