Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre SAS
Topic
Traditional farming as a key to ecological restoration
PhD. program
Botany
Year of admission
2025
Name of the supervisor
Mgr. Monika Janišová, PhD.
Contact:
Receiving school
Prírodovedecká fakulta UK
Annotation
Low-input, low-intensity grassland management is a hallmark of historical (traditional) farming systems. These systems, once widespread across European landscapes, have largely disappeared but persist in a few remote regions of Eastern Europe. Their preservation provides unique opportunities for in-depth research into their ecological impacts and the ecosystem processes associated with traditional landscapes. This thesis will investigate the effects of specific grassland management practices — such as delayed mowing, various grazing regimes, soil fertilization, and hayseed application — on local plant diversity and their potential for ecological restoration. Additionally, it will examine the agricultural legacies of practices like grazing, ploughing, corralling, and the consequences of management abandonment. The research will employ an interdisciplinary methodology, combining botanical, anthropological, and historical studies with remote sensing techniques to provide a comprehensive understanding of traditional agricultural systems and their implications for biodiversity and restoration.