Marta Heroldová
Mendel University in Brno, Institute of forest ecology, Faculty Member
- I studied conectivity between organism (animal) and its environment, its feeding behaviour, its diet preferences. It ... moreI studied conectivity between organism (animal) and its environment, its feeding behaviour, its diet preferences. It was exiting to know, in some of the animals studied, adaptation of digesting tract to its diet in particular environment, its diet (diet items) quantity and quality, so far as to mictoelements. Important was to know its feeding nika owerlap with the other animals and its influence (some time negative effect) to the environment. In some species epidemiological studies were done.edit
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A study of nematode (Heligmosomum costellatum) prevalence in the common vole (Microtus arvalis) population was performed in 2002 and 2003 in an agricultural region of southern Moravia, Czech Republic. The influence of the trapping date,... more
A study of nematode (Heligmosomum costellatum) prevalence in the common vole (Microtus arvalis) population was performed in 2002 and 2003 in an agricultural region of southern Moravia, Czech Republic. The influence of the trapping date, body weight, age, gender and reproduction of the common vole on the prevalence of the larvae ofH. costellatumencapsulated in the stomach wall was examined. Of 503 common voles examined, 27.6% wereH. costellatumpositive. The prevalence ofH. costellatumin the common vole population was influenced mainly by the weight, trapping date, year and reproductive state, as well as by the interactions between year and gender and between year and reproductive state. The influence of age was weak. The most infected common vole groups were the older, heavier and already reproducing females captured from April to August and all voles captured in 2002. In general, parasite prevalence seems to be dependent on the population parameters of the host species. However, the...
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The population dynamics of shrews (Soricidae) are not well known even though they form an important part of forest ecosystems and represent suitable bioindicators of ecosystem quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the population... more
The population dynamics of shrews (Soricidae) are not well known even though they form an important part of forest ecosystems and represent suitable bioindicators of ecosystem quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the population dynamics of shrews in mountain and upland forest clearings in four study areas within the Czech Republic and to reveal how climatic factors influenced fluctuations in their abundance for a decade (2007–2017). In total, we trapped 7,538 individuals of 18 small mammal species. From 760 individuals of seven shrew species, the common shrew (Sorex araneus) was significantly dominated in all study areas. We did not observe any significant, regular multi-annual cycles of the common shrew. However, a cross-correlation in density fluctuation of this species was detected in all mountain areas indicating the influence of environmental factors acting on a larger geographical scale. The autumn abundance of shrews was dependent on the subset of climatic variables...
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Research Interests: Zoology, Environmental Science, Biology, Ecology, Air pollution, and 3 moreMammal, Pollution, and Clearing
The article summarizes the previous experience and results from the study of wild rodents using the NIRS method. The importance and role of rodents in ecosystems and the specifics associated with their research using the NIRS method are... more
The article summarizes the previous experience and results from the study of wild rodents using the NIRS method. The importance and role of rodents in ecosystems and the specifics associated with their research using the NIRS method are briefly mentioned. The results of previous partial studies are mentioned and discussed. The NIRS method proved to be a useful tool to determine the amount of a particular food ingredient in the diet from faeces or chyme and to estimate the food quality (i.e., diversity of nitrogenous substances in chyme). On this basis, other possible directions of research using the NIRS method in wild rodents are proposed. These could help to better understand both the relationship between rodents and their environment and practical management in sectors where rodents interfere with human interests, especially in agriculture and forestry.
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Conversion of coniferous monocultures to more stable mixed stands is one of the crucial tasks of present forestry in the Czech Republic. One of the factors hampering this process is the activity of small rodents that can cause severe... more
Conversion of coniferous monocultures to more stable mixed stands is one of the crucial tasks of present forestry in the Czech Republic. One of the factors hampering this process is the activity of small rodents that can cause severe damage to young plantations in winter. Little knowledge is still available of the ecology of small mammals in the forest environment and of the factors influencing their distribution and extent of damage. In order to acquire relevant information on rodent impacts on forest regeneration, we mapped the cumulated damage to forest plantations in 13 regions within the Czech Republic in 2007 and 2008. We checked 19,650 trees of eight species on 393 plots. Broadleaves were affected by browsing much more than conifers (20% and 4%, respectively). Of the monitored species, beech was damaged the most frequently (26% individuals). Browsing intensity differed among the regions (6–60% browsed individuals). The least damaged were the plantations at the altitudes...
