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Tasty rewards for ants: differences in elaiosome and seed metabolite profiles are consistent across species and reflect taxonomic relatedness
KONEČNÁ, Marie
The reward for ants in myrmecochory is a nutrient-rich appendage, the elaiosome. This study evaluates the metabolite composition of five groups (i.e. amino acids, fatty acids, organic acids, polyols, and sugars) in elaiosomes compared to the respective seeds. Two plant species from each of the four families (Amaryllidaceae, Boraginaceae, Papaveraceae, and Poaceae) were examined, with each species represented by three populations. The hierarchically designed data enabled the decomposition of variability in metabolite composition at three levels: family, species, and population. Another aspect studied was the consistency of elaiosome metabolite composition across unrelated species from monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous families with different elaiosome origins, which may reflect the convergent evolution of elaiosomes.
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Ants and primary vegetation succession on abandoned industrial-waste deposits
Vojtíšek, Pavel ; Kovář, Pavel (advisor) ; Holec, Michal (referee)
Abandoned industrial-waste deposits (incl. fly ash or tailings ponds) represent very specific and mostly extreme habitat conditions. They offer unique opportunity to study primary succession in cultural landscape. Substrate of the material deposited here shows extreme properties, such as low pH, overheating of the open surface, salinization etc. The aim of this work is to map the colonization of different successional stages of vegetation by ants after years of abandonment of ore-waste deposits in Chvaletice (Eastern Bohemia, CR) and to compare the present state with analogous study made in 2001. Particular aims of both studies (Jarešová 2001, and present study, 2011-12) is to test the influence of ants on vegetation succession. During the years 2011-2012 several prospections were made to record species diversity of ants. On the surface plateau of the sedimentation basin two types of habitats were chosen - the areas with present ant nests and the other areas without them. Each of both types of habitats exhibits different plant species richness: separately the species-area curves were constructed and explained. Three dominant ant species of different size categories present on sedimentation basin were selected for experimental offering of plant seeds, Formica pratensis, Lasius niger, Tetramorium...
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Ants and primary vegetation succession on abandoned industrial-waste deposits
Vojtíšek, Pavel ; Kovář, Pavel (advisor) ; Holec, Michal (referee)
Abandoned industrial-waste deposits (incl. fly ash or tailings ponds) represent very specific and mostly extreme habitat conditions. They offer unique opportunity to study primary succession in cultural landscape. Substrate of the material deposited here shows extreme properties, such as low pH, overheating of the open surface, salinization etc. The aim of this work is to map the colonization of different successional stages of vegetation by ants after years of abandonment of ore-waste deposits in Chvaletice (Eastern Bohemia, CR) and to compare the present state with analogous study made in 2001. Particular aims of both studies (Jarešová 2001, and present study, 2011-12) is to test the influence of ants on vegetation succession. During the years 2011-2012 several prospections were made to record species diversity of ants. On the surface plateau of the sedimentation basin two types of habitats were chosen - the areas with present ant nests and the other areas without them. Each of both types of habitats exhibits different plant species richness: separately the species-area curves were constructed and explained. Three dominant ant species of different size categories present on sedimentation basin were selected for experimental offering of plant seeds, Formica pratensis, Lasius niger, Tetramorium...
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Dispersal, distribution and genetic diversity of Melampyrum subalpinum group
CHLUMSKÝ, Jan
This thesis is focused on the dispersal, distribution, and genetic diversity of the taxonomically highly diverse Melampyrum subalpinum group. A complete revision of the localities of M. subalpinum in the Czech Republic and Slovakia is presented. The genetic variation and population structure of the M. subalpinum group across its distribution range is described based on allozymes, nuclear and chloroplast gene sequencing, and genome size. Signs of historical hybridization with M. nemorosum were found in some populations. A comparison of seed dispersal by ants between the co-occurring M. subalpinum and M. pratense and the influence of differences in this process are presented. A new mean of seed dispersal (endozoochory) is introduced for Melampyrum. Myrmecochorous dispersal distances are tested and Holocene migration possibilities are discussed taking into account endozoochory.
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Ant food preferences (Formica genus) on the seeds with elaiosomes
ENGLICKÝ, Tomáš
The topic of the presented bachelor thesis is the determination of the ants g. Formica preference for specific seeds with elaiosomes. The ant dispersion of the seeds with elaiosomes is called myrmecochory. The theoretical part of this thesis describes the myrmecochory phenomenon in the context of the seed dispersal. The conclusion of the theoretical part evaluates considerable benefit of myrmecochory for ants and plants despite its disadvantages. The practical part of this thesis describes the experiment held with the intention to determine the preferences of the ants. The seeds with elaiosomes from five experimental plants were presented to the ants from two experimental anthills. Obtained data were processed into tables and graphs and subsequently evaluated. The results show that the ants prefer certain types of seeds. The cause for this preference is discussed.
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Myrmecochory - evolutionary and ecological context
KONEČNÁ, Marie
Various aspects of myrmecochory were investigated. Effect of different storage methods on atractiveness of seeds with elaiosomes for ants was examined. Viable seed bank of refuse piles (places where ants deposit unused objects from ant nests, e.g. seeds after the elaiosome was eaten) and places outside them were compared. Chemical content of five major chemical groups, specifically amino acids, free fatty acids, organic acids, polyols and sugars, of elaiosomes and seeds of selected species was determined, and compared with respect to their taxonomic relatedness.
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Myrmecochory - evolutionary and ecological context
KONEČNÁ, Marie
Various aspects of myrmecochory were investigated. Effect of different storage methods on atractiveness of seeds with elaiosomes for ants was examined. Viable seed bank of refuse piles (places where ants deposit unused objects from ant nests, e.g. seeds after the elaiosome was eaten) and places outside them were compared. Chemical content of five major chemical groups, specifically amino acids, free fatty acids, organic acids, polyols and sugars, of elaiosomes and seeds of selected species was determined, and compared with respect to their taxonomic relatedness.
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Ants as dispersers of seeds in meadow vegetation
KONEČNÁ, Marie
Seed dispersal by ants was investigated in a wet meadow. Vegetation and viable seed bank of places with and without ant-hill were compared. The response of ants to the presence of elaiosom on seeds of myrmecochorous plant Pedicularis sylvatica was observed.
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