The list of national projects SAS
Institute of Forest Ecology
Adaptive variation of genetic resources of forest trees under climate change
Adaptívna variabilita genetických zdrojov lesných drevín v podmienkach klimatickej zmeny
Duration: |
1.7.2022 - 30.6.2026 |
Program: |
SRDA |
Project leader: |
Ing. Jamnická Gabriela PhD. |
Annotation: | The project focuses on the choice of appropriate genetic resources of forest trees (with primary focus on secondary
resources, i.e., seed stands) relying on integrated assessment of phenotypic and physiological traits and adaptive genetic variation based on provenance research, manipulative experiments and simulation of the effects of sylvicultural measures on genetic structure of forest stands. The project is oriented towards the identification of geographical variation of forestry-relevant traits on one side and physiological parameters potentially correlated
with these traits on the other side, as well as assessment of their genetic background. Correlations of phenotypic
and physiological traits with the climates of the sites of origin, climatic conditions of the sites of plant ation and acute climatic stress will also be addressed. Knowledge about trends of responses of tree species to shifts of
geographical position and climate, physiological response to stress, adaptive genetic variation, and effects of stand
management on genetic structure will serve as a basis for recommendations for forest reproductive material transfers under clilmate change and active management of tree genetic resources. |
Accumulation of energy and mineral elements in the soil-plant system of nature-friendly and anthropically affected forest ecosystems
Akumulácia energie a minerálnych elementov v pôdno-rastlinnom systéme prírode blízkych a antropicky ovplyvnených lesných ekosystémov
What we (do not) know about the genus Crepidotus (Agaricomycotina, fungi)
Čo (ne)vieme o rode Crepidotus (Agaricomycotina, huby)
Duration: |
1.1.2022 - 31.12.2025 |
Program: |
VEGA |
Project leader: |
Mgr. Adamčíková Katarína PhD. |
Annotation: | Fungi of the genus Crepidotus (Agaricomycotina) have pileate fruiting bodies with a lamellate hymnophore and a typically a reduced stipe. They grow on various dead plant substrates, especially wood. They are circumpolarly widespread and relatively common from tropical to hemiboreal regions. The genus Crepidotus was processed monographically several times, but the individual species were defined only on the basis of morphological features. Phylogenetic studies have confirmed the genus Crepidotus as a separate lineage of Agaricomycotina, but species delimitation and relationships are not sufficiently known and resolved. This project focuses on reconstructing of phylogenetic relationships in the genus, the identification of species diversity and the molecular delimitationof the species concept that was so far defined only morphologically. We will use traditional methods of statistically supported morphological observations in combination with phylogenetic analysis of several regions of DNA. A robust dataset of sequences, morphological observations and ecological data will make it possible to monitor evolutionary processes and the adaptive function of morphological structures. |
Diversity and pathogenicity of ophiostomatoid fungi in Scots pine stands infested by bark beetles
Diverzita a patogenita ophiostomatoidných húb v porastoch borovice lesnej napadnutých podkôrnym hmyzom
Duration: |
1.1.2022 - 31.12.2025 |
Program: |
VEGA |
Project leader: |
Mgr. Pastirčáková Katarína PhD. |
Annotation: | Fungi transmitted by bark beetles (Coleoptera, Scolytinae) have suitable microclimatic conditions for their growth
and development in bark beetle galleries. Most bark beetle species are closely associated primarily with ophiostomatoid fungi that cause a blue staining of wood, as well as serious diseases of the host trees. The proposed project is focused on the research of species diversity of ophiostomatoid fungi in populations of bark beetles damaging Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stands, with the special emphasis on interactions between the fungi, Scolytid bark beetles and their hosts, including determination of pathogenicity of isolates of dominant fungal species and their possible impact on the pine forests dieback in Slovakia. |
Diversity of urban biota in the Carpathian-Pannonian region
Diverzita bioty miest v karpatsko-panónskej oblasti
Ecological impacts of air pollution residues and forest management on mycological - phytopathological conditions in anthropically influenced forest ecosystems
Ekologické dopady imisných reziduí a lesného manažmentu na mykologicko - fytopatologické pomery v antropicky ovplyvnených lesných ekosystémoch
Duration: |
1.1.2022 - 31.12.2025 |
Program: |
VEGA |
Project leader: |
RNDr. Mihál Ivan CSc. |
Annotation: | The project includes mycological and phytopathological research of anthropically influenced forest ecosystems in relation to their health status. Synecological relationships (immissions - management - mycology - phytopathology) influencing the health of forests will be studied. The intensity of air pollution attack and various forest management measures in forests can also significantly affect their mycological - phytopathological status. Therefore, it is necessary to know the synergism of the effects of these factors on the health of forests and to define, on the basis of research, possible changes in the management of these forests. The aim should be to achieve the optimal intensity of human intervention in the longer-term development of these forest ecosystems. |
