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The Balkan countries undergoing the transition must advance their economies to be more competitive. The aim of this paper is to analyse economic growth with a primary focus on the analysis of economic convergence in the Balkan region in the period of 1997-2020. The research analyses the following Balkan economies: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia. This study applies Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a measure of economic growth and is based on the neoclassical economic growth model: the Solow's convergence concept. The results show that the Balkan countries experienced economic convergence with a speed of 1.82% in the cross-sectional model and 7.87% in the panel data model. It means that the initially less developed economies noted higher economic growth than those richer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the statistical parameters that give a comprehensive overview of the socio-demographic state of the border areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it represents a novel attempt to examine the disparity and relationships between central and peripheral parts of national territory. The methodology is based on examining the differences between border and non-border municipalities/cities according to four groups of indicators, to obtain four indices: depopulation, natural change, ageing and education. Statistically significant differences were found primarily in the context of population age structure, and it can be concluded that the ageing process has affected bordering regions more than the rest of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the Kras/Carso Food Tour to present the challenges of developing a luxury tourism product. The tour's design followed the current strategy of the Slovenian Tourist Board, which defines specific criteria for a luxury experience. Contextualized by the experiential trends in tourism, the paper juxtaposes the bottom-up and top-down perspectives on luxury experiences. The authors argue that mediation by experts familiar with academic discourses and local culture is beneficial for the development of a successful tourism product. The study contributes to the debates on luxury tourism, which have neglected bottom-up perceptions in tourist discourse and overlooked the dilemmas people face when »luxurifying« their traditions and heritage practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alberto Fortis (1741-1803) was an Italian naturalist who had a wide range of scientific interests, from linguistics and ethnology to geology, geography, and hydrology. This paper reviews the hydrological features Fortis recorded in two of his works, Saggio d'Osservazzioni sopra l'Isola di Cherso ed Osero (1771) and Viaggio in Dalmazia (1774). These works were the result of several of Fortis' travels in the region and were noted in the European scientific literature of the time. Fortis showed the European public the eastern Adriatic coast, a little-known part of Europe at the time, with its great variety of natural features. Despite the rare occurrence of surface water in the karst, Fortis' descriptions of the eastern Adriatic coast contain numerous interpretations of hydrological features. He often demonstrates a remarkable understanding of karst hydrology, even if some of his ideas and explanations are dubious from today's perspective. Although Fortis is not considered a karstologist in the strict sense, his works contain elements of what will later become karstology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present a systematic review of tourism certification, labelling and branding research. To review the scientific literature, we followed the PRISMA methodological approach. We started by outlining the spatial and temporal distribution of research linked to certification, labelling and branding, carried out in the social sciences and humanities. In the second step, we extracted the theoretical definitions and characteristics of these three processes in tourism from a selected body of literature. We continued by analysing hierarchical and non-hierarchical relations between certification and branding, and by drawing conclusions linked to duality, or even contradictions that are emerging in this field of tourism research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores marital matching patterns from the perspective of the partners' educational attainment, focusing on the link between gender asymmetry in education and educational hypergamy. In order to assess to what extent the tendency for women to marry men of higher educational status is related to the educational gender gap in Serbia and Slovenia, we calculate an index for women's educational advantage, and an index for the prevalence of educational hypergamy. Our results confirm the following: the growth of education is associated with an increase in female educational advantage; the relationship between female educational advantage and educational hypergamy is strongly negative; and there are no significant differences in assortative mating patterns between Serbia and Slovenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the construction and operation of a cave information system on the example of the Postojnska jama cave. It thoroughly describes the construction of the basic modules of the cave information system, such as an automatic cave measuring station with sensors for measuring air temperature, air flow and CO2 concentration, and a central unit for collecting, saving, processing and displaying data. The system provides quality automatic measurements for the scientific study of the micrometeorology of karst caves. Its construction is based on good practices stemming from many years of experience in taking measurements in the external atmosphere and in karst caves. The paper is rich and