Go to main content | Go to main menu | Go to search

Project information
The European bitterling - endangered or non-native species in Central Europe?

Project Identification
KJB600930802
Project Period
1/2008 - 12/2010
Investor / Pogramme / Project type
Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
  • The research grant projects for juniors
MU Faculty or unit
Faculty of Science
Keywords
Rhodeus amarus; non-native species; biological invasion; coevolution; host-parasite relationship; fishes; unionid mussels
Cooperating Organization
Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the ASCR, v. v. i.
  • Responsible person RNDr. Martin Reichard, PhD.

The project will use European bitterling (Rhodeus amarus), a small cyprinid fish that lays its eggs into the gills of freshwater mussel, as a model system for coevolutionary relationships with their hosts (mussels) and parasites (including larvae of their mussel hosts). Recent findings indicate that R. amarus has expanded into Central and Western Europe within last few centuries. First, a phylogeographic and population-genetic analyses of R. amarus populations within its European range will be completed. Then, we will use bitterling populations from areas of recent (Western and Central Europe) and ancient (Pontic region) sympatry with mussel hosts and with contrasting current and historic demographies (analysed by population genetic methods) to investigate coevolutionary dynamics between R. amarus and their parasites and mussel hosts. Finally, we will review the status of R. amarus populations over its European range, identify their history and propose further conservation measures.

Publications

Total number of publications: 12

2011

2010

2009

Previous 1 2 Next

You are running an old browser version. We recommend updating your browser to its latest version.