101 Geographica Pannonica • Volume 19, Issue 3, 101-109 (September 2015) Vesna Kicošev A , Jovan Romelić B , Milan Matavulj C , Ivo Marinić D , Anđelka Belić E Received: March 17, 2015 | Revised: August 25, 2015 | Accepted: September 1, 2015 Infuence of Geographical and Historical Factors on Changes in Natural Features of Central Banat and the Quality of Ecosystem Services A Institute for Nature Conservation of Vojvodina Province, Radnička 20a, Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia; vesna.kicosev@pzzp.rs B Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia; jovan.romelic@gmail.com C Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 2, Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia; milan.matavulj@dbe.uns.ac.rs D Institute for industrialized building, Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 6, Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia; marinicivo@sbb.rs E Department of Water Management, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 6, Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia; anbel@polj.uns.ac.rs ISSN 0354-8724 (hard copy) | ISSN 1820-7138 (online) Abstract Research of the infuence of geographical and historical factors on changes in natural features and the quality of ecosystem services is important for the evaluation of the reference state of the quality of the environment and the potential of natural systems for the renewal of functions on which the wildlife on the planet depends. The territory of central Banat in the surrounding of protected areas “Slano Kopo- vo” Special Nature Reserve, “Rusanda” Nature Park and “Okanj Bara” Special Nature Reserve covering the settlements of Novi Bečej, Kumane, Melenci, Elemir and Taraš was selected for the analysis. Chang- es in ecosystems were monitored based on available geographical and historical data on the residence and activities of people in this territory during various time periods. Evaluation was conducted by scor- ing and gradation of impact was carried out by applying approximate values of spatial, qualitative and quantitative change indicators. According to the research results, current effects of the impact on the considered area were between signifcant and great. Results indicate the alarming state in the environ- ment, since further increase in the scope of infuences leads to the exceedance of capacities of the sur- rounding ecosystems for performing a part of ecosystem services (tremendous impact), or most of eco- system services (drastic impact). Key words: Banat, natural landscape features, ecosystem services. Introduction Trough diferent functions, ecosystems perform ser- vices necessary for the survival of wildlife (De Groot, 1992; Costanza, et al, 1997; Daily, 1997; De Groot, et al, 2002; Brown, et al, 2007). Nowadays, the living crea- tures (including human beings) are adapted to living conditions which are the result of a large number of diferent interactions, both between the living species as well as with the elements of their habitats (Kicošev, Sabadoš, 2008). Te study of diferent interactions in the environment and their impact on human well- being has been active for centuries (Johnson, 2000), and the notion of “ecosystem services” was defned while studying the cause and efect of disappearance of some species on the planet (Ehrlich, Ehrlich, 1981). Due to the intensifcation of regional and global envi- ronmental crises, the frst attempts at the integration of data on the elements of biosphere within the United Nations project “Millennium Ecosystems Assessment” (МА, 2005a) were made at the end of the 20th century.