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Aim: Ongoing climate changes represent a major determinant of demographic processes in many organisms worldwide. Birds, and especially long‐distance migrants, are particularly sensitive to such changes. To better understand these impacts on long‐distance migrants' breeding productivity, we tested three hypotheses focused on (i) the shape of the relationships with different climate variables, including previously rarely tested quadratic responses, and on regional differences in these relationships predicted by (ii) mean climatic conditions and (iii) by the rate of climate change in respective regions ranging from Spain to Finland. Location: Europe. Time Period: 2004–2021. Major Taxa Studied: Long‐distance migratory passerine birds. Methods: We calculated breeding productivity from constant effort ringing sites from 11 European countries covering 34° of latitude, and extracted temperature‐ and precipitation‐related climate variables from E‐OBS and NASA MODIS datasets. To test our hypotheses, we fitted GLMM and Bayesian meta‐analytic models. Results: We revealed hump‐shaped responses of productivity to temperature, growing degree‐days, green‐up onset date, and precipitation anomaly, and negative responses to intense and prolonged rains across the regions. The effects of March temperature and April growing degree‐days were more negative in cold than in warm regions, except for the region with the highest accumulated heat, whereas increasing June precipitation anomalies were associated with higher productivity in both dry and wet regions. Productivity responses to climate were unrelated to the rate of climate warming. Main Conclusions: The influence of climate on bird productivity proved to be frequently nonlinear, as expected by ecological theory. The rate of climate change is less important than regional interannual variability in climate (which is predicted to increase), but this may change with the progression of climate change in the future. Productivity declines in long‐distance migratory songbirds are particularly expected if out‐of‐norm water excess increases in frequency or strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robotised propaganda has become a new stage in the dissemination of manipulative content online, exploited for its low entry costs and high effectiveness. State actors, non-state actors, and politically and business-focused actors can spread ideas, share thoughts or sow half-truths and lies with the help of hundreds of automatised accounts and contribute to the manipulation of people's minds. In a short time, robotised propaganda gained the attention of academics as well as international organisations. Especially, Russian influence operations utilising the newest advantages of technological development stand at the epicentre of research interests in the Central and Eastern European region. In our research, we aim to test the hypothesis that information from media which are presented as pro-Russian were connected to a higher percentage of accounts classified as bots. The research sample covers all the media categories in the Czech Republic, as stated by the Political Capital study 'The Weaponization of Culture: Kremlin's traditional agenda and the export of values to Central Europe'. For robotised accounts activity analysis, we use a script based on a tweetbotornot R package by Kearney. As the results show, pro-Russian positive media have a statistically significant higher probability for bot account activity than media expressing neutral opinions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social networking sites allow politicians to reach followers directly and offer citizens platforms to express their opinions. However, online discussions often lack civility, leading to increased polarization. Although existing research has brought important insights into populist effects on political trust, attitudes, or electoral behavior, we know less about how populism's use of divisive rhetoric and identity-based appeals contribute to the confrontational responses of social media users. To address this gap, we investigate the relationship between the use of populist communication in migration-related social media posts by populist and non-populist political actors and the use of uncivil and intolerant rhetoric by social media users. Focusing on the case of the Czech Republic between 2013 and 2020, we conducted a quantitative content analysis of Facebook posts about the contentious issue of migration created by political parties and comments under those posts published by social media users. Our results indicate that while different elements of populist communication bring mixed results to the responses in online discussions, the social media posts created by populist political parties are positively associated with increased online incivility and intolerance. These findings have significant implications for understanding the potential influence of populist messages on social media and its consequences for democratic societies, highlighting their relevance in addressing and mitigating crises beyond the migration crisis, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and other emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds are among the organisms most impacted by plant invasions, the effects of which are particularly conspicuous during the breeding season. Birds can incorrectly assess the suitability of large, invasive hogweeds Heracleum sp. in south‐eastern Poland when selecting nesting sites early in spring when the developing invaders do not yet differ substantially in form from the rest of the vegetation. One would expect lower bird breeding success in areas with invasive hogweeds. Furthermore, this may shift bird community composition towards species with filtered traits, which may then be reflected in various measures of diversity. To assess these expectations, we conducted bird surveys at 74 sites, arranged as 37 pairs (with invasive Heracleum vs. control). The presence of Heracleum was associated with lower bird taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. Functional richness (calculated based on species' reproductive traits) was also lower at sites with these invaders. The species detected at Heracleum sites were characterised by traits associated with rapid breeding, for example, small clutches, short incubation periods and short fledging periods. We show that the bird community at sites with hogweeds became less diverse and composed of random species sharing similar reproductive traits. Bird communities with low diversity at Heracleum sites tended to exhibit a common trait syndrome. These patterns provide insights into the mechanisms of how invasive plants may lead to the loss of some traits and species in bird communities. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The concept of active measures, which is part of influence operations of Russia, covers a broad and complex range of activities, including political, military, economic, diplomatic, media focused as well operations of secret services. During the past few years, these activities affected various regions of the European Union. The article aims to identify and analyze tools of Russian active measures used within the European Union countries with different geopolitical patterns and relations to Russia. Specifically, the study focuses on three state actors - Austria, Italy, and Bulgaria. First, in the theoretical part authors deconstruct the concept with the use of comparison to similar ones: hybrid warfare and information warfare. Next, authors consider the concept of active measures as the most proper for analyzing Russian influence operations in the European Union. The analysis and comparison of case studies have both shown clear differences and similar patterns in used active measures tools, such as an essential position of extreme right parliament parties. The concept of active measures has proven to be a helpful tool when analyzing Russian influence operations in its typical complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the contribution is provided a discussion on the development of securitization of expressions of hate speech on the internet, i.e. "cyber hate", in Germany. The authors focus through the theory of securitization firstly on the process and individual steps, which led to establishment of instruments for countering cyber hate on social media. Next is described how these efforts resulted in creation of so called "Task Force" group, build from members of government, private and non-profit sectors, and how has the perception of social media with regard to security threat of extremism been developing. From the provided analysis emerges that there was a shift in the discourse from understanding the social media platforms as passive "instruments misused for dissemination of extremism" to stronger perception of their "accountability for removal of the hate speech content". It is therefore a shift, which leads to their perception as active subjects, which are jointly liable for the illegal content and which obligation is to directly contribute to solving its removal. Currently last significant component in this development is the adoption of progressive legal framework for improvement of the enforcement of law in the online social networks environment (Gesetz zur Verbesserung der Rechtsdurchsetzung in sozialen Netzwerken), which strengthens the position of the state in enforcement of the required measures. For this reason the authors pay significant attention to this legislative act and provide thorough analysis, which they further reflect in a general assessment of the development in countering cyber hate on social media in Germany and also in broader European context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Identification of Workers' Party of Social Justice (DSSS) mobilization issues using a social media analysis" is focused on using the analysis of data obtained from social media in political science and security research, specifically research of mobilization issues of the Czech far-right Workers' Party of Social Justice (DSSS) political party. Based on the theoretical framework and using a combination of content and framework analyses of their Facebook page, we tried to identify and describe the mobilization issues that this party uses, and which also have high response from the supporters of the party. The results show that in the last three years a rapid change can be seen in the mobilization potential associated with a shift from anti-Roma mobilization issues to issues oriented against immigration and Islam. General mobilization is then built on the principle of negation and delimitation towards other actors, especially the current establishment, and is based on a feeling of injustice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nest predation represents one of the main factors affecting nest success in birds. Nest predation rate has been widely studied in various habitats. Generally, higher predation pressure is assumed in invasive plant stands than in semi-natural stands. However, in our study we presumed lower nest predation rate in invasive stands due to their more complex vegetation structure. We analysed the relative nest predation rate in invasive black locust and semi-natural oak stands using artificial nests containing one quail and one plasticine egg. We took forest type, nest position (on the ground and on branches) and nest concealment into consideration. Despite our assumptions, we did not find differences in the level of nest predation between the two stand types, nor between nest positions. Results of this study thus indicate similar predation pressure in invasive and semi-natural stands. However, we should point out that the artificial nest predation is not fully comparable to real nest predation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To describe changes in arable land-use intensity and land use in lowlands and at higher altitudes from 1982 to 2000 focusing on changes around 1990 when agricultural intensity declined and to test how these changes affected farmland bird populations. Methods: Population trends for 24 species in lowlands (areas up to 300 m a.s.l.) and at higher altitudes (300-600 m a.s.l.) were calculated for time periods 1982-1990 and 1990-2000. Per hectare cereal yield represented a measure of arable land-use intensity and Corine Land Cover together with harvested area of cereals indicated land-use changes. Annual population growth rate of particular bird species was related to agricultural indicators. Results: In lowlands, arable land-use intensity declined after 1990, but this did not result in a lower decline of birds. At higher altitudes, arable land-use intensity did not change, but considerable areas of arable land were converted into pastures. This change was related to population improvement for two species and deterioration for three species. Conclusion: Trends in farmland bird populations in the Czech Republic were more likely driven by the arable land conversion to pastures rather than by changes in the arable land-use intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Action D.O.S.T. as an example of radical conservatism, The focus of this study is the politics of the extreme right in the Czech Republic. The study "Action D.O.S.T. as an example of radical conservatism" is focused on the analysis and description of the civic association Action D.O.S.T. The theoretical part of study presents the basis terminology (right wing, radical conservatisms etc.). Based on theoretical framework and using qualitative methodology research, it will be decided whether this association can be considered as an example of radical conservatism or not. Likewise, the article will focus on the organization, ideological background, cooperation with others entities and basic political attitudes and norms of association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]