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Overview Copulation Strategies of European Butterflies
Baráková, Kristýna ; Vrabec, Vladimír (advisor) ; Bubová, Terezie (referee)
Daily butterflies are a very varied and diverse group of the animal kingdom. They are insects with complete metamorphosis and a complex life cycle. Different stages of the development cycle are well known and studied. However, when it comes to the reproduction biology of daily butterflies, there are still a lot of question marks. This is why we decided to compile available information on reproduction strategies of European daily butterflies. This information was gathered by the means of strategically chosen keywords in scientific databases Web of Science (WOS), Scopus and Google Scholar. Based on these sources I compiled general information on reproduction behaviour of butterflies related to the complex processes before copulation, more concretely the mating and selection behaviour of daily butterflies. Consequently I describe concretely the copulation process, where I concentrate mainly on data on the progression of copulation, i.e. duration, minimum age or possible repeated copulation. I also explain general terms connected to copulation, such as paternity or protandry. The following part of the thesis concentrates specifically on copulation strategies of European daily butterflies. For the majority of butterflies I gathered data on mating strategies before copulation, specifically on how males search for females. Furthermore, for som e butterflies I add comprehensive data on duration of copulation, minimum age for copulation or possible repeated copulation. However, the gathered data do not provide sufficient information on the stated topic. It was therefore impossible to realize a statistical evaluation, which was supposed to lead to a recount against the total number of European butterflies. The hypothesis, namely that the vast majority of daily butterflies does not show promiscuous behaviour and copulates only once, has not been affirmed, neither disproven. Scientific publications only scarcely provided concrete information on promiscuous behaviour of daily butterflies. A research on this behaviour would require a more thorough examination. But it would enable us to organize accessible data on butterflies in the Czech Republic.
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The issue of public procurement financed by means of subsidies provided by the European Union
Štípek, Michal ; Civínová, Denisa (advisor) ; Klára, Klára (referee)
The thesis deals with the issue of public procurement financed by means of subsidies provided by the European Union. Its theoretical part concerns with public procurement co-financed from EU budget. This first part of my thesis focuses generally on explanation of basis terms concerning public procurement. Moreover, it outlines our national and European legislation and methods interfering in the process of public procurement co-financed from the EU budget. The thesis presents oversight bodies emphasizing the function of the Audit Authority. It pays attention to structural funds during the 2007-2013 programming period focusing on the Regional Operational Programme (ROP) North-West. The practical part concentrates on analysis and records of the most frequent mistakes in public procurement within the ROP North-West by means of analysing a sample of cases identified by the Audit Authority. The thesis uses the outputs in the form of a summary of most frequent mistakes in public procurement of the selected operational programme as the foundation for formulation of measures and suggestions for elimination of mistakes in public procurement and for recommendations on amelioration and efficiency improvement of the public procurement system.
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Project Evaluation of the European U21 Championship 2015
Kaiserová, Eliška ; Huml, Jan (advisor) ; Pilař, Ladislav (referee)
This thesis is subdivided into two parts, a theoretical and a practical part. The first part describes project management and its product that is a project. There are also described terms such as sport management, sport event and sport manager.
In the second (practical) part, the benefits of European U21 Championship 2015 are summarized in two aspects, the economical and non-economic aspects. This part also contains interview with the tournament director Petr Fousek. According to this interview and the UEFA Bid Requirements publication, the bidding process is explained in the second part. The mail goal of the practical part is to evaluate the benefits of this event and to suggest improvements to a similar project.
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Assessment of in vitro antioxidant properties of medicinal and edible plant extracts
Tauchen, Jan ; Kokoška, Ladislav (advisor) ; Jaromír , Jaromír (referee)
Identification and characterization of plant-based products with antioxidant and anti-proliferative effects has received much interest over the past few years as possible therapeutic mean for treatment of diseases likely to be associated to oxidative stress (such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, and cancer). This study provides characterization of in vitro antioxidant and/or anti-proliferative potential and phytochemical profile of (i) 39 wine samples of underutilized Georgian grapevine cultivars, (ii) extracts of 22 samples of medicinal plants from Ethiopia and (iii) 23 samples of edible and medicinal plants from Peruvian Amazon. For this purpose, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical assay (DPPH), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay, total phenolic content (TPC), and cell viability assay based on metabolization of tetrazolium bromide (MTT) to formazan, together with methods based on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-ultra violet/visible spectrometry and HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry) were used. Georgian red wines (particularly Saperavi cultivars) exhibited higher antioxidant capacity (average DPPH and ORAC values at 5.1 and = 10.6 g TE/L wine, respectively) in comparison to Central and West European cultivars [Pinot Noir (DPPH = 3.1 and ORAC = 9.4 g TE/L wine), Cabernet Sauvignon (DPPH = 3.0 and ORAC = 7.3 g TE/L wine) and Cabernet Moravia (DPPH = 2.0 and ORAC = 8.5 g TE/L wine)]. Georgian wines contained significantly greater concentrations of quercetin (between 14.44 and 1.07 ug/mL), kaempferol (between 1.68 and 0.03 ug/mL) and syringic acid (between 12.59 and 4.72 ug/mL), whereas possessed lower quantities of resveratrol (between 5.11 and 0.32 ug/mL) in comparison to Central and West European wines. Amongst edible and medicinal plants from Ethiopia and Peruvian Amazon, only Dodonaea angustifolia (IC50 for DPPH = 22.2 ug/mL, ORAC = 767.6 ug TE/mg extract; IC50 for Hep-G2 = 120.0 ug/mL), Rumex nepalensis (IC50 for DPPH = 5.7 ug/mL, ORAC = 1061.4 ug TE/mg extract; IC50 for Hep-G2 = 50.5 ug/mL), Inga edulis (DPPH and ORAC = 337.0 and 795.7 ug TE/mg extract; IC50 for Hep-G2 and HT-29 = 36.3 and 57.9 ug/mL) and Oenocarpus bataua (DPPH and ORAC = 903.8 and 1024.4 ug TE/mg extract; IC50 for Hep-G2 and HT-29 = 102.6 and 38.8 ug/mL) have demonstrated combinatory antioxidant/anti-proliferative efficacy. Selective anti-proliferative activity was observed for Verbascum sinaiticum (IC50 for Hep-G2 = 80.6 ug/mL) and Annona montana (IC50 for Hep-G2 and HT-29 = 2.7 and 9.0 ug/mL, respectively). Above-mentioned plant material showed only weak or non-toxic effects towards normal cell line. Despite the fact that extracts of Jasminum abyssinicum (IC50 for DPPH = 26.3 ug/mL, ORAC = 1023.7 ug TE/mg extract), Rumex nepalensis (IC50 for DPPH = 5.7 ug/mL, ORAC = 1061.4 ug TE/mg extract), Mauritia flexuosa (DPPH and ORAC = 1062.9 and 645.9 ug TE/mg extract), Myrciaria dubia (DPPH and ORAC = 641.9 and 642.6 ug TE/mg extract) and Theobroma grandiflorum (DPPH and ORAC = 714.8 and 821.9 ug TE/mg extract) have exhibited considerable antioxidant effect, these species were found to possess moderate to low anti-proliferative potential or have shown to be toxic to normal cells line. In all cases it was detected that phenolic compounds content correlated strongly with antioxidant activity, however weakly with anti-proliferative effect. Results suggest above-mentioned species as prospective materials for further development of novel plant-based agents effective against oxidative stress related diseases. However, it is necessary to perform further research which would be focused on detailed characterization of their chemical composition, pharmacological effects and toxicological safety, in order to verify their possible practical use.
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The Evaluation of Reproduction in Bactrian Camels (Camelus bactrianus) and the Possibilities of Using Non-invasive Methods for Detection of Heat and Pregnancy
Fedorova, Tamara ; Lukešová, Daniela (advisor) ; Jiří, Jiří (referee)
Camels are important husbandry animals which are also often bred in zoological gardens. Unfortunately, camels in European zoos are not usually trained and pregnancy diagnosis in a half-tamed camel is very difficult. Moreover, information of the maternal behaviour of camels is limited. This thesis reviewed current knowledge on camel husbandry, reproduction and behaviour and aimed to 1) examine non-invasive methods of heat and pregnancy diagnosis from urine and saliva in camels kept in zoological gardens; 2) explore their maternal and suckling behaviour; 3) describe experiences with artificial rearing of camel calves. The research into non-invasive pregnancy diagnosis was carried out from 2010 to 2012. Urine from 14 camel females kept in four European zoological gardens was collected and tested using two chemical tests -- the Cuboni reaction and barium chloride test. The Cuboni reaction was significantly (p < 0.01) affected by the pregnancy status of female camels, and its accuracy increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the period leading up to parturition. The barium chloride test did not provide reliable results. Next, the saliva of five adult female camels was sampled for more than one year and concentrations of progesterone (P4) and oestradiol (E2) were measured. The concentrations of P4 (n = 312) and E2 (n = 310) were both significantly (p < 0.0001) affected by the pregnancy status of the animals. Maternal and suckling behaviour was observed from 2003 to 2009 in six zoological gardens, and the presented study includes partial data from this period. Allosuckling (i.e. when a female nurses a non-filial offspring) was described for the first time in camels and it represented 8.58% of all suckling bouts. The non-filial calves suckled more often in the lateral position and preferably joined the filial calf when suckling, so the results support the 'milk theft' hypothesis (stealing of milk) as a main cause of this behaviour. Finally, calf rearing in the Prague zoological garden was summarised and two camel calves were successfully artificially reared. This PhD thesis concluded that 1) the Cuboni reaction with urine and salivary P4 and E2 measurements are suitable methods for pregnancy diagnosis in half-tamed female camels; 2) allosuckling is relatively common in captive Bactrian camels; 3) the artificial rearing of camel calves with a calf milk replacer can be successful.
