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Relationship between functional and species diversity of birds in South Africa
Džamba, Roman ; Hořák, David (advisor) ; Šímová, Irena (referee)
Species distribution and composition of bird communities of South Africa is not accidental, but is influenced by environmental conditions, habitat structure, and natural history of the area. Functional traits of the species (morphology, dietary strategies or reproductive parameters) give information on how the individuals interact with the environment they live in. The description of the functional characteristics, expose specific adaptations and the role of the species in the studied ecosystem. On the basis of functional characteristics we are able to estimate functional diversity of studied community. The spatial variability of species and functional diversity allocates longitudinal gradient. Regarding the morphological and reproductive parameters that are continuous in nature and more species- specific, we observe a faster increase in functional diversity. Considering the feeding preferences that are categorical and show a limited number of levels, a modest increase in functional diversity apparent is. Dietary functional diversity is more evenly distributed. Relationship between the functional and species diversity can provide us with information about how species are added to the community or answer the question to what extent the higher number of species requires more ecological space. The...
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Vztah diverzity a produktivity v travinných společenstvech a jeho mechanismy
LISNER, Aleš
The best estimates of environmental productivity and their relationship to species diversity on different spatial scales have been studied in grassland communities in an observational study. The fertilization effect on height, growth rate, survival rate and changes in species composition has been studied on an oligotrophic wet meadow in a manipulative experiment.
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The influence of geology to the diversity of molluscan assemblages
Krajinčáková, Lucie Linda ; Juřičková, Lucie (advisor) ; Myšák, Jan (referee)
Molluscan populations are influenced by various factors of environment where they occur. In my work I am taking particular atention of soil properties, which are directly influenced by the geological substrate, and of course other factors which are with soil properties either directly or indirectly related. The important benchmarks are especially moisture, pH, calcium content and vegetation cover. This bachelor thesis also deals with utilization of calcium salts. Geological substrate is closely linked with the diversity and abundance of molluscan populations. Various pedochemical factors affect molluscan communities whether it is the amount of calcium in the soil or a pH value. In the past different authors found different dependencies between environmental factors, species composition and diversity of molluscan communities. Most of the studies were focused on very specific habitats and locations. In this thesis I tried to organize our knowledge about the specific effects of various environmental factors, especialy compositíon of geological substrate on malakofauna. Key words: Mollusca, Gastropoda, Geological substrate, diversity
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Numbers of non-native waterfowl species in Europe
Hodková, Veronika ; Musil, Petr (advisor) ; Šťastný, Karel (referee)
The Thesis is treating the spreading of non-native waterfowl species into new ecosystems and factors, which influence that process. The impact of selected eco-geographic characteristics on the species diversity and on the numbers of non-native waterfowl individuals was analyzed on the results of the International Waterbird Census. Further, the influence of those characteristics on the numbers and population trends of selected 11 species of the Anatidae family in 17 European countries was assessed. The highest non-native waterfowl species diversity was recorded in countries of the Atlantic coast, i.e. France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and also Switzerland. The main positive influence on their numbers makes the density of population and species diversity of wintering waterfowl. As to the number of non-native species individuals the main impact is produced by both, species diversity and the given latitude, too. It means that the largest number of individual exist in northern countries - Great Britain, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands. Similar main influences have been traced with the family Anatidae, too, which have received special attention in the analysis, as it shows the highest number of non- native species. As to the main eco-geographic characteristics, having impact on the growth or...
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Ants and primary vegetation succession on abandoned industrial-waste deposits
Vojtíšek, Pavel ; Kovář, Pavel (advisor) ; Holec, Michal (referee)
Abandoned industrial-waste deposits (incl. fly ash or tailings ponds) represent very specific and mostly extreme habitat conditions. They offer unique opportunity to study primary succession in cultural landscape. Substrate of the material deposited here shows extreme properties, such as low pH, overheating of the open surface, salinization etc. The aim of this work is to map the colonization of different successional stages of vegetation by ants after years of abandonment of ore-waste deposits in Chvaletice (Eastern Bohemia, CR) and to compare the present state with analogous study made in 2001. Particular aims of both studies (Jarešová 2001, and present study, 2011-12) is to test the influence of ants on vegetation succession. During the years 2011-2012 several prospections were made to record species diversity of ants. On the surface plateau of the sedimentation basin two types of habitats were chosen - the areas with present ant nests and the other areas without them. Each of both types of habitats exhibits different plant species richness: separately the species-area curves were constructed and explained. Three dominant ant species of different size categories present on sedimentation basin were selected for experimental offering of plant seeds, Formica pratensis, Lasius niger, Tetramorium...
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Factors affecting dragonfly species composition in newly created pools and assessment of invertebrate predation on pools zooplankton
Dobiáš, Jakub ; Černý, Martin (advisor) ; Harabiš, Filip (referee)
To identify and quantify the influence of physico-chemical, biotic and geographic factors on the population of dragonflies (Odonata) is an essential tool for research of their ecology. The aim of this study was to 1) assess how these factors influence species richness, diversity and spatial distribution of dragonflies in 42 newly constructed or renewed pools located in the Kokořínsko Protected Landscape Area, which is characterized by two valleys of Liběchovka and Pšovka creeks, low human impact, and a great diversity of small water bodies and 2) use laboratory experiments in order to estimate the relationship between large predatory invertebrates of these pools (Aeshna cyanea, Coenagrion puella, Chaoborus crystallinus and Notonecta glauca) and their common prey (Daphnia curvirostris) in an artificial environment with or without aquatic macrophytes. The pools were monitored and sampled between years 2005 and 2006. In total, 23 dragonflies species were found inhabiting these lentic habitats, comprising 11 species belonging to the suborder Zygoptera and 12 species belonging to the suborder Anisoptera, including a rare species Sympetrum depressiusculum (larvae). Most variability in the dragonfly species richness was explained by the size of the water surface area, followed by the location of the pools (inside...
