Mgr. Petra Hájková Ph.D.

Position grant funded researcher
Direction conservation genetics

+420 608 908 285

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

African and Central European Vertebrates: Discoverability of Genomic Samples Located at the IVB (2017–2018)
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 (2008–2010)

Running projects

Non-invasive genetic analyses of black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) populations in the Czech Republic, Administration of Krkonoše National Park (2019-2021)

Finished projects

Non-invasive genetic analyses of hazel grouse (Bonasa bonasia) and black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) from Šumava and Bavarian Forest, Administration of Šumava National Park (2018-2019)

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
  • 2020-2023: Conservation genetics and genomics of vertebrate species in Central European region (Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, INTER-EXCELLENCE, subprogram INTER-COST, LTC20021)

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

2020

Matějková T, Hájková P, Stopková R, Stanko M, Martin J, Kreisinger J, Stopka P (2020). Oral and vaginal microbiota in selected field mice of the genus Apodemus: a wild population study. Scientific Reports, 10: 13246.

2015

Quaglietta L, Hájková P, Mira A, Boitani L (2015). Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) density estimate based on radio tracking and other data sources. Mammal Research, 60: 127-137.
Zemanová B, Hájková P, Hájek B, Martínková N, Mikulíček P, Zima J, Bryja J (2015). Extremely low genetic variation in endangered Tatra chamois and evidence for hybridization with an introduced Alpine population. Conservation Genetics, 16: 729-741.

2013

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

2012

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

2011

Demontis D, Czarnomska SD, Hájková P, Zemanová B, Bryja J, Loeschcke V, Pertoldi C (2011). 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: 644-645.
Zemanová B, Hájková P, Bryja J, Zima Jr. J, Hájková A, Zima J (2011). Development of multiplex microsatellite sets for noninvasive population genetic study of the endangered Tatra chamois. Folia zoologica, 60: 70-80.

2010

An J, Choi S, Sommer J, Louis jr. E, Brenneman R, Zemanová B, Hájková P, Park G, Min M, Kim K, Lee H (2010). 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: 351-353.
Mucci N, Arrendal J, Ansorge H, Bailey M, Bodner M, Delibes M, Ferrando A, Fournier P, Fournier C, Godoy JA, Hájková P, Hauer S, Heggberget TM, Heidecke D, Kirjavainen H, Krueger H, Kvaloy K, Lafontaine L, Lanszki J, Lemarchand C, Liukko U, Loeschcke V, Ludwig G, Madsen AB, Mercier L, Ozolins J, Paunovic M, Pertoldi C, Piriz A, Prigioni C, Santos-Reis M, Luis TS, Stjernberg T, Schmid H, Suchentrunk F, Teubner J, Tornberg R, Zinke O, Randi E (2010). Genetic diversity and landscape genetic structure of otter (Lutra lutra) populations in Europe. Conservation Genetics, 11: 583-599.
Mucci N, Arrendal J, Ansorge H, Bailey M, Bodner M, Delibes M, Ferrando A, Fournier P, Fournier C, Godoy JA, Hájková P, Hauer S, Heggberget TM, Heidecke D, Kirjavainen H, Krueger H, Kvaloy K, Lafontaine L, Lanszki J, Lemarchand C, Liukko U, Loeschcke V, Ludwig G, Madsen AB, Mercier L, Ozolins J, Paunovic M, Pertoldi C, Piriz A, Prigioni C, Santos-Reis M, Luis TS, Stjernberg T, Schmid H, Suchentrunk F, Teubner J, Tornberg R, Zinke O, Randi E (2010). Genetic diversity and landscape genetic structure of otter (Lutra lutra) populations in Europe. Conservation Genetics, 11: 583-599.

2009

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

2008

Procházka P, Bellinvia E, Fainová D, Hájková P, Elhalah A, Alomari K (2008). 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: 1184-1192.

2007

Hájková P (2007). Genetická štruktúra a recentný pokles početnosti populácií vydry riečnej v ČR a SR. Bulletin Vydra, 12001.
Hájková P, Pertoldi C, Zemanová B, Roche K, Hájek B, Bryja J, Zima J (2007). 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: 1-9.
Kaňuch P, Hájková P, Řehák Z, Bryja J (2007). 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: 277-282.

2006

Hájková P, Zemanová B, Bryja J, Hájek B, Roche K, Tkadlec E, Zima J (2006). Factors affecting success of PCR amplification of microsatellite loci from otter faeces. Molecular Ecology Notes, 6: 559-562.

2004

Hájková P, Zemanová B, Hájek B, Roche K, Kučerová M, Bryja J, Zima J (2004). Stanovenie početnosti a štruktúry populácie vydry riečnej (Lutra lutra) neinvazívnou genetickou metódou - správa o prebiehajúcom výskumnom projekte. Bulletin Vydra, 12001.
Hájková P, Hájek B, Zemanová B, Roche K, Toman A, Bryja J (2004). Genetická variabilita a populačno-genetická štruktúra subpopulácií vydry riečnej (Lutra lutra) v výskumnom projekte Českej a Slovenskej republike. Bulletin Vydra, 12001.
Koščo J, Košuth P, Hájková P (2004). Ryby ako potenciálny zdroj potravy vydry riečnej (Lutra lutra L.) v Národnom parku Slovenský raj. Acta Facultatis studiorum humanitatis et naturae Universitatis Prešoviensis.

2003

Hájková P, Roche K, Kocian Ľ (2003). On the use of diagnostic bones of brown trout, Salmo trutta m. fario, grayling, Thymallus thymallus and Carpathian sculpin, Cottus poecilopus in Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra diet analysis. Folia zoologica, 52: 389-398.