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Winter rape stands are important habitat for the common vole (Microtus arvalis) and the pygmy field mouse (Apodemus microps). In autumn, the common vole is dominant in this habitat (D = 75%) and reproduces in it (17% of population). This... more
Winter rape stands are important habitat for the common vole (Microtus arvalis) and the pygmy field mouse (Apodemus microps). In autumn, the common vole is dominant in this habitat (D = 75%) and reproduces in it (17% of population). This species also dominates the small mammal community of winter rape in early spring (D = 87%), and its reproduction begins in this habitat early; under suitable meteorological conditions 44% of the population of common vole reproduce in March. Analyses of the spring and autumn diet of M. arvalis in winter rape have shown that green leaves of this species form the dominant component of its diet. During the period when the rape crop is ripening, the population abundance of the common vole decreases as green food at ground level decreases. The pygmy field mouse (A. microps) has a contrasting response to winter rape, and it is almost absent from the rape crop from autumn to late spring. However, when winter rapeseeds begun to ripen, the pygmy field mouse c...
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We studied the impact of vole bark gnawing in forest plantations dominated by European beech in two Czech mountain ranges (the Hrubý Jeseník Mts, the Moravskoslezské Beskydy Mts) with different habitat conditions. Of the four present vole... more
We studied the impact of vole bark gnawing in forest plantations dominated by European beech in two Czech mountain ranges (the Hrubý Jeseník Mts, the Moravskoslezské Beskydy Mts) with different habitat conditions. Of the four present vole species, only the field vole caused significant damage, the impact of the bank vole being inconclusive. In both ranges, the key factor determining the presence and abundance of voles (Microtus sp.) was the occurrence of grasses. Saplings in the Hrubý Jeseník Mts suffered significantly higher damage than those in the Moravskoslezské Beskydy Mts (13.6 vs. 3.3 % damaged seedlings), with degree of damage closely related to the abundance and spatial distribution of voles. We relate it to lower carrying capacity caused by poor herb layer and higher proportion of spruce monocultures surrounding the plantations in the Hrubý Jeseník Mts. Our results indicate that artificial beech regeneration is more successful in mixed and spruce forests with rich undergrowth (the Moravskoslezské Beskydy Mts) than in large spruce stands with reduced herb undergrowth (the Hrubý Jeseník Mts).
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Research Interests: Zoology, Environmental Science, Biology, Ecology, Air pollution, and 3 moreMammal, Pollution, and Clearing
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ABSTRACT Forest seed crop, particularly beechnuts and acorns, significantly influence the population dynamics of granivorous rodents negatively affecting the development of forest stands. In seven beech stands of various age and at... more
ABSTRACT Forest seed crop, particularly beechnuts and acorns, significantly influence the population dynamics of granivorous rodents negatively affecting the development of forest stands. In seven beech stands of various age and at various altitude, we determined the actual food supply for seed--eating species. The average feeding supply biomass in autumn 2007 was 23.23 g . m2. To evaluate effects of seed--eating species on forest regeneration we found out information on the population density of seed--eating species (wood mouse 12 individuals/ha; bank vole 1 ind./ha) but also data on the consumption of forest seeds by the species. Under laboratory conditions, daily consumption of beechnuts was determined for two dominant forest species as bank vole (Myodes glareolus /Pallas/) and yellow--necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis /Mel./). Our test took 10 days. In M. glareolus (n = 5; mean body mass 21 g), daily consumption ranged from 2.2 to 3.4 g (mean 2.8 g) of beechnuts (seeds of Fagus sylvatica /L./), i.e. on average 12 beechnuts per day. In A. flavicollis (n = 5, mean body mass 26 g), daily consumption ranged from 3.0 to 5.5 g (mean 4.25 g), i.e. about 19 beechnuts per day (0.23 g = mean weight of 1 beechnut). In any of the species, waste feeding did not occur during beechnut consumption. The weight of individuals was in correlation with the weight of consumed food (r = 0.91, p < 0.01). Both of these rodents were able to lower the harvest by removing 43% of the total amount of the seeds. Results obtained can contribute to the evaluation of the effect of M. glareolus and A. flavicollis on seed losses and thus to the elucidation of their importance in the process of the natural regeneration of broadleaved species.
