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Lecturer(s)
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Lehotský Tomáš, RNDr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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1. Definition and basic principles of palaeoecology. Systems of organisms and their environment. Biosystems. Ecological niche. 2. Ecological factors. Tolerance and ecological valence. Abiotic ecological factors (substrate, light, temperature, humidity, precipitations, air pressure, content of oxygen and carbon dioxide, water density, viscosity and turbidity, flow and turbulence, salinity). 3. Mutual relations od organisms. Interspecific relations. Chemical interactions among organisms. Nutrition. Adaptation of organism to the environment. 4. Traces of life activities of organisms. 5. Population, distribution of individuals within the population. Population density. Natality. Mortality. Migration. Composition of the population. Frequency flustuations. 6. Biocenoses. Taphonomy. Properties of biocenoses. Succession and climax. Stability of biocenoses. Biocenotic principles. Trophic structure of communities. 7. Ecosystems. Structure and function. Energy flow. Biogeochemical cycles. 8. Palaeoecological reconstructions of the environment. Sediments and sedimentary textures. The influence of organisms on sedimentation. Geochemical charakteristics of sediments. 9. Methods of palaeoecological research.
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Lecture
- Attendace
- 24 hours per semester
- Preparation for the Exam
- 24 hours per semester
- Homework for Teaching
- 12 hours per semester
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Learning outcomes
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The aim is to introduce students in paleoecology and its research methods.
The students should be able to: - Define basic principles of paleoecology, systems of organisms and their nvironment - recall the terms biosystem, ecological niche, tolerance and ecological valence, population, dispersion of individuals in the population, population density, natality, mortality, migration - define abiotic ecological factors (substrate, light, temperature, humidity, precipitation etc) - describe types of mutual relations of organisms - chemical interactions, interspecific relations, adaptation of organisms to the environment - define biocenoses, their properties and stability, describe the trophic structure of communities. - describe biogeochemical cycles and principles of paleoecological reconstruction of the environment
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Prerequisites
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Knowledge of high school biology and paleontology course.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Written exam
Colloquium: Knowledge of palaeoecological terminology, reconstruction of palaeoenvironment and their limiting factors. Competent discussion a necessity!
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Recommended literature
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Allmon, W. - Bottier, D., J. (2001). Evolutionary Paleoecology: The Ecological Context of Macroevolutionary Change. Columbia University Press.
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Dodd, J., R. - Stanton, R., J. (1990). Paleoecology: Concepts and Applications. Wiley-Interscience; 2 edition, 528pp.
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