The role of anthropopressure in the transformation of high mountain areas (Tatra and Monts Dore Mountains)

Under an extensive tourist penetration, mountain areas have been experiencing a high degree of anthropogenic degradation. Tourist traffic leads to the destruction of vegetation along roads and paths and nearby facilities, largely as a result of a considerable acceleration of geomorphologic processes. The paper presents certain environmental considerations, including relief, geology and climate, as well as micro-relief within tourist paths and morphogenetic processes infl uencing slope transformation within tourist areas in selected mountain areas. The general issue of the tourist-infl uenced degradation was discussed using two high mountain areas: the Tatras and Monts Dore mountains (Massif Central, France). In all of those areas, the anthropogenic geomorphologic features are highly diversifi ed and well visible in the overall land relief. Tourist paths, roads and ski pistes constitute areas of overlapping natural and anthropogenic degradation. Wherever the natural vegetation, and especially the turf cover has been destroyed a state of permanent imbalance can be observed, as well as the development of crionival, aeolian and pluvial relief. The natural and anthropogenic processes infl uencing the morphodynamics of the roads and paths greatly vary in rate depending on the ground resistance, slope inclination and exposure, morphodynamical tier, type of surface, vegetation cover, season of the year and the intensity of the tourist traffic. Human activity in the mountains accelerates the circulation of energy and matter within individual slopes but sometimes also within entire massifs. The Monts Dore massif revealed the greatest degradation of its paths and tourist roads, followed by the Tatras.