Ecology, Second Course, 15 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Course offered for

• Biology

Entry requirements

Note: Admission requirements for non-programme students usually also include admission requirements for the programme and threshold requirements for progression within the programme, or corresponding.

Prerequisites

Intended learning outcomes

The aim of the course is that students should achieve a deeper theoretical and empirical knowledge of common ecosystems in Sweden, and of ecosystems in general. Focus is on inland waters and forest ecosystems. The students should learn about structures, processes, and mechanisms in ecosystems studied. Having successfully passed the course, the students should:

• Know about the most important factors that structure inland waters in Sweden and important interactions in and between populations in waters. The ecological processes that regulate species composition and influence nutrient dynamics in lakes and wetlands. Understand the influence of the terrestrial environment (the drainage area) on aquatic ecosystems.
• Understand which physical, chemical, and biological parameters that characterize different types of inland waters.
• Understand ecological theories, principles, and processes that are important in forests, e g population dynamics, plant-herbivore interactions, biogeochemistry, processes in the soil and vegetation
• How soil processes, climate and biological interactions, for instance between plants and herbivores, influence biodiversity and species structure of organism communities in forests and grasslands.
• Have a good knowledge in order to plan for sustainable forestry.

Course content

Physical and chemical environment in inland waters (standing and running) and how they interact with each other and with plants and animals. Interactions between organisms. Different lake types including those processes that lead to characteristic plants and animals for the waters. The development/succession of streams and lakes. The influence of catchment area to lakes and rivers.

Ecology and organisms of the soil, as well as vegetation and plant societies. The ecology of terrestrial organisms and ecological processes in forests are exemplified in the field and in the laboratory.

Teaching and working methods

Compulsory seminars, laboratory work, and field practice. Lectures. The students make group works (field/lab work, data analyzing, writing a report) during the course.

Examination

Grades

Department

Director of Studies or equivalent

Examiner

Education components

Course literature