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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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Selected Meadow Pollinators and Their Didactical Use
Huňková, Helena ; Říhová, Dagmar (advisor) ; Hanel, Lubomír (referee)
This Master thesis is focused on selected pollinators of our meadows and their didactic integration into education. The thesis is divided into two parts - theoretical and practical. In theoretical part, there are defined two orders (Hymenoptera and Diptera), process of pollination, plants pollination strategies and pollen grain. Practical part is focused on research of dipterans (particularly on hoverflies) of which purpose was to find out which plants are most pollinated. Subsequent section deals with analysis of secondary school Biology textbooks in terms of representation of selected pollinators. Next section contains plan of practical exercise, which deals with whether honey contains pollen grains. In final section of practical part, a worksheet is presented, which verifies pupil's knowledge about pollinators. KEYWORDS Hymenoptera, Diptera, hoverfly research, pollinators, pollen, textbook analysis
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Ultraviolet patterns in flowers and their significance as a signal to pollinators
Zitko, Martin ; Pecháček, Pavel (advisor) ; Janeček, Štěpán (referee)
Various animals are sensitive to ultraviolet light and many angiosperms make use of this ability to communicate with their pollinators. Therefore plants often dis- play patterns on their flowers and inflorescences visible only in ultraviolet light. The origin of these patterns is both pigment-based and structural-based, resulting in UV absorbing or UV reflecting flower. The main goal of this thesis is to give a summary of ultraviolet light as well as explore how plants produce ultraviolet pat- terns and present their actual appearance. I also pay attention to the characteristics of pollinators' vision with emphasis on ultraviolet light, and to the biological signifi- cance of ultraviolet flower signals for the pollinators. Gaps in knowledge are implied as well. The result of the thesis shows that ultraviolet light has an unquestionable significance in the relationship of angiosperms and their pollinators. It also shows a coevolution of ultraviolet patterns and pollinators' preferences for them. Keywords: ultraviolet, flower pattern, bull's eye, signalisation, pollinator
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