Papers by Daniela Ribeiro
The biggest issue facing European hydrogeologists is the need to protect the quality and quantity... more The biggest issue facing European hydrogeologists is the need to protect the quality and quantity of groundwater resources (Zwahlen 2003). Cave pollution (the term is here used as: caves that are filled with waste) is among the drivers contributing to the pollution and degradation of karst aquifers. Nonetheless, the extent of the problem is neither well described nor systematically monitored at the national level (Prelovšek 2011a, 2011b). In Europe, karst covers around 1.4 million km or 13.8% of the land surface (Chen et al. 2017), and provides an important share of drinking water, e.g. in Austria the share is more than 50%, in Croatia more than 35% and in Belgium more than 30% (COST 1995). In Slovenia, karst landscapes are recognizable and important features at the national level (Habič 1992, Mihevc 1999, Gams 2004, Zupan Hajna 2004, Ribeiro 2017). These landscapes cover approximately 8,800 km or 44% of the country's surface, while the karst springs provide about 43% of drinkin...
Sustainability, 2021
The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of karst landscape on the sustainable dev... more The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of karst landscape on the sustainable development of the Bela krajina region, southeast Slovenia. In order to better understand the influence of karst landscape on sustainable development we used three approaches: (1) the Karst Disturbance Index, (2) a quantitative analysis by using sustainable development indicators and (3) a qualitative analysis using structured interviews. The Karst Disturbance Index classified the degree of disturbance in Bela krajina as low. According to sustainable development indicators we found differences in the structure related to economy, population and environment within the region. And, according to the qualitative analysis, the negative impacts of the karst landscape on sustainable development are mainly associated with hampered agriculture and the positive with tourism; thus, karst landscape cannot only be seen as a limiting factor, since it also has development potential. Regional development i...
Open Geosciences, 2018
Field mapping is an accurate but also time consuming method of detailed mapping of habitat types.... more Field mapping is an accurate but also time consuming method of detailed mapping of habitat types. Levels of habitat types are usually hierarchically nested at several levels. Our main research question therefore is: ‘How detailed can be modelling of habitat types with decision trees and digital data in karst landscape?’ Similar to studies in other (non-karst) environments we explored the basic properties of the habitats in Dinaric Karst study region (Classical Karst in Southwest Slovenia) and tested modelling of habitat types at three different levels of detail. To seek for the best set of predictor variables we used Rapid-Eye satellite images, airborne images and digital elevation model. We prepared more than 60 explanatory variables and divided habitat polygons into training and testing samples to validate the results. The results proved that modelling with decision trees in Dinaric Karst landscape does not result in high accuracy at high detailed levels. Due to the presence of mi...
According to the Underground Cave Protection Act (Ur. l. RS 2004), caves in Slovenia are defined ... more According to the Underground Cave Protection Act (Ur. l. RS 2004), caves in Slovenia are defined as natural heritage of national importance and are owned by the state. The law defines the activities in caves, mostly outlining the prohibited impacts on cave environment. Some regulations have also been applied for tourist activities, due to the commercial use and adaptation of the show-caves inventory (Ur. l. RS 2004). Although the legislation strictly prohibits the pollution of caves in any form, monitoring and remediation activities are not officially being practiced. Nevertheless, some caves have been cleaned up in the past, mostly on the initiative by cavers (Prelovšek 2011).
Open Geosciences
This study presents the results of an in-depth study on landscape changes over the last two centu... more This study presents the results of an in-depth study on landscape changes over the last two centuries in the region of Bela krajina, south-eastern Slovenia. Since this region is situated along the Slovenian–Croatian border, immigration and emigration are permanent fixtures in the region. Due to historical reasons, population structure and land use changes occurred. With regard to these processes, two case studies were selected: settlements of Adlešiči and Bojanci. Adlešiči is a village mainly inhabited by farmers of catholic religion. Bojanci was colonized by Orthodox Uskoki, i.e. refugees from Ottoman Empire who become Habsburg soldiers who lived a military life and had different attitude towards land cultivation. Landscapes in these two settlements have its own distinctive patterns contrasting to each other in the land use, showing historically distinctive cultural landscapes. The study aimed to interpret the development of cultural landscapes in these settlements by analysing the...
