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Reproductive behaviour of males of Golden-ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii)
Dubcová, Dominika ; Černý, Martin (advisor) ; Dolný, Aleš (referee)
Communication among animals often relies on visible signals and the ability to compatibly perceive them. Correct signal perception is especially important for animals with male sexual selection. In my master's thesis, I am addressing the issue of how does a male golden-ringed dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii) recognize a female of the same kind and therefore, what is the main trigger of copulation behavior. Dragonflies display a wide variety of colors and possess very big eyes. These characteristics already suggest that they are very liable on color vision (Futahashi, 2015). Their sight is perfectly developed within the insect class and plays the most important role in the imagines in comparison to other senses. The ability to orient themselves using sight is not just important for orientation in space, nonetheless it is important for reproduction. Since golden-ringed dragonflies do not demonstrate visible color dimorphism, previous as well as my research suggests that the key role for female reconnaissance is primarily their typical movement above water surface during oviposition. In my research, I presented variable types of lure - females to male golden-ringed dragonflies and I observed what is the foremost trigger of reproduction behavior in the males. Besides the above mentioned female...
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Perceiving of the Beginning of Life and Selected Chapters in Context of Social Work
Bínová, Markéta ; Stretti, Sylvie (advisor) ; Ondrušová, Jiřina (referee)
This bachelor's thesis is focused on various approaches to the issue of perception of life and personality. This concept is discussed in the first chapter and it is following by biological description of prenatal development, the approach of philosophical anthropology and the Catholic approach. In conclusion, there is a description of the context of social work, such as the expectation of the affected child, prenatal diagnosis, abortion, or birth of a dead child. Keywords Perception of life, personality, prenatal development, philosophical anthropology, Catholic approach, social work, crisis, abortion, prenatal diagnostic, dead fetus syndrome. Summary The aim of the bachelor's thesis was to introduce different approaches to the perception of the beginning of life and personality. This subject can be grasped from different points of view that affect each other or they are interdependent. I also focused on defining the notion of personality. In the following chapters, there were presented various approaches of understanding this issue, namely biological approach, philosophical anthropology and Catholic approach. At the end I focused on the possible context of social work that I see in the possibility of various crisis situations. These may be expectation of the affected child, prenatal diagnosis,...
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Factors influencing variability i behaviour towards novel and aposematic prey in tits (Paridae)
Adamová, Dana
Inter-specific and intra-specific variation in reactions towards novel and aposematic prey was found in several species of tits (Paridae). This Ph.D. thesis is focusing on various factors influencing reactions towards novel and aposematic prey in three European species of tits. We tested differences in exploration behaviour, neophobia, dietary conservatism, personality, age and experience as well as ability of avoidance learning and generalisation. We found no difference in exploration behaviour and in reaction towards novel prey in two different populations of great tits (Parus major). But the birds from the Finnish population were more neophobic than Czech birds, but they attacked aposematic firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus) more often and faster than Czech birds. The difference can be explained by a different experience with local aposematic prey communities. Than we studied initial wariness in naive juveniles of great tits (P. major), coal tits (Periparus ater) and blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), and we tested how the initial wariness towards novel and aposematic prey can be deactivated by experience with palatable prey. Great tits and coal tits from experienced groups significantly decreased their neophobia towards both types of prey while blue tits did not change their strongly neophobic...
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Factors influencing variability i behaviour towards novel and aposematic prey in tits (Paridae)
Adamová, Dana ; Exnerová, Alice (advisor) ; Sedláček, František (referee) ; Šálek, Miroslav (referee)
Inter-specific and intra-specific variation in reactions towards novel and aposematic prey was found in several species of tits (Paridae). This Ph.D. thesis is focusing on various factors influencing reactions towards novel and aposematic prey in three European species of tits. We tested differences in exploration behaviour, neophobia, dietary conservatism, personality, age and experience as well as ability of avoidance learning and generalisation. We found no difference in exploration behaviour and in reaction towards novel prey in two different populations of great tits (Parus major). But the birds from the Finnish population were more neophobic than Czech birds, but they attacked aposematic firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus) more often and faster than Czech birds. The difference can be explained by a different experience with local aposematic prey communities. Than we studied initial wariness in naive juveniles of great tits (P. major), coal tits (Periparus ater) and blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), and we tested how the initial wariness towards novel and aposematic prey can be deactivated by experience with palatable prey. Great tits and coal tits from experienced groups significantly decreased their neophobia towards both types of prey while blue tits did not change their strongly neophobic...
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Body size as an implicit factor: case studies of life-history strategies and behaviour
Šimková, Olga ; Frynta, Daniel (advisor) ; Sedláček, František (referee) ; Rehák, Ivan (referee)
Body size has a potential to influence almost any trait in animal biology. The thesis contains four case studies (I - IV) covering four various situations and four various taxa, mainly squamate reptiles (Lepidosauria). Body size is a connecting factor for all these studies, in which I and my co-authors tried to elucidate various implications of body size. I. The sex ratio in Cuban boa (Chilabothrus angulifer) litters is often male or female biased. The neonates are so large, that are able to accept the same type of prey as are adults (in contrast to the other Chilabothrus species). We found that both the sexes are of the same size and shape at birth. Large size of the neonates a long lifespan lead to considerable generation overlaps. This could clarify our findings that small females produce sons whereas the larger ones deliver daughters. Males are smaller than females, probably also less philopatric and refuse food during breeding season. We can conclude that females manipulate the sex ratio of neonates according to its own body size, in order to decrease the probability of competition with their own offspring. II. Mangrove-dwelling monitor lizard (Varanus indicus) shows one of the greatest degrees of sexual size dimorphism among monitor lizards. We recorded the growth of the individuals from...
