Czech experts join DarkDivNet project

Czech experts have joined two hundred or so botanists from around the world in studying a phenomenon known as “dark diversity” within the DarkDivNet project. Within the research, a species pool is defined as a set of all species that are able to inhabit a particular natural area. Botanists then survey the wider surroundings to determine the so-called 'dark diversity' - i.e. native species that could grow in the given study area, but are not present. Experts say the results of the study are alarming and indicate that human activities on nature have a much wider impact than previously thought, including on protected areas. In the Czech Republic, the researchers focused on the Krkonoše Mountains, Ralsko, Šumava, Novohradské hory and Podyjí.