Mgr. Martina Komárková, Ph.D.
Personal information
Email: komarkova@ftz.czu.cz
Date and place of birth: 31st of March 1983, Prague, Czech Republic
Orcid, Research Gate
Education
2002 - 2007: MSc. Studies in Biology.
Section of Ecology and Ethology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague
2007 - 2013: Ph.D. Studies in Zoology.
Section of Ecology and Ethology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague
Work experience
2008 - 2016: Researcher in the Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Prague, Czech Republic
Since 2018: Assistant Researcher at the Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
Since 2023: Research Coordinator for Prague Zoo
Since 2025: Vice Dean for Development at the Faculty of Tropical Agrisciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
Teaching activity
Bc and MSc programs, Czech and English language
2007 – 2014: Participation in courses of Ethology and Vertebrate Morphology at the Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic
Since 2012: Lectures about Horse Ethology at the Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic (Czech and English language)
Since 2015: Lectures about Horse Nutrition at the Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic (English language)
Since 2018: Lectures about Large animal husbandry, Tropical animal breeding, Introduction into animal husbandry (Guarantee) and Resource ecology at the Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic (Czech and English language)
Since 2023/2024: New subjects: Sustainable Livestock Production, Animal Welfare (Guarantee), Vertebrate Zoology and Animal Production at the Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic (English language)
Since 2024: Animal welfare within the online master’s program TropAg
Supervising: at Charles University in Prague, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague – more than 20 bachelor's theses, 6 master's theses defended, ongoing: 2 PhD thesis, 2 master's theses, 6 bachelor's theses
Participation in relevant research projects
2009 – 2011: Member of the research team of the project NAZV QH 92265 supported by the Czech Ministry of Agriculture (Optimisation of the breeding management and veterinary care in the critically endangered population of Kladruby horse)
2011 – 2015: Member of the research team of the project AWIN supported by the EU VII Framework Program (FP7-KBBE-2010-4) (Animal Welfare Indicators)
2021-: Member of the Animal Physiology and Behaviour team funded by IGA (Internal Grant Agency of the Faculty of Tropical Agrisciences)
Other scientific activities
2011 - 2015: Secretary of the Czech and Slovak Ethological Society
2011 - 2013: Editor of the Faculty of Science web section for scientific dissemination: http://www.natur.cuni.cz/fakulta/veda-a-vyzkum/popularizace/vypis-clanku
Since 2015: Ethology advisor in the project of the repatriation of big ungulates (namely horses, cattle and bisons) to the Czech landscape (www.ceskakrajina.cz)
Member of the organizing committee in the International conferences:
- Joint East and West Central Europe Regional Meeting of International Society of Applied Ethology, held in Kostelec nad Černými Lesy Czech Republic in 2011;
- Czech and Slovak Ethological Conference held in Nové Město na Moravě, Czech Republic in 2012;
- European Conference on Behavioural Biology held in Prague, Czech Republic in 2014;
- Czech and Slovak Ethological Conference held in České Budějovice, Czech Republic in 2015;
- International Wild Equid Conference, held in Prague, 2019;
Member of the Czech and Slovak Ethological Society, European Federation of Animal Science
Popularisation articles for the Czech media
Since 2021: Teaching for the “University of the Third Age”
Since 2025: Faculty Coordinator for the “University of the Third Age”
2023: Presentations for stakeholders (Donkey ethology and welfare)
Reviews
Journals: Plos One, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Scientific Reports, Animals, Frontiers in Mammal Science
Grant agencies: Czech Ministry of Agriculture (program KUS), Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (program InterExcellence)
Reviewer for the European Commission, Research Executive Agency, Horizon MCSA – both Postdoctoral Fellowships and Doctoral Network
Research fellowships
2012: University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain (maternal behaviour and dominance hierarchy in red deer hinds Cervus elaphus) supported by Hlávkova Foundation (30 days)
2015: University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, supported by Programa Operativo Feder de Castilla-La Mancha 2014-2020 (30 days)
2023: Université 8 Mai 1945 Guelma, Algeria, Erasmus+ mobility for networking (research on domestic equine welfare (Equus asinus, Equus caballus), workshop on farm animal welfare assessment, lectures dedicated to Animal welfare for Bc and MSc students) (16 days)
2023: Field research in Mongolia, supported by Prague Zoo (Environmental resource monitoring as a preparation for a new reintroduction project of Equus przewalskii, networking) (30 days)
2024: Field research in Kazakhstan, supported by Prague Zoo (Plant monitoring and behavioural observations of reintroduced Equus przewalskii, networking) (21 days)
2025: Field research in Kazakhstan, supported by Prague Zoo (Plant monitoring and behavioural observations of reintroduced Equus przewalskii, networking) (21 days)
Language skills
English (C1), German (B1), Spanish (A1)
List of publications
Šandlová, K., Ceacero, F., & Komárková, M. (2025). Daddy matters: exploring the effects of stallion presence on foal behaviour. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 106683.
