Vol: 34 Page: 161

Authors:
Paweł Pieńkowski
Krzysztof Pacewicz

Title:
 An application of descriptive spatial statistics for analysis of distribution water ponds

Language: English

Keywords:
spatial statistics
water ponds
agricultural landscape
historical analysis

Summary:
The paper presents distribution evaluation of water ponds on the chosen area of West Pomerania (4 880km2) accomplished on the bases of descriptive spatial statistic. Topographic maps from the 19th century in scale 1 : 25 000 and topographic maps from 1980 in scale 1: 25 000 were used for the analyses of midfield ponds distribution and disappearance. Regularity of objects distribution in respective regions was assessed based on Nearest Neighbour Analysis, whereas while determining places with the highest density of water ponds (Nearest Neighbour Hierarchical Spatial Clustering) analyses was used. Use of spatial statistic allowed determining diversification of ponds distribution in space as well as changes in time. Methods used can be utilised for landscape analyses for example area evaluation for migration possibilities of animals associated with the environment of small water reservoirs. ‘Hot Spot’ analysis allowed an objective evaluation of large amounts number of points (7 200 ponds) and can be used for separation of the areas with particular intensity of changes in the process of points phenomena on geographical area, for example places of accelerated disappearance of ponds.