Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) as a bioindicator of changes in the agricultural landscape in the Czech Republic, Acta Facultatis Forestralis, Zvolen

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F62156489%3A43310%2F23%3A43924463" target="_blank" >RIV/62156489:43310/23:43924463 - isvavai.cz</a>

Výsledek na webu

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DOI - Digital Object Identifier

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Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) as a bioindicator of changes in the agricultural landscape in the Czech Republic, Acta Facultatis Forestralis, Zvolen

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

The European brown hare (Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778) is a vital bioindicator that reflects the health of its environment, yet its numbers have been declining consistently across Europe for several decades. This study assesses the impact of large-scale agriculture on hare populations, particularly within the context of the HA Postoupky-Hradisko region, where numbers have fallen sharply since the 1970s. Historical data indicate that optimal densities of 50-60 hares per 100 hectares, as seen in the Netherlands and the best habitats in Poland, have not been sustained. Changes in land management from extensive to intensive agriculture, especially the shift to large monoculture fields, have been a primary driver of habitat degradation. Political and socio-economic decisions, particularly in the former Czechoslovakia, have resulted in a tenfold increase in average field size, eliminating boundaries and windbreaks essential for hare habitation. Our findings confirm that such alterations in landscape structure have significantly contributed to the decline in hare numbers, with monocultures of maize and oilseed rape failing to provide adequate refuge or sustenance. The recommended hunting quotas and thresholds, as suggested by population viability analyses, are no longer applicable under current agricultural practices. This paper argues for an immediate re-evaluation of land management policies and the establishment of diverse, hare-friendly habitats to alleviate the ecological stress on this species and encourage recovery through its rapid reproductive cycle.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) as a bioindicator of changes in the agricultural landscape in the Czech Republic, Acta Facultatis Forestralis, Zvolen

Popis výsledku anglicky

The European brown hare (Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778) is a vital bioindicator that reflects the health of its environment, yet its numbers have been declining consistently across Europe for several decades. This study assesses the impact of large-scale agriculture on hare populations, particularly within the context of the HA Postoupky-Hradisko region, where numbers have fallen sharply since the 1970s. Historical data indicate that optimal densities of 50-60 hares per 100 hectares, as seen in the Netherlands and the best habitats in Poland, have not been sustained. Changes in land management from extensive to intensive agriculture, especially the shift to large monoculture fields, have been a primary driver of habitat degradation. Political and socio-economic decisions, particularly in the former Czechoslovakia, have resulted in a tenfold increase in average field size, eliminating boundaries and windbreaks essential for hare habitation. Our findings confirm that such alterations in landscape structure have significantly contributed to the decline in hare numbers, with monocultures of maize and oilseed rape failing to provide adequate refuge or sustenance. The recommended hunting quotas and thresholds, as suggested by population viability analyses, are no longer applicable under current agricultural practices. This paper argues for an immediate re-evaluation of land management policies and the establishment of diverse, hare-friendly habitats to alleviate the ecological stress on this species and encourage recovery through its rapid reproductive cycle.

Druh

J_ost - Ostatní články v recenzovaných periodicích

CEP obor

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OECD FORD obor

10619 - Biodiversity conservation

Projekt

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Návaznosti

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2023

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Acta Facultatis Forestalis Zvolen

ISSN

0231-5785

e-ISSN

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Svazek periodika

65

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

2

Stát vydavatele periodika

SK - Slovenská republika

Počet stran výsledku

14

Strana od-do

65-78

Kód UT WoS článku

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EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

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