Mgr. Natália Martínková, Ph.D.

Position: research scientist
Research topics: Phylogeny and phylogeography
Department: Department of Population Biology
Phone: +420 568 423 192
E-mail: martinkovabrno.cas.cz

Research interest:

  • Temporal changes in evolutionary processes in mammals. We use molecular genetic tools to address questions about phylogenetic relationships of mammals, their evolutionary history and population structure.
  • Co-evolution between hosts and parasites with special emphasis on spatiotemporal dynamics of the interaction.

    Education:

  • 1994-1999 - Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia – undergraduate studies at the Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, specialization – zoology. Diploma thesis: Habitat utilisation of small ground mammals in subalpine zone. (MSc.=Mgr.)
  • 1999-2004 - Charles University, Faculty of Science, Prague, Czech Republic, Ph.D. study in zoology. Ph.D. thesis: Evolutionary relationships of Microtus tatricus, its biology and phylogeny. (Ph.D.)

    Professional career:

  • since 2009 – Teacher (part-time), Institute of Biostatistics and Analyses, Masaryk University, Brno
  • since 2001 - Research scientist, Department of Population Biology, Institute of Vertebrate Biology AS CR, v.v.i., Studenec
  • 2006-2008 - Marie-Currie Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biology, University of York, UK (PHYLOMICROTUS).
  • 2007 - Research stay, CMPG, University of Bern, Switzerland.
  • 2005 - NERC Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biology, University of York, UK.
  • 2004 - Research stay, Department of Cell and Organism Biology, Lund University, Sweden.
  • 2000 - Research stay, Department of Cell and Organism Biology, Lund University, Sweden.
  • 2000 - Research stay, Forsuchungsinstitut für Wildtierkunde und Ökologie, Vienna, Austria
  • Reviewer for Acta Theriologica, Biologia (Bratislava), Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, Belgian Journal of Zoology, Conservation Genetics, Ecography, Folia Zoologica, Heredity, Journal on Natural History, Journal of Zoology, Molecular Ecology.

    Current Students:

  • Michaela Bayerlová: Evolution of protein structure in calcium channels. Masaryk University, Brno, MSc. thesis (since 2009).
  • Jiří Moravec: Population history of viruses causing rabies. Masaryk University, Brno, Bc. thesis (since 2009).
  • Patrícia Pečnerová: Phylogeny of squirrels (Sciurus, Rodentia) based on supertrees reconstruction. Masaryk University, Brno, Bc. thesis (since 2009).
  • Petr Tříska: Assessing human history by investigating phylogeographies of associated animals. Masaryk University, Brno, MSc. thesis (since 2009).

    Former Students:

  • Michaela Bayerlová: Co-evolution of arenaviruses and their hosts. Masaryk University, Brno, Bc. thesis (2008-2009).
  • Miroslava Rudá: Population structure, spacial activity and population genetics of the Tatra vole (Microtus tatricus). Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia, MSc. thesis consultant (2008-2009).
  • Peter Vallo: Molecular genetic studies in African leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideridae). Masaryk University, Brno, Ph.D. thesis consultant (2006-2008).
  • Petr Tříska: Mammalian glacial refugia in Europe. Masaryk University, Brno, Bc. thesis (2008-2009). Phylogenetics Lab - projects

    Phylogeny and hybridisation of fragmented chamois populations

    Natália Martínková, collaboration with P. Hájková, H. Hauffe (Centre for Alpine Ecology, Trento, Italy), A. Dominguez (Universidad de Oviedo, Spain), S. Hammer (University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria) The chamois provides an excellent model for exploring the effect of historical and evolutionary events on diversification. Genetic differentiation and geographical distribution of the divergent lineages show the effects of patchy distribution of populations, limited latitudinal range expansions, contractions and hybridizations.

