Flora and Fauna

biology
biotechnology
environmental protection

elective courses
obligatory courses

The course takes place from 23.06.24 to 6.07.24. Personal confirmation till the end of May is required for participitation in the course. Resignation after this term causes formal issues. Registration and information: dr hab Paweł Koperski, Department of Hydrobiology, CNBCh, p.t.koperski@uw.edu.pl, 22 5526538. Detailed information about the course also at: http://www.hydro.biol.uw.edu.pl section Courses.

Classroom and field classes

The course takes place at a field station of the University of Warsaw located on Mazurian Lakeland in Urwitałt. The main aim of the course is to aquire the knowledge about flora of Poland in terms of its seasonal and spatial variability and about fauna of Poland in terms of its diversity in terrestrial and freshwater environments typical in lowland landscape. Students learn how to recognize plants and animals using keys and field guides and also learn the biology of the most common species of plants (trees, shrubs and herbs) and animals (birds, fish, amphibians, terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates).

A. Floristic part

The main aim of the course is to aquire knowledge about flora of Poland by means of its seasonal and spatial variability and about the main factors affecting plant diversity. Students learn how to identify plants using different keys and field guides and to recognize the most common species of the trees, bush and herbs.

Main subjects:

1. Flora and habitats of the forest (broadleaved, coniferous, riparian)

2. Flora and habitats of the meadows and pastures

3. Peat bogs and lowland bogs

4. Freshwater plants

5. Synanthropic plants (ruderal species and weeds)

Lab activity

1. usage of different types of keys for plant identification

2. identification of the most important plant famiilies, commonly occured in Poland.

To pass the test of the floristic part the following knowledge and abilities are required: the knowledge about 100 vascular herbaceous plant species and selected mosses, trees and shrubs; practical usage of the key for plant identification; the characteristics of the main families of the flowering plants and of the most typical habitats and plant communities.

B. Faunistic part

This part is conducted by the researchers of theDepartment of Ecology and Department of Hydrobiology, University of Warsaw. The main aims of this part of the course are: to aquire th e biological diversity of the most important groups animals in typical terrestrial and freshwater environmentsof Polish lowlands; to learn the methods ofcollecting and identification of the most common groups and species of fauna in particular environments; to get the knowledge of biology of those animals, their taksonomy and zoological nomenclature.

Main subjects

Each student takes part in three courses, concentrated on identification and biology of particular groups of animals: terrestrial invertebrates (incects, arachnids and snails), freshwater invertebrates (annelids, molluscs, arthropods) and vertebrates (fish, amphibians an birds. Each course incudes: field trips, collecting and observation of animals at field, lectures and practical lab activities. Each of the course ends with test.

To pass the test of the faunistic part the following knowledge and abilities are required: the ability of recognition of the most common animals on the level of species (vertebrates) or on higher level (invertebrates); the capability of using the keys to identification and field guides. Also the knowledge about the biology of selected animals and the field methods is required in tests.

supplied by organizers during the course

After the course student:

1. Is capable to use different types of keys to identifying plants and animals and field guides to recognizing common species.

2. Is able to characterize common floristic and faunistic communities in terrestrial freshwater environments typiocal for Polish lowlands.

3. Knows the biology of common groups/species of plant and animals and the field methods of their collecting.

The result of the exam is the basis of the assessment of the student work. However, activity during both field and lab courses is also took into consideration. Positive results of all partial tests and the attendance in all parts of the course is necessary to get the pass.