Hungarian Geographical Bulletin

Spatial extension of soil water regime variables derived from soil moisture values using geomorphological variables in Hungary

Tamás Deák — 2024-12-18

Accurate measurement and spatial extension of soil properties are essential in geoinformatics and precision agriculture for effective resource management, particularly irrigation planning. This study addresses the challenge of extending soil moisture data and related soil water regime variables in heterogeneous agricultural landscapes by integrating geomorphological variables (GVs) derived from high-resolution digital elevation models (DEM). In digital soil mapping, machine learning and geostatistical models often struggle with validation due to data scarcity and variability across space through many geographical regions that come from the point readings of soil properties. A different approach was developed in the form of a new methodology combining two hourly Sentek soil moisture measurements from the topsoil with DEM-derived GVs to model and extend soil water regime variables. The research was conducted on an agricultural field in a hilly area with diverse geomorphological variability. The model’s performance was validated using cross-validation techniques. The monitoring and spatial extension results indicate that GVs enhance the spatial prediction of soil moisture, capturing periodic fluctuations in the upper soil layer more effectively by using in-situ, time series soil moisture sensor readings rather than traditional, on field, one time reading approaches.
We observed that certain GVs, such as the slope, both type of curvatures and the convergence, were strong predictors of soil moisture variation, enabling the model to produce more accurate irrigation recommendations for agricultural areas with similar geomorphological areas. One of the soil water regime variables was validated during the preliminary validation with mixed results. The main issue was coming from the field use and spatial scarcity of the measurements. Our approach not only provides a different method for spatially extending the current soil water regime data but also offers a framework for improving irrigation decision-making with the help of other value rates and limit related soil regime variables derived from the time series readings from the soil moisture sensors. With its variables, the model allows for forecasts of soil moisture changes, which can inform better irrigation scheduling and water resource management, all based on data from the soil monitoring sensor system.

The effect of different water types commonly applied during laser diffraction measurement on the particle size distribution of soils

Viktória Labancz — 2024-12-18

It is expected in the future that soil particle size distribution (PSD) measurements by laser diffraction method (LDM) may replace sieve-pipette sedimentation methods (SPM) as they are faster, require less sample, and are accurate and reproducible. LDM measurement result is a continuous function of PSD, which can facilitate the conversion between the various limits (by countries, by scientific field) of the calculated particle size fractions (PSF – e.g. clay, silt, sand). Currently, there is no standard method for LDM PSD measurement. Many different types of instruments and preparation devices are currently used in laboratories, with various sample preparation, pre-treatment and measurement methods (duration, chemical and/or mechanical dispersion, settings, etc.). In soil LDM PSD measurements, researchers put relatively little emphasis on the choice of the type of aqueous media used. Thus, it is still questionable to what extent the results of the LDM measurement depend on the selection of the dispersion method and the aqueous media. For our research, eight soil samples with various physical and chemical properties were collected in Hungary. The particle size fractions (clay, silt, sand) determined with LDM (Malvern Mastersizer 3000) measured in three types of aqueous media (distilled, deionized and tap water), in different combinations of two dispersion methods (no treatment, ultrasonic or chemical dispersion with Calgon and their combination) were compared. For the comparison, PSF results of the conventional sieve pipette method (SPM) were used as a reference. Our results showed that LDM measurement can achieve various degrees of dispersion with different preparations, in many cases only partial dispersion, disaggregation, sometimes re-aggregation, and flocculation of soil particles were observed as compared to full preparation (in SPM). The “disaggregation pattern” of the soil samples also depended on the quality of the aqueous media and the properties of the soil investigated, because several types and degrees of interactions could occur in the various soil-liquid-dispersant/disaggregation effect systems.

GIS and soil property-based development of runoff modelling to assess the capacity of urban drainage systems for flash floods

András Dobai — 2024-12-18

The extreme precipitation resulting from climate change has been causing increasingly serious damage in populated areas over the past 10–15 years. The torrents of flash floods cause significant financial damage to both the natural environment and man-made structures (such as roads and bridges). The determination of the physical geographic parameters of this phenomenon (e.g. the amount of runoff water) is significantly affected by technical uncertainties, usually due to the lack of monitoring systems. However, the application of modern geospatial tools can improve the quality of input data needed for runoff modelling. In the present study, an existing runoff model (the Stowe model) developed by ESRI was further enhanced with field measurements, soil parameters, GIS, and remote sensing data, resulting in the creation of the model named ME-Hydrograph. Finally, the two models were compared, and we examined the capacity of an urban stormwater drainage system through surface runoff modelling. The aim of the research was to create a runoff model that can be easily and quickly used. The application of this geospatial model presented in the study can be useful not only in the examination of urban stormwater drainage but also in contributing to the understanding and management of flash floods that occur in Hungary. Additionally, it can aid in the development of risk mapping related to flash floods in the country.

