Description
The fragmentation of habitats is a process of transforming continuous tracts of habitats to a bigger number of small surfaces, separated by the territory of another character. For effective and comprehensive protection of biodiversity in the Czech Republic, it is necessary to evaluate the real degree of fragmentation of the different habitats and the impacts on model groups of organisms with different sensitivity and thereby identify the problematic areas, where targeted management will be directed. The project is aimed at a comprehensive assessment of the risks of fragmentation for the landscape as a whole as well as for selected groups of organisms, at mitigating the effects of fragmentation and at finding a remedy for the current situation. Thematically, the project is divided into 11 sub-areas. At the level of the country as a whole, the determination of the optimal block size of arable land in search of a balance between economic and environmental requirements is important, followed by incorporation of knowledge into the landscaping and other landscape processes. A compendium of nesting places across the Czech Republic with concretization of efficiency and perspectives of their protection will be elaborated, including the possibility of employment of agro-environmental programs on grasses and arable land. When targeting specific environments contributing to fragmentation of habitats, the issues of highways as potential migration corridors and refuges of invertebrates will be solved. Another objective is to evaluate the abundance and survival of pups of waterbirds in conditions of fragmented pond areas and assessing the factors that influence them.
Summary of project results
The topic of the project - fragmentation of the landscape and therefore the threat of different groups of organisms, affects not only the territory of the Czech Republic but is also relevant in other European countries. The aim of the project was a comprehensive assessment of the risk of fragmentation of model species of organisms, the design of procedures leading to the mitigation of the fragmentation process and the design of appropriate management measures. The objectives were achieved within the scope of the project. A number of measures have been proposed for the groups of organisms examined and proposed outputs for agricultural policy. The project showed that the Czech Republic has a highly homogeneous landscape structure and suffers from extreme fragmentation even in the ownership of agricultural land. As a universal systemic remedy are considered land improvements, for which several alternative scenarios of agricultural policy rules have been proposed. From the point of view of assessing the fragmentation rate in large-scale landscape units, an interactive interactive mapping site is an important result that makes results available to the general public. The project significantly contributed to taxonomic monitoring for deeper spatial knowledge of spatial structure and number of purpose-selected taxa. Inventory databases of target invertebrates (insects, spiders) and birds and epiphytic lichens were added. Many primary data has been obtained, which was inserted into the AVIF ČSO database, the NDOP finder database, and the MapoMat portal. Data is thus made available for widespread use in nature conservation. The project's goal has been fully fulfilled. All outputs were submitted to the state nature protection authorities with whom cooperation on the basic data transmission and consultation and enforcement of management measures will continue. It is expected that the results of this project will be put into practice as well.
Summary of bilateral results