Tujerodne rastline v nižinskih gozdnih fragmentih: vpliv značilnosti robov in človekovih aktivnosti : doktorska disertacija

slovenian

doktorska dela

2022

dissetations   edge habitats   fragment configuration   garden waste   invasive potential   phenotypic plasticity

Univerza v Mariboru, Fakulteta za naravoslovje in matematiko

Central European extensive grasslands are high biodiversity habitats that are mainly declining due to agricultural intensification, use change, and grassland abandonment. These processes threaten biodiversity as well as the ecosystem services (ES) of the grasslands whose maintenance depends on managers influenced by emotional-motivational, socio-economic, and cognitive factors. The dissertation analyses the factors and their influence on the intention and current grassland management by using the theory of planned behaviour. The study included three target groups: primary school students and grassland owners and non-owners. Factors were measured by 612 questionnaires in Northeast Slovenia in 2019 and 2020, and analysed with descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, principal component analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis with structural equation modelling. The results show that primary school students' intention to preserve extensive grasslands requires strengthening positive conservation attitudes and improving their grassland knowledge. Owners' intention requires strengthening perceived control over grassland management, positive attitudes towards conservation and regulating grassland ESs, environmental motivation, and the acceptability of certain requirements of agri-environmental climate payments. Last but not least, non-owners' intention requires strengthening the interest in grasslands and their management, positive cultural ES attitudes, perceived control over grassland management, and grassland management knowledge.

08.08.2023