Research Interests: Molecular Evolution, Biology, Virology, Medicine, Czech Republic, and 15 moreBiological Sciences, Germany, Phylogeny, Humans, Europe, Animals, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, Genome, Slovakia, Genotype, Phylogenetic Tree, Arvicolinae, Hantavirus, Hantavirus infection , and Medical and Health Sciences
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A bst ract. In the higher altitude parts of the Jeseníky Mountains (1100-1490 m as 1.) high density of red deer and chamois populations had a significant damaging impact on the vegetation structure and caused problems in forestry and... more
A bst ract. In the higher altitude parts of the Jeseníky Mountains (1100-1490 m as 1.) high density of red deer and chamois populations had a significant damaging impact on the vegetation structure and caused problems in forestry and nature conservation ...
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The small mammal community of an air pollution affected area of the Beskydy Mts was studied over a seven-year period. Highest dominance and population density values were found in the field vole (Microtus agrestis) and its feeding ecology... more
The small mammal community of an air pollution affected area of the Beskydy Mts was studied over a seven-year period. Highest dominance and population density values were found in the field vole (Microtus agrestis) and its feeding ecology and negative impact on reforestation have been evaluated. The vegetative parts of plants, particularly those of monocotyledons, were dominant in vole diets, mainly as the area is largely occupied by the invasive plant genus Calamagrostis. In early spring (i.e. before the growing season started) grasses predominated in the field vole's food (74 % of volume, v). Bark was also consumed to some extent - its importance index value (I) was 4 %. In spring (i.e. after the growing season started) grasslike species were again preferred (v = 57 %) but flowers of Vaccinium myrtillus were also consumed (v = 20 %). Even in autumn grasslike species prevailed (v = 36 %), however, the diet was more diverse and seeds and fruits (v = 30 %) were also eaten. Of these the basic food items were those of V. myrtillus (v = 16 %) and of herbs and ferns (v = 16 %) including Oxalis acetosella (v = 14 %). An increase in fungi in the diet was found in autumn. Diet availability and early spring and spring diets were highly correlated, but this was not the case in autumn. The extent of vole damage to tree regeneration in 3,027 saplings was studied. The frequency of damage was significantly greater in deciduous tree species (15 %). Coniferous tree transplants were attacked only rarely (1.4 %), and usually when the tree was already in poor condition. The greater degree of damage caused to natural and artificial forest regeneration can only be associated with high vole population densities.
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In this study, the impact of wild boar on the natural regeneration of oak and importance of acorns in the wild boar diet were surveyed. The data were collected near Moravian Krumlov (Czech Republic) in three types of oak stands differing... more
In this study, the impact of wild boar on the natural regeneration of oak and importance of acorns in the wild boar diet were surveyed. The data were collected near Moravian Krumlov (Czech Republic) in three types of oak stands differing in the canopy density: fully-stocked stand (1), open-canopy stand (2) and the forest stand in a conversion to the coppice forest (3). Within each stand 150 m long lines were set out. Seed traps to collect acorn harvest and control plots were installed on these lines. The plots were inspected at weekly intervals. After the end of acorn fall the average amount of fallen acorns was evaluated. The quantity of metabolizable energy in acorns was assessed and daily survival dose of energy for average weight of wild boar was counted. In spring 2014 the number of seedlings was counted at the same plots. Production of acorns per hectare and basic energy needs for one individual wild boar per day were evaluated for each chosen stand type. The found seedling de...
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The integrated management of a serious agricultural pest, the common vole (Microtus arvalis), should be based on modern and empirically proven approaches. The aim of this paper was to map the historical development of the monitoring and... more
The integrated management of a serious agricultural pest, the common vole (Microtus arvalis), should be based on modern and empirically proven approaches. The aim of this paper was to map the historical development of the monitoring and control practices of the common vole in the Czech Republic (CR) territory. Published records of vole population outbreaks and heavy crop damage have been documented in the Czech literature since the turn of the 20th century, and even in crops planted in highly fragmented and diversified agricultural landscapes. In the CR, systematic state monitoring was introduced in 1955. In the 1930’s, there were more than 100 various rodent preparations against the common vole, which were formulated as smoke generators, gases, baits, dusts, toxic mushy mass, and insecticide sprays. Currently, there are only six preparations with three active ingredients registered in the CR. Zinc phosphide is the only active ingredient that has been used from the 1940s to the pres...
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The aim of this study was to compare the diet composition based on rumen contents of mouflons from two localities differing in food supply. In northern Moravia (NM), secondary forests with dominance of conifers prevailed, whereas in... more
The aim of this study was to compare the diet composition based on rumen contents of mouflons from two localities differing in food supply. In northern Moravia (NM), secondary forests with dominance of conifers prevailed, whereas in southern Moravia (SM) forests with broad-leaved trees dominated. A total of 50 (NM, n = 23; SM, n = 27) quantitative and qualitative rumen analyses were carried out. In rumen specimens from both localities broad-leaved tree species predominated (NM 32.56% of volume; SM 38.92% v) during the autumn-winter season. Among the woody plants, ash was the most frequently consumed in both localities and in both diets approximately the same amount was found (17% v). In SM the mouflon consumed a high-energy diet of various seeds (34% v); acorns and horse chestnuts were the most abundant. Coniferous shoots were consumed in NM (14% v) twice as much as in SM (7% v). A higher number of food items (S = 70) and food diversity (H' = 3.49) was found in NM than in SM (S ...
Research Interests: Biology, Foraging, Seasonality, Food supply, Body Condition, and 13 moreDiet Composition, Digestive Tract, Secondary Forest, Woody Plants, Body Fat, Nutritional Value, Veterinary Sciences, Diet Quality, High energy, Similarity Index, Tree Species, Metabolisable Energy, and Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences
Rodent bark gnawing is common during winter in times of low or unavailable food supply. During the growing season, it is a rare phenomenon, but can occur due to low food supply and/or poor food quality resulting from climatic influence.... more
Rodent bark gnawing is common during winter in times of low or unavailable food supply. During the growing season, it is a rare phenomenon, but can occur due to low food supply and/or poor food quality resulting from climatic influence. We evaluated this unusual damage of apple tree (Malus domestica) orchards by rodents in two localities in the Czech Republic. In 2019, 24% of trees in the orchard in Brno were gnawed by the common vole (Microtus arvalis) population. Damage in the Holovousy orchard by water vole (Arvicola amphibius) was inspected in 2020 and showed that 15% of trees were damaged with massive root gnawing. These findings were compared with gnawing in forest beech plantations in 2019, with up to 13% of trees damaged. Three rodent species (Microtus agrestis, M. arvalis and Clethrionomys glareolus) participated in the damage. Detailed description of the various vole species’ damage in vegetation period, which somehow differs from winter time damage, may help in the future...
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This study investigates the impact of the common vole on cereal crops adjacent to winter rape in a rodent outbreak year. Significant damage was found at the margins of adjacent cereal fields, indicating direct colonisation by voles from... more
This study investigates the impact of the common vole on cereal crops adjacent to winter rape in a rodent outbreak year. Significant damage was found at the margins of adjacent cereal fields, indicating direct colonisation by voles from the winter rape fields. The damage gradually decreased towards the centre of the fields. We suppose that the reduction of winter rape quality as food connected with plant phenophase (ripening phase) resulted in spill-over of the voles to an adjacent crops. We also observed that spring barley crops were damaged more than winter wheat. We assume that this happened due to the fact that there was no barrier between fields of spring barley and winter rape, while wheat and rape fields were separated by a road. The number of voles at the barley field margin was significantly lower than in the middle (significantly in barley, non-significantly in wheat), which may be related to the depletion of resources at the margins. The abundance of voles appearing in ra...
