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Dive into the research topics where Dorota Merta is active.

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Featured researches published by Dorota Merta.


Chemosphere | 2016

Levels of metals in kidney, liver and muscle tissue and their relation to the occurrence of parasites in the red fox in the Lower Silesian Forest in Europe

Łukasz J. Binkowski; Dorota Merta; Anna Przystupińska; Zenon Sołtysiak; Jarosław Pacoń; Robert Stawarz

Together with the occurrence of parasites, increased concentrations of xenobiotics, to which scavengers are greatly exposed, may significantly influence the physiology of red foxes. It is also suspected that these two factors interact. The accumulation of various metals (Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Ni, Pb, Zn) in kidney, liver and muscle tissue was investigated, as well as the occurrence of parasites, and the potential link to the presence of metals. Generally speaking, neither sex nor age influenced these concentrations. K, Mg and Fe were found in the highest concentrations and Hg was found in the lowest. Various relationships between the concentrations of metals were observed in the tissues. 34% of the specimens studied were hosts to parasites. No clear, significant connection between the concentrations and the occurrence of parasites was noted, but the discernible trend confirmed by the logistic regression, needs further study.


Folia Zoologica | 2014

Autumn-winter diet and fat reserves of wild boars (Sus scrofa) inhabiting forest and forest-farmland environment in south-western Poland

Dorota Merta; Patrycja Mocała; Marta Pomykacz; Witold Frąckowiak

Abstract. Diet, carcass weight (dressed weight) and kidney fat index (KFI) in wild boar populations were compared between two different lowland environments in south-western Poland. In the forest-farmland environment of the Lasy Śląskie forest (LS), fodder root crops and cereals made up 67.6 % of the dry weight (d.w.) of stomach content (n = 40). In the large compact forest of the Bory Dolnośląskie forest (BD), 69.6 % of the stomach content (n = 43) was made up of roots and browse. Piglets and older animals harvested in BD were significantly lighter than those harvested in LS (13.6 kg vs. 25.6 kg and 47.3 kg vs. 55.9 kg respectively). The KFI of piglets and older animals harvested in LS were significantly higher than those in corresponding age classes of wild boars from BD. The metabolized energy of stomach content amounted to 13.2 MJ/kg d.w. in LS and 8.9 MJ/kg d.w. in BD. This is probably the chief cause of the differences in carcass weight and KFI between the wild boars living in the compared study areas.


Wildlife Biology | 2016

Towards a successful reintroduction of capercaillies — activity, movements and diet of young released to the Lower Silesia Forest, Poland

Dorota Merta; Janusz Kobielski; Jörn Theuerkauf; Roman Gula

Combining radio-telemetry with direct observations, we followed 22 released juvenile captive-bred capercaillies throughout the day to assess if their seasonal and daily patterns of activity, movements, and diet are in accordance with published information on wild birds. Day length was the most important factor determining birds mobility and activity. Capercaillies were active for 46 ± 2% of daytime, during which they mostly foraged (30 ± 2%). The average distance travelled per day was 0.93 ± 0.14 km. The time budget of capercaillies was mostly allocated to activities on the ground but they spent at least 20% of the daytime in trees. They fed primarily on blueberries, cowberries and pine needles. The mean daily feeding time in fall and winter was 3 h, but it increased to 6 h in spring and summer. We conclude that released birds behave similarly to wild birds and reintroduction of captive-bred capercaillies can be successful if the initial mortality is reduced.


European Journal of Wildlife Research | 2015

A new mother-assisted rearing and release technique (“born to be free”) reduces the exploratory movements and increases survival of young capercaillies

Dorota Merta; Janusz Kobielski; Andrzej Krzywiński; Jörn Theuerkauf; Roman Gula

We compared the mobility and survival rates of two groups of young capercaillies that were reared and released by different methods. One group consisted of 21 radio-tracked chicks that were incubated, reared in semi-liberty by their captive mother and released next to the cage of their mother (mother-assisted group). Another 30 radio-tracked chicks were reared in captivity and released in the absence of their mother (control group). The released young of the mother-assisted group gravitated around their mother’s cage, moved less and had smaller ranges than those of the control group. The mother-assisted males survived on average 549u2009±u2009331 (confidence interval) days while males of the control group survived 253u2009±u2009134xa0days. Corresponding survival for females was 293u2009±u2009164 and 56u2009±u200929xa0days. We believe that mother-assisted rearing and release reduces the mortality of capercaillie chicks because they are assisted by anti-predator behaviour of their mother and explore the new environment in a similar way as chicks hatched in the wild.


PLOS ONE | 2017

Conservation genetics of the capercaillie in Poland - Delineation of conservation units

Robert Rutkowski; Dorota Zawadzka; Ewa Suchecka; Dorota Merta

The capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) is one of Polands most endangered bird species, with an estimated population of 380–500 individuals in four isolated areas. To study these natural populations in Poland further, more than 900 non-invasive genetic samples were collected, along with samples from 59 birds representing large, continuous populations in Sweden and Russia; and from two centres in Poland breeding capercaillie. Microsatellite polymorphism at nine loci was then analysed to estimate within-population genetic diversity and genetic differentiation among populations. The results confirmed that isolation of populations and recent decreases in their sizes have reduced genetic diversity among capercaillie in Poland, with all the country’s natural populations found to be experiencing the genetic after-effects of demographic bottlenecks. The results of analyses of genetic differentiation and structure further suggest the presence of a lowland cluster (encompassing birds of the Augustowska and Solska Primaeval Forests in Poland, and of Sweden and Russia), and a Carpathian cluster. Capercaillie from Sweden and Russia are also found to differ markedly. The Polish lowland populations seem more closely related to birds from Scandinavia. Our genetic analysis also indicates that the stocks at breeding centres are of a high genetic diversity effectively reflecting the origins of founder individuals, though identification of ancestry requires further study in the case of some birds. Overall, the results sustain the conclusion that the Polish populations of capercaillie from the Carpathians and the lowlands should be treated as independent Management Units (MUs). This is to say that the breeding lines associated with these two sources should be maintained separately at breeding centres. The high level of genetic differentiation of birds from the Solska Primaeval Forest suggests that this population should also be assigned the status of independent MU.


