Research
Research focused on the impacts of land use change and climate change on runoff response and fluvial dynamics. Application of the hydroinformatic approaches and advanced field monitoring techniques; specifically the development of novel applications of UAVs (drones) and sensor networks for the analysis of hydrological and fluvial processes and qualitative analysis of peatlands and forest disturbance, use of machine learning techniques in hydrological analysis. Applied research in risk processes modeling.
Institutional projects
2012-2016 Charles University Research Development Schemes - P43 Geography
Charles University Research Development Scheme PRVOUK P43 (coordinator)
Research development scheme building a long-term framework of fields of research, guaranteed by the geographical departments at the Section of Geography, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague. The scheme sets the key directions of research, goals and defines strategies for their solution and for development in domains of physical geography, social geography and regional development, demography, cartography and geoinformatics.
The research team consisted of 45 academics and 50 PhD students. The implementation of the programme enabled the definition of a framework and concept for the development of geographic disciplines at Charles University. The main directions of development of individual geographical disciplines were set out. The programme supported the development of progressive methods and new research topics. In the course of the solution, the quality of scientific production was significantly improved. The increase in publications in top scientific journals was essential. The programme has contributed to increased communication between teams, closer cooperation between departments and addressing interdisciplinary research topics.
Grant projects
2022-24 Hydrological and hydrochemical responses of montane peat bogs to climate change.
Czech Science Foundation (GAČR 22-12837S, PI: Jakub Langhammer)
The project aims to bring new findings on the response of montane peat bogs to climate change. Using the advanced field and laboratory methods it analyzes the changes in hydrological regime, hydrochemistry, runoff contribution from different zones, and simulates the effects of climate change.
2019-21 Spatial and temporal dynamics of hydrometeorological extremes in montane areas
Czech Science Foundation (GAČR 1905011S, PI: Jakub Langhammer)
The research project examines the changing patterns of hydrometeorological extreme processes in montane areas of the Czech Republic and aims at the identification of changes in dynamics of extreme hydrometeorological processes in mountain basins, having a major effect on the Czech Republic's hydrological regime. The research fills the gaps in knowledge on changing patterns in spatial distribution, frequency, seasonality and magnitude of hydrometeorological extremes in montane catchments and their key driving forces.
2019-21 UAS monitoring of river systems response to forest disturbance
EU COST Action CA16219, LTC 19024, 2019-21 (principal investigator)
The research explores the potential of unmanned (UAS) technologies for monitoring the effects of climate change and forest disturbance on the dynamics of hydrological processes in mountain areas. The research uses the techniques of multispectral, thermal, and LiDAR UAS monitoring of landscape elements, crucial for the formation of runoff in headwater areas.
2018-19 UAV monitoring of the dynamics of the spread of bark beetle in Prague´s forests
Prague Environment grants, 2018-19 (principal investigator)
The project examines the dynamics of the bark beetle outbreak and forest disturbance in Prague´s forests. The UAV monitoring and Remote Sensing methods are applied to detect the hotspots of the forest disturbance, to monitoring of the dynamics of forest health status and to the detection of early stages of the forest disturbance.
2015-2017 Impact of landscape disturbance on the stream and basin connectivity
EU COST Action 1306, LD15130, 2015-17 (principal investigator)
The aim of the project was to assess the influence of landscape disturbance, mainly the changes in land use and land cover structure, forest disturbance, stream modifications on runoff response, flow dynamics, dynamics of fluvial processes and morphological changes in catchments, floodplains and streams.
The research will be focused on two types of environment sensible to the disturbance or long-term changes in basin and stream connectivity – the headwater areas of streams in montane regions and the catchments in rural areas. In headwater regions in montane regions the research will be focused on the changes in the dynamics of runoff response and fluvial processes in catchments and streams.In rural catchments, the research will be focused to the changes in the dynamics of erosion-sedimentation processes in river basins, to development of a floodplain and to lake basin siltation.
2012-2014 The impact of disturbance on the dynamics of fluvial processes in mountain landscapes
Czech Science Foundation GAČR P209/12/0997, 2012-14 (principal investigator)
The project examines the impact of disturbances in mountain landscapes, particularly changes in the structure, extent and health of forest vegetation as a result of different causal processes on the dynamics of fluvial processes.
The project analyzes the different types of landscape and forest disturbance, induced by different causal factors, such as the forest vegetation damage by pollution, bark beetle outbreak, wind storms or forest management, or modifications of river network, riverbed and floodplains. The effect of these changes on the dynamics of runoff and fluvial processes is analyzed using detailed monitoring of rainfall-runoff processes and field mapping of changes in morphological characteristics in channels and floodplains.
2005-2008 Long-term changes of river ecosystems in floodplains affected by extreme floods.
Czech Ministry of the Environment VaV VaV-SM/2/57/05, (principal investigator)
Research project focused on effect of extreme floods on ecosystems and morphological changes in floodplains and impact of anthropogenical changes in basins on course and consequences of the extreme floods. The solution is based on field mapping of flood consequences, analysis and geoinformatical treatment of influencing factors and scenario-based modelling the impact of measures in river basins. The project team is composed by researchers from Faculty of Science, Charles University and is completed by experts from cooperating institutions.
2004-2007 Modelling the nonpoint pollution sources under conditions of global change.
EU - COST Action 634 "On and Off site environmental Impacts of Runoff and Erosion", Czech part of the project supported by the Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic, (principal investigator)
The project focuses on modelling the risk of erosion and nonpoint pollution impact on surface waterbodies in conditions of changing landuse patterns and global change in Central Europe.
2003-04 Impact of environmental changes on generation and course of floods
Czech Science Foundation, GA205/03/Z046, (principal investigator)
The project focuses on the assessment of influence of environmental changes to the flood magnitde, routing and damages. The aim was to define the impact of changes in land use, stream and floodplain modifications and socioeconomic development to the course and consequences of floods by means of geoinformatic analysis and modeling.
2002-03 Soil Erosion and Global Change
EU - COST Action 623, Czech part of the project supported by the Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic (coordinator of the research group at the Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science.)
The joint project with Czech Technical University focuses on assessing the risk of erosion and sediment transport on affected watersheds, as an essential component of any strategy that aims to cope with erosion’s impacts on water quality in the Czech Republic.
2000-02 Assessment of non-point pollution sources.
Czech Science Foundation, project No: GAČR č. 205/00/P052, (principal investigator)
The project is focused on the formulation, verification, and application of the new method of evaluation of non-point sources of pollution of surface water in large-scale river basins. The new methodology is based upon the combination of remote data on the Earth (multispectral satellite images, digital elevation model) completed with the empirical data measured in the watershed into a grid-based GIS model. The model is applied in Želivka, Bílina and upper Vltava river basins.
2001-03 Specific surface water pollution in Berounka river basin
Charles University Grant Agency, project No: GAUK 211/2001 B GEO, (principal investigator)
The research project goal is to evaluate the level of specific pollution (heavy metals, specific organic pollution, radioactivity) of surface water and sediments in the Berounka river basin. The analysis is performed on the whole of the river basin to evaluate the specific pollution balance and to identify the main pollution sources and on selected tributaries for detailed analysis.
1997-99 Water quality development in Berounka river basin.
Charles University Grant Agency, project No: GAUK 297/1997 B GEO), (principal investigator)
The goal of the grant project was a complex evaluation of water quality and pollution load balance changes in the Berounka river basin during the 1990´s. Analysis of water quality and pollution balance evolution in the basin. Evaluation of impact of the landuse changes and industrial, communal and agricultural pollution sources on water quality. Definition of areas with critical pollution load.