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Spatial molecular ecology of the brown bear in Western Carpathians
Šrutová, Jana ; Hulva, Pavel (advisor) ; Hájková, Petra (referee)
In the current human-dominated landscape, wildlife populations are more often exposed to the island effect, loss of genetic variation and the associated risk of extinction vortex. Landscape genetics studies microevolutionary processes in populations and their relationships to landscape features. Integration of the results of genetic analyses and the results of habitat modeling of the species under study helps to identify transition zones between suitable habitats or anthropogenic barriers to gene flow in the landscape. Analysis of the spatial population structure of wildlife populations is an important tool for the conservation and management of populations. Between 2019-2021, 2172 mostly non-invasive brown bear (Ursus arctos) samples were collected in Slovakia, mostly collected in the Western Carpathian region. Using a microsatellite panel containing 10 polymorphic loci and the SRY gene for sex determination, a total of 1036 genotypes were identified, including 632 unique genotypes. The population seems to be relatively diversified and the observed heterozygosity is comparable to other demographically stable bear populations in Europe. Using STRUCTURE, a Bayesian clustering analysis was performed, which divided the population into three or four subpopulations according to the selected method. The...
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Non-invasive conservation genetics of ursids
Šrutová, Jana ; Hulva, Pavel (advisor) ; Hájková, Petra (referee)
This bachelor thesis is devoted to non-invasive genetics and molecular ecology of particular species of ursids(family Ursidae). This carnivore lineage is quite diversified, particular species inhabit different environments from arctic regions to tropical rainforests and they also differ in trophic niches. As remnants of megafaunal communities that occupy important positions in ecological networks, they are often referred as keystone, umbrella and flagship species which are important in conservation biology. During the Anthropocene, the existence of particular species of Ursidae is more or less influenced by human activities or their impacts. Although nature conservation has managed to stabilize the abundance of some species, habitat loss and human- bear conflicts are becoming more frequent as a consequence of the expanding human population. The aim of the work was to review the research of population structure and demography especially using non-invasive genetic techniques in particular species with intention to implement the acquired knowledge into brown bear research in the Western Carpathians in the future. The chapter about non-invasive sampling is focused to this model species. Non-invasive genetics is important tool for research especially in large, rare, highly mobile and elusive species and...
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