Course: Hydrobiology

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Course title Hydrobiology
Course code KBE/HYB
Organizational form of instruction Lecture + Lesson
Level of course Master
Year of study not specified
Semester Summer
Number of ECTS credits 2
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory-optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements Course does not contain work placement
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Štrojsová Martina, RNDr. Ph.D.
Course content
1. Hydrobiology - characteristics of the scientific field (limnology, hydrochemistry, oceanobiology) and history in the Czech Republic. Water - physical and chemical properties of water, sunlight and temperature in the aquatic ecosystem. 2. Properties of the aquatic environment, water in the landscape, types of water (surface, groundwater, standing and flowing) and their basic characteristics. 3. Basic limnological methods - sampling methods - abiotic and biotic parameters, types of samples and sample cards, site survey. 4. Food relations - energy flow and cycle of elements in aquatic ecosystems, trophic levels (producer, consumer and destruent), trophogenic and tropholytic layer, compensation level, primary and secondary production, herbivorous predation chain, microbial loop. 5. Biogeochemical cycles of elements (oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, iron, sulfur, silicon) and substances (water) in the aquatic environment. 6. Ecological stoichiometry - quality (ratio of main nutrients; C: N: P) and quantity of food sources, influence on primary and secondary production, rate of decomposition, species composition of phytoplankton and zooplankton, food webs. 7. Standing waters - abiotic factors - physical (flow, temperature, light, etc.) and chemical (ion composition, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, etc.) characteristics, types of standing waters (lakes, reservoirs, ponds, pools, periodic waters) . Zoning of stagnant waters (epilimnion, hypolimnion, metalimnion, littoral, pelagic, bental), stratification, classification of stagnant waters according to the production of organic matter (oligotrophy, mesotrophy, eutrophy). 8. Standing waters - biotic factors - characteristics of standing water communities, their horizontal and vertical division (plankton, necton, benthos, uston, pleuston), main representatives of communities and their characteristics, diurnal vertical migration of organisms, macrovegetation. 9. Flowing waters - abiotic factors - physical (flow, temperature, light, etc.) and chemical (ion composition, dissolved oxygen, nutrients) characteristics, interactions in the river system, rheolaglagial, bental, hyporeal, zoning of rivers (krenon, rhithron, potamon). 10. Flowing waters - biotic factors - characteristics of running water communities, division (plankton, necton, benthos, neutron, pleuston, hyporeos), main representatives of communities and their characteristics, macrovegetation, drift, changes of communities in the longitudinal profile of the flow, fish zones. Morphological and physiological adaptations of organisms to flow. 11. Wetlands - characteristics, significance and function, types of wetlands, plant and animal communities of wetlands. 12. Water pollution - eutrophication, acidification, civilization-specific pollutants in water, water flower, vegetation coloration, the effect of drought on the ecosystem. 13. Seasonal dynamics of planktonic communities, "clear water", PEG model, Hutchinson's "paradox of plankton". 14. Marine hydrobiology - a brief description of the ecosystem, functions and biology of the seas and oceans. Biological and abiotic factors, zoning, main representatives of communities and their characteristics.

Learning activities and teaching methods
Self-study (text study, reading, problematic tasks, practical tasks, experiments, research, written assignments), Project teaching, Laboratory work, Practicum
  • Class attendance - 42 hours per semester
  • Class attendance - 12 hours per semester
  • Preparation for exam - 30 hours per semester
  • Preparation for exam - 50 hours per semester
Learning outcomes
The aim of the course is to acquaint students with the composition (biotic and abiotic component), properties, types and functions of freshwater (inland) ecosystems, marine hydrobiology. Relationships of organisms to the environment and to relationships between organisms. Characteristics of stagnant waters (lakes, dams, ponds, etc.) and flowing waters (streams, rivers) and basic characteristics of typical or ecologically important organisms that inhabit individual habitats. Further information will be on applied limnology focused on water pollution problems (acidification and eutrophication, civilization-specific pollutants in water, water flower, etc.). Students will get acquainted with the basic hydrobiological methods, which they will learn during practical exercises in the field.
Theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the field.
Prerequisites
unspecified

Assessment methods and criteria
Oral exam, Written assignment, Test

Oral exam. The condition of the credit is active participation in seminars, elaboration of protocols and successful completion of the credit test.
Recommended literature
  • ADÁMEK, Z., HELEŠIC, J., MARŠÁLEK, B. A RULÍK, M. Aplikovaná hydrobiologie. 2. vydání. JU v Č. Budějovicích, 2014.
  • HARTMAN, P., PŘIKRYL, I. A ŠTĚDRONSKÝ, E. Hydrobiologie. Informatorium, Praha., 1998.
  • LELLÁK J. A KUBÍČEK, F. Hydrobiologie. Karolinum Praha., 1992.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester