Habitat Studies

elective courses
obligatory courses

ATTENTION! An integral part of this course are field activities, performed either (1) in September at the field station in Urwitałt or (2) during Saturday trips around Warsaw in October.

The form of field activities depends on the availability of the field station and the number of students participating in the course. Information on the formula of field classes and their dates are provided for specific academic years.

Classroom and field classes

Rudimentary concepts from ecology, including definition of habitat. Genesis, differentiation and characteristics of aquatic and terrestial habitats. Relations between habitat, biotop and biocenosis. Physical and geographical conditions determining characteristics of aquatic and terrestial habitats. Natural and antropogenic transformations of habitats. Sediments and soils as integral multifunctional constituents of aquatic and terrestial ecosystems. Genesis, differentiation and characteristics of sediments and soils. Systematics and identification of the most common soils and sediments. Types of habitats and their practical use in environmetal protection.

The following topics will be explain during the lectures:

- factors influencing establishment and development of terrestial habitats

- characteristics and ecological significance of aquatic habitat

- hydrochemistry of surface waters

- wetland ecosystems

- types of wetland ecosystems

- role of soil in the energy flow, water cycle and biogeochemical cycles

- basic physical, chemical and biological features of mineral nad organic soils

- main soil and soil-forming processes

- management of natural resources in protected areas

-factors differentiating global soil surface

During field part students will learn to identify soils according to thier morphological features and to assess impact of plant communities, bedrock and water balance on soil properties.

Samples taken during field part will be analysed in the laboratory, where students will learn methods for analyses of the most important soil (mineral and organic) and water properties.

Seminar will help students to arrange (statistically), interpret and present obtained results.

1. Bednarek R., Prusinkiewicz Z. 1999. Geografia gleb. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN

2. Dobrzański B., Zawadzki S. (Red.)1995. Gleboznawstwo. PWRiL

3. Kabata-Pendias A., Pendias H. 1999. Biogeochemia pierwiastków śladowych. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN

4. Kajak A. 2016. Biologia gleby. Wydawnictwo SGGW

5. Mannion A.M. 2001. Zmiany środowiska Ziemi. Historia środowiska przyrodniczego i kulturowego. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN

6. Matuszkiewicz W. 2001. Przewodnik do oznaczania zbiorowisk roślinnych Polski. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN

7. Matuszkiewicz W., Sikorski P., Szwed W., Wierzba M. 2012. Lasy i zarośla. Wydawnictwo naukowe PWN.

8. Mocek A. (Red.) 2015. Gleboznawstwo. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN

9. Systematyka Gleb Polski 2019 Polskie Towarzystwo Gleboznawcze

http://www.ejpau.media.pl/PDFy/systematyka-gleb-polski-wyd%206.pdf

10. Tobolski K. 2000. Przewodnik do oznaczania torfów i osadów jeziornych. Ser. Vademecum Geobotanicum. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.

11. Wysocki C., Sikorski P. 2009. Fitosocjologia stosowana. Wydawnictwo SGGW

Knowledge:

1. on genesis, differentiation and characteristics of aquatic and terrestial habitats (K_W02, K_W07)

2. on relations between habitat, biotop and biocenosis (K_W02, K_W05)

3. on natural and anthropogenic transformations of habitats (K_W06, K_W07)

4. on factors differentiating global soil surface (K_W02)

5. on practical use of habitat studies in environmental protection (K_W04, K_W05)

6. on common methods of analysis and assessment of aquatic and terrestial habitats (K_W03)

Abilities:

1. use of common methods for description and identification of soil (mineral and organic) and waters ( K_U03, K_U07)

2. use of graphical and statistical methods for results interpretation (K_U02)

3.interpretation of mutual relations between habitat and biocenosis (K_U01, K_U04)

4. individual studies on proposed literature and internet resources (K_U05)

5. proper presentation of results with bibliography (K_U12)

Social abilities:

1. team work (K_K05)

2. proper use of health and safety rules in laboratory (K_K01)

3. discriminating analysis of information acessible in mass media and scientific literature (K_K02, K_K03)

4. broadening and updating knowledge on practical aspects of habitat studies (K_K02)

Lecture - written exam (test). Practical course - individual scientific project (evaluation of realisation and presentation of its results).

ATTENTION! An integral part of this course are field activities, performed either (1) in September at the field station in Urwitałt or (2) during Saturday trips around Warsaw in October.

The form of field activities depends on the availability of the field station and the number of students participating in the course. Information on the formula of field classes and their dates are provided for specific academic years.