doc. Ing. Martin Šálek Ph.D.

Position full-time researcher
Direction ecology of birds and mammals
+420 387 775 611

Research interests

  • ecology of birds and mammals in fragmented agricultural landscape,
  • behavioural ecology and population genetic variability of the Little Owl,
  • spatial and roosting ecology of bats,
  • return of large herbivores: a high priority in biodiversity conservation (rewilding projects).
Petr Procházka

Finished Projects

Save the Little Owl (2021–2024)
ATHENE – Péče o největší zbytkové populace sýčků obecných (2017–2020)
ATHENE – ochrana sýčka obecného v česko-saském pohraničí (2017–2019)
Zpracování odborných podkladů pro rozhodnutí o ZPZCHD pro druhy sýček obecný (Athene noctua) a strnad zahradní (Emberiza hortulana) (2015–2016)

Web presentation

http://new.birdlife.cz/sycek/ http://www.saliphoto.blogspot.cz/

Current students

  • Alexandra Krivopalova (PhD): Ecology of declining population of European hare (Lepus europaeus) in contrasting farmland.
  • Malavika Madhavan (PhD): Does intra-sexual selection drive evolution of individual identity in animal signals?
  • Sangeeth Sailas (PhD): Factors shaping spatio-temporal distribution, abundance and mortality of avian predators

Publications and Applied outputs

2027

Šálek M, Mayer M (2027). Livestock farmsteads are key refuges for farmland birds across different levels of agricultural intensity. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 110773.

2026

Lučan RK, Nicolaou H, Bartonička T, Bachorec E, Šálek M, Řeřucha Š, Jedlička P, Erotokritou E, Horáček I (2026). Population collapse of the Egyptian fruit bat on Cyprus (2005-2022): evidence for the roles of roost disturbance and reduced food availability likely associated with climate change. Biological Conservation, 112079.
Madhavan M, Hornátová L, Šálek M, Průchová A, Linhart P (2026). Social environment affects vocal individuality in a non-learning species. Scientific Reports, 51.
Sailas SS, Tschumi M, Grüebler MU, Reipricht F, Stroeken P, van Harxen R, Šálek M (2026). Habitat-dependent provisioning patterns are modulated by weather conditions in a rapidly declining farmland raptor. Ecology and Evolution, e72969.
Sailas SS, Kloubec B, Linhart P, Šálek M (2026). Intraguild interactions shape vocal output and diel activity patterns in sympatric forest owls. Oikos, e12647.
Šálek M, Boháč O, Šimeček K, Grill S, Żmihorski M, Kotowska D (2026). Small-scale farming benefits birds and boosts their diversity in nearby farmland and villages. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 110048.
Ševčík R, Cukor J, Brynychová K, Šálek M, Hruška J (2026). Agroecosystem quality as an essential driver of European hare Lepus europaeus population density in contrasting farmlands. Oikos, e11695.

