Soil and Water Research (Sep 2010)
Ecopedological research for ecological rehabilitation of degraded lands from Eastern Romania
Abstract
The assessment study of the global ecological impact tries to highlight the main factors and negative ecological determinants, due to a lack or excess, and it also focuses on highlighting the main negative ecological effects with the aim to rehabilitate and restore the ecological balance within degraded ecosystems. The methodology used in the assessment process was based on graphs, tables in the shape of Leopold matrix, considerably improved by authors. In order to assess qualitatively the negative ecological effects, a reliability scale with 3 indicators and 3 graduations was used, designed to underline the importance of the impact (minor, medium, and major), the quality of the impact (neutral, negative, and positive) and the certainty of the appearance of a negative impact (improbable, probable, and certain). Our research was accomplished in the pasture ecosystem degraded by pluvial erosion from the Tutova Hills, located in the Eastern part of Romania. This ecosystem is characterized through active geo-morphological processes in the depth and on the surface and it drew attention to the presence of 8 negative ecological factors grouped in 3 main categories: geo-climatic, pedological, and anthropogenic. 8 main negative effects were identified and quantified by means of 3 qualitative indicators with 3 graduation scales. The analysis of the current state of the effects of the complex ecological impact upon the degraded ecosystem ask for a series of urgent measures elaborated by scientists, researchers, and representatives of the local administration system. The aim of these measures is to improve the ecological balance and to eliminate the negative anthropogenic impact that augments and aggravates the action of the negative geo-climatic and pedological factors, in of with the protection of soil quality.
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