Evolutionary potential and survival of fragmented animal populations from a genomics perspective
Evolučný potenciál a prežívanie fragmentovaných populácií živočíchov z pohľadu genomiky
Phenological response of plants to changing environmental conditions and spatio-temporal dynamics of selected macroelements and pollutants in forest ecosystems
Fenologická odozva rastlín na meniace sa podmienky prostredia a časovo-priestorová dynamika vybraných makroelementov a polutantov v lesných ekosystémoch
Duration: |
1.1.2021 - 31.12.2024 |
Program: |
VEGA |
Project leader: |
Mgr. Schieber Branislav PhD. |
Annotation: | Attention will be paid to the research of phenological responses and vitality of selected forest trees and herbs in changing environmental conditions. The results should help clarify the potential relationships between these changes and the subsequent reactions of plant components throughout the phenological response and their vitality as an important bioindicator. Research will also be focused on the acquisition of knowledge about spatio-temporal dynamics of the contents of selected essential chemical elements - macroelements (C, N, S, P, K, Ca, Mg) and heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Hg, As) in soil and biomass of some forest trees and herbs in relation to their stage of development (phenological phases) and vitality, respectively. In addition, we will analyze selected components of biogeochemical cycle (water - deposition of sulfur, air - ozone concentration), which are considered to significant pollutants with a negative impact on living ecosystems. |
The gene bank of selected Cornus L. taxa containing bio-active substances with important therapeutic effects
Genobanka vybraných taxónov rodu Cornus L. obsahujúcich bioaktívne látky s významnými terapeutickými účinkami
Duration: |
1.1.2022 - 31.12.2025 |
Program: |
VEGA |
Project leader: |
Ing. Konôpková Jana PhD. |
Annotation: | Rising interest in natural medicaments in the past decades was an impulse for gathering complex information on bioactive compounds in Cornus L. taxa growing in the Mlyňany Arboretum and their therapeutic effects on human health. The obtained results may be beneficial for further research focused on the prevention and treatment of such major diseases of civilization as diabetes, oncological and cardiovascular diseases. To ensure a sufficient production of plant material, methods of micropropagation in in vitro conditions will be used. The aim of this project is to increase the content of pharmacologically active substances in monitored taxa by optimizing the culture condition during in vitro regeneration. Genotypes with an interesting content of these substances will be the basis for the creation of gene bank with a further potential use in research, education, or pharmaceutical and food technologies. |
The plant species diversity and physiological response to changing ecological conditions of floodplain forests
Hodnotenie druhovej diverzity a fyziologickej odozvy rastlín na ekologické podmienky lužných lesov
Management of global change in vulnerable areas
Manažment globálnej zmeny v zraniteľných územiach
Intra- and interspecies physiological and growth reaction of forest trees in the frame of climate change
Medzi- a vnútrodruhová fyziologická a rastová odozva lesných drevín v kontexte meniacej sa klímy
A new pest in beech stands of Slovakia: Evaluation and proposal of control methods against Taphrorychus bicolor
Nový škodca v bučinách na Slovensku: Výskum metód ochrany lesa proti lykožrútovi bukovému (Taphrorychus bicolor)
Duration: |
1.7.2023 - 31.12.2025 |
Program: |
SRDA |
Project leader: |
Ing. Barta Marek PhD. |
Annotation: | European beech (Fagus sylvatica) is a dominant tree species (34.6%) in the forests of Slovakia. Since 2014, cases of withering and, in some areas, even death of beech stands caused by the insect pest Taphrorychus bicolor were reported. Damages were observed mainly in warmer and drier locations, on south-facing slopes, and often with open stand walls. Taphrorychus bicolor is a common species in European forests. In recent years caused considerable damage in Hungary and Germany. Climate change is anticipated to further aggravate the severity of forest pests, as warmer temperatures and increased tree stress (e.g., due to drought) likely facilitate their establishment and spread. According to Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute, the summer of 2022 was the warmest in the history of meteorological measurements (since 1881) in Slovakia. With increasing temperatures and periods without precipitation, it is assumed that the frequency of attacks and outbreaks of Taphrorychus bicolor will increase. In recent years, damage to healthy-standing trees has been reported from several locations in Slovakia. When the trees are attacked for several years, the beetle gradually overcomes their defense mechanisms, and the stands withers and dies. The main objective of the projects is to design forest protection measures and recommendations for foresters to prevent damage caused by the Taphrorychus bicolor in beech stands and to introduce the novel biocontrol method to suppress the rising population of this pest.