2025

Best P, Araya-Salas M, Ekström AG, Freitas B, Jensen FH, Kershenbaum A, Lameira AR, Lehmann KDS, Linhart P, Liu A, Madhavan M, Markham A, Roch MA, Root-Gutteridge H, Šálek M, Smith-Vidaurre G, Strandburg-Peshkin A, Warren MR, Wijers M, Marxer R (2025). Bioacoustic fundamental frequency estimation: a cross-species dataset and deep learning baseline. Bioacoustics-The International Journal of Animal Sound and Its Recording.
Gómez-Catasús J, Benítez-López A, Díaz M, González del Portillo D, Pérez-Granados C, Alonso JC, Arroyo B, Abril-Colón I, Barrero A, Barrientos R, Bolonio L, Bota G, Brambilla M, Brotons L, Bustillo-de la Rosa D, Cabodevilla X, Carrascal LM, Carricondo A, Casas F, Catry I, Crispim-Mendes T, Erciyas-Yavuz K, Galván I, Gameiro J, García JT, Giralt D, Illera JC, Leiva A, López-Iborra GM, Mañosa S, Marques AT, Martín CA, Medrano-Vizcaíno P, Morales MB, Moreira F, Mougeot F, Nikolov B, Olea PP, Onrubia A, Oñate-Casado J, Palacín C, Pearce-Higgins JW, Petrusková T, Reverter M, Revilla-Martín N, Rigal S, Sáez-Gómez P, Šálek M, Salgado I, Santangeli A, Sanz-Pérez A, Seoane J, Serrano D, Silva JP, Tarjuelo R, Traba J, Tryjanowski P, Ucero A, Václav R, Valera F, Vögeli M, Başkent EZ, Zurdo J, Bravo C (2025). Alarming conservation status of Western European steppe birds and their habitats: An expert-based review of current threats, traits and knowledge gaps. Biological Conservation, 111414.
Grilo C, Neves T, Bates J, le Roux A, Medrano-Vizcaíno P, Quaranta M, Silva I, Soanes K, Wang Y, Andrášik R, Bartonička T, Benedetti Y, Bíl M, Červinka J, Cicha V, Duľa M, Ernst M, Janík T, Jirků M, Keken Z, Kubeček J, Kušta T, Mulualem G, Neudert J, Romportl D, Šálek M, Sedoník J, Guinard E (2025). Global Roadkill Data: a dataset on terrestrial vertebrate mortality caused by collision with vehicles. Scientific Data, 505.
Mikula P, Šálek M, Adojaan K, Alonso ADL, Baltag E, Beton D, Bobeková I, Catalán RAM, Erciyas-Yavuz K, Franzoi A, Hansen ES, Korytár Ľ, Linhart P, Méndez V, Monoki Á, Ondrejková A, Pintilioaie A, Serra L, Snape RTE, Yavuz N, Tryjanowski P (2025). Prevalence of eye colobomas in wild birds: insights from a large-scale citizen science study. Journal of Vertebrate Biology, 24117.
Pérez-Granados C, Benítez-López A, Diaz M, Gameiro J, Lenzner B, Roura-Pascual N, Gómez-Catasús J, Tarjuelo R, Barrero A, Bolonio L, Bota G, Brambilla M, Bravo C, Brotons L, Bustillo-de la Rosa D, Cabodevilla X, Búrdalo AC, Carricondo A, Casas F, Concepción ED, Constán-Nava S, Crispim-Mendes T, Giralt D, Golivets M, Latombe G, Leiva A, López-Iborra GM, López-Poveda G, Mañosa S, Martín CA, Morales MB, Moreira F, Mougeot F, Nikolov B, Olea PP, Onrubia A, Reverter M, Revilla-Martín N, Rigal S, Jiménez GR, Sáez-Gómez P, Šálek M, Salgado I, Santangeli A, Santos C, Sanz-Pérez A, Serrano D, Silva JP, Torrijo A, Traba J, Tryjanowski P, Václav R, Valera F, Vögeli M, Zurdo J, Marques AT (2025). Key conservation actions for European steppes in the context of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Sustainability Science.
Pérez-Granados C, Lenzner B, Díaz M, Benítez-López A, Marques AT, Tarjuelo R, Gómez-Catasús J, Roura-Pascual N, Vögeli M, Valera F, Václav R, Tryjanowski P, Traba J, Santangeli A, Jiménez GR, Revilla-Martín N, Mougeot F, Moreira F, Morales MB, Mañosa S, López-Iborra GM, Latombe G, Golivets M, Concepción ED, Cabodevilla X, Brotons L, Bravo C, Brambilla M, Bota G, Bolonio L, Arroyo B, Zurdo J, Silva JP, Serrano D, Sanz-Pérez A, Salgado I, Šálek M, Sáez-Gómez P, Reverter M, Onrubia A, Olea PP, Nikolov B, Martín CA, López-Poveda G, Leiva A, Giralt D, Crispim-Mendes T, Casas F, Bustillo-de la Rosa D, Barrero A, Gameiro J (2025). Using scenarios for reducing uncertainties in biodiversity conservation: from global targets to European steppes. Conservation Letters, e13138.
Průchová A, Šálek M, Linhart P (2025). Social factors affect vocal activity patterns of two common call types in Little Owl males. Journal of Ornithology.
Šálek M, Bažant M, Vrána J, Grill S, Václav R (2025). Urban refuges in winter: the role of habitat characteristics and supplementary feeding in shaping bird occupancy and abundance. Urban Ecosystems.
Šálek M, Monoki Á, Madhavan M, Sailas SS, Lalonde Z, Linhart P (2025). In Owl’s paradise: Little Owl population densities in traditional human settlements represent one of the highest densities reported among owls. Journal of Raptor Research.
Šálek M, Kadava L, Vrána J, Mayer M (2025). Seasonal variation in bird species richness and abundance across contrasting farmland: The importance of heterogeneous and non-cropped habitats. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 109616.
Šálek M, Boháč O, Cukor J, Samaš P (2025). Year-round evaluation of the conservation potential of seed-rich field margins under agri-environmental schemes for farmland birds, European hares, and common hamsters. Ecology and Evolution, e72492.

