Assessment of the Annual Erosion Rate along Three Hiking Trails in the Făgăraș Mountains, Romanian Carpathians, Using Dendrogeomorphological Approaches of Exposed Roots
Mountain hiking trails are vital components of tourist infrastructure and provide recreational opportunities for a large number of tourists. Exposed roots along the tourist trails in the forested mountains are impacted by tourist trampling and various natural processes, thus becoming even more expos...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Forests |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/12/1993 |
| _version_ | 1797458554522697728 |
|---|---|
| author | Mihai Jula Mircea Voiculescu |
| author_facet | Mihai Jula Mircea Voiculescu |
| author_sort | Mihai Jula |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mountain hiking trails are vital components of tourist infrastructure and provide recreational opportunities for a large number of tourists. Exposed roots along the tourist trails in the forested mountains are impacted by tourist trampling and various natural processes, thus becoming even more exposed and eroded. The aim of our study was to estimate the annual erosion rates along three hiking trails in the Făgăraș Mountains using dendrogeomorphological approaches. The three used routes were: Bâlea Hotel—Bâlea Waterfall (BWFHT), Bâlea Hotel—Bâlea Glacial Lake (BLHT), and Bâlea Hotel—Doamnei Glacial Valley (DVHT). The average annual erosion rates in BWFHT, BLHT, and DVHT were 10.6 ± 4.4, 6.8 ± 3.9, and 6.1 ± 3.3 mm·y<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. Over a 56-year interval (1965–2021), 610 scars were recorded among the annual growth rings of the sampled tree roots; 172, 213, and 225 scars were recorded in BWFHT, BLHT, and DVHT, respectively. Moreover, we identified 1022 rows of traumatic resin ducts (TRDs) associated with scars: 237, 343, and 442 in BWFHT, BLHT, and DVHT, respectively. Additionally, the climate of the Făgăraș Mountains is humid with a multiannual average precipitation of 1366.2 mm; the precipitation in 24 h, between 1979 and 2021 in seven and three cases exceeded 70 mm/24 h and 100 mm/24 h, respectively. Thus, there were synchronous situations of root exposure with 24 h rainfall. However, it is unclear whether precipitation plays a decisive role in root exposure or in triggering erosion processes on tourist trails. We considered that tourist traffic plays a decisive role in root exposure and erosion, however locally and complementarily, 24 h precipitation must also be considered. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:38:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0b73bff2fa354b7bb9dbb19e21504b86 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:38:47Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-0b73bff2fa354b7bb9dbb19e21504b862023-11-24T14:53:34ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072022-11-011312199310.3390/f13121993Assessment of the Annual Erosion Rate along Three Hiking Trails in the Făgăraș Mountains, Romanian Carpathians, Using Dendrogeomorphological Approaches of Exposed RootsMihai Jula0Mircea Voiculescu1Department of Geography, Faculty of Chemistry, Biology and Geography, West University of Timişoara, 4 Bd. Vasile Pârvan, 300223 Timişoara, RomaniaDepartment of Geography, Faculty of Chemistry, Biology and Geography, West University of Timişoara, 4 Bd. Vasile Pârvan, 300223 Timişoara, RomaniaMountain hiking trails are vital components of tourist infrastructure and provide recreational opportunities for a large number of tourists. Exposed roots along the tourist trails in the forested mountains are impacted by tourist trampling and various natural processes, thus becoming even more exposed and eroded. The aim of our study was to estimate the annual erosion rates along three hiking trails in the Făgăraș Mountains using dendrogeomorphological approaches. The three used routes were: Bâlea Hotel—Bâlea Waterfall (BWFHT), Bâlea Hotel—Bâlea Glacial Lake (BLHT), and Bâlea Hotel—Doamnei Glacial Valley (DVHT). The average annual erosion rates in BWFHT, BLHT, and DVHT were 10.6 ± 4.4, 6.8 ± 3.9, and 6.1 ± 3.3 mm·y<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. Over a 56-year interval (1965–2021), 610 scars were recorded among the annual growth rings of the sampled tree roots; 172, 213, and 225 scars were recorded in BWFHT, BLHT, and DVHT, respectively. Moreover, we identified 1022 rows of traumatic resin ducts (TRDs) associated with scars: 237, 343, and 442 in BWFHT, BLHT, and DVHT, respectively. Additionally, the climate of the Făgăraș Mountains is humid with a multiannual average precipitation of 1366.2 mm; the precipitation in 24 h, between 1979 and 2021 in seven and three cases exceeded 70 mm/24 h and 100 mm/24 h, respectively. Thus, there were synchronous situations of root exposure with 24 h rainfall. However, it is unclear whether precipitation plays a decisive role in root exposure or in triggering erosion processes on tourist trails. We considered that tourist traffic plays a decisive role in root exposure and erosion, however locally and complementarily, 24 h precipitation must also be considered.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/12/1993hiking trailsdendrogeomorphological approachexposed rootsscarsmean erosion ratesFăgăraş Mountains |
| spellingShingle | Mihai Jula Mircea Voiculescu Assessment of the Annual Erosion Rate along Three Hiking Trails in the Făgăraș Mountains, Romanian Carpathians, Using Dendrogeomorphological Approaches of Exposed Roots Forests hiking trails dendrogeomorphological approach exposed roots scars mean erosion rates Făgăraş Mountains |
| title | Assessment of the Annual Erosion Rate along Three Hiking Trails in the Făgăraș Mountains, Romanian Carpathians, Using Dendrogeomorphological Approaches of Exposed Roots |
| title_full | Assessment of the Annual Erosion Rate along Three Hiking Trails in the Făgăraș Mountains, Romanian Carpathians, Using Dendrogeomorphological Approaches of Exposed Roots |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of the Annual Erosion Rate along Three Hiking Trails in the Făgăraș Mountains, Romanian Carpathians, Using Dendrogeomorphological Approaches of Exposed Roots |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of the Annual Erosion Rate along Three Hiking Trails in the Făgăraș Mountains, Romanian Carpathians, Using Dendrogeomorphological Approaches of Exposed Roots |
| title_short | Assessment of the Annual Erosion Rate along Three Hiking Trails in the Făgăraș Mountains, Romanian Carpathians, Using Dendrogeomorphological Approaches of Exposed Roots |
| title_sort | assessment of the annual erosion rate along three hiking trails in the fagaras mountains romanian carpathians using dendrogeomorphological approaches of exposed roots |
| topic | hiking trails dendrogeomorphological approach exposed roots scars mean erosion rates Făgăraş Mountains |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/12/1993 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mihaijula assessmentoftheannualerosionratealongthreehikingtrailsinthefagarasmountainsromaniancarpathiansusingdendrogeomorphologicalapproachesofexposedroots AT mirceavoiculescu assessmentoftheannualerosionratealongthreehikingtrailsinthefagarasmountainsromaniancarpathiansusingdendrogeomorphologicalapproachesofexposedroots |