Bi9510 Biomes of the World

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2024
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)
prof. Mgr. Michal Hájek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Pavel Novák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. Mgr. Michal Hájek, Ph.D.
Department of Botany and Zoology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. Mgr. Michal Hájek, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Botany and Zoology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
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
To explain the functioning of major terrestrial ecosystems of the world. To explain historical and current analogies to our (Central-European) nature and landscape.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course students should be able to understand and explain principal factors underlying differentiation patterns of vegetation on global scale, vegetation zones and altitudinal belts, structure and functioning of particular zonal biomes (distribution, characteristics, ecology, phenology, regional diversity, productivity, adaptations of plants and animals, threats). It concerns following biomes: tropical rain forests, tropical seasonal forests, savanna, deserts and semi-deserts, evergreen forests and shrubs of Mediterranean type, steppes (temperate grasslands), deciduous temperate forests, boreal forests (taiga), tundra.
Syllabus
  • 1) What is zonal, azonal and extrazonal biome, environmental factors determining vegetation variation at a global scale. 2-3) Tropical rain forests 4-5) Mangroves, savanna-tropical forest transitional zone, savannas 6-7) Arid ecosystems (deserts, semideserts) 8) Mediterranean ecosystems 9-10) Temperate grasslands 11-12) Temperate forest ecosystems 13) Boreal coniferous forests 14) Tundras
Literature
  • PRACH, Karel, Milan ŠTECH and Pavel ŘÍHA. Ekologie a rozšíření biomů na Zemi. 1. vydání. Praha: Scientia, 2009, 151 stran. ISBN 9788086960463. info
  • Ekosystémy : úvod do organizace a azonálních biomů. Edited by Jan Jeník. 2. vyd. Praha: Karolinum, 1998, 135 s. ISBN 8071840408. info
  • Archibold O. W., Ecology of world vegetation, Chapman et Hall, 1995
  • WALTER, Heinrich. Die Vegetation der Erde in öko-physiologischer Betrachtung I. Die tropischen und subtropischen Zonen. Jena: VEB Gustav Fischer Verlag, 1964, 592 pp. info
  • WALTER, Heinrich. Die Vegetation der Erde II. Die Gamässigten und arktischen Zonen. Jena: VEB Gustav Fischer Verlag, 1968, 1001 pp. info
  • LONGMAN, Kenneth Alan and Jan JENÍK. Tropical forest and its environment. 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons., Inc., 1987, 247 pp. ISBN 0-582-44678-3. info
  • VITÁSEK, František. Fyzický zeměpis III. Rostlinstvo a živočišstvo. Praha: Nakladatelství Československé akademie věd, 1955, 303 pp. info
Teaching methods
lectures
Assessment methods
Oral exam
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught once in two years.
Information on the per-term frequency of the course: v roce 1999 a dále v každém lichém roce.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2007 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2011 - acreditation, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2015, autumn 2017, Autumn 2019, autumn 2021, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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