2024

Cukor J, Riegert J, Krivopalova A, Vacek Z, Šálek M (2024). The low survival rate of European hare leverets in arable farmland: evidence from the predation experiment. PeerJ, e17235.
Cukor J, Faltusová M, Vacek Z, Linda R, Skoták V, Václavek P, Ježek M, Šálek M, Havránek F (2024). Wild boar carcasses in the center of boar activity: crucial risks of ASF transmission. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 1497361.
Krivopalova A, Mikula P, Cukor J, Ševčík R, Brynychová K, Šálek M (2024). Adaptation of farmland mammalian specialist to urban life: Escape behavior of European hare along the urban-rural gradient.. Science of the Total Environment, 175779.
Sailas SS, van Harxen R, Stroeken P, Stýblová I, Reipricht F, Šálek M (2024). Nestbox cameras reveal geographic, temporal and sex-specific variations in the composition of provisioned prey for a declining farmland raptor. Journal of Vertebrate Biology, 24071.
Valera F, Šálek M, Bolonio L, Václav R (2024). Comment on 'Solar parks can enhance bird diversity in agricultural landscape' by Jarčuška et al.. Journal of Environmental Management, 121781.
Cukor J, Ševčík R, Brynychová K, Havránek F, Šálek M, Hušek J (2024). Možnosti podpory populací zajíce polního pomocí managementu zemědělské krajiny. Certified Methodology.

2023

Bluhm H, Diserens T, Engleder T, Heising K, Heurich M, Janík T, Jirků M, Klich D, Koenig H, Kowalczyk R, Kuijper D, Maslanko E, Michler F, Neumann W, Oeser J, Olech W, Perzanowski K, Ratkiewicz M, Romportl D, Šálek M, Kuemmerle T (2023). Widespread habitat for Europe's largest herbivores, but poor connectivity limits recolonization. Diversity and Distributions.
Šálek M, Mayer M (2023). Farmstead modernization adversely affects farmland birds. Journal of Applied Ecology.
Šálek M, Riegert J, Krivopalova A, Cukor J (2023). Small islands in the wide open sea: The importance of non-farmed habitats under power pylons for mammals in agricultural landscape. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 108500.
Šálek M, Bažant M, Klvaňa P, Vermouzek Z, Václav R (2023). Historical changes in mortality patterns of diurnal and nocturnal raptors in the Czech Republic, Central Europe: 1913–2017. Biological Conservation, 110073.
Šimůnek V, Prokůpková A, Vacek Z, Vacek S, Cukor J, Remeš J, Hájek V, D'Andrea G, Šálek M, Nola P, Pericolo O, Holzbachová S, Ripullone F (2023). Silver fir tree-ring fluctuations decrease from north to south latitude—total solar irradiance and NAO are indicated as the main influencing factors. Forest Ecosystems, 100150.

