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Endozoochorous seed dispersal by free ranging herbivores
Lepková, Barbora
Endozoochorous dispersal of seeds is a very common phenomenon which may occur anywhere some animals feed on plants bearing mature seeds. Endozoochory has been identified as a potential driver for long-distance migration but there is a strong discrepancy between endozoochory by frugivorous animals and herbivores. Despite the fact that the latter has been observed as early as a century ago, our understanding of the herbivorous endozoochory is still limited, even more so when it comes to the free-ranging wild species of herbivores. Furthermore, the endozoochorous dispersal shows significant differences between study areas and between herbivore species suggesting we need information about the process from various study areas to draw any conclusions. This thesis aimed to: (i) research the species composition found in dung samples of wild boars and deer, (ii) quantify the effect of deer dung deposition on vegetation of dry grasslands, (iii) establish the adaptation of plant species to the passage through digestive tract, and (iv) disentangle the drivers of species composition dispersed in dung. The results of my research indicates: (i) the species composition in dung samples differs up to a point between deer and wild boars: some species are dispersed by both dispersers while other only by one of them....
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Endozoochorous seed dispersal by free ranging herbivores
Lepková, Barbora ; Herben, Tomáš (advisor) ; Eycott, Amy Elizabeth (referee) ; Mudrák, Ondřej (referee)
Endozoochorous dispersal of seeds is a very common phenomenon which may occur anywhere some animals feed on plants bearing mature seeds. Endozoochory has been identified as a potential driver for long-distance migration but there is a strong discrepancy between endozoochory by frugivorous animals and herbivores. Despite the fact that the latter has been observed as early as a century ago, our understanding of the herbivorous endozoochory is still limited, even more so when it comes to the free-ranging wild species of herbivores. Furthermore, the endozoochorous dispersal shows significant differences between study areas and between herbivore species suggesting we need information about the process from various study areas to draw any conclusions. This thesis aimed to: (i) research the species composition found in dung samples of wild boars and deer, (ii) quantify the effect of deer dung deposition on vegetation of dry grasslands, (iii) establish the adaptation of plant species to the passage through digestive tract, and (iv) disentangle the drivers of species composition dispersed in dung. The results of my research indicates: (i) the species composition in dung samples differs up to a point between deer and wild boars: some species are dispersed by both dispersers while other only by one of them....
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Species traits determining species composition on abandoned fields
Jarošíková, Cecílie ; Münzbergová, Zuzana (advisor) ; Klimešová, Jitka (referee)
Though succession is a widely studied process, there are only a few reports dealing with changes in plant functional types in the course of succession. Even fewer studies are dealing with agricultural, wet meadows, which are under continuous impact of mowing. The aim of this work is to fill this gap. The studied area is situated in south part of CHKO Slavkovský Les (region of Karlovy Vary, West Bohemia). In previous works grasslands on arable field after 15, 35 and 55 years after abandoned and continual grasslands in last 100 years were detected from historical agriculture maps. The releves on all types of grassland were made and the species pool was investigated. I this work I investigate the functional types and live-history traits of these species and I also look for Ellenberger values and changes of abiotic environment. The result suggests that the late - successional species are long-lived and have slower live cycle (they mature later). Their seeds are less persistent and have worse dispersal ability. Their seedlings are more viable and the species invest more to aboveground biomass than to underground. Late-successional species also flower earlier and shorter time, what seems to be an adaptation to mowing. I found no relationship between successional age in which the species occur and seed mass,...
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The ability of plants to indicate abiotic environmental conditions
Lebedová, Michaela ; Chuman, Tomáš (advisor) ; Šefrna, Luděk (referee)
The occurrence of different plant species is influenced mainly by individual environmental factors such as light, heat, soil reaction or nutrient content. The knowledge of the relationships between the plant species and the mentioned ecological factors, allows us to estimate the ecological properties of the habitats in which these species grow without the need of direct measurements. The aim of this thesis was to review the literature on the ability of different plants to indicate abiotic environmental conditions and to verify it on selected soil properties (soil nitrogen and phosphorus content, soil reaction) at sites where both soil sampling and analysis and phytocenological relevés were collected. Tabulated Ellenberg's indicator values were assigned to recorded species from 14 catchments of the GEOMON network. The tightness of the relationship between the indicator values and the measured data was examined in several soil layers defined as: L, FH, 0-10, 10-20, 20-40 a 40-80 cm and phytocenological relevés of different size: A - 400 m2 , B - 40 m2 a C - 4 m2 . The results showed that the data correlated best in the soil layer FH and the strongest relationship was found between the average Ellenberg's indicator values from phytocenological catchments C with an active soil reaction. Keywords:...
