A5019261471- Avian ecology and behavior
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Plant and animal studies
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Wildlife Conservation and Criminology Analyses
- Study of Mite Species
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Vector-Borne Animal Diseases
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Animal Nutrition and Physiology
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Animal and Plant Science Education
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
Institute of Zoology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
2015-2024
Slovak Academy of Sciences
2015-2024
Institute of Chemistry of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
2007-2020
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
2006-2012
Estacion Experimental de Zonas Aridas
2007-2008
University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik
2007
University of Trnava
2005
Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis is a newly emerging tick-borne bacterium from the family Anaplasmataceae. Its presence in Ixodes ricinus ticks was reported various European countries, however, it's ecology and co-circulation with another member of same family, Anaplasma phagocytophilum has not been rigorously studied yet. N. detected all sampling sites. In total, 4.5% were positive including larvae. The highest positivity Austria prevalence 23.5%. probability occurrence increased...
Background Climate change potentially has important effects on distribution, abundance, transmission and virulence of parasites in wild populations animals. Methodology/Principal Finding Here we analyzed paired information 89 parasite for 24 species bird hosts some years ago again 2010 with an average interval 10 years. The taxa included protozoa, feather parasites, diptera, ticks, mites fleas. We investigated whether abundance prevalence was related to body condition, reproduction...
In Europe, Ixodes ricinus is the most important vector of tick-borne zoonotic bacteria. It transmits spirochaetes from Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Rickettsia spp. Although spatial differences in prevalence pathogens have been intensively studied, seasonal (within-year) fluctuations these within sites are often overlooked. We analyzed occurrence dynamics an urban forest Bratislava, Slovakia. Furthemore, we examined temporal trends community structure...
Several contrasting hypotheses have been proposed to account for host age-biased parasite distribution, with some of them suggesting a key role ectoparasites in the evolution and maintenance weight hierarchies within broods. We examined distribution among individual hosts across whole period exposure system that shows distinct within-brood differences age age-related mortality. By contrast previous hypotheses, we found abundance haematophagous, mobile ectoparasite Carnus haemapterus on...
According to the hypothesis of parasite-mediated sexual selection, for a communication system work reliably, parasites should reduce showiness signals their host. In this study, we examined whether expression breeding coloration in free-ranging adult European Green Lizards ( Lacerta viridis (Laurenti, 1768)) is linked with infestation by common ectoparasite Ixodes ricinus (L., 1758) (Acari: Ixodidae). We found that tick was higher males than females. Males showing relatively heavier body...
Haemosporidians are the most important vector-borne parasites due to their cosmopolitan distribution and wide range of hosts, including humans. Identification vectors is critical highlight ecologically epidemiologically relevant features such as host specificity or transmission routes. Biting midges genus Culicoides considered main Haemoproteus spp., yet information on aspects vector feeding preferences vector-host involving haemosporidian frequently missing.We assessed abundance...
Extrapair paternity (EPP) is common among birds, but the reasons why it varies within and species are less clear. In particular, few studies have experimentally examined how food availability influences sexual behavior. We manipulated supply in a nest-box population of house sparrows, Passer domesticus, colonial passerine with extensive biparental care. During three successive breeding attempts, we changed at nest sites behavior genetic parentage. DNA fingerprinting revealed that level EPP...
Despite the ubiquity of disease seasonality, mechanisms behind fluctuations in seasonal diseases are still poorly understood. Avian hemosporidiosis is increasingly used as a model for ecological and evolutionary studies on dynamics, but results complex, depending focus (hosts, parasites, vectors) scale (individuals, community, populations) study. Here, we examine local diversity haemosporidian parasites patterns infections, parasite richness, natural woodland bird community Slovakia. In 35...
Nest box supplementation is widely used to increase nest‐site availability for cavity nesting animals but the analysis of its effects on individuals breeding in natural cavities often neglected. This study offers a novel restoration technique revert abandonment sites by secondary avian bird, European roller ( Coracias garrulus ), and other ecologically similar species. We found that, after program nest with ensuing monitoring, rollers gradually abandon seminatural favor boxes because latter...
The knowledge of the distribution, richness and epidemiological importance soft ticks genus Argas is incomplete. In Spain, five species have been recorded, including three ornitophilic nidicolous ticks, but their associated microorganisms remain unknown. This study aimed to investigate from bird nests microorganisms. Ticks were collected extensively natural cavities nest-boxes used by European rollers ( Coracias garrulus ) little owls Athene noctua in Southeastern Central Spain....
The role of environmental and host‐associated factors in synchronization host–parasite life‐cycles is an important question evolutionary ecology. Yet, only handsome studies examined this at the intraspecific level. Here we explore how traits, such as breeding phenology host habitat, can influence parasite co‐occurrence different spatial scales. We studied system comprised a generalist ectoparasitic fly Carnus hemapterus one its avian hosts, European roller Coracias garrulus . Inter‐annual...
Abstract Although studies on sperm competition examined a wide range of taxa, little is known about the selection pressures male traits in systems with simultaneous risk and sexual cannibalism. Here, we experimentally studied how affects copulatory behavior sexually cannibalistic praying mantis Mantis religiosa . We recorded onset duration copulations following introduction virgin, adult mantises into mating arenas three different sex ratio treatments: polyandrous, monogamous, polygynous....
Lyme disease (LD) is the most common tick-borne human in Europe, and
Abstract Sexual selection models usually predict directional for ornamental traits because of intra‐ as well inter‐sexual selection. Animals frequently face reproductive trade‐offs, such between mating and parental effort. Provided that both are essential have opposite effects on ornament expression, we may however not necessarily expect size. The house sparrow is an ideal species to study a trade‐off, the size male ornament, black throat badge, seems be inversely related It has been...