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Application of the Reading Comprehension Method in the Teaching of Selected Species of Amphibians at Lower Secondary Education
Korečková, Valentýna ; Andreska, Jan (advisor) ; Hanel, Lubomír (referee)
In my diploma thesis I apply the reading comprehension method in the biology and I focus on selected species of amphibians. Understanding the text is a prerequisite for learning from the text, and it is an important part of understanding the world. This is the reason why I use a multidisciplinary approach and I included reading comprehension methods in the teaching of amphibians in elementary school. In my diploma thesis, I made a research which I examine whether students with learning disabilities will be able to understand the text, or whether they will be more successful in a simpler text supplemented with pictures and graphs. Furthermore, I deal with whether teaching with the application of the reading comprehension method will increase students' interest in the discussed topic and whether these students will be more successful in verifying their knowledge than students who were taught using the frontal method. I have chosen methods to achieve the goals which are: a frontal teaching method, teaching with the application of developing reading comprehension, a test in the form of a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview with pupils. It is a mixed research, where I combine qualitative and quantitative research procedures. This research is implemented at a selected elementary school. The...
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Vliv modelové látky s anti-progestagenní aktivitou na vývoj gonád a štítné žlázy u žáby drápatky vodní (Xenopus laevis)
KARBUSOVÁ, Kateřina
The aim of this bachelor thesis was to assess the effect of the steroid hormone mifepristone, a model substance with anti-progestogenic activity, commonly used in medicine as an abortivum, on gonadal and thyroid development in a model amphibian species, the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis). African clawed frogs were exposed to three concentrations of mifepristone 2, 22 and 215 ngl-1 from stage Nieuwkoop and Faber (NF) 47-48 until reaching stage NF 66. Mifepristone was dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The control group of frogs was kept in pure water with the addition of DMSO solvent at a final concentration of 0.001 %vol.. Images for gonad morphology were taken during dissection sampling at the end of the test (after reaching the juvenile stage). Furthermore, thyroid samples were processed for histological analysis. The thyroid gland on the histological slide was photographed with QuickPHOTO MICRO 3.2 software. Selected parameters were measured on the gonadal and thyroid images using image analysis in the QuickPHOTO MICRO 3.2 software and the effect of mifepristone on gonadal and thyroid development was evaluated. Exposure to mifepristone did not induce pathological changes in gonadal development, nor was intersexuality detected. No significant differences were found between the mifepristone-exposed groups and the control group for any of the parameters studied (gonad length and width, number of melanophores). Based on the observed parameters, we can conclude that mifepristone did not affect the gonadal development of exposed frogs. Histopathological examination of the thyroid gland also revealed no changes. Thyroid development, as assessed by the width of the thyroid follicular epithelium, was also not significantly affected by mifepristone exposure at any of the frog developmental stages studied (NF 58, NF 66). Although no effect of mifepristone on the parameters studied in this thesis was observed until the juvenile stage, it is possible that the effects could be seen in adulthood and further experiments are needed.
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Tailed amphibians (Caudata) in zoos - breeding, rearing, trend analysis
FIALA, Antonín
Amphibians are currently one of the most endangered vertebrate groups. In addition to the well-known factors such as habitat loss, illegal trade or global warming, a rela tively new specific factor is threatening salamanders (Caudata). In recent years, the fungal disease BSAL (Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans) has started to spread not only in Western Europe. The aim of this bachelor thesis is to evaluate the breeding of tailed amphibians in zoos and private breeding, to explore its history and present. The sources are the international database ZIMS, yearbooks of Czech and Slovak zoologi cal gardens and questionnaires distributed among breeders through social networks and in cooperation with AG Urodela. As of the first half of 2023, 801 species of tailed amphibians have been described. Zoos keep 127 species, i.e. 15.9%. According to the findings of my survey, 93 species, i.e. 11.6%, are kept in private breeding.
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Breeding of salamanders in zoological gardens - analysis of trends and success
ONDRÁČEK, Michal
Amphibians are currently the most endangered group of verterbrates living on Earth, with populations in the wild declining rapidly due to pollution and loss of their habitat, trapping of individuals from nature, global climate change and spread of diseases. My work is focused on mapping the situation in tailed amphibians in zoos and aquariums all over the world. Using acces to the database of zoos ZIMS creates an overview of all breed species, institutions, which are engaged in their breeding and their results. An integral part of this work is a literary overview of the history of breeding amphibians in zoos, their protection and current ex situ projects.
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Amphibians - the Meaning for Men and their Use in School Education
Vajnar, Tomáš ; Hanel, Lubomír (advisor) ; Andreska, Jan (referee)
This work contains a research on the class amphibia and evaluate the relationship between man and amphibians (morphology, physiology, biology, etology, bioindiation, threat and conservation of amphibians, myths, toxikology etc.). Amphibians are analyzed as a model group with respect of using them in educational praxis (model group of animals in education of biology, zoology, ecology, etology, nature protection, literature etc.). Exotic species are choosed as examples, which are best for care in schools. Here are made also manuals for breeding of selected less demanding species in aquarium or aqua-terrarium conditions and for observing their life histories.
