This article presents central settlements in Slovenia and their main characteristics in 2016. We defined central settlements based on services of general interest and the population of an individual settlement, and developed the analysis further by using competitiveness indicators. We defined 360 central settlements at six levels of centrality, among which the significance of Ljubljana as a national center of international importance and the significance of intermunicipal, local, and rural centers are increasing. The significance of certain regional centers at the second and third levels of centrality is decreasing. The level of services of general interest supplied to Slovenian territory is relatively appropriate, but it should be improved by promoting competitiveness, especially in centers of national and regional importance.

In the karst landscape of the Kras Plateau (south‐west Slovenia), we studied the impact of historical human‐induced land degradation on biodiversity by studying the characteristics and changes in vegetation of degraded and nondegraded karst depressions (dolines). Intensive human‐induced land degradation began as a consequence of the abandonment of traditional land use; thus, many dolines have disappeared by being completely filled with waste material and overgrowth. The study is based on a chronosequence approach and assesses whether vegetation (e.g., community succession stages) can be used as a (bio)indicator of land degradation to estimate approximately the duration of degradation on the basis of the stage of succession. The locations and duration of degradation of dolines were identified in advance by analysing a time series of historical aerial photographs, topographical maps, and digital elevation models. Ecological evaluation was based on sampling the floristic composition and the topsoil. In this study, three vegetation measures were established as indicative of degradation: (a) the appearance of ruderal species, (b) hemeroby, and (c) alien and invasive species. A succession model of degraded karst landscape was produced on the basis of identified chronosequences to assess the long‐term spatial impact of doline degradation on karst biodiversity. The model is showing the tendency towards the vegetation homogenization of karst landscape.

One of the frequently used bioindication methods is Ellenberg indicator values (EIVs), which are commonly applied in Central Europe as bioindicators of ecological characteristics. However, very few studies have tested EIVs as a bioindication of human-induced soil degradation. We tested the ability of EIVs to distinguish between localities of degraded karst depressions (dolines) and localities of semi-natural (agricultural) soils in preserved dolines on the Kras Plateau (Classical Karst, SW Slovenia). We compared the results of bioindications of soil nutrient content (N), soil reaction (R) and soil moisture (M) with measured soil parameters. Low values of organic carbon, a slightly alkaline soil reaction and low organic sulphur content are chemical indicators of soil degradation in dolines, in comparison with preserved reference dolines (high organic carbon, slightly acid reaction, higher S). EIV reaction is the most reliable plant indicator value that can distinguish between degraded and non-degraded soil plots. According to a regression tree, sulphur (S) and C/N are the most important factors for division on the basis of EIV reaction. By applying the EIV reaction of diagnostic plant species, we significantly improved bioindication of soil degradation, although in the case of EIV nutrients, bioindication was not improved.

Karst landscapes have an abundance of enclosed depressions. Many studies have detected depressions and have calculated geomorphometric characteristics with computer techniques. These outcomes are somewhat determined by the methods and data used. We aim to highlight the applicability of high-resolution relief laser scanning data in geomorphological studies of karst depressions. We set two goals: geomorphometrically to characterize depressions in different karst plateaus and to examine the influence of data preprocessing and detection methods on the results. The study was performed in three areas of the Slovene Dinaric Karst using the following steps: preprocessing digital elevation models (DEMs), enclosed depression detection, calculating geomorphometric characteristics, and comparing the characteristics of selected areas. We discovered that different combinations of methods influenced the number and geomorphometric characteristics of depressions. The range of detected depressions in the three areas were 442–491, 364–403, and 366–504, and the share of the depressions’ area confirmed with all the approaches was 23%, 29%, and 47%, which resulted in different geomorphometric properties. Comparisons between the study areas were also influenced by the methods, which was confirmed by the Mann–Whitney test. We concluded that preprocessing of high-resolution relief data and the detection methods in karst environments significantly impact analyses and must be taken into account when interpreting geomorphometric results.

In the past, the excavation of gravel placed Jarški prod among areas of great opportunity, but this was followed by a major ecological blow: the filling of gravel pits with waste. The area started to regain significance with the construction of a drinking water pumping station and in accordance with the Spatial Plan of the City Municipality of Ljubljana is today seen as a forested area with a pronounced ecological or recreational importance. In spite of suitable legal foundations, as a protected water catch-ment area Jarški prod is in practice still unprotected. Considering the most important natural (shallow groundwater, easily permeable layer of gravel) and social characteristics (location near a densely popu-lated area, irresponsible attitudes), the groundwater is an extremely endangered natural resource.