comprehensive guideline for automatic cave measuring system construction for scientific and tourist management purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protection and promotion of geoheritage has been changing and improving in recent decades, in line with the growing research in this field. Some research papers specifically study geomorphological geoheritage and introduce a special term - geomorphosite. Karst geomorphosites present specific objects of geomorphological heritage. On Kučaj and Beljanica mountains there is the largest karst area in Serbia. The purpose of this paper is to select and evaluate the scientific value of karst geomorphosites of Kučaj and Beljanica. More than one hundred karst geomorphosites were analyzed. In order to achieve more adequate coverage and representation, they were grouped into 25 geomorphotypes in three major geomorphological components of the investigated area. The results of this analysis highlighted the most important natural potentials of this area for establishing a karst-based geopark. More than 20 geomorphotypes have a positive recommendation index, which provides a good basis for further geotourism analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various ice bodies are an important source of paleoenvironmental data, and their study improves the understanding of present and future environmental conditions. Their changes are an important indicator of climate change. This special issue of Acta geographica Slovenica draws attention to the changing and disappearing cryosphere across the globe, with an emphasis on the southeastern Alps, and the necessity to conduct research in this field before the ice disappears forever. This paper briefly summarizes the current body of knowledge on glaciers, permafrost, cave ice, lake and river ice, and snow in the southeastern Alps, and it presents the contribution of Acta geographica Slovenica to this research and the main highlights of all five papers included in this special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to analyse the socio-economic territorial impact of photovoltaic parks in the rural area of Giurgiu County. The analysis valorises two types of data: the statistical information on the local socio-economic features provided by the National Institute of Statistics and the Giurgiu County Statistics Office, and the specific information about the photovoltaic parks revealed by the interviews applied to the local authorities during field investigation. The case-studies discussed in this paper reflect the socio-economic effects of building and operating the six photovoltaic parks as in the three rural local administrative units - LAU2: Izvoarele, Stăneşti and Malu. This study emphasizes four types of the socio-economic effects of investment in a photovoltaic project on: local rural economy, land use changes, local investments, budget and local labour market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents and discusses the landslide research procedure related to the topography before and after its occurrence, using the comparative analysis of two medium-resolution digital terrain models. The case study is the Jovac mega-landslide - the largest landslide to occur in Serbia in the last 100 years, active for three days in February 1977. The indicators used to determine the volume and movement mechanism were the spatial distribution of elevation differences within the two digital terrain models (DTM), and the analysis of geomorphological features before the landslide. The obtained elevation differences allowed the definition of the approximate landslide volume: 11.6×106m³. All the data obtained indicate that the movement mechanism falls into the category of earthflow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to provide an overview of the most important parameters (the occurrence, frequency and magnitude) in Vojvodina Region (North Serbia). Monthly and annual mean precipitation values in the period 1946-2014, for the 12 selected meteorological stations were used. Relevant parameters (precipitation amounts, Angot precipitation index) were used as indicators of rainfall erosivity. Rainfall erosivity index was calculated and classified throughout precipitation susceptibility classes liable of triggering soil erosion. Precipitation trends were obtained and analysed by three different statistical approaches. Results indicate that various susceptibility classes are identified within the observed period, with a higher presence of very severe rainfall erosion in June and July. This study could have implications for mitigation strategies oriented towards reduction of soil erosion by water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares the beginnings of exonym standardization and some characteristics of the oldest exonyms in two similar Slavic languages, Croatian and Slovenian. It uses the comparative and exemplar methods. It is found that these processes were influenced by the sociopolitical environment of the time, especially language policies. It is shown that the nineteenth century was favorably inclined toward exonyms. They were often written inconsistently and unsystematically because there were no spelling norms for their writing and use. For some, the influences of foreign languages (German, Italian, etc.) are obvious. Numerous transitional forms also appeared, which did not become established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new integrated model based on SWOT and extended PIvot Pairwise RElative Criteria Importance Assessment (PIPRECIA) that offers a systematic approach to strategic planning in tourism. The applicability of the proposed integrated model is demonstrated through a case study defining the main determinants of tourism development in Serbia. The result emphasizes the strategy Improving the organization, management, and enhancement of tourism development