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Lecturer(s)
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Bednaříková Šárka, Mgr.
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Němcová Monika, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Pikula Jiří, prof. MVDr. Ph.D.
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Banďouchová Hana, doc. MVDr. Ph.D.
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Baláž Vojtech, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Balážová Alena, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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Lectures: 1. Recommended textbooks and study sources. Ecology - definition, basic terminology. Ecology in the system of biological sciences. Hierarchy of ecological systems. Autecology, demecology, and synecology. Ecology and evolutionary biology 2. Species as a basic unit in ecology and evolutionary biology. Speciation and adaptation to the environment 3. Influence of humans on organisms and their communities. Historical processes in shaping European landscapes 4. Match between organisms and their environment. Basic principles of action of ecological factors (conditions). Liebig and Shelford's Law. Adaptation of organisms to the environment (divergence, convergence, introduction of species to new environments, acclimatization, ecotypes) 5. Interspecific interactions. Co-evolution. Commensalism, protocooperation, mutualism, amensalism 6. Interspecific interactions. Competition, predation, parasitism 7. Communities - definition, structure, classification, stability, biocoenotic principles Ecotone. Periodicity in the development of communities, phenology. Succession. Quantitative characteristics of communities, the similarity of communities 8. Ecosystem - structure and function. Primary and secondary production of ecosystems. Trophic pyramids. Main biomes of the world. Main habitats of the Czech Republic. Zonal (influenced by climatic conditions, elevation above the sea) and azonal biomes and habitats of the world and the Czech Republic 9. Population ecology 10. Biodiversity and the concept of island biogeography 11. Man and the biosphere. Anthropogenic effects on organisms and their communities. Human population growth. Pollution. Resource use - renewable and non-renewable resources. Recycling. Biosphere protection. Global environmental problems 12. Ecomorphology of animals 13. Behavioural ecology, intra- and inter-specific communications 14. Legislation relating to nature protection. Ecology in relation to veterinary disciplines. Ecological knowledge and veterinary medicine. Ecological conditions of natural nidi of zoonoses. The general structure of zoonotic nidi. Natural, anthropourgic and synanthropic ones. Biocoenotic structure of natural nidi and communities of reservoir hosts. Causes of persistence of natural nidi under cultural landscape conditions Practical lessons: 1. Landscape changes during the last century and their effects on organisms 2. Domestication and its influence on morphology and ethology of animals 3. Population growth in dependence on surrounding conditions and inner structure 4. Methods to determine the abundance of wild animals, habitat description 5. Invasive species of animals and emerging pathogens as a threat to nature protection 6. Size, shape and the environment - principles of ecomorphology 7. Ecological catastrophic events and their consequences for the environment and ecosystem 8. Ecological research linked with veterinary topics 9. Behavioural ecology. Communications between animals 10. Cycling of materials within ecosystems. The carbon cycle. The nitrogen cycle. The phosphorus and sulphur cycle. The hydrologic cycle. The cycle of oxygen and carbon dioxide 11.-14. Field-based studies
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Lectures, Seminars, Laboratory and desk-based work, Professional excursion
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Learning outcomes
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We teach students essential ecological principles. The course builds upon and extends the basic biological education of veterinarians in terms of awareness of the importance of the environment for each living organism. The emphasis of ecological education for veterinarians is put on animal ecology. Our education also includes and extends into environmental and applied veterinary ecology.
Theoretical knowledge The student can: - use ecological terminology correctly, to understand the complementarity of ecological education with other study disciplines, - explain principles of organismal adaptations to the living environment through evolutionary processes (Liebig´s law, principles of evolution, adaptation, acclimation), - describe interspecific relations and name some examples, - describe the global distribution of biomes, - understand nutrient and element cycling in nature. Practical skills The student can: - cooperate with other students/colleagues while dealing with complex study/laboratory/field data collection tasks, - plot figures based on measured data, to work with schemes and maps while describing population ecology principles, succession, animal domestication, etc., - in the landscape, identify phenomena that were mentioned earlier during theoretical courses and explanations such as, e.g., biological invasions, interspecific relations, effects of environmental biotic and abiotic factors on organisms and their communities, anthropogenic effects, etc. Competences The student is able to: - understand ethical and legal duties of veterinarians linked with handling wild animals and nature protection, - understand problems of species conservation and communicate with nature protection governmental bodies in terms of invasive species, emerging infections and human activities threatening the health of wildlife, - work effectively as a member of a team and take part in self-audit.
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Prerequisites
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unspecified
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Written credit test
Credit requirements: - active participation at 100% of practical training (both onsite and field-based) - submission of protocols based on laboratory and fieldwork
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Recommended literature
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BEGON, Michael a Colin R. TOWNSEND. Ecology: from individuals to ecosystems. 5th ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2020.
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Freedman, Bill. Environmental Ecology: The Ecological Effects of Pollution, Disturbance, and Other Stresses.. Academic Press, 2nd edition, 1994.
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Krebs, Charles J. Ecology: The Experimental Analysis of Distribution and Abundance.. Pearson, 6th edition, 2013.
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