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The role of ecological factors in maintenance of sexuality
Toman, Jan ; Flegr, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Janko, Karel (referee)
The existence and widespread distribution of sexual reproduction despite its obvious disadvantages is an evolutionary enigma. According to the theory of frozen plasticity, the evolution of sexual and asexual species is fundamentally different. One of the implications of this theory are different ecological preferences of these species. Sexual species should prefer biotically and abiotically variable environments because of their ability to quickly and reversibly respond to unpredictable changes. On the other hand, asexual species should prosper in biotically and abiotically stable environments because of their ability to perfectly adapt even to extreme environmental factors in the long term. I decided to test these predictions in the metastudy comparing ancient asexual clades (in which we can be sure about their obligate asexuality and evolutionary longevity) with their sexual sister or closely related ecologically comparable clades. The hypothesis of the preference of asexual species to biotically and abiotically homogenous environments was supported by the results of this metastudy. On the other hand, the hypothesis of supposed ability of asexual species to perfectly adapt to a broader range of environmental conditions, tested on the comparison of temperature ranges of activity of previously...
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Ecological aspects of sexual reproduction
Toman, Jan ; Flegr, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Markoš, Anton (referee)
Sexual reproduction is one of the most interesting biological phenomena. No theory has ever entirely explained its wide occurrence among Eukaryotic clades despite its clear disadvantages (e.g. twofold price of sex). Theories can be divided into three groups according to the approach to solve this problem - molecular, genetic and ecological (environmental). Environmental theories are slightly preferred in the last decades and the opinion that the key to the sex enigma lies among them is widely accepted. Most of the environmental theories do not counter each other and there is possibility either to integrate them in several ways or presume that several of these theories might act simultaneously. According to theories, abiotically stable environments without biotic interactions (homogenous) should be suitable for and select for asexual species, whereas environments abiotically variable and rich in biotic interactions (heterogenous) should be suitable for and select for sexual species. The anagenetic phenomenon of punctuated equilibria and some of its explanations, e.g. P. R. Sheldon's Plus ça change hypothesis or J. Flegr's Frozen plasticity theory, also supports this division. There is a vast amount of empirical data supporting this division in ecological studies. Clearly homogenous environments...
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The role of ecological factors in maintenance of sexuality
Toman, Jan ; Flegr, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Janko, Karel (referee)
The existence and widespread distribution of sexual reproduction despite its obvious disadvantages is an evolutionary enigma. According to the theory of frozen plasticity, the evolution of sexual and asexual species is fundamentally different. One of the implications of this theory are different ecological preferences of these species. Sexual species should prefer biotically and abiotically variable environments because of their ability to quickly and reversibly respond to unpredictable changes. On the other hand, asexual species should prosper in biotically and abiotically stable environments because of their ability to perfectly adapt even to extreme environmental factors in the long term. I decided to test these predictions in the metastudy comparing ancient asexual clades (in which we can be sure about their obligate asexuality and evolutionary longevity) with their sexual sister or closely related ecologically comparable clades. The hypothesis of the preference of asexual species to biotically and abiotically homogenous environments was supported by the results of this metastudy. On the other hand, the hypothesis of supposed ability of asexual species to perfectly adapt to a broader range of environmental conditions, tested on the comparison of temperature ranges of activity of previously...
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Ecological aspects of sexual reproduction
Toman, Jan ; Flegr, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Markoš, Anton (referee)
Sexual reproduction is one of the most interesting biological phenomena. No theory has ever entirely explained its wide occurrence among Eukaryotic clades despite its clear disadvantages (e.g. twofold price of sex). Theories can be divided into three groups according to the approach to solve this problem - molecular, genetic and ecological (environmental). Environmental theories are slightly preferred in the last decades and the opinion that the key to the sex enigma lies among them is widely accepted. Most of the environmental theories do not counter each other and there is possibility either to integrate them in several ways or presume that several of these theories might act simultaneously. According to theories, abiotically stable environments without biotic interactions (homogenous) should be suitable for and select for asexual species, whereas environments abiotically variable and rich in biotic interactions (heterogenous) should be suitable for and select for sexual species. The anagenetic phenomenon of punctuated equilibria and some of its explanations, e.g. P. R. Sheldon's Plus ça change hypothesis or J. Flegr's Frozen plasticity theory, also supports this division. There is a vast amount of empirical data supporting this division in ecological studies. Clearly homogenous environments...
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Ecology and distribution of the moss \kur{Helodium blandowii} in the Czech Republic
BRADÁČOVÁ, Jitka
Recent and historical localities of the moss Helodium blandowii in the Czech Republic were written up in this thesis and various ecological charakteristics of this species were studied. It was grown with Sphagnum teres on hummocks and in hollows and these two species were compared in their high above water-table where they grow best. Further regeneration abilities of Helodium blandowii were examined.
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