Excellent Center for the Protection and Use of Agrobiodiversity

Modern Laboratories and Research in the Field of Integrated Watershed Management under Climate Change Conditions.

Goals and Mission

In 2011, the Center for Integrated Watershed Management under Climate Change Conditions was established at the Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering as part of the utilization of EU structural funds. The project included the modernization and innovation of existing laboratories. The Center of Excellence, together with the VC ABT, coordinates its infrastructure and scientific-research activities.

Laboratories:

Infrastructure

Vacuum Pycnometer

Disk Permeameter

Weather Station

Analytical Laboratory Balance

Handheld Penetrologger

Set for Measuring Retention Curves – Sand Tank pF

Set for Measuring Soil Water Potential

sap flow

Spectrophotometer

Total Nitrogen Analyzer with Autosampler

Barologger and levelogger

Scientific Research Activities

  • Study of the processes of water storage formation and dynamics, analysis of soil properties related to soil moisture, soil water movement, methods of measurement, and the temporal and spatial variability of soil moisture, followed by mathematical simulation of water transport in habitats.
  • Building a database for spatial analysis of hydro-physical characteristics of agriculturally used soils.
  • Development of a methodology for determining soil particle size distribution using laser diffraction.
  • Quantification of the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the application of biochar to soil and nitrogen input management without negatively affecting crop yields and soil quality.
  • Modeling greenhouse gas emissions from agriculturally used soils.
  • Addressing the issue of integrated soil and water resource protection in agriculturally used landscapes in the context of protecting water resources from agricultural pollution and protecting soil from water erosion, including regulatory and publication activities.
  • Analyzing the energy and water availability for agricultural crops.
  • Analysis of agroclimatic and agrohydrological elements in Slovakia in relation to climate change.
  • Analysis of the impact of agricultural land use and urbanized areas on surface water quality and the spread of pollution in the aquatic environment.
  • Research and analysis of solutions for more efficient use of local water resources in the landscape with regard to climate change – water retention in the landscape, new technologies, and methods of managing soil moisture through irrigation.

Solved Projects (Selection)

  • (VEGA 1/0136/12): Analysis of Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Emissions from Agriculturally Used Soils in a Selected Area and Proposal of Possible Strategies for Their Reduction.
    Responsible Investigator: Ing. Ján Horák, PhD.
  • (APVV 0512-12): Analysis of Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Agriculturally Used Soils and Proposal of Measures for Their Reduction.
    Responsible Investigator: Assoc. Prof. Ing. Dušan Igaz, PhD.
  • (APVV-15-0160): Elimination of Degradation Processes in Soil by Restoring Biodiversity.
    Responsible Investigator: Assoc. Prof. Ing. Ján Horák, PhD.
  • (VEGA2/0040/12): Comprehensive Mathematical Simulation of Water, Chemical Substances, and Thermal Energy Transport in Agricultural and Forest Habitats with an Emphasis on Extreme Situations.
    Responsible Investigator: Assoc. Prof. Ing. Dušan Igaz, PhD.
  • (KEGA 019SPU-4/2017): Innovation of the Educational Process in the Field of Hydropedology with the Implementation of an Excellence Center into the Teaching Process.
    Responsible Investigator: Prof. Ing. Dušan Igaz, PhD.
  • (APVV-16-0278): Utilization of Hydromelioration Structures to Mitigate the Negative Effects of Extreme Hydrological Events Affecting the Quality of Water Bodies in Agricultural Landscapes.
    Responsible Investigator: Assoc. Prof. Ing. Ľuboš Jurík, PhD.
  • (APVV-15-0562): Effective Management of Irrigation as a Tool for Adapting to Climate Change.
    Responsible Investigator: Assoc. Prof. Ing. Viliam Bárek, PhD.
  • (APVV-0274-10): Quantification of the Impact of Input Data and Model Parameters on the Accuracy of Outputs from Dispersion Simulation Models.
    Responsible Investigator: Assoc. Prof. Ing. Peter Halaj, CSc.

