The changing spatial structure of agricultural land use in Czechia since the mid-19th century

Rok, strany: 2008, 255 - 278

The objective of this article is to assess changes in the spatial structure of agricultural land use (SALU) in Czechia in four time horizons – 1845, 1948, 1990 and 2000. A quantitative approach was adopted based on a combination of two indicators – share of agricultural land in the total area (SAGL) and share of arable land in the agricultural land (SARL). The Basic Territorial Units (BTU’s) of Czechia (8 903) were classified into four types of SALU – intensive (A), sharply intermediate (B), moderately intermediate (C) and extensive (D). Two different methods of classification based on median values of SAGL and SARL were used. It was found that each SALU type creates compact zones found in specific natural conditions. The A type with prevailing arable land occupies lowlands and lower highlands whereas the D type with prevailing forests can be found in mountains and higher highlands. The two intermediate types (B and C) create a transition, but the pattern of their occurrence is less obvious, compact and stable. During development, the occurrence of intermediate types decreased, and all SALU types tended to separate spatially to create more compact zones. It was a result of the changing energy and material “metabolism” of Czech economy, modernization of agriculture and growing regional specialization

ISO 690:

Kabrda, J. 2008. The changing spatial structure of agricultural land use in Czechia since the mid-19th century. In Geografický časopis, vol. 60, no.3, pp. 255-278. 0016-7193.

APA:

Kabrda, J. (2008). The changing spatial structure of agricultural land use in Czechia since the mid-19th century. Geografický časopis, 60(3), 255-278. 0016-7193.