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decision-making as to the future character of the landscape (Conway & Lathrop,
2005; Nikodemus, Bell, Gríne, & Liepinš, 2005; Pauleit, Ennos, & Golding, 2005;
Plantinga & Andrew, 1996).
In this section we will set out to test a new methodological approach to analysing
environmental stress. We will apply the approach to eight landscape types and three
time periods and collate the resulting data. What was the development of environ-
mental stress in the different types of landscapes and time periods? What were the
reasons for this development? Where are the causal factors? How did the individ-
ual indicators or clusters of indicators behave? Are the trends in the development
of ecological and social stress mutually related or not? Which shows the greater
dynamics of change?
3.2 Environmental Stress Accounting
Environmental stress is an intersection of ecological and social stress. We can under-
stand it as the effect of anthropogenic strain in a given time and place. The evaluation
of environmental stress includes the evaluation of negative effects on the individual
landscape elements (e.g. air, water, soil or social environment). The individual indi-
cators represent corresponding effects of stress. As the indicators are not equally
informative (cf. Ritschelová, Machálek, & Koroluk, 2001), they were given differ-
ent weightings. The different weightings reflect the power of the synergic effect of
each indicator (Balej & Andel, 2008).
Ecological stress (EcoS) includes the negative impact on natural landscape
elements (such as the extent of anthropogenic relief forms, pollutants in the air and
water bodies, potential threat of water and wind erosion and damage to forest cover
etc.) (Chvátalová, 2005; Raška & Oršulák, 2009). Ecological stress is an aggregated
value of the individual indicators weighted by the given weighting (Tables 3.1 and
3.2).
Social stress (SocS) comprises those social aspects we consider negative in
the social subsystem. These are in particular demographic indicators aimed at
population movement (e.g. negative population increase), structural aspects (e.g.
unfavourable age and education stratification of the population, economic variables
(e.g. high unemployment)) and spatial aspects (e.g. passive migration balance and
high migration fluctuation). Social stress is an aggregated value composed of indi-
vidual indicators weighted by the given weight (Tables 3.1 and 3.2). The calculation
of stress is carried out through an evaluation of individual indicators by means of
points, as is usual with similar methods. The maximum numerical range of each
indicator is divided into quartiles. The numerical values are assigned as follows:
low-range quartile (Q1
=
0), below average (Q2
=
1), above average (Q3
=
2) and
high (Q4
=
3 points). The points are then multiplied by the corresponding weights
(1 or 2).
Environmental stress (EnviS) is calculated as the sum of ecological and social
stress. It is not just the combined value that is important, however, but rather the rel-
ative proportions of the ecological and social aspects on the overall value. These can
reveal the role of the natural and social subsystems in the time period in question.
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