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Long-Term Trends in the Chemical and Mechanical Denudation in a Small Carpathian Catchment Cover

Long-Term Trends in the Chemical and Mechanical Denudation in a Small Carpathian Catchment

Quaestiones Geographicae
Volume 44 (2025): Issue 3 (September 2025)
By: Małgorzata Kijowska-Strugała,  Witold Bochenek and  Sabina Wójcik  
Open Access
|Aug 2025

Figures & Tables

Fig. 1.

A – Location of the study area and environmental characteristics of the Bystrzanka catchment area; B – slope; based on the deM with 10 m resolution; C – geological structure: 1– fault, 2 – minor thrust fault, 3 – major thrust fault, 4 – Inoceramus beds, 5 – Cięzkowickie sandstones, 6 – Magura sandstones, 7 – Sub-Magura sandstones, 8 – Krosno Bed, 9 – variegated shales; based on Wójcik et al. (2003).
A – Location of the study area and environmental characteristics of the Bystrzanka catchment area; B – slope; based on the deM with 10 m resolution; C – geological structure: 1– fault, 2 – minor thrust fault, 3 – major thrust fault, 4 – Inoceramus beds, 5 – Cięzkowickie sandstones, 6 – Magura sandstones, 7 – Sub-Magura sandstones, 8 – Krosno Bed, 9 – variegated shales; based on Wójcik et al. (2003).

Fig. 2.

Land use an land cover (LULC) changes in Bystrzanka catchment (1 – cultivated land, 2 – forest (deciduous, mixed), 3 – grassland, 4 – orchards, 5 – agro-forestry transitional areas, 6 – urbanised area, industrial or commercial, sports or recreational areas, low-density buildings, roads; based on aerial photos Olędzki 2007, Zwoliński, Gudowicz 2011, Bochenek 2020).
Land use an land cover (LULC) changes in Bystrzanka catchment (1 – cultivated land, 2 – forest (deciduous, mixed), 3 – grassland, 4 – orchards, 5 – agro-forestry transitional areas, 6 – urbanised area, industrial or commercial, sports or recreational areas, low-density buildings, roads; based on aerial photos Olędzki 2007, Zwoliński, Gudowicz 2011, Bochenek 2020).

Fig. 3.

Annual totals of precipitation (P), runoff totals (R) and runoff coefficient (Rc) in 1995–2023.
Annual totals of precipitation (P), runoff totals (R) and runoff coefficient (Rc) in 1995–2023.

Fig. 4.

Annual SF, share of snowfall in annual precipitation and duration of snow cover. SF, snowfall.
Annual SF, share of snowfall in annual precipitation and duration of snow cover. SF, snowfall.

Fig. 5.

A – Number of floods distinguished by genetic classification (Lambor 1965) in 1995–2023; B – layer of water above discharge threshold (mm). Or – continuous rainfall, Ou – heavy rainfall, O(u + r) – mixed rainfall, r – snowmelt, M – mixed rainfall and snowmelt.
A – Number of floods distinguished by genetic classification (Lambor 1965) in 1995–2023; B – layer of water above discharge threshold (mm). Or – continuous rainfall, Ou – heavy rainfall, O(u + r) – mixed rainfall, r – snowmelt, M – mixed rainfall and snowmelt.

Fig. 6.

Flood runoff and number and hydrological drought duration from 1995 to 2023.
Flood runoff and number and hydrological drought duration from 1995 to 2023.

Fig. 7.

Mean annual pH and electrical conductivity (EC) in precipitation (P) and runoff (R).
Mean annual pH and electrical conductivity (EC) in precipitation (P) and runoff (R).

Fig. 8.

Average ion concentration (%) of in A – precipitation and B – runoff.
Average ion concentration (%) of in A – precipitation and B – runoff.

Fig. 9.

Variation in the content of individual ions in dissolved yield precipitation (DY_P) and dissolved yield runoff (dY_r) between 1995 and 2023.
Variation in the content of individual ions in dissolved yield precipitation (DY_P) and dissolved yield runoff (dY_r) between 1995 and 2023.

Fig. 10.

Changes in individual nutrients (P–PO43−, N–NO3–, N–NH4+) and total nutrient loads in the Bystrzanka stream between 1995 and 2023.
Changes in individual nutrients (P–PO43−, N–NO3–, N–NH4+) and total nutrient loads in the Bystrzanka stream between 1995 and 2023.

Fig. 11.

Chemical denudation balance in the Bystrzanka catchment between 1995 and 2023.
Chemical denudation balance in the Bystrzanka catchment between 1995 and 2023.

Fig. 12.

Plot of SSC in the stream against discharge (Q) and precipitation (P) during the A – 3–4 June 2010 and B – 16–17 May 2014 flood events with a hysteresis loop and an example of concentration on an unpaved road in the Bystrzanka catchment. SSC, suspended sediment concentration.
Plot of SSC in the stream against discharge (Q) and precipitation (P) during the A – 3–4 June 2010 and B – 16–17 May 2014 flood events with a hysteresis loop and an example of concentration on an unpaved road in the Bystrzanka catchment. SSC, suspended sediment concentration.

Fig. 13.

DL_R and SSL changes against runoff (R) between 1995 and 2023. DL_R, dissolved load runoff.
DL_R and SSL changes against runoff (R) between 1995 and 2023. DL_R, dissolved load runoff.

Fig. 14.

Dependence of SSY and DY_R on the runoff above the flood threshold between 1995 and 2023. DY_R, dissolved yield runoff.
Dependence of SSY and DY_R on the runoff above the flood threshold between 1995 and 2023. DY_R, dissolved yield runoff.

Statistical characteristics of temperature (T), precipitation (P), snowfall (SF), runoff (R) and Rc in the Bystrzanka catchment between 1995 and 2023 (bold: statistically significant p < 0_05)_

PeriodAir temperature TPrecipitation PSnowfall SFRunoff RRunoff coefficient Rc
AverageTrend (per decade)AverageTrend (per decade)AverageTrend (per decade)AverageTrend (per decade)
[°C][mm][%]
Year (1995–2023) (min–max)8.8 (6.2–10.1)0.73864.5 (612.4–1180.0)–4.5118.2 (17.0–222.8)–25.0390.2 (85.0–856.6)–74.545 (13–73)
Cv (%)10.5 15.5 42.3 35.2
Winter half-year (1995–2023)2.30.91283.2–8.2118.2 (17.0–222.8)–25.0199.3–43.570
Summer half-year (1995–2023)15.20.51581.33.7 190.9–31.033
Year (1995–2004)8.0 850.2 138.3 441.4 52
Year (2014–2023)9.6 880.0 77.3 317.7 36

Characteristics of dissolved ion in dissolved yield precipitation (DY_P) and dissolved yield runoff water (DY_R) from 1995 to 2023 (bold: statistically significant p < 0_05)_

ParameterPrecipitationRunoff
DY_PCvCoefficientDY_RCvCoefficient
[kg · ha−1 · a−1][%][kg · ha−1 · a−1][%]
S–SO42–8.6240.3–0.1848.3845.7–1.06
N–NO3–5.5032.0–0.055.9039.8–0.18
Cl–6.6187.5–0.0528.4840.2–0.39
Na+2.5463.90.0918.6033.7–0.19
K+2.0337.20.0318.6040.0–0.42
Mg2+1.3345.80.0123.3340.4–0.50
Ca2+10.1639.80.21175.2438.9–2.54
N–NH4+5.6037.3–0.190.8992.7–0.05
HCO3– 516.5633.4–4.83
P–PO43– 0.4166.5–0.02
Load (1995–2023)4.9028.6–0.12859.933.0–0.14
1995–2004 vs. 2014–2023
p-value (Mann–Whitney U test)
S–SO42–0.0540.004
N–NO3–0.2410.000
Cl–0.0760.031
Na+0.0020.273
K+0.0450.002
Mg2+0.3070.017
Ca2+0.8500.021
N–NH4+3.0620.017
HCO3– 0.162
P–PO43– 0.000

Number of days with precipitation and snow cover in 1995–2023_

Precipitation (P)1995–20231995–20042014–2023
Number of days
Total181184165
≤1.0 mm666852
1.0 < P ≤ 5.0 mm646761
5.0 < P ≤ 10.0 mm262626
10.0 < P ≤ 20.0 mm171617
20.0 < P ≤ 30.0 mm536
30.0 < P ≤ 50.0 mm333
>50.0 mm111
Snow cover678145
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14746/quageo-2025-0026 | Journal eISSN: 2081-6383 | Journal ISSN: 2082-2103
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Language: English
Page range: 77 - 94
Submitted on: Feb 24, 2025
|
Published on: Aug 7, 2025
Published by: Adam Mickiewicz University
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 4 issues per year
Keywords:
atmospheric deposition,
chemical and mechanical denudation,
suspended sediment,
land use changes,
ion chromatography,
Polish Carpathians
Related subjects:
Geosciences,
Geography

© 2025 Małgorzata Kijowska-Strugała, Witold Bochenek, Sabina Wójcik, published by Adam Mickiewicz University
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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