To accomplish the main objective of the project, the following partial aims were designed :
1. Evaluation of methods for monitoring and trapping T. bicolor
2. Isolation, determination, and cultivation of entomopathogenic fungi and pathogens transmitted by T. bicolor
3. Testing the selected strains of entomopathogens against T. bicolor in the field.
4. Dissemination of results and transfer of new application knowledge directly to forestry practice. |
Unravelling of functional diversity and ecological role of fungi of the family Clavariaceae
Objasnenie funkčnej diverzity a ekologickej úlohy húb čeľade Clavariaceae
Populations and communities of arboricolous insects in the context of global and local changes: distribution and adaptations to new environments
Populácie a spoločenstvá arborikolného hmyzu v kontexte globálnych a lokálnych zmien: distribúcia a adaptácie na nové prostredie
Duration: |
1.1.2023 - 31.12.2026 |
Program: |
VEGA |
Project leader: |
doc. Ing. Saniga Miroslav CSc. |
Annotation: | The scientific project aims to obtain original knowledge about the spatial distribution of arboricolous insect
species - mycophages, phytophages, and predators and the composition of their communities along ecological
gradients (temperature, humidity, and light gradients) in forest and urban habitats in the context of global and
local changes. Attention is paid to moths, sawflies, beetles, ants, and horseflies in terms of their occurrence on
woody plants and along horizontal or vertical gradients of forests in the Western Carpathians and in lowland
forests in Slovakia. Greater attention is paid to the occurrence of alien insect species in communities of native
insect species dwelling on trees with a focus on invasive species. Research outputs aim at a better understanding
of the adaptive and bioindication potential of arboricolous insects in new environments. |
Spatial components of taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of orthopteroid insects in relation to ecological and evolutionary drivers
Priestorové zložky taxonomickej, funkčnej a fylogenetickej diverzity ortopteroidného hmyzu vo vzťahu k ekologickým a evolučným faktorom
Duration: |
1.1.2023 - 31.12.2026 |
Program: |
VEGA |
Project leader: |
Ing. Jarčuška Benjamín PhD. |
Annotation: | The project will assess orthopteran diversity and its scale components (alpha, beta, zeta and gamma diversities) and aspects (taxonomic, phylogentic and functional diversity) in relation to ecological and evolutionary drivers while taking into account operating scale of potential drivers. Assessing quantitative information on habitat and other environmental requirements and preferences of orthopterans will enable us to use orthopterans as bioindicator species for grassland ecosystems. Understanding distribution patterns of orthopterans diversity in regions according to a scale-dependent manner will have conservation implications. Functional and phylogenetic approach could improve explanation of differences in distributional pattern of species of European and national importance in comparison to ubiquitous species. |
Norway spruce (Picea abies) resistance to bark beetle attack in condition of changing climate
Rezistencia smreka obyčajného (Picea abies) voči náletu podkôrneho hmyzu v podmienkach meniacej sa klímy
Duration: |
1.1.2022 - 31.12.2025 |
Program: |
VEGA |
Project leader: |
Ing. Jakuš Rastislav DrSc. |
Annotation: | The project is focused on researching the resistance of spruce (Picea abies) to the infestation of bark beetles, especially the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) in conditions of a changing climate. The activities are planned on two levels. The first level will be represented by the research plots of IFE SAS and the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences CULS in Prague. The second level will be represented by selected model areas affected by the gradation of bark beetles. The first goal will address the issue of the initiation and spread of damage to forest stands, especially with remote sensing methods (drone, satellites). In solving the second goal, we will analyze the role of primary and secondary metabolites using methods of analytical chemistry. We will use dendrochronological and isotope analyses to meet the third goal. |
Impact of climate change on the distribution of selected pathogens of Pinus sp. trees
Rozšírenie vybraných škodlivých patogénov Pinus sp. vzhľadom ku klimatickej zmene
Duration: |
1.1.2022 - 31.12.2025 |
Program: |
VEGA |
Project leader: |
Mgr. Jánošíková Zuzana PhD. |
Annotation: | Climate change and increasing average annual temperatures, impose requirements for pathogens to shift their ranges to remain within environmentally tolerable areas, spreading to the areas where they have not been
reported previously. The project is focused on determining the temperature tolerances of selected harmful pathogens of pine trees (Dothistroma pini, Dothistroma septosporum, Lecanosticta acicola and Fusarium circinatum) and on the study of the temperature adaptation of different populations of quarantine needle cast species D. pini. Predictive maps of potential distribution and the comparison of the genetic relations of these fungal species will be made. The virulence of selected populations of D. pini from different climatic regions of the world will be determied, and the American continent with the European will be compared. The susceptibility of selected proveniences of Pinus sylvestris to D. septosporum will be estimated. |
The North-American honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos L.) in Slovakia: risk of switch to invasive behaviour as accelerated by climate change
Severoamerická gledíčia trojtŕňová (Gleditsia triacanthos L.) na Slovensku: riziká prechodu k inváznemu správaniu sa akcelerované klimatickou zmenou
