Spatial relationship between human population density, land use intensity and biodiversity in the Czech Republic

• Published in: Landscape ecology 2012-11, Vol.27 (9), p.1279-1290
• Main Authors: Vačkář, David, Chobot, Karel, Orlitová, Erika
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Biological diversity; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Conservation; Conservation biology; Culture; Demecology; Ecology; Environmental Management; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Human factors; Human impact; Human influences; Human population density; Human populations; Land management; Land use; Landscape; Landscape Ecology; Landscape/Regional and Urban Planning; Life Sciences; Mapping; Nature Conservation; Population density; Primary production; Research Article; Spatial distribution; Species diversity; Species richness; Sustainable Development
• ISSN: 0921-2973; 1572-9761
• DOI: 10.1007/s10980-012-9779-3

We test a hypothesis about the spatial coincidence of human population density and species richness, and analyze effects of land conversion and ecosystem use on species richness and landscape diversity in human dominated Central European country, the Czech Republic. We calculated fraction of aboveground net primary productivity appropriated by humans and compared it to the species richness of vertebrate, invertebrate and plant groups and to landscape diversity index in 560 mapping grid squares with grid size approximately 130 km 2 . Spatial correlations and regressions were established between human population density, appropriation of net primary production, land cover and biodiversity. We found positive spatial coincidence between human population density and species richness. Although the amount of net primary production was not related to species richness in general, we found significant negative spatial relationship between ecosystem use intensity and landscape diversity. As the area of the Czech Republic exhibits relatively high land use intensities, spatial patterns of human impacts have important implications for land management and biodiversity conservation in a cultural landscape.