|
|
The effect of urbanization on life-history strategies in birds
Houšková, Karolína ; Sedláček, Ondřej (advisor) ; Poláková, Simona (referee)
Urbanisation process is recently a wide-spread process that causes high-impact environmental transformation. Habitats affected by urbanization tend to change substantially and ongoing changes influence organisms living in this environment. Urban environment modifies many abiotic conditions (e.g. temperature, artificial light and noise) and biotic factors (e.g. food supply, parasite prevalence, predation pressure) in comparison to natural habitats. In this manner, especially urban bird populations have recently gained broad attention by an increasing number of ecologists. Urban avoiders - typically sensitive and specialized bird species often vanish from urbanized landscapes. However, many bird species were able to colonize urban environment and coexist successfully with man. Populations of birds living in such a new type of environment show many characteristics different from populations living in original habitats. The objective of this work is to review current studies about changes of life strategies in urban bird populations such as modifications of acoustic signals, differences in reproductive and food ecology and physiological or behavioural responses.
|
|
|
Reasons and consequences of round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) invasion into the inland waters of Europe and North America
Starý, Vojtěch ; Čech, Martin (advisor) ; Vukićová, Jasna (referee)
Since the end of 1980s there is an ongoing massive invasion of fish from the family Gobiidae. The most widespread and aggressive of these fish is round goby (Neogobius melanostomus). Its natural habitat is area around Black and Caspian Seas, but nowadays it is already common in most of the European rivers, Baltic Sea and in the system of the North American Great Lakes. The main reason of the spreading is transport of ballast water from its natural habitat. The success of its invasion is due to the high tolerance to various factors like temperature, salinity, amount of oxygen in water, food sources and bottom substrates. Presence of the round goby in newly invaded rivers is beneficial for fish-eating predators. On the other hand competitors are highly disadvantaged as they lose in the fight with round goby over food, shelters and places for spawning and therefore, they are forced to live in less suitable habitats which leads to the decrease of their abundance. In recently colonized areas the round goby has much higher abundance than in its original habitats. The highest abundance is in the North America, where the round goby is causing the most noticeable change in the ecosystem. For this reason it is extensively studied mainly in the North America. Keywords: Gobiidae, Neogobius melanostomus,...
|
|
|
Can avian malaria affect the reproductive success of the host?
Krausová, Simona ; Munclinger, Pavel (advisor) ; Vinkler, Michal (referee)
Malarial deseases caused by intracellular parasites of birds is very common. Even if infection doesn't lead to the death of infected individuals, they may suffer alternations of different levels of fitness, which may also consequently harm their reproductive success rates. Infected individuals, due to their poor physical condition, may lay lower quality eggs, breed less viable offspring, have reduced frequency of feeding their chicks, etc. While it may seem that malarial parasites undoubtedly negatively affect their hosts's reproduction, there are numerous studies which do no support such prediction. These differences in individual studies may be due to various testing methods used in the indicated studies. Because of various testing methods, there also may appear other possible problems which can more or less affect the detection rate of malaria parasites.
|
|
|
The effect of urbanization on life-history strategies in birds
Houšková, Karolína ; Sedláček, Ondřej (advisor) ; Poláková, Simona (referee)
Urbanisation process is recently a wide-spread process that causes high-impact environmental transformation. Habitats affected by urbanization tend to change substantially and ongoing changes influence organisms living in this environment. Urban environment modifies many abiotic conditions (e.g. temperature, artificial light and noise) and biotic factors (e.g. food supply, parasite prevalence, predation pressure) in comparison to natural habitats. In this manner, especially urban bird populations have recently gained broad attention by an increasing number of ecologists. Urban avoiders - typically sensitive and specialized bird species often vanish from urbanized landscapes. However, many bird species were able to colonize urban environment and coexist successfully with man. Populations of birds living in such a new type of environment show many characteristics different from populations living in original habitats. The objective of this work is to review current studies about changes of life strategies in urban bird populations such as modifications of acoustic signals, differences in reproductive and food ecology and physiological or behavioural responses.
|
guest ::
