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Urban study of development area Vítkovice - Moravská Ostrava
Výtisková, Kateřina ; Kabela, Miloš (referee) ; Sátora, Josef (advisor)
Subject of this thesis is an urban development study of the former brownfield in Vítkovice - Moravská Ostrava. The initiative came from the new spatial plan of the Ostrava city, where this area was designated for further study. The goal was to design a quality connection to surrounding city parts and to create an independent, functionally diverse city district, which will embrace the past but also provide new inspiration near the city centre. The goal was also to enable further continuity in case of further industry downturn in the area.
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The efect of uncut grass strips on the functional diversity of selected meadow insects communities
Kapr, Jan ; Šípek, Petr (advisor) ; Harabiš, Filip (referee)
This thesis compares the species diversity and the functional diversity of three ecologically important insect taxa (Orthoptera, Heteroptera and Hymenoptera:Aculeata) between production meadows, where the uncut grass strips are left and the meadows mown in the conventional way. Leaving the uncut strips of vegetation is an example of the agri-environmental schemes which were introduced to try to mitigate the negative impact of intensive agriculture on the biodiversity of the production grassland. Here I present part of the results of a four-year study focused on the response of insect abundance and diversity to the meadow management. Based on the recorded insect species diversity, the ecological traits of the insect species were analysed. The functional diversity analysis helps to better understand the ecological relationships in production meadow communities and to evaluate the importance of this agri-environmental scheme for various insect taxonomical and functional groups. Key words: uncut grass strips, agro-envi schemes, functional diversity, production meadows, insect decline
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Long term dynamic of vegetation succession on post-mining sites.
Skalníková, Andrea ; Mudrák, Ondřej (advisor) ; Janíková, Eva (referee)
Spontaneous succession of vegetation can be one of the restoration approaches of disturbed sites after coal mining. It is therefore important to know the course of successional changes and whether it can be replicated. The spontaneous succession of vegetation on disturbed sites is usually based on monitoring of multiple sites of a different stage of succession. By their comparison the course of the succession over time is inferred. This approach of the study is called chronosequence (space-for-time substitution). Another option is to repeat monitoring of permanent plots, but it requires a long period of time to observe successional changes. Rarely are these approaches combined. In this thesis, I analyse the main trends in the succession of plant communities and their plants functional traits on five localities of various age during the 15 years. I have examined whether the localities follow similar successional trends. Data (plant coverage) were collected by annual resampling of 50 (ten per locality) permanent plots of 5 m x 5 m since 2007. By performing a multivariate CCA analysis, we analysed the species composition of the plant community, and by performing an RDA analysis, we analysed the changes in weighted averages of plant functional traits. In both cases, the localities and their...
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Reproductive form and function in trait-based plant ecology: from species to communities
CSERCSÁNÉ VOJTKÓ, Anna
This thesis focuses on reproductive functional trait patterns across different spatial scales. The following sections document novel results and their relevance in modern plant functional ecological theory. The thesis evaluates evolutionary and environmental processes driving functional trait variability with a special focus on sexual and vegetative reproduction. First, the thesis provides a synthesis on the role of sexual reproductive functional traits in plant community assembly processes pointing to current knowledge gaps (Chapter I). Then, using publicly available databases as well as data from field measurements, the following sections aim at filling these knowledge gaps. On the species level, sexual reproductive traits are identified as one of the most important axes of variability in plant form and function (Chapter II). On the level of communities, functional and phylogenetic diversity is studied within and across different habitat types (Chapter III and IV).
