Research Areas

Research at the Department of Zoology focuses on the evolution, ecology, behavioral ecology, and physiology of animals. The department’s staff regularly publish in leading international journals (see the list of publications) and receive funding from the Grantová agentura České republiky, the Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy, and other agencies. Below, we present an overview of the individual research topics.

Reproductive Strategies of Birds

Our research focuses on the reproductive strategies of birds, particularly passerines (Passeriformes), which make up about half of the 10,000 known bird species. We are interested in how different bird species differ in parental care, mating systems, lifestyle, appearance, and coloration. Have you ever noticed how strikingly bird species differ in their coloration? Some species are bright red, while others are inconspicuously brown. In some species, only the female cares for the offspring; in others, only the male does; and in yet others, partners share parental duties equally. In certain species, the female is completely faithful to the male, whereas in others she frequently engages in extra-pair mating. Why do such large differences in lifestyle exist among species? In many cases, the answers are still unknown—and we aim to find them. To do so, we use phylogenetic comparative methods, data from the scientific literature, museum collections, and online databases. We therefore analyse species traits, distributions, and the environments in which they live.

People: V. Remeš, B. Matysioková

Bird Species Diversity

We study bird species diversity, its evolutionary causes, and its ecological consequences. Why do hundreds of bird species coexist in some parts of the world, while in others there are only a few dozen? This remains an unresolved question in ecology and evolutionary biology, and it also has important implications for species conservation. Environmental conditions certainly play a role (more species live in forests than in deserts), but so do species traits and the similarity in how species use their environment (their ecological niche). We aim to understand how species “learn to live together” after a new species arise during the evolutionary process (speciation), and which factors are crucial in this process: is it differentiation of the ecological niche, or some other mechanism? We use our own field data from research in Australia, together with data from museum collections and the scientific literature, and analyse them using modern spatial and phylogenetic statistical methods.

People: V. Remeš, L. Harmáčková

Bird Migration

Where do birds migrate, and which routes do they take? What impact does a changing climate have on bird migration? Using state-of-the-art technology and remote sensing, we are gradually uncovering many of the secrets of bird migration.

People: Peter Adamík

Breeding Biology of Cavity Nesting Passerines

The breeding biology of birds has been one of the most popular areas of zoological research for decades. This is likely due to the opportunity to closely observe the family life of fascinating and beautiful animals. Although this is a traditionally studied topic, it certainly cannot be said that there is nothing left to discover. On the contrary, thanks to the accumulation of long-term data and the development of technical tools and theoretical models, this field now allows researchers to test numerous new hypotheses about animal behaviour. In our work, we study populations of the Great Tit, the Eurasian Blue Tit, and especially the Collared Flycatcher. In the attractive environment of oak woodlands on slopes, we have installed hundreds of nest boxes, which we have been monitoring for more than twenty years. We address questions such as: how do parents care for their offspring, and what are the consequences for them? How do females choose their partners? How faithful are parents to one another? Are offspring resulting from extra-pair copulations better or worse off than their half-siblings? Does male reproductive success depend on sperm size? When do fledglings leave the nest, and do they return for any reason? We investigate these questions at a previously inaccessible level using modern molecular biology methods (e.g., paternity analyses using microsatellites, genotyping at candidate gene loci), remote nest monitoring (video cameras and temperature data loggers in nest boxes, RFID readers), individual tracking (geolocators), and quantitative genetics (pedigree analysis using the so-called animal model).

People: M. Krist; P. Munclinger (Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague); T. Albrecht (Institute of Vertebrate Biology in Brno)

Reproductive and General Physiology

In this area, we focus on topics such as embryo transfer, in vitro fertilization, oocyte maturation and aspiration, and other subjects related to biotechnological methods in animals. These topics are conducted in collaboration with specialized external institutions (research institutes) in Czechia and Slovakia. The research also includes areas of endocrinology, immunology, and related fields. Part of the research (and some of our students’ master’s theses) is based on collaboration with Czech ZOOs. These studies focus, for example, on thermoregulation, animal husbandry, and other related topics.

People: J. Bezdíček, I. Fellnerová

Systematic Entomology

We study the evolution, systematics, phylogeny, diversity, morphology, fossil record, ecology, and distribution of selected insect groups, focusing primarily on click beetles and their relatives.

We particularly aim to:

1. a) contribute to a better understanding of the relationships among the taxa of interest,
2. b) study their overall diversity and distribution,
3. c) describe entirely new species and higher taxonomic units for science,
4. d) examine fossils (mostly amber inclusions) to understand the diversity of these groups millions of years ago, and
5. e) achieve the most detailed reconstruction possible of the morphology of fossil representatives.

Our results are published in prestigious zoological, entomological, paleontological, and multidisciplinary scientific journals. Students focus their theses on systematics-based studies, cataloguing the diversity of selected groups, or literature reviews on interesting topics in the field. They are frequently co-authors of scientific publications, and some have even received awards from the Dean or Rector for their research.

People: R. Kundrata, J. Hoffmannová, G. Pačková

Insect Ecology and Evolution

Our group conducts research on the ecological and evolutionary processes that generate biological diversity. We study biodiversity at different spatial scales using insects (particularly ants) as a model group. Most of our research focuses on the fauna of the Indo-Australian region and Mexico. Our laboratory includes students and scientists from Czechia and Mexico, working on projects across several continents.

Our main research topics are:

Ecology and diversity of tropical insects

Ecology, evolution, and diversity of ants

Phylogeny, population genetics, and biogeography of ants on islands

Interactions between ants and other organisms

Biology of invasive species

People: M. Janda, D. Villaseñor-Amador