New realities of the administrative-territorial structure of Ukraine and areas of ethnic minorities’ settlement: Geographical correlations and social consequences

Myroslav Dnistrianskyi — 2024-12-18

This article analyses the ethno-geographical problems of the reformed system of administrative and territorial structure of Ukraine. The authors consider the alignment of newly created administrative units (rayons, territorial communities) and areas of compact settlement of ethnic minorities as a favourable prerequisite for the organisation of local self-government and the establishment of balanced and mutually beneficial ethno-political relations in the state. The analysis of the ethno-geographical parameters of ethnic minorities and the configuration of the newly created administrative-territorial units revealed that the population of ethnic minorities in Zakarpattia, Chernivtsi and Odesa oblasts was given the opportunity to organise territorial communities in which they constitute the majority. At the same time, studies have shown that it was not easy to implement this approach in the newly created administrative districts, given the officially defined criteria, the politicisation of the issue and the relatively high degree of mosaic settlement of ethnic groups. Therefore, the ethno-geographical factor was only partially taken into account in the formation of new administrative districts and the selection of district centres.

A critical review of dark tourism studies

Aigerim Assylkhanova — 2024-12-18

The topic of dark tourism emerged in the last three decades as tourism became more accessible. It allows forgotten history to be revised and transferred to the public. This study aims to restructure existing categorization regarding dark tourism and address the research gaps in dark tourism studies. We collected studies from international publication databases – Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. We pre-processed the following data for each study: topic, authors’ location of university affiliation, study area, year of publication, top-cited articles, top productive journals in publishing dark tourism studies, keywords, and internality/externality of the author from the study area. With the current paper, we analysed review articles published from 1996 to 2024 (first quarter), applying qualitative methods. Based on these, a new analytical framework was generated. Furthermore, the connections between research topics were also analysed. The results of the analysis highlight specific research gaps in the literature on dark tourism and address poorly visible research fields in international journals, e.g. terrorism-related research, social media links of dark tourism, postcolonial contexts, or commemoration of communist past and heritage. Consequently, certain countries and regions are underrepresented in the literature. This critical review offers new research areas but also gives some directions to the theoretical enrichment of the dark tourism concept.

Exploring new dimensions of urban governance: The development of administrative systems in Trieste and Fiume (Rijeka) during the final decades of the Habsburg Empire (1850–1918)

Bálint Hilbert — 2024-12-18

Urban governance is often perceived as a concept that has emerged over the past half-century, evolving from the policy of urban government. The analysis of this shift, known as the “transformation thesis,” has been criticized by recent studies in the field, which focus on the theory of metagovernance. However, both branches of urban governance literature heavily rely on knowledge of American cities, hindering a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. There is a growing demand to broaden the temporal and geographical scope of case studies and conduct more comparative research to better understand the roots and current processes of urban governance. While the fundamental driving forces behind the emergence of modern municipal administration during the 19th century have been adequately explored, various characteristics of different geographical locations might add new dimensions and approaches to understanding urban governance. This study offers a comprehensive insight into the birth and early formation of urban governance systems in the free ports of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, namely Trieste and Fiume (Rijeka in Croatian). By analyzing legal documents and applying a mixed-method approach, this study unravels the institutional structures, electoral systems, and municipal authorities of Trieste and Fiume from the 1848 Revolution until the end of the First World War. In addition to the historical and Central European perspectives, this paper aims to explore rarely considered contextual factors of urban governance, such as legal-administrative, socio-economic, and political elements. The comparative analysis of Trieste and Fiume demonstrates that even within the same empire, a wide range of diverse influences could shape urban governance systems. Despite these varied factors and significantly different administrative contexts, surprisingly similar governance practices could also emerge.

Laituri, M., Richardson, R.B. and Kim, J. (eds.): The Geographies of COVID-19: Geospatial Stories of a Global Pandemic

Annamária Uzzoli — 2024-12-18

Pieck, S.K.: Mnemonic Ecologies: Memory and Nature Conservation along the Former Iron Curtain

Małgorzata Praczyk — 2024-12-18