Department of Geography.

Valahia University of Targoviste

Annals of Valahia University of Targoviste. Geographical Series
Tome 15/2015 Issues 2: 77-84
http://fsu.valahia.ro/images/avutgs/home.html

DYNAMICS OF LAND USE CHANGES IN DBULENI PLAIN

(SOUTHWESTERN ROMANIA)
Daniel SIMULESCU1, Andreea ZAMFIR2
1Institute

of Geography, Romanian Academy, Dimitrie Racovi street, no. 12, Bucharest, Romania
Phone: +40 213135990,
E-mail: simu_daniel@yahoo.com
2 Drgoteti Secondary School, Nicolae Iorga street, no. 3, Dolj, Romania

Abstract
Dbuleni Plain is a subunit of southern Romanai Plain and it spreads on nearly 400 s.q km. The unique
aspect of the terrain is given by the presence of the dunes and interdunes of variable forms and sizes which
are oriented from west towards east as a consequence of the winds. Dbuleni dunes field consists of
alternating layers of sand, gravel, loess and loess material, and overlaps the five Danube terraces located in
this sector, which are interconnected with Jiu terraces.Dbuleni Plain landscape is highly anthropic, prevailing
the rural settlements, some of them being very large in size due to the increasing of the importance of the
agricultural sector. The building of Sadova-Corabia irrigation system as well as the results obtained by the
research conducted by the Research - Development Center for Field Crops on Sandy Soils were factors in
favor of extending arable land and land occupied by orchards and nurseries, vineyards and vine nurseries.
The present study aims to analyze the dynamic of the land use in the Dbuleni Plain over the last 30 years,
spanning both, the socialist and the capitalist era. Also, favorable and restrictive factors of agricultural
development, in the study area, were analyzed as well as the current situation.
Keywords: land use/cover changes, Dbuleni Plain, dunes, sandy soils

1. INTRODUCTION

In literature, Dbuleni Plain was investigated as a part of a major unit whose subunit is, i.e.
Oltenia Plain. One of the first thorough examination of this unit has been published by Balea
Ionescu (1923), and is the first characterization of evolution, morphology and composition of the
sands of southern Oltenia Plain.
Subsequently there are a number of studies that present new data on the geologic formation
and evolution of Oltenia Plain (Liteanu & Bandrabur, 1958; Bandrabur, 1971), geomorphological
features (Cote, 1957), pedology (Chiri & Blnic, 1939) and agricultural aspects (Bani, 1981;
Lucrri tiinifice ale SCDCPN Dbuleni, 1989).
The emergence of a very complex treaties of Geography (Geografia vii Dunrii romneti,
1969; Geografia Romniei vol. V, 2005), led to a highly detailed analysis of Dbuleni Plain and
presented all the environmental elements (geology, lithology, relief, climate, hydrography,
vegetation, fauna, soils), and elements of population and economic activities in the studied area.
Recent researches regarded the changing landscapes and the developments in the use of land
(Dumitracu, 2006), the expansion of drought and dryness (Vldu, 2010; Dragot, 2011), but also
assessment of any changes over time within the surfaces covered with forests (Dumitracu, 2014).

77

Study area

Over time land surface changes were caused by two types of factors: natural factors and
human activities. At the same time as the development of industry and especially of the agriculture,
human activities have become the main factors that have changed the cover and land use, this
phenomenon making its presence felt in full in Dbuleni Plain.
This is a subunit of the Romanai Plain and is bounded to the north by Leu-Rotunda field.
The boundry between the two fields is marked out by the following localities: Sadova-DamianOcolna-Stvaru-Urzica-Vdastra. Danube floodplain marks the south limit, which crosses the
subsequent villages: Ostroveni-Bechet-Calarai-Potelu-Grojdibodu-Gura Padinii-Orlea-Celei (west
of Corabia). To the east, Caracal Plain edges Dbuleni Plain along the localities: Vdastra-ViinaVrtop-Celei (west of Corabia). Its western boundry is given by the Jius floodplain, following the
alignment: Sadova-Piscu Sadovei-Liteava- Ostroveni (Fig. 1).