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Drivers of avian diversity on an altitudinal gradient of Mount Cameroon
Djomo Nana, Eric ; Hořák, David (advisor) ; Šálek, Miroslav (referee) ; Waltert, Matthias (referee)
Altitudinal gradients constitute a powerful test system for understanding distribution of species around the globe. Tropical mountains are quite rich in species even after controlling for environmental productivity, and are ideally suited for studying patterns of species distributions because they have had sufficient time for species to produce a response to environmental changes that affect their life histories. In this thesis, I investigate basic ecological mechanisms potentially behind avian distribution patterns along an altitudinal gradient in West-Central Africa. I used data collected with four methodological approaches (point counts, mist netting, random walks and artificial nest experiments) along an altitudinal gradient on Mt. Cameroon from October 2011 to September 2013. This work is focused on two interrelated themes: selection pressures on life histories (Chapters 1, 2, 3 & 4), and avian assemblage structures (Chapters 5 & 6). In the General Introduction, I present an overview of the study area with conservation implications of the study and my study objectives. In Chapters 1, 2 & 3, I investigate how selection pressures, i.e., nest predation and parasitism by haematozoa, affect bird assemblages. I used artificial nest experiments to assess nest predation rates in Chapters 1 & 2, and my...
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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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Aesthetic value of biodiversity
Schmitzová, Daniela ; Hořák, David (advisor) ; Braun Kohlová, Markéta (referee)
The aesthetic experience of nature is a crucial part of human life. Because aesthetic experiences motivate people to engage in nature conservation, it makes sense to consider how biodiversity influences aesthetics and whether this influence can be used to promote conservation. First, this review touches on the measurement of nature's value to people and biodiversity, then discusses studies dealing with the connection of biodiversity and aesthetics. Nature offers a range of health benefits to people (e.g. stress relief, better recovery after surgery) that increase with biodiversity, but these benefits don't seem to increase the aesthetic value. At the landscape scale, heterogeneity of the environment is of particular importance, as is the presence of water bodies. For plant communities, biodiversity has a positive correlation with aesthetic value, and perceived biodiversity has a stronger effect in that regard. Preference is also influenced by the arrangement of planting. Aesthetically motivated nature conservation can potentially bolster biodiversity, as proven by the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway area, and should be considered a valuable conservation approach. Key words: biodiversity, aesthetics, species richness, functional diversity, value of the community/ecosystem, nature conservation
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Biodiversity-productivity relationship in desmid communities
Škvorová, Marie ; Škaloud, Pavel (advisor) ; Nedbalová, Linda (referee)
This thesis deals with biodiversity-productivity relationship in desmid communities. Biodiversity is found to be changing globally. The biodiversity-productivity relationship is therefore an important research topic. Three aspects of biodiversity are thought to play an important role: species richness, functional diversity and phylogenetic diversity. It is known that in general, productivity is positively correlated with diversity. Interactions between different metrics of biodiversity are known less. Existing studies have shown that these interactions might be present. In general, biodiversity-productivity studies were mostly focused on plants. Less is known about other organisms, including algae. In this work I explore the relationship between overyielding and functional or phylogenetic diversity on a species richness gradient of desmid communities. I conducted an artificial biodiversity- ecosystem functioning experiment using combinations of two to 12 desmid species. Communities differed in the diversity aspects. I had measured the biomass growth. For the analysis, I have used the overyielding index, which is based on a comparison of a polyculture production with the production expected based on monoculture yields. The relationship of overyielding on functional diversity depended on species...
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Funkční diverzita ptačích společenstev na ostrovech Oceánie
KOTOUNOVÁ, Adéla
Functional diversity is important part of biodiversity. It describes how organisms influent enviroment and how organisms respond to changes in the enviroment. First, I reviewed current knowledge, because the research of functional diversity accumulates exponentially, and new indexes appear quickly. The functional diversity is mostly calculated for plant communities, for which we have majority of available information those is nowadays the most available information. To fill knowledge gaps, I aimed to describe the functional diversity of bird communities on the islands of Oceania.
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Urban study of development area Vítkovice - Moravská Ostrava
Výtisková, Kateřina ; Kabela, Miloš (referee) ; Sátora, Josef (advisor)
Subject of this thesis is an urban development study of the former brownfield in Vítkovice - Moravská Ostrava. The initiative came from the new spatial plan of the Ostrava city, where this area was designated for further study. The goal was to design a quality connection to surrounding city parts and to create an independent, functionally diverse city district, which will embrace the past but also provide new inspiration near the city centre. The goal was also to enable further continuity in case of further industry downturn in the area.
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