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The following work deals with the genus Malus in terms of the significant diversity that this genus represents. It summarizes a basic knowledge about the taxonomic position and world centers of the genus evolution. Part of the thesis also discussed reproductive mechanisms as a source of the genus diversity. The thesis then focuses on the species Malus domestica, its evolution and the hybrid origin. In this context, old varieties of apple trees, their significance and pomologically important regions of the Czech Republic are presented. An integral part of this work is also devoted to the protection of old varieties, its limits and possibilities. The protection of old varieties also encompasses the extensive orchard as an important agroecosystem. Finally, different Czech regions are compared with respect to the quantity of reported old varieties.

As endemics are considered plant and animal species including birds, which are in the focus of this thesis, that are found in a restricted geographic region and nowhere else in the world. Such endemics typically occur on the islands that are often recognized as important global biodiversity hotspots. However, many endemic species are very vulnerable due to numerous factors (mainly genetic and demographic) closely linked to the way of life on the islands. Huge effort is dedicated to their conservation, and it thus reasonable to ask whether such an effort made a significant contribution to prevent their loss. Here, I evaluate the overall success of island bird endemics conservation compared to continental conditions because such a global analysis has been lacking up to now. In addition, this thesis examines how three major threatening factors (namely habitat destruction, invasive species, and overexploitation) driven by anthropogenic activities affect population trends of continental and island bird species. Finally, I mapped and explained, using examples, which conservation tools are effective for supporting the populations of island endemic species. The results of statistical analyses, based on a global dataset containing almost 8000 avian species, showed that island endemic species are more...

Populations on the edge of the range are often considered less valuable for conservation with regard to core populations of the species. These populations are often small, isolated and less genetically variable, and are therefore more prone to extinction. On the other hand, there are some studies claiming that some peripheral populations could have genetically unique allels which could help them adapt to changing environmental conditions. They thus have a big speciation potential. Peripheral populations could also occur behind state borders, where the species has conservation status, despite the fact that it is a common species somewhere else in its range. Due to this contradiction, peripheral populations are a delicate topic of discussion in the scientific community. In this paper I summarized the features of populations on the edge and also factors which limit them. Furthermore, population dynamics of these populations and summary of the main genetic processes taking place in small populations are outlined here. Next there are arguments for and against conservation of populations on the edge. In conclusion I give model examples of species on the periphery, demonstrating their features and reasons for their possible conservation. Key words: population, conservation, peripheral, marginal, range...

This thesis is focused on faunistic survey of Macrolepidoptera in Loučany (foothills of the Šumava Mts, Czech Republic). The research, involving different capture methods, proceeded from April to November 2015 on given transect and several other habitats. Based on the results (including partial data from 2013 and the last two decades of the 20th century), an inventory of identified species of Macrolepidoptera was made. Altogether 205 species from 16 families were found in Loučany. The most important species are for example the Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi), High Brown Fritillary (Argynnis adippe), Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne), Purple Emperor (Apatura iris), Spruce Carpet (Thera britannica) and Sandy Carpet (Perizoma affinitata). The environmental parameters of experimental sites were noticed during research and the habitat preferences of species were analysed using specialized literature. Altogether 186 species (90,7 % of all identified species) are linked to some kind of woodland habitat. To support present biodiversity of the community of Macrolepidoptera, it is necessary to practice a suitable woodland management, conserving mosaicity and open canopy. Key words: Lepidoptera, species diversity, Czech Republic, Klatovy area, conservation, woodland management

According to the Executive Regulation No. 395/1992 Coll., the Barn Owl and the Little Owl are nowadays classified as threatened species in the Czech Republic, while the Ural owl as a critically endangered species. Landscape changes together with low food availability, increasing predation by Pine Marten, lack of nesting biotopes and nesting hollow trees, negative impact of increasing traffic, and technical traps in rural buildings, all these factors lead to a rapid decline in the owl numbers. Therefore, monitoring and reintroduction projects have been started in order to help the owl populations. This thesis focuses on recording the numbers of the Barn Owl, the Little Owl and the Ural Owl wild breeding pairs in the Czech Republic. It aims to evaluate the asset of monitoring and reintroduction to the wild populations of these species. It compiles and evaluates the numbers of chosen owl species in different localities in the Czech Republic.

Legal Regulation of Biodiversity Conservation The thesis deals with applicable legal regulation of biodiversity conservation in the Czech Republic. First it defines biodiversity (biological diversity) from the point of view of natural science and as the subject matter of legal protection. Then the thesis presents the most significant international sources of soft law and hard law in the field, the European Union's strategic documents and law and the Czech Republic's national strategic documents and law concerning biodiversity conservation. In its conclusion the thesis summarizes some problems associated with biodiversity conservation and its regulation.

The variability of egg-size within a bird species reflects different reproductive investments and, besides the intrinsic constraints and particular female quality, it can be affected by environmental factors, too. Moreover, the egg-size predetermines the chick performance. The knowledge of factors influencing precocial chick survival is crucial for better understanding of life-history strategies as well as for endangered species conservation. The Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) represents a suitable model species for investigation of climate variables effects on egg-size and also to study factors influencing chick survival. Eggs in a total of 714 nests were measured during 13 breeding seasons over period 1988-2014 in South Bohemia and 293 lapwing chicks from 100 broods in 37 localities were monitored in 2013-2014. The mean egg-size through the whole season is positively affected by March precipitation, March clutches also negatively by minus temperatures in March. The higher intensity of rainfall there is during March, the bigger eggs are laid in March and the steeper is slope of decline in mean egg-size during season. This decline is more profound with lower rainfall in April. The effect of habitat is not significant. The body mass and condition of hatchlings is positively correlated with the...

European green lizard (Lacerta viridis) is critically endangered species. Bohemian populations are usually isolated and with lower degree of genetical variability, which gives them a higher degree of vulnerability. Isolated populations are interesting because animals often live there under ultimate possible life conditions for given species, usually in original environment. For the sake of an effective protection of the species morfological, ethological and ecological data are necessary, as well as comparisions between populations of this character, so we studied from this point of view given population of European green lizard and conclusions and comparisions were made.

Forest understory vegetation in lowland woodlands is coming through systematical changes, which are documented from many regions. Abandonment of traditional coppicing management, nitrogen deposition and effect of high game densities in some regions are considered to be the main key drivers. Changes of seminatural woodland in protected area of Bohemian Karst were studied in this research. The abandonment of traditional management is probably the biggest environmental change in this area. Original data, semi-permanent plots with phytosociological relevés, were surveyed shortly after the last coppicing in the half of twentieth century. These plots were now re-visited. Partial task was to evaluate how important relocation accuracy is. Discovered changes have similar trends as in other lowland woodlands. After abandonment of coppicing, site conditions changed towards more shade and nutrient rich sites. Vegetation shifted to species assemblages of late succession dominated by shade-adapted and nutrient-demanding species. Slight decrease in gama-diversity, increase in alpha-diversity and decrease of beta-diversity indicated taxonomic homogenization was recorded. Re-visiting of semi-permanent plots was evaluated as appropriate tool for this type of research. Spatial heterogenity is partly affecting temporal change,...

The persistence of Marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) and its relationships with five other closly related and co-occuring Nymphalidae butterflies was studied in identical habitat networks. Basic demography and dispersal patterns, and their consequences for conservation strategies, were investigated across mutliple sites and seasons.

The thesis was chosen on the basis of the continuation of the bachelor´s work. This thesis is focused on the literature search of problems of the conflicts between the protection of cormorants and the interest of fishery, further on the media analysis in the Czech Republic and finally on the processing of opinions of various groups of respondents (holidaymakers in the area called ´Třeboňsko´ and Czech fishermen). The opinions of questioned people were obtained from controlled interviews written down and processed in the questionnaires. The available information shows that a number of the protected cormorants is increasing not only in the Czech Republic but all over the world. The increase of the number of cormorant population causes problems especially to fishery, because cormorants cause the damage by catching fish stock. These conflicts in the problem area are mostly promoted in the media. In the problem area there are important opinions of the key groups of inhabitants. Groups of questioned people demonstrated their knowledge: holidaymakers in the area called ´Třeboňsko´ have basic knowledge in cormorants and problems caused by cormorants. On the contrary, fishermen are well-informed about the problem. The fishermen are more interested in the problem. Media are very important for solving conflicts and forming opinions of various groups of people. Media analysis showed that most spokesmen, who initiated writing newspaper articles were just fishermen. Therefore the articles on the cormorants are negative and without opinions on the spokesmen as member of general public or academics. Results of the sociological analysis have feed back on the results of the media analysis. It was found out that in the Czech Republic there had not been drawn up any management of fish protection againts cormorants. That is why I prefer to suggest the management in the near future. I recommend to follow the existing foreign management, forexample, in Great Britain. Further, I propose to change the Czech legislation for lower payment of the compensation for the damage caused by cormorants.