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Lecturer(s)
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Mládek Jan, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Kuras Tomáš, RNDr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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Lectures 1-2. Levels of macronutrients in biosphere, disproportions in nutrient concentrations, main nutrient flows in the ecosystems 3-4. Biological fixation of nitrogen, litter decomposition, atmospheric deposition 5-6. Nutrient mineralization and immobilization in soil 7. Student's presentations of critical analyses of published studies 8-9. Concept of nutrient stoichiometry, nutrient limitation of vegetation (Liebig law of minimum) 10-11. Methods for determination of nutrient availability and total nutrient storage in the soil profile, isotope methods for determination of nutrient acquisition and nutrient retention by plants 12-13. Methods for determination of nutrient transfer by herbivores, calculation of nutrient balance
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training), Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook)
- Preparation for the Exam
- 10 hours per semester
- Semestral Work
- 3 hours per semester
- Homework for Teaching
- 1 hour per semester
- Preparation for the Course Credit
- 5 hours per semester
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Learning outcomes
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The aim of the course is introducing of biogeochemical cycles of macroelements (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur) at different spatial scales to students. More attention will be devoted to the flows of nutrients between soil, plants and animals within agroecosystems and forest ecosystems in temperate zone. Lectures will be focused on the following processes: biological fixation of nitrogen, litter decomposition, mineralization and immobilization of nutrients in soil but also on the influence of atmosperic nitrogen deposition. Concept of nutrient stoichiometry, i.e. equilibrium in nutrient ratios, will be presented in detail as it is fundamental for elucidation of nutrient limitation of vegetation. Further, disproportions in nutrient concentrations in soil and different trophic levels will be demonstrated. Students will gain an overview about methods for determination of total nutrient storage in the soil profile, nutrient availibility for plants, isotop techniques for determination of nutrient acquisition and retention by plants as well as about methods enabling quantification of nutrient transfer by herbivores. After completing the course students will be able to calculate the balance of nutrient flows in a ecosystem.
- knowledge of processes determining nutrient flows in ecosystems - overview of the methods enabling quantification of nutrient storage and nutrient availability in soil - calculation of nutrient balance in ecosystems - qualification for determination of nutrient limitation of vegetation
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Prerequisites
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- willingness of generating and testing ecological hypothesis - general overview about pedology and plant ecology - knowledge of handling data in spreadsheet (MS Excel) - knowledge of basic statistical techniques and data handling in statistical software (e.g. Statistica) - own laptop
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Oral exam, Written exam, Seminar Work
- active participiation in discussion during lectures - 2 points - critical analysis of published study and its presentation in course - 3 points - writing of seminar work - 5 points
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Recommended literature
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BassiriRad H. Nutrient acquisition by plants: An ecological perspective. Springer, Berlin. (2009).
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Marschner P, Rengel Z (2007). Nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Springer, Berlin.
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Sterner RW, Elser JJ (2002). Ecological stoichiometry. Princeton University Press, Princeton..
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Stevens C (2009). The Impact of atmospheric nitrogen deposition on grasslands: species composition and biogeochemistry. VDM Verlag, Saarbrücken..
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Vitousek P (2004). Nutrient cycling and limitation: Hawai'i as a model system. Princeton University Press, Princeton..
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