RNDr. Marek Šmejkal, Ph.D.

Job Position: Research Scientist - Department of Fish and Zooplankton Ecology (FZE)

Contact details

Phone: +420 387 77 5856, +420 778 485 295
E-mail: marek.smejkal@hbu.cas.cz
Web: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Marek-Smejkal
Room: 327NB

Description

My main interest at the moment is the invasive ecology of fish, focusing on competition in small lowland ponds and human-made secondary water bodies. Here, I focus on a model example of competition between the native and critically endangered crucian carp (Carassius carassius) and the invasive gibel carp (C. gibelio). To save the disappearing crucian carp, a citizen science website www.zachrankarase.cz/en/ has been created, which serves the public for uploading tips on its last known occurrences. Based on the verification of this data, the repatriation of this species is proceeding again in selected areas of the Czech Republic.

Curriculum vitae

Date of birth:

9.3.1988, Prague, Czech Republic

Education:

2007-2010 BSc. Faculty of Science of Charles University in Prague, CR(Thesis: The importance of various types of habitats in reservoirs for fish).

2010-2013 MSc. Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia, CR (Thesis: The importance of various types of littoral habitats for fish in reservoirs).

2013-2017 PhD. student, Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia, CR (Thesis:Ecology of top fish predators, European catfish and asp, with consequences to fish communities)

2013, 2015, 2021 – research visit in Lund University, Sweden (Department of aquatic ecology)

Scientific and proffesional experience:

2009 - 2017 part-time job as a student at the Institute of Hydrobiology

2017 - 2019 - postdoc at the Institute of Hydrobiology

since 2020 researcher position at the Institute of Hydrobiology

Web of Science ResearcherID: E-1269-2017, Total publications: 79, H-index: 18, Sum of times cited: 1020

Projects - main investigator

Interreg AT-CZ - Living treasures of streams and ponds (ATCZ00180, 2025-2028)

TAČR - Verified technology development for reduction of invasive fish species in small water bodies with fyke nets (SQ01020096, 2025-2027)

SFŽP - Engaging youth in the conservation of critically endangered fish species as part of landscape water retention measures (2024-2025)

Strategie AV 21, Water and life, Save the crucian carp (2023, Czech Academy of Science)

TJ02000012 The enhancement of rheophilous fish reproduction in the artificial river environment, TACR

QK1920326 Aquaculture of rheophilous fish, GA MZe (main investigator for Biology centre)

580300/992200 Strategie AV 21, Role of pheromones on spawning migration timing in fish (2017-2019, Czech Academy of Science)

 

