Projects
Spatial and Temporal Biodiversity Dynamics in Ecosystems of Central Europe
MSM 143100010, project period: 1/1999 - 12/2004
Up to now the research has focused on the surveillance and monitoring of the diversity of taxocoenoses of small mammals (terrestrial mammals and bats) and on the habitat preferences of model species. The fact that (taking into account the modest equipment available to the research teams compared to leading foreign research institutions) - the results are original and unique has been particularly appreciated. Attention shall be paid to a) the study of diversity dynamics of small mammal communities by modern methods of research, particularly in alluvial and mountain ecosystems, following up on previous research conducted in the Odra (Oder) floodplain (Poodří), Pálava Biosphere Reserve, the lowlands of southern Moravia, the Moravian Karst, and in the mountain ranges Beskydy, Jeseníky and Orlické hory, as well as in the urban area of Brno; b) the study of the population dynamics of model species belonging to the genera Apodemus, Microtus, Rhinolophus, and Eptesicus; c) the study of behavioural ecology of the species pairs Microtus arvalis - M. agrestis, Eptesicus serotinus - E. nilssoni, and Plecotus auritus - P. austriacus. Also in these cases research will follow up on preceding studies.
The status of Pipistrellus in the Czech Republic
GAČR 206/02/0961, project period: 01/2006 - 12/2008
Two types of echolocation signals (phonotypes) of pipistrelle bats – Pipistrellus pipistrellus superspecies - have been recognized in Europe since the last decade of 20th century. Soon, further genetic, morphological and ecological differences were found, what led to recognize two distinct species: P. pipistrellus (sensu stricto) and P. pygmaeus/mediterraneus (there is no general agreement about the name of the second species). Both were recorded on the territory of the Czech Republic. The project aims at complex study of the two (or more?) sibling species to find their distribution, biological variability, the area of sympatry and the extent of overlap in their ecological niches and behavioural ecology, including the foraging strategies The complex study based on genetic, morphological, echolocation and further ecological and behavioural analyses will also focus at understanding the processes of speciation and formation of reproduction barriers between closely related species ofpipistrelle bats in central Europe.
Full information on MUNI website.
Diversity of Biotic Communities and Populations: Causal Analysis of Variation in Space and Time
MSM0021622416, project period: 1/2005 - 12/2011
The subject of the research plan is study of biodiversity on the level of populations and communities on various temporal and spatial scales with focus on interactions with the environment, mutual interactions between organisms, historical and evolutionary interpretation of existing patterns, identification of biotic indicators of ecological processes, and the development of formalized typologies of communities and habitats in terrestrial, semiterrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The research focuses on model groups of organisms, defined on the basis of taxonomy or ecology, across the phylogenetic system, including environmental bacteria, vascular plants, invertebrates including parasitic ones, and vertebrates. Besides traditional methodologies established in each field, general methods of molecular genetics, bioinformatics, geoinformatics, applied statistics, and analytical chemistry are be used in the research.
Intraspecific variability of populations of two cryptic bat species of genus Pipistrellus in Central Europe
GA206/06/0954, project period: 1/2006 - 12/2008
The submitted project is a follow-up on the previous project funded by a grant of GAČR (No. 206/02/0961) which focused on interspecific differences in the distribution of two cryptic species - Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus - within the Czech Republic. Achieved results suggest intraspecific variability of genetic characters as well as echolocation parameters and ecological requierements. Hitherto, this variability has not been studied in the cryptic species of the genus Pipistrellus. The aim of the proposed project is to get an understanding of the life history of both cryptic pipistrelle species including the mechanisms of development of ecological and behavioural adaptations. Based on intraspecific variability the probability of character displacement will be studied within sympatric populations in the area of the Czech and Slovak Republics. Methods of molecular ecology (microsatellites, mtDNA gene ”cyt b”) as well as analyses of echolocation signals and ecological requierements will be used.
Parasitation by bed bugs (Cimicidae): a possible cause of roost switching by bats
GP206/07/P098, project period: 1/2007 - 12/2009
The objective of the presented project is to get the knowledge interactions of bats with roost ectoparasites, bed bugs of groups of Cimex dissimilis and C. lectularius. Results of the finished grant of the GA CR (No. 206/02/0961) and subsequent field research have shown frequent movements between different shelters in Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus. The new project is focussed on potential causality of the bat movements and the dynamics in numbers of the bed bugs. Furthermore, the abundancy of bed bugs, the level of parasitation of adults and juveniles and the level of comfort behaviouor (grooming) in adult females will be assessed. Behavioural patterns will be recorded by a digital camera. Survival ability and feed promptness of bed bugs will be tested under suboptimal microclimatic conditions and different time of starvation. Sampling of bed bugs in bat boxes occupied by nursery colonies of P. pygmaeus will be taken in two steps: i) manually sampling and ii) recording of movement activity by videosystem.
Evolutionary biogeography of a fruit-bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus, in the Mediterranean region
IAA601110905, project period: 1/2009 - 12/2013
In geographic and genetic structure, the Mediterranean population of fruit bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus, an only offshot of the family Pteropodidae beyond tropes, markedly differs from all other bats of that region. The project is intended to explain the background factors of these specificities, history and life-history traits promoting colonization of the Mediterranean and maintenance of local populations and answer which aspects of the climatic and environmental history of the region affected it essentially. The project combines methods of fine-grain molecular phylogeography and a long-term field study of the biology of the model species in several geographically distant model subpopulations and is expected to provide a complex information on the Mediterranean fruit bat including estimates of its total abundance and a critical reexamination of its biogeographic specificities.
Bat adaptations to the fungal disease geomycosis
GAP506/12/1064, project period 3/2012 - 12/2015
Geomycosis is a newly recognised fungal disease of hibernating bats that is associated with the emerging white-nose syndrome in North America. It manifests with white growth of fungus Geomyces destructans on muzzle and wings. The extreme bat mortality associated with the disease in North America was not observed in Europe. Assuming that bats in Europe share long evolutionary history with the geomycosis, we plan to investigate ecological, behavioural and genetic adaptations to the G. destructans infection. Estimating environmental conditions limiting fungal growth will enable us to create a predictive distribution model of geomycosis. We will assess winter flight activity of bats before and after the first record of geomycosis and we will estimate the role of clustering behaviour in preventing arousal disturbance of infected bats. We will locate genomic regions likely to be involved in genetic adaptations to geomycosis. This information will help to understand the adaptive mechanisms leading to survival differences between North America and Europe.
The role of sperm adaptation and sperm plasticity in ecological speciation
GC18-08468J, project period 1/2018 - 6/2021
Characters that cause reproductive isolation before mating have been intensively studied. But reproductive isolation may also occur post mating, then includes the prezygotic gametic isolation and hybrid disadvantage. Gametic isolation is heavily understudied and current models exclusively describe its genetic component. However sperm function is shaped by environmental factors, which has not been studied at all with respect to reproduction isolation. The project deals for the first time with particular environmental factors affecting sperm (e.g. female body environment, diet) aiming to assess their contribution to reproduction isolation relative to the genetic component. As a research model we chose the common bedbug, consisting of separate lineages living with bats and humans and showing variable reproduction compatibility. Across five Czech and German labs, we capitalize on unique combination of own theoretic concepts and deep experience in sophisticated procedures of proteomic and lipidomic analyses, measuring sperm metabolism, artificial insemination and bedbugs rearing.
Maintaining safe migration corridors for flying vertebrates in the Czech- Saxon border region (TRANSLATE INFO TO ENG)
Interreg 100692797, project period 1/2024 - 12/2026
Na MUNI webu název Conservation of safe migration corridors for flying vertebrates in the Czech-Saxon border area
Na základě analýzy nálezových dat a environmentálních proměnných okolí silnic, bude vybráno 20 silničních úseků, kde jsou instalovány různé typy ochranných stěn či jsou vhodné jako lokality kontrolní. Na těchto místech bude probíhat vizuální, akustický, termovizní výzkum a měření dopravním radarem i lidarem, který ověří, jak stěny mění chování FV při přeletech silnic a jak snižují jejich mortalitu. Terénní monitoring bude zajištěn zaměstnanci partnerů i členy nevládních organizací, aby se optimalizovaly cestovní náklady.
Jelikož nelze modifikovat stěny (plné, pletivové), které u silnic již stojí a také pro ověření, zda FV po přerušení koridorů nezměnili chování, budou na dvou lokalitách postaveny mobilní modifikovatelné stěny. Ty bohužel nelze instalovat v těsné blízkosti frekventovaných silnic bez stavebního povolení zaručujícího bezpečnost provozu (řízení přesahuje časový rámec projektu).
Cílem projektu bude mapa míst, kde ochranné stěny sníží mortalitu FV. Dále chceme otestovat, které typy stěn snižují mortalitu FV, a to na základě výzkumu u instalovaných stěn a mobilních stěn. Na základě analýzy zisků a ztrát bude doporučen nejvhodnější typ. Výsledkem bude doporučení pro správce komunikací a orgány ochrany přírody řešící riziková křížení silnic s koridory. To v budoucnu urychlí proces hodnocení vlivů staveb silnic na FV. Nakonec připravíme technickou dokumentaci nízkonákladové ochranné stěny z recyklovatelných materiálů využitelné v obou zemích.
Impact of light pollution on sensitive species, ecosystems and landscapes
TA ČR SS06010373, project period 2021 - 2024
The aim of the research will be to verify and evaluate the potential effect of impact of light pollution on wildlife, the ecosystems of which they are a part and the landscape. Considering parameters will be especially the intensity of illumination, temperature, chromaticity of light and the direction of luminous flux, as well as the time distribution of action, etc. Propose methodological frameworks for evaluating the impact of intentions, which are sources of global pollution of the above-mentioned protected interests, in relation to § 67 Act. 114/1992 Sb. (evaluation procedure, measures to exclude or mitigation of the negative effects of available determinations of alternative measures) and Act 100/2001 Sb. Based on research, create maps showing the threat to protected interests from light pollution.
Phyloregions of sub-Saharan Africa: Small mammals as a suitable model group for unbiased quantification of evolutionary diversity and uniqueness (TRANSLATE INFO TO ENG)
GA23-06116S, project period 1/2023 - 12/2025
Mezi nejdůležitější limity znalostí o biodiverzitě ve velkém měřítku patří nedostatek informací o taxonomii druhů, jejich rozšíření a evolučních vztazích. V tomto projektu navrhujeme použít drobné zemní savce (hlodavce a rejsky) jako velmi vhodné skupiny organismů k identifikaci faktorů utvářejících biodiverzitu v Africe. Genomická data budou použita pro (i) kvantifikaci evoluční diverzity (např. nalezení geografických center biodiverzity a endemismu), (ii) parametrizovaný popis její dynamiky (např. míry diverzifikace, testování alternativních hypotéz hromadění rozmanitosti v určitých oblastech) a (iii) syntetický biogeografický scénář (např. rekonstrukce ancestrálních oblastí výskytu, evoluční původ bioregionů). Projekt je založen na dostupnosti unikátní sbírky genetického materiálu a souvisejících dat a na úzké spolupráci s dalšími týmy pracujícími v jiných částech Afriky. Navrhovaný přístup umožní jedinečnou analýzu vzorců biologické rozmanitosti a souvisejících procesů v kontinentálním měřítku a může mít důležité dopady, např. při hledání prioritních oblastí pro ochranu přírody.
Total number of projects: 1
-
Conservation of safe migration corridors for flying vertebrates in the Czech-Saxon border area (100692797)
MU Researcher: doc. Mgr. Tomáš Bartonička, Ph.D. MU Faculty or unit: Faculty of Science Project Period: 1/2024 — 12/2026Investor: Ministry for Regional Development of the CR / Interreg Czechia-Saxony (2021-2027)
Department Location
University Campus Bohunice building A32
Kamenice 5
625 00 Brno - Bohunice
Czech Republic
Mailing Address
Department of Botany and Zoology
Kotlářská 2
611 37 Brno
Czech Republic