Acta geographica Slovenica, 2016
The main goal of this study is to assess the transferability of a species distribution model (SDM... more The main goal of this study is to assess the transferability of a species distribution model (SDM) for Robinia pseudacacia (black locust) to two testing sites in the Prekmurje region in northeast Slovenia. The predictive performance of the SDM at the testing sites was measured by 1) visual evaluation, 2) confusion matrix, 3) true positive rate (TPR), 4) the maximum of the true skill statistics (TSS) over possible cutoffs, and 5) paired-sample ANOVA. We show that the model adequately predicted potential distribution of the species in the region, which ensures that extension of the prediction at this scale will be a reliable base for nature conservation decisions. This also serves as a positive example for within-region transfer and extension of SDMs.
Med prvo svetovno vojno so avstro-ogrska in italijanska letala snemala kraje ob soški fronti, med... more Med prvo svetovno vojno so avstro-ogrska in italijanska letala snemala kraje ob soški fronti, medtem ko so bili v drugi svetovni vojni iz nemških (Luftwaffe) in britanskih letal (Royal Air Force – RAF) posneti predvsem kraji ob južni železnici, rapalski meji in na slovenski obali. Po drugi svetovni vojni so aerosnemanja postala bolj civilna domena za potrebe kartografije in so postopoma prešla v roke domačih strokovnjakov (1972). Šele leta 1975 je bilo ozemlje Slovenije posneto v celoti. Posledica vojaških in civilnih aerosnemanj je zelo obsežen a arhivsko zelo razpršen fond zgodovinskih aeroposnetkov slovenskega ozemlja. Aeroposnetke od prve svetovne vojne naprej in njihovo uporabnost predstavljamo z vidika značilnosti in možnih tehnik obdelave (vizualna fotointerpretacija, analogna ali digitalna stereo analiza). Ob tem so podani primeri uporabe in predlogi za uporabo pri aktualnih geografskih problemih (naravne nesreče, mejni spori, spremembe oblikovanosti zemljišč in rabe tal).
Acta geographica Slovenica, 2013
Perceptions of land cover changes from four areas located on the borderlands of Prekmurje, northe... more Perceptions of land cover changes from four areas located on the borderlands of Prekmurje, northeastern Slovenia were determined from a set of historical maps. The principle goals of this research were the calculation of changes in area of land cover categories and analysis of the stability of the study areas from the perspective of land cover. Two approaches were applied to the map analysis: »stability mapping« followed by proportions of different land cover categories determined by time series cartography. Finally, these approaches were triangulated with ground truthing. The results presented demonstrate conclusively that the studied region maintained relatively stability although over several centuries inhabitants withdrew very slightly from both natural boundaries and political borders. As »windows« into the environmental psychology of borderland perception, each small site studied revealed some specifically localised characteristic.
Acta geographica Slovenica, 2019
This study shows the link between land use, landscape changes, and ecosystem services. Two pilot ... more This study shows the link between land use, landscape changes, and ecosystem services. Two pilot areas were investigated for how land use changes from 1824 to 2013 affect the provision of ecosystem services. It was found that low-intensity managed traditional land use is disappearing due to the intensification of agricultural production on the one hand, and the retreat of agriculture from unfavorable areas on the other hand. However, such traditional land use contributes to more diverse and more numerous ecosystem services and helps preserve the cultural landscape. Therefore, intensification and overgrowth should be restricted, and less intensive agriculture should be encouraged. The approach presented can be used as a support tool for decision-making in managing and governing landscapes.
