Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis (2024)

Recently, the abundant occurrence of galls of Contarinia petioli (Kieffer) was noted on Populus tremula in the Brno region and elsewhere in southern Moravia. The bionomics and cecidogenesis of the gall midge was studied on 5 to 15-year-old aspens in Forest District Bílovice nad Svitavou, Training Forest Enterprise Masaryk Forest in Křtiny in 2007 and 2008. Imagoes fly there at the end of April and at the beginning of May. Females lay eggs in several partial clutches at 1 to 6(10) pieces. About 91% newly hatched larvae settle on petioles of unfolding leaves, about 8% on the bark of terminal parts of shoots and about 1% on leaf blades. By means of sucking the larvae of the 1^st and 2^nd instars galls are created in the 1^st half of May. Larvae of the 3^rd instar occur in galls from the 20^th May when galls are grown-up. Larvae abandon the galls in the 1^st decade of June through an oval hole 0.6 × 0.4 mm in diameter. Galls are on average 6 mm long, 5.4 mm wide and 5.1 mm high. If they are localized within a short distance of each other then often create formations up to 17 × 11 × 9 mm in size. There are 1 to 6(10) chambers in galls and in each of them, only one larva develops. The paper deals in detail with the differentiation of galls including chambers as well as natural enemies of the gall midge. Torymus quercinus Boh., T. cultrans Graham & Gijswijt (Torymidae) and Tetrastichus sp. (Eulophidae) rank among natural enemies of larvae in galls.

In comparison with other European trees species Taxus spp. is not often prone to phytopathological problems. The fungus Cryptocline taxicola (All.) Petr was found on needles of cultivars of Yet (T. baccata L., T. cuspidata S. & Z., Taxus × media Rehd.) in Brno in the summer and the autumn of 2007. The article attemps to describe the disease symptoms and morphological features. Infected needles and whole shoots turn brown. Fruiting bodies were observed on upper and lower surfaces necrotic and chlorotic needles. Acervuli of the fungus were black, subepidermal, ∅ 160-370 × 90-145 μm, surrounded by brown circles epidermis, and the epidermis ruptures as they brake through. Conidia were smooth-walled and hyaline, without septa, ellipsoid to oval, 10-18 × 4,5-8,4 μm. Conidiophores were hyaline, cylindrical, with phyalides, 12-18 × 2,8-3,4 μm. The fungus forms dark colonies wish greyish aerial mycelium on potato-dextrose agar (PDA).

In 2006 and 2007 samples of harvested grain were used to verify the possibility of distinguishing 12 winter wheat genotypes and of detecting impurities on the basis of polymorphism of prolamin kernel proteins. Uniform electrophoretic patterns were detected in genotypes of Athlet, Buteo, Dromos, Ebi, Etela, Florett, Livia, Simila wheat in 2006 and 2007. On the basis of the identity index two sister prolamin lines with different share, depending on the year of harvest, were discovered in 3 wheat genotypes (Astella, Brea and Hana). The proportion of sister gliadin lines in the Astella and Brea genotypes was the same in both years. There was only minor difference (± 2.5%) in the share of the sister lines in the Hana variety between the respective years, and could be influenced by environmental factors. A foreign genotype was detected in the Mona variety. The identity index of the impurity to the Mona variety (ii = 0.30) was considerably low. In the impurity the gliadin block Gld 1B3 was not detected, which is the genetic marker of rye translocation T1BL.1RS (the Sr31 gene of resistance to black rust, higher cold resistance and the marker of poor baking quality - presence of secalin genes). The results proved the potential practical application of the electrophoretic detection of polymorphism of prolamin proteins as markers of impurities of foreign genotypes in a seed sample.

