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Influence of insect herbivory on plant competition
Opltová, Radka ; Kuťáková, Eliška (advisor) ; Florianová, Anna (referee)
Plant communities are influenced by many factors, such as soil properties, humidity, temperature, resource availability or competition and herbivory. This thesis summarizes current knowledge about insect herbivory and its impact on plant competition in the context of plant communities, especially in grasslands. The competition outcome depends on numerous factors, such as the competitiveness of focal as well as neighbouring plants, trade-off between fast growth and production of defensive chemicals, resource availability etc. Insect herbivory can significantly impact plant competition, and the impact depends on herbivore abundance and its specific traits, such as feeding preferences or occupied habitat. Although herbivory often reduces plant biomass, it can stabilize the community structure by suppressing strong competitors and, therefore, keeping higher plant biodiversity. Plant response to herbivory can sometimes develop over a long time, so long-term observations of changes in plant communities are necessary. It is my willingness to continue with research based on this review, within the context of a master thesis. Specifically, I would deal with the impact of belowground herbivory on seminatural mountain grassland in the Krkonoše Mountains. As a model herbivore species I chose the garden chafer...
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The plant - habitat diversity relationship in the Křivoklátsko PLA
Nováková, Zuzana ; Chuman, Tomáš (advisor) ; Romportl, Dušan (referee)
The term biodiversity means biological diversity at different levels - from genetic diversity, species diversity to ecosystem diversity. The distribution of plant diversity on Earth is not uniform and it is influenced by various factors. In my thesis I emphasize physical-geographic factors, which include climate, soil and topography. Next I assess the influence of environmental heterogeneity, ecological phenomenons, biotic factors and disturbances. I also assess biodiversity gradients, which include altitude and latitude gradient and size and remoteness of habitats. Another part is focused on the plant-habitat diversity relationship because this relation will be researched in the second part of my thesis. Křivoklátsko PLA was chosen as a model area for its specificity, interest and high species and habitat diversity. The aim of my thesis is to determine the species-habitat diversity relationship in the selected area. Key words: plant diversity, habitat diversity, Křivoklátsko PLA
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Historical and present anthropogenic gradients in landscape
Staněk, Ondřej ; Vojta, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Klinerová, Tereza (referee)
My bachelor thesis is concerned in determining and classification of main anthropogenic influences in various ecosystems. Intensity and direction of landscape transformations such as nutrient income, terrain changes, disturbance, biomass removal or fragmentation is discussed and evaluated. Other landscape factors taking part in ecosystem endurance like different structure and pH of soils or various microclimatic conditions are also taken in notice. It seems that intensity of human influence varies depending on it's nature and it is difficult to propose a linear scale of these changes. From this point of view German hemeroby concept is discussed as possibly suitable scale of human influence. Historical and present anthropogenic gradients in landscape - Abstract (EN) Ondřej Staněk, 2010
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Causes of diversity in the Cape Floristic Region
Havlíčková, Eliška ; Chumová, Zuzana (advisor) ; Záveská, Eliška (referee)
The Cape Floristic Region (Capensis) is the smallest phytogeographical kingdom in the world with an area about 90,000 kmš (or 190,000 kmš if the succulent karoo is included). However, thanks to the subtropical climate influenced by the cold Benguel current and the isolated location behind the ridges of the Cape Mountains, it is characterized by an extremely diverse flora. There are about 11,000 species of plants, of which 79% are endemic. The Cape region shares many characteristics with other Mediterranean areas, but in many ways it is a unique environment. In this bachelor's thesis, the Cape flora is set in a global context and compared with other Mediterranean areas. Geological development, floristic and vegetation composition are described. The work also contains summarised information about the possible causes of high plant diversity and endemism of the Cape region. Keywords: Cape Floristic Region, Mediterranean, plant diversity, polyploidy, South Africa
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The plant - habitat diversity relationship in the Křivoklátsko PLA
Nováková, Zuzana ; Chuman, Tomáš (advisor) ; Romportl, Dušan (referee)
The term biodiversity means biological diversity at different levels - from genetic diversity, species diversity to ecosystem diversity. The distribution of plant diversity on Earth is not uniform and it is influenced by various factors. In my thesis I emphasize physical-geographic factors, which include climate, soil and topography. Next I assess the influence of environmental heterogeneity, ecological phenomenons, biotic factors and disturbances. I also assess biodiversity gradients, which include altitude and latitude gradient and size and remoteness of habitats. Another part is focused on the plant-habitat diversity relationship because this relation will be researched in the second part of my thesis. Křivoklátsko PLA was chosen as a model area for its specificity, interest and high species and habitat diversity. The aim of my thesis is to determine the species-habitat diversity relationship in the selected area. Key words: plant diversity, habitat diversity, Křivoklátsko PLA