Figure 1. Dbuleni Plain Hipsometry and administrative units Romania

Located on the connected Danube and Jiu terraces, with altitudes ranging from 8 to119 m,
Dbuleni Plain is a terraces plain covered with sands and gravels in alternation with loess and loess
material, whose foundation is a Levantine age material, composed of clays and clays with marl
(Cote, 1957). The main types of soils encountered are psamosoils and psamic-cambic chernozems.
Endoreic character of the area is completed by the arid climate (Vldu, 2007), with average
temperatures of 11,7C and multiannual rainfall of 477,3 mm (measured data were provided by the
Oltenia Regional Meteorological Center and SCDCPN Dbuleni).
Research conducted on sandy soils in southern Oltenia since 1959, at the Experimental
Center Bechet, transformed later in Dbuleni Research Station, and those made in other areas with
sandy soils, in the country (Tmbureti, Mrani, Hanu Conachi or Valea lui Mihai) and abroad,
have shown that by improving these soils, which involves rational directing of a complex of
agricultural and pedological improvements (agropedoameliorative works), agrophytotechnical and
hydro works, rigorously scientifically and well applied in agricultural practice can obtain yields
with very good results on this land poor in organic materials.
Thus, the use of the land has undergone many changes and transformations through the
agropedoameliorative measures applied, and thanks to the construction of the irrigation system
(which entered into service in 1974) and agricultural development.

78

2. DATAS AND METHODS

In oder to achive this study on the land use evolution, weve used statistical data taken from
Regional Directorates of Statistics Dolj and Olt, for a number of 13 localities: Sadova, Ostroveni,
Bechet, Clrai, Dbuleni, tefan cel Mare, Ianca, Urzica, Vdstria, Grojdibodu, Orlea, Gura
Padinii and Corabia, administrative units that are part of Dbuleni Plain.
Based on these statistics, it is possible to calculate a series of indices of human pressure
through different types of land use, landscape naturality index, environmental change index
(Dumitracu, 2006; Ionu, 2011; Zarea 2012), but also a dynamic analysis and land use changes
over time (Popovici, 2010), could be made.
For a better understanding of the temporal dynamic of the phenomenon, in the studied area,
were chosen four representative years: 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2014. The data were processed at an
administrative teritorial unit level (LAU2), using ArcGIS 9.3 software, and weve obtained different
maps, that shows land use shares, covering the following categories: arable land, orchards and fruit
tree nurseries, vineyards and vine nurseries, pastures and meadows. These maps were then analyzed
and interpreted. In order to determine the share of land allocated to each land use type (S), we used
the following mathematical formula:

The base maps used in this study were topographic maps of the studied area, at scale 1:
25.000 .

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Dbuleni Plain is characterized by a landscape of dunes, sandy soils, poor in organic matter
and dry, less productive in natural conditions.
Excessive human intervention through the expansion of agriculture was characterized by a
series of hydro and land improvement works carried out over time. Their subsequent abandonment
and destruction of the protective forests belts, affected the natural balance by modifying the
structure, the processes and the evolutionary rhythm, by substituting the natural landscape with a
strong anthropic one, resulting a landscape in a rhexistazic state. Therefore, it has been exceeded
the landscape capacity to self-adjust, and the return to its initial state can be achieved only with
enormous costs (Dumitracu, 2006).
The destruction of forest belts, who once protected the field, led to the reactivation of
deflation, causing the expansion of the area occupied by sand, having a severe impact on crops and
housing quality in this space.
The main mode of land use in the study area represents arable land, its share in the land is
over 60% (Fig. 2).
The spreading of arable lands was due to the agricultural cooperatives, who during the
communist period became a form of exploitation, and, also, to the massive deforestation practices
which were made in order to increase the agricultural land area and to develop agriculture. Thus, the
agricultural land could be better exploited through standardization of agricultural mechanization
and expansion of cultivated areas.
This increasing of the agricultural land was favorized by the inauguration in 1974 of
Sadova-Corabia irrigation system, built after a collaboration between Romanian and English
engineers. Hence, in the 80s in most villages, the surface occupied by the arable land hold 80%
from the total area, the minimum values were in Clrai (under 60%), Ostroveni and Sadova (7080%). At the opposite pole lies Corabia, Vdstria and Urzica, where the value exceeds 90%.
Once the political regime changed, in 1989, a series of laws related to the type of property
and land retrocession to the former owners came to the light; the private property continued to

79

increase in size, being helped by Land Law 18/1991, subsequently supplemented and amended by
Law 169/1997, Law 1/2000 and Law 247/2005 (Popovici, 2010).

