Topics we deal with
Long-term land use development in the Czech Republic
Téma je zaměřeno na hodnocení změn využití krajiny na základě studia starých topografických map od poloviny 19. století do současnosti. Na základě mapových podkladů z let 1836-1852, 1876-1880, 1952-1957, 1988-1995, 2002-2006 a ze současnosti je prováděno hodnocení změn využití krajiny, stability využití krajiny, trajektorií změn, procesů změn využití krajiny v celém území České republiky. V rámci tohoto směru jsou zkoumány i vlivy hlavních hospodářských činností na krajinu a zkoumán potenciální vývoj krajiny do budoucna.
Processes in the landscape of protected areas
Téma zkoumá, jak recentní, především antropogenně podmíněné změny ovlivňují krajinu chráněných území. Jedná se např. o fragmentaci cenných ekosystémů, zvýšený antropogenní tlak v podobě urbanizace a rekreace, resp. Intenzifikace zemědělství a naopak opouštění krajiny projevující se v jejím zarůstání.
Zelená infrastruktura a ekosystémové/krajinné služby
Téma zahrnuje identifikaci a mapování zelené infrastruktury (ZI) včetně ekologických sítí, a navazující hodnocení funkcí a služeb krajiny, resp. ekosystémů. Hodnocení se zaměřuje mj. na konektivitu, vývoj ZI, vliv na ekologickou stabilitu okolní krajiny. Součástí je i modelování optimálního stavu ZI pro zachování krajinné diverzity.
Dopady environmentálních změn na krajinu
Analýza změn využívání krajiny od poloviny 19. století do současnosti spočívající ve vektorizaci mapových podkladů ze sledovaného období a stanovení hlavních trendů dynamiky vývoje využívání krajiny vzhledem k přírodním podmínkám.
Agrolesnické systémy
Agrolesnické systémy pro ochranu a obnovu funkcí krajiny ohrožované dopady klimatických změn a lidskou činností.
Brief characteristics of the department’s research specialization
- long term land use development in the Czech Republic based on old topographic maps and aerial photographs
- historical landscape structure with the help of landscape-ecological indices and coefficients
- impacts of main economic activities on ecological stability and biodiversity
- future landscape development in relation to biodiversity and climate change
- natural processes in the landscape and their application in the management of protected areas and landscape management
- ecological networks and their parts in relation to the ecological stability of the landscape
- landscape functions and ecosystem services
- analyses of spatial data and the creation of map outputs in geographical information systems.
Long term land use development in the Czech Republic based on old topographic maps
The Department of Landscape Ecology and Geoinformatics owns a unique database of digital layers of land use from the timeframe between the 2nd Austrian military survey (1836 - 1852), 3rd Austrian military survey (1876 - 1880), 1950s (1952 - 1955), 1990s (1988 - 1995) and the beginning of the 21st century (2002 - 2006) as well as old topographical maps from these periods in digital form covering the territory of the Czech Republic.
These layers are used for assessment of land use changes, identification of areas in stable usage as well as change trajectories and analysis of land use change processes etc. Impacts of the main economic activities upon the landscape and future potential landscape development are also researched within this theme.
Natural processes in landscape and their application in the management of protected areas and landscape management
Concerning research in nature conservation and landscape protection, the department has participated in the assessment of landscape permeability for large mammals, including proposals of protection and optimalization measures. Another project focused on the monitoring of Calamagrostis pseudophragmites as well as vegetation succession on gravel bars after river engineering works in the Ostravice River belonging to sites of community importance according to the Habitat Directive.
In addition to the research mentioned previously, the development of biotopes in Hovoransko-Čejkovicko, which was declared according to Bird Directive as specially protected area, was also researched. The research in this area also included management intensity analysis and its impact on the presence of protected bird species.
Ecological networks, landscape functions and ecosystem services
The research of ecological networks concentrates predominantly on their functionality, connectivity, development and impact on the ecological stability of the surrounding landscape and ecosystem services that these networks provide. The research was conducted mainly within an international project dealing with ecological networks in Central Europe.
Creation of map outputs in geographical information systems
The most important and complex geoinformation as well as the cartographic project of the department is presented as The Landscape Atlas of the Czech Republic, which was both nationally and internationally awarded. The Landscape Atlas of the Czech Republic is the first complex atlas issued during the independent era of the Czech Republic. Maps at a scale of 1 : 500 000 are part of the Atlas for the first time. The benefit of the Atlas is represented through analytic and synthetic maps, created by modern cartographic and geoinformation tools. Other map outputs created at the department include maps stemming from long term land use development research (see research theme above) or maps of the elements’ concentration stemming from the cooperation with the Department of Biomonitoring (international project Biogeochemical exploration of forests as a basis for tlong-term landscape exploitation in the Czech Republic).