Bi6540 Vegetation and habitats of the Czech Republic

Faculty of Science
Spring 2024
Extent and Intensity
3/0/0. 3 credit(s) (fasci plus compl plus > 4). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. RNDr. Milan Chytrý, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Milan Chytrý, Ph.D.
Department of Botany and Zoology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. RNDr. Milan Chytrý, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Botany and Zoology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Mon 19. 2. to Sun 26. 5. Wed 9:00–11:50 D31/238
Prerequisites (in Czech)
( Bi2130 Field course of system. botany || Bi2230 Field course of botany )&&( Bi2030 High. plant phylog. & divers. )
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 course provides basic overview of main types of natural, semi-natural and anthropogenic vegetation of the Czech Republic, based on the phytosociological classification system. The students will understand species composition, habitat conditions, distribution and dynamics of particular vegetation types.
Learning outcomes
Students will be able to:
- recognize the main vegetation types and habitats of the Czech Republic (and through them also those of Central Europe);
- know their ecology and distribution;
- able to assign more common species of the Czech flora to habitats and vegetation types;
- master the use of phytosociological nomenclature;
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction.
  • 1a. Phytosociology and its history in the Czech Republic
  • 1b. Phytosociological units and nomenclature: International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature
  • 1c. Habitat classification and its applications in nature conservation: Habitat Catalogue of the Czech Republic, Natura 2000, habitat mapping, Red List of Habitats of the Czech Republic
  • 2. Natural environment and history of the Czech vegetation
  • 2a. Natural environment and flora: topography, geology and climate of the Czech Republic and their effects on vegetation, biogeographical influences, migration routes
  • 2b. Development of the Czech vegetation since the last glacial
  • 3. Forests - introduction: main forest trees, their habitat requirements and competitive relationships, dynamics of natural forests, historical and current forest management, modification of site conditions by the tree layer
  • 4. Deciduous forests and scrub: beech, oak-hornbeam, ravine, floodplain, acidophilous oak and thermophilous oak forests, alder carrs, scrub
  • 5. Coniferous forests and scrub: spruce forests, boreo-continental and peri-Alpidic pine forests, krummholz
  • 6. Alpine and subalpine treeless habitats: alpine timberline, vegetation complex of glacial cirques, alpine grasslands, tall-forb vegetation
  • 7. Vegetation of cliffs, screes, poorly developed soils
  • 8. Aquatic vegetation
  • 9. Wetland habitats: marshes, tall-sedge beds and ephemeral wetland vegetation
  • 10. Springs and mires: springs, fens, transitional mires, bogs, bog pine forests, subalpine mires, fen meadows
  • 11. Meadows, pastures and heathlands: history of grassland and heathland vegetation, its dynamics and management, main types of meadows, pastures, heathlands and saline habitats
  • 12. Synanthropic vegetation: the origin of synanthropic flora, ecology of arable weeds, main types of weed and ruderal vegetation
Literature
Teaching methods
Lectures.
Assessment methods
Written exam with 20 open questions: required is knowledge of dominant species, ecology, distribution and dynamics of vegetation types and habitats of the Czech Republic. Bachelor students of Ecological and Evolutionary Biology, specialization Botany, and Master students of Botany or Nature Conservation, specialization Botany are also expected to know species composition of particular vegetation types and habitat affinities of important species of the Czech flora.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Teacher's information
http://www.sci.muni.cz/botany/chytry/veg-cr/
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 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2024, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2024/Bi6540