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Suburbanization is the most typical process that defines the development of urbanized areas in Central and Eastern Europe. However, in Ukraine, except for the largest cities, suburbanization process seems to be underestimated. This paper is trying to estimate the actual extent of suburbanization in Ukraine, find out the relationship between the city size and the development of suburbanization, reveal regional peculiarities, and finally, evaluate successfulness of the common urban evolution theories in explanation of empirical evidence from one of the largest Eastern European countries. Analysis is based on the data on migration dynamics in urban cores, peri-urban areas and hinterlands of 65 cities with a population of over 40,000 located in 22 regions of Ukraine. It was found out that suburbanization processes in Ukraine are extremely widespread and define general course of current urban evolution. Migration growth of peri-urban area, comparing with main city and hinterland, is observed in more than half of studied cities (53%), including all cities with population over 100,000. Urban dynamics in Ukraine seems to be rather evolutionary than involutionary and therefore similar to other Eastern European countries. However, large-scale restructuring of the economy in post-Soviet period had a critical role for the development of individual and regional differences in urban development and caused several biases from "normal" urban evolution: some patterns and stages are rather debatable and may essentially differ from their classical Western prototypes. Verification of these conclusions can be done through further in-depth research of certain cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

An introduction is presented in which the author mentions the 50th anniversary of the journal.

Germany is a highly innovative country with large regional differences, both in economic performance and innovation potential. This paper focuses on the knowledge production and technological specialization at the state level in Germany and how it affects the exports of individual states. We measured the technological specialization based on average relatedness between patent classes. We demonstrated that technological specialization increased between 1988-1992 and 1998-2002 in most German states, whereas between 2008 and 2012 it slightly declined or remained stable in all states except Saarland and Bremen. Highly innovative states, such as Bayern, as well as the least innovative Sachsen-Anhalt, belong among the most specialized states. Therefore, there is no obvious trend indicating that large specialization is related to higher innovativeness or vice versa. In accordance with other studies, we found that having a higher number of patent applications increases exports. This is especially valid at the state level. However, within the seven examined industrial categories, the relationship is weaker. Apart from patenting, we also estimated other R&D indicators such as Gross Domestic Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD), R&D personnel and technological specialization. Whilst the higher relative numbers of R&D personnel increase the volume of exports relative to regional GDP, in the case of GERD, the results were inconclusive. Furthermore, a higher technological specialization measured by average relatedness between patent classes negatively affects exports. This finding is surprising, and other measures of specialization in different regions should be tested to support it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, geography has included in research the increasing role of religion in postmodern Western society and space. Religion is no more being understood as an objective truth, but as an individual experience of a person with a significant impact on the perception of space and place-making. This problematic undoubtedly requires a new theoretical and empirical perception in the new geographies of religion. This paper appeals for the geographical study of the relation between religion and (postsecular) space could be significantly enhanced using feminist approaches, which enable the inclusion of personal experiences and individuality in the geographies of religion. Using the feminist approaches, the changes in religious climate, ongoing currently in the West, including Czechia, could be better addressed in geography. Thus, the paper theoretically discusses the potential of feminist approaches and argues especially for the relevancy of four topics, personal experience of people, emotions, embodiment, and the everydayness, which can offer new insights into understandings of the relation between religion and space. Similarly, methodologies used by feminist scholars provide unique option for getting to know how religious people interact with sacred as well as secular space. Therefore, the paper aims to justify the contribution of feminist approaches and the empirical research considering the creation of sacred space and framing the everyday religious experience of people.

