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Determinants of orchid species diversity
Štípková, Zuzana ; Kindlmann, Pavel (advisor) ; Kull, Tiiu (referee) ; Whigham, Dennis (referee)
Natural environment has been significantly altered by human activity in past few decades. There is an evidence that we are now facing the sixth mass extinction and suitable areas for species are getting smaller. Therefore, many species of plants and animals are experiencing strong population decline and some of them even became extinct. We focused our attention on orchids because their distribution expresses one of the highest declines among all plant families. In this thesis, we investigated species richness and distribution patterns of orchids, the rate and causes of their decrease and extinction, and factors influencing their occurrence in the Czech Republic and Greece. In the majority of the presented papers, we used a dataset based on the database of the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic that includes more than 115 000 of orchid records in the country. We also analysed the patterns in the six different phytogeographical regions in the Czech Republic that differ in altitude and the composition of local flora. The key findings are as follows: The specialized pollination strategy of orchids, as well as type of rooting systems, both in the Czech Republic and in Greece, play a role in the distribution patterns of orchids in the two countries (Papers I, II and VI). Moreover, the...
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Phytoplankton of the Tatra lakes: factors influencing taxonomic composition and biomass
Červenková, Lenka ; Nedbalová, Linda (advisor) ; Štefková, Elena (referee)
The aim of this diploma thesis was to describe species composition and biomass of phytoplankton in the Tatra Mountains lakes (Slovakia, Poland) and environmental factors influencing them. The surface layer of 89 lakes was sampled in September 2004. Flagellates from Chrysophyta, Dinophyta and Cryptophyta most frequently dominated the phytoplankton biomass. Lake in the same valley usually differed in their dominant taxonomic group as a result of different lake morphometry, catchment type and detailed geological structure. Based on the level of phytoplankton biovolume, the majority of lakes were ultraoligotrophic and oligotrophic, however, mesotrophic and even eutrophic conditions were recorded in some forest and meadow lakes. An allometric relationship between phytoplankton biomass and chlorophyll a was revealed. Specific chlorophyll content did not differ among taxonomic groups. Altogether 233 species were determined, the most diverse group were Chlorophyta. Species richness of lake was 3-46 and it was negatively correlated with altitude and positively correlated with lake area. The majority of species were rare both in term of biomass and number of lakes occupied by a particular species. Average local species biomass was positively correlated with regional distribution. The similarity of species...
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Cardamine dentata, its distribution in Central Europe and relatinoship to C. pratensis
Holič, Filip ; Marhold, Karol (advisor) ; Chrtek, Jindřich (referee)
This thesis summarizes the documented information on the distribution of Cardamine dentata Schult. of the family Brassicaceae in the Czech Republic; it deals with the chromosome numbers and with ploidy levels of this species. Microsatellite markers were used to evaluate the potential relationships of C. dentata with other species of the group C. pratensis. Using a revision of available herbarium material it was found that the optimal conditions for the occurrence of C. dentata in the Czech Republic are in the phytogeographical regions of Thermophyticum and Mezophyticum at altitudes of 150-650 m a.s.l. No karyological data on this species were previously published from the area of the Czech Republic; using the flow cytometry and chromosomes counting it was revealed that in the area of the Czech Republic, populations with decaploid and undecaploid levels of ploidy occur. With help of microsatelite markers, it was confirmed that plants of C. dentata are genetically different from the other species of the C. pratensis group. Keywords: Cardamine, Cruciferae, microsatelite markers, chromosome numbers, geographical distribution, Czech Republic
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Climatic determinates of elevation ranges in tropical vertebrates
Vobořilová, Kateřina ; Hořák, David (advisor) ; Šmíd, Jiří (referee)
Tropical regions are amongst the most diverse ecosystems on Earth. The significant species richness of these ecosystems is evident in the number of vertebrate species due to their distribution along altitudinal gradients. The distribution of vertebrates throughout altitudinal gradients is a natural phenomenon by which vertebrates respond to diverse abiotic conditions. Together with the geographic distribution of mountains, biotic influences, thermal physiology of individual vertebrate groups or climatic changes, these abiotic conditions create specific conditions for vertebrates. All of these factors may contribute to the spread of vertebrates to lower or higher altitudes. They may also influence altitudinal migration, depending on the adaptation of individual vertebrate species. In this thesis I focused on how individual abiotic determinants such as temperature, precipitation and air humidity, as well as climatic changes, can positively or negatively influence the distribution ranges of four vertebrate groups along elevational gradients of tropical mountains. Keywords: temperature, precipitation, cloudiness, tropics, elevation, geographical distribution, species richness
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Cardamine dentata, its distribution in Central Europe and relatinoship to C. pratensis
Holič, Filip ; Marhold, Karol (advisor) ; Chrtek, Jindřich (referee)
