Papers by Ľudmila Černecká
European Journal of Entomology, Jul 24, 2017
We studied the effects of the overstory canopy cover on ground-dwelling harvestmen communities in... more We studied the effects of the overstory canopy cover on ground-dwelling harvestmen communities in European beech forests in the Western Carpathian Mts. We analyzed the differences in species richness, abundance and composition in two tree canopy cover categories (closed and open canopy). Overall, 1765 individuals belonging to 16 species were caught using pitfall traps. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed that under both closed and open canopies a similar absolute and rarefi ed species richness and number of individuals (standardized to 100 pitfall trap days) were caught, and that both species richness and abundance were affected by the season (i.e., time of trap replacement); yet the total number of individuals trapped was more than two times greater under the open canopy than under the closed canopy. Despite the subtle differences in the taxonomic composition of the catches under the open and closed canopies revealed by DCA followed by RDA, the composition of ground-dwelling harvestmen assemblages differed under the two canopy covers. The open canopy was more suitable for heliophilic, xerothermic eurytopic harvestmen species typical for open and ecotonal habitats, such as Egaenus convexus (C.L. Koch) and Oligolophus tridens (C.L. Koch) but still suitable for hemihygrophilic Lophopilio palpinalis (Herbst). The closed canopy stands were preferred by shade-tolerant, hygrophilic eurytopic harvestmen species, such as Trogulus sp. Latreille, Dicranolasma scabrum (Herbst) and Platybunus bucephalus (C.L. Koch). Our results highlight the importance of intra-habitat heterogeneity of a harvestmen community.
Arachnologische Mitteilungen, Dec 28, 2022
Two rare and interesting spider species (Gnaphosa mongolica Simon, 1895 and Haplodrassus bohemicu... more Two rare and interesting spider species (Gnaphosa mongolica Simon, 1895 and Haplodrassus bohemicus Miller & Buchar, 1977) were found during intensive research into the Pannonic sand steppes in Slovakia and represent new records for the country. Numerous specimens of both species were collected between the villages Radvaň nad Dunajom and Marcelová in the years 2017-2020 (145 ind. G. mongolica and 82 ind. H. bohemicus), indicating stable populations. The Slovak records of G. mongolica represent the northernmost and westernmost location of the species in Europe. The characteristic features, photos of the habitus and genitalia, the currently known distribution in Europe and the phenology of both species are provided. A more detailed discussion concerns the morphology of copulatory organs of H. bohemicus, including the first report of a lateral gynandromorphy in this species.
Arachnologische Mitteilungen: Arachnology Letters
Two rare and interesting spider species (Gnaphosa mongolica Simon, 1895 and Haplodrassus bohemicu... more Two rare and interesting spider species (Gnaphosa mongolica Simon, 1895 and Haplodrassus bohemicus Miller & Buchar, 1977) were found during intensive research into the Pannonic sand steppes in Slovakia and represent new records for the country. Numerous specimens of both species were collected between the villages Radvaň nad Dunajom and Marcelová in the years 2017-2020 (145 ind. G. mongolica and 82 ind. H. bohemicus), indicating stable populations. The Slovak records of G. mongolica represent the northernmost and westernmost location of the species in Europe. The characteristic features, photos of the habitus and genitalia, the currently known distribution in Europe and the phenology of both species are provided. A more detailed discussion concerns the morphology of copulatory organs of H. bohemicus, including the first report of a lateral gynandromorphy in this species.
Figure 2 from: Korenko S, Sýkora J, Černecká Ľ, Gajdoš P, Purgat P, Černecký J, Holý K, Heneberg P, Agnarsson I (2022) Elevation gradient affects the distribution and host utilisation of Zatypota anomala (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) associated with mesh web weaving spiders (Araneae, Dictynidae)....
Figure 1 from: Korenko S, Sýkora J, Černecká Ľ, Gajdoš P, Purgat P, Černecký J, Holý K, Heneberg P, Agnarsson I (2022) Elevation gradient affects the distribution and host utilisation of Zatypota anomala (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) associated with mesh web weaving spiders (Araneae, Dictynidae)....
