Ecology

obligatory courses

During the course will be discussed the philosophical and theoretical assumptions of ecology, basic concepts and definitions, the main abiotic factors, phenomena and processes that occur at different levels of the organization of nature (biosphere, ecosystem, biocoenosis, population, individual), and issues related to the thermodynamics of ecological systems. The students learn the most important research methods used in ecological studies and ways to elaborate the results. The course is conducted in the form of lectures, a discussion panel and individual work of the students’, including a research task:

- experiment on predator-prey interactions, changes of population abundance in time;

- evaluation of the density and spatial structure of a population of major undergrowth species in selected forest communities.

During the course will be discussed the philosophical and theoretical assumptions of ecology, basic concepts and definitions, the main abiotic factors, phenomena and processes that occur at different levels of the organization of nature (biosphere, ecosystem, biocoenosis, population, individual), and issues related to the thermodynamics of ecological systems. During individual work, the students learn how to use ecological research methods and how to elaborate study results. In addition, students individually carry out a research task: experiment (predator-prey interactions, changes of population abundance in time) or estimation of the density and spatial structure of a population of major undergrowth species in selected forest fragments, and present the results of this task in a report.

The theoretical classes comprise the following thematic blocks, which include lectures and discussion panels:

Lectures:

1. Origin of life, basic concepts and definitions used in ecology, philosophical assumptions of ecology.

2. Ecological factors: climatic, physiographic, orographic, edaphic, biotic.

3. Biosphere: metabolism, primary production, decomposition.

4. Ecosystem - structure and functioning: trophic networks, trophic chains, trophic pyramids, energy flow, circulation of matter.

5. Stability of ecosystems: balance, durability and stability.

6. Dynamics of ecosystems: the classical theory of succession and alternative theories.

7. Population: characteristics, processes, dynamics, survival curves, demography.

8. Organism: ecological niche, ecological amplitude, acclimatization, adaptation, tolerance and resistance to stress, and intra- and interspecific interactions.

9. Biomes: climatic and soil zones, vegetation formations and associated animal communities.

10. Biodiversity: levels, measurements, patterns, synanthropic species, species invasions.

Discussion panels:

1. Reductionism or holism, which view do you identify with and why?

2. Whether and how biological processes can modify abiotic factors?

3. How do human activities affect the rate of metabolism in the biosphere?

4. Is it possible to interpret the interaction between components of the ecosystem as an energy transformation process?

5. Is balance in nature a desirable state and are invariability states of ecological systems favourable for them?

6. Is succession a deterministic or a stochastic process, and why?

7. How do demographic processes proceed in a human population?

8. Whether and how do different types of interactions between species affect evolutionary processes?

9. What is the phenomenon of synergism?

10. Does diversity guarantee stability?

Practical classes:

1. Methods of estimating population density.

2. Forms of plant life and patterns of plant life cycles.

3. Measurement of the rate of primary production.

4. Evaluation of the abundance of wild animals.

5. Construction of survival tables.

On completion of the course, the student:

- knows and uses the concepts of ecology,

- understands ecological phenomena and processes occurring at different levels of the organization of nature,

- understands scientific criticism,

- is able to formulate his own views and support them by appropriate arguments,

- knows the basic research methods used in ecology and uses them in individual work,

- is able to elaborate the study results and interpret them correctly.

Knowledge of all issues presented during the course (final written assessment). Preparation of a report presenting the results of the research task.