The number of tree species in local ecosystems is a key measure of biodiversity. A well-known ecological rule states that species numbers increase from the poles to the equator. But why is this trend not completely universal, and what can…
A call for a Ph.D. student in our group!
For a project entitled Latitudinal patterns in specialization of wild bees: Metabarcoding of pollen loads along a cross-continental gradient, we are seeking a highly motivated Ph.D. student. It combines modern Next Generation Sequencing metabarcoding of pollen loads from wild bees,…
Three new graduates in our group!
Last week, three of our students successfully completed their degrees at the Charles University. Dominik Anýž and Jan (Honza) Filip have been awarded by MSc degrees for their theses in pollination ecology at the Department of Ecology. Dominik has performed…
Summer sampling of plant-pollinator networks in Norway
After successfully sampling at Milovice despite the interfering wildlife, we continued fieldwork for our project focused on latitudinal trends of plant-pollinator interactions. This time, six team members drove to northern Norway to sample at the northernmost site in the project…
Sampling of plant-pollinator networks in Milovice
After many months of computer work, we have enjoyed almost the entire May in the field. We have started a large project recently supported by the Czech Science Foundation (Junior Star project, PI-ed by Rob), focused on latitudinal trends of…
Three new doctors in our group!
In the past two weeks, three of our members defended their Ph.D. theses! (Isn’t this some kind of record?!) First, Sylvain defended his thesis on biodiversity of Afrotropical butterflies and moths at the University of South Bohemia, Czechia. The next…
New research sites in Krkonose montane grasslands
As a conclusion to the busy month, a large part of our team (Rob, Stepan, Kobe, Antigone, Dominik and Sailee) spent the last week of June in the Krkonose mountains. We hiked along the ridge of the mountain range, looking…
Field courses for students in Czechia
June has been a rather busy month! We’ve been on and off field quite a bit, but we have also did some field teaching of ecology. In early June, Kobe and Sailee assisted with teaching a field course of the…
Spring sampling in the Krkonoše Mts.
During May, our group (mainly Sailee, Kobe, Antigone and Eliska, but with a strong support of many others) resumed sampling in the Krkonoše Mts. in northern Czechia. We recorded floral visitors of plants in semi-natural forests along their altitudinal gradient.…
Popularising of our research
In the past months, our research has repeatedly appeared in media, especially in Český rozhlas Plus, the Czech public radio focused on science and society. Our last sampling trip to Kruger NP was accompanied by a journalist Ondřej Novák who…