| Course title | Evolutionary ecology of birds |
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| Course code | KZO/063 |
| Organizational form of instruction | Lecture |
| Level of course | Master |
| Year of study | not specified |
| Frequency of the course | In each academic year, in the summer semester. |
| Semester | Summer |
| Number of ECTS credits | 2 |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Status of course | unspecified |
| Form of instruction | Face-to-face |
| Work placements | This is not an internship |
| Recommended optional programme components | None |
| Lecturer(s) |
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| Course content |
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Content of lectures: Topics: Introduction to life history strategies - Ecomorhphologic diversity in birds, life history strategies, trade-offs current vs. future reproduction, slow vs. fast strategies, precocial vs. altricial species, capital vs. income breeders, optimal clutch size and egg size. Interactions - Kleptoparasitism, mutualism, commensalism, interspecific competition, heterospecific attraction, ecological traps, inter and intraspecific parasitism, arm races and adaptations. Predation - Importance of predation, anti-predatory strategies, protective umbrella, nest predators, edge effect, gradients in predation pressure, nest crypsis. Sexual selection and Sex roles evolution - Bateman's principle, Fisher's sexy sons' hypothesis, good genes model, assortative mating, monogamy, polygamy, lekking, extra-pair paternity, sex roles and sex roles reversal, parental conflicts. Migration and invasions - Migratory strategies, flyways, why migrate to the North? Evolution of migratory behaviour, How to study migration? Nomadism, bird invasions. Biogeography of birds - Zoogeographic areas and characteristic bird taxa, distribution ranges, endemism, Rapoport's rule. Population dynamics - Metapopulation dynamics, theory of island biogeography, source-sink localities, speciation and extinction processes, mass extinctions, small populations issues and extinction vortex. Macroecology of birds - Why there are so many species in the tropics?, latitudinal diversity gradient and exceptions, species-area relationship, temporal diversity changes, climate change velocity, tropical vs. temperate life histories, comparative approach in ecology. What is the future of biodiversity? - Biodiversity value, drivers of extinctions in Anthropocene - habitat destruction, human pressure, climate change, Has the sixth mass extinction arrived? What can be done? Conservation strategies and prioritization.
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| Learning activities and teaching methods |
| unspecified |
| Learning outcomes |
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During this course using birds as an excellent model group, we will explore ecological and evolutionary processes underpinning extremely diverse avian life history strategies. We will cover long-standing fundamental questions as well as novel insights and hot scientific debates on the frontiers of ecology and evolution. The course will be held as a series of lectures over one weekend, followed by written exam several weeks later complemented with student's presentation and discussion on the chosen topic. Students will gain a good overview about ecological and evolutionary processes and patterns determining extremely diverse avian life history strategies. The emphasis is given on the long-term established theories as well as novel findings and recent scientific debates. Students will also develop their presentation and discussion skills.
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| Prerequisites |
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This course assumes knowledge of fundamental principles in ecology and evolution. Even if using birds as a suitable model taxon, it is relevant and suitable for every biologist.
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| Assessment methods and criteria |
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unspecified
Attend the lectures, pass the written examination, prepare and present the presentation, engage in the group discussion Note: Targeted mostly on PhD and master students. But there are no prerequisities and every motivated student (even Bc level) can successfully finish this course. |
| Recommended literature |
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| Study plans that include the course |
| Faculty | Study plan (Version) | Category of Branch/Specialization | Recommended semester |
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