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Publié par | eberhard_karls_universitat_tubingen |
Publié le | 01 janvier 2006 |
Nombre de lectures | 18 |
Langue | English |
Extrait
Life-history expressions of annual plants in
unpredictable environments:
From theoretical models to empirical tests
Ph.D. Thesis
Martina Petr ů
Department of Plant Ecology
University of Tübingen, Germany
2006
Cover design modified after Feinbrun-Dothan 1986 and Zohary 1966, 1987.
Life-history expressions of annual plants in
unpredictable environments:
From theoretical models to empirical tests
der Fakultät für Biologie
der Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
zur Erlangung des Grades eines Doktors
der Naturwissenschaften
von
Martina Petr ů
aus Jind řich ův Hradec, Tschechien
vorgelegte Dissertation
2006
Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 28. April 2006
Dekan: Prof. Dr. Friedrich Schöffl
1. Berichterstatterin: Prof. Dr. Katja Tielbörger
2.tter: Prof. Dr. Jaime Kigel
3. Berichterstatter: Prof. Dr. Nico Michiels
When a seed breaks dormancy, it is extremely vulnerable.
A man who works with his hands is a labourer; a man who works with his hands and his
brain is a craftsman; a man who works with his hands and his brain AND his heart is an
artist… (or scientist?) … [Louis Nizer]
To the many good and cheerful labourers, craftsmen and artists of my life
i
Acknowledgments
I could much easily (and probably much faster) write a booklet of an extent of
this thesis expressing my most sincere thanks to all of YOU, who have facilitated the
progress of this mission. And not very long ago this mission still seemed impossible.
I would acknowledge you in full extent in the future, and title it ‘In‐between the
Worlds’, ‘Right in the Middle’ or else… Once I would do so. And it would also be
four chapters like in this thesis, with the first ‘original study’ being written in ‘the
original’ (Czech). It would be a chapter written in capitals, and it would be The First
One, because there it all started, although I can hear the Hebrew voices arguing that
it was ‘Over there’ where ‘It ALL started’. Well, in fact it all started in Germany, and
so let’s make the German chapter the first one, followed by a Hebrew chapter
(because those guys when they argue they argue loud). The next would be an
American chapter, and the Honorary last would be the one in Czech. There also
would be few Appendixes, in Arabic and Spanish and French and… Norwegian.
Let me provide you here with the ‘Abstract’.
Since our living environments are highly variable and unpredictable and prone
to changes, one needs to optimize while discovering the intrigues of life, e.g. the joy
of learning. This may be possible through spatial and temporal variation of
approaches, or through a specific approach, adapted to local conditions. For this
social study, I implemented an original international multi‐cultural approach based
on diverse interactions and the phenomenon of migration. It has been a ‘population
level’ study.
Commonly throughout my research, I have encountered many good and
cheerful labourers, craftsmen and artists in many habitats, starting in ‘a social desert’.
Coming to this new habitat, I made plentiful ‘a priory’ observations and over the
almost four years of my study, I recorded highly favourable ‘environmental
conditions’ making the social desert bloom. I greatly enjoyed the densely blooming
wadis for the community spirit. Consequently, flourishing social deserts have been
my favourite and frequently sampled habitat. I sampled a lot of data points and
attempted to analyse the data carefully, however the design had severe problems as
most ecological (and perhaps also social) field studies have ‐ pseudoreplications.
However…
I established several experiments with the first study site being Potsdam, and my
first ‘data point’ was Prof. Dr. Katja Tielbörger, my supervisor, who am I thankful
first and foremost for the introduction to my thesis subject and for the professional
manoeuvring of this voyage. I have learned a lot and greatly appreciate the time
Katja found for me even during the highly stressful periods of her own career. I am
especially thankful for the much‐needed support during the thesis finalizing.
ii
Prof. Florian Jeltsch supported me with ‘sampling plots’ in his working group
and generously provided with ‘sampling equipment’. During this time, ‘the best
secretary of my German Life’ was ultimately Birgit Seifert, also the ultimate flat‐mate
and wonderful friend. My many thanks go to the other ‘Potsdamians’ (ordered
randomly): Katjas, Monika, Evas, Niels, Matthias, Jörgs, Bernd, Florence, Katrin,
Nina, Michael, Michel, Jutta, Annette, Doreen, Uli, Jule, and Julia. Finally, I would
like to thank to Heike Küchmeister for the inspiring friendship and kindness.
After concluding my field studies in Potsdam, I went to analyze and summarize
‘my data’ to Tübingen. My analyses have been challenging, but considerably eased
by Monika Schwager, who has been generously sharing her home with me, and
Clara and Katja and Bara. Cornelia and Richard, Merav and Tal and Achim (my
second‐favorite ‘German secretary’) and Christian and Johannes and others ‘up on
the hill’ made my social time here more pleasant. My special thank belongs to
‘Micha’ Koltzenburg, who has shared his ‘nosy’ (and noisy) office. Thanks for the