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Cognitive and aggressive behaviours in the annual killifish, Nothobranchius orthonotus
Kubická, Lucie ; Reichard, Martin (advisor) ; Horký, Pavel (referee)
I used annual killifish Nothobranchius orthonotus to investigate two separate questions related to behavioural aspects of their life history. The first study focused on spatial cognitive ability of two N. orthonotus populations that originated from temporary pools that varied in their expected duration due to differences in annual precipitation patterns (dry and humid region). Test of cognition was based on the ability to learn to find food in a dichotomous test. It was assumed that learning ability differs between populations when tested in young and old age along with their difference in captive lifespan. Additionally, association between cognitive ability and other life history traits was tested. It was found that: (1) there was no difference in the ability to learn spatial task between populations; (2) both populations had similar lifespan with no cognitive decay in older age, and older fish from dry region population had committed even less errors in the learning task than they did as young fish; (3) fish were able to effectively learn the task but (4) solitary fish had lower learning ability than group-reared fish; (5) longer- living fish were quicker learners; (6) high resting metabolic rate was associated with more effective learning; (7) hesitant fish found the food reward in learning task...
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Repeatability and personality in tests of exploratory behaviour
Žampachová, Barbora ; Frynta, Daniel (advisor) ; Sedláček, František (referee)
Personality, or behavioural differences among individuals, which are stable both in time and across contexts, is a highly popular topic. Currently there has been an increase of interest in the relationship between personality and repeatability, which is a methodical approach developed to measure the stability of interindividual differences in time. The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the personality of rats according to behavioural patterns exhibited under widely used testing procedures in new environment (open field test, hole board test) and to compare, how behavioural traits in these tests mutually correlate and change over time. Each test trial was repeated eight times with different intervals (24 hours, 6 days, 4 weeks). The results suggest that most of the recorded behavioural variability can be explained with three principal axes. The first one is associated with loco-exploratory activity of the subject. The elements of behaviour associated with this axis are the most repeatable. The second axis is mostly associated with time the animal spent in the central part of the arena and the third axis represents the interest in holes in hole board test. These two axes are less repeatable. A significant effect of the identity of the animal was found in all behavioural traits, associated with these...
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Antipredatory and exploratory behaviour as personality measure in Eublepharis macularius
Staňková, Jana ; Frynta, Daniel (advisor) ; Sedláček, František (referee)
This thesis "Antipredatory and exploratory behavior as an expression of personality in Leopard (Eublepharis macularius)" focuses on behavior Leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) in the exploratory and antipredation test. The aim is to determine whether some of the symptoms are characteristic of personality Leopard. The theoretical part will demonstrate the concept of personality. What are the terms for it to be about the phenomenon say that it is an expression of personality. We will deal with the various attempts used. The practical part will focus on the design of individual experiments and the results arising therefrom. Keywords: personality, repeatability, antipredator behavior, exploratory behavior
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Personality in spiny mice (genus Acomys)
Müllerová, Lenka ; Frynta, Daniel (advisor) ; Sedláček, František (referee)
The differences in behaviour of animals are not found only between species or populations but also between individuals within a population. If individuals differ in their behaviour constantly in time and across various situations, then we find diverse personality among them. The aim of my diploma thesis was to seek personality in spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus). For verification of stability of behaviour (of the same age) in various situations we tested animals in series of behavioural tests focusing on activity, exploration and anxiety. Every test was repeated twice with each individual in order to verify the stability of their behaviour in time. It was demonstrated that the behaviour of experimental animals is repeatable across different situations in time (the results of tests were correlated between each other as well as between two series), thus we confirmed the existence personality in the animals. However the personality does not participate on the results of individual tests by a great degree, its occurance is more evident from the series of more tests. Animals differ from each other primarily in coping with new situations. Keywords: personality, series of behavioural tests, PCA
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Ethics and economics. Fair trade as an expression of solidarity?
Otec, Robert ; Brabec, Jan (advisor) ; Pavel, Pavel (referee)
The aim of the thesis "Ethics and Economics. Fair Trade as an act of solidarity?" is to analyse the statistical data related to the Fair Trade system and their critical assessment regarding social ethics and sustainable development. The theoretical part of the thesis describes the core principles of social ethics and their impact on Fair Trade system, as well as the principle of equity in relation to Fair Trade. The aim of the second part is to evaluate the current state of Fair Trade, based on the statistical data acquired, and their critical assessment in light of aforementioned principles, as well as economic, social and environmental aspects. In conclusion a summary of acquired findings is made and the most important problems, which the system is currently tackling with, are mentioned. Based on this, suggestions on its improvement are made.
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