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Vegetation changes of wet meadows in Slavkovský les
Šimák, Martin ; Münzbergová, Zuzana (advisor) ; Hédl, Radim (referee)
This thesis focuses on the changes of vegetation of the wet meadows in Slavkovský Les during past decade. It uses data on vegetation gained from 100 permanent plots. By the analysis of the species composition and diversity it aims to elucidate the changes of the wet meadows over the last ten years. It aims to define, which are declining and which are becoming more common. Applied management should have a great impact on the observed vegetation changes so its effect is studied in the thesis as well. The knowledge of the suitable management should lead to conservation of the local biodiversity. The abiotic environmental factors are important as well as they can influence the species composition. These factors were studied by the application of Ellenberg indicator values on the species present in the study. These changes were compared in time and in a combination of time with a management type. Thus, we should be able to say how the environment has changed in the past decade and whether the type of management has any effect on the changes. Furthermore, the thesis explores whether changes in species composition over time may be explained by species traits. The results indicate that the species diversity and composition have indeed changed during the past decade. Apparently, the higher amount of...
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Plants as indicators of soil properties
Doležal, Jan ; Chuman, Tomáš (advisor) ; Šefrna, Luděk (referee)
Soil will be more important natural resource in the future, soil is degradation due to organic matter depletion, soil acidification and nutrient leaching, soil erosion, soil sealing is still ongoing. The local vegetation can serve as an estimate of habitat properties, these properties may highlight the ongoing processes in the soil. The ability of plants to indicate soil properties are described in a variety of species. The first part of this work is a review of literature which is dealing with plant indicators and the practical part is to evaluate the tightness of the relationship between selected soil properties and their values derived on the basis of the indicator species composition in two selected river basins. Keywords: flora, phytoindication, soil, vegetation, ellenberg indicator values, GEOMON river basin
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Species traits determining species composition on abandoned fields
Jarošíková, Cecílie ; Münzbergová, Zuzana (advisor) ; Klimešová, Jitka (referee)
Though succession is a widely studied process, there are only a few reports dealing with changes in plant functional types in the course of succession. Even fewer studies are dealing with agricultural, wet meadows, which are under continuous impact of mowing. The aim of this work is to fill this gap. The studied area is situated in south part of CHKO Slavkovský Les (region of Karlovy Vary, West Bohemia). In previous works grasslands on arable field after 15, 35 and 55 years after abandoned and continual grasslands in last 100 years were detected from historical agriculture maps. The releves on all types of grassland were made and the species pool was investigated. I this work I investigate the functional types and live-history traits of these species and I also look for Ellenberger values and changes of abiotic environment. The result suggests that the late - successional species are long-lived and have slower live cycle (they mature later). Their seeds are less persistent and have worse dispersal ability. Their seedlings are more viable and the species invest more to aboveground biomass than to underground. Late-successional species also flower earlier and shorter time, what seems to be an adaptation to mowing. I found no relationship between successional age in which the species occur and seed mass,...
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Biology and habitat requirements of endangered ladybird spider Eresus moravicus (Araneae: Eresidae) in Czechia
KREJČÍ, Tomáš
The ladybird spider Eresus moravicus is one of our most endangered spiders. It is therefore necessary to know its habitat requirements and have at least basic knowledge of its biology to design an appropriate management to protect sites of its natural occurrence. Phytocenological analysis was made at each site and the outcomes were evaluated based on the Ellenberg´s indicator values. Also slope and exposure, litter layer and the quantity of rubbel were measured on the localities. Individuals were taken from burrows for the measurement of the prosoma length (investigation of the length of the life cycle). Exuviae were collected from the same burrows for measurement of the prosoma length. From these data the number of instars was determined. Prey remains were taken at most of those sites from 5?10 burrows and determined. Offsprings from several maternal burrows were taken, counted and weighted (research of fecundity of females). Weight of offsprings is important also in terms of their dispersion ability. The offsprings ability to balloon was investigated experimentally in laboratory conditions. The ladybird spider Eresus moravicus occurs in warm regions with high intensity of irradiation, mostly on the southern and southwestern slopes. Sites are characterized by poor herbaceous vegetation without trees and shrubs and by a thin layer of humus. Female lives for four years and the male for three years. The number of instars can reach to 13. Beetles (Coleoptera) are the most importent prey, the importent component of food are ants (Formicidae), too. Eresus moravicus has more offsprings than Eresus sandaliatus and Eresus kollari, more eggs in the cocoon than E. kollari and heavier offsprings than E. kollari and E. sandaliatus. In offsprings of E. moravicus and E. kollari pre-ballooning behavior of two types was observed: "tip-toe" behavior and "drop and swing" behavior.
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