2022

Šálek M, Bažant M, Żmihorski M, Gamero A (2022). Evaluating conservation tools in intensively-used farmland: Higher bird and mammal diversity in seed-rich strips during winter. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 107844.
Šálek M, Kalinová K, Reif J (2022). Conservation potential of semi-natural habitats for birds in intensively-used agricultural landscapes. Journal for Nature Conservation, 126124.

2021

Birrer S, Riegert J, Šálek M, Zárybnická M (2021). Eine Meta-Analyse zur Nahrung europäischer Eulen – ein Vergleich zwischen Arten und Regionen. Eulen-Rundblick, 71: 90-93.
Cukor J, Linda R, Andersen O, Eriksen LF, Vacek Z, Riegert J, Šálek M (2021). Evaluation of spatio-temporal patterns of predation risk to forest grouse nests in the Central European mountain regions. Animals, 316.
Havlíček J, Riegert J, Bandhauerová J, Fuchs R, Šálek M (2021). Species-specific breeding habitat association of declining farmland birds within urban environments: conservation implications. Urban Ecosystems.
Janík T, Peters W, Šálek M, Romportl D, Jirků M, Engleder T, Ernst M, Neudert J, Heurich M (2021). The declining occurrence of moose (Alces alces) at the southernmost edge of its range raise conservation concerns. Ecology and Evolution.
Mayer M, Šálek M, Fox AD, Lindhøj FJ, Jacobsen LB, Sunde P (2021). Fine-scale movement patterns and habitat selection of little owls (Athene noctua) from two declining populations. PLoS ONE, e0256608.
Oppermann R, Aguirre E, Bleil R, Calabuig JD, Šálek M, Schmotzer A, Schraml A (2021). A rapid method for monitoring landscape structure and ecological value in European farmlands: the LISA approach. Landscape Online, 90: 1-24.
Šálek M, Grill S, Riegert J (2021). Nest-site selection of an avian urban exploiter, the Eurasian magpie Pica pica, across the urban-rural gradient. Journal of Vertebrate Biology, 20086.
Šálek M, Kalinová K, Daňková R, Grill S, Żmihorski M (2021). Reduced diversity of farmland birds in homogenized agricultural landscape: A cross-border comparison over the former Iron Curtain. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 107628.

2020

Šálek M, Václav R, Sedláček F (2020). Uncropped habitats under power pylons are overlooked refuges for small mammals in agricultural landscapes. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 106777.
Šálek M, Brlík V, Kadava L, Praus L, Studecký J, Vrána J, Gamero A (2020). Year-round relevance of manure heaps and its conservation potential for declining farmland birds in agricultural landscape. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 107032.
Żmihorski M, Kowalski M, Cichocki J, Rubacha S, Kotowska D, Krupiński D, Rosin ZM, Šálek M, Pärt T (2020). The use of socio-economy in species distribution modelling: Features of rural societies improve predictions of barn owl occurrence. Science of the Total Environment, 140407.

2019

Linhart P, Osiejuk T, Budka M, Šálek M, Špinka M, Policht R, Syrová M, Blumstein DT (2019). Measuring individual identity information in animal signals: Overview and performance of available identity metrics. Methods in Ecology and Evolution.
Stowell D, Petrusková T, Šálek M, Linhart P (2019). Automatic acoustic identification of individuals in multiple species: improving identification across recording conditions. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 20180940.
Šálek M, Poprach K, Opluštil L, Melichar D, Mráz J, Václav R (2019). Assessment of relative mortality rates for two rapidly declining farmland owls in the Czech Republic (Central Europe). European Journal of Wildlife Research, 19.
Šálek M, Zeman V, Václav R (2019). Habitat selection of an endangered European farmland bird, the Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana, in two contrasting landscapes: implications for management. Bird Conservation International.
Kehoe L, Reis T, Virah-Sawmy M, Balmford A, Kuemmerle T, Šálek M (2019). Make EU trade with Brazil sustainable. Science.

