The effect of steady shear stress on somatic embryos were investigated in a flow chamber and evaluated at different time intervals using microscopy technique. The development of meristematic cell clusters, i.e. the immature embryos, into a polarized somatic embryo, and the effect on the localization of the suspensor cells that form during development of the immature embryos, were studied as a function of shear stresses. With the distribution and growth rate of the meristematic and suspensor cells, the effect of stress on the embryo development was established. Furthermore, the effect of shear stress on the cells at molecular level, the reaction of integrin-like proteins, the production of reactive oxygen species and the pore size of the cell walls involved in the shear stress responses, were investigated with molecular techniques. In general, shear stress inhibits meristematic cells growth. Meristematic cells grow fastest at shear rate of 86 s-1 among all the tested shear stress conditions. By combining the results of meristematic cells growth and suspensor cells formation, it suggests that there is a critical shear rate between 86 and 140 s-1, at which no suspensor cells form. The unidirectional flow with different shear stresses helps the polarized growth and the unidirectional alignment of suspensor cells. Reactive oxygen species and integrin-like protein are detected in the stressed cells as cellular responses to shear stresses. By monitoring the pore size and uptake time of cells to macromolecules with solute-exclusive experiments, it suggests that the stressed cells expedite the response to plasmolyzing components that are used to induce maturation treatment thus affect the response to maturation stimuli.

Response of forest succession to agricultural land-abandonment in the Giant Mountains ABSTRACT: Since the end of the 19th century, there is undergoing process of land-abandonment of mountain meadows and pastures in most of the European mountains, including the Giant Mountains. Mountain agriculture in the Giant Mountains was terminated no later than before World War II. Abandoned meadows were then subjected to secondary forest succession. The question is, how fast was this succession and how was its dynamics. My research was focused on 4 areas of interest, located in the vicinity of former mountain huts. Methods applied included the analysis of historical maps and aerial photographs and dendrochronological research of age structure of Norway spruce (Picea abies) stands. The aim of this thesis was to find out the extent of mountain agriculture near the huts and the dynamics of forest succession following land abandonment. Main peaks of seedlings establishment were observed in a very short time (10 - 20 years) following termination of mountain agriculture and in most cases these peaks were further followed by one or two more weaker peaks in the later periods. These peaks became evident in the change maps of forest development with approximately 20 years delay. Forest succession was moving gradually from the...

The master thesis deals with determination of selected biochemicals (lignin, carotenoids, water) content in Norway spruce needles using laboratory and imaging spectroscopy. The first part of thesis summarizes literature dealing with methods of estimating lignin and other biochemicals content. Three types of data are used in this thesis: 1. spectra measured by contact probe and ASD FieldSpec 4 Wide Res spectroradiometer, 2. spectra measured by integrating sphere and spectroradiometer and 3. aerial hyperspectral image data acquired by APEX sensor. The most useful transformation methods - first derivative and continuum removal are applied to the spectrum. Further the linear relationship between measured spectrum and content of biochemicals is analysed. Stepwise multiple linear regression is applied to select suitable wavelengths for modeling of biochemicals content in spruce needles. The model is also calculated and applied on the level of image hyperspectral data. Maps of lignin content in Norway spruce are the final output of these part of this. Next part of the thesis compares spectra measured by contact probe and spectra measured by integrating sphere. Diffrerence between the studied areas based on biochemicals content in spruce needles and several chemical elements in the soil and based on...

This study presents mountain forest Norway spruce (Picea abies) injured by surface ozone and oxidative stress. Norway spruce is not a sensitive species but it is the most representative tree in our country and this is the reason to pay attention on its injury. Study was connected to the ozone measurement by CHMI in Jizerske mountains. Aim of our study was to find influence of surface ozone on the forest and show correlation between ozone concentrations, altitude and Norway spruce injury. Ozone concentrations are growing with the altitude. Increasing percentage of injury with growing concentrations and altitude was expected. Needles were collected at the altitude 750-1100 meters. Collected needle years were 2006, 2007 and 2009. The 2009 year was not evaluated because no symptoms were found. Injury was observed on the maroscopical, microscopical and biochemical level. Visual injury was assessed by percentage of injured needle surface by chlorosis and necrosis. Microscopical analysis studied injury on cross and longitudinal sections of needles. On the longitudinal sections were visible typically bone-cells. These cells have lost its shape by ozone stress and were narrowed in its width. Bone-cells were best visible near the stomata. Four symptoms were observed on the cross sections: tannin...

6 Abstract Temperate forests serve as long term carbon storage and are affected by increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere. Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) is the most abundant conifer in the forests of the Czech Republic, therefore I studied the response of its photosynthetic aparatus to elevated CO2 concentration. The aim of my thesis was to analyze the impact of CO2 concentration on chloroplast ultrastructure in both shaded and exposed needles, focusing on the volume density of starch in the median cross-sections of mesophyll cell chloroplasts. The next aim of the study was to test whether the chloroplasts of the first subepidermal layer of mesophyll are representative for the whole needle with respect to starch volume density. The study was performed on eleven years-old Norway spruce trees that had been exposed to ambient or elevated concentration of CO2 for six years; the experiment had been carried out at the Bílý Kříž experimental station in the Beskids Mountains in cultivation chambers with automatically adjustable windows. First year needles of trees grown under abient (382-395ppm) or elevated (700 ppm) CO2 concentration were collected in October 2011. The needles were used to prepare ultrathin sections and the images of median chloroplast cross-sections were...