Landscape transformations have been a central topic in landscape ecology due to their influence on ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation. Landscape dynamics can be very complex and one of the most difficult issues to analyse is the contribution and the effects of landscape composition and configuration changes to the overall impact. We enhanced an existing approach designed to assess landscape transformation via metrics combination. Based on the area and the number of patches, we defined a Landscape Dynamics Typology (LDT) with eight different dynamics. The agro-forestry areas dynamics between 1990 and 2006, in Portugal, is presented as a practical example to show the implementation steps and the outputs obtained. A diagnostic tree is provided to help identify which dynamics are present. This new method provides detailed results concerning the location of the different dynamics within a landscape. The LDT is a versatile tool and is able to accommodate upgrades.

Combination of proton-nitrogen level crossing polarization transfer and pulsed spin-locking sequence makes ${}^{14}\mathrm{N}$ nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) in trinitrotoluene fast and sensitive enough to be used in routine detection of explosives. Enhancement factors for all three ${}^{14}\mathrm{N}$ NQR lines (the case with $\eta \ne 0$ ) were calculated and compared with experimental values. Good agreement between measured and calculated signal enhancement factors was observed. ${}^{14}\mathrm{N}$ NQR signals in a $15\mathrm{g}$ trinitrotoluene sample of predominantly monoclinic modification were measured in $15\mathrm{s}$ in different polarization magnetic fields. The conditions for optimal proton-nitrogen level crossing were determined.

Close-to-nature urban forests and remnants of natural vegetation represent an important opportunity for urban residents to experience daily perception of and access to the natural environment. Despite there being a high percentage of forest cover (59%) and a favorable structure of the prevailing forested landscapes in Slovenia, urban expansion and infrastructure-driven development has severely weakened the connectivity and conservation of urban and suburban forests. The majority of urban settlements lie within walking distance of the surrounding forests (<1 km). However, only close-to-nature forests with relatively low silvicultural inputs offer ecosystem services sufficient to fulfil the supply and demand of the expanding urban population. In order to estimate the conservation of forests in the open space of Slovenian settlements, we used a spatial model of landscape structure and forest connectivity. The model can be enhanced with patterns of corridors and stepping stones of natural vegetation in the landscape matrix to provide support in the decision-making process of landscape planning and the conservation of urban and suburban forests.