Principal investigator: Jiří Kopáček
(Co)investigator from the Department: Karolina Tahovská
Funding provider: Czech Science Foundation
Duration: 2022 to 2024

Project goals: 
To evaluate links among (1) climate, soil properties, and spruce forest regeneration after disturbances in mountain catchments; (2) forest re-grow, soil microbiome composition and function, and element leaching; and (3) seasonality of water chemistry and biological recovery from acidification.

Project description: 
The dominant Norway spruce vegetation was to different extents disturbed by bark beetle infestation in the unmanaged Bohemian Forest (BF) catchments during the last two decades. All dead tree biomass remained on site and stands began to regenerate naturally, providing wide gradients of vegetation, soil properties, and surface water composition within individual catchments, as well as among them. We propose an integrated study in the BF catchment-lake systems on effects of natural forest regeneration on chemical and microbial soil composition and function, element (primarily N) cycles and leaching, and recovery of receiving waters from acidification. We plan to evaluate (1) effects of gradual decomposition of dead biomass on a cascade of compositional and functional changes in soil microbial communities, and element availability and leaching; (2) how their fluctuations are affected by density of regenerating trees and their growth rates (both related to microclimate conditions); and (3) how seasonality of post-disturbance element leaching affects biological recovery of waters.

Department of Ecosystem Biology

The admission proceedings consist of an assessment of candidate’s application documents, including his/her dissertation thesis project, and the entrance interview.

According to the specialist board of either programme, the applicant should submit a brief CV and a short proposal of the dissertation project with outlines of the thesis topic that cover goals, methods, funding and logistics, and relevant references (proposal extent of 1000–2000 words), which clearly affirms feasibility of the project.

A discussion about the project proposal is an essential part of the entrance interview (in person or via skype) with the admission board that enables an assessment of the candidate’s predisposition to study and his/her ability of critical and independent thinking. Graduates of other universities may be subjected to a cross-examination of their knowledge of ecology or hydrobiology. A personal acceptance of the candidate by his/her proposed supervisor and a common sense on the dissertation project is essential for the admission board, which may recommend up to five elective subjects for either programme in order to complement and fulfil the dissertation thesis project.

On the basis of the project proposal and entrance interview, the admission board proposes a ranking of all candidates and does or does not recommend their acceptance.

Department of Ecosystem Biology

All pending graduate students (including those on interruption/parental leave, as their original rules may have been changed meanwhile), as well as their supervisors (including those external and potential) should be aware of all the milestones implying by the current Dean’s provision No. 62 (in Czech). Here is an overview of important milestones and duties of PhD students enrolled in both doctoral programmes, i.e. Ecosystem Biology or Hydrobiology.

1. “No later than two months after the commencement of study, the student is obliged to submit, via the Department of Student Affairs, a proposed ‘Doctoral Study Plan’ to the specialist board of the doctoral study programme …” – We strongly recommend being faster, in particular during winter semesters, when the approval process used to be delayed due to the Christmas season.
2. “No later than in the second semester of study, enroll for the subject ‘Literature review’ (KBE/806) … it is recommended to submit the review at least one month before the end of the second semester…” (see also Requirements of "Literature review") – However, we strongly recommend being faster, otherwise you risk a penalty, i.e. reduced stipend since your second year (i.e. from the 13^th month until its approval).
3. “Submit an annual report on the progress … every year by 31 October” – completely and carefully filled!
4. Be aware of all your duties, such as conference presentations (KBE/907), study stays abroad (FBI/801–803), annual presentations at doctoral conference/seminar (KBE/805), teaching activities, etc.
5. To receive an assessment in STAG from:
   • KBE/907 (the presentation at an international conference in foreign language) – student has to send a confirmation of his presentation (i.e. a scan from the conference abstract book) to the chair of the specialist board (Jana Jersáková or Jaroslav Vrba) of either doctoral study programme.
   • KBE/800 (Doctor´s Thesis, Practical Part) – the student’s supervisor has to send a confirmative e-mail to either chair of the specialist board of either doctoral study programme or to the secretary of our department (Jana Vrbová) with his/her approval to grant a student with the assessment.
6. Fulfil most of prerequisites, such as elective courses, English exams (OJZ/940, OJZ/950) followed by state exam (FBI/D1), timely within four years = until the end of your regular study.
7. Provide proper author’s affiliation (FSc USB) of yourself on all publications intended for your dissertation thesis – otherwise the papers cannot be included into your thesis!
8. Do not intentionally postpone submitting your dissertation thesis beyond the standard period of study because of writing excessive manuscripts (e.g. for supervisor’s projects). We prefer and strongly encourage all students to finalize his/her dissertation thesis within the standard period, providing he/she can fulfil minimal requirements: i.e. “three publications or papers of which the student is (co)author … a part must have been accepted for publication in a journal attaining in the previous five years an impact factor of at least 0.5 … main author of at least one of the published papers (or papers accepted for publication)…”. If you are in shortage of published or accepted papers, consult the chair of the specialist board.
9. Last but not least, one should consider the regular deadlines for new PhD applications, consult the Department of Student Affairs for completeness, and follow the instructions of admission proceedings of our department!

The language department is a member of CASALC
– The Czech and Slovak Association of Teachers working at university language centres.

Via this organization we are associated to the international confederation of language centres = CercleS - Confédération Européenne des Centres de Langues dans l'Enseignement Supérieur.

The language department also participates in the Wulkow Group, which is an annual working meeting of language centre directors from the European Union held in the village of Wulkow in Germany.

• Wulkow Memorandum

Employees of the language department have participated in working visits to the following counterparts abroad: