Long-term succession of soil arthropod communities (Arthropoda) at windthrow sites of the spruce forests in the High Tatra Mts.
Program: VEGA 1/0282/11
Responsible researcher: assoc. prof. Ľubomír Kováč, PhD.
Time schedule: 01.01. 2011 – 31.12. 2013
About the project
Project is aimed to long-term succesional study of soil–arthropod (Arthropoda) communities at the spruce forest sites in the High Tatras (Slovakia) heavily damaged by strong wind in 2004. Soil arthropods represent an important component of diversity of soil organisms with considerable bioindication potential. Proposed research will be concentrated at differently managed forest plots: (1) wind-throw forest stand subsequently clear cut, (2) clear-cut forest stand affected by wildfire, (3) wind-throw forest stand left to natural succession, and (4) forest stand undamaged by the wind – control plot. Comparison of soil-arthropods at the different stands will be based on quantitative and structural parameters of communities and mathematical processing of ecological data. Analyses of the soil-chemical parameters, soil microclimate and soil microstructure will add to the interpretation of interactions between soil Arthropoda and other components of the soil system at the stands with different forest management.
Morphology versus molecular biology on the example of phylogenesis of the Erebia genus members (Lepidoptera, Satyridae)
Program: VEGA 1/1025/12
Responsible researcher: assoc. prof. Ľubomír Panigaj, PhD.
Time schedule: 01.01. 2012 – 31.12. 2014
About the project
The aim of the project is the study of possibilities and suitability of different methodologies for the analysis of phylogenetic relatedness in the class Insecta. The objects of our study will be the species of Erebia Dalm. genus (Lepidoptera, Satyridae) with distribution in the European mountains. We will compare several variable morphometric characteristics in more or less habitually uniform species with the results of molecular analysis of mitochondrial COI and ND5 genes. In summary, the results will allow us to determine the mutual phylogenetic relationships between European species, the direction, and the nature of the speciation of individual phylogenetic lineages in relation to their center of origin.
Population biology and ecology of Mediterranean horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus euryale; Mammalia: Chiroptera) on its range boundary
Program: VEGA 1/1046/12
Responsible researcher: Marcel Uhrin, PhD.
Time schedule: 01.01. 2012 – 31.12. 2014
About the project
Mediterranean horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus euryale) creates in Slovakia and Hungary isolated population on its range margin with data lack on population structure and further characteristics. This population expresses in comparison to Mediterranean region important differences, e. g. in case of roost strategy: it creates maternity colonies also in loft spaces, which represent in this cave-dwelling bat extremely habitat. The aims of the project are (1) species range characterisation in Slovakia with emphasis on marginal records; (2) feeding ecology and foraging strategy description, (3) definition of population-ecological characteristics (population structure, host-parasitic relationships, phenology data). Dissimilarities in different habitats (lofts versus underground) will be search. Expected results will contribute understanding ecological limits of taxons on range margins and knowledge of synanthropisation processes in studied taxa. Autecological papers on R. euryale will be create outputs of the project.
