Folia Zoologica 

About: Folia Zoologica is an academic journal. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Population & Predation. It has an ISSN identifier of 0139-7893. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 1068 publications have been published receiving 12292 citations.

Foraging habitat preferences of bats in relation to food supply and spatial vegetation structures in a western European low mountain range forest

Abstract: The habitat choice of foraging bats depends on the local food supply as well as on vegetation structures that may enable the animals to orientate by echolocation. We examined the associations of bats with different types of landscape elements. Effects of the local insect occurrence, of the canopy structure and of linear vegetation elements on the presence of bats were compared. Bat activity increased with the insect abundance (p = 0.025). Furthermore, regression analysis revealed that bat activity was positively correlated (p = 0.004) with the relative area of open canopy type (clearances, still waters), and vise versa was negatively associated with the area of closed canopy (p = 0.0005). Bat species that predominantly forage in different vertical strata (above or below the canopy), differed in the activity at the various habitat types. Pipistrelle bats and Myotis species favoured open canopy areas (p = 0.007; p = 0.029), whereas Nyctalus species were not significantly more active at this patch type, compared to closed canopy areas (p = 0.0712). Linear characteristics of the vegetation (edges, paths) in general did not regulate the local preferences of bats (p = 0.154), but they corresponded to bat activity in complex structured areas (e.g. clearances with trees; p = 0.008).

Alien fish species in the Czech Republic and their impact on the native fish fauna

Abstract: Over the past 150 years, the waters of the Czech Republic were experimentally stocked or invaded by a total of 41 alien (non-native) fish species. The following species have become fully naturalized and produced self-sustained populations: Carassius gibelio, Pseudorasbora parva, Ameiurus nebulosus and Gasterosteus aculeatus, which produced stable populations in several spatially limited localities. In some cases Oncorhynchus mykiss, Salvelinus fontinalis and Coregonus maraena will produce instable temporary populations based on released material obtained from fish farms and ponds. The occurrence of the remaining acclimatized alien species (Coregonus peled, Ctenopharyngodon idella, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Aristichthys nobilis) in natural ecosystems and fishponds depends on stocking fish obtained from artificial spawning and cultures. The documented annual average production of alien species fit for human consumption amounts to around 2 000 tonnes, i.e. 8.2% of the annual average production of marketable fish cultures in the Czech Republic. A significant negative impact of the introduced species on native ichthyofauna has been ascertained as regards its ecological, biological properties, biodiversity and health. Considered a typical invasive alien species, Carassius gibelio heavily depressed the occurrence and numbers of indigenous Carassius carassius populations and also contributed to the decreased numbers of Tinca tinca, Leucaspius delineatus and other native cyprinid fish. P. parva and A. nebulosus show a much weaker and limited impact. The introduction of C. idella was accompanied by the introduction of the tapeworm species, Bothriocephalus gowkongensis, which subsequently caused heavy losses in cultures of Cyprinus carpio. In 2008, Neogobius melanostomus was recorded for the first time in this country at the confluence of the Morava and Dyje rivers.

Alien invasive fish species in Polish waters: an overview.

Abstract: For the last 800 years, 35 alien fish species have been introduced, mainly intentionally, in Polish inland waters. The paper reviews the present state of alien fish fauna in Poland, with special attention paid to those considered to be invasive. Till now 26 species have been reported as naturalized, acclimatized or casual and it means that 34% of fish fauna are non-indigenous species. The majority came from North America, Eastern Asia and Siberia or different regions of Europe. More than 65 % of all introductions took place in the last 60 years. After the World War II the rapid expansion was noted specially for brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus and gibel, Carassius gibelio. In the recent decade similar explosive spread has been observed for three Neogobius species (round goby, N. melanostomus, racer goby, N. gymnotrachelus, monkey goby, N. fluviatilis), Amur sleeper, Perccottus glenii and topmouth gudgeon, Pseudorasbora parva. The occurrence of introduced fish species resulted in several negative changes in aquatic environments. Some of them are as follows: hybridisation with native species, destruction of spawning grounds and habitats for many freshwater organisms, decrease of native fish reproduction success due to predation on eggs and offspring and finally the aliens might be vectors for parasites and diseases.

Threatened rodents in Europe: species status and some suggestions for conservation strategies

Abstract: A definition of a chromosome race of the common shrew (Sorex araneus) is proposed, and supplemented by rules and conventions to name, group and describe the races.