Participatory Research and Planning in Practice, 2019
Wetlands in Europe are vulnerable interconnected environments, significantly contributing to biod... more Wetlands in Europe are vulnerable interconnected environments, significantly contributing to biodiversity. They are often challenged by the overlapping of different levels of spatial planning and authorities in charge of their preservation and management, by the lack of coordination and incapacity of administrative authorities to handle complex territorial dynamics. In this study, we present the methodology used to engage relevant stakeholders in wetland governance in Ljubljansko Barje Nature Park, located in the southern part of the Ljubljana Basin, Slovenia. The main focus of this chapter is the detailed explanation of the implementation of effective governance for the Ljubljansko Barje Nature Park, acting through a participatory process in which users, private and public entities are committed to mainstreaming wetlands preservation into their ordinary activities. The Wetland Contract is a document signed by different stakeholders, aiming at the active participation of stakeholder...
World Regional Geography Book Series, 2019
The conservation of the natural environment and its values in Slovenia goes back to the last deca... more The conservation of the natural environment and its values in Slovenia goes back to the last decade of the nineteenth century, and the beginnings of the first and only national park go back to 1924. The 1999 Nature Conservation Act established a national framework for protecting 13% of Slovenia’s territory. Slovenia is among the European countries with best-preserved natural conditions and the greatest biological and landscape diversity. This is reflected by the size of Slovenian territory that is protected: more than 52% of the country lies in ecologically important areas and approximately 37% within Natura 2000 sites. Various examples are used to present the management of national assets. Slovenia has 1 national park (IUCN category II/V; the example presented is Triglav National Park), 3 regional parks (IUCN category V/II; the example presented is Kozje Regional Park), 44 landscape parks (IUCN category V; Kolpa Landscape Park is presented), 1 strict nature reserve (IUCN category I...
Open Geosciences
In the topography of war landscapes the remains of war are found in the form of trenches, bombing... more In the topography of war landscapes the remains of war are found in the form of trenches, bombing craters and remnants of war infrastructure. Today war landscapes are “overlaid” by post-war “layers” of cultural landscapes. It requires non-invasive remote-sensing methods, e.g. time series of aerial photographs and high-resolution terrain models (LiDAR digital terrain model) to recognize these landscapes. In the study area on Kras Plateau (SW Slovenia) over one hundred kilometres of World War I trenches are preserved in the NW part of the plateau (app. 72 km2) in the present-day topography and represent tangible war geoheritage. But much of these geoheritage was also lost in post-war periods, e.g. near the village of Vrtojba (SW Slovenia) where in 1917 over 12 km of World War I trenches existed, but a century later no traces of war are visible in the present-day topography. Almost two hundred World War I bomb craters also existed around the village that are also not existent in the to...
Acta Carsologica
etation as the bioindicator of human�induced degradation in karst landscape: case study of waste�... more etation as the bioindicator of human�induced degradation in karst landscape: case study of waste�filled dolines Mismanagement practices, such as unsustainable waste disposal, created many degraded sites. In karst landscapes, old uncontrolled landfills are often located in dolines (sinkholes). Buried waste material in dolines represents degradation of landform, habitats and a potential danger of groundwater pollution. Buried waste provides heterogeneous ecological conditions on the surface, thus plant communities or individual plant species that developed on the surface of landfills can be used as a bioindicators of waste-filled doline sites and therefore indicators of land degradation. we aimed to discover the potential of vegetation to detect unknown locations of old dumpsites in suffusion dolines in Logaško polje (Dinaric Karst, Slovenia), either by plant communities or by plant species. we aimed to ascertain whether vegetation can indicate the dumping period by estimation of community succession stage. Locations and the age of waste-filled dolines (doline-dumps) were preliminary identified by a historical landscape study. Thus, we used time series of aerial photographs and digital photogrammetry tools for 3D modelling of historical terrain. Ecological evaluation was based on sampling the floristic composition of plots (5x5 m). we analysed ecological conditions by Ellenberg bioindicator values, structure by life history traits and naturalness by hemerobic levels of plants. we studied in detail 30 up to 50-years-old waste-filled dolines that are interspersed by dry and mesic grasslands. Ecological evaluation demonstrated that the main driver of ecological diversity at doline-dumps is the time at which the doline was backfilled and succession started. Annual and eutrophic communities dominate the youngest doline-dumps, middle aged doline-dumps are covered by ni-ACTA CARSOLOGICA 46/1-2017 96 MATEJA BREG VALJAVEC, DANIELA RIBEIRO & ANDRAž ČARNI trophilous perennial forbs and, finally, communities developed towards mesic grassland. we conclude that plant communities in combination with diagnostic plant species can be used as a bioindicators of doline-dumps in agricultural landscape of Logaško polje and can therefore indicate the sites of potential groundwater pollution sources but not the type of long-time buried waste.
