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Lecturer(s)
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Novotný Vojtěch, prof. RNDr. CSc.
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Veselý Milan, doc. RNDr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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Definition of the tropics, climate, and seasonality; evolutionary history and biogeography of tropical biota; latitudinal and elevational diversity gradients; origins and maintenance of species richness; vegetation structure, productivity, and nutrient cycling; herbivory, predation, parasitism, mutualisms, and food webs; comparative ecology of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and islands; tropical rainforests and dry forests, savannas, montane systems, fresh waters, mangroves, and coral reefs; disturbance and succession; humans in tropical landscapes; deforestation, fragmentation, hunting, biological invasions, and climate change; conservation and restoration of tropical ecosystems; methods and the logistical and ethical specifics of tropical field research; future directions in tropical ecology
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Lecture
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Learning outcomes
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To provide an integrated overview of terrestrial and aquatic tropical ecosystems, emphasizing functional, evolutionary, and biogeographical processes, the origins and maintenance of exceptional biodiversity, and the consequences of current anthropogenic change.
The student characterizes the principal tropical biomes and compares their structure and functioning among continents. The student explains hypotheses concerning the origin and maintenance of tropical diversity, the importance of gradients, disturbance, and species interactions, and interprets food webs and fundamental ecosystem processes. The student critically evaluates the effects of land-use change, fragmentation, and climate change and discusses approaches to research, conservation, and restoration of tropical ecosystems.
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Prerequisites
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Knowledge of general ecology, evolutionary biology, biogeography, and the fundamentals of zoology and botany at Bachelor's level.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Oral exam
Knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and the recommended literature, the ability to connect general ecological principles with specific tropical ecosystems, and active participation in discussion. The course is completed by an oral examination
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Recommended literature
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Osborne, P. J. (2000) Tropical Ecosystems and Ecological Concepts. Cambridge Univ. Press. Richards, P.W. (1998) The Tropical Rainforest. Cambridge Univ. Press. Whitmore, T. M. (1998): An Introduction to Tropical Rain Forests, 2nd edition, Oxford Univ. Press. .
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Beck, H., Thebpanya, P. & Keuroghlian, A. (2026). General Ecology: Tropical Ecology. In: Fath, B. D. (ed.), Encyclopedia of Ecology, 3rd edition, vol. 2, pp. 590?602.
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Cano Carmona, E., Musarella, C. M. & Cano Ortiz, A. (eds.). (2023). Tropical Forests ? Ecology, Diversity and Conservation Status.
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