Bi8420 Microbial ecology

Faculty of Science
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (fasci plus compl plus > 4). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Ing. Ivan Tůma, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Monika Vítězová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Monika Vítězová, Ph.D.
Department of Experimental Biology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: Ing. Jiřina Kučerová, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Experimental Biology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Prerequisites
Bi4090 General microbiology
Examination - microbiology, biochemistry, ecology of plants and animals.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of lectures is to familiarize students with ecology of microorganisms with emphasis on their importance in evolution of life and nutrient cycle. Specially attention is also targed to the study of interactions that microorganisms create between themselves and with their environment.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this course students will be able to define basic categories in microbial ecology, to understand importance of microbes for trophic chains and nutrient cycling in nature, their contribution to geochemical transformations and relationship between microbes, plants and animals.
Syllabus
  • Introduction, history of microbial ecology. Microbial communities – composition, diversity, nutrition. Colonization, succession, climax. Structure of microbial communities, interactions within communities. Interactions between microbes and animals, and plants. Microbes in their natural habitats – atmo-ecosphere, hydro-ecosphere, litho-ecosphere. Quantitative ecology – sample collection and processing, detection of microbial populations, determination of microbial numbers and microbial biomass, methods of molecular microbial ecology. Biogeochemical cycles.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • Larry L. Barton, D.E.Northup: Microbial Ecology, Wiley-Blackwell, 2011
  • I.L.Pepper, C.P.Gerba, T.J.Gentry: Environmental Microbiology, Academic Press, 2015
Teaching methods
Lecture - powerpoint presentation.
Assessment methods
Oral examination. To pass successfully the examination student has to answer correctly at least half of given questions.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2008 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Spring 2011 - only for the accreditation, Spring 2003, Spring 2004, Spring 2005, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, spring 2012 - acreditation, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2025/Bi8420