Jan Cukor

• Ph.D.
• Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

This paper aims to solve the problem of erosion sediment that negatively affects the quality of fallowed soil through the development of a new type of agricultural machinery. The transported erosion sediment will be quantified locally to evaluate the danger of these negative effects on the fallowed soil and on the functionality of the grass cover....

The increase in wild ungulate population density harms the dynamics of forest ecosystems. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the initialdegree of damage, as a key factor in the secondary spread of fungal pathogens, and other parameters as a result of bark stripping caused by reddeer (Cervus elaphus L.). The research focused on young Norway spr...

The increase in wild ungulate population density harms the dynamics of forest ecosystems. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the initialdegree of damage, as a key factor in the secondary spread of fungal pathogens, and other parameters as a result of bark stripping caused by reddeer (Cervus elaphus L.). The research focused on young Norway spr...

Hunting dogs are exposed to the risk of injury in driven hunts, an often-used method for managing growing wild boar numbers. This study investigated the impact of increased hunting pressure—both across the hunting season and within individual hunting events—on the risk of wild boar attacks on hunting dogs, i.e., the length of the hunting season (2....

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly virulent disease rapidly spreading through Europe with fatal consequences for wild boar and domestic pigs. Understanding pathogen transmission among individuals and populations is crucial for disease control. However, the carcass attractiveness for boars was surprisingly almost unstudied. Here, we evaluated if...

Wildlife damage to forests has become an increasingly serious problem in recent years, and its impact is exacerbated by ongoing climate change. Rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, uneven precipitation distribution, and other factors affect forest ecosystems, which, in turn, affect cloven-hoofed animal populations, their food preferences, and u...

The long-term decline of the black grouse population throughout Europe is influenced by many factors that affect populations differently depending on the distribution range, from Central Europe to the Scandinavian countries. Therefore, we analyzed available literature sources to describe the main reasons for the population decline of this species a...

In recent decades, there has been an increase in European wild ungulate populations, often associated with a decline in health and spread of disease. This is true for the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), the most common European cervid, with populations apparently affected by fibropapillomatosis, an increasingly common cancer. To date, however, ther...

Currently, African swine fever (ASF), a highly fatal disease has become pervasive, with outbreaks recorded across European countries, leading to preventative measures to restrict wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) movement, and, therefore, keep ASF from spreading. This study aims to detail how specific human activities—defined as “car”, “dog”, “chainsaw”, a...

Wild boars are an opportunistic wildlife species that has successfully colonized the human-modified landscape in Europe. However, the current population boom has negative consequences, which result in a rapid increase in human–wildlife conflicts and disease transmission, including African swine fever (ASF). The increasing frequency of conflicts req...

The European hare Lepus europaeus is an iconic but rapidly declining farmland specialist with recently confirmed populations in urban areas. However, their behavioral responses and adaptability to urbanization and life in human-dominated areas are fully unexplored. Here, using infrared cameras, we explored escape behavior (measured as the flight in...

Oak is one of the most economically important hardwood tree species in Europe, and its prevalence will increase due to progressing global climate change, according to predictive models. With the increasing demand for timber and with the need for a balance between carbon emissions and sequestration, it is essential to address the afforestation of ag...

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) represents one of the most important commercial coniferous tree species, providing valuable timber. Due to climate change, it is experiencing serious problems in some areas, therefore, finding a suitable substitute for its wood is currently a challenge. In this study, we compared the wood quality of three different...

On the one hand, the European beech ( Fagus sylvatic a L.) is the tree of the future due to ongoing climate changes, on the other hand, there are questions about its expansion and economic use as a replacement for the declining Norway spruce ( Picea abies [L.] Karst.). This literature review examines 140 studies summarizing basic research on beech...

The silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) is among the most valuable conifers in Europe for ecological and economic reasons. Throughout the course of history, primarily in the 20th century, its share in stands has been declining due to ill-suited management practices, especially clear-cut management, air pollution (SO 2 and NO X emissions), and wildlife-in...

