Parasites could represent an important evolutionary driver and play an important role in a sexual selection. In the mate selection process, females use secondary sexual ornaments, which may reflect the parasite load and health condition of males. Females would benefit from choosing males with the most extravagant sexual characters, which indicate low levels of parasite infestation. A popular model species for sexual selection study is the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica). However there are no recent studies investigating the relationship between the level of the ectoparasitic infestation and the ornamentation of the barn swallow. Results of this thesis, based on analysis of ectoparasite load in 204 individuals show, that the level of infestation by feather mites is positively correlated with outermost tail feathers and the intensity of feather holes is negatively correlated with a breast coloration. The relationship between the abundance of ectoparasites and white tail spots was not found. The effect of ectoparasites on the survival of individuals or the nest initiation date was not observed. A possitive relationship between the individual seasonal change in feather mites infestation and brood size was detected. This implies a potential trade-off between the investments into parental care and defence...

House mouse hybrid zone is a complex of subspecies Mus musculus musculus, Mus musculus domesticus and their hybrids. This hybrid zone is considered as a tension zone, maintained by balance between dispersion of individuals towards the zone center and negative selection against the hybrids. Decreased anti-parasite resistance could be one of selective factors which maintain the hybrid zone. In this thesis, I use hematological methods and skin-swelling test to compare variability in mouse health state within the house mouse hybrid zone. The skin-swelling test is a method measuring pro-inflammatory immune responsiveness. Since the commonly adopted method to perform this test does not allow clear interpretation of the test results, in this thesis I also aim to optimise the test protoco . I found that utilization of concanavalin A (ConA) is more suitable in mice than application of the commonly used phytohemaglutinin (PHA). Assessment of health state of mice by both hematological methods and skin-swelling test consistently indicates increased ability of anti-parasitic resistance in the subspecies M. m. musculus compared to subspecies M. m. domesticus. Hematological examination further shows better health state of hybrid individuals compared to parental subspecies. Our results support hybrid resistance hypothesis....

Fish and crayfish are widely used as biological monitors of environmental levels of anthropogenic pollutants. The present thesis is a contribution to the assessment of the toxicity and effects of long-term effect of triazines on the different developmental stages of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) and adult red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). The carp was selected as a model fish due to its economic importance, e.g. carp farming contributes about 90% to total fish production in the Czech Republic. Crayfish are easily identified species representing given locality, they are widespread, and they provide a sufficient amount of tissue for individual biochemical and chemical analyses. The results of these studies provide further data on chronic exposure to triazines for consideration in risk assessment. We selected three active substances of triazine herbicides which are the most frequently detected in surface waters such as prometryne, simazine and terbutryn. The findings contribute to knowledge of the toxic potential of triazine herbicides to carp and crayfish at environmentally relevant concentrations in Czech rivers. There is a scarcity of information regarding the toxicity of triazines on freshwater organisms. During the tests we monitored several parameters: behaviour, mortality, biometric, haematological, biochemical blood, histopathology, oxidative stress and antioxidants. The data obtained from all tests performed during my thesis are very valuable for assessment and evaluation of long-term effects xenobiotics on aquatic organisms, especially fish and crayfish. In the future, I would extend the focus of my research for study of possible synergic or amplifying effect of mixtures triazines with other xenobiotics which are often found in the aquatic environment. This approach is recently accented as the aquatic environment is polluted by mixtures of different compounds. Therefore, more research is needed in order to clarify the more detailed effects of xenobiotics on non-target aquatic organisms.

The avian immune system is a complex system of defence mechanisms that protect bird hosts against threats from ubiquitous pathogens. According to the co-evolutionary models, variability in immune traits of hosts is the key component providing ability to adapt and enhance their defence mechanisms in presence of constant selective pathogen pressure. Domestic chicken (Gallus gallus f. domestica) is used as a model organism in avian biology and also is one of the most important food-producing animals, not only for their meat but also for the egg production. Unfortunately, in research usually only inbred chicken lines are used and modern poultry husbandry is tight with unilateral breeding towards highly productive breeds. Those approaches decrease intra-population polymorphism in chickens. However, especially in case of farm animals, searching and extending the pool of immune variability and enhancing pathogen resistance is crucial for sustaining healthy and biologically secure populations and their products. Morphologically highly distinct traditional chicken breeds, which have evolved for hundreds years under different selective pressures, may represent this desirable immunological variability. In my thesis I described variability in chosen immunological traits, haematological parameters and proteomic...

v III. Abstract (EN) According to the Disposable soma theory, senescence is mainly influenced by adaptive allocation of resources among the physical growth, reproduction and self-maintaining processes, which depend on expected survival of an individual. The amount of allocated resources may be influenced by external environmental factors such as heavy metal pollution or by inner factor e.g. reproduction. The aim of my diploma thesis was to clarify the relationships between senescence, selected haematological traits, reproduction and efficiency of innate immunity mechanism. Moreover, we are interested in the role of heavy metal pollution in ageing and haematology. The heterophiles to lymphocytes ratio (H/L) was used as a marker of long-term stress caused by these physiological expenses. This study summarizes partial data collected within the long-term research of great tits (Parus major) in Prague, Czech Republic, I participated in. We have more than 300 samples of repeatedly captured individuals at our disposal. The structure of this unique dataset allows us to observe changes in the traits of our interest during an avian lifespan. Our results show that during aging, males experience a noticeable increase in the H/L ratio compared to females. Although we have not found the effect of age on the brood size,...

The avian immune system is a complex system of defence mechanisms that protect bird hosts against threats from ubiquitous pathogens. According to the co-evolutionary models, variability in immune traits of hosts is the key component providing ability to adapt and enhance their defence mechanisms in presence of constant selective pathogen pressure. Domestic chicken (Gallus gallus f. domestica) is used as a model organism in avian biology and also is one of the most important food-producing animals, not only for their meat but also for the egg production. Unfortunately, in research usually only inbred chicken lines are used and modern poultry husbandry is tight with unilateral breeding towards highly productive breeds. Those approaches decrease intra-population polymorphism in chickens. However, especially in case of farm animals, searching and extending the pool of immune variability and enhancing pathogen resistance is crucial for sustaining healthy and biologically secure populations and their products. Morphologically highly distinct traditional chicken breeds, which have evolved for hundreds years under different selective pressures, may represent this desirable immunological variability. In my thesis I described variability in chosen immunological traits, haematological parameters and proteomic...

Evolution is a most fascinating feature of all living things in our world. The means of organismal evolution are diverse, comprising mainly of natural and sexual selection. Both of these phenomena may contribute to evolutionary adaptations in health and disease. The questions of immunity impact on the process of sexual selection and sexual selection for increased anti-parasite resistance are wide issues of the present research in natural sciences. Their clarification requires multidisciplinarily-based investigation combining a variety of partial results into a single united paradigm. My co-workers and I have chosen several specific issues to study, in order to fill some of the important gaps of the current knowledge. We proposed the Carotenoid maintenance handicap hypothesis to point out that optimisation instead of maximisation of the carotenoid intake and ornamental display may be physiologically convenient for the individual. In Scarlet rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus) we confirmed the role of the carotenoid-based ornamental colouration in the process of sexual selection and investigated several partial aspects of the association between immunogenetics, immune function, health and the ornament expression and mate choice. In Zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) we have shown that the present way of...

The aim of this diploma thesis is a solution of the extension of clinical hematology of the Faculty Hospital Brno. The thesis deals with the technological regulation for steel construction, coupled ceiling concrete slab with other topics including an inspection-check plan, a time schedule for carcass, time and financial schedule for structures and an item budget. In addition, this work includes the coordination site-layout of the construction with wider transport relations, mechanical assembly, the principles of the organization of site equipment and occupational safety and health risks. Finally this thesis contains several assessments for cranes, scheme of principles of fixing steel columns into structure, scheme of laying building envelope, LEED, site equipment financial assessment.