Robinia pseudacacia L. was introduced into Europe at the beginning of the 17th century and is now... more Robinia pseudacacia L. was introduced into Europe at the beginning of the 17th century and is now considered to be an invasive species also in Slovenia. Our study area was located in northeastern Slovenia, within the Prekmurje region. The aim of our study was to find explanations for the current occurrence pattern of the species in that location. Areas dominated by R. pseudacacia have been mapped in a scale of 1:5.000 in the lowland area of Prekmuje, across a sample plot of 4 by 3km in 2009. We analyzed potential factors that can influence the distribution of the species within the region: distance to the road network, distance to water bodies, elevation, land use, soil type and soil quality. We performed a spatial randomized sampling technique stratified for prevalence on the resulting maps in order to collect observations on the relationship between R. pseudacacia presence and the potential influenting factors. The statistical relationships were then established by a generalized l...
Acta geographica Slovenica, 2019
This study shows the link between land use, landscape changes, and ecosystem services. Two pilot... more This study shows the link between land use, landscape changes, and ecosystem services. Two pilot areas were investigated for how land use changes from 1824 to 2013 affect the provision of ecosystem services. It was found that low-intensity managed traditional land use is disappearing due to the intensification of agricultural production on the one hand, and the retreat of agriculture from unfavorable areas on the
other hand. However, such traditional land use contributes to more diverse and more numerous ecosystem services and helps preserve the cultural landscape. Therefore, intensification and overgrowth should be
restricted, and less intensive agriculture should be encouraged. The approach presented can be used as a support tool for decision-making in managing and governing landscapes.
Acta geographica Slovenica, 2013
Perceptions of land cover changes from four areas located on the borderlands of Prekmurje, north-... more Perceptions of land cover changes from four areas located on the borderlands of Prekmurje, north-eastern Slovenia were determined from a set of historical maps. The principle goals of this research were the calculation of changes in area of land cover categories and analysis of the stability of the study areas from the perspective of land cover. Two approaches were applied to the map analysis: »stability mapping« followed by proportions of different land cover categories determined by time series cartography. Finally, these approaches were triangulated with ground truthing. The results presented demonstrate conclusively that the studied region maintained relatively stability although over several centuries inhabitants withdrew very slightly from both natural boundaries and political borders. As »windows« into the environmental psychology of borderland perception, each small site studied revealed some specifically localised characteristic.
Acta Geographica Slovenica, 2013
Perceptions of land cover changes from four areas located on the borderlands of Prekmurje, north-... more Perceptions of land cover changes from four areas located on the borderlands of Prekmurje, north-eastern Slovenia were determined from a set of historical maps. The principle goals of this research were the calculation of changes in area of land cover categories and analysis of the stability of the study areas from the perspective of land cover. Two approaches were applied to the map analysis: »stability mapping« followed by proportions of different land cover categories determined by time series cartography. Finally, these approaches were triangulated with ground truthing. The results presented demonstrate conclusively that the studied region maintained relatively stability although over several centuries inhabitants withdrew very slightly from both natural boundaries and political borders. As »windows« into the environmental psychology of borderland perception, each small site studied revealed some specifically localised characteristic.
