Assessment and Quantitative Evaluation of Loess Area Geomorphodiversity Using Multiresolution DTMs (Roztocze Region, SE Poland)
The geodiversity of loess areas is reflected in the characteristic dataset of loess landforms, with the dominance of several types of valley forms (mainly gullies). The availability of satellite elevation data and high-resolution aerial topography scanning data provides an opportunity for quantitati...
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/12/1/7 |
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| author | Marcin Siłuch Waldemar Kociuba Leszek Gawrysiak Piotr Bartmiński |
| author_facet | Marcin Siłuch Waldemar Kociuba Leszek Gawrysiak Piotr Bartmiński |
| author_sort | Marcin Siłuch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The geodiversity of loess areas is reflected in the characteristic dataset of loess landforms, with the dominance of several types of valley forms (mainly gullies). The availability of satellite elevation data and high-resolution aerial topography scanning data provides an opportunity for quantitative assessment of geomorphodiversity. This is done through the analysis of topographic texture, delimitation and statistical characterization of the topographic parameters of erosional landforms, such as volume and degree of dissection (density of valleys) or the degree of ‘coverage’ of the area by valley forms. An important factor affecting the accuracy of the estimation is the accuracy of the underlying digital terrain model (DTM). This study compares three digital terrain models, with cell sizes of 30, 10 and 1 m, generated from satellite altimetry data and airborne laser scanning (ALS) data. The subregion of Szczebrzeszyn Roztocze (Western Roztocze Region, SE Poland), i.e., one of the most typical loess relief regions in Poland, was selected as the study area. Selected topographic texture analyses were carried out using the SLRM (Simple Local Relief Model) algorithm. Delimitation of valleys was performed by delineating the extent of slope change in two key steps: (1) detection of areas below the average topographic surface; (2) delimitation using supervised classification of DTMs. The results of the study show that the accuracy of delimitation of valleys increases inversely proportional to the DTMs resolution. Automated topographic texture analysis allows delimitation and extraction, as well as statistical analysis of parameters of valleys. Finally, two indicators have been proposed, Relative Valley Area (RVA) and Area-normalised Valley Cubature (AVC), which can be used in geomorphodiversity studies of a geologically homogeneous area. The dimensionless RVA index can also be expressed as a percentage (%) of the area of valley forms in a basic field of 1 km<sup>2</sup>. Furthermore, the AVC index shows the dynamic character of the main relief features of the analysed area. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:19:30Z |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:19:30Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Resources |
| spelling | doaj.art-bab41982fa7345289e3cf81a7db3a3042023-12-01T00:21:35ZengMDPI AGResources2079-92762023-01-01121710.3390/resources12010007Assessment and Quantitative Evaluation of Loess Area Geomorphodiversity Using Multiresolution DTMs (Roztocze Region, SE Poland)Marcin Siłuch0Waldemar Kociuba1Leszek Gawrysiak2Piotr Bartmiński3Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-718 Lublin, PolandInstitute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-718 Lublin, PolandInstitute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-718 Lublin, PolandInstitute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-718 Lublin, PolandThe geodiversity of loess areas is reflected in the characteristic dataset of loess landforms, with the dominance of several types of valley forms (mainly gullies). The availability of satellite elevation data and high-resolution aerial topography scanning data provides an opportunity for quantitative assessment of geomorphodiversity. This is done through the analysis of topographic texture, delimitation and statistical characterization of the topographic parameters of erosional landforms, such as volume and degree of dissection (density of valleys) or the degree of ‘coverage’ of the area by valley forms. An important factor affecting the accuracy of the estimation is the accuracy of the underlying digital terrain model (DTM). This study compares three digital terrain models, with cell sizes of 30, 10 and 1 m, generated from satellite altimetry data and airborne laser scanning (ALS) data. The subregion of Szczebrzeszyn Roztocze (Western Roztocze Region, SE Poland), i.e., one of the most typical loess relief regions in Poland, was selected as the study area. Selected topographic texture analyses were carried out using the SLRM (Simple Local Relief Model) algorithm. Delimitation of valleys was performed by delineating the extent of slope change in two key steps: (1) detection of areas below the average topographic surface; (2) delimitation using supervised classification of DTMs. The results of the study show that the accuracy of delimitation of valleys increases inversely proportional to the DTMs resolution. Automated topographic texture analysis allows delimitation and extraction, as well as statistical analysis of parameters of valleys. Finally, two indicators have been proposed, Relative Valley Area (RVA) and Area-normalised Valley Cubature (AVC), which can be used in geomorphodiversity studies of a geologically homogeneous area. The dimensionless RVA index can also be expressed as a percentage (%) of the area of valley forms in a basic field of 1 km<sup>2</sup>. Furthermore, the AVC index shows the dynamic character of the main relief features of the analysed area.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/12/1/7geomorphodiversity of loess areasloess reliefgulliesmultiresolution DTMsautomatic landforms detection |
| spellingShingle | Marcin Siłuch Waldemar Kociuba Leszek Gawrysiak Piotr Bartmiński Assessment and Quantitative Evaluation of Loess Area Geomorphodiversity Using Multiresolution DTMs (Roztocze Region, SE Poland) Resources geomorphodiversity of loess areas loess relief gullies multiresolution DTMs automatic landforms detection |
| title | Assessment and Quantitative Evaluation of Loess Area Geomorphodiversity Using Multiresolution DTMs (Roztocze Region, SE Poland) |
| title_full | Assessment and Quantitative Evaluation of Loess Area Geomorphodiversity Using Multiresolution DTMs (Roztocze Region, SE Poland) |
| title_fullStr | Assessment and Quantitative Evaluation of Loess Area Geomorphodiversity Using Multiresolution DTMs (Roztocze Region, SE Poland) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment and Quantitative Evaluation of Loess Area Geomorphodiversity Using Multiresolution DTMs (Roztocze Region, SE Poland) |
| title_short | Assessment and Quantitative Evaluation of Loess Area Geomorphodiversity Using Multiresolution DTMs (Roztocze Region, SE Poland) |
| title_sort | assessment and quantitative evaluation of loess area geomorphodiversity using multiresolution dtms roztocze region se poland |
| topic | geomorphodiversity of loess areas loess relief gullies multiresolution DTMs automatic landforms detection |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/12/1/7 |
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