The landscapes of a territory are the consequence of its history; overlapped geological, vegetable and cultural histories usually exist on a landscape. At the Mediterranean domain, however, a translucent vegetation exists, and its history is closely related to the geologic and cultural histories, because low-technology agricultural uses on a different hardness rock background control vegetation. Thus, in areas like the Guadalajara province, the geologic composition and the human activities can be considered the primary conditions for landscape configuration. Both condition the typologies, distribution and relative importance of the geotic, biotic and anthropogenic components of landscapes. A complex network of interrelations among all them exists but, in the base of which lie the geology of the territory, included relief: because it has a more independent influence since man cannot modify the geologic factors; such as the colour of the rocks, the size and distribution of rock bodies, the palaeogeographic domains and the tectonic structure all which control landscape development and configuration. Moreover, geology influences conditions and even limit, the presence, typologies and development of the biotic and anthropogenic elements. These factors also have a major relevance for environmental management, educational and economic policy, and, in some cases, for environmental impact assessment.
University professors, researchers and professionals from different governmental bodies in Madrid and Guadalajara have formed a research group to investigate how to use geo-environmental information in the management of Spanish Natural Parks. Funding has been obtained from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology. The pilot area for the project is the Natural Parks of the province of Guadalajara in the Castilla -La Mancha Autonomous Region.This article describes two proposals to analyse the physical environment and the landscape of the natural parks of Guadalajara: analytical-parametric inventory, and synthetic-physiographic inventory. The objective is to provide useful information on how to manage these areas. Additionally, the article includes results of the study of active karstic processes in two of these natural parks, Río Dulce and Alto Tajo.
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