Figure 2. Arable land dynamics within Dbuleni Plain (1980-2014)

An immediate consequence of these laws was the fragmentation of agricultural structures
and the increasing of the decollectivization process. The size of the agricultural units decreased
significantly, fact revealed by the decreasing of the proportion (to 70% in 2000) hold by the arable
land within total agricultural surface. The lowest values were less than 60% and they were recorded
in Sadova and Clrai. Corabia was the only village where the values has exceded 90%. The
quality and yield potential of arable land experienced a significant decline, small farmers cant
always cover the cost of required improvements and adequate fertilization.
At the beginning of 2000s, small local farmers, started to unite themselves, creating
agricultural structures, taking land into lease from the locals in order to make a very economically
efficient type of agriculture. There appeared the Irrigation Water Users Organizations, subordinate
to the National Administration of Land Improvement, aimed to sell water to farmers and villagers
and to rebuild the irrigation system destroyed almost completely after 1990.
These attempts to revive agriculture sector, from the study area, were shy as most locals
couldn't afford to financially support the costs of production, transportation and sale of products. It
is necessary to implement agricultural policies favorable to small farmers (taxes, subsidies, loans) in
order to develop and evolve from subsistence agriculture to medium, large or very large size farms,
that can bring profit and a development to the whole agricultural sector, and ultimately an increase
in the welfare of local people.
The proportion of orchards and fruit tree nurseries in the agricultural area experienced a
sharp increase during collectivization (Fig. 3). If in the 70s the area occupied by orchards were
under 3% of total agricultural area, the implementation of the solutions obtained by the Central
Research Station for Crops on Sandy Soils Dbuleni-Dolj, as well as the commissioning of the
irrigation system has led to a significant rise of these areas
High values were recorded in 1990 in some villages such as: tefan cel Mare, Ianca (6-9%),
Sadova, Clrai and Orlea (9-12%) and Grojdibodu, where the proportion exceeded 12%. The
declining proportion of the area occupied by orchards and nurseries has started since 1990 and
became very rough after 2000, so, in 2014, the average was 3-6%, with significant weights in
Clrai (6-9%), Sadova and Grojdibodu (9-12%).
High temperatures, strong heat-stroke and the possibility of using a irrigation system during
dry periods were the perfect conditions for the growth and development of fruit trees on sandy soils.
These climatic conditions are an advantage in terms of early maturation of fruits, they grow with 12 weeks before other fruit areas in the country.

80

Extensive research carried out at the Central Research Station for Crops on Sandy Soils
Dbuleni revealed several species of fruit with very good productivity on sandy soils, such as:
peach (varieties: Montaigold, Redhaven, Starking Delicious), nectarines (Crimson Gold, John
Rivers), cherry (Van, Rainier, Stella), sour cherry (Oblacinska, Cernookaia, Montmorency), apricot
(Saturn, Callatis, Sirena), apple (First, Mrculeti), pear (Williams, flavor Bistria). Among the fruit
trees good results were obtained by raspberry (varieties The Latham, Scopsca Alena, Rubin), red
currant (Jonkheer van tets, Erstling aus Vierlander), blackberry (Thornfree, Smoothstem) and
strawberries (Senga Sengana, Red Gaunthlet, Gorella).

Figure 3. Orchards and fruit tree nurseries dynamics within Dbuleni Plain (1980-2014)
An important role in combating wind erosion have had vineyards and vine nurseries. The
presence of sands and sandy soils and a warm climate were a prerequisite for cultivating different
varieties of vines beside them having economic role and the role of fixing sands and stopping
deflation.
In the early 70s, the percentage occupied by vineyards in the farmland was under 5%, but
this increase incredibly, many surfaces occupied by pastures and hayfields were often cultivated
with vineyards. So, in 1990, high levels are found in places like: Bechet, Ianca, Urzica, Vdastra (510%), Ostroveni, Dbuleni, tefan cel Mare (10-15%), Sadova (15%), and Clrai (more than
20%) (Fig. 4).

