Mgr. Petra Hájková, Ph.D.


Position: research assistant
Research topics: conservation genetics
Department: External research facility Studenec
Phone: +420 608 908 285
E-mail: hajkovaivb.cz

Research interest 

  • conservation and population genetics,
  • noninvasive genetic sampling,
  • molecular ecology, conservation genomics,
  • use of next-generation sequencing methods, microbiome, metabarcoding,
  • ecology of Eurasian otters,
  • National Animal Genetic Bank. 

Finished Projects

Filling gaps in knowledge of biology and ecology of Eurasian otter: ecological modelling (2008-2010)

Genetic consequences of population decline in Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) populations in the Czech and Slovak Republics

Project participations

  • 2003-2005: Assessment of population size and population structure of Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in different habitats by a non-invasive genetic method.
  • 2006-2009: Genetic structure of chamois populations in Central Europe.
  • 2015-2016: BIOM: Biodiversity Education Centre Mohelský Mill.

Education

  • 1996-2001: undergraduate study - University Komensky Bratislava, Faculty of Science, Biology. Diploma thesis: Feeding ecology of Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) in the upper Hornád River catchment. (Mgr.)
  • 2001-2008: Ph.D. study - Masaryk university Brno, Faculty of Science, Zoology, Institute of Botany and Zoology and Institute of Vertebrate Biology. Ph.D. thesis: Conservation genetics of Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). 

Employment

  • 2002-2010: Institute of Vertebrate Biology Brno, Department of Population Biology Studenec - research assistant,
  • 2010-2012: maternity leave,
  • 2012-2015: Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology – postdoc,
  •  2015-present: Institute of Vertebrate Biology Brno, External Research Facility Studenec - research assistant.

International experience

  • 2005-2006: University of Aarhus, Institute of Biological Sciences, Ecology and Genetics, Denmark (Dr. Cino Pertoldi) - study stay,        
  • courses of conservation genetics (Denmark, Italy),
  • Purdue University, USA - short working visit,
  • CNRS Grenoble and CBGP Montpellier, France - short working visit,
  • University of Aarhus, Denmark - short working visit,
  • Instituto Nazionale per la Fauna Selvatica, Italy - short working visit,
  • Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun, India - short working visit,
  • University of Zurich, Switzerland - short working visit,
  • Seoul National University, South Korea - short working visit,
  • participation at more than 15 conferences,
  • 2007: co-organisation of international conference 25th Mustelid Colloquium Třeboň,
  • 2011: Phylogeography, population and landscape genetics - IUCN XIth International Otter Colloquium, Pavia, Italy - co-chairman,
  • member IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group,
  • reviewer - Acta Theriologica, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, Conservation Genetics, Folia Zoologica, Journal of Zoology.

Former students

  • Lenka Gettová
  • Andrea Hájková
  • Veronika Sládkovičová
  • Barbora Zemanová

Publications

2015

Quaglietta L., Hájková P., Mira A., Boitani L.: Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) density estimate based on radio tracking and other data sources, Mammal Research 60 (2015) 127-137.

Zemanová B., Hájková P., Hájek B., Martínková N., Mikulíček P., Zima J., Bryja J.: Extremely low genetic variation in endangered Tatra chamois and evidence for hybridization with an introduced Alpine population, Conservation Genetics 16 (2015) 729-741.


2013

Quaglietta L., Fonseca V. C., Hájková P., Mira A., Boitani L.: Fine-scale population genetic structure and short-range sex-biased dispersal in a solitary carnivore, Lutra lutra, Journal of Mammalogy 94 (2013) 561-571.


2012

Martínková N., Zemanová B., Kranz A., Giménez M. D., Hájková P.: Chamois introductions to Central Europe and New Zealand, Folia zoologica 61 (2012) 239-245.


2011

Demontis D., Czarnomska S. D., Hájková P., Zemanová B., Bryja J., Loeschcke V., Pertoldi C.: Characterization of 151 SNPs for population structure analysis of the endangered Tatra chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra tatrica) and its relative, the Alpine chamois (R. r. rupicapra), Mammalian Biology 76 (2011) 644-645.

Zemanová B., Hájková P., Bryja J., Zima Jr. J., Hájková A., Zima J.: Development of multiplex microsatellite sets for noninvasive population genetic study of the endangered Tatra chamois, Folia zoologica 60 (2011) 70-80.


2010

An J., Choi S-K., Sommer J., Louis jr. E., Brenneman R., Zemanová B., Hájková P., Park G., Min M-S., Kim K-S., Lee H.: A core set of microsatellite markers for conservation genetics studies of Korean goral (Naemorhedus caudatus) and its cross-species amplification in Caprinae species, Journal of Veterinary Science 11 (2010) 351-353.

Mucci N., Arrendal J., Ansorge H., Bailey M., Bodner M., Delibes M., Ferrando A., Fournier P., Fournier C., Godoy J. A., Hájková P., Hauer S., Heggberget T. M., Heidecke D., Kirjavainen H., Krueger H.-H., Kvaloy K., Lafontaine L., Lanszki J., Lemarchand C., Liukko U.-M., Loeschcke V., Ludwig G., Madsen A. B., Mercier L., Ozolins J., Paunovic M., Pertoldi C., Piriz A., Prigioni C., Santos-Reis M., Luis T. S., Stjernberg T., Schmid H., Suchentrunk F., Teubner J., Tornberg R., Zinke O., Randi E.: Genetic diversity and landscape genetic structure of otter (Lutra lutra) populations in Europe, Conservation Genetics 11 (2010) 583-599.


2009

Hájková P., Zemanová B., Roche K., Hájek B.: An evaluation of field and noninvasive genetic methods for estimating Eurasian otter population size, Conservation Genetics 10 (2009) 1667-1681.


2008

Procházka P., Bellinvia E., Fainová D., Hájková P., Elhalah A., Alomari K.: Immigration as a possible rescue of a reduced population of a long-distant migratory bird: Reed warblers in the Azraq Oasis, Jordan, Journal of Arid Environments 72 (2008) 1184-1192.


2007

Hájková P.: Genetická štruktúra a recentný pokles početnosti populácií vydry riečnej v ČR a SR, Bulletin Vydra 14 (2007) 50-57.

Hájková P., Pertoldi C., Zemanová B., Roche K., Hájek B., Bryja J., Zima J.: Genetic structure and evidence for recent population decline in Eurasian otter populations in the Czech and Slovak Republics: implications for conservation, Journal of Zoology 272 (2007) 1-9.

Kaňuch P., Hájková P., Řehák Z., Bryja J.: A rapid PCR-based test for species identification of two cryptic bats Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus and its application on museum and dropping samples, Acta Chiropterologica 9 (2007) 277-282.