| Abstract [eng] |
The aim of the dissertation is to identify the main Lithuanian landscape/land cover change trajectories in 19th-21st centuries. To achieve this goal, a digital map of the 19th century was georeferenced on the basis of the topographical map of the European Russia map created in 1846-1872. 19th century Lithuania land cover reconstruction was carried out by manual digitization. All data were combined into five land use classes: 1) built-up areas 2) forests, 3) swamps, 4) water bodies and 5) agricultural and other areas. The dissertation presents the relative and absolute changes of each land cover class in the 19th and 21st centuries. Also the historical context that led to certain trajectories of land cover change are discussed. The largest change in land use areas in absolute values during the 19th-21st centuries took place in agricultural and forest areas, meanwhile land cover classes of dispersed and compact arrangement - built-up areas and swamps - changed relatively the most. Main land cover change trajectories in the period between 1846-1872 and in 2018 was an increase in the area of built-up territories, forests, water bodies and a decrease in wetlands and agricultural and other purpose territories. During the dissertation research, an analysis of the change of land cover classes and the relationships between morphological territorial units of the landscape was also carried out. Specific land cover changes were determined after analysis of the selected areas. |