Figure 4 from: Korenko S, Sýkora J, Černecká Ľ, Gajdoš P, Purgat P, Černecký J, Holý K, Heneberg P, Agnarsson I (2022) Elevation gradient affects the distribution and host utilisation of Zatypota anomala (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) associated with mesh web weaving spiders (Araneae, Dictynidae)....
Figure 3 from: Korenko S, Sýkora J, Černecká Ľ, Gajdoš P, Purgat P, Černecký J, Holý K, Heneberg P, Agnarsson I (2022) Elevation gradient affects the distribution and host utilisation of Zatypota anomala (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) associated with mesh web weaving spiders (Araneae, Dictynidae)....
Journal of Hymenoptera Research
The spatial distribution of parasitoids is closely linked to the distribution and ecological requ... more The spatial distribution of parasitoids is closely linked to the distribution and ecological requirements of their hosts. Several studies have documented changes in the fauna composition of parasitoids in response to elevation, but data on parasitoids associated with spiders are missing. The koinobiont ichneumonid wasp Zatypota anomala is strictly specialised on spiders of the genus Dictyna (Dictynidae) in Europe. We examined the distribution of spiders of the family Dictynidae in forest ecotones in central Europe across a broad elevation gradient (110–1466 m a.s.l.). We checked the spiders for parasitism by Z. anomala. It was most abundant at the mid-elevations (median 712 m a.s.l., range 179–870 m a.s.l.). We identified four dictynid spider species as Z. anomala hosts. These were Dictyna arundinacea, Dictyna uncinata, Nigma flavescens, and Nigma walckenaeri. All four species and the genus Nigma were recorded as hosts for the first time. The parasitoids strongly preferred juvenile ...
The spitting spider Scytodes fusca Walckenaer, 1837 is recorded for the first time in Central Eur... more The spitting spider Scytodes fusca Walckenaer, 1837 is recorded for the first time in Central Europe from both Germany and Slovakia. The species was found in two localities, within the Botanical Garden in Bratislava (Slovakia), specifically from a heated greenhouse with high humidity, and the "Tropical Islands", a tropical holiday resort in Krausnick (Germany). It seems that this Pantropical species has probably been introduced here along with imported plants. A description of diagnostic characters, as well as figures, is given.Die Speispinne Scytodes fusca Walckenaer, 1837 konnte erstmals für Mitteleuropa in Deutschland und der Slowakei nachgewiesen werden. Die Funde stammen aus dem Botanischen Garten in Bratislava (Slowakei) sowie aus dem Freizeitbad "Tropical Islands" in Krausnick (Deutschland). Es wird vermutet, dass die pantropische Art durch Zierpflanzen eingeschleppt wurde. Die charakteristischen Merkmale der Art werden beschrieben und abgebildet
In the period from August 2009 to July 2011 research on harvest-men communities was carried out i... more In the period from August 2009 to July 2011 research on harvest-men communities was carried out in traditionally used vineyard landscape in Svätý Jur area in the Malé Karpaty Mts. This model area represents landscape with occurrence of historical structures of agricultural landscape (HSAL), that create a species rich of unique islands that are result of long term mutual relationship between man and the landscape. The HSAL are inhabited by various animal taxonomical groups including also the harvestmen (Opiliones). The harvestmen individuals were captured by pitfall traps method. In total, 386 specimens belonging to 13 harvestmen species and to 3 families were obtained during two-year research. Majority of obtained harvestmen species are typical ones for fragmented thermophilic microhabitats of the vineyard landscape in Slovakia, namely eudominant species Lacinius horridus (dominance = 28.2 %), Phalangium opilio (24 %), Opilio saxatilis (13.7 %) and Nelima semproni (11.4 %). On the o...
