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Evolution of the sex determination pathway in the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella
VISSER, Sander
The sex determination pathway in insects is a fast evolving gene cascade. In particular, the genes at the top of this cascade differ even between closely related species. This study explores the sex determination pathway of the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella, which is widely used as a food source for the mass rearing of biological control agents. Therefore, an ortholog of the Masculinizer gene was identified and its role in sex determination was assessed by applying RNA interference (RNAi). In addition, a putative feminizing gene was identified on the W chromosome of E. kuehniella and a closely related species, and their genetic structure was determined by qPCR, Southern hybridization, and fluorescence in situ hybridization. The data contribute to our understanding of the sex-determining system in E. kuehniella and the evolution of the sex determination pathway in Lepidoptera.
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Environmental influences on the shape of ultraviolet signals in genus Gonepteryx (Lepidoptera, Pieridae).
Pecháček, Pavel ; Kleisner, Karel (advisor) ; Zapletalová, Lenka (referee) ; Vrabec, Vladimír (referee)
Like many other animals, butterflies are able to visually perceive the ultraviolet (UV) light; many species even have patterns on their wings which are visible in this part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Over the last forty years, it has been shown that these UV patterns play an important role in behaviour of many butterflies, especially in relation to sexual selection - they are involved in the process of recognising a suitable mate, and likely can signal some of the mate's qualities, such as its age, ability to handle stressful environmental factors, or efficiency in foraging. The patterns may also be used for taxonomical purposes. This dissertation thesis contains a comprehensive research into ultraviolet patterns of the Gonepteryx brimstones, with a primary focus on the issue of environmental influences in relation to the expression of these traits, on the patterns' potential role in sexual selection, or on their evolution. It has been successfully demonstrated that UV patterns of at least some Gonepteryx species are affected by the environment to a strong degree, significantly more than the traits not involved in sexual selection. On the whole, the conclusions made by submitted publications suggest that UV patterns play a role in the sexual selection of the chosen brimstones, though it is not clear...
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Lepidoptera Community of the Woodland Complex Loučany near Klatovy
Rendlová, Veronika ; Heřman, Petr (advisor) ; Hanel, Lubomír (referee)
This thesis is focused on faunistic survey of Macrolepidoptera in Loučany (foothills of the Šumava Mts, Czech Republic). The research, involving different capture methods, proceeded from April to November 2015 on given transect and several other habitats. Based on the results (including partial data from 2013 and the last two decades of the 20th century), an inventory of identified species of Macrolepidoptera was made. Altogether 205 species from 16 families were found in Loučany. The most important species are for example the Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi), High Brown Fritillary (Argynnis adippe), Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne), Purple Emperor (Apatura iris), Spruce Carpet (Thera britannica) and Sandy Carpet (Perizoma affinitata). The environmental parameters of experimental sites were noticed during research and the habitat preferences of species were analysed using specialized literature. Altogether 186 species (90,7 % of all identified species) are linked to some kind of woodland habitat. To support present biodiversity of the community of Macrolepidoptera, it is necessary to practice a suitable woodland management, conserving mosaicity and open canopy. Key words: Lepidoptera, species diversity, Czech Republic, Klatovy area, conservation, woodland management
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Changes in pollinator behaviour under different plant spatial aggregation
Štenc, Jakub ; Janovský, Zdeněk (advisor) ; Bartoš, Michael (referee)
Plants often occur aggregated into clusters and this spatial pattern is supposed to affect pollinator behaviour and pollen dispersal. Such pollinator reaction may influence reproductive success of zoogamous plant species both in terms of number of available mates and their genetic diversity (nearby growing plant individuals are also often closely related, especially in clonal plants). In the present thesis, I investigated the influence of plant spatial aggregation on pollinator behaviour and how this translates into pollen transfer. For that purpose, I carried three experiments. In the Experiment 1, I used potted plants placed into arrays and aggregated into four patches in order to track the pollen dispersal by means of a UV-dye pollen analogue. I manipulated distances between plants within clusters (dense × loose) and between clusters (near × far). I conducted this experiment for three plant species differing in their pollinator spectra. In the Experiment 2, I observed pollinator foraging sequences (sequences of visited plant individuals) under the same experimental design as for the first experiment, but I carried out this experiment for five plant species. In addition in one study species, Dianthus carthusianorum, I conducted the Experiment 3 to get better insight into pollination effectiveness...
