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Course, academic year 2023/2024
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Advanced ecology I. - MB162P48
Title: Advanced ecology I.
Czech title: Ekologie pro pokročilé I.
Guaranteed by: Department of Ecology (31-162)
Faculty: Faculty of Science
Actual: from 2023 to 2023
Semester: winter
E-Credits: 4
Examination process: winter s.:combined
Hours per week, examination: winter s.:3/0, Ex [HT]
Capacity: unlimited
Min. number of students: unlimited
4EU+: no
Virtual mobility / capacity: no
State of the course: taught
Language: English
Note: enabled for web enrollment
Guarantor: doc. RNDr. Linda Nedbalová, Ph.D.
Teacher(s): RNDr. Martin Černý, Ph.D.
doc. RNDr. David Hořák, Ph.D.
doc. RNDr. Linda Nedbalová, Ph.D.
RNDr. Veronika Sacherová, Ph.D.
Mgr. Marek Stibal, Ph.D.
Mgr. Irena Šímová, Ph.D.
RNDr. Jasna Vukićová, Ph.D.
Mgr. Jakub Žárský, Ph.D.
Annotation -
Last update: RNDr. Veronika Sacherová, Ph.D. (31.05.2023)
The course AE I intends to give an insight into ecosystem ecology, with focus on general ecosystem concepts and
global patterns. We intentionally avoid biome classifying approach to keep coherent picture of Earth climate,
energetics, water and nutrient (re)cycling through the biosphere, with a hindsight to Earth history. We like to
present an overview of biological solutions to cope with environmental conditions and to exploit the resources
needed for life. Indeed we do distinguish terrestrial and aquatic realms as they “work” in very different physical
conditions setting specific constraints for each. We deal neither with topics regarding population and community
ecology (up to macroecological scales) nor biodiversity patterns - those are presented in Advanced Ecology II
lecture.
Literature -
Last update: RNDr. Veronika Sacherová, Ph.D. (31.05.2023)

Lenton T, Watson A (2011) Revolutions that made the Earth. Oxford Univ Press, 423 pp

Sterner R, Elser J (2002) Ecological Stoichiometry: The Biology of Elements from Molecules to the Biosphere. Princeton Univ Press, 439 pp.

Miller C, Wheeler P (2012) Biological Oceanography. Wiley. 464 pp

Bonan G (2016) Ecological Climatology, Concepts and Applications. Cambridge Univ Press, 692

Lampert W., Sommer U (2007) . Limnoecology - The Ecology of Lakes and Streams. Oxford Univ Press, 324

Agren G, Andresson A (2012) Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology - Principles and Applications. Cambridge Univ Press, 330 pp.

and many books by Vaclav Smil

Syllabus -
Last update: RNDr. Veronika Sacherová, Ph.D. (31.05.2023)

Ecosystem - concept, layers, holism x reductionism, complex adaptive system. Gaia. Ecosystem functions. Dynamics and stability of the ecosystem. Savanna question. Resistance, resilience and diversity, ecosystem services. Classification, examples?

Gross climatic picture - basic global patterns (climatic cells), seasonality, air/atmosphere properties, wind surface sea currents, thermohaline conveyor belt. Earth climate history → biosphere/ecosystem shaping and consequences for present

This might (in terms of schedule) overflow to next week ↓

Global energetics of Earth - energy distribution, greenhouse effect, energy transfers (sea currents). A comparison with energy budget of humans. Hydrological cycle - global and local - concept of Biotic pump (Makarieva, Gorshkov)

Global biogeochemic cycles - carbon (sources and sinks, focus on CO2, sequestration,, CH4. Anthropogenic shares (this more elaborated in environmental issues). Nitrogen - fixation, denitrification, rocks as a source. Phosphorus - sources, mykorrhiza, transoceanic transport, deposits to sediments - incl phosphate trap. Sulphur (anoxygenic photosynthesis, sea aerosols, DMS). Silica - perhaps?Ecosystem role of microbes (bacteria, arechea, protists?) in carbon/nutrient cycling, stoichiometric constraits. This lecture should extend previous more general lecture - insight to particular/specific ecosystems (cryosphere, deep biosphere, thermal vents, live in anoxy … etc)

Ecosystem energetics - primary production, autotrophy, photosynthesis, chemolithotrophy. PP/biomass relations, global patterns of biomass/PP, their limits. Energetic efficiency of food webs. (measuring PP, perhaps). …

Aquatic realm I. - limits and advantages of aquatic environment(s) - intro to water as physical environment (pressure, temperature,viscosity, … mixing etc…) Role of Co2/C03- in aquatic ecosystems

Aquatic realm II - Morphological, physiological and behavioral (and other) adaptations to aquatic environment: Senses, movement, feeding, antipredatory adaptations etc...)

Aquatic realm III - Aquatic food webs, primary/secondary production, carp ponds, eutrophication, acidification?, seasonal changes …

Terrestrial realm I - limits and advantages of terrestrial environments: water business, evapotranspiration, gradients - elevation/ treeline etc,

Primary productivity/biomass - global patterns, limits

Terrestrial realm II - biomechanics, senses, thermoregulation… = (not only) classic view on individual x environment interactions.

Terrestrial realm III Succession, climax, seasonal changes, disturbances (fires, floods, landslides etc..

How the World really works - sensu Smil - current environmental issues (climatic change) plus biological invasions and other (even perhaps past) issues - acid rains, czech carp ponds tragedy… ?

 
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