Syrian agricultural policy should be characterized by a high level of government intervention, including fixed prices, government monopoly in strategic crop marketing, government distribution of industrial fertilizers, significant barriers on food and agricultural commodities import and so on. Although there were certain changes and liberalization in this area during several last years, the Syrian agriculture remains as the most regulated sector of national economy in Near east and northern Africa.
On the other hand, we may state the fact that Syrian governmental agriculture policy was successful considering so called strategic crops most of all in achieving self-sufficiency in wheat production, also an essential increase of cotton production volume which represents most important export crop of this near east country, took a part. Besides this progress there was restriction of disparity development in countryside and municipal household's incomes, which is partial reason for slowing down of Syrian countryside poverty. These positive outcomes were reached at the expense of increasing governmental expenses and worsening of resources efficiency usage both in agriculture production and energy sectors. Considering forecasted spend of oil sources, the Syrian government will be necessarily forced to search for alternative resources of economic growth and government budget incomes in near future.
The last five year country plan presumes consequental delimitation of grants and implication of value added tax. There is to be a quite large liberalisation in agriculture sector, which should lead to consequential down of wheat production, sugar beet and cotton and increase of barley, lentil and chickpea production.

Image segmentation is fundamental prerequisite for new satellite images interpretation methods. GIS GRASS provides segmentation tools enabling global image segmentation only. We designed procedure enabling local segmentation using existing GRASS tools and segmentation algorithm based on region growing that we developed with C++. This algorithm applies mathematical morphology operators to output segments, too. Principial aim of the project is creation of useful input for differentiation of base land cover classes in panchromatic high-resolution satellite image (or historical aerial photographs for example).

This work is aimed to determine the effect of thinning of young spruce stands in Moravian-Silesian Beskids Mts. on concentrations and relative stand heterogeneity of C_ox, N_t and C/N in soil. Concentrations of C_ox and N_t were significantly higher in individual horizons of forest humus floor. The thinning did not influence significantly (P > 0.05) concentrations of C_ox, N_t and C/N ratio in particular soil horizons, with the exception of C/N ration in E horizon. Relative stand heterogeneity of the studied soil properties was mostly higher in soil of dense forest stand. The values of relative stand heterogeneity for individual horizons ranged from 3.1 to 61.9 % in case of C_ox, from 4.9 to 55.2 % for N_t and from 5.3 to 42.5 % for C/N ratio. Results of this work are useful to predict stand heterogeneity of soil biochemical properties which are known to correlate with especially C_ox in soil on studied plots, especially soil respiration and enzymatic activities.

Carabid beetle samples were obtained from pitfall traps at an abandoned quarry of a limestone massif Hády near Brno. The samples were collected each month between April and September in years 2007-2008. A total of 61 species were registered and represented by 2619 individuals. Similarity of individual areas was evaluated by using the Cluster analysis - the most significant similarity was found in reclaimed sites (99.87%) and control sites (90.52%). The difference in similarity between two observed years came out distinctively (F = 2.906; P = 0.0010). Three species (Cylindera germanica, Licinus cassideus and Aptinus bombarda) from the Red List of Invertebrate Animals of the Czech Republic and one species (Cylindera germanica) affected by the Order 395/1992 Sb. as amended by Decree 175/2006 Sb. were detected among the observed species. The reclaimed land and surrounding field areas left to natural succession were dominated by species of open habitats.

This article is focused on the land use development in the cadastral area Žabčice since the mid of the 20th century. Žabčice lies in South Moravia at a distance of less than 25 km south from Brno and its land area is 817 ha. This selected cadastre is part of University Agricultural Enterprise (UAE) Žabčice area and has been chosen because of the relevance for the MUAF in Brno. Dominant activity in this cadastral area is agriculture. The land use was evaluated from 1950's to the present time.
According to availability of suitable map underlays three basic time profiles (1953, 1990 and 2007) were chosen. For evaluation of land use development following materials were used: archival aerial photographs, ortophotos, basic and cadastral maps, archival documents. Field survey of selected area was also necessary. Thirteen land use categories have been identified as an outcome of interpretation of maps. These categories were compared by methods of comparative measurement of areas. The area of particular land use categories in landscape with regard to land area of whole model area in hectares and further their percentage representation were found out. Data processing and all analyses were done in GIS environment (software ArcGIS 9.1).
In 2007 (compared with 1953) forest area had increased by about 1 %, orchards by 2 %, vineyards by 12 % and the increase of built-up and other areas by 8 % was also evident. The area of following categories decreased: arable land by 21 %, TTP by 2 %, garden by 1 %. The most significant trend in the cadastral Žabčice is decrease of arable land area recorded during the whole period. Other trends are following: the increase of vineyard areas, smaller increase of the orchard area and increase of built-up and other areas. In the context of political and socio-economic factors, non-forest vegetation was negatively marked. These changes correspond with changes in Czech Republic in the same time interval.

