Forest ecosystems are faced with a variety of threats, including increasingly prolonged droughts and other abiotic stresses such as extreme high temperatures, very strong wind, invasive insect outbreaks, and the rapid spread of pathogens. The aim of the study was to define crucial abiotic stressors affecting Central Europe forest ecosystems and, with regard to their possible simultaneous effect, develop a universal method of multi-hazard evaluation. The method was then applied to the particular area of interest represented by part of the Czech Republic with forest land cover (12–19 ° E, 48–51 ° N). Based on National Threat Analysis, the most significant threats of natural origin with a close relationship to forest stability were identified as drought, high temperature, and wind gusts. Using suitable indicators, a level of their risk based on occurrence and consequences was estimated. The resulting combined level of risk, divided into five categories, was then spatially expressed on a grid map. The novelty of our paper lies in: (i) all relevant climatic data were combined and evaluated simultaneously with respect to the different level of risk, (ii) the developed methodological road map enables an application of the method for various conditions, and (iii) multiple hazards were estimated for the case study area.

Environmental degradation, for example, by wind erosion, is a serious global problem. Despite the enormous research on this topic, complex methods considering all relevant factors remain unpublished. The main intent of our paper is to develop a methodological road map to identify key soil–climatic conditions that make soil vulnerable to wind and demonstrate the road map in a case study using a relevant data source. Potential wind erosion (PWE) results from soil erosivity and climate erosivity. Soil erosivity directly reflects the wind-erodible fraction and indirectly reflects the soil-crust factor, vegetation-cover factor and surface-roughness factor. The climatic erosivity directly reflects the drought in the surface layer, erosive wind occurrence and clay soil-specific winter regime, making these soils vulnerable to wind erosion. The novelty of our method lies in the following: (1) all relevant soil–climatic data of wind erosion are combined; (2) different soil types “sand” and “clay” are evaluated simultaneously with respect to the different mechanisms of wind erosion; and (3) a methodological road map enables its application for various conditions. Based on our method, it is possible to set threshold values that, when exceeded, trigger landscape adjustments, more detailed in situ measurements or indicate the need for specific management.

In recent years, rising temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns have a significant impact on agriculture. This paper presents analyses of selected climatic characteristics of the South Moravian region. The evaluation was based on the data from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. Climatic data for future periods were gained using the A1B emission scenario. With regard to the agricultural activity of this region, climatic characteristics (average air temperature, heat waves, average precipitation and periods without precipitation) were selected and compared in the following three periods 1961–1990, 2021–2050 and 2071–2100. The results showed an increase of the average air temperature, increase in the number of tropical days and days in heat waves. It was also found that as a result of rising air temperatures and different distribution of precipitation, the period of drought will significantly prolong in the future. Very unfavourable climate situation is expected in the particular period of 2071–2100 in this region. Increasing drought, predicted by climate models, presents major problem for the agriculture of South Moravia. It is necessary to adapt to these anticipated changes not only in the agricultural activities but also in the landscape management in general.

The paper presents the results of the study on participative mapping of landscape values and conflicts and a subsequent interpretation of the indicated localities from respondents’ point of view. The study focused on younger groups of landscape users—lower-secondary-school students (aged 11–15) and university students (aged 20–25)—in comparison with experts’ points of view. The research presumed that the perception of landscape values and issues are determined by age, level of education and by experience in the field. The study was conducted in the southeastern area of the Czech Republic (49° N, 16° E) via online data collection. Based on the obtained records, we conclude that, in terms of the typology of the valuable and problematic locations, the individual groups of respondents did not differ significantly and the selection of location types was similar across all groups. Lower-secondary-school students rather identified cultural values associated with everyday activities, and the descriptions contained emotional overtones. University students preferred natural values associated with formal values based on general consensus or conflicts associated with society-wide impacts. The experts base served as the benchmark for other groups.

The loss of fertile soil due to wind erosion has major impacts on the landscape and the environment. Its intensity and extent depend on many factors, where vegetation cover, soil moisture and wind intensity play key roles. Climatic conditions are constantly developing towards a higher extremity....

Research and development of new soil protection methods helps to maintain sustainable soil management and prevent the degradation of valuable agricultural resources. Wind erosion is a significant environmental issue that can severely degrade landscape, impact agricultural productivity and deteriorate air quality through increased dust emissions and atmospheric pollution. The main goal of this paper was to provide a methodological protocol for mapping and assessing wind erosion risk, taking into account protective effect of both existing and intended windbreaks. Based on the Potential Wind Erosion Risk (PWE) map, which takes into account soil and climatic conditions affecting wind erosion risk, a new map of potential wind erosion risk (RPWE) was created with the inclusion of the effect of windbreaks and their protected zones on the tolerated length of plots. Using this method, it is possible to assess wind erosion risk, model the design of new wind barriers and evaluate their effectiveness. The presented method has been developed into a web application that provides all outputs online. The assessment builds on long-term studies of wind erosion potential and methods for spatial representation of land susceptibility to wind erosion. Assessment of the current state of erosion risk with existing windbreaks as well as modelling the state when some are removed or newly planted, is fundamental when building a resilient and healthy environment. The newly developed method contributes to worldwide global land degradation prevention and offers new insights into the methodological approach for assessing wind erosion.