Course: Basics of limnology

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Course title Basics of limnology
Course code KBE/475
Organizational form of instruction Lecture
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study not specified
Frequency of the course In each academic year, in the winter semester.
Semester Winter
Number of ECTS credits 5
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course Compulsory, Compulsory-optional
Form of instruction unspecified
Work placements unspecified
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Vrba Jaroslav, prof. RNDr. CSc.
  • Borovec Jakub, RNDr. Ph.D.
Course content
Content of lectures: Limnology and hydrobiology. A system approach: lake as an ecosystem – abiotic processes, biological processes, and their interactions. A system of catchment and atmosphere, their impacts on aquatic environments, acidification and eutrophication. Hydrological cycle. Standing waters, running waters. Physical processes. Water density and viscosity, and their temperature dependence. Thermal budget and temperature stratification. Light and its penetration into the water, influence of chemical and biological processes. Hydrodynamics – water movements, flows, mixing. Sedimentation. Matter cycling – carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and other bioelements. Influence of chemicals on organisms. Energy flow. Major functional groups of organisms (producers, consumers, reducers), trophic food webs. Biological processes: population dynamics, density dependence, growth, grazing, optimal foraging, mortality. Substrate kinetics, competition for resources. Predation, predator-prey models. Adaptations of aquatic organisms and communities, adaptation of ecosystems (self-organisation, succession, periodicity). Geographic peculiarities. Differences in stratification and mixing, biogeography of aquatic organisms. Content of practices:

Learning activities and teaching methods
Monologic (reading, lecture, briefing), Work with text (with textbook, with book)
  • Preparation for exam - 25 hours per semester
  • Preparation for classes - 20 hours per semester
  • Semestral paper - 40 hours per semester
Learning outcomes
The goal of the lecture is to teach students the basics of limnology using the holistic approach stressing the functional aspects of aquatic ecosystems, in particular the ecosystem dynamics.
Basic limnological understanding of aquatic ecosystems.
Prerequisites
High-school knowledge of physics, chemistry, and biology.

Assessment methods and criteria
Written examination, Seminar work

Recommended literature
  • Kalff J.: Limnology: inland water ecosystems. Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, 2002..
  • Lampert W., Sommer U.: Limnoecology: the ecology of lakes and streams. Oxford University Press, New York, 1997.
  • Wetzel R.G.: Limnology. Lake and river ecosystems, 3rd ed. Academic Press, London, 2001.
  • Kopáček J., Hejzlar J., Rulik M. Voda na Zemi. Nakladatelství JU v Č.B., 2020. ISBN 978-80-7394-834-4.
  • Kubíček, F., Lellák, J. Hydrobiologie. UK Praha, 1992.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters Study plan (Version): Fishery (2020) Category: Agriculture and forestry 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters Study plan (Version): Fishery (2022) Category: Agriculture and forestry 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters Study plan (Version): Fishery (2021) Category: Agriculture and forestry 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters Study plan (Version): Fishery (2018) Category: Agriculture and forestry 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters Study plan (Version): Fishery (2022) Category: Agriculture and forestry 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Science Study plan (Version): Secondary Schools Teacher Training in Biology (1) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters Study plan (Version): Fishery (2019) Category: Agriculture and forestry 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters Study plan (Version): Fishery (2020) Category: Agriculture and forestry 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters Study plan (Version): Fishery (2019) Category: Agriculture and forestry 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Science Study plan (Version): Ecosystem Biology (1) Category: Ecology and environmental protection - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Science Study plan (Version): Environmental Management (1) Category: Ecology and environmental protection 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters Study plan (Version): Fishery (2021) Category: Agriculture and forestry 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters Study plan (Version): Fishery (2018) Category: Agriculture and forestry 2 Recommended year of study:2, Recommended semester: Winter
Faculty: Faculty of Science Study plan (Version): Secondary Schools Teacher Training in Biology (1) Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: Winter