|
|
Species traits of soil fauna and ecosystem functions during recovery after major disturbances
Salazar Fillippo, Andres Alberto ; Frouz, Jan (advisor) ; Tajovský, Karel (referee) ; Józefowska, Agnieszka (referee)
Growing evidence indicates that interactions between above and belowground communities are essential for healthy and functioning ecosystems. This, however, has exposed a disproportionate knowledge gap in soil communities, which remain poorly understood both at a taxonomic and ecological level when compared to their aboveground counterpart. Studying assembly processes of communities along with structuring forces driving these changes facilitate observing key dynamics within the ecosystem. For this reason, three out of four manuscripts included in the current thesis focus on chronosequences in different successional stages after restoration of major disturbances. The first chronosequence consisted of four sites (10 years, 30 years, 50 years, and a >100 years reference site) in heathlands restored using top-soil removal from North- East Belgium. Here I studied trait assemblages of oribatid mite communities that revealed different ecomorphological groups changing with time during succession, and we also quantitatively assessed the contribution of phoresy via rodents to the dispersal of oribatid mites between restored sites. In the second chronosequence on spoil heaps from the mining district of Sokolov (Czech Republic) with sites ranging from 1 to 41 years, I identified explicit relationships between...
|
|
| |
|
|
Mechanisms behind diversity and ecosystem functioning relationships - the insights from observational and manipulative studies in grassland communities
LISNER, Aleš
This thesis focuses on the relationship between diversity and two commonly used ecosystem functions - productivity and its stability. The thesis tries to assess the problematics from different perspectives using large-scale observational studies and small-scale manipulative experiments to better understand which mechanism create observed patterns. High emphasis is put on the methodological aspects and potential theoretical or practical issues arising from experimental setting and data collection. More specifically, the thesis starts with description and critical evaluation of patterns observed at bigger spatial scales and across multiple sites (Chapter I). Then continue with detailed small-scale experimental approaches and assessment of mechanism driving relationship between diversity, productivity and stability of communities (Chapter II and III). Further, the thesis digs into bigger detail focusing on which plant characteristics define abundance patterns of individual species, which translates into productivity (Chapter IV). Finally, it elaborates on common issues related to vegetation data collection and their subsequent analysis (Chapter V).
|
|
|
Life history strategies of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
Fričová, Renata ; Janoušková, Martina (advisor) ; Kohout, Petr (referee)
Arbuscular mycorrhiza is a symbiotic interaction of vascular plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi from subphylum Glomeromycotina. Currently, it is difficult to predict the population dynamics of AM fungal communities, mainly because little is known about their life-history strategies. However, it is clear that AM fungi differ in a range of traits. Physiological and ecological differences between AM fungi can affect the outcome of their competition as well as cooperation with the plant symbiont and the successional dynamics of the whole community. In order to advance our knowledge of AM fungal life-history strategies, it is crucial to deepen our understanding of the traits and factors that modify interactions between the symbionts. This bachelor thesis is designed as a literature survey aimed at summarizing knowledge about functional traits of AM fungi and the impact of these traits on their life-history strategies. Key words: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, life-history strategies, host plant, traits, mycelium, colonization, competition, community, succession
|
|
|
Vybrané aspekty vlivu bezobratlých herbivorů na složení travinného společenstva
HRUBÁ, Karolína
The first part of my thesis is focused on observation of the leaf damage by invertebrate herbivores during season. I examined how the selected traits affect the palatability of plant species. In the next project, I investigated the effect of herbivory and gaps on seedling establishment. And finally, in the last part, I studied the effect of herbivory of terrestrial gastropods on competitive relationships among selected species.
|
|
|
Environmental and ecological determinants of urban bird community structure
Ferenc, Michal ; Sedláček, Ondřej (advisor) ; Lososová, Zdeňka (referee) ; Tryjanowski, Piotr (referee)
The urban environment has attracted much scientific attention as it stands at the core of environmental changes caused by the growing human population. The responses of bird communities to urbanization have been especially frequently studied. Despite the intensive research, there are several unresolved questions resonating in the field of urban ecology of birds: i) Are cities ordinary components of the original environment with the same macroecological bird diversity patterns as can be observed in the surrounding environment or do they have some specific impacts on native avifaunas? ii) Which traits are characteristic for species being able to persist in cities and for those avoiding urban areas? iii) How does the impact of the most important factors influencing urban bird communities - area, habitat heterogeneity and spatial position - change with spatial scale? Towards answering these questions, data on breeding bird communities were extracted from 41 European urban bird atlases, avifaunas of regions in which cities are embedded were retrieved from the EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds. Finer scale bird community data were obtained from the atlas of Prague and by point counts conducted in Prague. Data on bird traits were collated from published resources and additional environmental and...
|
|
| |
|
|
From the five-factor model to the five-factor theory of personality
Hřebíčková, Martina
The contribution contains explication of the five-factor theory(FFT) of personality, which was evolved by McCrae and Costa (1996). FFT is a contemporary version of trait theory, based on the assumptions that people are knowable, rational, variable, and proactive. FFT explains personality functioning as the operation of universal personality system, with defined categories of variables and classes of dynamic processes that indicate the main causual pathways. The components of the personality system are designated as 1) biological bases (genes and brain structures), 2) basic tendencies (abstract psychological potentials), 3) characteristic adaptations (concrete manifestation of basic tendencies), 4) self-concept, 5) objective biography, 6) external influences. Dynamic processes secify 16 postuales to specify how the personality system operates. The most radical postulate concerns an origin of the traits, which declares that traits like a temperament are endogenous basic tendencies that are heritable but unafected by environmental influences.
|
guest ::