We present a SWOT analysis of the competitiveness of fruit and vegetables sector carried out by multidimensional scaling. Those present in view of the original methodology and given the obtained results. Identification of criteria for distinguishing objects in a multidimensional scaling was carried out by questionnaire investigation for representative firms. Perception of indicators in groups of "strengths" and "weaknesses" refers to a holistic concept in the minds of respondents - respondents do not separate from context of each particular technology and direct components of production and trading process. This perception determines the need for holistic management concept for the development of positive industry perceived position in terms of competitiveness. Groups of "strengths" and "opportunities" are perceived relatively separately and compactly. Indicators groups "weaknesses" and "threats" are diffuse. It is considered to a greater degree of disorder in the perception of indicators, which are representatives of the negative aspects in the SWOT analysis.

Changes in amino acid spectrum of colostrum within the period of 2 to 72 hours post partum were studied in dairy cows of the Czech Red Pied cattle with a genetic admixture of Black Pied Lowland breed (n = 10). Five of them were on the 1st lactation and 5 on the 2nd and/or higher lactations. Within the study period, the contents of non-essential amino acids (NEAA) and essential amino acids (EAA) decreased by 22.8-63.2% and 27.3-65.2%, resp., in dairy cows on the 1st lactation while in those on the 2nd and following lactations the corresponding values were 22.0-63.7% and 24.9-71.7%, respectively. The dependence of the course of changes in the AA spectrum of cow's colostrum on the time interval elapsing after the parturition could be characterised by a regression equation y = b₀ + b₁/x + b₂/x².

The concept of harvester technology is understood as a fully mechanized harvesting technology for the purpose of timber logging, which means timber handling, extraction and forwarding or skidding. This complete harvesting technology consists of two different assignments of accommodated, specialized logging machines - harvester and forwarder.
This timber harvesting technology currently represents a state-of-the-art technology in logging and transport of timber in forestry. This is because the efficiency of the "harvester and forwarder" combination is several times higher than that of the commonly used technology of "power saw and tractor" (Lukáč, T., 2005). Other important elements that prevail with harvester technologies are a not negligible and high degree of labour hygiene as well as a significant decrease of environmental load influencing the environment.
This paper analyzes prices of works related to timber harvesting and skidding in the selected forest stands of concerned workplaces.

The contribution concentrates on a special form of food sale. It solves several attributes of connection of food sale and electronic commerce. Firstly it describes experiences got by foreign companies like Tesco or Ahold - leaders of food commerce. Strategies and achievements in the field of electronic commerce of theirs were introduced.
Following part of the work is devoted to leading Czech e-shops. Vltava e-shop and e-shops of its group (Cybex.cz and others) were assessed. Several market researches were introduced (about number of internet accesses in the Czech Republic, about time dedicated to PC and internet, knowing e-commerce or its use in practice). In the last part of the first section are mentioned foreign e-shop targeting Czech e-commerce market.
In the third part are advantages of e-shopping summarized. Time saving, opening time, goods comparisons are briefly mentioned.
The application part was aimed to Jednota's future e-shop. That means that existing retail chain was chosen. So the foundation of e-shop is rather easier. Than the assortment of Czech e-shops was described, especially in connection with customers' preferences. Customers' shopping behavior was examined. So possible ways out could be founded.
Following part takes care of implementation of food e-shop. Supply, logistic solution, payment solution, strategy of gaining and maintenance customers, contracting, information technologies, solutions and investment return were mentioned or solved.
Results of the contribution are summarized in the conclusion. Relationship between theory of e-commerce and its application was highlighted as a necessary condition of its functioning in real world.