Figure 4. Vineyards and vine nurseries dynamics within Dbuleni Plain (1980-2014)

81

In terms of productivity, good results on sandy soils were obtained for varieties such as:
Roioar, Ezerj, Riesling Italian, Saint Emilion, Rkaiteli, Feteasc Regal (for white wines) and
Sangiovese, Burgund Mare, Bbeasc Neagr, Merlot, Feteasc Neagr, Grand Noir de la Calmette
(for red wines). The best in terms of quality are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
After the fragmentation of agricultural holdings and the restitution of land to new owners,
large areas, including orchards and fruit tree nurseries, were cleared and converted into other types
of land use, i.e. arable land, pastures and meadows, or they were left fallow.
Shares of vineyards and vine nurseries has decreased significantly, in the year 2014 most
villages hovering below 5%. Higher values were recorded in Ostroveni, Bechet, Dbuleni (5-10%),
Clrai and Sadova (between 10-15%).
The main fields covered by vineyards and orchards are around households, the plantations
were cleared, abandoned or poorly crafted.
During Communism, the State held most of the higher classes of use of agricultural land and
forests while private owners held the majority of natural pastures and hayfields. Expanding
agriculture in this period, through the merger of large areas of land, led to a significant drop in the
share occupied by pastures and hayfields, less than 3% in most localities in 1990, along with the
expansion of land occupied mainly by orchards and vineyards (Fig. 5).

Figure 5. Pastures and hayfields dynamics within Dbuleni Plain (1980-2014)

Since 1990 the area occupied by pastures has increased significantly because of the
abandonment of arable land, which remained fallow, and owing to the massive clearing of
vineyards and orchards. Thus, in 2014, pastures and hayfields surfaces often end up above the
average of the 90s in the majority of localities in the study area: Bechet (6-9%), Ostroveni, Sadova,
Orlea (9-12%), and Ianca more than 12%.
After breaking agricultural lots, and along with changing the land use, the weight of
agricultural land within the area occupied by natural pastures and hayfields has grown
exponentially.

CONCLUSIONS

Natural conditions of the studied area favorized the formation and expansion of sandy soils,
this area being often affected by wind erosion.
The existence of restrictive factors limiting agricultural production and quality level
imposed appropriate solutions to achieve sustainable agriculture in the study area. Of these factors,
the most important are: heat stress, heavy rainfall falling at long intervals of time, long periods of
drought, thin and discontinuous snow, low fertility of sandy soils and deflation.
82

The results of the Dbuleni, Tmbureti and Mrani Research Stations on improving the
physical and chemical properties of sandy terrains imposed agropedoameliorative works (shaping or
leveling dunes, ameliorating fertilization) and land improvements works (combating wind erosion,
irrigation and drainage). Thus, was built the Sadova-Corabia irrigation system that after its first use
boosted the agricultural activity by expanding arable land and those occupied by vineyards and
orchards, and obtain a good productivity through the cultivation of varieties adapted to the difficult
local conditions.
The expansion of agriculture combined with strong growth in agricultural productivity had
the effect of land use changes, natural steppe vegetation being replaced by agricultural land. Also,
there have been changes that have targeted conversion from one class of use to another: before
1990, areas occupied by pastures, meadows, forests were introduced in aside by expanding arable
land, those occupied by vineyards and orchards, but also by builded areas occupied after the
expansion of rural communities, with special economic contribution in the area.
Changing the ownership, after 1990, led to the disappearance of agricultural cooperatives
through land restitution to former owners, thus leading to excessive fragmentation of agricultural
holdings. Lack of technical and financial means of the new owners, led to the practice of
subsistence agriculture, on very small plots, and the land degradation. Over time, it produced a new
change to the land use, excessive deforestation and the disappearance of vineyards and orchards led
to expansion of areas occupied by pastures and hayfields, but also to the abandonment and
degradation of some lands.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors would like to thank Dbuleni Research Station, Oltenia Regional
Meteorological Center, Office of Cadastre and Land Registration, Dolj and Olt Counties, for the
important informations provided from their statistical databases, and also the reviewers and
colleagues for their useful suggestions.

