Syllabus
Wok package 1 - The effect of temperature and moisture on activity of terrestrial invertebrates. Show work package will have field and laboratory part. In field part daily changes in temperature and moisture will be measured on vertical profile in two pairs of neighboring microhabitats. At the same time foraging activity of ants will be studied using presence of ants on the baits. In the laboratory temperature preference of workers of dominant ant species will be studied.
Work package 2 - The effect of ecotones on occurrence and migration of epigeic invertebrates. The occurrence of selected species of epigeic macrofauna will be compared in two neighboring microhabitats and in ecotone between them. The estimation of abundance and activity will be done by several ways, quadrate sampling, catch per unit effort, capture - recapture. Student will have experience with possibilities and limitation of these techniques and it will also use combination of the data obtained by different techniques to answer the question Chat habitat species prefer and if the ecoton is rather important mifration barrier or corridor for this species.
Workpackage 3 - The effect of saprophagous macrofauna on litter decomposition. This work package will have field and laboratory parts as well. In field parts the effect of soil macrofauna on decomposition leaf liter will be studied using field microcosms accessible and non accessible for soil macrofauna. Because these techniques require long exposition the students will process microcosms exposed during previous (last year) course and prepare mew ones for next course. In short term model microcosms the students will measure effect of addition of selected macrofauna species in to microcosms on respiration of whole microcosms. His data will be compared to respiration of fauna alone to demonstrate the effect on fauna on microbial decomposition activity. In laboratory part of this work package will be studied the ability of selected macrofauna groups enzymatic ally break down structural polysaccharides.
Annotation
The aim of this practice is to demonstrate selected aspects in study of terrestrial invertebrate's ecology, namely relation of species to biotic and abiotic environment, behavioral and food ecology. This practice give practical demonstration of techniques and phenomena described in course "Environmental ecology of animals", the practice will be held in post mining landscape in Sokolov coal mining district.
This habitats form very strong environmental gradients and are occupied by simple invertebrate communities. The field practice will consist from three main work packages. The students will taka part in data collection and interpretation.