Z2166 Introduction to ecology and nature protection

Faculty of Science
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
RNDr. Martin Culek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Karel Brabec, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
RNDr. Martin Culek, Ph.D.
Department of Geography – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: RNDr. Martin Culek, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Geography – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Prerequisites
SEMESTR(2) || SEMESTR(4)
Knowledges of the Geography and of the Biology on a level of good Secondary School. Interest in the topic :-)
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 7 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
Main objectives can be summarized as follows: to receive basic information about living organisms function in the Landscape; to understand relations of organisms to abiotic factors; to recognize common woods in Czechia and their ecological requirements. To extend students knowledges about Nature protection in Czechia and European politics.
Learning outcomes
Students after passsing the course will be able to:

Characterize evolution of scientific discipline Ecology and its division to subdisciplines.
Explaine the terms ecological valence, physiological and ecological optimum and with use of them to characterize distribution of species in present Landscape.
Evaluate the impact of ecological conditions to presence and distribution of selected biota species.
Characterize Vegetation altitudinal tiers of the Central Europe, Landuse of them on the Czechia territory and types of Ecosystems.
Explain the history of ecosystems of our Landscape in the Holocoene Epoche and the influence of the Man to this process. Student will be able to recognize the main results in present Landscape.
Characterize the history of the Nature Protection on the Czech territory incl. European Projects.
Evaluate the types of protected territories, Acts dealing with them, forms of statutory markings in terrain, competences of the State Adminitration to them.
They will recognize main timber species in Czechia and their ecological requirements.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction to Ecology for geographers I. - Division of Ecology, ecological valence, physiological and ecological optimum.
  • 2. Introduction to Ecology for geographers II. - ecological conditions and ecological factors: Temperatue, moisture, light, fire, salt, pH, etc.
  • 3. Ecosystems, Ecological succession.
  • 4. Introduction to the Ecology of Landscapes.
  • 5. Evolution of ecosystems of Czechia (or Central Europe) in the Holocoene.
  • 6. Vegetational tiers of Central Europe.
  • 7. Examples of Landscape types, their ecological features and problems.
  • 8. Legislative protection of the Nature and the Landscape in the Czech Republic, types of protected areas.
  • 9. History of nature and landscape protection in the Czech Republic.
  • Seminars:
  • Recognizig of Landscapes on basis of their photographs.
  • Half-day excursion to surroundings of Brno with distinguishing of Landscape types, types of ecosystems and their use.
  • Some lessons will be dedicated to other important topics and verifying of knowledges. Czech Act about nature and landscape protection will also be the case.
  • Self-study: Recognizing of main timber species of Czechia (ca 54 species). During some seminars will be presented aditional information to them - and also the knowledge tested! Nature protection partially also will be a deal of self-study.
Literature
  • Ekologie [Berger, 1998] (Variant.) : Ekologie : [učebnice pro gymnázia a střední odborné školy]. info
  • CULEK, Martin a Vít GRULICH. Biogeografické členění ČR. In: Atlas krajiny České republiky. 2010.
  • LAŠTŮVKA, Zdeněk a ŠŤASTNÁ, Pavla. Ekologie. 2. upravené vydání. Mendelu, Brno, 2014, 184 str.
  • PRACH, Karel, Milan ŠTECH and Pavel ŘÍHA. Ekologie a rozšíření biomů na Zemi. 1. vydání. Praha: Scientia, 2009, 151 stran. ISBN 9788086960463. info
  • ŠLEZINGR, Miloslav. Aplikovaná a krajinná ekologie : základní informace pro stavební obory. Vyd. 1. Brno: Akademické nakladatelství CERM, 2003, 68 s. ISBN 8021425083. info
  • PEKÁREK, Milan, Ivana PRŮCHOVÁ, Milan DAMOHORSKÝ and Drahomíra PÁLENSKÁ. Zákon o ochraně přírody a krajiny a předpisy související : komentované znění [Učebnice] (The Act of Protection of Nature and Landscape : commentary). Vyd. 1. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2000, 320 pp. Edice učebnic PrF MU v Brně ; č. 244. ISBN 80-210-2376-7. info
Teaching methods
Lectures are held with help of powerpoint presentations with many picture illustrations. Students activity during lectures is welcome.
Five of the class exercises is replaced by terrain excursion - with active cooperation of the students. During the excursion students are to present selected charakteristics of the Landscape (eg. Georelief, Climate of the locality ...).
Self-study of main woody plants in Czechia, and part of the issue of nature protection. Self-study (universally!): Thinking about the Landscape :-).
Assessment methods
Exam is done by written test. It must be at least on level "E" anyway. Recognization of common woods in Czechia (on computer screen) gives another cca 10 % of final mark. Quality of collaboration in excercises gives cca 20 % of the final course mark. To obtain the possiblility to attend the exam, students have to present their notes from the excursion to the seminar tutor.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
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 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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