REFERENCES

Balea Ionescu, M. 1923, Les Dunes de lOltenie, Paris

Bandrabur, T. 1971, Geologia Cmpiei dunrene dintre Jiu i Olt, Studii tehnice i economice, Seria
J, nr. 9, Bucureti.
Bani, P. 1981, Cultura plantelor pe nisipuri [The crop of plants on sands], Editura Scrisul
Romnesc, Craiova.
Chiri, C., Blnic, T. 1939, Cercetri asupra nisipurilor din sudul Olteniei, Analele Institului de
Cercetare i Exploatare forestier, vol. IV, Bucureti.
Cote, P. 1957, Cmpia Olteniei. Studiu geomorfologic (cu privire special asupra cuaternarului)
[Oltenian Plain. Geomorphological study (with special focus on Quaternary)], Editura
tiinific, Bucureti.
Dragot, Carmen Sofia, Dumitracu, Monica, Kucsica, Gh., Grigorescu, Ines, Dumitracu, C. 2011,
Assessing dryness and drought phenomena in the south Oltenia, Procedings of the 12th
International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology, Rhodos, Grecia
Dumitracu, Monica 2006, Modificri ale peisajului n Cmpia Olteniei [Landscape changes in the
Oltenian Plain], Editura Academiei Romne, Bucureti.
Dumitracu, Monica, Grigorescu, Ines, Cuculici, Roxana, Dumitracu, C., Nstase, Mihaela, Geacu,
S. 2014, Assessing long-term changes in forest cover in the South West Development Region.
Romania. Forum geografic, XIII(1), 76-85. doi:10.5775/fg.2067-4635.2014.159.i

83

Ionu, Oana, Licurici, Mihaela, Boengiu, S., Simulescu, D. 2011, Indicators of the Human Pressure
on the Environment in the Blcia Piedmont. Forum geografic, X(2), 287-294.
doi:10.5775/fg.2067-4635.2011.013.d
Liteanu, E., Bandrabur, T., (1958), Geologia Cmpiei Getice Meridionale dintre Jiu i Olt, Anuarul
Institutului Geologic Romn, Vol. XXX, Bucureti.
Popovici, Elena-Ana 2010, Piemontul Cotmeana. Dinamica utilizrii terenurilor i calitatea
mediului [Cotmeana Piedmont. The dynamics of land use and the environmental quality],
Editura Academiei Romne, Bucureti.
Vldu, Alina 2007, The pluviometric and thermal regime within the Oltenia plain, Analele
Universitii din Craiova, Seria Geografie, 21-28
Vldu, Alina 2010, Ecoclimatic Indexes within the Oltenia Plain. Forum geografic, IX(9), 49-56.
Zarea, R. & Ionu, Oana 2012, Land use changes in the Bsca Chiojdului river basin and the
assessment of their environmental impact. Forum geografic, XI(1), 36-44.
doi:10.5775/fg.2067-4635.2012.023.i
*** 1969, Geografia vii Dunrii romneti [Geography of the Romanian Danube valley], Editura
Academiei R.S.R., Bucureti.
*** 1989, Lucrri tiinifice ale SCDCPN Dbuleni [Scientific papers of SCDCPN Dbuleni], Vol.
VII, Redacia de propagand tehnic agricol.
*** 2005, Geografia Romniei vol. V (Cmpia Romn, Dunrea, Podiul Dobrogei, Litoralul
romnesc al Mrii Negre i platforma continental [Geography of Romania vol. V
(Romanian Plain, the Danube, Dobrogea Plateau, the Romanian Black Sea coast and the
continental platform], Editura Academiei Romne, Bucureti.
*** 1980, 1990, 2000, 2014, Statistical Yearbooks from the Office of Cadastre and Land
Registration, Dolj and Olt Counties.
*** Climatic datas from Oltenia Regional Meteorological Center.
*** Topographical maps of Romania, scale 1:25,000.
*** Legea fondului funciar, legea nr. 18/1991.
*** Legea nr. 169/1997 pentru modificarea i completarea Legii fondului funciar nr. 18/1991.
*** Legea nr. 1/2000 pentru reconstituirea dreptului de proprietate asupra terenurilor agricole i a
celor forestiere.
*** Legea 247/2005 privind reforma n domeniile proprietii i justiiei.

84