Syllabus
1. Population growth and control. Basic principles of dynamical systems, phase space, differential and difference equation. Density-dependence, types of population dynamics, stability, oscillations, deterministic chaos. DS
2. Predator-prey dynamics. Basic models, population cycles, role of functional responses, top-down and bottom-up effects. Paradox of enrichment, herbivore-consumer interactions. DS
3. Interspecific competition and coexistence. Competitive exclusion, basic models, R* theory. Conditions and mechanisms of coexistence: Role of habitat heterogeneity and temporal variability, storage effect. Equilibrium and disequilibrium coexistence. IS
4. Other interspecific interactions. Mutualism, commensalism, parasitism. Indirect interactions and ecological networks. RT
5. Spatial ecology. Metapopulation dynamics, species range dynamics. Spatially structured communities, dominance-control and founder-control. DS (or somebody else?)
6. Ecological specialization, SSI, CSI. Habitat selection. Ideal Free Distribution. MacArthur's warblers. Ecological niche. Grinnell, Elton, Hutchinson. Connell: niche differentiation. Niche expansion, species packing along environmental gradients. Niche conservatism. Ecological and geographical space. DH
7. Life-history evolution. Life tables and age structure of populations. Constraints, trade-offs and optimization, major trade-offs. Life-history strategies, r-K and slow-fast strategies, CSR and LHS classification. VR
8. Traits: variation and types. Functional biogeography. Functional diversity (FD), methodical approaches, spatial patterns. Phylogenetic diversity (PD), FD x PD x species richness relationships, sampling effect, null models. Geographical x ecological pool. Clustering, overdispersion. Traits in community assembly: environmental filtering, competition. Traits in nature conservation. DH
9. Macroecology. Patterns of species distribution and abundance. Geographic trends in body size and range size. DS
10. Local biodiversity patterns. Alpha, beta and gamma diversity, their link via the species-area relationship. Effects of disturbance, productivity, environmental heterogeneity. IS (alternatively DH, DS, RT?)
11. Biodiversity dynamics and large-scale biodiversity patterns. Theory of island biogeography, neutral theory, dynamics of regional and global diversity. Latitudinal diversity gradient. DS
12. Ecology of the Anthropocene. Species extinctions and population decline, biological invasions, biotic homogenization, consequences of climate change, nutrient enrichment, land use change. DS
Annotation
The course provides an overview of fundamental ecological concepts necessary for understanding population and community dynamics, interspecific interactions, links between ecology and evolution, and patterns in species distribution and diversity in space and time, including current biodiversity changes. In contrast to the course
“Advanced Ecology I” which is basically ecosystem-oriented, Advanced Ecology II is focused on individuals, populations, communities, and geographic ranges and biodiversity. In contrast to bachelor-level ecological courses, its focus is on deeper understanding of theoretical/mathematical principles which represent the core of ecological theory.