Nature reserves are often designated ad hoc. Despite increasing conservation efforts, loss of biodiversity is still accelerating. Considering land scarcity and demand for alternative uses, efficiency in conservation strongly correlates with efficiency in land allocation. Systematic conservation planning can effectively prioritize conservation activities. Previous studies minimize opportunity costs for given conservation targets. However, these studies assume constant marginal costs of habitat protection.

The article discusses the process of recognizing the local developmental and human potentials in the pilot area of Pohorje, Slovenia. Special emphasis herein is given to the need of stakeholder participation strategic plan. In the pilot area, the theoretical model was tested. As we are dealing with a wooded area, the role of forestry is highly significant in this respect, and it has been even est

In modern agriculture the demand for solutions for complex problems, e.g. the optimisation of decision - making in integrated crop production, is strongly increasing. To obtain all relevant information for decision - making farmers or extension officers up to now need access to a multitude of databanks offered by different providers. In 2001 a project, funded by the German Foundation of Environmen

Restoring biological soil crusts (biocrusts) in degraded drylands can contribute to recovery of ecosystem functions that have global implications, including erosion resistance and nutrient cycling. To examine techniques for restoring biocrusts, we conducted a replicated, factorial experiment on recently abandoned road surfaces by applying biocrust inoculation (salvaged and stored dry for two years), salvaged topsoil, an abiotic soil amendment (wood shavings), and planting of a dominant perennial shrub (Ambrosia dumosa).

Diffuse pollution, and the contribution from agriculture in particular, has become increasingly important as pollution from point sources has been addressed by wastewater treatment. Land management approaches, such as construction of field wetlands, provide one group of mitigation options available to farmers. Although field wetlands are widely used for diffuse pollution control in temperate environments worldwide, there is a shortage of evidence for the effectiveness and viability of these mitigation options in the UK.

Quantifying the impacts of climate change on the hydrology and ecosystem is important in the study of the Loess Plateau, China, which is well known for its high erosion rates and ecosystem sensitivity to global change. A distributed ecohydrological model was developed and applied in the Jinghe River basin of the Loess Plateau. This model couples the vegetation model, BIOME BioGeochemicalCycles (BIOME-BGC) and the distributed hydrological model, Water and Energy transfer Process in Large river basins (WEP-L).

Native fauna in Australia’s arid zone has declined significantly since European settlement; however, Martu country in the Western Desert of Western Australia retains a diversity of iconic and threatened species that were once more widespread. An innovative partnership between The Nature Conservancy, BHP Billiton and the Martu people (represented by Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa – KJ) is achieving positive social, cultural, economic and environmental outcomes, which builds on funding from the Australian Government for land management on Martu country.

The aim of this study was to investigate the main factors that influence smallholders' adoption decision of soil conservation measures in the Gedeb watershed. Data from 498 household heads who live in the three districts of the watershed were analysed using the binary logistic regression model. We find that farmers need adequate cash to invest in soil conservation measures. Moreover, farmers would be more encouraged to implement soil conservation measures when they have larger areas of cropland.

Recently, researchers indicated great changes in the chemistry of atmosphere due to faster oxidation of soil organic carbon. The increases of greenhouse gasses especially CO2 concentration can affect climate, plant physiology, microbial activity, soil organic matter, and decomposition. Soil can be a store or source for atmospheric CO2. The amount of soil organic carbon stored in the soil or release to the atmosphere depends on net ecosystem productivity and heterotrophic respiration.

Requirements for the infrastructure and functionality of dynamic models of the production process of agricultural plants, which are necessary for building computer systems to support long-term solutions in agriculture and land management, are described. The extent to which domestic and foreign developments meet these requirements is shown.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there was analysed the experience of state regulation of agricultural lands rotation in foreign countries. There were determined the key aspects of functioning of developed market of agricultural lands, which should be accounted and controlled by organs of state authority. There were systematized multiple forms and methods of state intervention into market rotation of lands. On this basis there was developed the purpose, tasks and methods of regulation of land rotation for the developing market of lands in the Republic of Belarus.