as the highest priority for implementation. The model facilitates decision-making in tourism, and its key advantages are its suitability for application in group decision-making and its simplicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the role of stakeholders in creating and managing food tourism experiences. The main aim was to discover who participates in this process, why, and how. The research is based on interviews and participatory observation of twenty-two case studies mainly located in rural areas in eight Mediterranean countries. The paper focuses on two types of food experience: food events and food services with additional subtypes. The results reveal three models of stakeholder collaboration: one typical for events, one typical for services, and one emphasizing more direct interaction between visitors and local communities. The findings show diversity in the connections among stakeholders, who have different motives and roles in food experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the integration of gastronomy in the creative place-making process. The study is based on the interviews with the organizers of five gastronomy events: a cooking workshop, a gastronomy festival, a series of gastronomy events at museums, a gastronomy theatre performance and an intimate dinner event. The contextual analysis shows that gastronomy events can contribute to five important features defining quality of place: diversity, liveliness, innovativeness, creativity and openness/tolerance. The final phase of our study brings comparison with findings in art-based place-making studies and discusses on diversity, integration in development policies and replicability potential of analyzed gastronomy events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents various collective instruments used in the labelling, certification and branding of cheeses in the southeastern Alps of Slovenia and Italy. Based on long term ethnography it discusses four case studies of Montasio, Bovec, Tolminc, and Mohant cheeses, that were awarded protected designation of origin at European Union level. The impact of geographical indications on the local dairy chains is compared to other instruments, ranging from top-down European and national quality schemes and inventories of traditional agricultural products and heritage, to grass-root initiatives such as Slow Food instruments and local brands. The study finds substantial difference in the use and impact of geographical indications in Italy and Slovenia, as well as several ambiguous and dissonant effects in all the identified instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on five culinary events on Slovenia's Karst Plateau (Kras). It presents visitors' motives for attending these events, their satisfaction with them, and their views on sustainability. These traditional culinary events, which take place in the same gastronomic region, differ in their scale, theme, character, and history. A survey was conducted among 244 visitors, approximately 50% of whom had a university degree. The most important motives for their visit include local cuisine; experiencing something new, different, or special; and exploring natural heritage and especially cultural heritage. Visitor satisfaction is the greatest at boutique culinary events, where the main theme is highlighted more strongly than at large-scale culinary events. The main challenge in terms of the sustainability of culinary events is public transport access to the venues. Significant progress would be made by reducing the amount of disposable packaging made from non-sustainable materials. The key to successful culinary events is high-quality services and ingredients, where the word local is key. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dam construction is one of the major human pressures impacting fluvial processes, including topography and hydro-sedimentary flows, as a result of the change in flow regime from fluvial to fluvial-lacustrine. This paper investigates geomorphic changes at Iron Gates I, the largest reservoir on the Danube River, completed in 1972 for hydropower and navigation. The study focuses on a gulf area that emerged at the mouth of the Cerna River into the reservoir, highlighting spatial changes in topography and sediment distribution, based on a diachronic analysis of two datasets before and after the dam was built: one extracted from historical topographic maps and the other obtained from a bathymetric echo sounding survey, integrated within a GIS analysis. The results reveal the dominance of the sedimentation process, with an alluvium layer thickness up to 14 m. The current sediment pattern has changed the submerged morphology, leading to the formation of an alluvial fan at the mouth of the Cerna River and of a sedimentary bar between the Cerna Gulf and the Danube River's channel. The siltation process together with the current underwater morphology limits ship traffic and the storage capacity of the reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the marriage and childbearing trends in Croatia and Slovenia from 1985 to 2017. We made a comparative review of several indicators related to marriage and childbearing trends: mean ages of women at first marriage and first childbirth, birth rates, births within and outside marriage, total fertility rate, tempo-adjusted fertility rate, age-specific fertility rates, and marriage rate. The analysis is based on the official statistical data provided by the statistical offices of both countries and Human Fertility Database. Many of the indicators, including the birth rate, total fertility rate and age-specific fertility rate, are somewhat more favourable in Slovenia than in Croatia. One of the major differences between the two countries is that in Slovenia the connection between marriage and childbearing is not as nearly significant as in Croatia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lowered snow line in Alpine valleys as a local weather phenomenon often varies from one valley to another. The relief morphology of the valleys and the intensity of precipitation play a crucial role in the variation. In Slovenia certain valleys are more susceptible to this phenomenon than others, one such example being the Planica Valley. This paper examines the occurrence of a lowered snow line in the Planica Valley and the Vrata Valley during the winter seasons of 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. Precipitation events accompanying the occurrence of a lowered snow line were analyzed, and data on temperature and precipitation were included in the analysis. Results showed a striking degree of congruence of the phenomenon in both valleys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will present a systematic review of the main publications for landscape and tourism research in Scopus and polish language databases. These were used to identify papers on landscape and tourism published from January 2003 to September 2013. A total of 382 articles and 37 other sources were identified, but 116 analysed. The analysis, focusing on the explicated relation between landscape and tourism, shows that it is a new but growing concern for geographers, ecologists, and landscape architects contributing to the debate. The result is a veritable smorgasbord of definitions and approaches. The objective of this paper is to systematise the current knowledge on tourism and landscape, review the existing definitions of the term »tourist landscape«, and determine its aspects and components in the context of functions of regions. The paper concludes with a tentative definition of a tourist landscape and proposals for further scholarly research and some policy advice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper present a multi-criteria decision DEXi model for assessment of less favoured areas (LFAs). The tool enables easier assessment of farming in different areas of Slovene LFAs with respect to criteria of sustainability. Analysis of LFAs and final integration of the assessment of LFAs depend upon various criteria. In this paper we analyze individual LFAs and farming systems in these areas at the state level with respect to criteria of sustainability and farming potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use the magnitude and centroid period of Rayleigh wave along with the amplitude of fluctuations of water level in a well to calculate effective porosity of a karst aquifer at the site scale. The radial and vertical displacements of Rayleigh wave are first related to the confining pressure of rock, which is then related to fluid pressure via the Gassmann equation. Three seismograms recorded at station 633A of the USARRAY and the induced responses of Well J-17 in the Edwards Aquifer (Texas) allow the calculation of an effective porosity between 17.0 and 24.4 percent, the average of which is close to the total porosity of core samples determined by geophysical well logs. This paper provides an innovative method to measure effective porosity in aquifers. Because of the long wavelengths of Rayleigh wave, the interdisciplinary approach is advantageous in that the resulting effective porosity is at the site scale which includes large conduits or voids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a country with abundant natural resources, Slovakia has legislation to protect significant parts of nature and landscape. The paper aimed to identify the extent and nature of land cover changes in large protected areas in Slovakia and to determine how had these changes impacted the diversity and ecological stability of the landscape. We used the CORINE Land Cover data from 1990 and 2018 to identify landscape changes and analyzed them spatially and statistically. Overall, 21.7% of the total area was changed. In terms of landscape changes, nine dominant sub-processes within five»land cover flows«were identified. In terms of changes in landscape diversity and stability the most significant changes occurred in the NP Nízke Tatry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, numerous countries have been facing the issue of population ageing, which poses a formidable challenge for many sectors, including transportation. Alas, there are no detailed or insightful studies that involve the analysis of the elderly, which is why the authors of this paper decided to research the issue to determine which features of mobility are common among senior citizens (aged 60+). In our study, we focused on Bałuty, a district located in Łódź. The applied research tool was an interview questionnaire which consisted of eight questions. Since transportation is a fundamental human need, maintenance of the mobility of the elderly at an acceptable level is crucial as it directly impacts the quality of their life. What is more, a change of motivation and mode of transport is recommended for this age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on determining the degree of correlation between land-use changes and demographic development in Slovenia. The authors conclude that there is still insufficient evidence in the literature for a correlation between these two processes, because quantitative studies addressing these links are very rare and mostly cover small and specific areas. In the case of Slovenia, Spearman's correlation coefficients are quite low, which confirms that land-use change processes are complex and not dependent solely on individual demographic and socioeconomic factors. Despite the low correlation coefficients, our findings indicate that changes in land use are significantly influenced by changes in age structure and population growth. In areas with population growth the share of arable land is shrinking, whereas in areas with depopulation and a