Publications (Selection)

  • HORÁK, Ján – KONDRLOVÁ, Elena – IGAZ, Dušan – ŠIMANSKÝ, Vladimír – FELBER, Raphael – LUKAC, Martin – BALASHOV, Eugene – BUCHKINA Natalya – RIZHIYA, Y. Elena – JANKOWSKI, Michal. Biochar and biochar with N-fertilizer affect soil N2O emission in Haplic Luvisol. In Biologia, 2017, vol.72, no.9. Indexované v: CC, WoS, IF: 0,719
  • ŠIMANSKÝ, Vladimír – HORÁK, Ján – IGAZ, Dušan – JONCZAK, J. – MARKIEWICZ, Maciej – FELBER, R. – RIZHIYA, Elena – LUKÁČ, Martin. How dose of biochar and biochar with nitrogen can improve the parameters of soil organic matter and soil structure? In Biologia. ISSN 0006-3088, 2016, vol. 71, no. 9, s. 989-99. Indexované v: CC, WoS, IF: 0,719
  • IGAZ, Dušan – ŠIMANSKÝ, Vladimír – HORÁK, Ján – KONDRLOVÁ, Elena – DOMANOVÁ, Jana – RODNÝ, Marek – P.BUCHKINA, Natalya. Can a single dose of biochar affect selected soil physical and chemical characteristics? In Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics, 2018, 66, no. 4, s. 421-428. (CC)
  • Vladimír Šimanský, Dušan Igaz, Ján Horák, Peter Šurda, Marek Kolenčík, Natalya P. Buchkina, Łukasz Uzarowicz, Martin Juriga, Dušan Šrank, Žaneta Pauková. Response of soil organic carbon and water-stable aggregates to different biochar treatments including nitrogen fertilization In Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics, vol. 66, no. 4, s. 429-436. . (CC)>
  • KONDRLOVÁ, Elena – HORÁK, Ján – IGAZ, Dušan. Effect of biochar and nutrient amendment on vegetative growth of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var. Malz). In Australian journal of crop science. ISSN 1835-2693, 2018, vol. 12, no. 2, s. 178-184. (SCOPUS)
  • TÁRNÍK, Andrej – TÁRNÍKOVÁ, Mária. Analysis of the development of available soil water storage in the Nitra river. In: IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. — Vol. 245, iss. 6, [7 s.]. [SCOPUS, IF>0,4]
  • IGAZ, Dušan – HORÁK, Ján – KONDRLOVÁ, Elena. Effect of biochar with compost on the soil water content. In 2nd international conference on bioresources, energy, environment, and materials technology 1 CD-ROM (98 s.) Bioresources, energy, environment, and materials technology. Soul : Korea University, [1] s.
  • HORÁK, Ján – IGAZ, Dušan. Effect of biochar application to slightly acidic haplic luvisol. In 2nd international conference on bioresources, energy, environment, and materials technology 1 CD-ROM (98 s.) Bioresources, energy, environment, and materials technology. Soul : Korea University, 2018, [1] s.
  • KONDRLOVÁ, Elena – HORÁK, Ján – IGAZ, Dušan – DOBIAŠOVÁ, Dagmar. The possibility of using digital images in assessment of plant canopy development and weed spread. In Acta horticulturae et regiotecturae. ISSN 1335-2563, 2017, vol. 20, iss. 2, s. 35-39.
  • Dušan Igaz, Miroslava Šinkovičová, Ján Horák, Elena Kondrlová, USE OF LASER ANALYSIS IN HYDROPEDOLOGY, Journal of International Scientific Publications: Ecology & Safety ISSN 1314-7234, Volume 12,
  • HÚSKA, Dušan – JURÍK, Ľuboš – JUREKOVÁ, Zuzana a kol. Vplyv antropogénnych činiteľov na kvalitu povrchových vôd v čiastkovom povodí toku Žitava Nitra : Slovenská poľnohospodárska univerzita, 2013. — 181 s., ISBN : 978-80-552-1131-2
  • JURÍK, Ľuboš – et al. Soil water content evaluation and modelling in small catchment with agricultural use. In: Acta scientiarum Polonorum. — ISSN 1644-0765. — Vol. 12, no. 3 (2013), s. 53-62.
  • JURÍK, Ľuboš – et al. Small water reservoirs – sources of water or problems? In: Journal of Ecological Engineering. — ISSN 2081-139X. — Vol. 16, no. 4 (2015), s. 22-28.

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