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Lecturer(s)
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Berec Michal, doc. Mgr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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Content of lectures: Systematic position, origin and evolution of amphibians, review of main fossil groups. Biogeography, vicariance and dispersal, distribution of recent groups; cytogenetic, molecular and genom evolution, speciation. Reproductive strategies (reproductive cycles and modes, parental care, quantitative aspects). Courtship and mating (locality selection, secondary sexual characters, mating and oviposition, sexual selection). Communication (vocalisation, chemical and visual communication, signal production and reception, types of signals, interspecific significance of communication, interference). Ontogeny (morphology of spermatozoon and egg, fertilization, embryogenesis, hatching and birth, larval morphology and anatomy, metamorphosis, neoteny). Relationships with the environment (water economy, thermoregulation, gas exchange, energy metabolism). Food and feeding (prey selection, location and capture feeding strategies). Enemies and defence (diseases, parasites, predators, antipredator behaviour). Population biology (characteristics of individuals, movements and territoriality, demography, factors regulating populations). Community ecology and species diversity (community structure, species diversity gradients). Anatomy (skin, skeleton, visceral systems, sensory organs). Conservation and relationships to humans Content of practices: Review and synapomorphies of families, their distribution and main representatives; Hybrid zones, synklepton, electrophoresis; Dissection of frog soft anatomy, main skeletal characters; Determination of larvae of Czech amphibians; Amphibian parasites; Field excursions (sampling at night, voice recognition); Biology of amphibians of the Czech Republic (CD-ROM)
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Monologic (reading, lecture, briefing), Demonstration, Excursion, Work with multi-media resources (texts, internet, IT technologies)
- Semestral paper
- 10 hours per semester
- Class attendance
- 52 hours per semester
- Preparation for classes
- 20 hours per semester
- Field trip
- 30 hours per semester
- Preparation for credit
- 20 hours per semester
- Preparation for exam
- 40 hours per semester
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Learning outcomes
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The origin, evolution, current diversity and all the main life history aspects of amphibians will be presented
Based on acquired theoretical knowledge, very good orientation in the systematics and biology of amphibians
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Prerequisites
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unspecified
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Combined exam
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Recommended literature
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Duellman, W. E., Trueb, L. 1986: Biology of Amphibians. McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, NY.
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Kolektiv, 1994: Obratlovci. Nakladatelský dům OP, Praha.
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McDiarmid, R. W., Altig, R. 1999: Tadpoles, the Biology of Anuran Larvae. The Univ. Chicago Press, Chicago.
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Moravec, J. 1999: Svět zvířat VII. - Obojživelníci a plazi. Albatros, Praha.
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Pough, F. H. a kol. 1998: Herpetology. Prentice-Hall, Inc., New Jersey.
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Zug, G. R. 1993: Herpetology, an Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles. Academic Press, San Diego, CA.
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