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Evolution of prey-catching behaviour in poikilothermic vertebrates and its relationship with predator's visual perception
Košinárová, Lucie ; Frýdlová, Petra (advisor) ; Robovská, Pavla (referee)
Both the topics of prey-catching mechanism and visual perception are closely connected, affecting each other in many complex situations. The main subjects of this thesis were amphibians and reptiles and the many effects that impact their hunting abilities. We studied their hunting patterns in a few species of frogs and the leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) in an arena. We did not find any universal hunting pattern for neither of those groups, moreover even the quantity of individual sequences differed among them. However, hunting in nature is often engaged in habitats that are far from the flat calm arena. Often the animals have to adapt to different conditions, for example an unsteady surface underneath them. In such conditions they need to compensate for the passive movement with their heads and eyes to stabilize the image on their retina. The ability to compensate while hunting in frogs is affecting their behaviour and the success rate of their prey-catching. Another aspect that is influencing frog's hunting efficiency are their protrusible tongues that are commonly divided into three categories: mechanical, inertial and hydrostatic. The last goal of this thesis was looking for the evolution of this trait in frog's phylogenesis and their different effects on hunting movements.
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Regeneration of heart muscle in vertebrates
Bergelová, Barbora ; Krylov, Vladimír (advisor) ; Mašek, Jan (referee)
Fish model organisms such a Danio rerio have the ability to regenerate heart muscle during its whole lifespan. Compared to Danio rerio, the ability of heart regeneration differs in amphibians. While the newt has the ability to regenerate its heart tissue throughout its whole life, the Xenopus leavis loses its power when it goes through metamorphosis. The regenerative ability varies not only between genera but also between species. For example compared to Xenopus leavis, Xenopus tropicalis has the ability to regenerate its heart tissue even in adulthood. Mammals have a very limited ability to regenerate their heart muscle. We can observe the ability to regenerate heart after injury in mice and humans for a very limited time of a few days after birth. In adulhood the heart is healed via rich collagen scar. It is vital that signaling pathways in highly regenerative model organisms are intensively studied, so that the knowledge gained may help us in the treatment of heart injuries in humans. Key words: regeneration, heart muscle, repair, zebrafish, mammals, amphibians, heart development, vertebrates
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Regeneration abilities among vertebrates
Majerová, Veronika ; Starostová, Zuzana (advisor) ; Soukup, Vladimír (referee)
Among vertebrates the ability to regenerate various body structure, from the cellular level to diverse internal organs or even the complex body structures (such as limb or tail), is unequally distributed across animal taxa. Regeneration is understood as the restoration of damaged or completely lost tissues, while the restored structure is more or less similar or even identical to the original structure. Regeneration is naturally often preceded by an encounter with a predator, when the animal is directly injured by the predator or an autotomy may occur as an anti-predator mechanism, which means that the animal voluntarily releases an appendage. Autotomy and following regeneration have many advantages but there can also appear some costs associated with these events which may have various consequences Masters in regeneration are considered to be mainly urodele amphibians who are able to perfectly regenerate various body structures (such as eye lens, limb or tail) and this ability persists throughout their lives, unlike anuran amphibians, in which the ability to regenerate after metamorphosis decreases significantly. In contrast to amphibians, the ability to regenerate among mammals or birds is severely limited. The aim of this work is to approach the ability of regeneration and the mechanisms by...
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Regeneration of heart muscle in vertebrates
Bergelová, Barbora ; Krylov, Vladimír (advisor) ; Mašek, Jan (referee)
The model organisms like for example the fish Danio rerio has the ability to regenerate heart muscle during its whole lifespan. Compared to Danio rerio, the ability of heart regeneration differs in amphibians. While the newt has the ability to regenerate its heart tissue throughout its whole life, the Xenopus leavis loses its power when it goes through metamorphosis. The regenerative ability does not only differ between salamanders and claws. We can observe some differences between regeneration of Xenopus tropicalis and Xenopus leavis too. Compared to Xenopus leavis, Xenopus tropicalis has the ability to regenerate its heart tissue even in adulthood. Mammals have a very limited ability to regenerate their heart muscle. We can observe the ability to reverse heart damage in mice and humans for a very limited time of a few days after they are born. In adulhood they repair the heart muscle and the rich collagen scar is formed. It is vital that signaling pathways in regeneration of model organisms is researched further, so that the knowledge gained may help us in the treatment of heart injuries in humans. Key words: regeneration, heart muscle, repair, zebrafish, mammals, amphibians, heart development, vertebrates
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