This paper presents an approach for developing the presentation layer of software applications. The approach is based on the concept of the Model Driven Architecture (MDA) and uses a UML - based model of graphical user interfaces, which is created according to rules defined in a meta - model. The meta - model is not oriented to a particular platform, thus all designed models can be created independently of the programming language and widget library. This platform independent UML based model can be transformed into source - code for an arbitrary programming language and can be used in a software development process.
The meta - model of our approach is an extension of the common UML and provides support for modeling the presentation layer. The meta - model thus fills a gap that exists in modeling three - layered software applications, beside the application and the data layer. By providing this possibility for modeling the presentation layer, we can crucially impact current approaches to the development of three layered software applications. All model artifacts contain essential information about the graphical user interface and can be used for a code generation. Since the UML is widely used by analysts, they can produce models which de-facto represent source code and thus they reduce the workload for programmers, who create source code by some traditional approaches. Our model - based approach also strictly separates the appearance and the structure of graphical user - interfaces and both of them are developed separately, which brings higher modularity of software.
In this paper, we demonstrate our development approach by focusing on the structure of graphical user interfaces. Our approach is influenced by the concept of Model Driven Architecture and we deal with all related issues, such as meta - model, user models, model transformations and source - code generation. For evaluating our approach, we designed and developed a software framework, we integrated it into a generic modeling tool, and used approach principles during the development of a module of an information system.

Provisions allow firms to defer the funds in times when they reach positive results, for the periods, in which they assume higher costs or for less economically successful periods. Similarly to allowances they are accounting items, which do not overestimate assets and revenues, and vice versa underestimate the costs and liabilities. It requires taking of all risks of loss that are known at the time of compiling of the financial statements into accounting. Reserves represent accruals in a broader sense, as they assign to the revenues generated today associated costs in order to record these revenues again in the future with the aim to eliminate the costs actually incurred. This is the way how enterprises can preclude the risks of financial distress that could arise from lack of resources needed to cover future expenses and they help to strengthen the material substance, since the creation of reserves reduces the possible distribution of the apparent profits to owners. Procedures for the creation and using of reserves are governed by Czech accounting legislation, which allows enterprises a broader application in the form of a general requirement of establishing reserves for risk and loss, while banks cannot create reserves for general banking risks and other unforeseeable risks. Differences are also among Czech and international rules on creation of reserves. In addition, there are different procedures in terms of fiscal (tax) reserves. The aim of this contribution is therefore to analyze methods of the creation and using of reserves from accounting and tax perspective, especially in terms of their eligibility and entitlement and to propose modifications to enable the unification of the theoretical approaches.

The experiment was performed in the years 1998-2000 on two farms located near to Vistula Lowlands. The experimental materials were comprised of 52 daughters of bull Paran, among which 21 possessed the mLys-mic 7 allele and 31 - the mLys-mic 3 allele. The serum and whey bacteriolytic activity of the lysozyme, concentrations of selected mineral elements, technological properties of milk at successive the first lactation stages (30, 100, 150 and 200 days), somatic cell count and bacterial count were investigated in this study. The results obtained indicate that Lys-mic polymorphism has low suitability as a marker for milk production capacity in cows. The lysozyme gene, treated as a mastitis resistance factor, showed no effects on somatic cell count and bacterial count. Further investigations, conducted not only during the first lactation, but also during the next lactation in a herd threatened by a variety of pathogenic factors, would be carried to validate this Lys-mic gene polymorphism on mastitis resistance.

The objective of the present study was a detailed analysis of the body conformation of the Old Kladruby horse in the Stud Farm Kladruby. We applied 26 body dimensions, 9 angles of extremity joints and 12 hippo-metrical indices of 167 breeding horses to analyse the population according to the colouration (grey, black), lines (9 lines), sex (stallions and mares) and age categories (4 classes). The resulting measures were analysed statistically by means of a linear model with fixed effects (GLM). Most of the statistical highly significant differences were differences detected between stallions and mares and between the Old Kladruby grey and black horses. The stallions have a significantly longer profile of the head (by more than 1 cm) and width of the cheeks. The mares have a highly significantly larger chest (longer by 2.9 cm, more deeply by 3.3 cm), width of coxae and angles of the shoulder and knee joints. The black horses have highly significantly longer profile of the head (by more than 2.5 cm) and width of cheeks, longer the blade-bone and significantly longer the pelvis (by 2.3 cm). The grey horses have highly significantly shorter arm and forearm, longer metacarpus, pastern and shinbone. The differences between age categories are highly significant by heights of body, girth and by hippo-metrical indices. The differences among the lines of the same colouration are minimal. Only white line Rudolfo is significantly small sized and the least compact.

