Intensification of landscape use brings along the negative effects on environmental components. These include surface water pollution. The aim was to determine the effect of landscape use on the water quality of the Žitava river. It was assumed that an area with the high proportion of anthropogenic activity would negatively affect water quality. At the same time, we assumed that an area with the lower proportion of anthropogenic use and with the higher proportion of natural and semi-natural elements contributes to self-cleaning ability of the watercourse. At the four observed sites, ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4-N), nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), phosphate-phosphorus (PO4-P) and water conductivity were monitored. Landscape use was analysed using the database of land cover based on the CORINE Land Cover methodology. Subsequently, it was observed how the landscape use affects the water quality. It was found that the very good state, represented by the Class I water quality, is according to the measured indicators mostly present in the areas predominantly covered by forests along with extensive use of elements of the agricultural land. The area with predominance of agricultural and urbanised sites where the anthropogenic influence prevails is characterised by average water quality. As the overall water quality of the Žitava river reaches the average, it is necessary to eliminate the pollution by constructing the sewer systems in the villages through which the watercourse is passing and, in agriculture, to ensure the adherence to the legislation concerning the protection of surface water against pollution from agricultural sources.
In the past, the European ground squirrel represented a common part of Slovakian fauna. During the 20th century, there was a substantial decrease in its number, mainly due to the intensification of agriculture. Currently, several programs focused on the recovery and preservation of ground squirrel colonies have been implemented. The aim in supporting the population of the European ground squirrel is to increase the number of birds of prey and to ensure a food base for them. In this paper, we focus on evaluating the success rate of European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) management measures. The research was realized at two localities in the Protected Bird Area Slovenský kras (Hrhov and Gemerská Hôrka) in the years 2015–2018. Activities were focused on the management of grassland and supplemental feeding during the breeding period. As a result of the management measures and the supplemental feeding, we managed to maintain a positive trend in the populations’ development, as there was an increase observed in all the monitored seasons.
Aim: Water erosion has the biggest impact on soil degradation in Slovakia. It occurs mainly on arable land at upland type of country. The morphometric segmentation of uplands together with different land use fastens the erosion processes. The aim of the study was to identify the erosion effects of agricultural land use in selected upland localities in Slovakia based on alterations in land use and morphometric relief properties. Methodology:The model area represents intensively used agricultural land at Hronskápahorkatina upland, Slovakia. Identification of erosion processes is based on historical and current land use by using the methodology assessment of land use change. Erosion processes were assessed based on from 1949 to 2015 and verified in field. 11 categories of land use change types were set. The process of intensification, preservation (no change) and extensification using high, middle and low type of change intensity was evaluated. The occurrence of high intensification process was observed to by the most common among them. By Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA test we confirmed the reason between the type of land use change and spatial distribution of increasing areas with soil erosion was also examined. Synthesis of land use changes, types and slope categories were used to assess areas with low, middle and high soil erosion potential. Results:We identified processes in the study area. Intensification was found on 53 % of agricultural landscape in the study area. Extensification was found on 3.86% of agricultural landscape. The spatial effect of water erosion increase of 8.88 % in the years of 1949 to 2015. Water erosion risk areas represented 408.44 ha (27.78%).The areas with high potential cover 413.35 ha of agricultural land. Out of that 130.71 ha (31.62%) were eroded. These areas are currently used as large scale arable fields.Interpretation: Land use management in the observed area was found to be evaluated not suitable, especially the homogenous and historically not justifiable layout of agricultural landscape. Based on the results we recommend preparation of a new layout for the agricultural landscape which will reflect the principles mechanism of landscape ecology of optimisation of agricultural land use.
. © Raptor Protection ofSlovakia (RPS) 69 Agricultural utilisation and potential suitability of the Sysľovské polia Special Protection Area (south-western Slovakia) landscape in relation to the habitat requirements of the red-footed falcon (Falco vespertinus) Využívanie poľnohospodárskej krajiny a potenciálna vhodnosť Chráneného vtáčieho územia Sysľovské polia (juhozápadné Slovensko) vo vzťahu k habitatovým nárokom sokola kobcovitého (Falco vespertinus) Martin ZEMKO, Peter PETLUŠ & Viera PETLUŠOVÁ Abstract: Intensification of land use in an agricultural landscape significantly affects biodiversity also in protected areas. This can be observed in the Sysľovské polia Special Protection Area in relation to the occurrence of the red-footed falcon (Falco vespertinus). The objective of this study was to evaluate the landscape structure and suitability of agrotechnical procedures for the habitat demands of this species in the course of the period from 2004 until 2017. The utilisation was assessed on the basis of four landscape elements representation in 1949 and 2017. The next step was analysis of landscape patches. The aim was to quantify the diversity and the spatial structure of the landscape mosaic using Shannon's Diversity Index and Evenness Index as well as Simpson's Diversity Index and Evenness Index and spatial pattern analysis in the Fragstats software programme. Assessment of crop suitability was carried out according to the following criteria: representation of positive/negative agricultural crops, diversity of crops in crop rotation, and (non-)observance of crop rotation. It was found that the agricultural landscape use did not change significantly. The study area has been used as an intensively-farmed agricultural landscape for a long time. The landscape elements have remained almost identical, with dominance of arable land. Differences emerged in the analysis of the micropatches, which are represented by natural hedgerows consisting of various species of trees, shrubs and grasses. The results show a decrease in the diversity of patches and changes in the structure of the landscape patches, which may be important in terms of the preservation of the habitat of fauna which form an important part of the F. vespertinus diet. On the basis of the evaluation of the suitability of agricultural crop growing, we found that there were some areas showing negative values in all the criteria, and thus they require changes in the crop rotation focusing on increasing positive crop diversity and the share of grassland.Abstrakt: Intenzifikácia poľnohospodárskej krajiny výraznou mierou ovplyvňuje biodiverzitu častokrát aj v chránených územiach. Sledovať to možno aj v Chránenom vtáčom území Sysľovské polia vo vzťahu k výskytu sokola kobcovitého (Falco vespetinus). Cieľom bolo hodnotenie štruktúry krajiny a vhodnosti agrotechnických postupov pre habitatové nároky tohto druhu v časovom období rokov 2004 -2017. Využívanie sa hodnotilo na základe zastúpenia štyroch krajinných prvkov v rokoch 1949 a 2017. Ďalším krokom bo...
The water erosion research was carried out in the lowland type of hilly landscape. The aim was to monitor and evaluate the importance of environmental factors (steepness of slope, relief shapes, aspect, slope length, combination slope length (L) and slope (S)—LS factor, types of land use changes) for the development of water erosion. We focused on the identification of areas threatened by erosion by interpreting aerial photographs from several time periods. This was followed by verification of erosion using soil probes. We identified 408.44 ha of areas affected by erosion, and measured the depth of soil and “A” horizons thickness. The environmental factors were modeled in geographical information systems by tools for spatially oriented data. Subsequently, the influence and significance of individual environmental factors were compared, and the probability of erosion was statistically estimated. The decisive factors in the formation of erosive surfaces are the LS factor and the slope. We also consider the factor of the relief shape to be important. The shape did not appear to be very significant as a separately evaluated factor, but all convex parts correlate with the identified erosion surfaces. The susceptibility of erosion related to the aspect of the slopes to the cardinal directions has not been confirmed. Types of land use changes with the most significant relation of erosion were confirmed in areas of strong intensification. We confirmed the importance of factors and land use for the development of erosion processes.
Water erosion has become a serious problem at global level. In the conditions of Slovakia, soil erosion processes can be found predominantly in lowland hill land, which have suitable climatic and soil conditions for intense agricultural use. The research of water erosion was carried out in the lowland type of hilly landscape. The aim was to monitor and evaluate the importance of selected factors (slope, slope length, exposure) for the development of water erosion. The first step was to identify erosion. In the research of soil erosion in the model area, the method of identifying the spatial spread of erosion areas. The evaluation was based on analyzes of individual factors and identified areas actually threatened by water erosion. The decisive primary factor for erosion processes is the slope and slope length.Keywords: identification of erosion, erosion factor, slope, slope length, exposure, lowland type of hilly landscape ÚvodPôda je základným a rozhodujúcim prírodným zdrojom, dedičstvom, hodnotou národa so silným prírodným, kultúrnym, ekonomickým a environmentálnym potenciálom. Bielek (2017) uvádza, že najväčšou hrozbou pre pôdu je jej degradácia, pri ktorej sa znižuje bazálna a potenciálna schopnosť pôdy a poľnohospodársky využívanej krajiny tvoriť úrodu, ekologicky pôsobiť a poskytovať služby. K degradácii pôdy patrí aj vodná erózia. Je súčasťou fyzikálnej degradácie, pri ktorej dochádza k štrukturálnym zmenám pôdy, rozrušovaniu vrchnej vrstvy pôdy a jej premiestňovaniu do nižších častí svahu. Vodná erózia sa na povrchu pôdy prejavuje vznikom odtokových dráh, ktoré majú rôzne rozmery, príp. môžu pôsobením vody vznikať strže. a i. klasifikujú tieto prejavy ako plošnú (areálnu) a líniovú eróziu. Vznik, priebeh a intenzita eróznych procesov je ovplyvnená kombináciou prírodných a človekom ovplyvnených podmienok (Ilavská a kol., 2005). Príspevok sa venuje prírodným faktorom. Zo skupina prírodných sú to faktory geomorfologické a to skon, dĺžka svahu a expozícia. Vo svojich prácach sklon hodnotia Malíšek
Proper identification of erosion processes is possible by a combination of the presented methods. The importance is in exact localization of areas endangered by the erosion with the possibility of designing exact anti-erosion protection. The method of visual identification, verification of erosion processes by soil probes and identification of soil organic matter and soil structure were used. Significant soil loss caused by water erosion has become a global problem. An effective solution of this problem is conditioned by the effective identification of areas under threat of water erosion, which prevails in Slovakia. The aim is to point out the need to combine methods of identification of water erosion processes in order to objectify them for the needs of elimination of water erosion in agricultural practice. For water erosion assessment we used the method of spatial extension and digitisation of surface water erosion results using aerial photographs and modelling of water erosion processes using the universal equation for calculating the loss of soil by water erosion.
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