This thesis summarizes the documented information on the distribution of Cardamine dentata Schult. of the family Brassicaceae in the Czech Republic; it deals with the chromosome numbers and with ploidy levels of this species. Microsatellite markers were used to evaluate the potential relationships of C. dentata with other species of the group C. pratensis. Using a revision of available herbarium material it was found that the optimal conditions for the occurrence of C. dentata in the Czech Republic are in the phytogeographical regions of Thermophyticum and Mezophyticum at altitudes of 150-650 m a.s.l. No karyological data on this species were previously published from the area of the Czech Republic; using the flow cytometry and chromosomes counting it was revealed that in the area of the Czech Republic, populations with decaploid and undecaploid levels of ploidy occur. With help of microsatelite markers, it was confirmed that plants of C. dentata are genetically different from the other species of the C. pratensis group. Keywords: Cardamine, Cruciferae, microsatelite markers, chromosome numbers, geographical distribution, Czech Republic
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Phytoplankton of the Tatra lakes: factors influencing taxonomic composition and biomass
Červenková, Lenka ; Nedbalová, Linda (advisor) ; Štefková, Elena (referee)
The aim of this diploma thesis was to describe species composition and biomass of phytoplankton in the Tatra Mountains lakes (Slovakia, Poland) and environmental factors influencing them. The surface layer of 89 lakes was sampled in September 2004. Flagellates from Chrysophyta, Dinophyta and Cryptophyta most frequently dominated the phytoplankton biomass. Lake in the same valley usually differed in their dominant taxonomic group as a result of different lake morphometry, catchment type and detailed geological structure. Based on the level of phytoplankton biovolume, the majority of lakes were ultraoligotrophic and oligotrophic, however, mesotrophic and even eutrophic conditions were recorded in some forest and meadow lakes. An allometric relationship between phytoplankton biomass and chlorophyll a was revealed. Specific chlorophyll content did not differ among taxonomic groups. Altogether 233 species were determined, the most diverse group were Chlorophyta. Species richness of lake was 3-46 and it was negatively correlated with altitude and positively correlated with lake area. The majority of species were rare both in term of biomass and number of lakes occupied by a particular species. Average local species biomass was positively correlated with regional distribution. The similarity of species...
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Ecological and evolution strategies of necrophagous beetles (Coleoptera)
Jakubec, Pavel ; Růžička, Jan (advisor) ; Petr, Petr (referee)
Necrophagous beetles (Coleoptera) are very interesting and diverse ecological group of species with an immense impact on a natural nutrient cycle. Their main food source and breeding ground are carrions of vertebrates, human remains included. This relationship is often used in various ways by forensic entomology, but its potential was not jet fully reached, because our knowledge of biology and ecology of these beetles is very much incomplete. In this thesis I would like to explore geographic distribution, ecological requirements and developmental biology of several Central European necrophagous beetles as an outcome of their ecological and evolution strategies. For that I raised three broad research questions. Which factors are determining the local abundance of carrion beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae)? How the current geographical distribution of open-landscape carrion beetles looks like in the Czech Republic? How the temperature affects the development of Sciodrepoides watsoni (Spence, 1813)? We found out that soil type can have significant effect on abundance of carrion beetles. They showed preference for chernozem -- Nicrophorus antennatus (Reitter), N. germanicus (Linnaeus), N. interruptus (Stephens), N. sepultor (Charpentier), Silpha obscura obscura (Herbst), T. sinuatus (Fabricius) or for fluvisol as did N. humator (Gleditsch). These findings support our hypothesis that soil type could be an important factor determining the occurrence of necrophagous European carrion beetles. To collect novel data of the current geographical distribution of carrion beetles we used 420 baited pitfall traps at 84 localities, and we collected 71 234 specimens of 15 silphid species. Among them, three endangered carrion beetle species listed on the Czech Red List of Invertebrates, were found. Two are vulnerable thermophilic species of open landscapes, Nicrophorus antennatus (Reitter, 1884) (collected around Louny and Židlochovice) and Nicrophorus germanicus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Louny, Zábřeh and Židlochovice). The third is the near threatened species, Nicrophorus sepultor Charpentier, 1825 (collected around Louny, Kutná Hora, Zábřeh and Židlochovice), which also prefers open landscapes. We studied development of common Holarctic beetle Sciodrepoides watsoni under five constant temperature regimes in laboratory (15, 18, 21, 25 and 28°C). Parameters of thermal summation models and their standard errors were calculated for each developmental stage (egg, three larval instars and pupae). We also find a new character for larval instar determination (head width) and proposed novel approach for future studies of size-based characters in instar determination.
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Tapeworms of family Gryporhynchidae from Africa
HAASOVÁ, Ivana
Morphological-taxonomical study of gryporhynchid cestodes from Africa is presented. New material from Kenya, Senegal and Sudan was studied and we belong to 17 species in 8 orders - Amirthalingamia macracantha (Joyeux et Baer, 1935) Bray, 1974; Anomotaenia riccii (Fuhrmann et Baer, 1943) Baer et Bona, 1960; Cyclustera magna (Baer, 1959) Bona, 1975; Cyclustera sp.; Dendrouterina macrosphincter (Fuhrmann, 1909) Baer et Bona, 1960; Neogryporhynchus sp.; Paradilepis lloydi (Southwell, 1926) Spasski, 1954; Paradilepis maleki (Khalil, 1961); Paradilepis urceina Bona, 1975; Paradilepis urceus (Wedl, 1855) Joyeux et Baer, 1950; Parvitaenia macrocoleo Bona, 1975; Parvitaenia macropeos (Wedl, 1855) Baer et Bona, 1960; Parvitaenia megascolecina Bona, 1975; Parvitaenia purpurea Johri, 1959; Parvitaenia samfyia Mettrick, 1967; Valipora ardeolae (Singh, 1952) Baer et Bona, 1960 and Valipora mutabilis (Linton, 1927). Known larval stages and adults from Africa are presented in review of species.
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