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Aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity (146061)

Course coordinator

Course description

Geologic and climatic changes. Changes of freshwater and marine habitats. Basic characteristics of different aquatic ecosystems. Habitats in marine and fresh waters and their influence on the biodiversity. The significance of biodiversity and its preservation. Reasons for endangering of biodiversity and ways of its protection. Speciation. Molecular biology evolution of aquatic organisms. Overview of all plant and animal phyla, with special emphasis on important marine and fresh water taxons. Fish biology and ecology. Sampling of aquatic organisms and their in situ study. Laboratory analysis of aquatic organisms. Use of the key for aquatic species determination. Section of fish. Student seminar.

Type of course

ECTS: 3.00

Teaching hours: 30
Lectures: 22
Laboratory exercises: 4
Seminar: 2
Field exercises: 2

Lecturer
Associate teacher for exercises
Associate teacher for seminars
Grading

Sufficient (2): 60-69 %
Good (3): 70-79 %
Very good (4): 80-89 %
Excellent (5): 90-100 %

General competencies

Students acquire knowledge on the biological and ecological diversity of marine and inland waters, on the ways of their endangerment and on the conservation measures.

Types of instruction

  • Lectures
  • Laboratory practice/exercises
    Analyses of sampled material
  • Field work
    Sampling of aquatic organisms and water
  • Seminars
    Independent student group sampling, laboratory analysing, literature searching, writing and presenting specified case study

Learning outcomes

Learning outcome Evaluation methods
Basic general knowledge in field Oral exam
Capability of knowledge implementation in practice Exercises
Capability of analysis and synthesis Oral exam
Research competencies Exercises
Learning capabilities Oral exam
Working capability in interdisciplinary teams Seminar
Interpersonal competencies Seminar
Oral and written communication in English Seminar

Working methods

Teachers' obligations

Regular maintenance of all forms of teaching. The time for consultations out of lectures.

Students' obligations

Regular attending at classes and performing assigned tasks.

Methods of grading

Evaluation elements Maximum points or Share in evaluation Grade rating scale Grade Direct teaching hours Total number of average student workload ECTS
1st exam oral 16 % 0.5
2nd exam oral 16 % 0.5
3rd exam oral 16 % 0.5
4th exam oral 16 % 0.5
5th exam oral 16 % 0.5
Final exam Seminar written and oral 20 % 0.5
Total 100 % 3
Evaluation elements Description Deadline Recoupment
Oral exams In parts, according to the given paragraphs Deadlines determined at the beginning of the semester Deadlines determined at the beginning of the semester
Final oral exam Public presentations of seminars with answering at questions Deadlines determined at the beginning of the semester Deadlines determined at the beginning of the semester

Weekly class schedule

  1. Habitat changes. Aquatic ecosystems L - Geologic and climatic changes; Changes of freshwater and marine habitats. Basic characteristics of different aquatic ecosystems.
  2. Aquatic ecosystems L - Basic characteristics of different aquatic ecosystems.
  3. Aquatic ecosystems. Habitat – biodiversity relationship. L - Basic characteristics of different aquatic ecosystems. Habitats in marine and fresh waters and their influence on the biodiversity; Reasons for endangering of biodiversity and ways of its protection; Speciation. Energy and productivity.
  4. Molecular biology evolution. Molecular biology investigations L - Molecular biology evolution of aquatic organisms. Molecular biology investigation of aquatic organisms.
  5. Aquatic plants and lower organisms L - Overview of important taxons of plants and lower organisms.
  6. Freshwater invertebrates L - Overview of freshwater invertebrate animal phyla, with special emphasis on important freshwater taxons.
  7. Freshwater invertebrates. Marine invertebrates. L - Overview of freshwater invertebrate animal phyla, with special emphasis on important freshwater taxons. Overview of marine ivertebrates, with special emphasis on important marine taxons.
  8. Marine invertebrates L - Overview of marine ivertebrates, with special emphasis on important marine taxons.
  9. Aquatic vertebrates L - Overview of aquatic vertebrates, with special emphasis on important marine and freshwater taxons.
  10. Fish biology and ecology L - Basics of fish biology and ecology
  11. Bases searching and communication Pe-L - Searching for scientific literature by internet and scientific bases. Presentation of seminars by internet.
  12. Seminar S - Equipment and methods for sampling of water organisms.
  13. Field Work F - Sampling of plankton, benthos and fish.
  14. Laboratory Practice I Lab - Plankton and benthos analyses.
  15. Laboratory Practice II Lab - Fish analyses.

Obligatory literature

  1. Sumich J. L. (1992): An Introduction to the Biology of Marine Life. WCB, Wm. C. Brown Publishers, Dubuque
  2. Needham J. G., Paul R. (1988): A Guide to the Study of Fresh-Water Biology. McGraw-Hill, Boston
  3. Moyle P. B., Cech J. J. (2004): Fishes: an introduction to ichthyology. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River
  4. Sparre, P., Venema S. C. (1992): Introduction to tropical fish stock assessment. Part 1-Manual. FAO, Fish Tech. Pap., 306/1, 110 pp

Recommended literature

  1. Riedl R. (1963): Fauna und Flora der Adria. Verlag Paul Parey, Hamburg und Berlin
  2. Kottelat, M, Freyhof J. (2007): Handbook of European Freshwater Fishes. Kottelat, Cornol, Switzerland and Freyhof, Berlin, Germany
  3. Stiassny M. L. J., Parenti L. R., Johnson G. D. (eds), (1996): Interrilationships of Fishes. Academic Press, San Diego

Similar course at related universities

  • Applied Hydrobiology, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic
  • Biologija mora. Sveučilište u Dubrovniku
  • Ecology and Biodiversity, Marine and Freshwater Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

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