LANDSCAPE ECOLOGY, HUMAN IMPACT AND EXTREME EROSIONAL EVENTS IN THE TATRA MOUNTAINS, POLAND

The aim of the paper is to demonstrate the critical position of the Ta tra Mountains in terms of the accelerating and detrimental anthropogen ic changes that are affecting the natural environment. The major landf orm change is associated with infrequent hydro-meteorological events, mainly debris flows. But the overall geomorphic impact of rapid mass w asting is accelerated both by natural and anthropogenic influences. St rong human impact, and weather instability observed since the beginnin g of the 1980s have collaborated in making the natural environment les s resistant to denudation. The major threats to the geoecological syst em of the Tatras are most marked at the interior of the mountains in t he altitudinal zone above the upper timberline (dwarf-pine belt). The article also contains a general description of exceptional flash flood ing in June 1997.