Ecology and Environmental Protection

obligatory courses

The last decades brought unprecedenced acceleration in biotechnology. New biotech applications of organisms (production of energy, biofuel, drugs, vaccines) and genetic modifications of organisms became affordable, cheap and common. Many of such organisms are recently used in free nature and those restricted to closed laboratories are often under ilusoric control.

Therefore, biotechnology increased its impact on nature. This impact can be positive (e.g. via reduction of emissions or removel of toxins from ecosystems) but can be detrimental for many species and ecosystems as well.

Thus, the aim of the lecture is to build a basic knowledge of the future biotechnologists, on the functioning of the living world: from organism to ecosystem. The knowledge needed for asessment of the potential risks and advantages, which can be brought by biotech activities.

Classroom

The lecture covers basic definitions, theories and rules of ecology (macroecology), showed in combination with environmental protection in the context of biotech applications. Risks and advantages of biotechnology are shown on this background.

The lectures cover the following main topics:

Why biotechnologists must learn ecology?

Evolutionary ecology

Behavioral ecology

Distribution and dispersal of organisms

Abundance, distribution, strategies and interactions of organisms

The common characteristics of communities

Natural terrestrial biomes of the world

Man and biosphere - civilisation and nature

Anthromes - the anthropogenic biomes

Extinctions of species - causes and risks

Ecological consequences of the global warming

GMO vs. biodiversity and ecosystems

Future applications of biotechnology in ecology and nature conservation

Krebs C.J. 2011. Ekologia, PWN

Wejner J. 2008. Życie i ewolucja biosfery, PWN

Ellis, E. C., Goldewijk, K. K., Siebert, S., Lightman, D., Ramankutty, N. 2009. Anthropogenic transformation of the biomes, 1700 to 2000. Global Ecology and Biogeography,

Ellis, E. C., Ramankutty, N. 2008. Putting people in the map: anthropogenic biomes of the world. Frontiers in ecology and the environment, 6: 439-447.

Knowledge:

Student possesses basic ecological knowledge, knows definitions, basic research methods, etc. (K_W02)

Possess a knowledge of the basic tools and technics used in ecological research (K_W04)

Skills:

Student is able to draw correct conclusions on effects of human activities on species and ecosystems (K_U06)

Knows how to prepare a critical review of the ecological problem with use of proper knowledge sources (K_U07)

Competences:

Knows biological processes and phenomena (K_K01)

Understands the need of dissemination of the knowledge in society and is able to pass the knowledge in clear manner in connection to the ecological knowledge (K_K06)

Written examination

None