The Tokaj wine region has been declared as a historical landscape by the decree of the National Ministry of Human Capacities in 2012. The historical landscape is defined in the Act LXIV of 2001 on the Protection of Cultural Heritage as an area under the preservation of Historical Monuments. The Tokaj Wine Region is the only legally recognized historical landscape in Hungary. This protection aims to preserve the historical built and natural environment as well as the traditional land use methods. The historical landscape, in the case of Tokaj, is a legal tool to increase the heritage protection level of the wine region. Nevertheless, no further details have yet been communicated on the preservation method. In this matter, protection remains on the level of discourse which puts emphasis on the expected perspectives in territorial planning and development. It may create a narrative that might potentially transform the territory. The region of our case study has been inscribed as a cultural landscape on the UNESCO World Heritage List and was added to the World Heritage List in 2002. Besides, the national government recognized the region as a territory of priority development in 2014 and a territory of priority touristic development in 2017. The area in question is marked by the stark contrast between social inequality and the image of the prestigious wine sector. In this paper, after providing a discussion of the institutional background of the adoption of the historical landscape in Hungary, I describe the different protection tools from the perspective of heritage conservation in order to reflect on the conception of the historical landscape: how was the region recognized as a historical landscape, and what was the purpose of this recognition? The main aim of the paper is to analyse the institutional process that led to the integration of a new object of protection in Hungary, called historical landscape.

This paper explores the entanglement between photography and aerial military operations during the World Wars, showing how, in warfare, the camera became a technology of power serving a dual purpose: 1) It was a weapon used to map the territory as well as to detect and bomb specific targets, and 2) it constituted a powerful propagandistic medium employed to circulate persuading and aesthetically innovative aerial vistas among civilians. The technological and industrial sophistication that was adapted to the modern aerial battlefield required optical and photo-developments. These technical improvements challenged military activity while also reshaping civilians’ perception and conception of the landscape as well as determining new aesthetic canons. At the core of this article there is the notion of training of the eye – understood as the process, which involved both experts and the general public, of assimilating new photographic vistas from the sky. Using mostly the North American and German frames of reference, and interweaving military technology, visual culture, and landscape studies, this paper analyzes production and reception of “the view from above” mainly through mass-market illustrated magazines, such as the American Life and the German Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung. Developed within the military context, the peculiarity of aerial photography became embroiled with the idea of a cold, hunting, distanced and simultaneously penetrating gaze. However, recent scholarship understands the aerial view differently, due to the latest use of aerial photography for environmental science, and with the purpose of raising public awareness on the devastating ecological impact of industrialization and militarization. The contemporary progression from aerial photography to satellite imagery can in fact be interpreted along two directions: the God's-eye view of surveillance and/or the bird’s-eye view of environmental care.

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this paper is to critically review recent EU level debates on territorial impact assessment, which serves as a tool to improve the understanding of uneven territorial impacts of the EU sectoral policies. The paper also seeks to elicit (1) which European countries employ territorial impact assessment when designing various national policies and (2) how this tool is used in different governance environments. Particular attention is paid to the case of Czechia. The paper elaborates upon the state-of-the-art tools used on a national level and analyses the motivation of actors on regional and local levels to use such tools in their decision-making process.

This paper deals with the socio-spatial relations of changes in the concept of place. Since the 1970s, place has been one of the key terms of humanistic geography. Therefore, this paper reflects how the concept of place, its functions and meanings could be applied in the changing space-time and social contexts. The ‘exotic’ phenomenon of the American Bar which had penetrated into Europe in the first half of the 20th century can be regarded as a representative of place when it had emerged during Americanisation as a new cultural element. This article compares the interwar development of this phenomenon in two European capitals (Berlin, Prague) and analyses both differences and the common attributes of the process of forming place. Emphasis is placed not only on the localisation of the American Bar, but also on more complex historical and geographical analysis of its development and perception that were characteristic exclusively for the Central European region. Using the archive materials, the contemporary press, legislative measures and professional and memoir literature, the study confirms that the American Bar phenomenon had acquired different meanings within different contexts which had changed over time and which can be documented through the “spreading” of this phenomenon in space.

