The formation of colonies and various extracellular structures in algae is widely described in literature as a primary defense mechanism against zooplankton predation. However, this hypothesis may be oversimplified, given the broad range of prey sizes that zooplankton can capture. Adaptations may not be effective against all types of zooplankton, and studies on marine plankton suggest limited selective pressure regarding prey size. This PhD project aims to test the validity of this hypothesis using a combination of morphological and modern genetic methods (DNA metabarcoding) on the model system Cladocera (predators) - Synurales (prey). The methodology will include long-term studies of free-living and consumed species using DNA metabarcoding and TEM microscopy, laboratory feeding experiments with various defensive strategies (colonies, scales, spines), and computational modeling of structural resistance based on FIB-SEM data. Additionally, we will explore fossil records of both prey (fossilized scales) and predators (mandibles) to understand the evolution of these adaptations. This study will provide insights into which adaptations are effective, their importance, and how they have evolved over time.
Předběžná náplň práce v anglickém jazyce
The formation of colonies and various extracellular structures in algae is widely described in literature as a primary defense mechanism against zooplankton predation. However, this hypothesis may be oversimplified, given the broad range of prey sizes that zooplankton can capture. Adaptations may not be effective against all types of zooplankton, and studies on marine plankton suggest limited selective pressure regarding prey size. This PhD project aims to test the validity of this hypothesis using a combination of morphological and modern genetic methods (DNA metabarcoding) on the model system Cladocera (predators) - Synurales (prey). The methodology will include long-term studies of free-living and consumed species using DNA metabarcoding and TEM microscopy, laboratory feeding experiments with various defensive strategies (colonies, scales, spines), and computational modeling of structural resistance based on FIB-SEM data. Additionally, we will explore fossil records of both prey (fossilized scales) and predators (mandibles) to understand the evolution of these adaptations. This study will provide insights into which adaptations are effective, their importance, and how they have evolved over time.
