100 % participation in practical lessons Passing written credit test.

The purpose of ecology is to provide knowledge of the way how the world works and provide evidence on the interdependence between the natural world and people. A better understanding of ecological systems will allow students to predict the consequences of human activity on the environment.

Syllabus of lectures 1.Introduction to ecology: Definition and History of ecology, Scope of Ecology, Levels of organization in Ecology, Basic terms of ecology. 2.Ecological levels from individuals to ecosystems. Ecology of individuals: Organisms and their environment. Natural indicators of environmental pollution. The adaptations of organisms to their Environment. 3.Ecological niche, habitat, Resources of energy, Energy relations and energy flow, Trophic levels, Trophic pyramid.

4.Ecology of populations: Types of populations. Population density. Population structure – distribution and spacing. 5.Zoological Garden Košice - excursion. 6.Botanical Garden Košice – excursion. 7.Intraspecies and interspecies interactions, Competition, Territoriality, Predation, Symbiosis – parasitism, mutualism, commensalism. 8.Ecology of communities: Community structures and distribution, Community diversity and stability, Community development – succession. 9.Protection of nature and landscape: Legislation, System of environmental stability and environmental impact assessment, Sustainable Development. 10.Ecology of ecosystems: Types of ecosystems, Aquatic ecosystems and Terrestrial ecosystems. Similarities and Differences between Aquatic and Terrestrial ecosystems. 11.Human intrussion in ecosystems: Habitat destructions and Biodiversity Crisis, Poisons in Food Chains, Biological magnification, The Greenhouse effect, Acid rains, Eutrophication. 12.Biosphere: Definition of Biosphere, Structure and Composition of Biosphere. 13.Environmental impact of agriculture, Climate change and agriculture, Deforestation, Environmental impact of irrigation, Agricultural pollution.

Syllabus of practicals 1.Information of the subject, Disciplines of Ecology, Ecology as an interdisciplinary science, Basic Ecology Terms. 2.Individual Ecology: Ecological valence, Lieblig´s law of the minimum, Bioindicators, Examples and Types of Adaptation. 3.Ecological factors, biotic and abiotic factors, Temperature relations, Water relations. 4.Ecology of populations: Population dynamics, patterns of population change. Population abundance and equilibrium, doubling time. Reproductive strategies. Extinction, critical size. 5.Consultations and summarisation of knowledge obtained during ZOO Garden excursion. 6.Consultations and summarisation of knowledge obtained in Botanical Garden. Biodiversity of botanical species according to energy source requirements. 7.Intraspecies and interspecies interactions: Competition, territoriality, animal sexual behaviour, dominance hierarchies. Competition, competitive exclusion, local extinction. Predation. Mimicry. 8.Ecology of communities: characters and properties of communities.

9.Protection of nature and landscape: National parks, Protected landscape areas, Practical nature protection. 10.Major ecosystem types of the biosphere: Aquatic ecosystem, Marine ecosystem, Freshwater ecosystem, Terrestrial ecosystem. 11.The impact of anthropogenic activity on human health and ecosystems: Global warming -The Greenhouse effect, Environmental degradation - Acid rains, Eutrophication, Ocean acidification. 12.Components, processes and interactions in the Biosphere. Credit test. 13.Granting credits

Ondrašovičová, O., Vargová, M., Sasáková, N., Laktičová, K., Gregová, G.: Basics of ecology, Textbook, Košice, 2012.

Wheater, P.C., Bell, R.J., Cook, A.P.: Practical Field Ecology: A Project Guide, Willey-Blackwell, Chichester, West Sussex, UK, 2011.

Content prerequisite:

1. Information on the subject. Protection and safety measures. Basic terms in ecology. Organisms and their environment.

2. Ecological project – Preparation. Choosing a topic. Creating aims, objectives and hypotheses. Reviewing the information sources. Practical considetarions – methods and material, time management, legal aspects.

3. Project design and data management – Designing experiments and surveys. Types of data. Sampling design. Describing data. Choosing sampling methods.

4. Zoo Garden Košice - Excursion

5. Consultations and summarisation of knowledge obtained during ZOO Garden excursion.

6. Ecological project – Site selection. Habitat mapping. Measuring abiotic part of the site (Microclimate and Macroclimate, Air, Soil, Water). Measuring biological attributes (

7. Drienovec Bird Ringing Station - Excursion

8. Consultations and summarisation of knowledge obtained during ornithological excursion.

9. Ecological project: Sampling static organisms. Sampling mobile organisms.

10. Ecological project - Presenting the information.

11. The Slovak Karst NP - Biosphere reserve - Excursion

12. Consultations and summarisation of knowledge obtained in the Slovak Karst National Park.

13. Exam test and granting credits.

Continuous assessment:

Conditions for credit:

- Active participation in practical lessons (in compliance with the Study programme)

- completion of individual/group assignments (Excursions)

- presentation on selected topics (individually or in pairs)

- Credit test

Conditions for completion of course:

100 % participation in practical lessons Passing written credit test.

Final assessment:

Examination:

Written test