rising aging index the share of partially overgrown land is growing. In the following analysis, the authors focus their analysis on a case study of the Mura and Central Slovenia statistical regions, which lie on opposite poles with regard to development, and thus show differing trends in land-use changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canada is perceived as a strongly desired final destination for many refugees and immigrants due to its socio-economic advantages. The author assesses the Canadian praxis of the immigrant settlement from the community development standpoint, with a specific interest to present how successful Canadian immigration policy has been on the local level by using the established Local Immigration Partnerships model. On the other hand, by adopting the so-called restricted model of immigrant integration Slovenia has not developed a consistent model of integration, specifically leaving aside the potential of local areas in resolving these complex issues. The paper is confirming that due to institutionalized multilevel partnership Canada has been more successful in immigrant integration than Slovenia. In both countries, however, integration into the health system has been evidently the most acute problem. In order to obtain more relevant results, a mixed-methods research was used combining interviews and integration indexes. In the majority of integration parameters, Canada shows significantly better results than Slovenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentrating incomes in large cities has encouraged the development of specialist services and the opening of big commercial units. The downfall of ideological barriers east of the former Iron Curtain made global culture combine with endemic sub-cultures, influenced by the living standard. The only limitation of this process appears to be social segregation which restricts demand and creates preferential segments of users. In Romania, financial segregation is directly reflected in the commercial investment made in Bucharest and in the large cities, mostly in the centre and western part of the country. The paper analyses the correlation of financial and commercial services, as well as their location and dispersion strategies at the level of the Romanian urban system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses findings from sustainability studies to present the development of environmental urban geography in Slovenia in recent decades. Modern European cities, of which Ljubljana is no exception, depart significantly from sustainable development concepts. Compared to other similar cities, Ljubljana has an effective green space system, which its residents also perceive as offering a better-quality living environment. The major, poorly addressed problems are primarily inherited issues, such as gravel pits, illegal dumping sites, and unregulated gardens in suburbanized water protection areas on which residents depend. These, however, show a large gap between claimed and actual environmental awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed study of the microclimate of Petites Dales karst cave with single-entrance is presented in this paper. Two years of cave monitoring investigate temperature, weight of water vapour and airflow distributions outside and inside the cavity to determine the global behaviour of the karst cave. In addition, daily measurements of temperature and airflow demonstrate clearly the stratification of the air and inversions of the airflow during day-time. The cave air is intensively exchanged with external air during the years, with two main modes: (i) airflow enters from the ceiling during summer period and (ii) airflow enters from the floor during winter. At the entrance, an S-shaped velocity profile was observed and far from the entrance, convection loops were observed. During the other period of the year, the airflows may switch from top to bottom or conversely. The thermodynamic conditions of switching are discussed in this paper. This study provided for the first time evidence of daily airflow inversion. Study of cave climates is required in the comprehension of cave flora and fauna, thermodynamic conditions for karst processes underground, hydrogeological features of speleothems, human impact when caves are visited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breakthrough curves in hydrogeology are similar to seismograms in containing a variety of undesired noises and regular interferences characterized with high frequency. In this paper, Gaussian filter for processing seismic waves is used to retain low-frequency trend of breakthrough curves and remove away high-frequency fluctuations. At first, the mathematical fundamental of the filter is introduced. Then the filter is applied to process four breakthrough curves measured in laboratory experiments, in which Gaussian parameter is set to be 0.2 and 0.5. Finally, a breakthrough curve in field test is processed with different Gaussian parameters. The results demonstrate how the parameter controls the cutting-off frequency and the filter is well controllable and very efficient in acquiring the primary trend of the curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the concept of participatory urbanism and analyses its practical implications in the context of the City of Ljubljana. It assesses the potential of participatory methodology for physical and social interventions in public spaces through the case-studies of two creative spatial practices: urban community garden Onkraj gradbišča/Beyond the construction site and community-led renovation of Savsko naselje neighbourhood. It indicates how bottom-up initiatives can contribute to sustainable development of an urban area, especially to its environmental and social features. It concludes with the ideas of how cities might engage with bottom-up spatial practices to increase the effectiveness of urban spatial planning, management and administration, and to boost their green creative image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the key question as to what matters more in understanding the residential location of the creative class in Slovenia: the city-region or the urban-rural framework? Our analysis shows that differences in residential concentrations of the creative class vary more within city-regions (on an urban-rural framework) than between city-regions. Moreover, the creative class is moving out of densely populated urban areas to more sparsely populated suburban/rural areas within all city-regions. There also are significant differences between more developed western Slovenia (denser settlement structures) and less developed eastern Slovenia (sparser settlement structures). We conclude that new models of living promote dispersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to provide a theoretical and conceptual introduction for the Special Issue on the role of green creative environments in sustainable urban and regional development. The idea is based on the assumption that concepts of creativity mostly address economic issues and to a lesser extent social issues, while green concepts predominantly deal with environmental aspects. Therefore, we lack a deeper insight into the interrelations between creative and green environments in urban and regional development. This special issue addresses this research gap through investigating 1) the residential preferences of the creative class in city-regional, urban and rural settings, 2) participatory urbanism as a tool for creative interventions in urban planning, and 3) the importance of green amenities as spatial attraction factors for small creative actors. We argue that green creative environments can contribute to sustainable urban and regional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new index for determining the shape of land parcels. Parcel shapes are usually represented descriptively (i.e. ribbon-shaped, rectangular, irregularly shaped), which is useless for automated distinguishing between parcel shapes or for determining and distinguishing between the patterns formed by parcels. Thus, we developed a Parcel Shape Index (IOP) to describe parcel shape characteristics, and then tested it in the test area of Gorenje pri Divači to analyse selected fields - as irregular blocks, enclosures, continuous strips, and furlongs. We found that IOP allows for a differentiation of parcels according to their shape as well as parcel patterns formed due to the individual types of dividing arable land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a study on floods in the Ochotnica River catchment during forty years of hydrological observations (1972-2011). The Ochotnica River is located in the Gorce Mountains, in the Polish Western Carpathians. The characteristics of floods in the Ochotnica River channel were analyzed using limnigraphic records of water levels at the Tylmanowa gauging station and of precipitation based on data from the Polish Institute of Meteorology and the Water Management Station at Ochotnica Górna. Flood types were determined. The predominant type of floods in the Ochotnica River are normal floods with a discharge of 3.80 to 11.94m3/s in winter and 4.74 to 16.40m3/s in summer. The dominant recent process is incision, at an average speed of 3.2 cm/year. Similar results have been observed in other mountain rivers in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of their specific physical characteristics (altitude, slope, orientation, climate), mountain environments have an important natural diversity. In particular, their geodiversity is generally much larger than in the lowlands, and because mountain geosites are often very aesthetic, mountain areas present a great potential for geoheritage, geoconservation and geotourism studies. This paper reviews six reasons why this potential is high and concludes that mountain areas are particularly interesting to develop educational programs on three current environmental issues: climate change; natural hazards; and human impacts on particularly sensitive geomorphological environments. Then, the paper reviews the principal research in the field of geoheritage currently carried out on these three topics and presents two case studies in the Italian Dolomites and the Swiss Alps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a methodology for localizing theoretical interchange nodes used for interchange between suburban and urban public transport in thirteen regional capitals in the Czech Republic. This methodology is based on the use of current timetables and simulation of more than 2,500 public transport connections between selected surrounding municipalities with significant commuter flows and randomly selected urban public transport stops within the regional capitals. The second part of the paper focuses on particular interchange nodes. Regional capitals are divided into groups according to the level of centrality of interchange nodes and the prevailing orientation of the transport mode. The article also analyzes the time stability of localized interchange nodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although primarily known as a journal of karst geosciences and hydrology, Acta Carsologica has played a vital role in the development of speleobiology. A total of 65 biological papers on speleobiology were published in the journal from 1955 to 2014. Many of the papers, especially in the early years of the journal, added to the knowledge base of species distribution and description, but important conceptual and synthetic papers have also appeared. Two special issues were devoted to interdisciplinary topics with a major biological component-time in karst, and carbon and boundaries in karst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a critical discussion of Romania's south-west, analyzing the proposal that the Timiş-Cerna Corridor should be systemically considered anisotropic. The aim of our paper is to test the possible anisotropic matrix system by using a methods approach based on interpreting human and material mobilities in the area. We use the theoretical framework of regional geography in a systemic context and specifically the concept of anisotropy defined as a territorial anomaly in homogenous and polarized regions, in order to reveal the social and physical relations in which anisotropy is embedded. Our results show that the Timiş-Cerna Corridor is an anisotropic area fitting the structural system of this specific type of space as the dynamics of flows inside the axis are asymmetrical, generating disparities, while transit flows are predominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dye tracing experiments are an active, effective and promising approach to investigate karst aquifers. In this paper, we develop a simple diagnostic model for calculating total recharge of sinks using dye tracing results. The conceptual model is that all sinks are convergent to a major conduit which then branches into several conduits and finally to several springs. Under the assumption that advection is dominant over dispersion at springs, breakthrough curve at a single spring can be used to calculate total recharge. The model is advantageous in that for such a conduit network, it is not necessary to measure breakthrough curves at all springs. Then the model with two dye tracing experiments is used to infer the conduit network in a karst aquifer in Luxi, southwest China. This paper represents a preliminary effort aiming to using dye tracing results to calculate the total recharge of sinks and infer the network of conduits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the description of Samar natural bridge and collapse valley of Ravna River in eastern Serbia aiming to suggest an interpretation of their origin and development, in relationship with lithological and tectonic conditions, karst processes, and petrological analyses. In this study we present the geological setting, detailed morphology and hypothesis on the genesis of these karst landforms. The relationship between surface karst development and the geology is considerably acknowledged. The major contribution of the paper is to propose a framework for considering how recrystallization of limestone can affect the weathering potential of karst landforms and to introduce a term collapse valley. Finally, this study shows that the weathering potencial of the Samar natural bridge is decreased concerning the diagenetic changes these limestones underwent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of the first comprehensive national analysis of changes in discharge regimes of rivers in Croatia. Seven types of discharge regimes have been defined for rivers in Croatia. We analyzed the changes in discharge regimes of all types, comparing the standard period from 1961 to 1990 with the most recent period from 1990 to 2009. We found evidence of a redistribution of discharge throughout the year, an increase in autumn and winter discharges (especially for rivers dominantly fed by snowmelt), and a decrease in summer discharge values. Furthermore, we detected a change in the month of the appearance of mean discharge maxima and minima. In most cases, the changes can be explained by changes in the regime of climate elements (temperature, precipitation, and evapotranspiration). The results are consistent with those from upstream countries; that is, Slovenia, Austria, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UDC 551.444.3:551.3.051(815.142.5) Isabel Pires Mascarenhas Ribeiro De Oliveira, Daniel Correa, Rodrigo Lopes Ferreira & Augusto Sarreiro Auler: Rising water flow as a factor of organic material importation into caves The Carlúcio Cave is located on the left bank of the Peruaçu River canyon, in a National Park located in the semiarid zone of Minas Gerais, Southeastern Brazil. Although the Carlúcio Cave is in an unfavorable relief position in terms of material importation into its interior, it harbors an important fossil deposit. This paper sought to investigate such fossil assemblage and describe material importation and deposition events. For that purpose, a survey of the existing fossils was conducted, including a description of the deposition sites and taphonomic signatures. A topographic survey was carried out of representative samples and the deposit chronology was established by means of carbon-14 and uranium-series dating. The fossil assemblage comprises mainly terrestrial epigeal mollusk shells, totaling 1,399 individuals, 70% of which are Drymaeus sp. (Bulimuloidea, Bulimulidae). In addition, 20 bones, 57 vegetal deposition sites, four charcoals, one palm fruit and one corncob were recorded. The cave location and morphology and the deposit's taphonomic signature indicate that the material was carried upward by the rise in water level (WL) of the Peruaçu River due to episodic barriers to the natural river flow, followed by floating and retention of the material once the WL went gradually down. At least four flood events that reached the Carlúcio Cave were identified in the Peruaçu River canyon during the Holocene. This study provides evidence of a mechanism of material transport and accumulation in the cave caused by the rising water flow in connection with flood events in the river canyon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UDC 551.444.3:556.3(497.561) Ognjen Bonacci, Maja Oštrić & Tanja Roje-Bonacci: Water resources analysis of the Rječina karst spring and river (Dinaric karst) The paper deals with complex hydrological/hydrogeological behaviour in the Rječina karst spring and river basin located in the north-western part of the deep and developed