Windbreaks have been used for many years to reduce wind speed as a wind-erosion control measure. To assessment of windbreak efficiency two main parameters are using: height of windbreak (H) and aerodynamic porosity. In South Moravian Region the total area of windbreaks is approximately 1200 ha. For purposes of horizontal profile measurement of wind speed and wind direction windbreaks with various spices composition, age and construction in cadastral territory Suchá Loz and Micmanice were chosen. Windbreak influence on horizontal wind profile was found out in distance of 50, 100, 150 and 200 m in front and behind windbreak in two-meter height above surface. For the optical porosity measurement the ImageTool program was used. The wind field measurement results of windbreak in Suchá Loz cadastral shows limited effect of windbreak on wind speed. The windbreak is created mainly by Canadian poplars (Populus × canadensis). In dependence on main species foliage stage the effect of windbreak was obvious on leeward side to distance of 100-150 m (c. 5-7 H). Average optical porosity of windbreak in Suchá Loz was 50% (April). Reduction of average wind speed was about 17% maximally in this stage. Optical porosity was 20% and wind speed reduction was about 37% during second measurement (October). The second monitored windbreak (Micmanice) had a significant influence on wind speed even to the maximal measured distance (200 m, c. 14 H). This windbreak created mainly by Acer sp. and Fraxinus excelsior reduced the wind speed about 64%. During first measurement (May) the optical porosity of 20% and maximal wind speed reduction of 64% were assessed. For optical porosity of 21% (October) the wind speed reduction was about 55%. Close relation between optical porosity and wind speed reduction was found out by statistical evaluation. Correlation coefficient regardless locality for distance of 50 m was -0.80, 100 m -0.92, 150 m -0.76 and for distance of 200 m -0.63.

Effects of small mammals were studied on the regeneration of trees in a forest reserve and on forest plantation in the area of the Kelečská pahorkatina Upland with a view to stands of European beech (Fagus sylvatica). Inspection of bark damage was carried out and artificial regeneration was markedly more susceptible to damage (p < 0.01). Of the total number of monitored beech trees 57.5% were damaged in artificial regeneration compared to 12.7% in natural regeneration and 15% died as against 0%. The only pest proved by trapping was Myodes glareolus although damage of tree bases could mean damage caused by species of the genus Microtus. With respect to the large crop of seeds (beech nuts) in 2006, it is possible to expect increase in the population of rodents in the next season and thus increased damage to trees. Results obtained show that it is very important to support natural regeneration and as for planting to minimize the herb layer cover in the vicinity of trees, which represents the optimum environment for the occurrence of rodents.

OPNML language is an open and portable format based on XML which is determined to the description of object-oriented Petri net. It is capable to express not only the structure of the analyzed system, but also its behavior and diagram. To display Petri net as a graph, there was created the template using XSLT language which defines the rules of transformation from OPNML language to SVG vector graphic format. SVG diagrams are then viewable with any web browser which supports SVG format, optionally relevant plug-in can be installed. The template also supports modular Petri nets as it is capable of creating several diagrams from one OPNML document. Individual diagrams can be interconnected via XLink links, so there is possible to move among them by mouse.

A two year-experiment was carried out to study an effect of root inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus on soil mineral concentrations and soil microbial activity in grapevine (Vitis vinifera) cv. "Cabernet Sauvignon" cultivated in Chile. Plants were inoculated with a commercial granular inoculant (Mycosym Tri-ton^®) and cultivated in 20 L plastic pots filled with an unsterilized sandy clay soil from the Vertisols class under climatic conditions of Curicó (34°58' S; 71°14' W; 228 m ASL), Chile.
Soil analyses were carried out at the beginning of the study and after two years (four samples of rhizospheric soil for each treatment) to assess the effects of mycorrhizal infection on soil mineral concentration and physical properties. Soil microbial activity was measured by quantifying the soil production of CO₂ in ten replications of 50 g of soil from each treatment. Root mycorrhizal infection was assessed through samples of fresh roots collected during 2005 and 2006. Fifty samples for each treatment were analyzed and the percentage of root length containing arbuscules and vesicles was assessed.
During both years (2005 and 2006) all treatments showed mycorrhizal infection, even the Control treatment where no AM was applied. Mycorrhizal colonization did not affect the soil concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Cu, Fe, B, organic matter, pH/KCl and ECe. Soil CO₂-C in vitro production markedly decreased during the period of the study. No significant differences where detected among treatments in most cases.

