6. Section of Bio-Ecological Sciences

II. Life and Chemical Sciences
Name:	Section of Bio-Ecological Sciences
Description:	Research in this section is concentrated on interactions between organisms and environment, and also between organisms. Studies involve earth ecosystems, water ecosystems and parasite-host systems. Investigations are carried out mostly on the territory of the Czech Republic, and contribute to the bio-ecological mapping of the country. Long-term observations focus on typical ecosystems in selected localities studied from the point of view of geobotany, hydrobiology, soil biology, chemistry and microbiology, and on the eutrophization of selected lakes and dams. Taxonomy of higher and lower plants, especially of algae, is investigated and the information is used by conservationists. The Institute of Botany oversees the care of Pruhonice Park, an important part of Czech natural and cultural heritage. The section is comprised of four institutes having a total of 595 employees, of whom 280 are graduate research workers.

Institutions:	Biology Centre of the CAS, v. v. i. Institute of Botany of the CAS, v. v. i. Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the CAS, v. v. i. Global Change Research Institute of the CAS, v. v. i.