The low survival rate of leverets may significantly contribute to steep population declines and slow recovery of European hares (Lepus europaeus). However, the leveret survival rate in farmlands with different landscape structures is poorly understood, and the existing evidence comes mainly from Western Europe. In this study, we explored the surviv...

The silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) is among the most valuable conifers in Europe for ecological and economic reasons. In the course of history, primarily in the 20th century, its share in stands has been declining due to ill-suited management practices, especially clear-cut management, air pollution, and wildlife-induced damage. Based on recent know...

European forests are facing ongoing climate change, and certain tree species are being critically impacted. The Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) is one of the most sensitive species to climate fluctuations, a fact manifesting itself through massive dieback resulting in a lack of high-quality timber and timber market destabilization. Therefor...

In the middle of the twentieth century, a downward trend in grouse numbers in Central Europe became evident. Along with the decrease in the number of birds, the fragmentation and subsequent shrinking of the range of forest fowls such as the capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), the black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) and the hazel grouse (Bonasa bonasia) bega...

Forest ecosystems in Sri Lanka are under pressure from intensive human activity and climate change. Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to autochthonous species and ecosystems. In Bundala National Park of Sri Lanka, there are efforts to control and limit the spreading of unwanted invasive Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. and Opuntia dillen...

Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.) is a thermophilic oak species that is gaining importance in the context of ongoing climate change because of its better resistance to climatic extremes and drier conditions. Therefore, this article focuses on Turkey oak’s role and growth properties in the coppice forests of Southern Europe (Italy, Bulgaria) compared t...

Key message The Picea abies dendromass production can be replaced by introduced spruce species where the Picea omorika showed the highest biomass production and resistance to climate change in central European conditions. Abstract Climate change has a major impact on the availability of sustainable wood production. From the perspective of dendroma...

The European hare (Lepus europaeus) is one of the farmland specialists inhabiting agroecosystems. It is particularly sensitive to negative changes in agricultural management and landscape homogenization. The quality of the environment affects not only the hare population dynamics but also the behaviour of individuals, which is reflected in the vari...

In the twenty-first century, it is crucial to see climate change not only as a risk that can cause large-scale forest disturbances but also as an opportunity for innovative approaches to forest management and silviculture of new resistant tree species, like the prospective black pine (Pinus nigra J. F. Arnold). This literature review compiles findi...

The black grouse is a species whose population development requires constant monitoring due to a rapidly declining trend, especially in Central Europe. Variability in the voices of geographically separated populations can aid in counting within individual populations. This has been investigated with the black grouse. However, the variability of the...

Current lowland agricultural landscapes are characterized by a low representation of biodiversity-rich semi-natural habitats. Even in structurally simple farmlands, the presence of in-field, non-farmed habitats may be beneficial for species persistence. Here, for the first time, we evaluated the importance of non-farmed habitats under high-voltage...

The objective of this article is to evaluate economic profits along with return on investment and also the impact of newly designed agri-environmental measures (AEM) on the presence of bioindicator species-European hare and roe deer-in comparison to conventionally cultivated agricultural land. The abundance of European hare was, on average, 4.5-6.7...

We are currently witnessing significant global changes in climate conditions. We cannot change the natural conditions, but with regard to sustainable landscape management, we can increase our knowledge of tree species and adapt forest management to them. Surprisingly, one of the most affected tree species in Central Europe today is Scots pine ( Pin...

Tick-borne diseases are a significant health problem worldwide and have become even more pervasive in Europe due to the increasing abundance of tick species, especially the common tick (Ixodes ricinus L.). Moreover, in recent years, there have been changes in tick geographical distribution, the occurrence of new tick species, and an expansion in ab...

The ongoing global climate change is challenging all sectors, forestry notwithstanding. On the one hand, forest ecosystems are exposed to and threatened by climate change, but on the other hand, forests can influence the course of climate change by regulating the water regime, air quality, carbon sequestration, and even reduce climate extremes. The...

The suitability of CT and 3D scanners for craniometric proposes was tested using digital calipers when determining linear measurements, and a measuring cylinder was used for the accuracy of 3D printing of deer antlers obtained by the CT and 3D scanners. The resolution of digitized objects from a 3D scanner ranged from 0.008 mm to 0.122 mm. For mand...

Data on wildlife abundance is an important indicator both for the species concerned and the stability of entire ecosystems as well as for sustainable game management. Therefore, the abundance of ungulate game was verified in a foothill region of Kazakhstan. The methods of thermal imagery and faecal pellet group (FPG) census on transects were compar...

Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Douglas ex Loudon) was distributed from its natural range in western North America to different destinations, primarily to Europe (Scandinavia, British Islands), South America (Chile, Argentina), and New Zealand. It is used for its superior timber production and resistance to environmental conditions. This literature...

Introduced tree species have become increasingly important in the context of the ongoing climate change. This paper focuses on the dendrochronology of the most widespread introduced tree species in the British Isles-Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis [Bong.] Carr.)-in comparable soil conditions in England, Czechia, and Slovakia. The research aims to ev...

The aim of the contribution was to obtain knowledge about the condition of beech stands according to different methods of management in the context of natural regeneration and damage caused by ungulates. The study of structure and natural regeneration of beech stands took place on 6 permanent research plots (PRP) of size 25 × 25 m in the Krušné hor...

Keymessage Populus nigra and Picea abies achieved the largest standing volume at 50 years of age in basalt mountainous sites in Central Europe, but they also present the highest risk in the case of rising temperature and drought extremes. The most climatically resistant tree species were Larix decidua and Alnus glutinosa, which had a lower producti...

The European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) is one of the most economically important European coniferous species. With the expected decline of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), the importance of this tree species may increase in the afforestation of new areas and subsequent CO2 fixation in the context of climate change mitigation if its wood p...

Bark stripping damage reduces timber quality due to fungal infection and structural defects. Weakened stems may break and induce the death of trees, which strongly affects forest stability. Some tree species, such as Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.), are highly susceptible to bark stripping, but Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) has been stud...

Black alder (Alnus glutinosa [L.] Gaertn.) is an important component of riparian and wetland ecosystems in Europe. However, data on the growth of this significant broadleaved tree species is very limited. Presently, black alder currently suffers from the pathogen Phytophthora and is particularly threatened by climate change. The objective of this s...

The increasing trend of afforestation is described in almost all European countries, however, the knowledge of the growth parameters of particular tree species on abandoned agricultural land is still incomplete. Therefore, the characteristics of young forest stands which are afforested with 5 native tree species (Norway spruce, Eu-ropean beech, Eng...

Implementation of various restrictions to eradicate viral diseases has globally affected human activity and subsequently nature. But how can the altered routines of human activity (restrictions, lockdowns) affect wildlife behaviour? This study compared the differences between human and wildlife occurrences in the study forest area with acreage of 5...

In the time of ongoing climate change and the increasing area of post-mining landscape, the successful afforestation of reclamation sites by suitable adaptive tree species is gaining in importance. One of possible ways may be the use of introduced tree species, which is, however, a controversial topic in relation to risks for forest management and...

The castor bean tick (Ixodex ricinus) is the most important vector of pathogens in the Czech Republic. Among the most serious diseases that this blood-feeding arthropods spreads are Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, rickettsiosis, tularemia and others. And more than 28% of ticks are carriers of some of the above-menti...

The objective of the paper was to obtain knowledge about the effect of stand edge on natural regeneration in beech stands with an emphasis on damage by ungulates. The study of natural regeneration was conducted on 8 permanent research areas (PRP) with a size of 3 × 30 m in the Krušné hory Mts. in the Czech Republic and Germany. European beech (Fagu...

Scree forests with large numbers of protected plants and wildlife are seriously threatened by climate change due to more frequent drought episodes, which cause challenges for very stony, shallow soils. The effect of environmental factors on the radial growth of five tree species—European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) K...

As a result of human population growth and human need for resources, the landscape has been increasingly transformed and devastated by mining activities. Subsequent reactivations are thus extremely important in the process of restoring the disturbed biosphere. The objective of this study was to determine differences between original forest sites an...

We evaluated the spatiotemporal patterns of predation risk on black grouse nests using artificial nests that were monitored by camera traps in mountain areas with a small extant (Ore Mts.) and already extinct (Jeseníky Mts.) black grouse population. The overall predation rate of artificial nests was 56% and we found significant differences in survi...

Bark stripping damage and the resultant stem rot to Norway spruce (Picea abies [L]. Karst), one of the most important tree species, poses a serious problem for forest management in Europe. Our research objective was to determine the effect of bark stripping, the subsequent rot decay and the impact of climatic factors in young (42–49 years) spruce s...

In Europe, warming, droughts and the rise of extreme climate events have an increasing significant negative effect on forest stands. Therefore, it is necessary to create appropriate adaptation strategies of silviculture to mitigate the impacts of global climate change on forest ecosystems in Central Europe. The objectives of this paper were to eval...

Afforested farmland is a phenomenon of Central Europe. In this study, we evaluate the radial growth of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] and European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) in forest stands established on abandoned agricultural land compared to forest stands on standard forest soils. As the quality of wood from such sites is often challe...

African swine fever (ASF) is a fatal, infectious disease affecting wild boars and domestic pigs, mostly resulting in their deaths. Previous studies showed that carcasses of infected wild boars pose a serious threat for ASF virus transmission and leaving of dead bodies in the environment enables persistence of the disease in the given affected area....

The supplementary video file showing an example of wild boar cannibalism which is in detail described in the article “Confirmed cannibalism in wild boar and its possible role in African swine fever transmission“.

For the monitoring of wild boar interactions with conspecific carcasses, seven wild boar carrions were placed in different sites in the Czech Republic. Data was collected by camera traps. In total, 732 visits were recorded of wild boars at the carcass sites. Direct contact with the carcass was detected in 81% of the records. Cannibalism was observe...

The aim of this study was to evaluate (1) effects of bark stripping and climatic factors on radial growth of Picea abies /L./ Karst., (2) production and structural differences between stands established on the forestland and abandoned farmland (afforested farmland–henceforth, farmland), and (3) interaction among the losses caused by ungulate damage...

The objective of this research was to determine the efficiency of different types of protective barriers and how they protect against fraying damage in extensive fruit tree orchards. Orchards in open agricultural land are the target of fraying damage caused by roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.). We assessed the effectiveness of four protective barri...

In agricultural landscape, there are thousands of young wild animals killed every year. Their deaths are caused mostly by agricultural fieldworks during spring harvest. Among the affected animals there are also fawns of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), which react to danger by pressing themselves against the ground in order to be protected from pred...

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of bark stripping caused by sika deer (Cervus nippon [Temminck]) on the production and structure of young Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) forest stands (41–43 years). Production parameters, structure, diversity, and the dynamics of radial growth in selected forest stands in relation to climatic c...

In the agricultural landscape, thousands of animals are killed yearly as a result of agricultural machinery innovation, mostly because of a higher harvesting speed and wider cutting bars. Harvesting machines besides predation by red fox ( Vulpes vulpes L.) on roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus L.) in the intensively managed cultural landscape are the m...

Windbreak is one of the key factors for making the agriculture systems successful through reduced wind erosion, improved microclimate, increased biodiversity, and production potentiality of timber and agricultural crops. Even though windbreak occupies only a small part of agricultural landscape, its advantages on the ecological and economical persp...

In Europe, brown hare (Lepus europaeus) populations have been declining steadily since the 1970s. Gamekeepers can help to support brown hare wild populations by releasing cage-reared hares into the wild. Survival rates of cage-reared hares has been investigated in previous studies, however, survival times in relation to seasonality, which likely pl...

Dataset used for statistical analyses of home ranges and mortality of studied hares. (CSV)

The studied Antonín dump was established after the surface coal mining in Sokolov region. After its reclamation, it was largely afforested by native tree species, but on some parts also introduced tree species were used. The objective of this study was to evaluate structure, production and diversity of coniferous forest stands at the age of 45 year...

Presented contribution documents production and health status of Norway spruce stands established in 1950s on former agricultural land in Orlické hory Protected Landscape Area. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of the damage of the stands caused red deer in the context of ongoing climate change. The results showed significant difference...

Semi-saplings of European beech were tested under the conditions of nutrientrich forest clear-cut site in Doupovské hory Mts. Region – their suitability for reforestation of clear-cuts and other free sites was compared to standard-sized seedlings. Growth and prosperity characteristics were evaluated – mortality, total height, height increment, and...

The effects of silver fir (Abies alba Miller) on the soil compared to Norway spruce (Picea abies (Linnaeus) H. Karsten) were evaluated. Altitude of the study site is 790 m a.s.l., mild slope of 10° facing SW, forest site is spruce-beech on acid soil. The forest floor and top soil horizons (L + F1, F2 + H, Ah) were sampled in 4 replications beneath...

Land reclamation of post-mining sites strongly influences not only diversity and biomass of frequently studied ground vegetation, but also diversity of forest ecosystem. In most cases, spoil heaps are afforested after coal mining, but some reclaimed sites are left to spontaneous development, such as our study locality – surroundings of the Sokolov...

We assessed the effect of brassinosteroid 2α, 3α, 17β-trihydroxy-5α -androstan-6-one on seed germination of Pinus sylvestris L. Brassinosteroids are phytohormones that play a key role in plant growth and affect a substantial part of their physiological processes. A total of 6,400 seeds were used in the experiment, divided into 8 groups based on a c...

Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) is a fast-growing tree species that produces economically attractive timber, provides ecological services and has high site adaptability, but it is only a minor component of European forests. This paper describes production, structure and diversity of sycamore-dominat-ed forest stands that originated by succe...

The paper presents an evaluation of the growth of newly established forest stands on former agricultural land and furthermore describes the state of the upper part of the soils in these stands in comparison with neighbouring grassland in the Orlické hory Mountains. The new Norway spruce stands show an extremely high growth potential, usually signif...

Afforestation of marginal agricultural lands is an important issue in the land use changes running in Europe at present. The aim of the presented study is the documentation of effects of site improving material Alginite three years after afforestation of agricultural land in the locality with unfavourable hydrophysical regime. The impact was evalua...

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a great component of the global carbon cycle and plays significant role in terms of climatic changes and agricultural land-use. An important management concern is the extent of SOC stocks sequestration when farmland is converted to forest stands. We have reviewed the literature about changes in SOC stock in relation to...

The paper deals with development of the natural regeneration of even-aged spruce-beech forests during their transformation to uneven-aged stands with diversified structure at the Jedlový důl area in the Protected Landscape Area Jizerské hory Mts., Czech Republic. Shelterwood management system and free felling policy based on selection principles ha...

Afforestation of the marginal agricultural lands located on unfavourable climatic and site conditions often results in a substantial failure. This problem may be mitigated through site improvement, e.g. fertilization by fossil materials such as Alginite. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Alginite on the height growth, mortal...

The European territory has undergone significant changes in the last decades in forming and use of landscape, especially from the agricultural perspective. These changes in combination with other factors have caused increase of large ungulate population. The red deer (Cervus elaphus) belongs to the species that has been growing in numbers. As for t...