Department of Spatial Ecology

Aims and activities

The vision of the Department of Spatial Ecology is to deepen the understanding of the distribution of biodiversity and the functioning of ecosystems at the landscape level, to develop innovative methods and approaches for assessing the landscape and its habitats, and at the same time to contribute to the effective protection of nature by applying this knowledge. 

We study the relationships between organisms and environmental conditions, including modeling their potential distribution. We analyze the development, structure and functioning of the landscape over time and specialize in assessing the degree of fragmentation or connectivity of habitats at all spatial scales – from small, protected areas to entire continents. 

We then apply this knowledge to the complex assessment of the quality and functionality of the landscape. We create synthetic outputs in the form of landscape classifications and identify key regions or landscape types that need to be given increased conservation attention. 

We cooperate with universities, institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of the Environment, the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic, National Park Administrations, non-governmental organizations and a number of foreign institutions. We believe that most of the results of our work will not only be reflected by academics but will also find their use in the preparation of strategic documents and in the practical protection of nature and landscape. 

For more information, please visit: speclab.cz