Publications
Total found: 128 records
Bartoň D., Duras J., Kortan D., Šmejkal M. (2026) Dlouhodobý monitoring reprodukce bolena dravého: modelový příklad reofilní ryby v degradovaném prostředí. [Long-term monitoring of asp reproduction: a model example of a rheophilic fish in a degraded environment.] Ochrana přírody 81 : 20–23.
Choleva L., Bohlen J., Dvořák T., Palandačić A., Jung M., Chai M.J., Labajová V., Bezányiová K., Pavlica T., Sember A., Muška M., Šmejkal M., Šlechtová V. (2026) Genetic diversity among populations of the endangered European weatherfish Misgurnus fossilis in the Czech Republic, Austria and adjacent areas. Nature Conservation 65 : 99–114.
DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.65.190840
Dvořáková Prokešová M., Deepali R.R., Regenda J., Hanzlík P., Šmejkal M., Prokeš M. , Stejskal V., Kouřil J. (2026) Effect of water temperature on the early development and hatchery rearing of a locally threatened species – crucian carp (Carassius carassius). Environmental Biology of Fishes 109 : 38.
DOI: 10.1007/s10641-026-01807-x
Gorule P., Bellodi A., Pesci P., Bartoň D., Duras J., Sajdlová Z., Soukalová K., Blabolil P., Kočvara L., Vejřík L., Follesa M.C., Kubečka J., Šmejkal M. (2026) Beyond the outer rim: Estimating scale-based age underestimation in long-lived cypriniform fish. Fisheries Research 300 : 107809.
DOI: 10.1016/j.fishres.2026.107809
Gottwald M., Stepanyshyna Y., Šmejkal M. (2026) Goldfish, gibel carp, or crucian carp? Testing public recognition of Carassius species. Nature Conservation 65 : 135–152.
DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.65.185650
Lichman V., Ozerov M., López M.E., Noreikiene K., Kahar S., Pukk L., Burimski O., Japoshvili B., Blazhekovikj-Dimovska D., Lajus D., Nikolić D., Ribeiro F., Gebauer T., Kouřil J., Peterka J., Blabolil P., Čech M., Jůza T., Kubečka J., Muška M., Šmejkal M., Vašek M., Kahilainen K. .... (2026) Pan-continental genomic analysis of Eurasian perch uncovers global diversity hotspots and postglacial recolonization patterns.. Ecology and Evolution 16 : e73502.
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.73502
Ribeiro de Moraes K., Tesfaye M., Bartoň D., Blabolil P., Brabec J., Brabec M., Draštík V., Prchalová M., Matěna J., Muška M., Tušer M., Jůza T., Kočvara L., Sajdlová Z., Soukalová K., Souza A.T., Šmejkal M., Symonová R., Říha M., Vašek M., Kubečka J. (2026) Long-term shifts in pikeperch, Sander lucioperca, diet composition in a changing reservoir. Journal of Fish Biology 108 : 179–189.
DOI: 10.1111/jfb.70225
Říha M., Rabaneda Bueno R., Jarić I., Prchalová M., Blabolil P., Šmejkal M., Jůza T., Tušer M., Kubečka J., Peterka J. (2026) Daily nocturnal homing reveals goal-directed navigation in a wild teleost. iScience 29 : 116364.
DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.116364
Šmejkal M. (2026) Od mapování posledních útočišť karase obecného k jeho návratu do přírody. [From mapping the last refuges of the crucian carp to its return to the wild.] Rybářství 8 : 28-31.
Šmejkalová Z., Váchová V., Kalous L., Choleva L., Šmejkal M. (2026) Establishment of Regional Action Plan for conservation of critically endangered crucian carp in Czechia. Nature Conservation 65 : 153-171.
DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.65.186764
Souza A.T., Tesfaye M., Soukalová K., Šmejkal M., Ďurišová J., Svojtka M., Kubečka J. (2026) Limited contribution of hatchery-reared pikeperch to a wild population in a temperate reservoir: Evidence from otolith microchemistry. Aquaculture, Fish and Fisheries 6 : e70269.
DOI: 10.1002/aff2.70269
Tripathi S., Gorule P., Šmejkal M., Stejskal V., Ložek F., Cau A. (2026) Chronic exposure to polyethylene and tire wear particles changes the associative behaviour in cyprinid fishes. Environmental Pollution 394 : 127744.
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.127744
Vašek M., Blabolil P., Šmejkal M., Tušer M., Bartoň D., Draštík V., Kočvara L., Kubečka J., Říha M., Jůza T. (2026) Methane-derived carbon contributes to fish biomass in a deep, eutrophic reservoir. Freshwater Biology 71 : e70200.
DOI: 10.1111/fwb.70200
Wanzenböck J., Šmejkal M., Kalous L., Klefoth T., Geist J., Takács P. (2026) Special issue in the journal “Nature Conservation” (Pensoft): biology and conservation of wetland fishes in Europe. Nature Conservation 65 : 1-5.
DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.65.215711
Bartoň D., Brabec J., Sajdlová Z., Blabolil P., Kubečka J., Šmejkal M. (2025) Cascade of dams amplifies predation risks for rheophilic fish eggs. Ecohydrology 18 : e70128.
DOI: 10.1002/eco.70128
Říha M., Rabaneda Bueno R., Vejřík L., Jarić I., Prchalová M., Šmejkal M., Čech M., Draštík V., Blabolil P., Holubová M., Jůza T., Gjelland K.Ø., Sajdlová Z., Kočvara L., Tušer M., Peterka J. (2025) Hungry catfish—effect of prey availability on movement dynamics of a top predator. Freshwater Biology 70 : e70017.
DOI: 10.1111/fwb.70017
Říha M., Vejřík L., Rabaneda Bueno R., Jarić I., Prchalová M., Vejříková I., Šmejkal M., Blabolil P., Čech M., Draštík V., Holubová M., Jůza T., Gjelland K.Ø., Sajdlová Z., Kočvara L., Tušer M., Peterka J. (2025) Ecosystem, spatial and trophic dimensions of niche partitioning among freshwater fish predators. Movement Ecology 13 : 36.
DOI: 10.1186/s40462-025-00559-0
Šmejkal M., Kalous L., Auwerx J., Gorule P., Jarić I., Dočkal O., Fedorova G., Muška M., Thomas K., Takács P., Ferincz A., Choleva L., Lamatsch D.K., Wanzenböck J., Van Wichelen J. (2025) Wetland fish in peril: A synergy between habitat loss and biological invasions drives the extinction of neglected native fauna. Biological Conservation 302 : 110948.
DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2024.110948
Šmejkal M., Rektor A., Thomas K., Gorule P., Tripathi S., Stepanyshyna Y., Ložek F., Bláha M., Boukal D. (2025) Negative impact of the invasive topmouth gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva) on population growth of a native fish species, the sunbleak (Leucaspius delineatus). NeoBiota 101 : 223–242.
DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.101.165877
Symonová R., Jůza T., Tesfaye M., Brabec M., Bartoň D., Blabolil P., Draštík V., Kočvara L., Muška M., Prchalová M., Říha M., Šmejkal M., Souza A., Sajdlová Z., Tušer M., Vašek M., Skubic C., Kubečka J., Brabec J. (2025) Transition to piscivory seen through brain transcriptomics in a juvenile percid fish: Complex interplay of differential gene transcription, alternative splicing, and ncRNA activity. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological and Integrative Physiology 343 : 257–277.
DOI: 10.1002/jez.2886

More publications

CONTACT

Biology Centre CAS
Institute of Hydrobiology
Na Sádkách 702/7
370 05 České Budějovice

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