The evolutionary distinctiveness (ED) score is a measure of phylogenetic isolation that quantifies the evolutionary uniqueness of a species. Here, we compared the ED score of parasitic and non-parasitic cuckoo species world-wide, to understand whether parental care or parasitism represents the largest amount of phylogenetic uniqueness. Next, we focused only on 46 cuckoo species characterized by brood parasitism with a known number of host species, and we explored the associations among ED score, number of host species and breeding range size for these species. We assessed these associations using phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) models, taking into account the phylogenetic signal. Parasitic cuckoo species were not more unique in terms of ED than non-parasitic species. However, we found a significant negative association between the evolutionary uniqueness and host range and a positive correlation between the number of host species and range size of parasitic cuckoos, probably suggesting a passive sampling of hosts by parasitic species as the breeding range broadens. The findings of this study showed that more generalist brood parasites occupied very different positions in a phylogenetic tree, suggesting that they have evolved independently within the Cuculiformes order. Finally, we demonstrated that specialist cuckoo species also represent the most evolutionarily unique species in the order of Cuculiformes.

• Klíčová slova
• Cuculidae, distribution range, evolutionary uniqueness, host species richness, world-wide distribution,
• MeSH
• biologická evoluce * MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• hnízdění * MeSH
• interakce hostitele a parazita * MeSH
• ptáci klasifikace   parazitologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• rozšíření zvířat * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

The management of an increasing amount of municipal waste via incineration has been gaining traction. Fly ash as a by-product of incineration of municipal solid waste is considered a hazardous waste due to the elevated content of various elements. The enrichment and distribution of 24 elements in fly ash from three wastes incinerators were evaluated. Two coarse (>100 μm and <100 μm) and five sub-sieve (12-16, 16-23, 23-34, 34-49, and 49-100 μm) particle size fractions separated on a cyclosizer system were analyzed. An enhancement in the enrichment factor was observed in all samples for the majority of elements in >100 μm range compared with <100 μm range. The enrichment factor of individual elements varied considerably within the samples as well as the sub-sieve particle size ranges. These variations were attributed primarily to: (i) the vaporization and condensation mechanisms, (ii) the different design of incineration plants, (iii) incineration properties, (iv) the type of material being incinerated, and (v) the affinity of elements.

• Klíčová slova
• Enrichment, Fly ash, Incineration, Particle size distribution, Wastes,
• MeSH
• popel uhelný chemie   MeSH
• spalování odpadů MeSH
• tuhý odpad analýza   MeSH
• velikost částic * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• popel uhelný MeSH
• tuhý odpad MeSH

Angiosperms, which inhabit diverse environments across all continents, exhibit significant variation in genome sizes, making them an excellent model system for examining hypotheses about the global distribution of genome size. These include the previously proposed large genome constraint, mutational hazard, polyploidy-mediated, and climate-mediated hypotheses. We compiled the largest genome size dataset to date, encompassing 16 017 (> 5% of known) angiosperm species, and analyzed genome size distribution using a comprehensive geographic distribution dataset for all angiosperms. We observed that angiosperms with large range sizes generally had small genomes, supporting the large genome constraint hypothesis. Climate was shown to exert a strong influence on genome size distribution along the global latitudinal gradient, while the frequency of polyploidy and the type of growth form had negligible effects. In contrast to the unimodal patterns along the global latitudinal gradient shown by plant size traits and polyploid proportions, the increase in angiosperm genome size from the equator to 40-50°N/S is probably mediated by different (mostly climatic) mechanisms than the decrease in genome sizes observed from 40 to 50°N northward. Our analysis suggests that the global distribution of genome sizes in angiosperms is mainly shaped by climatically mediated purifying selection, genetic drift, relaxed selection, and environmental filtering.

• Klíčová slova
• UV‐B radiation, chromosome size, flowering plants, geographic range size, latitudinal gradient, nuclear DNA content, polyploidy, temperature,
• MeSH
• délka genomu MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• genom rostlinný MeSH
• Magnoliopsida * genetika   MeSH
• polyploidie MeSH
• rostliny genetika   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Food availability and distribution are key drivers of animal space use. Supplemental food provided by humans can be more abundant and predictable than natural resources. It is thus believed that supplementary feeding modifies the spatial behaviour of wildlife. Yet, such effects have not been tested quantitatively across species. Here, we analysed changes in home range size owing to supplementary feeding in 23 species of terrestrial mammals using a meta-analysis of 28 studies. Additionally, we investigated the moderating effect of factors related to (i) species biology (sex, body mass and taxonomic group), (ii) feeding regimen (duration, amount and purpose), and (iii) methods of data collection and analysis (source of data, estimator and spatial confinement). We found no consistent effect of supplementary feeding on changes in home range size. While an overall tendency of reduced home range was observed, moderators varied in the direction and strength of the trends. Our results suggest that multiple drivers and complex mechanisms of home range behaviour can make it insensitive to manipulation with supplementary feeding. The small number of available studies stands in contrast with the ubiquity and magnitude of supplementary feeding worldwide, highlighting a knowledge gap in our understanding of the effects of supplementary feeding on ranging behaviour.

