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We test a hypothesis about the spatial coincidence of human population density and species richness, and analyze effects of land conversion and ecosystem use on species richness and landscape diversity in human dominated Central European country, the Czech Republic. We calculated fraction of aboveground net primary productivity appropriated by humans and compared it to the species richness of vertebrate, invertebrate and plant groups and to landscape diversity index in 560 mapping grid squares with grid size approximately 130 km. Spatial correlations and regressions were established between human population density, appropriation of net primary production, land cover and biodiversity. We found positive spatial coincidence between human population density and species richness. Although the amount of net primary production was not related to species richness in general, we found significant negative spatial relationship between ecosystem use intensity and landscape diversity. As the area of the Czech Republic exhibits relatively high land use intensities, spatial patterns of human impacts have important implications for land management and biodiversity conservation in a cultural landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rove beetle Emus hirtus (Linnaeus, 1758) is an endangered habitat specialist, which occurs in long-term cattle pastures where it forages on cattle dung. We studied this species' historical and recent altitudinal distribution and habitat requirements in the centre of its distributional range in the Czech Republic. The species had experienced a sharp decline and was for nearly 20 years considered as regionally extinct within the Czech Republic. Nowadays, Emus hirtus is present and occurs in relatively high population densities. However, the beetle has shown an uphill shift and is distributed at significantly higher altitudes in sun-exposed localities in foothills and mountains compared to its historical distribution in the lowlands. Emus hirtus is one of many organisms that seem to indicate the openness of the pastured woodland landscape in the past. The main reason for its uphill shift could be habitat loss in densely populated and intensively managed lowlands and restoration of grazing at higher elevations due to agricultural subsidies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of Lopinga achine ( Lepidoptera Nymphalidae, Satyrinae) in the Czech Republic has declined from thirty grid squares before 1950 to just one extant population, restricted to a single area of deciduous woodland. A review of historical sites shows that this species used to occur in various types of deciduous woodland with a relatively sparse canopy maintained by coppicing and/or grazing. The extant population inhabits mature woodland with a mean canopy cover of 60% (quartiles 50% and 65%), sparse shrubs and a species-rich herb layer containing plant species requiring dry, warm and nutrient-poor conditions. The larval host plants are the fine-leafed sedges, Carex fritschii and C. michelii. In 2006, the total population contained about 10,000 adults but this may be an over-estimate, biased by male behaviour. Measurements of adult mobility, well approximated by an inverse-power function, suggested that all existing colonies are interconnected by dispersal. Continuing existence of the population depends on two conditions; nutrient-poor conditions for a diverse ground flora and a sparse tree canopy. While canopy closure is gradually increasing, the herb layer is threatened by soil enrichment due to the demise of traditional grazing, litter raking and grass mowing in woodlands. Any future management to favour Lopinga achine should include both measures to maintain a sparse canopy and measures to export biomass, such as raking or mowing of ground flora or, preferably, re-establishment of grazing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "The last population of the Woodland Brown butterfly (Lopinga achine) in the Czech Republic: habitat use, demography and site management" that was published in the Volume 12 issue is presented.