Tree and country – influence of trees on diversity of soil microorganisms in agricultural land
Strom a krajina – vplyv drevín na diverzitu pôdnych mikroorganizmov v poľnohospodárskej krajine
Duration: |
1.7.2021 - 30.6.2025 |
Program: |
SRDA |
Project leader: |
Mgr. Adamčíková Katarína PhD. |
Annotation: | Solitary tree standing out of continual forest vegetation has well-known positive and negative impacts on
grasslands and arable cultures. Close vicinity of tree causes light and wind interception resulting in change of
herbal diversity of grasslands or inhibited growth of crop plants in arable agricultures. Positive influences of tree
presence are local enhancing of biological diversity associated with improved ecosystem function. Soil fertility, stability of ecosystem and sustainable land management essentially depends on soil quality. Soil microorganisms are very susceptible to changes in soil characteristics and play the fundamental role in nutrient recycling and stability of ecosystem. Changes in microbial communities connected to presence of trees are underexplored but very actual with current effort to improve landscape structure. Trees are associated with specific groups of fungi; among them are highlighted ectomycorrhizal fungi. Soil of semi-natural grasslands is often dominated by probably biothrophic basidiomycetes and ascomycetes known as CHEGD fungi. In arable soils, special importance is attributed to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and presence of parasitic fungi. This project aims to study representation of fungi with symbiotic, saprophytic, parasitic or other trophic guilds resulted from interaction of tree presence in agricultural land. In addition, we will evaluate selected abiotic and biotic soil characteristics to estimate changes in functional diversity. Project uses advances methods in sequencing of environmental DNA, soil analyses and computer modelling of special influence of ecological factors. |
Soil carbon fluxes in dominant forest ecosystems along elevation gradient in the Western Carpathian
Toky uhlíka v pôde hlavných typov lesných ekosystémov na výškovom gradiente Západných Karpát
Duration: |
1.7.2022 - 30.6.2025 |
Program: |
SRDA |
Project leader: |
Ing. Barna Milan PhD. |
Annotation: | Forest stores more than 70% of global soil carbon (C) and plays a central role in soil surface-atmosphere exchange
of greenhouse gases. Due to the amount of C stored in the soil, it is essential to recognize that even a small
change within this pool could significantly feedback the earth system. Soil organic carbon occurs in diverse forms,
which according to the stability, can be divided into an active (labile) fraction, whose persistence time varies from a
few weeks to a few months, and a stable fraction, which can persist in the soil for many years or even centuries.
Soil loses C by two main processes - respiration and leaching. Both of them show complex spatio-temporal
biophysical controls that vary on different scales as a consequence of changes in biotic (plant or microbial
community) and abiotic (e.g., soil temperature, soil moisture, soil texture) factors. Soil respiration (Rs) consists of
the two main components - heterotrophic (Rh) and autotrophic respiration (Ra), which respond differently to
changes in influencing factors. The elevation is a key driver of climate properties playing an essential role in soil carbon content and fluxes.
The main aim of our project is to identify C loss by respiration and leaching and to identify their driving factors along
an elevation gradient representing the main forest communities in the Western Carpathians. Study plots are
located in sites dedicated to long-term ecological research (LTER Slovakia). Possible impact of elevated
temperature on soil C fluxes will be studied in open-top greenhouses. For reliable estimation of naturally very
variable soil C fluxes we will optimize sampling strategy for each studied ecosystem by spatial stratification and by
adjustment of measuring frequency.
The project is proposed by 5 institutions running long-term ecological research for 3 years and consists of
preparatory, verification, implementation and interpretation phases. |
Aliens among us: Spatio-temporal dynamics of plant invasions and their adverse impact on ecosystems
Votrelci medzi nami: Časovo-priestorová dynamika rastlinných invázií a ich nepriaznivý dopad na ekosystémy
Developmental dynamics and mortality in spruce and mixed old-growth forests and their implications for the close-to-nature silviculture
Vývojová dynamika a mortalita v smrekových a zmiešaných pralesoch a ich implikácie pre prírode blízke pestovanie lesa
Duration: |
1.1.2022 - 31.12.2024 |
Program: |
VEGA |
Project leader: |
Ing. Mezei Pavel PhD. |
Annotation: | The project is focused on the analysis of long-term dynamics in spruce and mixed natural forests and
identification of structural parameters that can be utilized in development of concepts based on the close-to-nature (CTN) forest management. Research object is represented by the network of long-term investigated localities in old-growth forest reserves as well as the network of research plots managed according
to the principles of CTN silviculture. Main goals in old-growth reserves are the analysis of temporal variability of
stand characteristics and the evaluation of relative stability of structured identified during the developmental cycle. The database of long-term measurements enable to quantify the mortality rate as basic demographic process important for modelling of natural forest development. Based on the repeated measurements in forest stands managed by CTN principles, the database will be build that finds its application in development of models for effective management of these forest stands. |
The total number of projects: 23