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Population biology of Dianthus carthusianorum in populations infested by anther-smut
Kasner, Marek ; Koubek, Tomáš (advisor) ; Dostálek, Tomáš (referee)
Anther-smuts (Microbotryum violaceum s. l.) are systemic plant pathogens sterilizing their hosts, thus decreasing its reproduction on the expense of own sporulation. The spores are, consequently, transmitted by pollinator vectors and deposited on healthy flowers. This thesis contributes novel, to date missing information about population-level impact of the pathogen that severely influences its host fitness by examining a relatively new model species Dianthus carthusianorum. Additionally, it considers the effect of pre-dispersal seed predators (caterpillars of Hadena moths). Deterministic matrix models were used for the quantification of the effects of both plant antagonists. Notably, the use of such type of models is rather unique in population biology of plant pathogens. The research was conducted in three localities in Střední Povltaví area in years 2018-2021 when the demographic data were collected, reflecting the whole plant life cycle. During the annual censuses we gathered not only the information about the vital rates of the plants (growth, reproduction, infections...) but also selected size characteristics of permanently marked plants were measured to explore possible changes induced by a systemic infection. The seed recruitment and seedling growth data were provided by seed-addition...
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Population models of plant life-cycles and their modifications by diseases and herbivores
Kasner, Marek ; Koubek, Tomáš (advisor) ; Koupilová, Klára (referee)
Pathogens and herbivores are two important groups of organisms with predominantly negative impact on their plant hosts. Although relationships at the individual level are relatively well understood, the data acquired by those studies cannot be easily translated into effects on the population. Various types of population models, also used in the case of the interactions, give us valuable insight into population dynamics. This bachelor thesis at first describes mechanisms and effects of plant pathogens (with emphasis on pathosystems with anther smut Microbotryum violaceum) and herbivores at the individual and population level for the demonstration of diversity of the systems and to stress the discrepancy between the two hierarchical levels. Furthermore, matrix and integral projection models are introduced as invaluable tools for population dynamics projections and understanding the underlying results of the interactions on plant populations. These models use the entire plant life cycle and require long-term censuses of demographic data. The role of these models in plant-pathogen interactions seems heavily underappreciated, however, and thus there is only a small number of studies with their application. The thesis describes mechanisms of the models, modifications in specific life-cycles and their...
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