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How do bird species richness and abundance differ between military training areas and surrounding landscape? A case study from the Hradiště military area
Bušek, Ondřej ; Reif, Jiří (advisor) ; Koleček, Jaroslav (referee)
Since the beginning of the 20th century human land use changed drastically in Central Europe. These changes included: homogenization of the landscape mosaic, intensification of agriculture, urbanization and land abandonment. In turn, these changes affected bird species and perhaps most significantly manifested in population decline of open habitat birds. Therefore, it is important to investigate sites, which were not affected by the changes mentioned above, such as military training areas (MTAs) - places dedicated to training of armed forces. Previous studies have shown that MTAs seem to host remarkably high bird diversity and abundant populations of bird species of conservation concern. This may be caused by two major factors. First, closure of MTAs to all human activies besides military training spared them of the landscape changes mentioned above. Second, the military training itself produces a very heterogeneous habitat mosaic that allows coexistence of many species with different ecological requirements. To my knowledge, no study compared bird assemblages between MTAs and surrounding landscape directly. At the same time, such data are crucial to assess the value of MTAs for bird conservation reliably and, as a consequence, they enable to think more deeply about mechanism generating this value....
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Military training areas as anthropogenic biodiversity refuges
Bušek, Ondřej ; Reif, Jiří (advisor) ; Marhoul, Pavel (referee)
Military training areas are used by armed forces as training territories. These areas are exposed to intensive anthropogenic disturbances. It may seem paradoxical that a number of studies had shown that on those particular areas is often present remarkably high biodiversity and numerous species of conservation concern. In this respect, military training areas are more valuable than most parts of surrounding landscape and thus form true biodiversity refuges. Particularly important are those areas for open habitats species. There are two main causes of uniqueness of military training areas. First, they are closed for any human activities not connected to military training. Because of this, these areas were not exposed to negative influences such as agricultural intensification or urbanization. Second, military activities create very heterogeneous habitat mosaic. This allows coexistence of many species with different ecological requirements. However, biota of military training areas is currently endangered due to abandonment by armed forces caused by downsizing national troops. The end of unique disturbance regime caused by military training leads to gradual homogenization of landscape mosaic and therefore to population decline of habitat specialists. Subsequent commercial development of these areas is another...
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How do bird species richness and abundance differ between military training areas and surrounding landscape? A case study from the Hradiště military area
Bušek, Ondřej
Since the beginning of the 20th century human land use changed drastically in Central Europe. These changes included: homogenization of the landscape mosaic, intensification of agriculture, urbanization and land abandonment. In turn, these changes affected bird species and perhaps most significantly manifested in population decline of open habitat birds. Therefore, it is important to investigate sites, which were not affected by the changes mentioned above, such as military training areas (MTAs) - places dedicated to training of armed forces. Previous studies have shown that MTAs seem to host remarkably high bird diversity and abundant populations of bird species of conservation concern. This may be caused by two major factors. First, closure of MTAs to all human activies besides military training spared them of the landscape changes mentioned above. Second, the military training itself produces a very heterogeneous habitat mosaic that allows coexistence of many species with different ecological requirements. To my knowledge, no study compared bird assemblages between MTAs and surrounding landscape directly. At the same time, such data are crucial to assess the value of MTAs for bird conservation reliably and, as a consequence, they enable to think more deeply about mechanism generating this value....
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How do bird species richness and abundance differ between military training areas and surrounding landscape? A case study from the Hradiště military area
Bušek, Ondřej
Since the beginning of the 20th century human land use changed drastically in Central Europe. These changes included: homogenization of the landscape mosaic, intensification of agriculture, urbanization and land abandonment. In turn, these changes affected bird species and perhaps most significantly manifested in population decline of open habitat birds. Therefore, it is important to investigate sites, which were not affected by the changes mentioned above, such as military training areas (MTAs) - places dedicated to training of armed forces. Previous studies have shown that MTAs seem to host remarkably high bird diversity and abundant populations of bird species of conservation concern. This may be caused by two major factors. First, closure of MTAs to all human activies besides military training spared them of the landscape changes mentioned above. Second, the military training itself produces a very heterogeneous habitat mosaic that allows coexistence of many species with different ecological requirements. To my knowledge, no study compared bird assemblages between MTAs and surrounding landscape directly. At the same time, such data are crucial to assess the value of MTAs for bird conservation reliably and, as a consequence, they enable to think more deeply about mechanism generating this value....
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How do bird species richness and abundance differ between military training areas and surrounding landscape? A case study from the Hradiště military area
Bušek, Ondřej ; Reif, Jiří (advisor) ; Koleček, Jaroslav (referee)
Since the beginning of the 20th century human land use changed drastically in Central Europe. These changes included: homogenization of the landscape mosaic, intensification of agriculture, urbanization and land abandonment. In turn, these changes affected bird species and perhaps most significantly manifested in population decline of open habitat birds. Therefore, it is important to investigate sites, which were not affected by the changes mentioned above, such as military training areas (MTAs) - places dedicated to training of armed forces. Previous studies have shown that MTAs seem to host remarkably high bird diversity and abundant populations of bird species of conservation concern. This may be caused by two major factors. First, closure of MTAs to all human activies besides military training spared them of the landscape changes mentioned above. Second, the military training itself produces a very heterogeneous habitat mosaic that allows coexistence of many species with different ecological requirements. To my knowledge, no study compared bird assemblages between MTAs and surrounding landscape directly. At the same time, such data are crucial to assess the value of MTAs for bird conservation reliably and, as a consequence, they enable to think more deeply about mechanism generating this value....
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Military training areas as anthropogenic biodiversity refuges
Bušek, Ondřej ; Reif, Jiří (advisor) ; Marhoul, Pavel (referee)
Military training areas are used by armed forces as training territories. These areas are exposed to intensive anthropogenic disturbances. It may seem paradoxical that a number of studies had shown that on those particular areas is often present remarkably high biodiversity and numerous species of conservation concern. In this respect, military training areas are more valuable than most parts of surrounding landscape and thus form true biodiversity refuges. Particularly important are those areas for open habitats species. There are two main causes of uniqueness of military training areas. First, they are closed for any human activities not connected to military training. Because of this, these areas were not exposed to negative influences such as agricultural intensification or urbanization. Second, military activities create very heterogeneous habitat mosaic. This allows coexistence of many species with different ecological requirements. However, biota of military training areas is currently endangered due to abandonment by armed forces caused by downsizing national troops. The end of unique disturbance regime caused by military training leads to gradual homogenization of landscape mosaic and therefore to population decline of habitat specialists. Subsequent commercial development of these areas is another...
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