a1_Cities contain only a low representation of natural and semi-natural habitats, existing in fragments surrounded by built-up areas. In 2003-2004, we surveyed butterflies and Zygaenidae moths in 21 reserves and 4 parks within the city of Prague, Czech Republic, situated from the periphery to city centre. A total of 85 species (47% of the Czech fauna of the study groups) was detected, 22 of them being of conservation concern. Ordination analyses of the local assemblages revealed that the richest sites were large, situated far from the city centre, on alkaline bedrocks, south- to southwest oriented, and hosting high numbers of vegetation types and vascular plant species. We then used generalised linear models to fit responses of individual species to the main ordination gradient, corresponding to increasing urbanisation. Out of 60 species that met criteria for the modelling, none responded positively to urbanisation. Twenty displayed negative linear response; these urban avoiders contained a surplus of mesophilous species presumably preferring rural landscapes. Further 29 species (suburban adaptable) responded in domed manners, peaking at the city periphery. Prevailing among them were xerophilous specialists inhabiting large grassland reserves at the Prague outskirts. Finally, eleven urban tolerant species did not respond to urbanisation at all, containing three highly mobile species, three xerothermophilous specialists, and five species utilising shrubs or trees and finding suitable conditions even in urban parks. Suburban adaptable butterflies apparently benefit from such suburban environments as gardens, road or railway verges, collectively increasing the connectivity of remnants of seminatural habitats. The fact that arboreal species persist even in urban parks, whereas common grassland species are absent there, implies that the quality of urban habitats might be increased by a more sensitive management of, a2_urban green spaces, such as leaving aside small temporary fallows or adapting lawns mowing schemes., and Martin Konvicka, Tomas Kadlec.
As urbanisation is set to continue, understanding the impact on wildlife becomes increasingly important if we are to be able to conserve biodiversity. As an excellent group of bioindicators, invertebrates can allow us to understand some of the forces in urban areas which impact upon biodiversity and wildlife populations. This paper discusses some of the trends in the abundance, diversity and richness of invertebrates related to urbanisation and the specific urban environmental and traffic factors which may be at play., Elizabeth L. Jones, Simon R. Leather., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Archeologický a stavebně historický výzkum minoritského areálu v Mostě probíhal v letech 1971–1976 v souvislosti s likvidací významného historického města. Výzkum se soustředil na poznání vývoje kostela a klausury mosteckých minoritů ve 13.–14. stol. a na objasnění pozice jejich konventu uvnitř městského organismu. Konvent stával takřka uprostřed města, k důležitým tématům proto patřilo archeologické svědectví o počáteční urbanizaci dané části městského jádra. and The Minorite Monastery in Most. An archaeological and building history study of the Minorite grounds in Most took place in 1971–1976 due to the liquidation of the notable historic town. The study focussed on learning about the development of the church and the reclusion of the Most Minorites in the 13th-14th centuries, and on unravelling the position of their convent within the town organism. The convent stood approximately in the town centre; archaeological testaments on the beginnings of urbanisation in the given town centre are therefore of utmost importance.
Článek předkládá nástin dějin bádání o oppidech a urbanizačních procesech v době laténské ve střední Evropě. Autor poukazuje na skutečnost, že interpretace oppid jakožto měst vznikla již na počátku 20. stol., kdy kromě několika málo oppid nebyla jiná laténská sídliště vůbec známa. Dnes tato interpretace neodpovídá stavu poznání laténské sídlištní struktury. Významnou roli v urbanizačním procesu zaujímají nedávno objevená neopevněná výrobní a distribuční centra a centra typu Němčice-Roseldorf, v nichž lze spatřovat počátky urbanizace střední Evropy v době laténské. Oppidům je naproti tomu přisouzena především obranná a prestižní úloha. and The article offers an outline of the history of research into oppida and urbanisation processes of the La Tène period in Central Europe. The author addresses the fact that the interpretation of oppida as towns came about at the beginning of the 20th century when, besides a few oppida, no other La Tène settlements were known at all. Today this interpretation does not correspond with what we know regarding the La Tène settlement structure. Recently discovered unfortified production and distribution centres and centres of Němčice-Roseldorf type play a significant role in the urbanisation process, in which we are able to see the beginnings of urbanisation of Central Europe during the La Tène period. As opposed to these, the oppida are attributed tasks primarily of a defensive and prestigious nature.
Based on several field research trips between 2007 and 2011, this study presents data in the neglected field of research on urban Bushmen dwellers. It describes the limited economic opportunities and coping strategies of the !Xun Bushmen living in the township Omulunga of the town Grootfontein in the north of the commercial farming area in Namibia.
1_Urbanisation is an important cause of species extinctions. Although urban water systems are also highly modified, studies on aquatic or semi-aquatic organisms are rare. The aim of this study is to identify the factors that determine species richness of Odonata in 22 Central European cities and along an urban-rural gradient within six of them. With 64 indigenous species in total and an average of 33 species per city, the species richness of Odonata in Central European cities is comparatively high. A generalised linear model indicates that species richness is positively related to city area. Additional predictors are climatic variables (temperature amplitude, sunshine duration and July temperature) and the year last studied. Since most cities are usually located in areas with naturally high habitat heterogeneity, we assume that cities should be naturally rich in dragonflies. The role of city area as a surrogate for habitat and structural richness most likely explains why it is strongly associated with Odonata species richness. The relationship between species richness and the climatic variables probably reflects that Odonata species richness in Central Europe is limited by warm and sunny conditions more than by availability of water. The temporal effect (the year last studied) on species richness is likely to be a consequence of the recent increase in Mediterranean species associated with global warming. Urbanisation clearly has an adverse effect on the species diversity of Odonata. Species richness increases along a gradient from the centre of a city to the rural area and is significantly highest in rural areas. This pattern probably reflects a gradient of increasing habitat quality from the centre of cities to rural areas. Moreover, the number of water bodies is generally very low in the city centres., 2_Based on our results, we make recommendations for increasing the abundance and number of species of dragonflies in cities., Christoph Willigalla, Thomas Farmann., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The ongoing growth of the human population will increase the rate of wildlife-human interactions. High levels of animal tolerance and flexible responses towards human presence seem to be among the key mechanisms behind successful wildlife-human coexistence, but this behaviour remains unexplored for most populations and species of animals. Here, we investigate the escape behaviour (measured as flight initiation distance) of the Crimean population of a charismatic and declining bird species, the lesser grey shrike (Lanius minor). We examined its relationship with starting distance of the approaching human, directness of that approach (direct or tangential), habitat type (rural or suburban), and height of the perch used by shrikes. We found that the starting distance was significantly associated with escape responses of shrikes to approaching humans. In contrast, we found no significant association between escape responses and directness of approach, habitat type, or height of perch. Our results indicate that the lesser grey shrike may exhibit low flexibility in their escape responses towards humans which may have implications for their conservation management. Our results also indicate that the widely used 30 m threshold for minimum starting distance may be insufficient for rural populations, even of small passerines.