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Winter rape is a widespread crop in Europe that provides the common vole with a suitable diet and cover from autumn to late spring (approximately eight months). This review shows the following: That common vole populations reach a high... more
Winter rape is a widespread crop in Europe that provides the common vole with a suitable diet and cover from autumn to late spring (approximately eight months). This review shows the following: That common vole populations reach a high density in winter rape. Widespread rape fields (large size) provide better support for common vole populations compared to winter cereals. That a high-quality supply from winter rape enables the common vole to extend its reproductive season and successfully overwinter. That the diet of the common vole primarily comprises the green vegetative parts of winter rape. The percentage of weed species in the diet depends on weed coverage in the crop. That the impact of the common vole on winter rape correlates with vole density. That no-tillage farming enhances common vole infestation of winter rape fields, particularly in spring and is related to damage to adjacent crops. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Acorn crops and rodent populations [bank vole ( Myodes glareolus ), yellow-necked mouse ( Apodemus flavicollis ), and wood mouse ( Apodemus sylvaticus )] were monitored for 11 years (2002–2012) in mature oak commercial forests in South... more
Acorn crops and rodent populations [bank vole ( Myodes glareolus ), yellow-necked mouse ( Apodemus flavicollis ), and wood mouse ( Apodemus sylvaticus )] were monitored for 11 years (2002–2012) in mature oak commercial forests in South Moravia (the Czech Republic). Large acorn crops, marking so-called seed years, were recorded in 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, and 2011. Acorn crops were repeated with period of 3–4 years. The abundance of all three species correlated positively with size of the acorn crop in the previous year. However, significant relationship between the size of the crop and grow of the population was found only in Apodemus flavicollis . Probably because of its food specialty, this species was most affected by acorn crops. Acorn crops had an effect on the breeding season of all monitored rodent species. In autumn of the seed years, the breeding period was prolonged in both Apodemus species; on the contrary, the crop had no major impact on bank voles. The higher the crop, the earlier A. flavicollis began to reproduce in the spring and the sooner it reached its peak and end of reproduction in a given year. The beginning, peak, and end of reproduction were significantly later in bank vole than in Apodemus spp. Lower North Atlantic Oscillation index (i.e. higher temperatures in the vegetation season and lower during winter, “NAO” hereinafter) was more suitable for Apodemus flavicollis . Higher values of the wNAO (winter NAO index) had a positive impact on Apodemus spp. while bank voles were not affected by this.
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Abstract The Central European agricultural landscape has undergone a number of changes over recent decades, with overall field area decreasing and adjacent habitats increasing. Here, we document changes in small mammal communities... more
Abstract The Central European agricultural landscape has undergone a number of changes over recent decades, with overall field area decreasing and adjacent habitats increasing. Here, we document changes in small mammal communities associated with crop fields and adjacent fallow land in a highly agriculture landscape of the Czech Republic. The most numerous species overall were wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) and common voles (Microtus arvalis). Highest diversity, species richness and abundance were observed in fallow habitats and in crops providing long-term vegetation cover. Community composition and abundance were dependent on crop and season. Mice used all habitats depending on instantaneous vegetation stage, though some habitats only for a short period during seeding or harvest. Common voles reached highest densities in habitats providing a stable food supply. Mice and voles both preferred perennial “non-crop” plots during winter as they provided a diverse food supply and undisturbed nesting opportunities. Overall, fallow habitats supported the most abundant, diverse and stable small mammal communities and, as such, they have high biodiversity value.
