Agricultural land abandonment is recognized as a major environmental threat in Europe, being particularly pronounced in south-eastern Europe, where knowledge on its effects is limited. Taking the Balkan Peninsula as a case study, we investigated agricultural abandonment impact on passerine communities at regional level. We set up a standard methodology for site selection (70 sites) and data collection, along a well-defined forest-encroachment gradient that reflects land abandonment in four countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Greece. Regardless the different socio-economic and political histories in the Balkans that led to diverse land abandonment patterns in space and time, rural abandonment had a consistent negative effect on bird communities, while regional-level analysis revealed patterns that were hidden at local level. The general trends were an increase of forest-dwelling bird species at the expense of farmland birds, the decline of overall bird species richness, as well as the decline of Species of European Conservation Concern (SPECs) richness and abundance. Many farmland bird species declined with land abandonment, whereas few forest species benefited from the process. In conclusion, our results support CAP towards hampering rural land abandonment and preserving semi-open rural mosaics in remote upland areas, using a suite of management measures carefully tailored to local needs. The maintenance of traditional rural landscapes should be prioritized in the Balkans, through the timely identification of HNV farmland that is most prone to abandonment. We also suggest that coordinated transnational research is needed, for a better assessment of conservation options in remote rural landscapes at European scale, including the enhancement of wild grazers' populations as an alternative in areas where traditional land management is rather unlikely to be re-established.

• Klíčová slova
• Balkans, Conservation policy, Forest encroachment, High nature value farmland, Passerine birds, Rural abandonment,
• MeSH
• biodiverzita MeSH
• lesy MeSH
• ptáci * MeSH
• zachování přírodních zdrojů MeSH
• zemědělství * MeSH
• životní prostředí * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Albánie MeSH
• Bulharsko MeSH
• Chorvatsko MeSH
• Evropa MeSH
• Řecko MeSH
• východní Evropa MeSH

The aim of the study is to assess the evolving mine water quality of closed uranium mines (abandoned between 1958 and 1992) in the Czech Republic. This paper focuses on the changes in mine water quality over time and spatial variability. In 2010, systematic monitoring of mine water quality was performed at all available locations of previous uranium exploitation. Gravity flow discharges (mine adits, uncontrolled discharges) or shafts (in dynamic state or stagnating) were sampled. Since the quality of mine water results from multiple conditions-geology, type of sample, sampling depth, time since mine flooding, an assessment of mine water quality evolution was done taking into account all these conditions. Multivariate analyses were applied in order to identify the groups of samples based on their similarity. Evaluation of hydrogeochemical equilibrium and evolution of mine waters was done using the Geochemist's Workbench and PHREEQC software. The sampling proved that uranium concentrations in mine waters did not predominantly exceed 0.45 mg/L. In case of discharges from old adits abandoned more than 40 years ago, uranium concentrations were below the MCL of US Environmental Protection Agency for uranium in drinking water (0.03 mg/L). Higher concentrations, up to 1.23 mg/L of U, were found only at active dewatered mines. Activity concentration of 226Ra varied from 0.03 up to 1.85 Bq/L except for two sites with increased background values due to rock formation (granites). Radium has a typically increasing trend after mine abandonment with a large variability. Concerning metals in mine water, Al, Co and Ni exceeded legislative limits on two sites with low pH waters. The mine water quality changes with a focus on uranium mobility were described from recently dewatered mines to shafts with water level maintained in order to prevent outflows to surface water and finally to stagnating shafts and discharges of mine water from old adits. The results were in good agreement with published experience on mine water stratification, its disturbance by pumping or natural water decant and the "first flush" phenomenon after mine flooding.

• MeSH
• hornictví * MeSH
• kovy analýza   MeSH
• kvalita vody MeSH
• látky znečišťující vodu analýza   MeSH
• podzemní voda chemie   MeSH
• radium analýza   MeSH
• uran analýza   MeSH
• životní prostředí MeSH
• znečištění vody statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• kovy MeSH
• látky znečišťující vodu MeSH
• radium MeSH
• uran MeSH

Road traffic emits a cocktail of pollutants that can influence the vegetation and plant diversity in neighboring areas. However, the recovery potential of bryophytes after traffic abandonment is still little explored. In addition, the effects of the main pollutants of road verges, such as metals and salinity, on moss flora need to be investigated. In our study, we compared the moss richness and diversity in two closely related veteran tree allees of high conservation importance. The allees in Gryżów and Lubrza, Poland, were chosen because of their similarity in age, geographical location, type of surrounding areas, and tree species. The only difference was that the trees in Gryżów had not been exposed to direct road pollution for almost 30 years. The moss richness and diversity differed significantly between the sites. Altogether, 20 moss species were recorded on 229 trees, 17 species in Gryżów (abandoned road), and 13 in Lubrza (busy road). We found considerable differences between moss cover on the road-facing and opposite sides of tree trunks. In Lubrza, mosses on the road-facing side were very scarce. The moss cover in Gryżów was highly balanced between trunk sides as well as among trunk heights. Typical epiphytic species such as Bryum moravicum, Dicranoweisia cirrata, Leskea polycarpa, and Orthodicranum tauricum preferred the Gryżów tree stands, where they were present in numbers almost twice as high as that at Lubrza. The study shows that constructing a bypass road could be an effective conservation measure for veteran tree protection with their epiphytic moss flora.

• MeSH
• Bryophyta klasifikace   účinky léků   růst a vývoj   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   toxicita   MeSH
• mechy MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí * MeSH
• výfukové emise vozidel analýza   toxicita   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Polsko MeSH
• Názvy látek
• látky znečišťující vzduch MeSH
• výfukové emise vozidel MeSH

We studied the effect of cessation of management on carbohydrate reserves of plants in meadows with different environmental characteristics and plant composition. We recorded storage carbohydrates and seasonal changes for 40 plant species. We asked whether there are differences in responses of carbohydrate reserves in forbs versus graminoids and in plants storing starch versus plants storing osmotically active carbohydrates. We analysed belowground organs before the meadows were mown and at the end of the vegetation season in mown versus recently abandoned plots. Whereas starch and fructans were widely distributed, raffinose family oligosaccharides were the main carbohydrate reserves of the Lamiaceae and Plantago lanceolata. Properties of carbohydrate reserves differed between forbs and graminoids but no difference was found between plants storing starch versus osmotically active carbohydrates. Graminoids had lower carbohydrate concentrations than forbs. We observed a positive effect of mowing on carbohydrate concentrations of graminoids in the dry, calcium-rich meadow and higher seasonal fluctuations of these values in the acid, wet meadow, suggesting that local factors and/or the species pool affect carbohydrate reserves. Despite local conditions, graminoids represent a distinct functional group in meadows from the point of view of their storage economy. We suggest that as well as growth, storage processes should also be considered for understanding the functioning of meadow plant communities.

• MeSH
• ekosystém * MeSH
• hluchavkovité chemie   MeSH
• Plantago chemie   MeSH
• půda analýza   MeSH
• roční období MeSH
• sacharidy analýza   MeSH
• škrob analýza   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• půda MeSH
• sacharidy MeSH
• škrob MeSH

• MeSH
• dítě opuštěné MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• péče o dítě * MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Československo MeSH

The economic management of lignocellulosic biomass from semi-natural grasslands is now a challenge across Europe. The abandonment of mowing these grasslands leads to the gradual degradation of these ecosystems. This study investigates how chemical and biological factors affect the suitability of biomass from abandoned grasslands for biogas production. We sampled 30 mown and 30 abandoned grassland sites in the Sudetes Mountains (Poland and Czechia). The cover contribution of short herbs was found to be significantly higher in mown grasslands (p < 0.001), while that of tall herbs was more prevalent in abandoned grasslands (p < 0.01). The specific biogas yield (SBY, NL kg-1 volatile solids) is negatively affected by an increased percentage of herbs in the biomass of mown and abandoned grasslands. This is due to the inhibitory effect of herbs on biodegradation, the increase in lignin content and the decrease in cellulose. This study highlights the importance of individual plant species in assessing grassland biomass for area biogas yield (ABY, m3 ha-1) and provides new insights into a field that has not yet been extensively investigated. In mown grasslands, ABY was most positively correlated with grass species (Arrhenatherum elatius, Trisetum flavescens and Festuca pratensis). In abandoned grasslands, the ABY was most correlated with herbaceous species (Galium aparine, Urtica dioica and Chaerophyllum aromaticum) and grasses (A. elatius and Elymus repens). Mown grasslands had significantly higher species richness (p < 0.001) compared to abandoned grasslands, but the number of species sampled did not correlate with SBY and ABY. This study contributes to the development of a sustainable bio-economy by highlighting the need for efficient use of grassland biomass. This approach helps protect semi-natural ecosystems and facilitates sustainable management of renewable resources.

• Klíčová slova
• Anaerobic digestion, Bioenergy, Biogas plants, Ecosystem services, Grassland conservation, Grassland management, Lignocellulosic biomass, Mesic meadows, Renewable energy,
• MeSH
• biomasa * MeSH
• biopaliva * MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• lipnicovité MeSH
• pastviny * MeSH
• zachování přírodních zdrojů * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biopaliva * MeSH

• MeSH
• dítě opuštěné MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• sociální péče o dítě MeSH
• vztahy mezi matkou a dítětem MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Československo MeSH

Traditionally managed grasslands are among the most species-rich communities, which are threatened by land use changes-management intensification or abandonment. The resistance of their species composition to mismanagement and ability to recover after re-establishment of traditional management is of prime conservational interest. In a manipulative experiment in a wet meadow, we simulated mismanagement by a factorial combination of abandonment of mowing and fertilization. The dominant species Molinia caerulea was removed in half of the plots to assess its role in community dynamics. The 21 years' mismanagement period was followed by the re-establishment of the traditional management. The plots were sampled yearly from 1994 (the baseline data, before the introduction of the experimental treatments), until 2023. Estimates of cover of all vascular plant species provided the species richness and effective number of species. For each year, the chord distances to baseline species composition and to corresponding control plot were calculated. The compositional data were analyzed by constrained ordination methods, and the univariate characteristics by Repeated Measures ANOVA. All the plots, including those with traditional management throughout the whole experiment, underwent directional changes, probably caused by a decrease in groundwater level due to global warming. Both fertilization and abandonment led to a loss of competitively weak, usually low-statured species, due to increased asymmetric competition for light. The effect of fertilization was faster and stronger than that of abandonment demonstrating weaker resistance to fertilization. The removal of dominant species partially mitigated negative effects only in unmown, non-fertilized plots. The recovery following mismanagement cessation was faster (signifying higher resilience) in unmown than in fertilized plots, where it was slowed by a legacy of fertilization. In a changing world, two reference plot types are recommended for assessment of resistance and resilience, one original state and one reflecting compositional changes independent of treatments.

• Klíčová slova
• abandonment, competition asymmetry, dominant removal, fertilization, global warming, mowing, resilience, resistance,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Biogas production at a small-scale level through anaerobic digestion has been promoted in Vietnam as an appropriate technology for cooking and animal waste management within rural households. Despite the large number of small-scale biogas plants being built, there is an increase in the reported cases of their dis-adoption. This study attempts to present the state of the art of biogas plants' abandonment issue and reveal the fate of biogas plants. The primary data were collected in Thua Thien Hue province in central Vietnam among owners of small-scale biogas plants selected with the purposive sampling technique. Methods included semi-structured interviews with respondents who abandoned their biogas technology (at least 6 months before the primary data collection) (n = 37) and with respondents who continually use it (n = 62). SPSS 25 IBM was used for the binary logit model with 6 independent variables. Using a logistic regression analysis of various cross-sectional data, key forces were uncovered to determine the factors that can influence the abandonment of biogas technology. Results showed that households with more members working on the farm and those more satisfied with the biogas plant maintenance are less likely to abandon it. Respondents provided the information that their biogas plants mainly were not used for any other purpose after dis-adoption (excepting biogas plants used for further storage of human excreta because they were connected to toilets).

• Klíčová slova
• African swine fever, Appropriate technology, Biogas plant maintenance, Fixed-dome digester, Household anaerobic digester, Manure management, Technology abandonment,
• MeSH
• anaerobióza MeSH
• biopaliva MeSH
• bioreaktory MeSH
• hnůj * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nakládání s odpady * MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Vietnam MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biopaliva MeSH
• hnůj * MeSH

• MeSH
• jednotky intenzivní péče * MeSH
• kritický stav terapie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• odmítnutí poskytnout terapii * MeSH
• resuscitační péče * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH