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MENDELU Repository

Welcome to the Open Repository of research and development results of the Mendel University in Brno. The repository serves to archive Open Access publications of university authors. Publications are automatically sent from the OBD system to the repository in the DSpace system.

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To upload articles and other publications to the repository, contact the Open Science Centre: repozitar@mendelu.cz. Before uploading publications, the record must be created in the OBD system.

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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7

Recent Submissions

Ekologické odpovědi savců na urbanizaci: poznatky z dlouhodobého fotomonitoringu v Brně
(Výzkumný ústav lesního hospodářství a myslivosti, 2025) Mikulka, Ondřej; Drimaj, Jakub
Urbanization fundamentally influences mammalian behavior, yet quantitative data from Central European cities remain scarce. We deployed 60 camera traps across Brno (Czech Republic) from January 2024 to April 2025 along an urban-peri-urban-rural gradient, ranging from the historical city center to surrounding forests and agricultural land. In total, we collected 30,488 detections representing 23 mammal species; five species (European hare, roe deer, red fox, wild boar, domestic cat) accounted for over 75% of all records. Synanthropic species (cat, fox) were strongly associated with built-up areas, whereas hare, roe deer, and wild boar primarily used the peri-urban zone and connected green areas. Daily activity patterns corresponded with known ecological rhythms: hare and roe deer showed crepuscular peaks, wild boar and fox were mostly nocturnal, and cats exhibited activity distributed throughout the day. Seasonal shifts in activity were statistically confirmed for hare and fox. Three invasive species (nutria, muskrat, raccoon) were also documented. Our findings show that cities do not act as barriers but rather as heterogeneous mosaics enabling coexistence of species with different space-use strategies. Camera trapping proved effective for detecting early signals of wildlife and invasive species presence in urban environments.
Spectral clustering analysis: discrimination of grass-herb roots and live-dead roots in VISNIR and SWIR regions
(Springer International Publishing AG, 2025) Baykalov, Pavel; Bodner, Gernot; Ostonen, Ivika; Rewald, Boris
Background and aims Hyperspectral imaging is becoming a key, high-throughput technique in plant research. However, its application to roots has not yet received sufficient attention. The aims of this study are to identify spectral features that distinguish fine roots from soil, non-woody roots of different species, and dead from living roots, and to identify appropri ate analytical techniques. Methods Roots of Alopecurus pratensis (meadow foxtail) and Urtica dioica (nettle) and the rhizos phere were imaged in rhizoboxes in the wavelength range 400-1700 nm, covering both visible near- (VISNIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR) regions. Principal Component Analysis, K-means clustering, and Generalised Linear Model, Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis, and Distributed Random For est models were used to classify groups. Wavebands critical for classification were identified. Results Our results demonstrate the intricate nature of spectra clustering, highlighting the chal lenges in the VISNIR range and the promise of SWIR data for enhanced separability. While spe cies differentiation is challenging, the determina tion of the living conditions of the roots is possi ble within the SWIR range. The analysis reveals the significance of specific spectral regions, nota bly those associated with water content and senes cence, in distinguishing between living and dead roots. Water content regions (mainly 1245 nm and 1450 nm) were most important in discriminating between roots and soil. Conclusions This study highlights the potential of spectral analysis, particularly in the SWIR region, for distinguishing roots by species and vitality. Fur ther efforts are needed to develop robust methods for mixed data sets containing roots of different species and degrees of vitality.
Multiyear Drought Strengthens Positive and Negative Functional Diversity Effects on Tree Growth Response
(Wiley-Blackwell, 2025) Serrano-León, Hernán; Godbold, Douglas Lawrence; Rewald, Boris; Bauhus, Jürgen
Mixed-species forests are proposed to enhance tree resistance and resilience to drought. However, growing evidence shows that tree species richness does not consistently improve tree growth responses to drought. The underlying mechanisms remain uncertain, especially under unprecedented multiyear droughts. We used a network of planted tree diversity experiments to investigate how neighborhood tree diversity and species' functional traits influence individual tree responses to drought. We analyzed tree cores (948 trees across 16 species) from nine young experiments across Europe featuring tree species richness gradients (1-6 species), which experienced recent severe droughts. Radial growth response to drought was quantified as tree-ring biomass increment using X-ray computed tomography. We applied hydraulic trait-based growth models to analyze single-year drought responses across all sites and site-specific responses during consecutive drought years. Growth responses to a single-year drought were partially explained by the focal species' hydraulic safety margin (representing species' drought tolerance) and drought intensity, but were independent of neighborhood species richness. The effects of neighborhood functional diversity on growth responses shifted from positive to negative with increasing drought duration during a single growing season. Tree diversity effects on growth responses strengthened during consecutive drought years and were site-specific with contrasting directions (both positive and negative). This indicates opposing diversity effects pathways under consecutive drought events, possibly resulting from competitive release or greater water consumption in diverse mixtures. We conclude that tree diversity effects on growth under single-year droughts may differ considerably from responses to consecutive drought years. Our study highlights the need to consider trait-based approaches (specifically, hydraulic traits) and neighborhood scale processes to understand the multifaceted responses of tree mixtures under prolonged drought stress. This experimental approach provides a robust framework to test biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF) relationships relevant for young, planted forests under increased drought stress.
Diversity in Resource Use Strategies Promotes Productivity in Young Planted Tree Species Mixtures
(Wiley-Blackwell, 2025) Jensen, Joel; Godbold, Douglas Lawrence; Rewald, Boris; Weih, Martin
Mixed-species forestry is a promising approach to enhance productivity, increase carbon sequestration, and mitigate climate change. Diverse forests, composed of species with varying structures and functional trait profiles, may have higher functional and structural diversity, which are attributes relevant to a number of mechanisms that can influence productivity. However, it remains unclear whether the context-dependent roles of functional identity, functional diversity, and structural diversity can lead to a generalized understanding of tree diversity effects on stand productivity. To address these gaps, we analyzed growth data from 83,600 trees from 89 species across 21 young tree diversity experiments spanning five continents and three biomes. Results revealed a positive saturating relationship between tree species richness and stand productivity, with reduced variability in growth rates among more diverse stands. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that functional diversity mediated the positive effects of species richness on productivity. We additionally report a negative relationship between structural diversity and productivity, which decreased with increasing species richness. When partitioning net diversity effects, we found that selection effects played a dominant role in driving the overall increase in productivity in these predominantly young stands, contributing 77% of the net diversity effect. Selection effects increased with diversity in wood density. Furthermore, acquisitive species with lower wood density and higher leaf nitrogen content had higher productivity in more diverse stands, while conservative species showed neutral to slightly negative responses to species mixing. Together, these results suggest that combining acquisitive with conservative species allows acquisitive species to drive positive selection effects while conservative species tolerate competition. Thus, contrasting resource-use strategies can enhance productivity to optimize mixed-species forestry, with potential for both ecological and economic benefits.
Participativní mapování výskytu divokých a volně žijících zvířat v Brně a okolí
(Nakladatelství České geografické společnosti s.r.o., 2025) Vítková, Tereza; Král, Ondřej; Korečková, Jana; Drimaj, Jakub; Topinka, Daniel
Participativní mapování v Brně a okolí umožnilo místním obyvatelům zaznamenat vnímání výskytu devíti druhů volně žijících zvířat. Jednalo se o následující zvířata: holub, prase divoké, srna, liška, kuna, psík mývalovitý, nutrie a bobr. Projekt spojil odborné GIS postupy s místními znalostmi, čímž vznikly pocitové mapy ukazující prostorová data vnímání a zkušenosti lidí, které jsou cenným podkladem pro plánování a ochranu přírody.