Department of Biology and Plant Ecology is formed by several collaborative teams (Division of Plant Ecology, Division of Plant Physiology, and Division of Plant Biochemistry) representing a variety of research trends.
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The main research interests of the staff of the Division of Plant Ecology focus on the ecology and genetics of several orchid species in conditions of environmental isolation, nature conservation, including the role of anthropogenic habitats as an alternative to rare plant species, predictive modelling of the distribution of selected plant species, application of spatial information systems in ecology, and telemetry. The main research topics of interest in the Division of Plant Physiology are physiological, biochemical and morphological modifications of plants under abiotic stress conditions, mechanisms of regulation, acclimatization and protection of the photosynthetic apparatus in higher plants, regulation of seed germination by environmental factors, plant interactions with pathogens, with particular emphasis on pathogenic fungi, and crop diseases – model systems. The main research topics of interest in the Division of Plant Biochemistry are the activities of plant hormones in regulating the resistance of algae of the following genera: Chlorella, Chlamydomonas, Acutodesmus, and Scenedesmus as well as vascular plants to abiotic stress, measurements of the level of endogenous phytohormones in plants, and chemical analysis of floral and extrafloral nectar.
Our research is supported by advanced infrastructure and specialised equipment that enable complex molecular and chemical analyses. These include high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), liquid chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/TOF/MS) and other state-of-the-art technologies.