As an interdisciplinary discipline, historical geography uses a diverse aggregate of historical sources, from traditional written through tangible up to pictorial, i.e., iconographic. From the pictorial sources, we can separate an individual group of cartographic materials – old maps and plans, which are one of the most important sources of information in current historical geographic research. The paper briefly summarizes the development of historical geography and then addresses the presentation of the source materials in historical geography. It draws attention to classification of the sources concerning their form and purpose and then focusses on historiographic sources of comparative and individual character. In addition to traditional comparative cartographic works (the Müller map, the military surveys and the stable cadaster), the paper emphasizes the individual maps of smaller territorial units – maps of estates – as sources that originated until the mid-19th century and as still relatively insufficiently utilized material. Through their analysis and interpretation, it is possible to obtain relatively detailed knowledge on the historical landscape of the pre-industrial period, thus filling blank spots in the research on past landscapes. The paper documents the testimonial value of these maps with an example of two aristocratic estates, those of Jilemnice and Nové Hrady, and a comparison of several specific features (depiction of the settlement, land cover, and map legends).

In recent years, Ethiopia has experienced fast economic growth and has been a major recipient of development and humanitarian aid. However, these developments were unsuccessful in eliminating food insecurity problems, and Ethiopia continues to be a considerably famine-prone country. The aim of this paper is to examine the applicability of Howe’s framework of the six archetypal situations symptomatic to famines (watch, price spirals, aid magnet, media frenzy, overshoot, and peaks) to the 2015–2016 food crisis, which left an estimated 15 million Ethiopians in need of acute food assistance. This paper observes that the food crisis proved to have some of Howe’s archetypes including watch, price spirals, and, to a lesser extent, media frenzy and peaks. Even though the aid magnet and overshoot were not recorded, the dynamics of the 2015–2016 food crisis confirmed Howe’s argument that the current system of humanitarian assistance does not lead to timely and effective responses. In this paper, I also argue that the Ethiopian political context further exacerbates the food insecurity situation of the country.

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Geological hazards such as landslides pose potential threats to people and infrastructure, and, accordingly, are a high priority for scientific study. However, the very presence of that infrastructure in developed areas can potentially influence landslide behavior, complicating efforts to assess the natural triggering and displacement mechanics of landslide events. Protected areas -- such as natural reserves, conservation areas, and national parks -- are particularly valuable as laboratories for landslide studies because they typically exhibit only those natural factors important for understanding landslide behavior. In this paper we examine the importance of protected areas as natural landslide laboratories, consider the benefits of long-term landslide investigation, discuss how protected areas may be used to monitor different landslide types, and present some of the key investigational and operational characteristics of suitable natural landslide laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper aims to explore the influence of related variety on direct state-supported R&D cooperation across various geographical levels to understand regional performance differentiation and economic base restructuring in Czechia by employing Frenken et al.’s (2007) methodological approach to calculate a related and unrelated variety for all NACE and NACE C-Manufacturing. Findings indicate that the city of Prague has the highest unrelated and related variety, followed by the cities of Brno, Ostrava, and Pilsen. Calculation just for C-Manufacturing changes the ordering significantly. Furthermore, intra-regional and extra-regional pairwise R&D cooperation in joint projects is calculated. The cluster analysis of Czech microregional data (SO ORP) reveals patterns such as emerging collaborators and collaboration powerhouses. Linear regression analyses established a strong positive association between R&D collaboration intensity and related variety, while a negative link was observed with unrelated variety. Similar relationships were observed in the manufacturing sector (NACE-C).

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of the paper is to identify differences in hydraulic conditions in the areas closest to already-developed gravel bars situated in a small, mountain stream in the area of the Polish part of the Carpathian Mountains. Basic hydraulic parameters of flowing water, includ-ing velocity, shear stress, Froude number, Reynolds number and flow resistance coefficient were examined within the region of two differ-ent gravel bars in a mountain stream. At the same time, sediment samples were drawn from the riverbed in the area in which the hydraulic measurements were taken. After analysing the data, several conclusions were presented concerning sedimentation of gravel and hydraulic parameters within the cross section of a mountainous stream. The study was undertaken on Skawica-Jatowiecki Stream in the Polish part of the Carpathian Mountains called the Beskidy Mountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper will discuss the rural and touristic context in which current changes and tensions pose methodological challenges to anthro-pological research. The canton of Valais, in Switzerland, is a rural mountain region that has undergone deep transformations, particularly during the second half of the 20th century. The Alpine valleys have seen intense construction activity: traditional farming systems have decreased drastically whereas tourist facilities have significantly increased in number. The recent changes in agricultural policies have ampli-fied farmers' discontent and a new law on construction restrictions in mountain settings has brought to light a marked cleavage between the inhabitants of the Swiss Plateau and mountain dwellers. Economic and environmental interests create substantial tensions. Given these tensions, carrying out research in this setting became quite sensitive and politicised. I will present some results of exploratory research con-ducted in Valais in September 2012, as well as the challenges that have to be taken into account when organising long-term ethnographic research. It is proposed that one way to overcome personal and discipline-related obstacles is to carry out multidisciplinary research with social geographers, specialists of environmental sciences, agronomists and experts in regional planning and land use. Accordingly, interdis-ciplinary and the comparison of various rural contexts are crucial in order to achieve relevant results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper attempts to develop a new model by considering various indicators of different types of land degradation or desertification. These types include water erosion, soil salinity, vegetation degradation, and lowering of ground water table. The indicators can be used to find areas with higher rates of degradation which are called Potential Risk Areas (risky zones) in this paper, and can also be used to estimate the probability that degradation will increase in these areas. The Mond river basin, located in the southern part of Iran, has been selected as a test area to assess the risk and kind of desertification. For this purpose two sub basins of the Khormuj and Khane-Zenian & Siakh-Darengun have been chosen for detailed study as these two provide enough variation in climatic conditions like rainfall and topography. The different kinds of data gathered from records and published reports of the different governmental offices of Iran have been used for this purpose. The thresholds for the severity classes of indicators have been established and then the hazard map for each indicator of types of desertification has been prepared in a GIS. The risk maps of water erosion, soil salinization, lowering of water table, and vegetation degradation have been produced for both sub basins. Areas on the maps are assigned to risk classes on the basis of risk scores derived by considering the cumulative effects of all indicators overlying the area in the GIS. It was possible to distinguish the areas under ‘actual risk’ from areas under ‘potential risk’ of desertification types. Also areas under potential risk are classified to subclasses with different probability level to show a statistical picture of risk in future. The final map of risk of desertification is produced by overlaying all four maps of degradation types. Between the two basins the overall environmental condition in the Khormuj sub basin is worse. Results show that potential risk areas are much widespread than areas under actual risk in the upper reaches (of both sub basins) of Mond basin, indicating further threat of land degradation or desertification in the future. The percent of areas under actual risk are much more extensive in the lower reaches (Khormuj sub basin), indicating the higher degradation at present. It is hoped that this attempt using GIS will be found applicable for other regions of the world.

Military landscapes and battlefields are important part of cultural heritage and identity of society. As a part of common social memory, military landscape could be assessed as an associative landscape according UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Before nature and culture heritage could be treasured, it first had to be recognised. Therefore, the paper focuses on identification of historical and cultural values of military landscapes, especially battlefields. Different types of values are discussed and demonstrated on the model area of battlefield Austerlitz/Slavkov near Brno. The battle was held in 1805 and several cultural values are identified there. Identification of cultural historical values is based on detailed analysis of the old and present maps and land cover assessment, study and analysis of archival sources and grey literature and detailed terrain research. Generally, we distinguished several types of values: elements forming the setting of the battlefield; elements tied with the battle (i.e. features and objects that served for purposes of the battle during the fights and are preserved until today); elements created after the battle. Once the associative landscapes are allocated together with their associative patterns, certain values should be given to particular elements in order to secure their protection. Then each planning activity within the site should be given a level of effect on the associative element. This simple matrix implemented in local planning development plans and policies could be a source for rational decision within the associative landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development patterns of both historical and contemporary demographic transitions are essential in understanding the outcomes of age structure changes among the countries. Existing literature analyzing demographic transition as a precursor to population ageing does not classify countries or regions worldwide by the scale and dynamics of those processes. The aim of this paper is to identify and describe the differentiation of quantum and tempo effects of changes taking place during the demographic transition through classification of sub-regions and selected countries worldwide. The results of this research, based on the historical vital statistics starting from as far as 1736 and future projections until 2100, feature how sub-regions and selected countries in the world are differentiated in terms of the scale and dynamics of the demographic transition process. The analysis reveals the fact that majority of sub-regions in the world tend(ed) to undergo long transitions lasting over 70 years, though contemporary demographic transitions demonstrate higher intensity and higher maximal rates of natural increase. African sub-regions are expected to experience relatively long processes of declining birth and death rates and estimated to complete their demographic transition in 90 years on average. The fastest processes, however, are observed in South America and Eastern Asia where some countries like China, for instance, completed their transitions in just 50 years. The scale and dynamics of demographic transition processes can serve as the ground for further research of challenges and development opportunities resulting from ageing societies during consequent post-transitional stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More studies have understood landscape as a perceived entity since the European Landscape Convention was approved in 2004. This article adopts a systematic review approach in line with the PRISMA statement to delineate the utilization of eye tracking in studying landscapes. A comprehensive analysis of 55 studies sourced from the Web of Science and Scopus databases was conducted. Various aspects were scrutinized, encompassing landscape attributes, media employed for landscape representation, eye tracking data visualizations, and eye tracking metrics. The prevalence of eye tracking usage in landscape studies has notably increased since 1998, with research conducted across all continents. The most studied aspects of the landscape are saliency and specifics of particular types of landscape. Amongst the varied media used to represent landscape, photographs reign supreme, while heatmaps prominently feature as a means to visualize eye tracking data. The spectrum of metrics applied is extensive, showcasing distinct suitability for specific landscape attributes. Drawing from this review, recommendations for prospective research directions are outlined. The insights garnered from this review stand to serve as a valuable overview for researchers delving into the realm of reading landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the morphostructural evolution of the Labe and Jizera rivers confluence area in the Bohemian Massif of Czechia. The main stages of morphostructural evolution are identified and related landform patterns are described. The lithological and tectonic character of this contact area between the Barrandian and the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin has been gradually evolving since the Early Palaeozoic. Tectonic subsidence of the northeastern part of the Bohemian Massif and the Cretaceous transgression of the sea caused extensive marine sedimentation, which covered the pre-Cenomanian relief. The uplift of the Bohemian Massif during the Santonian initiated a widespread erosion and denudation in the Tertiary. The Labe River valley constitutes a remarkable boundary between the morphostructural plateaus in the south and the system of river accumulation terraces of the Labe and Jizera in the north. The originally extensive and currently considerably eroded III. river terrace of the Labe was formed in the Elsterian glacial period (Cromerian complex c). The conspicuous Jizera alluvial fan developed during the aggradation phase of the VII. river terrace in the Upper Pleistocene. Subsidence along the NW-SE-trending Labe Fault zone, deciphered from the vertical throw of the VII. terrace rock bases of Labe as well as related paleochannels of its local tributaries, which caused the current asymmetry of the Labe valley, reached up to 14 meters prior to the Holocene. The different rock resistance to weathering, arrangement of fault structures and neotectonic movements that took place even during the late Quaternary significantly influenced the intensity of varied climate-morphogenetic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the inhabitants of Mexico City. With over 9 million people living in 16 districts, infections and mortality rates varied greatly. In this article, demographic and socio-economic factors were analyzed to determine vulnerability and exposure to COVID-19 during the crisis from 27 February 2020 to 10 May 2021. The study revealed that mortality and infections were distributed differently across the districts of Mexico City. The districts with the most confirmed cases did not necessarily have the highest death rates. Many deaths were linked to age and comorbidities, such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Poverty, overcrowding, the lack of space, and basic services contributed to vulnerability and exposure to the disease. Inequalities in the city's development over time resulted in varying degrees of vulnerability and exposure to COVID-19, leading to different patterns of infections and deaths across the districts. The prevalence of infections in the city's southwestern districts can be attributed to the combination of marginalization, poverty, and inadequate services. Conversely, the northwest areas of the city, with a higher concentration of elderly residents, experienced a greater number of fatalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to analyze the capital drain among individual European Union (EU) member states and its cohesive and political consequences. Since the capital drain has not yet been calculated at the individual country level, the methodological part of this article delves into this calculation in more detail. Between 1999 and 2018, Ireland and Luxembourg had the highest capital drain due to their tax haven policies. Apart from these extremes, Czechia experienced the largest capital drain during this period. Inequalities among EU member states were gradually decreasing in terms of gross domestic product and gross national disposable income, suggesting that the EU's cohesion policy has partially been successful in reducing inequalities among EU countries. However, capital drain and its populist interpretations may become a significant political problem for the most negatively affected countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the typology of countryside architectonical forms in the region of South-Moravia in southeastern Czechia and on the expression of village identity through architecture in case study villages. Original folk architecture has been altered by new types of constructions built in rural areas since the 1950s, followed by a more recent wave of new architectural forms that have developed since the 1990s. The number of architectural types in case study villages was predominantly calculated using the panoramic sceneries on mapy.cz. The coefficients of countryside identity were allocated to architectural types based on basic folk house features. The value of countryside identity is higher in smaller villages except for suburbanized settlements of the regional capital of Brno. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, desertification and dune progression over vegetation was quantified using remote sensing data. However, vegetation buried under sand blowout could not be counted using this method. Therefore, to estimate the extent of buried vegetation, a GPR campaign was conducted over the coastal sand-dune of Tottori Prefecture (Japan) in combination with a high-resolution topographic UAV-based survey of the topography. The results show that buried vegetation exists underneath sand-blowout, especially near the dune ridges, and can extend from 20 to 30 meters further than the estimate based on airborne remote sensing. Furthermore, the presence of palaeo-vegetation in palaeodune layers also provides the information on the long-term evolution of sand dunes, which can be used to reconstruct Quaternary coastal environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deforestation in the tropics continues inexorably with severe implications for biodiversity conservation, climate regulation and ecosystem services. This study investigated variation in forest cover in Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam, using the Landsat Thematic Mapper and Operational Land Imager satellite images over the period 1989-2021. Imageries were classified using the maximum likelihood classification technique for the years 1989, 2006, and 2021 and were evaluated for accuracy using the kappa coefficient for each year. Furthermore, forest cover losses and gains were evaluated using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index, which were compared with the output of the supervised classification. Results showed that the forest cover of Thua Thien Hue province has drastically declined over the years. The forest cover, which was estimated at 68.88% (3461.46 km²) of the total land area in 1989, increased to 69.04% (3469.51 km²) in 2006 and subsequently decreased to 57.55% (2891.81 km²) in 2021. Severely reduced forest cover is often associated with the expansion of agriculture on the forest edge; other contributing factors include logging, illegal production land, and forest fires. Overall, our results show the necessity of forest management, rational land-use planning policy, and increased community awareness of conservation and sustainable development of forest resources in the study area in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tehran is one of the most polluted cities in the world with 48 days of air pollution exceeding the admissible threshold (AQI > 150) for 3 months of the 15 years studied. This period coincides with the time when Tehran's inversion reaches its maximum stability. The purpose of this study was to determine the height of air pollution in Tehran in the days when pollution exceeds the permissible limit. Continuing to study the pressure and temperature conditions of these days, we then considered the geographical and topographic conditions, and finally identified the best of these cells for potential theoretical air turbulence. The results of this study, based on the Harmonic Analysis method and based on Tehran temperature and pressure data over a 15-year period (2003-2017), show that the highest elevation of Tehran inversion does not exceed 1800 m on polluted days. Only within 6 days of those beyond the admissible threshold, temperature and pressure cells with the highest Newtonian mass are formed. The center of these cells formed with a compressive difference of 32 mg in November, 7 mg in January, 11 mg in December, and temperature difference of 1.1° in November, 4.4° in January, and 1.9° in December. Generally, we considered the formed cells by the temperature and pressure difference and the gradient between them, as well as the difference in height between the cells and their location. This information, combined with the local winds causing the differences in temperature and pressure, allows us to elucidate conditions for creating air turbulence in Tehran and mitigating the amount and degree of air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local place names in the landscape represent an important part of the spiritual component of the landscape memory and form an essential part of the intangible traditional folk culture on the local scale. This paper presents the research results regarding the level of knowledge of the landscape place names in the Haná region (Czech Republic) in children belonging to the age group of primary school pupils. It was revealed by the method of questionnaire survey that the majority of pupils in rural schools in Haná do not currently know the specific local names in the landscape. In the investigated sample of respondents, we found a statistically significant correlation between the knowledge of local names and active use of the Haná dialect. At present, a large share in maintaining the knowledge of landscape local names can be attributed to local and regional social activities aimed at conservation of the traditions of folk culture and at maintaining the relationship of the young generation to the landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For quite some time, the population dynamics in Kazakhstan have largely depended on migration processes. At the end of the 19th century, the territory of the country became the main migration space for a large part of Eurasia which was under the governance of the Russian Empire, and later of the Soviet Union. The large scale resettlement of Russian and Ukrainian peasants following the integration of the Kazakh Khanate (name of the Kazakh state in the territory of present-day Kazakhstan and neighbouring countries in 1465-1847) into the Russian Empire, as well as different forms and types of voluntary and involuntary mass movements of populations during the Soviet period, completely changed the demographic picture of Kazakhstan. At the same time, the economic and political conditions established after the end of the Russian Civil War (1917-1920), along with new economic policies implemented in Soviet Central Asia in the 1920s and 1930s and their tragic consequences, resulted in massive outflows of population, namely Kazakhs. All these movements had a significant direct impact on population development within the territory, and on the size, ethno-demographic and other social characteristics of the population. The aim of the paper is to trace the changes in the total population and its ethno-demographic structure in Kazakhstan from the end of the 19th century to the very end of the 1980s, and to determine the role of migration in these changes. Systematization of migration policies is presented, and the effect of past migration processes in Kazakhstan is discussed. The presented research is based on census data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Although participatory research can be an improvement over conventional research, there is a lack of self-critique and self-reflection by scholars. The aim of this paper was to develop a method of participatory research in human geography based on a case study of the local community. We evaluated the positive and negative aspects of carrying out participatory research in community development from the local community and academic points of view. The participatory method was used in a rural local community in Slovenia, where cultural values were identified as an alternative developmental source. The method was presented in detail in three steps: 1) knowledge acquisition, 2) knowledge synthesis, 3) knowledge implementation and evaluation. The results yielded important social impacts, some economic and cultural impacts, and no significant ecological impacts. The paper discusses the impacts of conducting such research on the local community. It recognizes that, if the community is actively engaged in research, outcomes are likely to be matched to its needs and expectations. We discussed scholars’ bias towards economic aspects of community development and the fact that ignoring local knowledge may result in the failure of developmental initiatives. There is a need for more accurate and unbiased critical assessment of long-term impacts of carrying outparticipatory research. We believe we avoided two common traps of participatory research: regarding the positivist critique, this method offers sufficient scientific vigour and could be reproduced in similar communities; regarding the post-structural critique, personally committing stakeholders towards implementation and legitimising all social groups to overcome intrinsic power relations within the community. We concluded that participatory methods are important for obtaining local knowledge that complements traditional academic research.

