Thesis title: Evaluation of land use changes in the Krkonoše and Jeseníky Mountains Alpine tundra from the 19th century to the present and analysis of the causes/driving forces.
Begun: October 2019
Qualifications:
2016 Bc. title (Bachelor’s degree) in Geography and Cartography, Faculty of Science, Charles University
2019 Mgr. (Master’s degree) title in Physical Geography and Geoecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University
2019 - present Ph.D. (Doctoral degree) in General Issues in Geography, Faculty of Science, Charles University
Research:
The research deals with the issue of land use change in the Giant Mountains from the 19th century to the present with an impact on the alpine tree line. The solution to the issue of the alpine tree line and its historical and current oscillations is a very current topic, given the impacts of current climatic fluctuations and human impacts on nature and landscape in the Giant Mountains. Anthropogenic interventions in the landscape of the Giant Mountains have been and still are very intense. Humans have significantly altered the landscape with an aim of gaining mineral and other natural resources (primarily wood), establishing pastures, which significantly affected the alpine tree line – a significant divide in the mountain landscape. Even the anthropogenic influence on the landscape had a turbulent development in the Giant Mountains. From a strong exploitation of resources at the beginning of settlement, through strong use of an altered landscape, up to anthropogenic attenuation. All of this was reflected in the landscape. However, human action in the Giant Mountains ale bears certain positives. These are mainly secondary meadows, even though artificially anthropogenically created, the surrounding nature, made up of mainly forests, can hardly compete with them in biodiversity. The research will cover the land use change in the Giant Mountains and its impact on the alpine tree line - how land use affected the alpine tree line and how the alpine tree line affected land use; changes in the settlement structure of the Giant Mountains; comparison of human influences, climate influences or disturbances on the alpine tree line.
Publications:
HEJDA, T., KUPKOVÁ, L. (2021): Změny ve využití krajiny alpínského bezlesí Krkonoš a Hrubého Jeseníku: shrnutí současného stavu poznání a porovnání historického vývoje. Geografie, 126, 3, 289–317. https://doi.org/10.37040/geografie2021126030289
TREML, V., HEJDA, T., KAŠPAR, J. (2019): Differences in growth between shrubs and trees: How does the stature of woody plants influence their ability to thrive in cold regions? Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 271, s. 54 – 63.