Aim of the study focused on evaluation of SUBSTOR - Potato model and its utilization in potato grows management in the Czech Republic. The experimental field used for the model evaluation was located in Žabčice - South Moravia region with altitudes of 179 meters above the sea level. Tuber yield served as reference for the model evaluation. Nine years experimental data set (1994-2002) was used for the model validation. Rosara cultivar represented very early growing potato, Karin cultivar depicted early growing potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in the experiment. Comparison between observed and simulated tuber yields presented the evaluation process of SUBSTOR - Potato model. Tuber yields simulated by the model showed excellent accuracy (R² = 0.97) for Rosara cultivar, but only for four of tested years (1997, 1998, 1999 and 2002). Karin cultivar matched lower value (R² = 0.43). The model tended to underestimate the tuber yield for non seasonable conditions (i.e. dry years - low amount of precipitation and its disordered distribution during the growing season or higher mean air temperature) and showed the sensitivity to selected cultivars. Study proved SUBSTOR - Potato model as suitable for utilization in potato management; however, potential differences might be expected while using the model under extreme weather conditions.

The aim of the work was to compare the course of agro-ecological indicators according to the internationally acknowledged parameters - the balance of vine bunches, the berry balance, the weight of vine bunches, the berry weight in 7 varieties of vine in three resistant white varieties Merzling, Malverina and Hibernal and in one blue variety - Medina, then in classical varieties Aurelius, Chardonnay and Muscat Moravian in two locations Perna (sub-region Mikulovice) and Sadek (sub-region Znojmo). The evaluation of the grape quality was carried out in accordance with common standards used in the Czech Republic. The following parameters were monitored The agro-ecological indicators were compared according to the internationally acknowledged parameters in the work - the balance of vine bunches, the berry balance, the weight of vine bunches, the berry weight for 7 varieties of vine in three resistant white varieties Merzling, Malverina and Hibernal and one blue - Medina, then in classical varieties Aurelius, Chardonnay and Muscat Moravian in two locations Perna (sub-region Mikulovice) and Sadek (sub-region Znojmo). As concerns the balance of vine bunches and berries, remarkable differences between these two areas have been proved. The weight of vine bunches has shown no statistically remarkable difference. The berry weight has shown no difference at all.

The Web Mapping Services (WMS) are very useful means for presentation of digital geospatial data in the Internet environment. Typical Open Source example of these services is development environment MapServer, which was originally developed by the University of Minnesota ForNet project in cooperation with NASA and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. MapServer is not a full-featured Geographical Information System (GIS), but provides the core functionality to support a wide variety of web applications. Complex and open information system about forest (and cultural) land is presented in real example of MapServer application with data from the Mendel University Training Forest. MapServer is used in effective representing of data for the University Forest staff, students and general public from October 2002. MapServer is usually applied in education process of GIS and Remote Sensing and for sharing of the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology Departments geospatial data.

In the April of 2007, pseudomyiasis was detected in alimentary tract of two years old boy from South Moravia (Czech Republic). Contamination was caused by larvae of family Calliphoridae (Diptera), accidentally consummated with half-rotten fruits from bio compost. It is the first recent documented case of pseudomyiasis, and is closely connected with bio waste and ecological waste disposal. Usage of organic waste composting is increasing all around the world, motivated by demand for maximum recycling. While workrooms of bigger compost facilities are usually separated from public, waste containers in front of the houses or small composts in the gardens serving one family are freely accessible to public. These bio composts and waste containers attract many species of insects, especially from order Diptera. so for inhabitants of neighbouring houses this can represent certain health risk. In the location of findings, Dipteras were caught and their species spectrum was evaluated considering their ability to cause myiases or pseudomyiases.

