Class Ecology

This course is focused in the study of living organisms and their interactions with the environment.

1- Introduction, general concepts

What is ecology?

Levels of integration

2- Ecosystems as ecological study units

Biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystems.

Trophic structure of the ecosystems (Producers, Consumers, Decomposers)

Energetic structure of the ecosystems (Trophic webs; Biomass and Productivity)

3- Biogeochemical cycles

Water, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur.

4- Ecology of populations and communities

Concepts of Habitat and niche (ecological, trophic and multidimensional)

Population as study unit

Population demographic parameters (Nativity, mortality, age, population growth, survivorship curves, age pyramids).

Regulation of populations.

Community as study unit

Species diversity and richness ¿ evaluation methods

Relation between specific diversity and dominance

Ecological succession

Complexity, stability and structure of communities

Field trips, practical works and discussions about ongoing debates in the field.

Molles, M.C., Sher, A. 2018. Ecology: concepts and applications. 9th Ed. McGraw Hill Higher Education.

Krebs, C.J., 2013. Ecology: The experimental analysis of distribution and abundance. 6ª Ed. Harper Collins College Publishers, New York. ISBN 1292026278.