Departure at 13:15 on May 24th from in front of the main conference building, expected arrival to Prague between 19:00 and 20:00.
Extra fee of 1000 CZK (~40 EUR) includes bus transportation and a lunch bag.
The field excursion on Saturday afternoon will take us about 70 km NW of Prague, to the panoramic landscape of the Central Bohemian Uplands (České Středohoří, Böhmisches Mittelgebirge). The local flora has been significantly shaped by the low rainfall, which contributes to a continental climate, and further affected by traditional management (grazing, mowing of meadows, orchards). Numerous hills rise majestically from the otherwise fairly flat agricultural landscape, relicts of late Tertiary volcanic activity, that made their way through the horizontally positioned sediments from the Cretaceous period. While the north-facing slopes of these largely basaltic hills are covered by shrubs or forests, the rocky steppes on the south-facing slopes support steppe-like grassland communities dominated by Stipa spp. and Festuca valesiaca. Iconic species of these habitats include e.g. Adonis vernalis, Astragalus exscapus, A. austriacus, and Verbascum phoeniceum. Another interesting habitat can be found at the foot of the volcanic hills, where calcareous sediments of the Cretaceous period may host species-rich dry grassland communities dominated by Brachypodium pinnatum and Bromus erectus, particularly on the steeper slopes where occasional landslides hinder vegetation succession. Among the diverse flora found here are Astragalus danicus, Lotus maritimus, Anemone sylvestris, Aster linosyris, Linum tenuifolium and Prunella grandiflora.
 Verbascum phoeniceum |
 Astragalus exscapus |
 Stipa zalesskii |
 Astragalus austriacus |