This paper deals with the accounting of the biological assets. There are described two approaches: Czech and international. The International Accounting Standards are emulative of more authentic presentment of economic processes in agricultural activities than Czech accounting legislation. From the comparison the both approaches accrued some differences, which can influent the financial statements of enterprises. The causation of main difference appears an application of fair value, which is prescribed for biological assets in international accounting standards. In international accounting standards is preferred principle of fair and true view, while in Czech accounting is preferred prudence principle.

The influence of shelterbelts on the erodibility of soil by wind was studied at three chosen shelterbelts of Southern Moravia, Czech Republic - near the shelterbelts in the cadastral areas of Dolní Dunajovice, Micmanice and Suchá Loz. Ambulatory measurements of wind velocity as so as soil sampling for soil humidity analyses, non-erodible and clay particles analyses were done during the year of 2006. Subsequently, real erodibility of soil by wind was determined at these three areas. Results of the measurements and calculations verify positive effect of shelterbelts consisted in wind velocity decreasing (at about 78% in average), soil humidity increasing (at about 102% in average) and soil resistance increasing (at about 70% in average) at the leeward side of the shelterbelts.

The invasion of the subtropical flesh-fly Liosarcophaga aegyptica (Salem, 1935) into South Moravia was observed during late summer 2003. This African insect was known to occur in the maritime habitats of the Black Sea and after World War II sporadically also in eastern Hungary, southern Slovakia and Lower Austria. Its population density increased in the Danube Basin and the first flies were also captured in South Moravia during late summer 2003. Elementary analyses revealed that this flesh-fly prefers habitats with high species diversity and important species similarity and that it might become sedentary in this territory. The flesh-fly Helicophagella verstraeteni (Lehrer, 1975) accompanying very dry and warm habitats of Romania, Hungary and France was discovered in a similar habitat of eastern Slovakia and is new to the fauna of Central Europe. Results of single linkage analyses in communities with Liosarcophaga aegyptica are presented together with the figures of the male genitalia of the two species of flesh-flies treated.

As mentioned earlier, it is not true that some bulbous species from the family Orchidaceae are able to survive only mycotrophically, i. e. without formation of stalk. Our observations, especially of Ophrys apifera, have demonstrated (in the Czech Republic) that the durability of adult plants is very short so that their numbers are fluctuating. The dying can be caused by several factors. Frost damages followed by rotting of underground parts (roots and bulbs) are relatively frequent. The leaf rosette, which is the most resistant, dies as the last, usually later in the spring of the following year. This means that the frost damage is often not identified during the cursory visually control in the spring. We observated very extensive damaging and dying of the Orchidaceae after the winter of 2002/03 - on the turn of November and December 2002, there was a rapid onset of very strong black frost after a long, wet and relatively mild autumn. Consequently 80% of population perished. None specimens of Ophrys apifera and/or Himantoglossum adriaticum came into blossom in 2003 and other species were strongly damaged. Our observations document that the general increase in air temperatures need not result in the occurrence of generally expected better growing conditions for some thermophilous species. It is very probable that the extremes climatic conditions could show greater effects than the general increase in average temperatures. Such phenomena are well-known but in practice they are not noticed and/or are explained in a different way. Such risks can exist in the whole Central European region. Negative effects of frosts in winter 2002/03 were further intensified by long and extreme droughts in the growing season of the year 2003. Combination of these extremes was crucial for the species Gentianella bohemica: In average, 95% of specimens in each population perished. If the fluctuations in climatic conditions will be more frequent, some species can become extinct irreversibly very quickly.

Yearly inputs and transformations of above - and underground plant residues of winter wheat and spring barley were followed in "intensive" (I, mineral fertilizers only) and "organic" (0, most of nutrients applied as animal manure) crop sequences. Total amount of postharvest residues was lower in I crop system compared with that in the organic (O) one. Plant residues produced in O crop system were decomposed more rapidly both under field and laboratory conditions, than those from I crop system. Differences between Corg at the beginning and at the end of ten-weeks laboratory incubation of soils enriched by plant residues indicated that soil microflora humified more intensively a) spring barley than winter wheat residues and b) underground plant residues than straw.