Croatian Dinaric karst. The Rječina Spring is one of the major karst springs in Croatia, used for water supply of Rijeka City and its surrounding area. Beside the use of Rječina spring for water supply, the development of the Rijeka hydroelectric power plant (HEPP) also changed hydrological and hydrogeological regime of the whole catchment. In order to analyse the anthropogenic influences in the system, hydrological analysis of the Rječina river and spring discharge was done, as well as the analysis of the available data of groundwater measurements. The analysis showed that, due to the increase of water caption and decrease of precipitation, the average annual spring discharge decreased for approximately 25% in the 1980-2016 period. Detailed analysis of groundwater measurements indicated aquifer behaviour and the need for additional measurements and catchment delineation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UDC 556.33:550.822(436.6) Rafael Schäffer, Ingo Sass, Claus-Dieter Heldmann & Dirk Scheuvens: Geothermal drilling in an Alpine karst aquifer and its impact on downstream springs - A case study from Finkenberg, Tyrol, Austria A borehole heat exchanger array was installed in an Alpine karst aquifer for the first time in Europe. It is composed of nine 400 m deep boreholes in the dolomitic marble of the Hochstegen Formation. New approaches were developed for this unprecedented application and potential risks were checked throughout the sinking of the initial exploratory wellbore. As Finkenberg is located in a tourist area, drilling operations had to be executed within only a few weeks. Several springs downstream from the drilling site are sources of drinking water and tap water supply. Given that the degree and distribution of the Hochstegen Formation karstification was unknown, a spring monitoring program was mandatory in order to obtain drilling permission from public authorities. A practicable and affordable spring monitoring program including several physical and chemical parameters was developed and implemented to document the potential impact of the drilling activities on the spring water. A temporary and locally limited impact of the drilling works on groundwater quality was detected by turbidity measurements. This paper reports the implementation of geothermal drilling in a karst aquifer with a focus on karstification as well as planning, implementation and the results of the spring monitoring program. Such a program can be recommended for comparable projects or questions, adapting the characteristic parameters to be collected and the measurement intervals in consultation with the relevant authorities. It might also increase the chances of gaining approval for geothermal projects in karst and could enhance public acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chiara Calligaris, José Maria Calaforra, Franco Cucchi, Paolo Forti & Luca Zini: Effect of s strong rainstorm on the hydrodynamics of the Puerto Princesa underground river (Palawan, Philippines) Fascinating and fragile environments as are the underground estuaries, need to be studied, understood and protected for present and future generations. Even if wide and abundant bibliography related to tides and their behaviour with respect to the external estuaries is available, none dealed with the estuary caves and the related hydrogeology. This paper aims to partially fill this gap presenting a preliminary study done at the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR), in the Palawan Island (Philippines). The data was collected during the last expedition (November 2016) organised by La Venta, in which some of the authors took part. During the survey, the cave has been instrumented with in continuous diver data-logger devices (CTD) recording temperature (T), electrical conductivity (EC) and water level fluctuations. Longitudinal and vertical water hydrogeological profiles of the cave were realised with the aim of understanding the dynamics of the waters during different hydrogeological regimes in combination with salt water intrusion. In addition, a bathymetric profile was done to better identify the point where to realise the vertical logs. A significant rainstorm occurred during the expedition, lasting for approximately 12 hours resulting in 80 mm of rain, and its effects gave the re-searchers the opportunity to analyse the hydrodynamics of the flowing waters during a flood. In normal flow conditions, the longitudinal logs highlighted the presence of freshwater inlets and the vertical logs testified to a clear stratification of the waters (freshwaters at the surface and brackish waters at the bottom). During floods, the EC and T data showed evidence of a fast substitution of the resident waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Andrej Kranjc & Luiz Eduardo Panisset Travassos: On the origin of the name Dinara This short paper on the origin of the name Dinara based on literature is in fact an open question and a challenge for future researchers. The authors are relatively well acquainted with the Western part of Dinaric karst and corresponding "western" literature and from this point of view they tried to find out where and when appeared the name Dinara for the mountain as well as for the whole Dinaric chain as we call it nowadays. Based on older literature and maps they found out that the name Dinara appeared in the 16th century in a novel, not in a professional work, while in the 17th (Evliya Çelebi) and during the 18th centuries it became largely used by authors describing Balkans (Fortis 1774, Hacquet 1785). During the 19th century it was a generally adopted name, often as Dinaric Alps. Authors make an appeal to researchers whose topic is Dinaric karst to pay attention to this question; especially to older publications which are not generally known and accessible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]