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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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Historical and present anthropogenic gradients in landscape
Staněk, Ondřej ; Klinerová, Tereza (referee) ; Vojta, Jaroslav (advisor)
My bachelor thesis is concerned in determining and classification of main anthropogenic influences in various ecosystems. Intensity and direction of landscape transformations such as nutrient income, terrain changes, disturbance, biomass removal or fragmentation is discussed and evaluated. Other landscape factors taking part in ecosystem endurance like different structure and pH of soils or various microclimatic conditions are also taken in notice. It seems that intensity of human influence varies depending on it's nature and it is difficult to propose a linear scale of these changes. From this point of view German hemeroby concept is discussed as possibly suitable scale of human influence. Historical and present anthropogenic gradients in landscape - Abstract (EN) Ondřej Staněk, 2010
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Comparison of forestry reclamation and spontaneous succession from plant diversity, production, and economic perspectives
Cudlín, Ondřej ; Faigl, T. ; Plch, Radek ; Cudlín, Pavel
The aim of our study was to determine whether the values of plant community diversity, the volume of wood, and the partial economic efficiency of plots left to spontaneous succession have yet reached similar values as those recorded on forestry reclaimed plots. Six forestry reclaimed plots and six plots with spontaneous succession were established at the Great Podkrušnohorská spoil heap and selected tree biometric characteristics were measured. Plots’ economic efficiency was calculated as the difference between the costs to level the spoil heap as well as establish and manage the forest reclamation and the theoretical profit from wood. The numbers of tree species, numbers of individuals, wood volume, and Simpson diversity index values did not differ significantly between plots with spontaneous succession and reclaimed plots. The economic efficiencies of both types of plots were too burdened with high initial investments for levelling, which can theoretically be returned within 300 years for reclamation plots and 180 years for succession plots. According to our results and those of some other authors, values for diversity and wood production are similar or higher on plots resulting from spontaneous succession in comparison to values on reclaimed plots. For this reason, both types of management should be used to establish a new suitable mosaic of ecosystems in the post-mining landscape.
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A methodology for assessing the impact of cattle grazing on soil properties, water quality and quantity, plant and invertebrates diversity
Fučík, P. ; Zemek, František ; Hakrová, P. ; Svobodová, M. ; Zajíček, A. ; Šlachta, M. ; Pikl, Miroslav ; Duffková, R. ; Mrkvička, J. ; Bystřický, V. ; Procházka, J. ; Skalický, M. ; Holubík, O. ; Moravcová, J. ; Novotný, Jan ; Skalická, J. ; Peterková, J. ; Musil, M. ; Šantrůček, J. ; Matoušková, V. ; Brom, J. ; Hanuš, Jan ; Novotná, K. ; Huislová, P.
This methodology introduces the approaches for assessment of soil, water, plant, forage and invertebrates characteristics of pastures as influenced by cattle grazing. These parameters are necessary to observe and evaluate in order to set the optimal grazing management of pastures for support of the sustainable land use and for mitigating the negative impacts of agriculture on the environment. Moreover, the proper management of pastures enables to improve livestock welfare, market challenges of foods, and strenghten and diversify various activities in rural areas. For the assessment of grazing-induced changes of aforementioned parameters, the focus is oriented towards different pasture geomorphological / hillslope zones, where grazing may exhibit in a distinct manner. The approaches are postponed based on literature survey as well as on knowledge acquired during a multi-branch research project. The methodology shows the principles for monitoring and evaluation of parameters regarding soil physics and chemistry, water quality and quantity, plant diversity and forage quality and ecology of selected invertebrate species. Beside this, approaches for application and interpretation of remote sensing methods and tools for detecting the changes in plant and soil pasture characteristics are introduced and discussed. The methodics is targeted on one hand for specialist from state administration offices (Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of the Environment) as a background for evaluation of the effectiveness of subsidy programmes focused on grazing management. On the other hand, the approaches described in the methodics can serve the experts for an integrated assessment of grazing management on various pasture parameters or on the environment. The novelty of the methodics lies in the multi-level approach, which enables to assess the pasture parameters both individually or jointly, according to their mutual interrelatons and possible driving factors.
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