• Klíčová slova
• artificial food, home range, meta-analysis, spatial behaviour, wildlife feeding,
• MeSH
• savci * fyziologie   MeSH
• stravovací zvyklosti * MeSH
• teritoriální chování * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• metaanalýza MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

The occurrence and atmospheric behavior of tri- to deca-polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were investigated during a 2-week campaign concurrently conducted in July 2012 at four background sites around the Aegean Sea. The study focused on the gas/particle (G/P) partitioning at three sites (Ag. Paraskevi/central Greece/suburban, Finokalia/southern Greece/remote coastal, and Urla/Turkey/rural coastal) and on the size distribution at two sites (Neochorouda/northern Greece/rural inland and Finokalia/southern Greece/remote coastal). The lowest mean total (G + P) concentrations of ∑7PBDE (BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-66, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-153, BDE-154) and BDE-209 (0.81 and 0.95 pg m-3, respectively) were found at the remote site Finokalia. Partitioning coefficients, K P, were calculated, and their linear relationships with ambient temperature and the physicochemical properties of the analyzed PBDE congeners, i.e., the subcooled liquid pressure (P L°) and the octanol-air partition coefficient (K OA), were investigated. The equilibrium adsorption (P L°-based) and absorption (K OA-based) models, as well as a steady-state absorption model including an equilibrium and a non-equilibrium term, both being functions of log K OA, were used to predict the fraction Φ of PBDEs associated with the particle phase. The steady-state model proved to be superior to predict G/P partitioning of BDE-209. The distribution of particle-bound PBDEs across size fractions < 0.95, 0.95-1.5, 1.5-3.0, 3.0-7.2, and > 7.2 μm indicated a positive correlation between the mass median aerodynamic diameter and log P L° for the less brominated congeners, whereas a negative correlation was observed for the high brominated congeners. The potential source regions of PBDEs were acknowledged as a combination of long-range transport with short-distance sources.

• Klíčová slova
• Absorption/adsorption models, Aerosol mass size distribution, Gas/particle partitioning, Long-range transport,
• MeSH
• adsorpce MeSH
• halogenované difenylethery analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Řecko MeSH
• Názvy látek
• halogenované difenylethery MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch MeSH

Tree size shapes forest carbon dynamics and determines how trees interact with their environment, including a changing climate. Here, we conduct the first global analysis of among-site differences in how aboveground biomass stocks and fluxes are distributed with tree size. We analyzed repeat tree censuses from 25 large-scale (4-52 ha) forest plots spanning a broad climatic range over five continents to characterize how aboveground biomass, woody productivity, and woody mortality vary with tree diameter. We examined how the median, dispersion, and skewness of these size-related distributions vary with mean annual temperature and precipitation. In warmer forests, aboveground biomass, woody productivity, and woody mortality were more broadly distributed with respect to tree size. In warmer and wetter forests, aboveground biomass and woody productivity were more right skewed, with a long tail towards large trees. Small trees (1-10 cm diameter) contributed more to productivity and mortality than to biomass, highlighting the importance of including these trees in analyses of forest dynamics. Our findings provide an improved characterization of climate-driven forest differences in the size structure of aboveground biomass and dynamics of that biomass, as well as refined benchmarks for capturing climate influences in vegetation demographic models.

• Klíčová slova
• biomass, climate gradients, forests, tree size distribution, woody mortality, woody productivity,
• MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• dřevo MeSH
• teplota MeSH
• tropické klima * MeSH
• uhlík * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• uhlík * MeSH

The aerosol particle size distributions of uranium and its daughter products were studied and determined in the area of the Rožná mine, which is the last active uranium mine in the Czech Republic. A total of 13 samples were collected using cascade impactors from three sites that had the highest expected levels of dust, namely, the forefield, the end of the ore chute and an area close to workers at the crushing plant. The characteristics of most size distributions were very similar; they were moderately bimodal, with a boundary approximately 0.5 μm between the modes. The activity median aerodynamic diameter (AMAD) and geometric standard deviation (GSD) were obtained from the distributions beyond 0.39 μm, whereas the sizes of particles below 0.39 μm were not differentiated. Most AMAD and GSD values in the samples ranged between 3.5 and 10.5 μm and between 2.8 and 5.0, respectively. The geometric means of the AMADs and GSDs from all of the underground sampling sites were 4.2 μm and 4.4, respectively, and the geometric means of the AMADs and GSDs for the crushing plant samplings were 9.8 μm and 3.3, respectively. The weighted arithmetic mean of the AMADs was 4.9 μm, with a standard error of 0.7 μm, according to the numbers of workers at the workplaces. The activity proportion of the radon progeny to (226)Ra in the aerosol was 0.61.