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Abstract Clear-cutting followed by direct planting currently remains the predominant forest management practice in managed forests in Central Europe. However, this practice may have a pronounced negative effect on the biodiversity of... more
Abstract Clear-cutting followed by direct planting currently remains the predominant forest management practice in managed forests in Central Europe. However, this practice may have a pronounced negative effect on the biodiversity of forest ecosystems including small mammals. In this study we investigated the effect of a range of environmental variables on diversity and structure of the small mammal community in relatively small-sized clear-cuts. During 2007–2010 the structure of small mammal communities was assessed at 198 small-sized clearings (up to 2 ha) in 11 areas of managed forest in the Czech Republic. The complete trapping effort was 75,072 trap-nights. Overall 8,542 small mammals belonging to 17 species were caught, including forest species as well as species of open habitats. The diversity and relative abundance of small mammal communities in these small clearings was comparable to that described in the literature for old mature forests. Differences in structure of small mammal communities in our study clearings were mostly influenced by habitat structure, primarily the structure of the herb layer, and partially by altitude (climatic conditions) and size of the clearing. No effect of geographic location (latitudinal and/or longitudinal effect) on small mammal community structure or diversity was detected. Our results indicate that the practice of felling within relatively small-sized clearings may help preserve the diversity of small mammal community in managed forests and might assist in maintaining forest biodiversity by comparison to the more widespread current practice of larger clear-cuts. Re-forestation using small-sized clearings would thus offer a compromise between economic and ecological approaches to forest management, protecting a higher biodiversity of forest ecosystems.
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ABSTRACT In last ten years strong intention to replace forest monocultures of coniferous species to mixed coniferous -- broadleaved stands which are close to nature composition is promoted. Mountains forests under study are of different... more
ABSTRACT In last ten years strong intention to replace forest monocultures of coniferous species to mixed coniferous -- broadleaved stands which are close to nature composition is promoted. Mountains forests under study are of different character. In Beskydy Mts forests of beech-spruce mixture prevail but in Jeseniky spruce monocultures prevail. In both, reforestation activities are complicated by impact of rodents and influence of industrial immission. Small mammal species were monitored during two successive years on clearings with artificial plantations. In both total abundance of species was similar but with different dominance of the species. Under influence of beech mast year Apodemus flavicollis was dominant in Beskydy Mts but Myodes glareolus in Jeseniky Mts. Higher dominance of Soricidae was in Jeseníky Mts (19%) against Beskydy (6%). The diversity and equitability was similar in both (Jeseniky Mts -- 1.63, Beskydy Mts -- 1.49; 0.84 resp. 0.72). Notable was the high dominance of Microtus agrestis (23 resp. 27%) in both. Abundance of the dominant species was synchronized. Canonic correspondence analyses (CCA) of clearing characteristics show the significant preferences of M. agrestis for higher elevation, more grassy and grassy wastage (higher humidity) environment. This was above all problem of emission clearings. As to M. glareolus, forest weeds preferably of Rubus sp. were responsible for its dominance. These results can contribute to understand rodent habitat preferences and help in prevention against their impact by the way of herb layer management.
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This study investigates the impact of the common vole on cereal crops adjacent to winter rape in a rodent outbreak year. Significant damage was found at the margins of adjacent cereal fields, indicating direct colonisation by voles from... more
This study investigates the impact of the common vole on cereal crops adjacent to winter rape in a rodent outbreak year. Significant damage was found at the margins of adjacent cereal fields, indicating direct colonisation by voles from the winter rape fields. The damage gradually decreased towards the centre of the fields. We suppose that the reduction of winter rape quality as food connected with plant phenophase (ripening phase) resulted in spill-over of the voles to an adjacent crops. We also observed that spring barley crops were damaged more than winter wheat. We assume that this happened due to the fact that there was no barrier between fields of spring barley and winter rape, while wheat and rape fields were separated by a road. The number of voles at the barley field margin was significantly lower than in the middle (significantly in barley, non-significantly in wheat), which may be related to the depletion of resources at the margins. The abundance of voles appearing in rape was significantly lower than in cereals; in its ripening phase winter rape has low habitat value for voles. This study indicates that voles can cause the same amount of damage to cereals adjacent to winter rape as to cereals adjacent to their primary habitats (e.g. grassland). This is especially evident in years of vole outbreak.