Soil organic matter (SOM) is a dynamic soil property, sensitive and responsive to many factors. The possibility of increasing soil carbon (C) sequestration by changing land use and management practices has been of great interest recently due to concerns with global changes in the atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) balance. Nonetheless, as a result of the complex dynamics of SOM, there is still the need for SOM characterization procedures capable of monitoring SOM stabilization, taking into account all the factors involved. This study characterized SOM stabilization as affected by management practices in three long-term field experiments, considering physical, chemical and biological components. The field experiments are located near Lexington, Kentucky, on a Maury silt loam (fine, mixed, mesic Typic Paleudalfs). The first experiment evaluates tillage and nitrogen (N) rate effects. The second experiment studies manure and N rate effects. The third experiment evaluates the five corn components of three crop rotations [continuous (monoculture) corn, corn-wheat/double crop soybean, and hay-hay-corn-corn-corn]. Soil organic matter content, stability, and composition, for physically separated fractions, were assessed using δ13C natural abundance and diffuse reflectance Fourier transformed infrared (DRIFT) spectroscopy. In addition, management effects on microbial biomass and microbial function as indicated by phenol oxidase enzyme activity were evaluated. The results indicate that management practices affect SOM content, stability, and composition, and these effects differ by the soil aggregate fraction. No-tillage (NT), N fertilization, manure application and increased corn in crop rotations enhanced SOM levels. However, the effect of NT was observed mainly at the soil surface. Soil organic matter storage was determined by the aggregate size distribution. The proportion of recently deposited C was generally positively related to aggregate size, especially for the first and third experiments. Most of the recently deposited C was stabilized in microaggregates within macroaggregates, across the management treatments and field experiments. In addition, this fraction consistently exhibited low to medium SOM reactivity. These results suggest that SOM stabilization, as influenced by management practices, required achieving a specific composition and location within the soil matrix. This implies that soil C forms and aggregate size and stability are closely interrelated.

Changed management of semi-natural grasslands is thought to be one important factor for explaining the decline of butterfly populations in Sweden and the rest of Europe. This study explores how vegetation height, variation in vegetation height and flower abundance can help predict the occurrence of butterfly species in semi-natural grasslands in southern Sweden. My study is based on data collected by a national environmental monitoring programme (NILS) during 2006-2010. Generalized linear models showed that all three explanatory variables significantly affected 26 of the 41 species of butterflies studied. The study also investigated preferences for three different systems for grouping species but did not find differences among groups. Several of the species would most likely benefit from variation in grazing pressure or rotational grazing as well as flower-rich grasslands. The results may also help when aiming management at the preservation of individual species.

The Southern Ground Hornbill (SGH) (Bucorvus leadbeateri) has recently been listed globally by the IUCN Red list as Endangered or Critically Endangered. In South Africa, the declining population of the SGH has led it to be listed nationally as Vulnerable and falls under the “Protected Species” legislation. Research into the habitat preferences and identification of suitable reintroduction areas have been few since the initiation of reintroduction attempts, therefore resulting in mixed outcomes of previously-reintroduced SGH. The aim of this study was to identify and verify optimal reintroduction sites for the SGH, in the Musina area in the Limpopo Province. Five main objectives were determined, namely: to identify optimal reintroduction areas; to develop a habitat profile of the designated area; to determine the availability of prey items; to determine the availability of large trees needed for nesting and roosting; to evaluate pre-release sites by involving a number of stakeholders. Three study sites were selected on the farm Greyghost Safaris (Ludwigslust), each made up of a different plant community. Sampling was carried out a total of four times during the year: one sampling bout in each season. A niche-based modelling technique was used to describe the suitability of a particular habitat (“ecological space”) then used to project it onto another geographical space. Floristic and faunal surveys were conducted to determine the species composition of prey items and composition and frequency of the herbaceous and woody layer. High-resolution, natural-colour aerial imagery was used in order to determine the availability of trees for nesting and roosting. Pre-release site evaluations and stakeholder engagements were conducted by means of interviews with landowners on and around the study sites. The Limpopo River Valley and across to the KNP on the eastern border of the Limpopo Province, is suitable re-introduction sites for the SGH. This study site provided a good opportunity to explore what an optimal site for reintroduction should resemble. / Thesis (MSc (Zoology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The Southern Ground Hornbill (SGH) (Bucorvus leadbeateri) has recently been listed globally by the IUCN Red list as Endangered or Critically Endangered. In South Africa, the declining population of the SGH has led it to be listed nationally as Vulnerable and falls under the “Protected Species” legislation. Research into the habitat preferences and identification of suitable reintroduction areas have been few since the initiation of reintroduction attempts, therefore resulting in mixed outcomes of previously-reintroduced SGH. The aim of this study was to identify and verify optimal reintroduction sites for the SGH, in the Musina area in the Limpopo Province. Five main objectives were determined, namely: to identify optimal reintroduction areas; to develop a habitat profile of the designated area; to determine the availability of prey items; to determine the availability of large trees needed for nesting and roosting; to evaluate pre-release sites by involving a number of stakeholders. Three study sites were selected on the farm Greyghost Safaris (Ludwigslust), each made up of a different plant community. Sampling was carried out a total of four times during the year: one sampling bout in each season. A niche-based modelling technique was used to describe the suitability of a particular habitat (“ecological space”) then used to project it onto another geographical space. Floristic and faunal surveys were conducted to determine the species composition of prey items and composition and frequency of the herbaceous and woody layer. High-resolution, natural-colour aerial imagery was used in order to determine the availability of trees for nesting and roosting. Pre-release site evaluations and stakeholder engagements were conducted by means of interviews with landowners on and around the study sites. The Limpopo River Valley and across to the KNP on the eastern border of the Limpopo Province, is suitable re-introduction sites for the SGH. This study site provided a good opportunity to explore what an optimal site for reintroduction should resemble. / Thesis (MSc (Zoology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

This thesis investigates the influence of predator movements upon habitat selection and foraging success. It deals with two very distinct datasets one from a marine system, the snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) fishery, and the second from a freshwater system, an experimental rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) aquaculture operation. Deriving a standardized measure of catch from logbook data is important because catch per unit effort (CPUE) is used in fisheries analysis to estimate abundance, but it some cases CPUE is a biased estimate. For the snow crab fishery, a relative abundance measure was developed using fisher movements and logbook data that reflected commercially available biomass and produced an improved relative abundance estimate. Results from the aquaculture dataset indicate that escaped farmed rainbow trout continue to use the cage site when waste feed is available, while native lake trout do not interact with the cage. Once access to waste feed is removed, both lake trout and escaped rainbow trout do not use the cage site. This thesis uses methods to identify patterns and behaviours using movement tracks to increase our understanding of predator habitat usage.

Changes in species abundance and richness, stand structure, and species responses to habitat characteristics including disturbance intensity, were investigated in 28 permanent sample plots (PSP) covering a total area of about 6.2 hectares of subtropical rainforests in north-east New South Wales, Australia. The disturbance that occurred over 36 years previously varied from unlogged (controls), through single-tree selection (light), moderate selection and repeated single-tree selection to intensive (heavy) logging. Multivariate and univariate approaches were used to investigate changes in various plant groups, including all vascular plants, regenerating species (trees and understorey species > 1.3 m in height and < 10 cm diameter at 1.3 m above the ground level (dbh)), juvenile trees (regenerating species capable of attaining at least 10 cm dbh), and trees ¡Ý 10 cm dbh. In addition, dynamic parameters (recruitment, growth and mortality) were estimated using hierarchical multilevel modelling and parameter estimates used to simulate behaviour of the subtropical rainforest tree species in unlogged and logged stands, both within and beyond the range of available data.Chronological post-disturbance responses and changes in species abundance and richness as well as stand structure for trees ¡Ý 10 cm dbh were investigated using 20 PSP in a bid to better understand rainforest post-disturbance regeneration. The results portrayed minor and gradual ecological changes in the undisturbed controls analogous with natural forest dynamics where the changes were not significant. In logged sites, initial gradual changes were followed with more rapid and significant changes.In both unlogged and logged stands, the changes proceeded through three clearly identifiable stages. The first two stages lasted between 5 and 15 years each. In the initial stage, the number of individuals decreased in species with high frequency mainly in the shade tolerant species, with little or no change in species richness. In the second stage, species abundance and richness changed due to localised species turnover, replacement and losses with very little recruitment, and the numbers of both speciesand individuals declined to minima. In the third stage, due to recruitment beyond the 10 cm dbh, the net loss of species and trees ¡Ý 10 cm dbh were halted and reversed, and species diversity and abundance began to return to pre-disturbance levels.Species abundance and diversity for both shade tolerant and intolerant species in less intensively logged sites (single-tree selection logging) have recovered to levels comparable with that observed in the controls, but more intensively logged sites have not recovered to similar levels. Increased logging intensity was associated with increased and decreased densities in the shade intolerant and ¨Ctolerant species respectively. It was evident that stand structure in logged sites had yet to recover to levels comparable with that of unlogged controls. It appears the restoration of floristic diversity to levels similar to that of intact primary forest takes considerably less time than structural recovery. Changes in regeneration patterns in a subtropical rainforest in north-east New South Wales were investigated for a 13-year period during the 3rd and 4th decades following repeated single-tree selection logging. Multivariate and univariate analyses results showed that there were no significant differences in floristic assemblages within and between censuses; however, two contrasting trends of changes in plant groups were detected. In trees ¡Ý 10 cm dbh, the stem density and species richness increased in shade tolerant group, and while stem density increased in the shade intolerant group, species richness decreased during the study period. Amongst smaller sized species including trees (< 10 cm dbh), a general decrease in species richness was observed along with significant changes in stem densities (P = 0.03) with the number of individuals in the shade tolerant species increasing, while that of both shade intolerant and vine species decreased. Excluding the vines and understorey species from the broader regenerating species group, revealed a decrease in species richness in juvenile canopy tree, and a significant change in densities (P = 0.004) with the number of individuals in shade tolerant increasing, while that of shade intolerant trees decreased. A comparison between the canopy trees ¡Ý 10 cm dbh and juvenile canopy trees group showed that these groups were tending towards similar floristic assemblages. These results suggest gradual replacement of shade intolerant by shade tolerant species as stands were tending toward later stages of recovery within the regeneration. The results also show that the inclusion of regenerating species in long-term studies is both complementary to the larger plant component and more revealing of both trends and changes.Species-specific estimates of shade tolerance and size structure at maturity derived from observations on 23 plots were used to intuitively group 277 vascular plant species into 3 main groups including full floristic (all together), shade tolerant and intolerant groups. The shade tolerant and intolerant groups were further grouped into smaller plants groups depending on the development stage and maximum size at maturity. These groups included regenerating species, juvenile trees, and trees ¡Ý 10 cm dbh. Multivariate analyses of these nominated groups revealed that floristic assemblages were significantly associated with environmental gradients based on simple site characteristics.At the landscape (larger) scale, the floristic assemblages were significantly different between low (200-400), mid (400-700) and high altitude (over 700 meters above sea level). In addition, abundance of shade tolerant species including Doryphora sassafras Endl, Orites excelsa R.Br and Caldcluvia paniculosa (F.Muell) Hoogland was positively correlated with the altitudinal gradient. At the smaller (local) scale, intensively logged sites where large gaps were created had recovered their species richness, but effects of past logging were evident in trees ¡Ý 10 cm dbh, especially trees greater than 50 cm dbh where species abundance in shade tolerant decreased significantly. Less intensively logged sites at mid altitude where a few stems were removed had recovered their species richness in respect to trees ¡Ý 10 cm dbh, but the small gaps created may have healed quickly for appreciable regeneration response to occur, as juvenile trees component was significantly different to that of the (unlogged) controls.The abundance of shade intolerant and juvenile shade tolerant tree species increased in concert with levels of disturbance and abundance of shade intolerant species such as Duboisia myoporoides R.Br, Acacia melanoxylon R.Br, Rubus moorei F.Muell and R. hilli F.Muell was positively correlated with the disturbance gradient. Increase in number of individuals of certain tree species was positively correlated with both disturbance intensity and topography (mid slope through lower slope to creek/gully), but negatively correlated with aspect (NE - NW). We concluded that logged sites are yet to recover their pre-logging stand structure and rainforest tree species were found in sites where favourable recruitment and growth conditions were the encountered. These results show that logged sites had not yet regenerated to the pre-logging stand structure. They also show that habitat characteristics including history of disturbance and topography can influence the floristic assemblages in the sub-tropical rainforests at both the small (local) and large (geographic) scales. This supports the environmental control model that states ¡°species are found at sites where they encounter favourable living conditions¡±. Site characteristics as surrogate for some of these favourable living conditions were identified as useful potential variables to investigate the rainforest dynamic parameters (growth, recruitment and mortality) in both logged and unlogged stands.A quantitative model was developed using over 3 decades of data to describe and simulate the dynamics including recruitment, growth and mortality in unlogged stands and others subjected to different silvicultural regimes in uneven-aged mixed-species subtropical rainforests of north-eastern New South Wales. Hierarchical multilevel regression analyses including Poisson, Binomial and multinomial logit regression were used to estimate the rainforest dynamic parameters based on the assumption that trees perform differently in space and time, thus there are variations at both the plot and tree by measurement levels.Variations at the tree level required the botanical identity of trees to species level, and then the species-specific size at maturity and shade tolerance were used to classify species into 5 groups, each consisting of species with similar ecological characteristics. These groups were labelled as emergent and shade tolerant main canopy, shade tolerant mid canopy, shade tolerant understoreys, moderate shade tolerant and persistent, and shade intolerant pioneer tree species. Significant variables at the plot level including site characteristics such as topography (elevation, slope and aspect), and past disturbance were used as explanatory variables in species group models. The final model is as a classical matrix management-oriented model with an ecological touch and maximum size-dependent parameters of ingrowth and outgrowth. The model provides a tool to simulate stand performance after logging and to assess silvicultural prescriptions before they are applied in these types of forests.The simulations indicate that full recovery following a logging intensity where 47% of the overstorey basal area is removed with a checkerboard of logged and unlogged patches (group selection) on a 120-year cycle could enable sustainable timber production without compromising the ecological integrity in these forests. Following single-tree selection (33%), recovery takes about 150 years, and more intensive harvesting practices where 50-78% overstorey basal area is removed may take 180-220 years to recover. Pre-harvest climber cutting coupled with poisoning of non-timber species followed by intensive logging of merchantable trees would allow logging on a 300-year cycle. Shorter logging cycles may lead to changes in the forest structure and floristic composition where the overall species density is low with higher density of shade intolerant species.

Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa, Extensão e Ensino em Ciências Agrárias / Os pequenos mamíferos apresentam maior diversidade para a região Neotropical e são bons indicadores de alterações de habitats. Nós amostramos dois tipos de fitofisionomias. Os objetivos deste estudo foram avaliar a estrutura, a estratificação vertical e o impacto da mineração na comunidade de pequenos mamíferos nas áreas de Canga e Floresta. Foram amostradas seis linhas paralelas a partir da borda, em cada área. Foram instaladas 60 armadilhas intercaladas nos três estratos: solo, sub-bosque e dossel, durante seis noites consecutivas. E armadilhas de queda e interceptação, com 15 baldes em cada trilha, apenas nas áreas de Floresta. Foram amostradas uma área de cada fitofisionomia mais próxima e mais afastada do impacto, durante dois períodos chuvosos e dois secos, de 2009 a 2011. Nós encontramos diferenças muito evidentes quanto à composição e estrutura nos dois tipos de fitofisionomias amostradas: a riqueza foi maior na Floresta e a abundância total foi maior na Canga. Das 24 espécies amostradas, 15 foram registradas exclusivamente no solo, oito no solo e sub-bosque e uma (Glironia venusta) exclusivamente no dossel. Apenas Micoureus demerarae foi registrado nos três estratos e Caluromys philander apenas no sub-bosque e dossel. O efeito do impacto é muito evidente nas Florestas e menos nas Cangas. Nas Florestas, quanto mais distante do impacto, maior a riqueza e abundância de espécies. É importante a continuidade e o aprofundamento de estudos com comunidades de pequenos mamíferos na Floresta Nacional de Carajás, ampliando o conhecimento científico para propor medidas que minimizem o impacto causado pela atividade mineradora na região. / The species of small mammals (orders Rodentia and Didelphimorphia) show greater diversity in the Neotropical region and are good indicators of changes in habitats. We sampled two types of vegetation: Forest and Canga. The objectives of this study were to evaluate it is structure, vertical stratification and the impact of mining in the community of small mammals in the areas of Canga and Forest. We sampled six distantly separated parallel lines 50, 100, 300, 600, 900 and 1200 m from the edge, in each area. 60 traps were installed 20 m apart from each other interspersed in three layers: ground, understory and canopy, for a period of six consecutive nights. And pitfall traps and fall, with 15 buckets on each track, distant 10 m from each other only in forest areas. We sampled an area of each vegetation type closer and farther away from impact during two rainy and two dry periods, from 2009 to 2011. For the analysis, the MDS was applied to show the similarity or not among the areas, ANOVA and simple regression to evaluate the effect of the impact. We found very clear differences regarding the composition and structure in both types of vegetation sampled: the richness was higher in the Forest and the total abundance was higher in Canga. Of the 24 species sampled, 15 were recorded exclusively on the ground, eight in the soil and understory and a (Glironia venusta) exclusively in the canopy. Only Micoureus demerarae was recorded in the three strata and Caluromys philander only in the understory and canopy. The impact effect is much less evident in the Forest and in Cangas. The wealth and abundance drifted in relation to the distance from the impact, so the farther the richer and abudant the species. It is important to the continuity and deepening of studies of small mammals in the Carajás National Forest, expanding the scientific knowledge to propose measures to minimize the impact caused by the mining activity in Carajás region.

Submitted by admin tede (tede@pucgoias.edu.br) on 2017-03-07T13:07:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 CARLOS EDUARDO DOMINGOS CINTRA.pdf: 9028123 bytes, checksum: 1e6d01e7063757db871a9a610ede84ed (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-07T13:07:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 CARLOS EDUARDO DOMINGOS CINTRA.pdf: 9028123 bytes, checksum: 1e6d01e7063757db871a9a610ede84ed (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-10-10 / The habitat loss by environmental degradation and fragmentation due to human activities is the most relevant impact to the drastic reduction of biodiversity. However, to the populations of Amazonian chelonians, above all the animals of the genus Podocnemis, we must add the direct capture of eggs and adult individuals that are historically and culturally used as food by indigenous people since before the European colonization persisting on riverine populations to this day. Despite the increasing academic and conservationist, interest that lead to the growth scientific publications about these podocnemidideans in the Amazon, most of the studies have dealt with reproductive aspects in nesting sites in large Brazilian rivers. Rare are the studies that deal with density, environmental use, and how seasonal variations influence their thermoregulatory behavior in habitats highly pressured by anthropic pressure. The construction Belo Monte hydroelectric power plant, on the Xingu River, Pará, will cause relevant environmental changes either aquatic or terrestrial ecosystems. To know the ecological parameters of Podocnemis unifilis a priori of the river impoundment, it is extremely important to evaluate the responses to these environmental changes and to guide actions directed to minimize the negative effects of such alterations might represent to this species. In this study, we evaluated the different factors that, together with the seasonal variation, might influence on the population abundance and density of P. unifilis in this area of the Xingu River. During field works, we proceeded with visual count of specimens in thermoregulatory activity on the three sampling areas, during the four regional hydrological cycles, seeking out density, abundance and possible preferences of habitat use and its relationships with abiotic variables as air and water temperature and depth of the water body. As a result, we observed that the population density of P. unifilis is not uniform among the sampling areas, probably due the unequal human occupation of the study area. As to seasonality, there were evidences of a higher number of individuals sighted during the dry season of the Xingu River followed by the rainy season. The abundance difference between seasons was not statistically significant and the density presented the same pattern of variability along the season periods. As to habitat use it was not possible to statistically determine preferences as to the side (left or right) nor the kind of margin (island or riverbank) used by these animals. However, it was noted a uneven distribution on these environments which might also be related with the irregular anthropic occupation between both margins and to the known seasonal migratory movement of this species. Generally, when we evaluate the influence of water temperature and depth of the sighting spots, between hydrological cycles, we did not verify statistical differences with positive correlation. However, when the environmental variable analyzed is the air temperature we observed a strong statistical significance when compared to the population density in all hydrological cycles evaluated. We suggest that this environmental variable may better explain the density patterns when the method used to estimate abundance is the count of the number of specimens in thermoregulatory activities. The differences observed in the population density among sampling areas and hydrological cycles in this part of Xingu River demonstrate the importance of knowing the influence of the environmental characteristics in the process of habitat use facing the indiscriminate consumption of this species by the local community. Moreover, the data obtained will enable that comparative studies a posteriori of the Belo Monte hydroelectric power plant impoundment permit to know the real effect of these environmental changes on this important zoological category. / A perda de habitat pela fragmentação e degradação do ambiente decorrentes das atividades humanas é o impacto mais relevante para a drástica redução da biodiversidade. Todavia, para as populações de quelônios amazônicos, sobretudo do gênero Podocnemis, soma-se ainda a coleta direta de ovos e indivíduos adultos, que são historicamente e culturalmente utilizados na alimentação por povos indígenas desde antes da colonização europeia, persistindo nas populações ribeirinhas até os dias atuais. Apesar do crescente interesse acadêmico que levou ao aumento das publicações científicas sobre estes podocnemidídeos, a maioria dos estudos têm abordado os aspectos reprodutivos em sítios de desova nos grandes rios brasileiros. São raros os estudos que abordam a densidade, o uso do ambiente e como as variações sazonais influenciam seu comportamento de termorregulação em habitats sobre forte pressão antrópica. A implantação da hidrelétrica de Belo Monte, acarretará em relevantes modificações ambientais, tanto em ecossistemas aquáticos como terrestres. Conhecer os parâmetros ecológicos de Podocnemis unifilis a priori do represamento do rio é extremamente importante para avaliar as respostas a estas alterações ambientais e nortear ações que visem minimizar os efeitos negativos que tais alterações possam representar a esta espécie. Neste estudo, avaliou-se os diferentes fatores que aliados a variação sazonal possam influenciar na abundância e densidade populacional de P. unifilis neste trecho do rio Xingu. Durante os trabalhos de campo foram realizadas contagens visuais de espécimes em atividade de termorregulação durante os quatro diferentes ciclos hidrológicos regionais, buscando determinar a densidade, a abundância e possíveis preferências de uso do habitat, e suas relações com variáveis abióticas como temperatura do ar e água e a profundidade do corpo hídrico. Como resultado observou-se que a densidade populacional de P. unifilis não é uniforme entre as áreas amostrais, provavelmente devido à ocupação humana desigual na região do estudo. Quanto à sazonalidade, evidencia-se um maior número de indivíduos avistados durante a vazante do rio Xingu seguida pela estação de enchente. A diferença na abundância entre as estações não foi estatisticamente significativa, e por estar diretamente ligada à abundância, a densidade apresentou o mesmo padrão de variabilidade ao longo dos períodos sazonais. No que se refere ao uso do habitat, não foi possível determinar estatisticamente preferências quanto às margens utilizadas por estes animais. Porém, nota-se uma distribuição desigual nestes ambientes, que podem também estar relacionados a ocupação antrópica irregular entre as duas margens e ao conhecido movimento migratório sazonal desta espécie. De modo geral, quando se avalia a influência da temperatura da água e profundidade dos locais de avistamento, entre ciclos hidrológicos, não se verificou diferenças estatísticas com correlação positiva. Entretanto, quando a variável ambiental analisada é a temperatura do ar observa-se uma forte significância estatística quando comparada a densidade populacional em todos os ciclos hidrológicos avaliados, sugerindo que esta variável ambiental pode melhor explicar os padrões de densidade. As diferenças observadas na densidade populacional entre as áreas amostrais e ciclos hidrológicos neste trecho do rio Xingu, reforçam a importância de conhecer a influência das características ambientais no processo de dispersão e uso do ambiente frente ao consumo indiscriminado desta espécie pela comunidade local. Ademais, os dados obtidos possibilitarão que estudos comparativos a posteriori a implantação usina hidrelétrica de Belo Monte permitam conhecer o real efeito destas alterações ambientais sobre essa importante categoria zoológica.

Mining is a widespread industrial activity that in many cases, via mining wastes, leads to altered concentrations of metals in close vicinity to the mining activities. Metals in mining waste can have high toxicity and may persist in environments for long time periods. The presence of metals, such as lead (Pb), is known to contaminate and cause damage to nearby organisms and ecosystems. Birds are at risk of metal contamination and, since they are predators high up in the food chain, may face accumulation of metal in tissue over time, via consumption of contaminated prey. Small passerine species, such as the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca), are suitable for studying metal contamination as they are ubiqutious, and high up in the food chain. Pied flycatchers feed exclusively on invertebrates, making the abundance, quality, and potential contamination of invertebrates interesting to study with regard to the health of the birds. Studies have shown that hemoglobin (Hb) levels in young pied flycatchers are reduced by high background levels of Pb.  This may be linked to prey availability and quality, as invertebrates are known to alter their composition, and contain higher Pb concentrations in Pb contaminated areas. Here, I investigated how invertebrate abundance and community composition, and pied flycatcher Hb concentrations (i.e. health), in reference and Pb contaminated areas, were related to each other. Invertebrate traps were set and sampled twice during the summer of 2018 to provide invertebrate data to the study. Bird Hb levels was acquired by taking blood samples from nearly fledged chicks in birdhouses placed in the different areas. I found a potential trend towards higher Hb levels in reference areas (p=0.110), suggesting that bird health is reduced by the presence of Pb, but this could not be explained by differences in invertebrate community composition or abundance (p&gt;0.05). Hence, based on this study, high Pb concentrations in the soil does not directly, or indirectly via potential impacts on the prey community composition, influence the health of pied flycatchers.

This diploma thesis elaborates on the influence of constructed wetlands on macrozoobenthos of the respective recipients. Constructed wetlands near the town of Hostětín were chosen for this research project, as well as its recipient Kolelač river delta where cleaned water is drained into. The report also contains analysis of Kolelač's stream area which took place during April 2013 under the auspices of the TA02020128 project by T.G.Masaryk Water Research Institute Brno. Investigation was performed in five sites labeled L1-L5. Of these, L3 was placed in the vicinity below the outfall of constructed wetlands. The research involved a one-time collection of quantitative and qualitative samples of macrozoobenthos by the so called PERLA method. Different characteristics for each facility were analyzed in order to carry out a comprehensive survey. This included for example: abundance, amount of taxons; diversity; taxonomic composition of microzoobenthos; as well as other ecological factors of Kolelač stream quality affected by the constructed wetlands. Macrozoobenthos' studied using abiotic factors demonstrate that the L3 drainage area in closest proximity to constructed wetlands is more polluted than other locations. Analysis by a multi-metric index ranked L3 into the 3rd group, indicating that a medium ecological water quality was present, whereas other locations are ranked into the 5th group with the highest ecological quality of water.