Polonyna (montane meadow)

Polonyna (Ukrainian: Полонина; Rusyn: Полонина; Russian: Полонина, Czech: Polonina; Polish: Połonina; Slovak: Poloniny) is a specific, regionally-focused geographic term, that is used as a designation for areas of montane meadows (a landform type) in the upper subalpine or alpine zones of the Carpathian Mountains. The term polonyna was introduced to English from Slavic languages, in order to designate various mountainous regions, mainly in the Eastern Carpathians, and also in the Western Carpathians. The polonyna type areas of montane meadows are very frequent in the Outer Eastern Carpathians, particularly in the Eastern Beskids. Throughout history, they were used for pasture, and in modern times they have become a popular destination for various forms of recreational tourism.[1]

A montane meadow (polonyna) in the Ukrainian Carpathians
A montane meadow (polonyna) in Bieszczady Mountains, Poland
For other uses, see Polonyna.

The noun polonyna (plur. polonynas) and its corresponding adjectives (anglicized as polonyne or polonynian) are also used frequently in local toponyms throughout the Carpathian region. One of two main mountain ranges of the Eastern Beskids is known as the Polonyne Beskids or Polonynian Beskids (Ukrainian: Полонинські Бескиди; Polish: Beskidy Połonińskie), and it includes several mountains that also contain the same term in their names, like: Smooth Polonyna (Polish: Połonina Równa; Ukrainian: Полонина Рівна), Polonyna Borzhava (Polish: Połonina Borżawska; Ukrainian: Полонина Боржава), Red Polonyna (Polish: Połonina Czerwona; Ukrainian: Полонина Красна), etc.

See also
A montane meadow (polonyna) in Poloniny National Park, Slovakia

References
  1. Tasenkevich 2009, p. 203-208.

Sources
  • Földvary, Gábor Z. (1988). Geology of the Carpathian Region. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Company.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Tasenkevich, Lydia (2009). "Polonynas: Highlands Pastures in the Ukrainian Carpathians". Grasslands in Europe: Of High Nature Value. Zeist: KNNV Publishing. pp. 203–208.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Further reading
  • Андрій Л. Байцар, "Полонини Українських Карпат" (Adriy L. Baytsar, Polonynas of the Ukrainian Carpathians), in: Генеза, географія та екологія ґрунтів: Збірник наукових праць Міжнародної конференції (Genesis, Geography and Ecology of Soils: Collection of Scientific Papers from the International Conference). Львів, 1999. - P. 107-109.
  • Андрій Л. Байцар, "Полонини Українських Карпат: генезис, поширення та морфологія" (Adriy L. Baytsar, Polonynas of the Ukrainian Carpathians: Genesis, Distribution, and Morphology), Вісник Львівського університету: Серія географічна, 29 (2003) - P. 3-6.
Montane meadows (polonynas) of Polonyna Borzhava, Ukraine
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