Syllabus
A) Tropical rain forest
1. History of exploration, formation types, biogeography, climate, soils (brief review of topics).
2. Diversity of species, forms, patterns of diversity, paleohistory of rain forest.
3. Structure and physiognomy of tropical rain forest communities, microclimate, sukcesion (gap phase dynamics), pioneer and klimax species.
4. Phanerophytes - ecology, growth, life histories.
5. Population dynamics and community ecology.
6. Reproduction biology of tropical plants, interactions.
7. Canopy ecology, epiphyte ecology.
8. Conservation. B) Montane and alpine vegetation
1. Climate, geography.
2. Diversity, plant communities, life forms, history, biogeography.
3. Plant ecology, adaptations.
4. Upper tree line, human impact.
Annotation
The course treats selected topics of plant ecology of tropical rain forests and tropical alpine ecosytems. The lectures deal with (i) historical and current aspects of diversity of tropical ecosystems, (ii) tropical plant life forms and adaptations, (iii) interactions among plants and animals.
During the seminar selected topics of tropical plant ecology are discussed.