The paper evaluates measures taken to restore mountain Peat Bogs and their effect on hydrological regime, with the main focus on groundwater levels. The level of groundwater is a key factor in maintaining the character of mountain Peat Bogs and the main objective of restoration is to increase and stabilize the groundwater level in disturbed Peat Bogs. At the same time, the paper provides a complex overview of the topic, which is being often discussed nowadays, mostly due to a big retention potential of mountain Peat Bogs. The paper is based on detailed measurements of groundwater levels in a selected experimental drainage ditch in the catchment of the Rokytka stream. Basic statistical characteristics, the equation of Penman-Montheit or antecedent precipitation index were used to show the dependence of groundwater level on precipitation or evapotranspiration. The results show a positive influence of the restoration measures on Peat Bogs. In this case it has been confirmed that restoration measures cause increase of groundwater level and decrease its fluctuation in the Peat Bog.

The contemporary regional geography paradigm is characterized by emphasizing the socially constructed nature of regions. However, the discussion on the conceptualization of region is very rich, it does not reach universal conclusion. Such a universal conceptualization is probably neither possible nor desirable. This paper aims to contribute to the ongoing discussion. It examines the various approaches towards region with special focus on the conceptualization of the institutionalization of the region based on the heuristic literature review and it attempts to propose more complex (but not ultimate) theoretical onceptualization of region that should enable to bridge the duality of region; addressed as an “animate”, constantly changing, phenomenon which also makes it a resource for regional actors to meet thein particular goals, one that people may perceive and feel attached to while further mediating their images thereof. The paper builds upon the Lefebvre’s theory of the societal production of space and the Paasi’s theory of the institutionalization of region and presents the idea of the societal production of region. It argues that any complex approach to region must incorporate three levels of region: “given” (practice of region), “made” (representation of region) and “perceived” (idea of region). Better understanding of the concept of region is still more necessary and relevant especially due to the increasing pressure on the applicability of regional research. Thus, the paper suggests the closer insight into the interrelation of three mentioned levels of region is crucial from the view of the contemporary state of art. This text is also published in Czech as the official on-line supplement of the article. The Czech version can be downloaded here: http://www.aucgeographica.cz/index.php/AUC_Geographica/article/view/159.