    Articles:

    Rodríguez F., Hammer S., Pérez T., Suchentrunk F., Lorenzini R., Michallet J., Martínková N., Albornoz J., Domínguez A. 2009: Cytochrome b Phylogeography of chamois (Rupicapra spp.). Population contractions, expansions and hybridizations governed the diversification of the genus. J. Heredity 100: 47-55. Crestanello B., Pecchioli E., Vernesi C., Mona S., Martínková N., Janiga M., Hauffe H. C., Bertorelle G. 2009. The genetic impact of translocations and habitat fragmentation in chamois (Rupicapra) spp. J. Heredity 100: 691-708

    Post-glacial life history of stoats

    Natália Martínková, collaboration with JB Searle (University of York, UK)The current Irish biota has controversial origins. Ireland was largely covered by ice at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and may not have had land connections to continental Europe and Britain thereafter. Given the potential difficulty for terrestrial species to colonize Ireland except by human introduction, we investigated the stoat (Mustela erminea) as a possible cold-tolerant model species for natural colonization of Ireland at the LGM itself. Our data suggested an LGM colonization of Ireland and later colonisation of Britain. This later colonization probably reflects a replacement event. The molecular data strongly indicate that stoats colonized Ireland naturally and that their genetic variability reflects accumulation of mutations during a population expansion on the island.

    Articles:

    Martínková, N., McDonald, R. A., Searle, J. B. 2007: Stoats (Mustela erminea) provide evidence of natural overland colonisation of Ireland. Proc. R. Soc. B 274: 1387-1393. Martínková, N., Searle, J. B. 2006: Amplification success rate of DNA from museum skin collections: a case study of stoats from 18 museums. Mol. Ecol. Notes 6: 1014-1017.

    Population biology of the Tatra vole Microtus tatricus

    Miroslava Rudá, Natália Martínková, collaboration with D. Žiak (Comenius University, Slovakia) The Tatra vole is an evasive, endangered rodent endemic to the Carpathians. Its distribution is probably fragmented, and it is believed to live in social groups. The aim of this project is to test these hypotheses using population genetic tools.

    Articles:

    Rudá M., Žiak D., Kocian Ľ., Martínková N. 2010. Low genetic variability in a mountain rodent, the Tatra vole. J. Zool. 281: 118-124. Rudá M., Kocian Ľ., Martínková N., Žiak D. 2010. Population dynamics and spatial behaviour of Microtus tatricus (Arvicolinae, Rodentia). Acta Theriol. 55: 81-88. Rudá M., Žiak D., Gauffre B., Zima J., Martínková N. 2009. Comprehensive cross-amplification of microsatellite multiplex sets across the rodent genus Microtus. Mol. Ecol. Resourc. 9: 974-978.



    Projects

    Marie Curie intra-European fellowship PHYLOMICROTUS (2006-2008)

    Phylogeography and evolutionary history of a semi-fossorial rodent Microtus subterraneus (2006-2008)

    Publications

    2011

    P. VALLO, P. BENDA, N. MARTÍNKOVÁ, P. KAŇUCH, E. K. V. KALKO, J. ČERVENÝ, P. KOUBEK: Morphologically uniform bats Hipposideros aff. ruber (Hipposideridae) exhibit high mitochondrial genetic diversity in southeastern Senegal, Acta Chiropterologica 13 (2011) 79-88.


    2010

    J. BRYJA, M. UHRIN, P. KAŇUCH, P. BÉMOVÁ, N. MARTÍNKOVÁ, J. ZUKAL: Mitochondrial DNA confirms low genetic variation of the greater mouse-eared bats, Myotis myotis, in Central Europe, Acta Chiropterologica 12 (2010) 73-81.

    N. MARTÍNKOVÁ, P. BAČKOR, T. BARTONIČKA, P. BLAŽKOVÁ, J. ČERVENÝ, L. FALTEISEK, J. GAISLER, V. HANZAL, D. HORÁČEK, Z. HUBÁLEK, H. JAHELKOVÁ, M. KOLAŘÍK, Ľ. KORYTÁR, A. KUBÁTOVÁ, B. LEHOTSKÁ, R. LEHOTSKÝ, R. K. LUČAN, O. MÁJEK, J. MATĚJŮ, Z. ŘEHÁK, J. ŠAFÁŘ, P. TÁJEK, E. TKADLEC, M. UHRIN, J. WAGNER, D. WEINFURTOVÁ, J. ZIMA, J. ZUKAL, I. HORÁČEK: Increasing incidence of Geomyces destructans fungus in bats from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, PLoS ONE 5 (2010) .

    M. RUDÁ, D. ŽIAK, Ľ. KOCIAN, N. MARTÍNKOVÁ: Low genetic variability in a mountain rodent, the Tatra vole, Journal of Zoology 281 (2010) 118-124.