Arachnologische Mitteilungen, 2017
Zusammenfassung. Neue Nachweise von zwei Spinnen-Parasitoiden der Gattung Polysphincta (Hymenopte... more Zusammenfassung. Neue Nachweise von zwei Spinnen-Parasitoiden der Gattung Polysphincta (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Ephialtini) aus Mitteleuropa, mit Beobachtungen ihrer Wirts-Interaktionen. Die Schlupfwespe Polysphincta longa, die mit der Radnetzspinne Araneus angulatus assoziiert ist, wurde erstmals in der Slowakei gefunden. Polysphincta tuberosa wurde erstmals an der Wirtsart Araneus sturmi nachgewiesen. Neue Vorkommen von Polysphincta-Arten in der Tschechischen Republik und der Slowakei werden präsentiert. Die Larven des letzten Stadiums von P. longa und P. tuberosa induzieren eine spezielle Veränderung der Netzarchitektur: die Spinnen bilden ein dreidimensionales ‚Kokonnetz' um die Puppe des Parasitoiden zu schützen. Die Wirtsspektren der Polysphincta-Arten in Europa werden diskutiert.
European Journal of Entomology
This study explores the eff ect of nutritional composition on the fi tness of consumers in a quad... more This study explores the eff ect of nutritional composition on the fi tness of consumers in a quadri-trophic food web. Specifi cally, we studied how enrichment of the food of fruit fl ies Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen, 1830) transfers to the spider Phylloneta impressa (L. Koch) (Theridiidae) and its parasitoid wasp, Zatypota percontatoria Mueller (Ichneumonidae). We reared fruit fl ies on balanced, protein-enriched, and lipid-enriched diets, and observed several fi tness-related traits in both the predator and the parasitoid. In spiders, we did not fi nd signifi cant diff erences among treatments in their body size and the probability of building a cocoon web. In parasitoids, we failed to fi nd signifi cant diff erences among treatments in the time to wasp pupation, the duration of pupation, the length of the wasp tibia and pronotum, and the body mass. However, the sex ratio of hatched wasps diff ered signifi cantly among treatments from the expected 1 : 1. In the balanced diet group, the majority of wasps were males. There was a signifi cant positive relationship between the spider prosoma size and the length of the wasp fore wing. Our results suggest that the quality of the food of the primary consumer had little eff ect on the fi tness of the organism at the fourth trophic level.
The authors have prepared a detailed map of Slovakia's ecosystems, which identifies individua... more The authors have prepared a detailed map of Slovakia's ecosystems, which identifies individual ecosystems and their spatial distribution, status, and selected properties. The impetus for the production of this map is the need of various stakeholders, especially nature protection bodies, forestry management, agricultural management and public administration, for better data on the distribution of ecosystems. The methodology mostly involves using GIS analytical tools to combine datasets on nature protection, forestry, and agriculture which list attributes related to habitat identification. The results can be used for ecosystem services assessment, spatial planning, nature protection analysis, and other related purposes. The spatial precision of the data is determined by that of the field data, which was mostly created at scales between 1:10000 and 1:5000. The data are stored in the form of a geodatabase containing more than 1,000,000 polygons.
Datasets from the World Spider Trait database<br>
Journal of Maps, 2019
The authors have prepared a detailed map of Slovakia's ecosystems, which identifies individual ec... more The authors have prepared a detailed map of Slovakia's ecosystems, which identifies individual ecosystems and their spatial distribution, status, and selected properties. The impetus for the production of this map is the need of various stakeholders, especially nature protection bodies, forestry management, agricultural management and public administration, for better data on the distribution of ecosystems. The methodology mostly involves using GIS analytical tools to combine datasets on nature protection, forestry, and agriculture which list attributes related to habitat identification. The results can be used for ecosystem services assessment, spatial planning, nature protection analysis, and other related purposes. The spatial precision of the data is determined by that of the field data, which was mostly created at scales between 1:10000 and 1:5000. The data are stored in the form of a geodatabase containing more than 1,000,000 polygons.
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Papers by Ľudmila Černecká