scholarly journals Restoring a butterfly hot spot by large ungulates refaunation: The case of the Milovice military training range, Czech Republic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Konvicka ◽  
David Ričl ◽  
Veronika Vodičková ◽  
Jiří Beneš ◽  
Miloslav Jirků
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Military Training ◽  
Butterfly Species ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Mobile Species ◽  
Wild Horse ◽  
Successional Change ◽  
Successional Stages ◽  
Cost Efficient

Abstract Background: Refaunation by large ungulates represents a cost-efficient approach to managing natural biotopes. We studied butterflies inhabiting grasslands of the former Milovice military training range in the Czech Republic, grazed since 2015 by a combination of Exmoor pony (“wild” horse), Tauros cattle (“aurochs”) and European wisent. Methods: We compared presence-absence patterns from two surveys preceding the refaunation, one immediately after military use termination (early 1990s), the other prior to the refaunation (2009), with the current (2016–19) results of monitoring 8 grazed and 8 ungrazed plots. We analysed the life history, climatic and conservation-related traits of recorded butterflies to gain insights into the ungulates’ impacts. Results: Following the termination of military use, several poorly mobile species displaying broad oceanity niches were lost. Newly gained species are more mobile and prefer warmer continental conditions. Currently, numbers of butterfly species do not differ between refaunated and neglected plots, but the former hosted higher abundances. Butterflies developing on coarse grasses and shrubs inclined towards neglected plots, whereas refaunated plots supported species developing on small forbs. Conclusion: The changes in species composition following the cessation of military use are attributable to successional change, coupled with climate-driven expansion of thermophilous and mobile species. By blocking succession, large ungulates support butterflies depending on competitively poor plants. Preserving butterflies of late-successional stages is ensured by the diverse setting of the reserves and by the relatively low ungulate densities.

scholarly journals Restoring a Butterfly Hot Spot by Large Ungulates Refaunation: The Case of the Milovice Military Training Range, Czech Republic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Konvicka ◽  
David Ričl ◽  
Veronika Vodičková ◽  
Jiří Beneš ◽  
Miloslav Jirků
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Military Training ◽  
Butterfly Species ◽  
Mobile Species ◽  
Wild Horse ◽  
Great Hope ◽  
Cost Efficient ◽  
The Military

Abstract Background: Refaunation/rewilding by large ungulates represents a cost-efficient approach to managing natural biotopes and may be particularly useful for areas whose biodiversity depends on disturbance dynamics and is imperilled by successional changes. To study impacts of refaunation on invertebrates, we focused on butterflies inhabiting the former military training range Milovice, Czech Republic, refaunated since 2015 by a combination of Exmoor pony (“wild” horse), Tauros cattle (“aurochs”), and European wisent.Methods: We compared butterfly presence-absence patterns immediately after the military use termination (early 1990s), prior to the refaunation (2009), and after it (2016–19); and abundance data gained by monitoring butterflies at refaunated and neglected plots. We used correspondence analysis for presence-absence comparison and canonical correspondence analysis for quantitative data, and related results of both ordination methods to the life history, climatic, and conservation-related traits of recorded butterflies. Results: Following the termination of military use, several poorly mobile species inclining towards oceanic climates were lost. Newly gained species are more mobile and prefer warmer continental conditions. The numbers of butterfly species did not differ between refaunated and neglected plots, but the former hosted higher abundances. Butterflies developing on coarse grasses and shrubs inclined towards neglected plots, whereas refaunated plots supported species developing on small forbs. Conclusion: The changes in species composition following the cessation of military use were attributable to successional change, coupled with climate-driven changes in species pool. By blocking succession, large ungulates support butterflies depending on competitively poor plants. Restoring large ungulates populations represents a great hope for conserving specialised insects, provided that settings of the projects, and locally adapted ungulate densities, do not deplete resources for species with often contrasting requirements.

scholarly journals Restoring a butterfly hot spot by large ungulates refaunation: The case of the Milovice military training range, Czech Republic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Konvicka ◽  
David Ričl ◽  
Veronika Vodičková ◽  
Jiří Beneš ◽  
Miloslav Jirků
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Military Training ◽  
Butterfly Species ◽  
Mobile Species ◽  
Great Hope ◽  
Cost Efficient ◽  
The Military

Abstract Background: Refaunation/rewilding by large ungulates represents a cost-efficient approach to managing natural biotopes and may be particularly useful for areas, whose biodiversity depends on disturbance dynamics and is imperilled by successional changes. To study impacts of refaunation on invertebrates, we focused on butterflies inhabiting the former military training range Milovice, Czech Republic, refaunated since 2015 by a combination of Exmoor pony (“wild” horse), Tauros cattle (“aurochs”) and European wisent.Methods: We compared butterfly presence-absence patterns immediately after the military use termination (early 1990s), prior to the refaunation (2009) and after it (2016–19); and quantitative data gained by monitoring butterflies at refaunated and neglected plots. We used the correspondence analysis for the presence-absence comparison and the canonical correspondence analysis for the quantitative data, and related results of both ordination methods to the life history, climatic and conservation-related traits of recorded butterflies. Results: Following the termination of military use, several poorly mobile species inclining towards oceanic climates were lost. Newly gained species are more mobile and prefer warmer continental conditions. The numbers of butterfly species did not differ between refaunated and neglected plots, but the former hosted higher abundances. Butterflies developing on coarse grasses and shrubs inclined towards neglected plots, whereas refaunated plots supported species developing on small forbs. Conclusion: The changes in species composition following the cessation of military use were attributable to successional change, coupled with climate-driven changes in species pool. By blocking succession, large ungulates support butterflies depending on competitively poor plants. Restoring large ungulates populations represents a great hope for conserving specialised insects, provided that settings of the projects, and locally adapted ungulate densities, do not deplete resources for species with often contrasting requirements.

scholarly journals Restoring a butterfly hot spot by large ungulates refaunation: the case of the Milovice military training range, Czech Republic

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Konvička ◽  
David Ričl ◽  
Veronika Vodičková ◽  
Jiří Beneš ◽  
Miloslav Jirků
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Military Training ◽  
Butterfly Species ◽  
Mobile Species ◽  
Great Hope ◽  
Cost Efficient ◽  
The Military ◽  
Current Monitoring

Abstract Background Refaunation/rewilding by large ungulates represents a cost-efficient approach to managing natural biotopes and may be particularly useful for areas whose biodiversity depends on disturbance dynamics and is imperilled by successional changes. To study impacts of refaunation on invertebrates, we focused on butterflies inhabiting the former military training range Milovice, Czech Republic, refaunated since 2015 by a combination of Exmoor pony (“wild” horse), Tauros cattle (“aurochs”), and European wisent. Methods We analysed butterfly presence-absence patterns immediately after the military use termination (early 1990s), prior to the refaunation (2009), and after it (2016–19); and current abundance data gained by monitoring butterflies at refaunated and neglected plots. We used correspondence analysis for the presence-absence comparison and canonical correspondence analysis for the current monitoring, and related results of both ordination methods to the life history and climatic traits, and conservation-related attributes, of recorded butterflies. Results Following the termination of military use, several poorly mobile species inclining towards oceanic climates were lost. Newly gained are mobile species preferring warmer continental conditions. The refaunated plots hosted higher butterfly species richness and abundances. Larger-bodied butterflies developing on coarse grasses and shrubs inclined towards neglected plots, whereas refaunated plots supported smaller species developing on small forbs. Conclusion The changes in species composition following the cessation of military use were attributable to successional change, coupled with changes in species pool operating at larger scales. By blocking succession, large ungulates support butterflies depending on competitively poor plants. Restoring large ungulates populations represents a great hope for conserving specialised insects, provided that settings of the projects, and locally adapted ungulate densities, do not deplete resources for species with often contrasting requirements.

scholarly journals Response of Vegetation on Gravel Bars to Management Measures and Floods: Case Study From the Czech Republic

2014 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Renata Eremiášová ◽  
Hana Skokanová
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Detrended Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Partial Removal ◽  
Vegetation Development ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Management Measures ◽  
Gravel Bars ◽  
Successional Stages

AbstractThis article investigates response of vegetation on gravel bars to management measures and floods. The management measures consisted of the partial removal of gravel and vegetation cover, and were applied to six gravel bars on the Ostravice River, Czech Republic. Unexpected floods occu-rred in 2010, with the amplitude of 5- to 50-year repetition. Research of vegetation on the gravel bars consisted of vegetation survey before the management works; the monitoring of vegetation development over the following year and the verification of the relationships of species diversity, successional stages and the biotope conditions with the help of multivariate analysis (detrended correspondence analysis). Vegetation on the gravel bars was at different successional stages, and had higher diversity and vegetation cover before the management measures and floods. The mul-tivariate analysis revealed a shift toward initial successional stages with high demand on moisture, temperature and light after both management measures and floods.

scholarly journals The Military Training Area Ralsko and the Army

Geografie ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 320-330
Author(s):  
Aleš Komár
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Military Training ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
The Military ◽  
Training Area ◽  
Landscape Protection

The article in its introduction deals with the problem of the former Military Training Area at Ralsko in the Czech Republic and its recent changes - the nature and landscape protection under the auspices of the Ministry of Defence and military administrations in the MTA, and deals with the consequences of the withdrawal of corps and discusses the damage caused by military training to the nature, soil and groundwater. In the conclusion the article evaluates the topical aspects of the area reutilisation.

scholarly journals The Military Training Area Ralsko and the Army

Geografie ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 190-199
Author(s):  
Aleš Komár
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Military Training ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
The Military ◽  
Training Area ◽  
Landscape Protection

The article in its introduction deals with the problem of the former Military Training Area at Ralsko in the Czech Republic and its recent changes - the nature and landscape protection under the auspices of the Ministry of Defence and military administrations in the MTA, and deals with the consequences of the withdrawal of corps and discusses the damage caused by military training to the nature, soil and groundwater. In the conclusion the article evaluates the topical aspects ofthe area re-utilisation.

scholarly journals THE STONE CRAYFISH AUSTROPOTAMOBIUS TORRENTIUM (SCHRANK) IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

2002 ◽  
pp. 707-713
Author(s):  
P. KOZAK ◽  
Z. DURIS ◽  
T. POLICAR
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Military Training ◽  
Astacus Leptodactylus ◽  
Terrestrial Environment ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Orconectes Limosus ◽  
Terrestrial Environments ◽  
Austropotamobius Torrentium ◽  
Stone Crayfish

Five species of crayfish, comprising two native species Austropotamobius torrentium and Astacus astacus, one introduced European species, Astacus leptodactylus and two alien American species, Orconectes limosus and Pacifastacus leniusculus, occur in open waters of the Czech Republic. The stone crayfish is highly endangered species in the country, known only from several recent records. Four localities have been confirmed for the presence of the stone crayfish in the Czech Republic. Basic characteristics of the following stone crayfish occurring localities are described: Míza and Upořský brook in Křivoklát protected area, Zubřina brook near Domažlice, Luční brook near Trutnov and Klabava brook in Brdy Military Training Area. The present localities have been investigated for chemical, structural and terrestrial environments. Properties of these waters (morphology, supply of substrate, current, aquatic and terrestrial environment) are compared with literature data. Strong conservation actions are necessary to save the endangered stone crayfish on most north-eastern limit of its distribution.

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