The article focuses on geoparks as areas with a specific form of local heritage protection. It contributes to a research into two interconnected fields: firstly, the research into local people’s participation in local development; secondly, the research into tourism sustainability. Discussion of foreign publications reveals that in the context of Czechia geoparks are misunderstood concept. This argument is supported by a case study from one part of the National Geopark Železné hory. The field research proved that there are significant barriers to meeting the purpose of geoparks. Two conditions are required in geoparks: the possibility of cooperation among local actors and the ability to be competitive through a diverse offer of services and products. The paper discusses factors affecting the actual state of society and their operation in the local development. The aim of the paper is to identify the obstacles to the development of geoparks as a reflection of the problems in local and regional development. In addition, the article deals with possible instruments for the management of geoparks and their utilization for effective coordination of local development.

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Universitatis Carolinae Geographica is the property of Charles University Prague, Karolinum Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of this study is the exploitation of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite data for land cover monitoring. The properties of the recorded radar data heavily depend on the type of land cover, season and weather conditions. Therefore, it is possible to utilize the variability of these factors, in order to develop various techniques and methodologies that can be used for classifying land surfaces. In this context, this paper proposes approaches, which include the application of mathematical expressions and application of thresholds on multi-temporal data, for recognizing and classifying various types of land cover, on the basis of ERS and Envisat C-band SAR backscatter and coherence properties. These can be useful for any kind of contemporary SAR data, such as those of the current two Sentinel-1 satellites. Although this study focuses on four main land cover types (urban, mountainous, agricultural-low vegetation and forested areas) over specific areas in Europe, the same principles can be extended worldwide, leading to useful insights for designing future SAR satellite missions or for establishing guidelines for in-depth studies of specific land cover types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines different forms of leadership in strategic planning in structurally affected regions of Czechia. Based on the leadership concepts and strategic planning in municipalities, evaluates different leadership approaches according to the population size of municipalities and the stability/continuity of municipal representatives. Four types of leaders were identified, with entrepreneurial leadership being the most important in all examined regions. The dependence of the types of leadership on the stability/ continuity of government in strategic planning was revealed, while, the dependence on the population size of municipalities was no. The importance of entrepreneurial leadership increases with the increasing number of electoral cycles elected leaders remain in office.