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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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The influence of topography and geology on the functional plant diversity in the Křivoklátsko PLA
Radoměřský, Tomáš ; Chuman, Tomáš (advisor) ; Romportl, Dušan (referee)
Geological evolution resulted in continual changes of the natural environment. These changes are occuring even today and will take place in the future as well. The present form of nature is the result of conflicting effects of endogenous and exogenous processes. The natural environment is increasingly disturbed and transformed by human activities. The final appearance of the landscape has a decisive influence on the distribution of vegetation. In my work I deal with the influence of topography on the distribution of plant functional types. First I summarize in short the paleogeographic evolution of the Křivoklátsko and the near neighborhood from the time of Upper Proterozoic to the present. Further I describe individual physiogeographic factors and theirs influenceon the distribution and diversity of plants. These include geological substrate, topography, soil, climate and disturbance. Shortly after that I characterize the geology, geomorphology, soils, hydrologyand vegetation of the Křivoklátsko PLA. Later I describe ways of expressing the diversity of plantswith accent on the diversity of functional types. My research is based on the analysis of functional diversity of plants and evaluation of the relationship of individual functional vegetation types and the topography. Results of the work...
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