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Preferences of the main groups of pollinators for the functional floral traits
Malá, Karolína ; Janovský, Zdeněk (advisor) ; Hadrava, Jiří (referee)
This bachelor thesis summarizes the preferences of the main functional groups of pollinators towards floral traits of plants. Due to coevolution and mutual selection pressures, these two life forms have begun to adapt to each other and develop traits on which the future of their life depends. The plant seeks to attract its pollinators, thus ensuring efficient pollen transfer or reproduction for its species. Attractants are used to motivate visitors to its flowers. These attractants provide pollinators with either direct rewards (food, shelter, brood) or rewards in the form of sensory perceptions (colour, scent, morphology). Recently, it has become apparent that flower colour, morphology and the type of food reward offered by the flower have the greatest influence on pollinator choice. Based on preferences towards attractants, we can organize several functional groups whose representatives have the same or similar choice preferences. Key words Pollination syndromes, pollinator, selection pressures, plant traits, coevolution, preferences, fidelity, diptera, coleoptera, lepidoptera, hymenoptera, birds, colour, morphology, rewards
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Changes in pollinator behaviour under different plant spatial aggregation
Štenc, Jakub ; Janovský, Zdeněk (advisor) ; Bartoš, Michael (referee)
Plants often occur aggregated into clusters and this spatial pattern is supposed to affect pollinator behaviour and pollen dispersal. Such pollinator reaction may influence reproductive success of zoogamous plant species both in terms of number of available mates and their genetic diversity (nearby growing plant individuals are also often closely related, especially in clonal plants). In the present thesis, I investigated the influence of plant spatial aggregation on pollinator behaviour and how this translates into pollen transfer. For that purpose, I carried three experiments. In the Experiment 1, I used potted plants placed into arrays and aggregated into four patches in order to track the pollen dispersal by means of a UV-dye pollen analogue. I manipulated distances between plants within clusters (dense × loose) and between clusters (near × far). I conducted this experiment for three plant species differing in their pollinator spectra. In the Experiment 2, I observed pollinator foraging sequences (sequences of visited plant individuals) under the same experimental design as for the first experiment, but I carried out this experiment for five plant species. In addition in one study species, Dianthus carthusianorum, I conducted the Experiment 3 to get better insight into pollination effectiveness...
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Environmental influences on the shape of ultraviolet signals in genus Gonepteryx (Lepidoptera, Pieridae).
Pecháček, Pavel ; Kleisner, Karel (advisor) ; Zapletalová, Lenka (referee) ; Vrabec, Vladimír (referee)
Like many other animals, butterflies are able to visually perceive the ultraviolet (UV) light; many species even have patterns on their wings which are visible in this part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Over the last forty years, it has been shown that these UV patterns play an important role in behaviour of many butterflies, especially in relation to sexual selection - they are involved in the process of recognising a suitable mate, and likely can signal some of the mate's qualities, such as its age, ability to handle stressful environmental factors, or efficiency in foraging. The patterns may also be used for taxonomical purposes. This dissertation thesis contains a comprehensive research into ultraviolet patterns of the Gonepteryx brimstones, with a primary focus on the issue of environmental influences in relation to the expression of these traits, on the patterns' potential role in sexual selection, or on their evolution. It has been successfully demonstrated that UV patterns of at least some Gonepteryx species are affected by the environment to a strong degree, significantly more than the traits not involved in sexual selection. On the whole, the conclusions made by submitted publications suggest that UV patterns play a role in the sexual selection of the chosen brimstones, though it is not clear...
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Factors influencing butterfly diversity of the species-rich Submediterranean region
BARTOŇOVÁ, Alena
This thesis focuses on the history, current state, and conservation of butterfly diversity in the Submediterranean grasslands and Palaearctic steppes. The thesis is introduced with the summary of Cenozoic history of the steppe biome in Eurasia. Then it consists of three studies. The first study describes butterfly communities and microhabitat selection of a steppe specialist butterfly Proterebia afra in two relic grassland areas in the Balkans. Based on genetic markers and samples covering the whole distribution ranges, the second and third studies assess the phylogeography of two steppe butterflies, P. afra and Pseudophilotes bavius, distributed in the Irano-Anatolian region, the Balkans, as well as the northern Palaearctic steppes.
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New insights into the evolution of the W chromosome in Lepidoptera
HEJNÍČKOVÁ, Martina
It is generally accepted that the W chromosome in moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera) has evolved in a common ancestor of Tischeriidae and Ditrysia. Several species of these clades were examined via comparative genomic hybridization to determine the presence of the W chromosome. In addition, in five selected genes their Z-linkage was tested by qPCR. The conserved synteny of the Z chromosome across Tischeriidae and Ditrysia, along with the W chromosome absence in the lower ditrysian families Psychidae and Tineidae, suggests a possible independent origin of the W chromosomes in these two lineages.
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Analysis of structure and origin of multiple sex chromosomes in \kur{Leptidea} wood white butterflies
POSPÍŠILOVÁ, Kristýna
Previous studies have shown a dynamic karyotype evolution and the presence of complex sex chromosome systems with 3-4 W chromosomes and 3-6 Z chromosomes in Leptidea wood white butterflies. To dissect the evolutionary history of multiple Z chromosomes of Leptidea species, we used identified and selected bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones containing orthologous genes of Bombyx mori chromosome Z and 17, isolated them from the available BAC library and used them as probes for physical mapping by BAC-FISH, first in L. juvernica, then in the closely related L. sinapis. In both Leptidea species, the majority of BAC clones corresponding to the linkage group Z of the B. mori reference genome hybridized to one chromosome of the complicated sex chromosome multivalent. Thus, we named it as Z1 chromosome. Location of all Z-derived BAC clones was identical in both species suggesting a conserved synteny and gene order between L. juvernica and L. sinapis Z1 chromosome. Moreover, our findings indicate that the Z1 chromosome is probably the ancestral Z chromosome in the genus Leptidea. Results of BAC-FISH mapping with clones corresponding to the linkage group 17 of the B. mori reference genome revealed the fusion/translocation event between an ancestral Z chromosome and the chromosome corresponding to B. mori chromosome 17 and supported a previous hypothesis about the role of chromosomal rearrangements in the formation of multiple sex chromosomes in Leptidea butterflies.
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