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Towards a better understanding of ungulate diets: a methodological approach
Holá, Michaela ; Červený, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Stádník, Luděk (referee)
Populations of European ungulates have grown substantially over recent decades, resulting in considerable environmental and socio-economic impacts. Availability and quality of natural and supplemental food sources are among the main factors driving their population dynamics. Detailed knowledge of feeding strategies of management-targeted species is therefore of primary importance for their successful management. Over time, methods to study the feeding strategies of animals have also evolved considerably but each has its advantages as well as limitations. This doctoral thesis uses a combination of traditional methods (i.e. stomach content analysis) and novel methods (i.e. stable isotope analysis, near infrared reflectance spectroscopy) to achieve a better understanding of feeding strategies of two important ungulate species (i.e. wild boar and red deer) in the Czech Republic, where their populations are on the rise and supplementary feeding is rampant. Next, this dissertation aims to introduce and to establish a basis for these novel methodological approaches for the study of free-ranging individuals. In this respect, it also addresses methodological issues related to their application in this field.
The diet composition of wild boar was investigated by examining stomach contents in order to identify their dependence on food resources of human origin (i.e. agricultural crops and supplemental foods). Foods of human origin were the dominant diet type and constituted the bulk of the diet of wild boar throughout the year. A necessary prerequisite for application of stable isotope analysis is the trophic discrimination factor (i.e. systematic difference between the isotopic composition of the consumer tissues and that of the diet), which was experimentally determined for stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes, the two most commonly used in ecology, in hair tissue of wild boar and red deer. Furthermore, possible sources of variation (such as sex, age, body weight, and lactation) on isotopic discrimination were investigated. The results of the experiments provide a starting point for the successful use of stable isotope analysis in field studies on wild boar and red deer. Finally, application of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy was proven to be useful in measuring faecal indices of food quality for red deer. The results of this thesis will contribute towards efficient management of wild boar and red deer in the Czech Republic.
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Plasmodiophora brassicae on winter rape
Řičařová, Veronika ; Ryšánek, Pavel (advisor) ; Jaroslav, Jaroslav (referee)
Winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus) is an important crop in the Czech Republic. Clubroot disease caused by the pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae Wor. is a serious and still-growing problem for oilseed rape growers. Research on P. brassicae in the Czech Republic is therefore important for the development of effective strategies to manage clubroot under Czech environmental conditions.
One of the aims of this study was monitoring of this pathogen. The disease was previously widespread in commercial vegetable production and in hobby gardens. Since 2010, oilseed rape clubroot started to spread across the whole country, whereas it had previously only been observed in the northeast. Clubroot occurrence was monitored for five years by the Union of Oilseed Growers and Processors on the basis of disease symptoms present on oilseed rape fields. The presence of P. brassicae and clubroot symptoms were reported in all regions of the Czech Republic, except the Ústecký Region, and in 31 out of 76 districts. At present, at least 130 fields are known to be infested by the pathogen, but this number is very likely underestimated. Some soil samples were also tested by conventional PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to evaluate the possibility of their usage. All 14 suspected samples tested positive by PCR.
