scholarly journals Food Self-Provisioning in the Czech Republic – A Comparison of Suburban and Peripheral Regions of Rural South Moravia

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 516-535
Author(s):  
Ilona Svobodová ◽  
Jan Drlík ◽  
Daniela Spěšná ◽  
Miloslav Delín

Abstract The Czech Republic ranks among the countries with a strong tradition of home food self-provisioning. In this article, we focused our attention specifically to the traditional and frequently neglected phenomenon of rural self-provisioning while newly introducing a data-based analysis of the phenomenon in two areas, i.e., suburbs and peripheries of the South Moravian region. Unlike the research carried out in the CR or EU to date, our survey aims exclusively at the analysis of households with access to land, which allow a more detailed scrutiny of growing a wide range of commodities, the attitudes to it and its perspectives. The results of the field study carried out in 178 rural households in two types of South Moravian regions (suburban and peripheral) from 2017 show the regional differences in food self-provisioning. They also contribute to a better understanding of a phenomenon whose variability within a rural territory is quite known a little. Even though the suburban and peripheral regions have very comparable natural conditions and opportunities of growing crops (a similar type of estate, nearly the same size of the gardens surveyed), we can observe rather remarkable differences, especially in the extent of the areas being farmed and in the scale of breeding domesticated animals (work demanding activities). Compared to that, only negligible differences were found in growing commodities demanding less work (fruit and tomato growing). The identified differences in attitudes to self-provisioning in the observed regions (depending on the varied types of population in the regions) allow for analysing the perspectives of particular self-provisioning activities both in South Moravia and the CR on the whole.

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 38-46
Author(s):  
Miroslav Dumbrovsky ◽  
Karel Drbal ◽  
Veronika Sobotková ◽  
Jana Uhrová

Soil erosion, including ephemeral gully erosion, is a serious degradation process in the Czech Republic. It currently threatens more than half of the agricultural acreage through negative changes in the whole complex of soil properties. The unfavourable consequences of surface runoff are seen in the erosion processes degrading agricultural soils. The South Moravia Region was selected as the case study area – mainly for its natural conditions and high soil degradation risk . A set of data, collected from 2012 to 2017 in a maize-growing area, especially on deep loess soils in the South Moravia Region, was used to analyse the morphological characteristics of the ephemeral gullies (EGs). The relationship was confirmed between the ephemeral gully (EG) length and the size of its contributing drainage area in accordance with studies conducted in other countries. It is also important that the closest relationship was confirmed between the length of the gully and its calculated volume. Dependence was sought on the data of 51 cases of the detailed, measured and evaluated EGs. These results will become the basis for finding a predictive relationship and the quantification of EG erosion. Locating EGs and predicting their length is crucial for estimating the sediment load and planning conservation strategies. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of this issue, i.e., define and verify the basic crucial causal factors and propose guidelines for locating the potential EG occurrence and predicting the sediment load. A research effort to better understand the EG mechanism and causal factors over a wide range of watershed conditions is fundamental to the establishment of basic rules for the adoption of optimal conservation strategies.  


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 295-297
Author(s):  
Sergej A. Borisov

For more than twenty years, the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences celebrates the Day of Slavic Writing and Culture with a traditional scholarly conference.”. Since 2014, it has been held in the young scholars’ format. In 2019, participants from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Togliatti, Tyumen, Yekaterinburg, and Rostov-on-Don, as well as Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania continued this tradition. A wide range of problems related to the history of the Slavic peoples from the Middle Ages to the present time in the national, regional and international context were discussed again. Participants talked about the typology of Slavic languages and dialects, linguo-geography, socio- and ethnolinguistics, analyzed formation, development, current state, and prospects of Slavic literatures, etc.


Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 689
Author(s):  
Rudolf Brázdil ◽  
Kateřina Chromá ◽  
Tomáš Púčik ◽  
Zbyněk Černoch ◽  
Petr Dobrovolný ◽  
...  

In the Czech Republic, tornadoes may reach an intensity of F2 and F3 on the Fujita scale, causing “considerable” to “severe” damage. Documentary evidence is sufficient to allow the creation of a chronology of such events, from the earliest recorded occurrence in 1119 CE (Common Era) to 2019, including a total of 108 proven or probable significant tornadoes on 90 separate days. Since only 11 significant tornadoes were documented before 1800, this basic analysis centers around the 1811–2019 period, during which 97 tornadoes were recorded. Their frequency of occurrence was at its highest in the 1921–1930, 1931–1940, and 2001–2010 decades. In terms of annual variations, they took place most frequently in July, June, and August (in order of frequency), while daily variation favored the afternoon and early evening hours. Conservative estimates of human casualties mention 8 fatalities and over 95 people injured. The most frequent types of damage were related to buildings, individual trees, and forests. Tornadoes of F2–F3 intensity were particularly associated with synoptic types characterized by airflow from the western quadrant together with troughs of low pressure extending or advancing over central Europe. Based on parameters calculated from the ERA-5 re-analysis for the period of 1979–2018, most of these tornadoes occurred over a wide range of Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) values and moderate-to-strong vertical wind shear. The discussion herein also addresses uncertainties in tornado selection from documentary data, the broader context of Czech significant tornadoes, and the environmental conditions surrounding their origins.


2020 ◽  
Vol 80 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hana Skokanová ◽  
Tomáš Slach

The  concept  of  Green  Infrastructure  (GI)  is  still  relatively  new  in  the  Czech Republic. When looking at the definition of GI, one can recognise a  relationship  with  the  Czech  Territorial  System  of  Ecological  Stability  (TSES),  which  is  defined  as  “an  interconnected  system  of  natural  as  well as modified semi-natural ecosystems keeping the natural balance”. TSES is a designed system and is an integral part of territorial plans. This article focuses on TSES and its relationship to GI, how it is implemented in  a  Czech  case  study  representing  intensively  used  agricultural  region  in  South  Moravia,  what  the  main  obstacles  are  to  its  implementation  and how TSES can contribute to the connectivity of the landscape. Our results show that nearly two thirds of the planned TSES in the case study area  already  exist  to  some  degree.  There  is  a  difference  between  the  number  and  the  area  of  existing  TSES  elements:  the  area  of  existing  elements  shows  higher  relative  values  than  the  number.  This  is  mainly  due to bio-centres that exist in large forest complexes and their pre-set minimal parameters. Creation of TSES elements increases connectivity of GI, especially those characterised as core areas and bridges


2014 ◽  
Vol 60 (No. 7) ◽  
pp. 297-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Pulkrab ◽  
M. Sloup ◽  
M. Zeman

The article addresses the issues of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) production in the Czech Republic (CR). Our analysis shows that the tree species can occupy 149,616&ndash;163,713 ha in the CR (with respect to ecological limits set by the Czech legislation). The potential economic effect expressed by the gross yield of forest production might be higher by 27&ndash;30 million EUR&middot;yr<sup>&ndash;1</sup>.&nbsp; The results of the analysis support the forest owners&rsquo; interest to extend Douglas-fir production in the CR, similarly like it has been extended systematically in all European countries where natural conditions allow. &nbsp;


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomáš Čejka ◽  
Miroslav Trnka ◽  
Paul J. Krusic ◽  
Ulrich Stobbe ◽  
Daniel Oliach ◽  
...  

AbstractClimate change affects the distribution of many species, including Burgundy and Périgord truffles in central and southern Europe, respectively. The cultivation potential of these high-prized cash crops under future warming, however, remains highly uncertain. Here we perform a literature review to define the ecological requirements for the growth of both truffle species. This information is used to develop niche models, and to estimate their cultivation potential in the Czech Republic under current (2020) and future (2050) climate conditions. The Burgundy truffle is already highly suitable for cultivation on ~ 14% of agricultural land in the Czech Republic (8486 km2), whereas only ~ 8% of the warmest part of southern Moravia are currently characterised by a low suitability for Périgord truffles (6418 km2). Though rising temperatures under RCP8.5 will reduce the highly suitable cultivation areas by 7%, the 250 km2 (3%) expansion under low-emission scenarios will stimulate Burgundy truffles to benefit from future warming. Doubling the moderate and expanding the highly suitable land by 352 km2 in 2050, the overall cultivation potential for Périgord truffles will rise substantially. Our findings suggest that Burgundy and Périgord truffles could become important high-value crops for many regions in central Europe with alkaline soils. Although associated with uncertainty, long-term investments in truffle cultivation could generate a wide range of ecological and economic benefits.


2011 ◽  
Vol 57 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 107-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Šálek ◽  
P. Hejcmanová

The black walnut (Juglans nigra L.), an introduced species into the Czech Republic, is planted for its production of valuable timber. A systematic study of the black walnut growth rate at different localities and consequently the creation of standard volume tables under Central European conditions therefore appear to be of high relevance. The aim of our study was to reveal the black walnut growth pattern in its pure stands in two riparian forests along the Morava and Svratka River (Str&aacute;žnice locality and Židlochovice locality, respectively). To describe and to compare relationships among diameter at breast height (dbh), tree height and age, we used a forest management plan and measured 573 and 670 trees in pure sample stands at Str&aacute;žnice and Židlochovice, respectively. We found out that the measured mean DBH and mean height were consistently higher in Str&aacute;žnice, however the relationships of DBH to height, age to DBH, and age to height showed the same pattern at both localities. The mean heights of trees were 16.3, 24.1, 28.7, 31.9, and 34.5 m in 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 year age classes and were consistently taller in comparison with other, mainly European, regions. Therefore our results suggest the high potential of black walnut in timber production in riparian forests in the Czech Republic, mainly in the South Moravian region.


2013 ◽  
Vol 49 (No. 4) ◽  
pp. 155-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Mrázková ◽  
K. Černý ◽  
M. Tomšovský ◽  
V. Strnadová ◽  
B. Gregorová ◽  
...  

Beginning in 2006, a survey of two related Phytophthora species, P. multivora and P. plurivora, was performed in the Czech Republic. Both pathogens were distributed throughout a broad range of environments including forest and riparian stands and probably became naturalised in the country. The two species differed in their frequency and elevational distribution. P. multivora was less frequent, but commonly occurred in the lowest regions such as Central Bohemia and South Moravia, i.e. areas which generally exhibit a high level of invasion. This species was isolated primarily from Quercus robur and found to be involved in oak decline. Moreover it poses a high risk to other forest trees. P. plurivora was distributed in a broad range of elevations over the entire area. A substrate specificity was detected in P. plurivora &ndash; the isolates from forest trees were more aggressive to such trees than the isolates from ericaceous ornamental plants. &nbsp;


2013 ◽  
Vol 152 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. HLAVINKA ◽  
M. TRNKA ◽  
K. C. KERSEBAUM ◽  
P. ČERMÁK ◽  
E. POHANKOVÁ ◽  
...  

SUMMARYThe crop growth model HERMES was used to model crop rotation cycles at 12 experimental sites in the Czech Republic. A wide range of crops (spring and winter barley, winter wheat, maize, potatoes, sugar beet, winter rape, oats, alfalfa and grass), cultivated between 1981 and 2009 under various soil and climatic conditions, were included. The model was able to estimate the yields of field crop rotations at a reasonable level, with an index of agreement (IA) ranging from 0·82 to 0·96 for the calibration database (the median coefficient of determination (R2) was 0·71), while IA for verification varied from 0·62 to 0·93 (median R2 was 0·78). Grass yields were also estimated at a reasonable level of accuracy. The estimates were less accurate for the above-ground biomass at harvest (the medians for IA were 0·76 and 0·72 for calibration and verification, respectively, and analogous medians of R2 were 0·50 and 0·49). The soil mineral nitrogen (N) content under the field crops was simulated with good precision, with the IA ranging from 0·49 to 0·74 for calibration and from 0·43 to 0·68 for verification. Generally, the soil mineral N was underestimated, and more accurate results were achieved at locations with intensive fertilization. Simulated yields, soil N, water and organic carbon (C) contents were compared with long-term field measurements at Němčice, located within the fertile Moravian lowland. At this station, all of the observed parameters were reproduced with a reasonable level of accuracy. In the case of the organic C content, HERMES reproduced a decrease ranging from c. 85 to 77 tonnes (t)/ha (for the 0–0·3 m soil layer) between the years 1980 and 2007. In spite of its relatively simple approach and restricted input data, HERMES was proven to be robust across various conditions, which is a precondition for its future use for both theoretical and practical purposes.


Ergo ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 10-15
Author(s):  
Daniel Frank

The aim of this paper is to evaluate existing stakeholder participation by region in the FP7, to determine the success of regions in terms of utilization of funds provided by the FP7 and the use of their scientifi c research capacities in human resources, to try to analyze regional differences in access to the FP7 at the regional level and compare the results with previous data on the participation of entities from the Czech Republic in the past FP.


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