Jana Růžičková

*22 December 1989, Valašské Meziříčí, Czech Republic

I am a researcher in the Integrative Ecology Research Group of the Hungarian Research Network (HUN-REN), hosted by the Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) and the Hungarian Natural History Museum (MTM), Budapest, Hungary. I am particularly interested in ecology of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae). I've been working on radio telemetry, habitat use and movement patterns of selected large species as well as community ecology of carabids in managed temperate forests, agricultural landscapes and post-mining areas in Central Europe.

Currently, I explore how the different management practices of two silvicultural systems, represented by rotation forestry (clear-cuts, preparation cuts, retention tree group) and continuous cover forestry (gap-cutting), can affect ground beetles at different levels of the organization, from assemblages and species populations to individuals and their behavior.

Email: jr.tracey[at]seznam.cz

Google Scholar - Research Gate - ORCID - ResearcherID

Education

2014 – 2018: Ph.D. in Zoology, Department of Zoology and Laboratory of Ornithology, Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
Thesis: Radio telemetry of ground beetles: Habitat use and movement activity of Carabus ullrichii, PDF.
Supervisor: RNDr. Milan Veselý, Ph.D.

2012 – 2014: Pedagogical minimum of Biology for Secondary schools, Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic.

2012 – 2014: Master's degree in Zoology, Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic.

2009 – 2012: Bachelor's degree in Systematic Biology and Ecology, Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic.


Experience

  • HUN-REN-ELTE-MTM Integrative Ecology Research Group, Budapest, Hungary.
    July 2022 – present: Research fellow.

  • MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, Budapest, Hungary.
    Sept. 2019 – June 2022: Assistant research fellow.
    Sept. 2018 – May 2019: Postdoctoral fellow (Erasmus+ traineeship for graduates).
    Sept. 2017 – Nov. 2017: Research stay as a mandatory part of the Ph.D. program (Erasmus+ traineeship).
    Mentor: Zoltán Elek, Ph.D.

  • Pevnost poznání, Interactive science center of Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
    July 2019 – Aug. 2019: Illustrator.
    Mar. 2015 – Aug. 2018: Lecturer of educational programs for schools, illustrator.

  • Occasional freelance artist.
    Main focus: scientific and educational illustration, comics, anthropomorphic animals.

  • Scientific publications

  • Samu F., Elek Z., Růžičková J., Botos E., Kovács B. & Ódor P. (2023): Can gap-cutting help to preserve forest spider communities? Diversity 15: 240.

  • Růžičková J. & Elek Z. (2023): Beetles on the move: not-just-a-technical review of beetles’ radio-tracking. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 171: 82–93.

  • Elek Z., Růžičková J. & Ódor P. (2022): Functional plasticity of carabids can presume better the changes in community composition than taxon-based descriptors. Ecological Applications 32: e02460.

  • Růžičková J. & Elek Z. (2021): Unequivocal differences in predation pressure on large carabid beetles between forestry treatments. Diversity 13: 484.

  • Elek Z., Růžičková J. & Ódor P. (2021): Individual decisions drive the changes in movement patterns of ground beetles between forestry management types. Biologia 76: 3287–3296.

  • Růžičková J. & Elek Z. (2021): Recording fine-scale movement of ground beetles by two methods: Potentials and methodological pitfalls. Ecology and Evolution 11: 8562–8572.

  • Růžičková J., Bérces S., Ackov S. & Elek Z. (2021): Individual movement of large carabids as a link for activity density patterns in various forestry treatments. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 67: 77-86.

  • Růžičková J., Kádár F., Szalkovszki O., Kovács-Hostyánszki A., Báldi A. & Elek Z. (2020): Scale-dependent environmental filtering of ground-dwelling predators in winter wheat and adjacent set-aside areas in Hungary. Journal of Insect Conservation 24: 751-763.

  • Moskát C., Hauber M.E., Růžičková J., Marton A., Bán M. & Elek Z. (2020): Female-female aggression and male responses to the two colour morphs of female common cuckoos. The Science of Nature 107: 28.

  • Elek Z., Růžičková J., Ádám R., Bereczki K., Boros G., Kádár F., Kovács-Hostyánszki A., Somay L., Szalkovszki O. & Báldi A. (2020): Mixed effects of ecological intensification on natural pest control providers: a short-term study for biotic homogenization in winter wheat fields. PeerJ 8:e8746.

  • Hykel M., Růžičková J. & Dolný A. (2020): Perch selection in Sympetrum species (Odonata: Libellulidae): importance of vegetation structure and composition. Ecological Entomology 45: 90-96.

  • Růžičková J. & Hykel M. (2019): Habitat mosaic of gravel pit as a potential refuge for carabids: a case study from Central Europe. Community Ecology 20: 215-222.

  • Bérces S. & Růžičková J. (2019): Habitat use of an endangered beetle Carabus hungaricus assessed via radio telemetry. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 65: 335-348.

  • Růžičková J. & Veselý M. (2018): Movement activity and habitat use of Carabus ullrichii (Coleoptera: Carabidae): The forest edge as a mating site? Entomological Science 21: 76-83.

  • Růžičková J. & Veselý M. (2016): Using radio telemetry to track ground beetles: Movement of Carabus ullrichii. Biologia 71: 924-930.


    + something in the pipeline :)
  • Popular science

  • Růžičková J. & Elek Z. (2022): Co je žere? Predační tlak na velké střevlíky v lesním prostředí / What is eating them? Predation pressure on large ground beetles in the forest environment. Živa 6: 320-321. (in Czech)

  • Elek Z., Růžičková J. & Ódor P. (2022): Colorful Beetles of a Temperate Forest: Carabus scheidleri. The Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 103: e01942.

  • Růžičková J. & Elek Z. (2021): Úskalí výzkumu střevlíků 2. Jak zaznamenat pohyb v terénu? / Pitfalls of carabid research 2. How to record movement in the field? Živa 6: 328-329. (in Czech)

  • Růžičková J. & Elek Z. (2021): Úskalí výzkumu střevlíků 1. Co vlastně říkají zemní pasti? / Pitfalls of carabid research 1. What do pitfall traps actually tell us? Živa 4: 182-184. (in Czech)

  • Popelka O., Hykel M., Růžičková J., Taraška V. & Trávníček B. (2017): Mohou být aktivní těžební prostory hodnotné z hlediska ochrany přírody? Příklad štěrkopískovny Hulín / Can active mining sites/areas be valuable from the nature conservation viewpoint? An example of the Hulín gravel pit. Ochrana přírody 3: 40-43. (in Czech)

  • Růžičková J. & Veselý M. (2016): Využití radiotelemetrie v entomologii / Usage of radiotelemetry in entomology. Živa 6: 314-315. (in Czech)


    Comic books

  • Růžičková J. (2015): Biotopia: Svitek a čaj. Nová Forma, Týn nad Vltavou. 48pp. ISBN 978-80-7453-587-1 (in Czech)

  • Other projects

    Quarry Life Award 2018 - Hrabůvka quarry: a potential refuge of rare species (principal investigator, entomological survey), PDF.

    Quarry Life Award 2016 - Gravel pit Hulín: towards the harmony among diverse interests (entomological survey).

    Other interests and memberships

    Biotopia webcomic

    Hiking


    Member of the Czech Society for Ornithology and the Czech Society for Ecology.