    M. RUDÁ, Ľ. KOCIAN, N. MARTÍNKOVÁ, D. ŽIAK: Population dynamics and spatial behaviour of Microtus tatricus (Arvicolinae, Rodentia), Acta Theriologica 55 (2010) 85-88.


    2009

    B. CRESTANELLO, E. PECCHIOLI, C. VERNESI, S. MONA, N. MARTÍNKOVÁ, M. JANIGA, H. C. HAUFFE, G. BERTORELLE: The genetic impact of translocations and habitat fragmentation in chamois (Rupicapra) spp, Journal of Heredity 100 (2009) 691-708.

    F. RODRÍGUEZ, S. HAMMER, T. PÉREZ, F. SUCHENTRUNK, R. LORENZINI, J. MICHALLET, N. MARTÍNKOVÁ, J. ALBORNOZ, A. DOMÍNGUEZ: Cytochrome b phylogeography of chamois (Rupicapra spp.). Population contractions, expansions and hybridizations governed the diversification of the genus, Journal of Heredity 100 (2009) 47-55.

    M. RUDÁ, D. ŽIAK, B. GAUFFRE, J. ZIMA, N. MARTÍNKOVÁ: Comprehensive cross-amplification of microsatellite multiplex sets across the rodent genus Microtus, Molecular Ecology Resources 9 (2009) 974-978.


    2008

    N. MARTÍNKOVÁ, J. B. SEARLE: Stoats and the Irish question, Planet Earth (2008) 37.


    2007

    N. MARTÍNKOVÁ, J. ZIMA, M. JAAROLA, M. MACHOLÁN, F. SPITZENBERGER: The origin and phylogenetic relationships of Microtus bavaricus based on karyotype and mitochondrial DNA sequences, Folia zoologica 56 (2007) 39-49.

    N. MARTÍNKOVÁ, R. A. MCDONALD, J. B. SEARLE: Stoats (Mustela erminea) provide evidence of natural overland colonization of Ireland, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. B - Biological Sciences 274 (2007) 1387-1393.


    2006

    N. MARTÍNKOVÁ, J. B. SEARLE: Amplification success rate of DNA from museum skin collections: a case study of stoats from 18 museums, Molecular Ecology Notes 6 (2006) 1014-1017.


    2004

    M. JAAROLA, N. MARTÍNKOVÁ, I. GÜNDÜZ, C. BRUNHOFF, J. ZIMA, A. NADACHOWSKI, G. AMORI, N. S. BULATOVA, B. CHONDROPOULOS, S. FRAGUEDAKIS-TSOLIS, J. GONZÁLEZ-ESTEBAN, M. J. LÓPEZ-FUSTER, A. S. KANDAUROV, H. KEFELIOGLU, M. LUZ MATHIAS, I. VILLATE, J. B. SEARLE: Molecular phylogeny of the speciose vole genus Microtus (Arvicolinae, Rodentia) inferred from mitochondrialDNA sequences, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 33 (2004) 647-663.

    Ľ. KOCIAN, D. ŽIAK, N. MARTÍNKOVÁ, M. KOCIANOVÁ-ADAMCOVÁ, P. MIKLÓS: Prehľad výskumov vtáčích spoločenstiev a drobných zemných cicavcov v Západných Tatrách - Roháčoch od r. 1990, Štúdie o Tatranskom Národnom parku 7 (2004) 321-327.

    N. MARTÍNKOVÁ, P. NOVÁ, O. V. SABLINA, A. S. GRAPHODATSKY, J. ZIMA: Karyotypic relationships of the Tatra vole (Microtus tatricus), Folia zoologica 53 (2004) 279-284.


    2003

    N. MARTÍNKOVÁ, A. DUDICH: The fragmented distribution range of Microtus tatricus and its evolutionary implications, Folia zoologica 52 (2003) 11-22.

    N. MARTÍNKOVÁ: Ad: Sporné otázky ochrany vzácnych druhov zveri, Správy Slovenskej zoologickej spoločnosti (2003) 173-176.


    2001

    N. MARTÍNKOVÁ: Genetické metódy v zoológii: fylogenéza cicavcov, Správy Slovenskej zoologickej spoločnosti 19 (2001) 75-80.