Landslide susceptibility mapping in the Beskid Niski Mts., western Carpathians (Dukla commune, Poland)

Abstract

Landslides are one of the most prominent processes degrading the Beskidy Mts. slopes. Susceptibility assessment is based on the detailed mapping of the Dukla commune (235 km2) at the scale 1:10,000 in frames of the project Landslide Counteracting System. The terrain affected by landslides is 19.59 km2, which is 8.34% of the researched area. The largest number of landslides can be found in the Beskid Dukielski Mts. area, where nearly 78% of all landslide areas are concentrated. Analysis of landslide-causing factors was performed using the index of entropy method. The following five factors were considered: lithology, slope inclination, slope aspect, distance to faults, and distance to drainage. The most important role in the development of mass movements in the study area is played by slope inclination (0.0079) and lithology of siliciclastic flysch (0.0066). The method applied also contributed to devising a landslide susceptibility map of considerable accuracy at 90.5%. The analyses of the landslide factors have proven that understanding of geology and landforms is not only of cognitive significance, but adds to practical applications in spatial management. The studies confirmed usefulness of large-scale mapping of landslides and applying statistical methods and GIS techniques in the spatial analysis of landform transformations. The obtained landslide susceptibility map can be a basis for assessing landslide risk. High and very high landslide susceptibility classes cover nearly 50% of the study area.