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Lecturer(s)
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Štrojsová Martina, RNDr. Ph.D.
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Pudil Martin, Mgr.
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Feřtová Jitka, Mgr.
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Pavlů Lenka, Ing. Ph.D.
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Titěra Jan, Ing. Ph.D.
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Course content
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1. Ecology as a discipline, areas of interest in ecology, descriptive and functional ecology. 2. Individual and environment - biotic conditions, resources, abiotic environmental conditions (solar radiation, heat, atmosphere, water and soil), gradients of environmental conditions, ecological valence, habitat, niche, environmental adaptation. 3. Relationships between organisms - types of relationships (positive, negative, neutral), intraspecific and interspecific relationships, Tilman model. 4. Population ecology - population characteristics, population changes over time (survival function, growth pattern), age structure. 5. Populations in space and time - distribution of populations in space, metapopulations, core and satellite species, source and sink sites, emergence and demise of populations and species. 6. Community ecology - community definition, descriptive (species composition, age and spatial structure, etc.) and functional characteristics (mechanisms of species coexistence, ecological stability, etc.). 7. Evolution of communities - primary and secondary succession, climax, trade-off principle, life strategies (r-strategy, K-strategy, S-strategy, R-strategy and C-strategy), species diversity, dominants, keystone species. 8. Ecosystem ecology - characteristics, energy flow and cycling of substances in the ecosystem, food relationships, trophic levels (producer, consumer and destroyer), food webs of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and their differences, primary and secondary production. 9. Food resources - limiting elements, Liebig's law of minimum, nutrient uptake models, ecological stoichiometry. 10. Biogeochemical cycles of major elements (C, N, P) and substances (water) in ecosystems. Basic concepts (reservoir, flux, input, output, residence time, nutrient cycling), bottom-up and top-down approach. 11. Biomes of the world - basic divisions, vegetation zones and stages. 12. Biomes of the Czech Republic - basic division, vegetation zones and stages. 13. Biosphere and man - human impact on ecosystems, energy, raw materials, food, disturbance of natural ecosystems. 14. Landscape ecology - components, elements and structure of landscape, changes in cultural landscape.
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Self-study (text study, reading, problematic tasks, practical tasks, experiments, research, written assignments), Lecture, Task-based study method
- Class attendance
- 56 hours per semester
- Preparation for credit
- 30 hours per semester
- Preparation for exam
- 50 hours per semester
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Learning outcomes
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The course focuses on the composition (biotic and abiotic components), properties, types and functions of freshwater ecosystems. Marine hydrobiology is dealt with only marginally. The course introduces the relationships of organisms to their environment and the relationships between organisms. The characteristics of standing waters (lakes, reservoirs, ponds, etc.) and flowing waters (streams, rivers) will be discussed, as well as the basic characteristics of typical or ecologically important organisms that inhabit particular habitats. Additional information will be provided on applied limnology focused on water pollution problems (acidification and eutrophication, civilization-specific pollutants in waters, aquatic blooms, etc.). The course will introduce basic hydrobiological methods during practical field exercises. In addition, microscopy of collected samples and identification of organisms present will be done.
Teoretical knowledge and practical skills in the field.
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Prerequisites
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General orientation in the subject.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Written assignment, Test
A condition for the award of credit is active participation in the exercises, preparation of protocols and presentation of a paper on the selected topic. The course ends with an oral examination.
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Recommended literature
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BEGON, M., HARPER, J., TOWNSEND, D. Ekologie - jedinci, populace, společenstva. Olomouc: Vydavatelství UP, 1997. ISBN 80-7067-695-7.
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FROUZ, J. a FROUZOVÁ, J. Aplikovaná ekologie. Praha: Karolinum, 2021. ISBN 978-80-246-4693-0.
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POKORNÝ, P., STORCH, D. (Ed.). Antropocén. Praha: Academia, 2020. ISBN 978-80-200-3129-7.
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PRACH, K., ŠTECH, M. a ŘÍHA, P. Ekologie a rozšíření biomů na Zemi. Praha: Scientia, 2009. ISBN 9788086960463.
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