THE DIRECTION OF CHANGES IN THE GRASSLANDS SURFACES IN THE MOUNTAIN AREA OF BANAT.

Grasslands, some of the most important resources of mountain areas, have been and are subject to changes, both in time and in space, under the action of natural and/or anthropogenic factors. In this context, the research aims, in the first stage, to identify and quantify the areas of grasslands subject to changes, both through surface losses and gains, and in the second stage, to establish the general direction of changes, at regional level. As a case study, the area of the Banat Mountains, from southwest Romania, was selected, a very complex area from a physical-geographical and socio-economic point of view. The analysis of grassland areas and implicitly the changes produced, was made in the GIS environment, based on Corine Land Cover data, over a period of approximately thirty years. As a result of the research, it was found that the areas of grasslands were "mobilized" by adding areas from other categories of use (orchards, lands with natural vegetation and so on), but also by switching to other categories of use, especially in high mountain areas, through afforestation. Also, the study showed important differences in territorial profile, of great importance for local communities and the economy of the mountain area. Monitoring changes in grassland areas is also particularly important in terms of management strategies or sustainable development of mountain areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]