2018

Jirků M, Dostál D, Robovský J, Šálek M (2018). Reproduction of the golden jackal (Canis aureus) outside current resident breeding populations in Europe: evidence from the Czech Republic. Mammalia.
Kipson M, Šálek M, Lučan R, Uhrin M, Maxinová E, Bartonička T, Andreas M, Kipson K, Pušić A, Rnjak D, Naďo L, Horáček I (2018). Foraging habitat, home-range size and diet of a Mediterranean bat species, Savi’s pipistrelle. Acta Chiropterologica.
Pavliska PL, Riegert J, Grill S, Šálek M (2018). The effect of landscape heterogeneity on population density and habitat preferences of the European hare (Lepus europaeus) in contrasting farmlands. Mammalian Biology.
Poprach K, Poprach A, Opluštil L, Krause F, Škorpíková V, Šálek M, Kodet V (2018). Sýček obecný (Athene noctua) na jižní Moravě v letech 1990–2017. Crex - Zpravodaj Jihomoravské pobočky ČSO, 37: 18-66.
Šálek M, Bažant M, Żmihorski M (2018). Active farmsteads are year-round strongholds for farmland birds. Journal of Applied Ecology.
Šálek M, Żmihorski M (2018). Manure heaps attract farmland birds during winter. Bird Study.
Šálek M, Hula V, Kipson M, Daňková R, Niedobová J, Gamero A (2018). Bringing diversity back to agriculture: Smaller fields and non-crop elements enhance biodiversity in intensively managed arable farmlands. Ecological Indicators.

2017

Chrenková M, Dobrý M, Šálek M (2017). Further evidence of large-scale population decline and range contraction of the little owl Athene noctua in Central Europe. Folia zoologica.
Linhart P, Šálek M (2017). The assessment of biases in the acoustic discrimination of individuals. PLoS ONE, e0177206.

2016

Jacobsen LB, Chrenková M, Sunde P, Šálek M, Thorup K (2016). Effects of food provisioning and habitat management on spatial behaviour of Little Owls during the breeding season. Ornis Fennica.
Lučan RK, Bartonička T, Jedlička P, Řeřucha Š, Šálek M, Čížek M, Nicolaou H, Horáček I (2016). Spatial activity and feeding ecology of the endangered northern population of the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus). Journal of Mammalogy.
Šálek M, Chrenková M, Dobrý M, Kipson M, Grill S, Radovan V (2016). Scale-dependent habitat associations of a rapidly declining farmland predator, the Little Owl Athene noctua, in contrasting agricultural landscapes. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment.
Šálek M, Beran V, Hanzlíková M, Kipson M, Molitor P, Praus L, Procházka V, Šimeček K, Vít P, Zeman V (2016). Strnad zahradní (Emberiza hortulana) v České republice: změny početnosti a současné rozšíření v jádrových oblastech. Sylvia, 52: 34-52.

2015

Červinka J, Riegert J, Grill S, Šálek M (2015). Large-scale evaluation of carnivore road mortality: the effect of landscape and local scale characteristics. Mammal Research.
Pellegrino I, Negri A, Boano G, Cucco M, Kristensen TN, Pertoldi C, Randi E, Šálek M, Mucci N (2015). Evidence for strong genetic structure in European populations of the little owl Athene noctua. Journal of Avian Biology.
Šálek M, Havlíček J, Riegert J, Nešpor M, Fuchs R, Kipson M (2015). Winter density and habitat preferences of three declining granivorous farmland birds: The importance of the keeping of poultry and dairy farms. Journal for Nature Conservation.
Šálek M, Drahníková L, Tkadlec E (2015). Changes in home range sizes and population densities of carnivore species along the natural to urban habitat gradient. Mammal Review.
Šálek M, Kučera T, Zimmermann K, Bartůšková I, Plátek M, Grill S, Konvička M (2015). Edges within farmland: Management implications of taxonspecific species richness correlates. Basic and applied Ecology.
Šálek M (2015). Zvoní umíráček naší dříve nejhojnější sově?. Ochrana přírody, 70: 24-27.
Šálek M, Riegert J, Grill S (2015). The House Sparrows Passer domesticus and Tree Sparrows Passer montanus: fine-scale distribution, population densities, and habitat selection in a Central European city. Acta Ornithologica, .

