Human impact on topography and landscape pattern in the Upper Tisza region, NE-Hungary

Abstract

Anthropogenic landforms affect ecological patterns in the landscape. This investigation concerns three parts of the Upper Tisza region, where the most significant landforms are flood-control embankments and the country roads running on their crowns. Analysis of space images, topographic maps and field observations show that these embankments exert a beneficial influence on the ecological pattern in two ways. Their grassed slopes provide an uninterrupted green corridor along the river. Also, the undergrowth of the afforested areas behind the embankments provides habitats for numerous plant species and also acts as a partial ecological corridor. Although the country roads running along embankments may also act as ecological barriers, since road density and traffic volumes are small, far below the national average, the effect is moderate.