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Population biology and evolutionary genetics of southern right whale (Eubalaena australis)
Nevečeřalová, Petra ; Hulva, Pavel (advisor) ; Galov, Ana (referee) ; Robovský, Jan (referee)
Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) is a species from the Balaenidae family with a range in the southern hemisphere, which evolved in connection with Neogene climate oscillations. Its population biology involves migration between coastal waters of South America, southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand to its high-latitude foraging and feeding grounds in the Southern Ocean. Intensive historical hunting from the 18th to 19th century has impacted the population dynamics of baleen whales substantially. After the whaling moratorium, the species has been recovering from the heavy exploitation, however, recently it is facing anthropogenic changes, such as climate change. The South African population, considered to be the largest one globally and intensively studied for the last several decades, is showing an increase in the calving interval, a decline in female condition and a dramatic shift in migration routes since 2010, possibly as a consequence of significant changes in marine food webs. Methods of molecular ecology were applied to monitor the population genetics and its dynamics not only in the context of the global population but also to compare different time periods - 1990s and 2010s. The majority of the samples were collected noninvasively in cooperation with commercial whale-watching...
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Modern technologies in population biology of a highly mobile mammal
Tkáčová, Nikola ; Hulva, Pavel (advisor) ; Apfelová, Mária (referee)
This bachelor thesis is dedicated to investigate the methods applicable to research of population biology of highly mobile mammals on the example of Eurasian lynx. Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is one of the most widespread felid species. This species is considered to be a suitable model organism due to its large range which includes various ecologic, climatic and demographic conditions. Eurasian lynx fundamentally participates in shaping the entire ecosystem as an apex predator. Its return to the areas of the past occurrence has an effect on species composition there. For the effective protection of this species, it is crucial to use appropriate monitoring methods to obtain information on the distribution area, abundance and population trends. Monitoring of this animal is quite difficult due to its low population density, mainly dusk and night activity and large home-range size. On account of this knowledge hi-tech methods (e.g. GPS telemetry, camera-traps, genetic monitoring) are used. Various methods of monitoring are utilized for various study goals. Telemetry is one of the most commonly used and probably the most effective method for obtaining detailed information about biology and ecology of the species. On the other side this method is invasive and it is possible to track only limited count of...
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