2014

Červinka J, Drahníková L, Kreisinger J, Šálek M (2014). Effect of habitat characteristics on mesocarnivore occurrence in urban environment in the Central Europe. Urban Ecosystems.
Lučan RK, Bartonička T, Benda P, Bilgin R, Jedlička P, Nicolaou H, Reiter A, Shohdi WM, Šálek M, Řeřucha Š, Uhrin M, Abi-Said M, Horáček I (2014). Reproductive seasonality of the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) at the northern limits of its distribution. Journal of Mammalogy.
Pellegrino I, Negri A, Cucco M, Mucci N, Pavia M, Šálek M, Boano G, Randi E (2014). Phylogeography and Pleistocene refugia of the Little Owl Athene noctua inferred from mtDNA sequence data. Ibis.
Šálek M, Červinka J, Banea OC, Krofel M, Ćirović D, Selanec I, Penezić A, Grill S, Riegert J (2014). Population densities and habitat use of the golden jackal (Canis aureus) in farmlands across the Balkan Peninsula. European Journal of Wildlife Research.
Šálek M, Červinka J, Pavluvčík P, Poláková S, Tkadlec E (2014). Forest-edge utilization by carnivores in relation to local and landscape habitat characteristics in central European farmland. Mammalian Biology.
Šálek M (2014). Dlouhodobý pokles početnosti sýčka obecného (Athene noctua) v jádrové oblasti jeho rozšíření v Čechách. Sylvia, 50: 2-11.
Šálek M, Červinka J, Padyšáková E, Kreisinger J (2014). Does spatial co-occurrence of carnivores in a Central European agricultural landscape follow the null model?. European Journal of Wildlife Research.
Šálek M (2014). Populační hustota hrdličky zahradní Streptopelia decaocto v různých typech městské zástavby. Sluka, 10: 38-48.

2013

Červinka J, Šálek M, Padyšáková E, Šmilauer P (2013). The effects of local and landscape-scale habitat characteristics and prey availability on corridor use by carnivores: A comparison of two contrasting farmlands. Journal for Nature Conservation.
Lučan RK, Šálek M (2013). Observation of successful mobbing of an insectivorous bat, Taphozous nudiventris (Emballonuridae), on an avian predator, Tyto alba (Tytonidae). Mammalia.
Šálek M, Spassov N, Anděra M, Enzinger K, Ottlecz B, Hegyeli Z (2013). Population status, habitat associations, and distribution of the steppe polecat Mustela eversmanii in Europe. Acta Theriologica.
Šálek M, Chrenková M, Kipson M (2013). High population density of Little Owl (Athene noctua) in Hortobagy National Park, Hungary, Central Europe. Polish Journal of Ecology, 61: 165-169.

2012

Šálek M, Lövy M (2012). Spatial ecology and habitat selection of Little Owl Athene noctua during the breeding season in Central European farmland. Bird Conservation International.

2011

Červinka J, Šálek M, Pavluvčík P, Kreisinger J (2011). The fine-scale utilization of forest edges by mammalian mesopredators related to patch size and conservation issues in Central European farmland. Biodiversity and Conservation.
Svobodová J, Kreisinger J, Šálek M, Koubová M, Albrecht T (2011). Testing mechanistic explanations for mammalian predator responses to habitat edges. European Journal of Wildlife Research.

2010

Padyšáková E, Šálek M, Poledník L, Sedláček F, Albrecht T (2010). Predation on simulated duck nests in relation to nest density and landscape structure. Wildlife Research.
Šálek M, Kreisinger J, Sedláček F, Albrecht T (2010). Do prey densities determine preferences of mammalian predators for habitat edges in an agricultural landscape?. Landscape and Urban Planning.

2009

Padyšáková E, Šálek M, Poledník L, Sedláček F, Albrecht T (2009). Removal of American mink increases the success of simulated nests in linear habitat. Wildlife Research.
Šálek M, Kreisinger J, Sedláček F, Albrecht T (2009). Corridor vs. hayfield matrix use by mammalian predators in an agricultural landscape. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment.