The Hildesheimer Wald is a subdued mountain range situated at the northern transition from the Central German Uplands to the North German Plains. Widespread hollow way systems are distinctive anthropogeomorphic features documenting the historical importance of the region in terms of traffic and land use issues. In this manuscript we focus on the detection of hollow ways and the quantification of the surface area affected by hollow ways. Therefore, we used i) pedo-morphological field mapping in two selected areas of the central Hildesheimer Wald Mountains. These two areas were additionally surveyed using ii) a semi-automated GIS-based modelling approach to compare both mapping methodologies. The analysis of the calculated hollow-way-affected surface areas shows only minor differences (2.8 % and 0.7 %) indicating the overall high potential of this GIS-approach to map and outline hollow way systems. The pedological investigations in the two selected areas demonstrate that the soilscape is largely transformed where hollow ways frequently appear. During the development phase of hollow ways, concentrated surface runoff led to strong erosional processes at the hollow way bottoms and subsequently relatively shallow soils. In consequence, there is a remarkable loss of forestry area at degraded hollow way bottom sites, suggesting reduced usability for commercial forestry. In the second part of the study we used the GIS-mapping approach to calculate the hollowway-affected surface area for the forested area of the entire Hildesheimer Wald Mountains. We ascertained an area of 183 ha representing approximately 2.2 % of the total mountain range. Due to methodological limitations in very shallow pronounced hollow way sections it is very likely that this value is a rather conservative approximation of the real extent of hollow way systems. Since hollow ways represent preservable environmental archives storing information on cultural landscape development, we are strongly in favor of the implementation of protection measures in these specific areas. Hollow way systems should be managed adequately to avoid further degradation and additionally increase the quantity and quality of wildlife habitats.

中文翻译：

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作为中欧山区模型的希尔德斯海默瓦尔德山脉（德国下萨克森州）中空洞的空间分析

Hildesheimer Wald 是一个被压制的山脉，位于从德国中部高地到德国北部平原的北部过渡处。广泛的空心道路系统是独特的拟人化特征，记录了该地区在交通和土地使用问题方面的历史重要性。在这份手稿中，我们专注于空心道的检测和受空心道影响的表面积的量化。因此，我们在希尔德斯海默瓦尔德山脉中部的两个选定区域中使用了 i) 土壤形态场映射。使用 ii) 半自动基于 GIS 的建模方法对这两个区域进行了额外调查，以比较两种制图方法。对计算出的受空心影响的表面积的分析显示只有很小的差异（2.8% 和 0. 7 %) 表明这种 GIS 方法在绘制和勾勒空心道路系统方面的整体潜力很大。两个选定区域的土壤学调查表明，在经常出现空洞的地方，土壤景观发生了很大变化。在空心道的开发阶段，集中的地表径流导致空心道底部的强烈侵蚀过程和随后相对较浅的土壤。结果，退化的空心道底部的林业面积显着减少，表明商业林业的可用性降低。在研究的第二部分，我们使用 GIS 制图方法来计算整个希尔德斯海默瓦尔德山脉森林区域的受空心影响的表面积。我们确定了 183 公顷的面积，约占整个山脉的 2.2%。由于非常浅的明显空心路段的方法限制，该值很可能是空心路系统实际范围的相当保守的近似值。由于空心道是保存文化景观发展信息的可保存环境档案，我们强烈支持在这些特定区域实施保护措施。应充分管理空心系统以避免进一步退化，并进一步增加野生动物栖息地的数量和质量。由于空心道是保存文化景观发展信息的可保存环境档案，我们强烈支持在这些特定区域实施保护措施。应充分管理空心系统以避免进一步退化，并进一步增加野生动物栖息地的数量和质量。由于空心道是保存文化景观发展信息的可保存环境档案，我们强烈支持在这些特定区域实施保护措施。应充分管理空心系统以避免进一步退化，并进一步增加野生动物栖息地的数量和质量。