The next aim was to evaluate the pathotype composition of P. brassicae populations from the Czech Republic, according to the three evaluation systems, and to determine soil inoculum loads for representative fields via traditional end-point PCR as well as quantitative PCR analysis. There were considerable differences between the populations of P. brassicae, and the number of pathotypes varied depending on the evaluation system and the threshold used to distinguish susceptible vs. resistant plant reactions. This is the first study comparing the effect of different thresholds. Using an index of disease (ID) of 25 % to distinguish susceptible vs. resistants reactions, there was a total of five pathotypes identified based on the differentials of Williams, five with the system of Somé et al., and 10 with the European Clubroot Differential (ECD) set. However, based on a threshold of 50%, there were five pathotypes according to the evaluation system by Williams, four based on the differentials of Somé et al. and 8 with the ECD set. Changing of the thresholds led to the reclassification of some pathotypes. Pathotypes 7 by Williams was the most frequent in both thresholds. High amounts of pathogen DNA were found in many of the field soils analysed by quantitative PCR.
Experiments with P. brassicae-resistant cultivars of winter oilseed rape were conducted in an infested field and greenhouse. In the greenhouse, six resistant cultivars were grown in infested soil collected from various fields in the Czech Republic and assessed for index of disease (ID %). The best results bring cultivar Mentor (2+- 0.7 %) closely followed by cultivar SY Alister (5+-1.1 %), the highest ID had cultivar CHW 241 (30+-3.8%). In the field experiment, seven resistant cultivars were grown, and disease development was monitored monthly. The lowest index of disease brought cultivar Andromeda (3+- 0.8 %) and PT 235 (4+-1.5 %), the highest ID has cultivar CWH 241(46 +- 6.5 %) in the first season and in the second season any cultivar achieved 25 % ID. Yields were measured at the end of the cropping season. The highest yield was achieved by cultivar SY Alister (6.1 t/ha) in the first season and cultivar PT 242 (5.03 t/ha) in the second season. The inoculum level was measured across the field by (qPCR), and a map of the infestation was created. The highest spore concentration was found on the field entrance. Collectively, the information obtained on the effectiveness of host resistance and pathogenic diversity of P. brassicae populations from the Czech Republic may help to more effectively manage clubroot in this country.
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Utilization of biological and chemical amelioration treatments for restoration of anthropogenic degraded locality near Boleboř village in Ore Mts.
Kouba, Martin ; Podrázský, Vilém (advisor)
This dissertation contains evaluation of the growth dynamics and nutritional status of tree species plantations after application of biological and chemical amelioration treatments, impact of trees on quality of soil and on the accumulation of surface humus. There were evaluated: Norway spruce (Picea abies L.), Blue spruce (Picea pungens Engelm.), Birch (Betula spp.), European larch (Larix decidua Mill.), Gray alder (Alnus incana Moench.), Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl.), Eastern White pine (Pinus strobus L.) and Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.).
On 4 research plots in Boleboř (Ore Mts.) was measured height, thickness of root collar, breast-height diameter. Were taken samples of soil, weed and assimilation apparatus. There was determined yellowing, browsing, plants mortality and calculated amount of accumulated surface humus.
Application of fertilizer Silvamix Forte on spreading windrows reduced mortality and increased increment for the first 3 years, the effect is evident even after 10 years. It was not confirmed the attractiveness of plants for wildlife after Silvamix Forte application. Silvamix Mg fertilizer application had minimal effect on the growth dynamics and nutrient contents in needles. Positively impacted soil characteristics, increased the value of the cation exchange capacity, decrease in hydrolytic acidity, increase the saturation of sorption bases, decrease of aluminium ions Al3+ and decrease of Fe2O3. On fertilized plots increased content of available nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium, increase of the total supply of nitrogen, calcium and magnesium. The rapid increase in the content of Ca and Mg is related to the liming in 2002. Fertilizer application significantly supported the development of ground-weed on plots of Colorado blue spruce mixed with birch, while in pure stands of Colorado blue spruce led to a reduction in aboveground biomass.
For the Colorado blue spruce mixed with birch plot compared with only Colorado blue spruce plot were documented favourable soil properties, increased supply of total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Rowan tree on an intact soil surface exhibits the lowest reaction pH as humus and in the mineral, high hydrolytic acidity, extremely sorption unsaturated soil state, high content of ion Al3+ and low content of available calcium, although was applied liming. Technical and biological reclamation (Boleboř III.) has a long-term positive effect on the average height and breast-height diameter of Colorado blue spruce and white pine. The growth dynamics of European larch and Lodgepole pine were affect only at the beginning. Meliorated stand of Gray Alder has very good growth dynamics, comparable with Larch and Lodgepole pine. The big problem is the game impact, especially in Lodgepole pine, which led to the destruction of all individuals. Colorado Blue spruce in terms of biological reclamation is totally inappropriate. This Spruce has reduced resistance to abiotic factors, which often suffer uprooting and breakage. During the 21 years the Clorado Blue spruce mixed with birch accumulated of 66,09 t.ha-1 humus matter with better properties also in the deeper horizon. Colorado Blue spruce accumulated 54,11 t.ha-1 of humus matter. Rowan tree accumulated on the intact soil largest amount of humus matter (194,98 t.ha-1), however acidifies the deeper horizons. The stand of Norway Spruce occurred during the reporting period a decrease of 47% to 107,03 t.ha-1. The decline may be associated with more open stand and due to air liming.
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Ecological and evolution strategies of necrophagous beetles (Coleoptera)
Jakubec, Pavel ; Růžička, Jan (advisor) ; Petr, Petr (referee)
Necrophagous beetles (Coleoptera) are very interesting and diverse ecological group of species with an immense impact on a natural nutrient cycle. Their main food source and breeding ground are carrions of vertebrates, human remains included. This relationship is often used in various ways by forensic entomology, but its potential was not jet fully reached, because our knowledge of biology and ecology of these beetles is very much incomplete. In this thesis I would like to explore geographic distribution, ecological requirements and developmental biology of several Central European necrophagous beetles as an outcome of their ecological and evolution strategies. For that I raised three broad research questions. Which factors are determining the local abundance of carrion beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae)? How the current geographical distribution of open-landscape carrion beetles looks like in the Czech Republic? How the temperature affects the development of Sciodrepoides watsoni (Spence, 1813)? We found out that soil type can have significant effect on abundance of carrion beetles. They showed preference for chernozem -- Nicrophorus antennatus (Reitter), N. germanicus (Linnaeus), N. interruptus (Stephens), N. sepultor (Charpentier), Silpha obscura obscura (Herbst), T. sinuatus (Fabricius) or for fluvisol as did N. humator (Gleditsch). These findings support our hypothesis that soil type could be an important factor determining the occurrence of necrophagous European carrion beetles. To collect novel data of the current geographical distribution of carrion beetles we used 420 baited pitfall traps at 84 localities, and we collected 71 234 specimens of 15 silphid species. Among them, three endangered carrion beetle species listed on the Czech Red List of Invertebrates, were found. Two are vulnerable thermophilic species of open landscapes, Nicrophorus antennatus (Reitter, 1884) (collected around Louny and Židlochovice) and Nicrophorus germanicus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Louny, Zábřeh and Židlochovice). The third is the near threatened species, Nicrophorus sepultor Charpentier, 1825 (collected around Louny, Kutná Hora, Zábřeh and Židlochovice), which also prefers open landscapes. We studied development of common Holarctic beetle Sciodrepoides watsoni under five constant temperature regimes in laboratory (15, 18, 21, 25 and 28°C). Parameters of thermal summation models and their standard errors were calculated for each developmental stage (egg, three larval instars and pupae). We also find a new character for larval instar determination (head width) and proposed novel approach for future studies of size-based characters in instar determination.
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Proposal of Procedures for the Transformation of Accounting Data to the Tax Base in Accordance with the CCCTB
Kuchařová, Ivana ; Valder, Antonín (advisor) ; Jan, Jan (referee)
Globalisation as well as on-going integration make the authorities accelerate their harmonisation and approximation efforts not only in the field of accounting and book-keeping -- to secure harmonised interpreting of books -- but also in respect of international business entities' corporate tax. My dissertation describes the efforts of the European Commission towards full harmonisation of the process of determining the corporate tax base in respect of business entities formed as supranational groups of businesses registered in various EU member states or in combination of members from the EU and the third countries. The pending harmonisation should prevent the said entities from aggressive tax "optimisation" in the course of which they transfer their tax base to countries with the lowest income tax and abuse gaps and incomprehensiveness of tax regulation in individual EU member states. Such practice may, in some cases, result in double non-taxation thus further reducing the income of EU member states' already suffering public budgets. The EU has recognized the need to implement measures to stop this practice and will take action. One of the measures that should lead to an improvement in tax collection is the fastest introduction of a common consolidated tax base for corporate income (Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base). The genesis, structure and characterization of CCCTB has become a crucial part of the theoretical background research. Other issues that arise in connection with the introduction of the common consolidated tax base and which are addressed in this work are as follows - what similarities and differences are there between the European and national rules on accounting and taxes, which procedures will be used for a transformation of the initial accounting data presented in accordance with the national legislation to the European tax base and what impact will have these transformation processes on the final amount of the tax base.
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