Biological Conservation, 2012
Monitoring the spread of invasive species is crucial for nature conservation; however regularity ... more Monitoring the spread of invasive species is crucial for nature conservation; however regularity can only be assured if cost-effectiveness can be achieved. We aimed at testing low-cost remote sensing sources and simple methodology for recognising the invasive species Robinia pseudacacia and thus founding a
monitoring scheme. A study area with mixed wooded stands containing R. pseudacacia has been selected for this purpose in NE Slovenia. Four different sources (Landsat ETM and airborne orthophotos from summer and spring) were tested together with a filtering for forested areas. Filtering was based either
on Landsat information or on a forest polygon layer as alternatives. Generalised linear models were constructed
in a training window within the study area to establish a statistical rule of recognition for the species based on spectral information. Models were tested both within and outside the training window
for accuracy. As means of accuracy assessment both the well-established AUC and the specially adapted Jaccard index have been applied.
The best and most reliable recognition was achieved by using the spring orthophoto, in which the species
was captured in flower, combined with a GIS filtering by a forest vector layer. The superiority of this combination was especially striking when tested over the full study area. The Jaccard index appeared to be more sensitive in discrimination between models. Thus we conclude that even spectrally less detailed data sources may provide a basis for successful monitoring if the phenology of the target species is also considered.
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Papers by Daniela Ribeiro
other hand. However, such traditional land use contributes to more diverse and more numerous ecosystem services and helps preserve the cultural landscape. Therefore, intensification and overgrowth should be
restricted, and less intensive agriculture should be encouraged. The approach presented can be used as a support tool for decision-making in managing and governing landscapes.
monitoring scheme. A study area with mixed wooded stands containing R. pseudacacia has been selected for this purpose in NE Slovenia. Four different sources (Landsat ETM and airborne orthophotos from summer and spring) were tested together with a filtering for forested areas. Filtering was based either
on Landsat information or on a forest polygon layer as alternatives. Generalised linear models were constructed
in a training window within the study area to establish a statistical rule of recognition for the species based on spectral information. Models were tested both within and outside the training window
for accuracy. As means of accuracy assessment both the well-established AUC and the specially adapted Jaccard index have been applied.
The best and most reliable recognition was achieved by using the spring orthophoto, in which the species
was captured in flower, combined with a GIS filtering by a forest vector layer. The superiority of this combination was especially striking when tested over the full study area. The Jaccard index appeared to be more sensitive in discrimination between models. Thus we conclude that even spectrally less detailed data sources may provide a basis for successful monitoring if the phenology of the target species is also considered.
other hand. However, such traditional land use contributes to more diverse and more numerous ecosystem services and helps preserve the cultural landscape. Therefore, intensification and overgrowth should be
restricted, and less intensive agriculture should be encouraged. The approach presented can be used as a support tool for decision-making in managing and governing landscapes.
monitoring scheme. A study area with mixed wooded stands containing R. pseudacacia has been selected for this purpose in NE Slovenia. Four different sources (Landsat ETM and airborne orthophotos from summer and spring) were tested together with a filtering for forested areas. Filtering was based either
on Landsat information or on a forest polygon layer as alternatives. Generalised linear models were constructed
in a training window within the study area to establish a statistical rule of recognition for the species based on spectral information. Models were tested both within and outside the training window
for accuracy. As means of accuracy assessment both the well-established AUC and the specially adapted Jaccard index have been applied.
The best and most reliable recognition was achieved by using the spring orthophoto, in which the species
was captured in flower, combined with a GIS filtering by a forest vector layer. The superiority of this combination was especially striking when tested over the full study area. The Jaccard index appeared to be more sensitive in discrimination between models. Thus we conclude that even spectrally less detailed data sources may provide a basis for successful monitoring if the phenology of the target species is also considered.