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Functional diversity in ecological communities
Džamba, Roman ; Hořák, David (advisor) ; Doležal, Jiří (referee)
Functional diversity is an important component of biodiversity. Value and range of functional traits and the number and composition of functional types are crucial for the short and long term functioning of ecosystems. Functional traits of species affect their performance in ecosystems and we can classify them as continuous or discontinuous. It has been suggested many ways to choose the appropriate traits and functional differences between species in estimating functional diversity. It is necessary to consider the nature and importance of ecosystem processes and environmental factors and consider properties of employed methodological approaches. There are many ways to estimate functional diversity. Functional diversity can be expressed by the number of functional groups, functional index or functional dendrograms. In natural communities, we see a positive relationship between species and functional diversity. Species diversity doesn't seem to be an adequate surrogate for functional diversity because the loss of an equal number of species may have different effects on the ecosystem, depending on the identity of the species. Functional redundancy refers to the functional similarity in the ecological niches occupation and is a source of stability in the ecosystem functioning.
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Species diversity of meadows and pastures on small spatial scale
Bartoš, Michael ; Vojta, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Skálová, Hana (referee)
Grazing seems to be not only means of conserving species diversity of grasslands but also - in many cases - of its increasing. This thesis tries to find out the mechanisms of grazing that result in increased or decreased species diversity. The experiment was proceeded in Slupenec, a part of Český Krumlov, where horse pastures are situated. In order to compare grazing and mowing I collected phytosociological data from plots 1 x 1 mš. I also collected data about soil moisture, composition and pH in order to find out the main gradients in vegetation. The vegetation data from plots 20 x 20 cmš were collected before and after grazing on three pasturelands. In the chosen locality, higher level of plant species diversity have been proven on pastures in comparison with meadows. There is significantly higher percentage of plots contributing to the higher level of ß diversity on pastures than on meadows. At the same time the variability of vegetation was in most cases explained by the categorial variable pasture / meadow. Concerning selectivity of grazing, it has been proven that horses prefer grazing on species with greater cover abundance. The plots with lower rate of grazed species have got higher ß diversity. In terms of functional traits of plants, it has been proven that higher percentage of no-rosette...
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The biomass production for enegetic use from permanent grasslands and influence of ferment fertilisation on permanent grasslands
HAŠKOVCOVÁ, Michaela
Permanent grassland in agricultural landscapes represents an important position in terms of biodiversity. Becoming a habitat of endangered plant species, they are rich in flowering plants and also provide wintering territories to many animals. The aim of this study is to assess the biomass production of grassland for energy recovery, describe ways to use herbaceous biomass and impact of digestate on species composition and productivity of grassland. The experiment was conducted on the land in the village Dmýštice, located in the county of Písek. The site of fertilization by digestate is located near the village of Novosedly, county Strakonice. On these lands there were monitored ecological conditions of grasslands, dates and intensity of their use, botanical composition, species diversity and biomass production. Furthermore, this thesis uses methods of preservation of harvested biomass and comparing fertilized and unfertilized plots. The obtained data were used to calculate the Simpson index species diversity, nutrient and water mode positions. The values were statistically processed.
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Compensatory market mechanisms in the sphere of conservation of species diversity and their potential use in the Czech Republic
Martíšková, Kateřina ; Louda, Jiří (advisor) ; Macháč, Jan (referee)
Benefits that mankind obtains in connection with existence of the well-functioning ecosystems and biodiversity, are called ecosystem services. Although biodiversity is not an ecosystem service in itself, however it is one of the basic prerequisites for their function. The importance of this topic for society, directly depends on the importance of ecosystem services as a source of direct or indirect benefits that impact the well-being of the human population. The aim of the application of market mechanisms on this issue is to find the optimal level of environmental protection and human development, together with optimization of the allocation environmental goods. These market mechanisms are used by many countries around the world. The thesis analyzes several cases of use of compensatory market mechanisms, with a closer focus on the Australia, the Britain and the France. Costs and benefits of the system are recognized, together with the configuration of the operation in the various states. This thesis also provides views on the territorial structure of the Czech Republic, the value of their ecosystem services and they are also presented methods of biodiversity conservation on the basis of which the possibility of establishing a market-besed systém of biodiversity conservation in the Czech Republic has been discussed. Application of market mechanisms could bring a certain dynamism to the protection of biodiversity in the Czech Republic, which is currently provided by the system of national parks and other specially protected areas, which can act as barriers to economic development. On the contrary, the market system will allow the use of the landscape in places with the highest demand through the application of the price mechanism. However, due to administrative costs of this system so far, it seems that the application of biodiversity conservation is rather unlikely in the Czech Republic.
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