Acta Parasitologica | 2017

Expansion of Ashworthius sidemi in red deer and roe deer from the Lower Silesian Wilderness and its impact on infection with other gastrointestinal nematodes

Aleksander W. Demiaszkiewicz; Dorota Merta; Janusz Kobielski; Katarzyna J. Filip; Anna M. Pyziel

Nematodes Ashworthius sidemi are typical parasites of Asiatic cervids, mostly sika deer (Cervus nippon). Migrating red deer have probably introduced this parasite to the area of Poland from neighbouring countries. The aim of the study was to determine prevalence and intensity of infection of red deer and roe deer from the Lower Silesian Wilderness with A. sidemi after one year from previous studies and to examine the influence of these parasites on other species of gastrointestinal nematodes. 31 abomasa of red deer and 3 abomasa of roe deer from Forest Dictrict of Ruszów have been examined on the presence of parasites. In comparison with previous studies, red deer showed significant, over triple increase of prevalence of A. sidemi and over fivefold increase of mean intensity of infection. Maximum intensity of infection has increased over 24 times. These results indicate on dynamic spread of this new aswortiosis foci. Apart from previously registered parasite species, four new nematodes have been found in examined red deer and roe deer during this year studies. Red deer have been infected with Spiculopteragia assymmetrica, typical for fallow deer and Haemonchus placei - typical for bovine, whereas roe deer have been infected with Trichostrongylus axei and Trichostrongylus capricola, parasites of sheep, goats and bovine. Prevalence of red deer infection with nematodes S. boehmi and Ostertagia leptospicularis was lower than two years ago while prevalence of infection with S. mathevossiani and O. kolchida was higher. Intensity of infection with these nematodes has increased.


Acta Ornithologica | 2017

Conservation Genetics of the Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus in Poland — Diversity of Mitochondrial DNA in Remnant and Extinct Populations

Robert Rutkowski; Dorota Zawadzka; Dorota Merta; Anna Stankovic; Patrycja Jagołkowska; Ewa Suchecka; Janusz Kobielski

Abstract. n Human-induced changes in the natural environment impact upon a wide variety of genetic processes at all levels of population structure. Insight into these processes is now achieved by analyses of genetic diversity allowing the past and present condition of populations to be assessed and compared. Given its severe fragmentation and small size, the population of the Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus in Poland can be regarded as especially prone to gene-pool alteration. Moreover, this is a region of Europe in which different genetic lineages of the Capercaillie may be present, ensuring that certain conservation decisions may be even more difficult than they otherwise would be. Bearing the above in mind, we decided to study polymorphism of the mitochondrial DNA Control Region (mtDNA CR) in remnant and extinct populations of the Capercaillie in Poland. The extinct population was represented by samples from birds hunted in the Lower Silesian Forest (SW Poland) between 1951–1962. We compared sequences obtained with data from the large, continuous population present in Russia and Scandinavia. Analysing 331 bp of mtDNA CR for 168 individuals, we identified 24 haplotypes, among which only 6 had not been reported previously in the species according to GenBank. Our data confirmed a previous suggestion regarding the genetic structure of the species in Poland, i.e. that birds from Augustów Forest (NE Poland) are related to Russian and Scandinavian populations, constituting a part of the lowland group within the boreal lineage. The Carpathian population is in turn confirmed as an independent genetic group within the boreal lineage, while specimens from the Solska Forest (SE Poland) prove to be highly differentiated from birds in other Polish populations; most likely because they derive from — or have been connected via gene flow with — birds present in the Balkans. Further genetic analysis is necessary to resolve this evolutionary relationship between Capercaillies from south-eastern Poland and those of the Balkans. Where practice is concerned, the overall advice is that three Conservation Units are to be recognised in Poland. In addition to those, the extinct population from the Lower Silesian Forest has been deemed part of the lowland group within the boreal lineage, albeit a distinctive one, given the possibility of gene exchange with Carpathian birds. We further suggest that some aspect of this extinct populations genetic diversity reflects an uncontrolled process of reintroduction taking place in the past.


Folia Zoologica | 2009

Distribution and number of black grouse, Tetrao tetrix in southwestern Poland and the potential impact of predators upon nesting success of the species

Dorota Merta; Bogusław Bobek; Jakub Furtek; Mateusz Kolecki


Crop Protection | 2017

Spatio-temporal characteristics of crop damage caused by wild boar in north-eastern Poland

Bogusław Bobek; Jakub Furtek; Jan Bobek; Dorota Merta; Marta Wojciuch-Ploskonka


Archive | 2018

The Effect of Fencing the Forest Regeneration Stages upon the Level of Damage Caused by Deer in the Lowland Forests of South-Western Poland

Bogusław Bobek; Jakub Furtek; Dorota Merta; Marta Wojciuch-Ploskonka

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Marta Wojciuch-Ploskonka

Pedagogical University of Kraków

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Ewa Suchecka

Museum and Institute of Zoology

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Jörn Theuerkauf

Museum and Institute of Zoology

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Robert Rutkowski

Museum and Institute of Zoology

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Roman Gula

Museum and Institute of Zoology

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Anna M. Pyziel

Polish Academy of Sciences

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