Recent landform evolution in Slovakia

Abstract

In addition to the morphostructures and climatic conditions, landform -evolution on the territory of Slovakia has been heavily influenced by the history of human settlement. Human impact on geomorphic processes has a longer history in the sub-Carpathian lowlands (embracing millennia) than in the Carpathian mountains (measured in centuries). In addition to the predominant gravitational processes (first of all landslides), major natural exogenic geomorphic agents in Slovakia include fluvial processes, soil erosion by water, karst and pseudokarst evolution, aeolian, cryogenic and nival actions. The slopes of agricultural areas were completely remodeled by tillage and water erosion processes. Increased frequency of extreme meteorological-hydrological events during the Little Ice Age resulted in enormous activation of gullying, floods and other precipitation-induced processes. Drastic terrain adjustments, including the levelling of terraced plots, were done due to collectivization in agriculture. The predicted climate change could contribute to an increase in natural -hazards, particularly those related to precipitation extremes (floods and landslides).