The COVID-19 pandemic affected people all over the world, including the Czech Republic (CZ). In the CZ, a number of measures were applied in 2020 to reduce the contact between people and their mobility. This article dealt with the importance of forests during the pandemic. Data from 2019 and 2020 were compared. The qualitative data were obtained from two nationwide surveys, the first focused on forest attendance and forest fruit collection (about 1000 respondents per year), the second on the motivation to visit the forests (about 3700 respondents per year). The quantitative data were obtained on the regional level by analysing data from mobility counters. The impact of government restrictions was assessed. Findings: (1) there was a significant increase in the number of people who frequently visited the forest in 2020; (2) in 2020, the amount of households that collected forest fruits increased and was the highest for the monitored period; (3) the increased forest attendance significantly corresponded to the government restrictions. The analysis confirmed the great importance of forests for the citizens and, at the same time, the increased pressure on the forests' use-forest attendance and forest crops picking-(especially suburban ones) in times of COVID-19 restrictions.

• MeSH
• COVID-19 * epidemiology   MeSH
• Forests MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Pandemics MeSH
• SARS-CoV-2 MeSH
• Trees MeSH
• Conservation of Natural Resources MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH

INTRODUCTION: The analysis of plant and herbal samples is a challenging task for analytical chemists due to the complexity of the matrix combined with the low concentration of analytes. In recent years different liquid-phase microextraction (LPME) techniques coupled with a variety of analytical equipment have been developed for the determination of both organic and inorganic analytes. OBJECTIVE: Over the past few years, the number of research papers in this field has shown a markedly growing tendency. Therefore, the purpose of this review paper is to summarise and critically evaluate research articles focused on the application of LPME techniques for the analysis of plant and herbal samples. RESULTS: Due to the complex nature of the samples, the direct application of LPME techniques to the analysis of plants has not often been done. LPME techniques as well as their modalities have been commonly applied in combination with other pretreatment techniques, including a solid-liquid extraction technique supported by mechanical agitation or auxiliary energies for plant analysis. Applications and the most important parameters are summarised in the tables. CONCLUSION: This review summarises the application of the LPME procedure and shows the major benefits of LPME, such as the low volume of solvents used, high enrichment factor, simplicity of operation and wide selection of applicable detection techniques. We can expect further development of microextraction analytical methods that focus on direct sample analysis with the application of green extraction solvents while fully automating procedures for the analysis of plant materials.

• MeSH
• Liquid Phase Microextraction * MeSH
• Plants MeSH
• Solvents MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

The sudden interruption of recurring larch budmoth (LBM; Zeiraphera diniana or griseana Gn.) outbreaks across the European Alps after 1982 was surprising, because populations had regularly oscillated every 8-9 years for the past 1200 years or more. Although ecophysiological evidence was limited and underlying processes remained uncertain, climate change has been indicated as a possible driver of this disruption. An unexpected, recent return of LBM population peaks in 2017 and 2018 provides insight into this insect's climate sensitivity. Here, we combine meteorological and dendrochronological data to explore the influence of temperature variation and atmospheric circulation on cyclic LBM outbreaks since the early 1950s. Anomalous cold European winters, associated with a persistent negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation, coincide with four consecutive epidemics between 1953 and 1982, and any of three warming-induced mechanisms could explain the system's failure thereafter: (1) high egg mortality, (2) asynchrony between egg hatch and foliage growth, and (3) upward shifts of outbreak epicentres. In demonstrating that LBM populations continued to oscillate every 8-9 years at sub-outbreak levels, this study emphasizes the relevance of winter temperatures on trophic interactions between insects and their host trees, as well as the importance of separating natural from anthropogenic climate forcing on population behaviour.

• MeSH
• Disease Outbreaks MeSH
• Climate Change MeSH
• Larix * MeSH
• Moths * MeSH
• Population Dynamics MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH