Trends in Air Temperature and Precipitation in Southeastern Czech Republic, 1961-2020

This study presents a summary of sixty years of air temperature and precipitation measurements at the Žabčice weather station, located in the southeastern Czech Republic and operated by Mendel University in Brno. An instrumental dataset spanning two climatological normal periods (1961-1990 and newly established 1991-2020) is analyzed for long term linear trends with monthly data presented in full span in Appendices. In the new climate normal period, the mean annual temperature increased from 9.3 oC to 10.3 oC with growing trend of 0.34 oC/10 years (p < 0.001). Every calendar month of year is warmer, with the highest and fastest increase in August (+2.0 oC, 0.64 oC/10 years, p < 0.001) and the lowest in October (+0.2 oC). Annual precipitation sum increased negligibly (+11.1 mm), however, the quarterly distribution significantly changes towards drier second quarter (-22.9 mm, p < 0.05) and wetter third quarter (+37.1 mm, p < 0.05). Number of tropical days (maximum daily air temperature > 30 oC) significantly increased (+4.44/10 years, p < 0.001), whereas number of frost days is negligibly decreasing (-0.88/10 years). Temperature derived Huglin index for vineyards increased by 369 oC to a seasonal sum 2062 oC (+84 oC/10 years, p < 0.001). This study provides evidence of the rate of changing climate at this southern Moravia lowland site.O

Evaluation of Walnut Tree Flowering and Frost Occurrence Probability During 1961-2012

Strength and direction of the potential effect of climate change on walnuts is regionally specific (Gauthier and Jacobs, 2011) as climate change will probably affect the spatial distribution of the walnut. This paper evaluated the long-term phenological series (1961-2012) of the beginning of flowering, end of flowering and duration of flowering in walnut tree (Juglans regia) at two phenological stations located in different geographical locations of the Czech Republic but in the same climatic conditions (warm region). Phenological stages were analyzed in relation to growing degree days and to spring frosts occurrence. Onset of the beginning and end of flowering occurred earlier at Velké Pavlovice station (-2.1 and -1.3 days), and conversely occurred later at Doksany station (+1.8 and +1.0). Period of flowering shortened at Doksany station (-0.8 day) and prolonged at Velké Pavlovice station (+1.2 day). The occurrence of days with minimum air temperature < 0 oC during walnut tree flowering was more frequent at Doksany station (in total, 29 days) with absolute minimum value -5.5 oC. At Velké Pavlovice station 5 days with minimum air temperature below 0 oC were found during examined period with absolute minimum value -3.8 oC. The negative trend in number of frost days occurrence during flowering period was found at both stations. Pearson correlation coefficient between phenophase onset (and flowering period) and sums of growing degree days was stronger at Velké Pavlovice station, and the highest value was between period of flowering and temperature sums (0.782). The results confirmed our hypothesis of changes in phenophase onsets and duration of flowering including spring frosts occurrence according to west-east gradient (maritime climate-continental climate).O

Validity and reliability of drought reporters in estimating soil water content and drought impacts in central Europe

Increasing drought is considered one of the major threats associated with climate change in central Europe. To provide an objective, quantitative tool that represents current drought conditions, the Czech Drought Monitor System (CzechDM) was established in 2012. Like other drought monitoring systems worldwide, the CzechDM uses several approaches to provide drought data. However, the CzechDM is unique internationally due to its utilization of a network of voluntary reporters (farmers) who complete a weekly online questionnaire to provide information about soil water content and the impacts of drought on crop yield. In this study, the results from the questionnaires from individual farms were aggregated by district. Reporters’ data were compared and validated with the outputs of the SoilClim model (a core tool of the CzechDM) and with other drought monitoring tools, such as the water balance model, the soil water index and the evaporative stress index. The soil water content estimated by the reporters was significantly correlated (on average r = 0.8) with the outputs of the SoilClim model. Conversely, the correlation between the drought impacts on yield estimated by the reporters and the SoilClim outputs was lower (on average r = 0.4), suggesting that in situ observations by farmers provide additional insights into the occurrence of drought impacts. Importantly, it was found that farmers reported significant drought impacts on yield earlier in the season than any other methods (models or remote sensing). The main findings of this study are that the drought monitoring provided by reporters is a useful and reliable component of the CzechDM. We conclude that weekly reports by farmers represent a significant enhancement to drought monitoring and have potential for use in developing automated approaches that combine in situ, modeling and remote sensing data within a data fusion or machine learning framework

Czech nobles at the court of John of Luxembourg

Hodnocení krále Jana Lucemburského v české historiografii bylo dlouhý čas silně ovlivněno postoji, které k tomuto králi zaujímal autor Zbraslavské kroniky a oficiální historikové doby Karla IV. 1 Na základě Janovy časté nepřítomnosti v českých zemích se zrodila přezdívka "král cizinec", spojená s řadou negativních konotací (nezájem o vládu v českých zemích, jejich nadměrné finanční zatěžování, zcizování královské domény, špatné vztahy k manželce Elišce a synu Karlovi)2 Zahraniční, zejména západoevropská literatura naproti tomu zdůrazňuje Janovu péči o rodové hrabství, velkorysou zahraniční politiku a neúnavnou diplomatickou aktivitu, která králi přinesla proslulost v celé tehdejší Evropě. 3 České nazírání Janovy vlády korigoval v tomto duchu Jiří Spěváček, který pro Jana našel přezdívku "král diplomat".4 Pokusem o vyvážené hodnocení Janova panování jsou příslušné pasáže Velkých dějin zemí Korony české z pera Lenky Bobkové.5 Problém hodnocení Janovy vlády však nelze vztahovat pouze k samotnému králi, nýbrž také k prostředí, v němž se pohyboval a které jej obklopovalo. Centrem, v němž se jednalo a rozhodovalo o řadě záležitostí, u kterých historiografie hledá královu intenci, byl panovnický dvůr. Tento značně proměnlivý a neurčitě vymezitelný kolektiv osob krále z větší či menší blízkosti ovlivňoval, ať už s..

A comprehensive approach to monitoring and mitigating the effects of drought in South Moravia

The main objective of the project were to operate drought monitoring in South-Moravian region and identify the specific drought threatened localities suitable for action package to improve their production and non production ecosystem services. Following partial goals were realized to achieve the main objectives: 1. Weekly operated drought monitoring system of South Moravia districts. 2. Create and publish drought forecasts for South Moravia region. 3. Monitor dry episodes in the South Moravia region and assess their impacts on the field production

Czech nobles at the court of John of Luxembourg

Hodnocení krále Jana Lucemburského v české historiografii bylo dlouhý čas silně ovlivněno postoji, které k tomuto králi zaujímal autor Zbraslavské kroniky a oficiální historikové doby Karla IV. 1 Na základě Janovy časté nepřítomnosti v českých zemích se zrodila přezdívka "král cizinec", spojená s řadou negativních konotací (nezájem o vládu v českých zemích, jejich nadměrné finanční zatěžování, zcizování královské domény, špatné vztahy k manželce Elišce a synu Karlovi)2 Zahraniční, zejména západoevropská literatura naproti tomu zdůrazňuje Janovu péči o rodové hrabství, velkorysou zahraniční politiku a neúnavnou diplomatickou aktivitu, která králi přinesla proslulost v celé tehdejší Evropě. 3 České nazírání Janovy vlády korigoval v tomto duchu Jiří Spěváček, který pro Jana našel přezdívku "král diplomat".4 Pokusem o vyvážené hodnocení Janova panování jsou příslušné pasáže Velkých dějin zemí Korony české z pera Lenky Bobkové.5 Problém hodnocení Janovy vlády však nelze vztahovat pouze k samotnému králi, nýbrž také k prostředí, v němž se pohyboval a které jej obklopovalo. Centrem, v němž se jednalo a rozhodovalo o řadě záležitostí, u kterých historiografie hledá královu intenci, byl panovnický dvůr. Tento značně proměnlivý a neurčitě vymezitelný kolektiv osob krále z větší či menší blízkosti ovlivňoval, ať už s...Institute of Czech HistoryÚstav českých dějinFilozofická fakultaFaculty of Art

Climatic factors and their influence on onset and duration of phenological phases of chosen plants at locations south Moravia during 1961–2007

In this work phenological phases of three species – ramson (Allium ursinum L.), hawthorn (Crataegus oxya­can­tha L.) and oak tree (Quercus robur L.) were evaluated on two research plots Lednice and Lanžhot during 1961–2007. Both plots represent protected flood-plain forests with no forestry management. The aim of this work is to assess which meteorological parameters influence the most duration of phenophases, to analyse shifts of phenophase timing during the period 1961 to 2007 and to compare phenological and temperature trends in this period. The meteorological and phenological data processed by software AnClim and FenoClim. Results showed that maximum and mean temperature influenced the duration of phenophases most significantly. The higher temperatures caused shortening of phe­no­pha­ses and vice versa. Per 1°C temperature increas the given phenophase its length will decrease by 2.3 days in case of oak tree, by 0.8 days in the case of hawthorn and by 1.3 days in the case of ramson. The onset of phenophases has advanced by 9 to 10 days during the period of 47 years

Trends in temperature and precipitation in the period of 1961–2010 in Žabčice locality

The paper evaluates fifty-year series of meteorological data measured at the experimental field station of Žabčice training farm belonging to Mendel University in Brno. The evaluated temperature and precipitation data from 1961 to 2010 were divided into the normal period of 1961–1990 and the subsequent period of twenty years from 1991 to 2010. In addition to the monthly data, different parts of the year were assessed and compared. The findings of this local study carried out in the warmest and also the driest locality in the Czech Republic imply a change in the development of climate. Ten of the twelve months show higher average temperatures in the last two decades and similarly, a change in the rainfall distribution during the year has been observed. The decline in rainfall can be seen in spring period while the increase is evident in summer time. The highest difference in monthly temperatures of the two evaluated time periods was recorded in July (1.4 °C) and in August (1.7 °C). In accordance with the scenarios of climate change, lower rainfall totals were recorded in spring months (April to June), which, along with the temperature increase, negatively affects the agroclimatic conditions of the plant growth and development at the time of the intensive biomass production