Bercy, A., Ceacero, F., & Komárková, M. (2025). Antipredator behaviour in semi-feral horses: innate response and the influence of external factors. Animal Cognition, 28(1), 8.
Bernátková, A., Oyunsaikhan, G., Šimek, J., Komárková, M., & Ceacero, F. (2024). Social networks of reintroduced Przewalski’s horses in the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area (Mongolia). Current Zoology, 70(2), 182-194.
Esattore, B., Buczek, M., Dušek, A., Kotrba, R., Pluháček, J., Ceacero, F., Komárková, M.,... & Bartoš, L. (2024). Ivermectin decreases parasite load, testosterone, and potentially antler length in a group of captive red deer males (Cervus elaphus). Research in Veterinary Science, 166, 105095.
Bernátková, A., Oyunsaikhan, G., Komárková, M., Bobek, M., & Ceacero, F. (2024). Origin and experience influence the leading behaviour of reintroduced Przewalski's horses. Animal Behaviour, 215, 89-96.
Bartoš, L., Esattore, B., Kotrba, R., Pluháček, J., Ceacero, F., Komárková, M., ... & Bartošová, J. (2023). The effects of challenge or social buffering on cortisol, testosterone, and antler growth in captive red deer (Cervus elaphus) males. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 21856.
Bernátková, A., Ceacero, F., Oyunsaikhan, G., Sukhbaatar, D., Šimek, J., & Komárková, M. (2023). Novel observation of play behaviour between a harem holder and a bachelor group of Przewalski’s horses in the wild. Acta Ethologica, 26(2), 145-150.
Ceacero, F., Ny, V., Kotrba, R., Bartoň, L., Čupić, S., Bureš, D., Turek, J., Komárková, M. & Needham, T. (2023). Combined effects of supplementation of amino acids and immunocastration in first antler growth of farmed fallow deer (Dama dama). Animal Production Science.
Esattore, B., Villagrán, M., Pluháček, J., Komárková, M., Dušek, A., Kotrba, R., Bartošová, J., Bartoš, L. (2020). To beat or not to beat: Behavioral plasticity during the antler growth period affects cortisol but not testosterone concentrations in red deer (Cervus elaphus) males. General and Comparative Endocrinology. 297:113552.
Šandlová, K., Komárková, M., & Ceacero, F. (2020). Daddy, daddy cool: stallion–foal relationships in a socially-natural herd of Exmoor ponies. Animal cognition, 23(4), 781-793.
Ceacero, F., Komárková, M., García, A. J., & Gallego, L. (2019). Different maternal investment strategies for male and female calves in a polygynous mammal. Current zoology, 65(3), 269-277.
Ceacero, F., García, A. J., Landete-Castillejos, T., Komárková, M., Hidalgo, F., Serrano, M. P., & Gallego, L. (2016). The Many Axes of Deer Lactation. Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia, 1-7.
Dubcová, J., Bartošová, J., & Komárková, M. (2015). Effects of prompt versus stepwise relocation to a novel environment on foals' responses to weaning in domestic horses (Equus caballus). Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research.
Ceacero, F., Pluháček, J., Komárková, M., & Zábranský, M. (2015). Pre-orbital gland opening during aggressive interactions in rusa deer (Rusa timorensis). Behavioural processes, 111, 51-54.
Komárková, M., Bartošová, J., & Dubcová, J. (2014). Age and group residence but not maternal dominance affect dominance rank in young domestic horses. Journal of animal science, 92(11), 5285-5292.
Ceacero, F., Landete-Castillejos, T., Bartošová, J., García, A. J., Bartoš, L., Komárková, M., Gallego, L. (2014). Habituating to handling: Factors affecting preorbital gland opening in red deer calves. Journal of Animal Science. doi: 10.2527/jas.2014-7716
Komárková, M., & Bartošová, J., (2013). Lateralized suckling in domestic horses (Equus caballus). Animal Cognition. 16 (3), 343-349.
Bartošová, J., Komárková, M., Dubcová, J., Bartoš, L., Pluháček, J., (2011). Concurrent lactation and pregnancy: pregnant domestic horse mares do not increase mother-offspring conflict during intensive lactation. Plos one. 6(8), e22068
Komárková, M., Bartošová, J., Dubcová, J., (2011). Effect of mares’ dominance rank on suckling behaviour in the loose-housed domestic horses. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 133, 54– 59.
Participation in SELECTED international conferences as the first author
6 oral presentations, 13 poster presentations
Species of Interest
Ungulates, with a particular focus on Perissodactyls, have been the centrepiece of my scientific pursuits. My research initially concentrated on Equids and later expanded to include Cervids and domesticated Bovids. Currently, my work primarily explores animal welfare, both in captivity—such as equids and zoo animals in Algeria, and common elands at the CZU experimental farm in Lány—and in the (semi) wild conditions, with a focus on the natural behaviour of semi-feral Exmoor ponies in the Czech Republic and reintroduction projects involving Przewalski’s horses in Kazakhstan and Mongolia.