• Klíčová slova
• (226)Ra, AMAD, Aerosol size distribution, Emanation, Uranium mine,
• MeSH
• aerosoly MeSH
• hornictví * MeSH
• monitorování radiace MeSH
• radioaktivní látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   MeSH
• radium analýza   MeSH
• uran * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• aerosoly MeSH
• radioaktivní látky znečišťující vzduch MeSH
• radium MeSH
• uran * MeSH

BACKGROUND: A crucial step in conserving biodiversity is to identify the distributions of threatened species and the factors associated with species threat status. In the biodiversity hotspot of the Himalaya, very little is known about which locations harbour the highest diversity of threatened species and whether diversity of such species is related to area, mid-domain effects (MDE), range size, or human density. In this study, we assessed the drivers of variation in richness of threatened birds, mammals, reptiles, actinopterygii, and amphibians along an elevational gradient in Nepal Himalaya. RESULTS: Although geometric constraints (MDE), species range size, and human population density were significantly related to threatened species richness, the interaction between range size and human population density was of greater importance. Threatened species richness was positively associated with human population density and negatively associated with range size. CONCLUSIONS: In areas with high richness of threatened species, species ranges tend to be small. The preponderance of species at risk of extinction at low elevations in the subtropical biodiversity hotspot could be due to the double impact of smaller range sizes and higher human density.

• Klíčová slova
• Biodiversity conservation, Elevational gradient, Himalaya, Nepal, Threatened species,
• MeSH
• biodiverzita MeSH
• ekosystém * MeSH
• hustota populace MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nadmořská výška * MeSH
• obratlovci fyziologie   MeSH
• ohrožené druhy * MeSH
• rozšíření zvířat * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Nepál MeSH

The present paper represents a contribution to the knowledge of the taxonomy of Monoctonia Starý aphid parasitoids obtained using the barcoding region of the mitochondrial COI gene. We discuss the phylogenetic position of the genus within the subtribe Monoctonina, redescribe known species, and describe Monoctonia japonica sp. n. from Japan in the association Pemphigus matsumurai Monzen/Populus maximowiczii. A key for species identification is provided. Also, we review and discuss the host records, origin, and geographical distribution of Monoctonia species. It is hypothesized that the genus Monoctonia evolved in Paleogene forests of the temperate (and subtropical) belt, most probably in the European part of the Mediterranean region, which is also the center of origin of their host plants.

• MeSH
• anatomické struktury zvířat anatomie a histologie   růst a vývoj   MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• hostitelská specificita MeSH
• rozšíření zvířat MeSH
• sršňovití klasifikace   genetika   růst a vývoj   fyziologie   MeSH
• velikost orgánu MeSH
• velikost těla MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: While variation in genome size and chromosome numbers and their consequences are often investigated in plants, the biological relevance of variation in chromosome size remains poorly known. Here, we examine genome and mean chromosome size in the cyperid clade (families Cyperaceae, Juncaceae and Thurniaceae), which is the largest vascular plant lineage with predominantly holocentric chromosomes. METHODS: We measured genome size in 436 species of cyperids using flow cytometry, and augment these data with previously published datasets. We then separately compared genome and mean chromosome sizes (2C/2n) amongst the major lineages of cyperids and analysed how these two genomic traits are associated with various environmental factors using phylogenetically informed methods. KEY RESULTS: We show that cyperids have the smallest mean chromosome sizes recorded in seed plants, with a large divergence between the smallest and largest values. We found that cyperid species with smaller chromosomes have larger geographical distributions and that there is a strong inverse association between mean chromosome size and number across this lineage. CONCLUSIONS: The distinct patterns in genome size and mean chromosome size across the cyperids might be explained by holokinetic drive. The numerous small chromosomes might function to increase genetic diversity in this lineage where crossovers are limited during meiosis.

• Klíčová slova
• Chromosome number, Cyperaceae, Juncaceae, Thurniaceae, chromosome size, distribution range size, genome size, holocentric chromosomes, holokinetic drive,
• MeSH
• chromozomy rostlin * genetika   MeSH
• délka genomu MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• genom rostlinný genetika   MeSH
• molekulární evoluce * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH