Dynamic biogeography

Students will learn about factors shaping distribution of animals and plants on the global and local scale, with special emphasis focused on anthropogenic changes affecting the occurrence, migrations and extinctions of organisms, including biological invasions. The lecture will also cover meteorology, climatology and their relationship with the ecosphere. During the practical part, students will learn how to estimate and observe changes in biodiversity using case studies of terrestrial plants and freshwater invertebrates. Classes will include fieldwork and laboratory classes Students willl learn to use global datasets, databases on biodiversity and current methods of analyzing and processing data on species distribution, including geographic spatial information systems (GIS). During the seminar part of the course, students will discuss results obtained in the field as well as major current controversies and hypotheses concerning biological invasions.

Students will learn about factors shaping distribution of animals and plants on the global and local scale, with special emphasis focused on anthropogenic changes affecting the occurrence, migrations and extinctions of organisms. In the introductory part, the course includes the basics of ecology, definitions of species, population and ecosystem. In particular, students will be acquainted with the topic of biological invasions, considered as one of the major threats to global biodiversity. They will learn about the mechanisms of invasions and become aware of environmental and economic consequences of this phenomenon. The lecture will also cover the issues of meteorology and climatology, their relationship with the ecosphere and effects on organism distribution. The aim is to present in a comprehensive and synthetic way the current state of knowledge in the field of climatology and global climate changes and their causes. Understanding the methods of palaeoclimate reconstruction and methods used for the construction of future climate scenarios (climate modeling). Presentation of the basic relations between the climate and its changes and the shaping of the natural environment and its influence on humans.

During the practical part of the course, students will learn how to estimate biodiversity and observe changes in biodiversity using the case studies of terrestrial plants and freshwater macroinvertebrates exposed to various levels of drought-induced air exposure in habitats. Classes will include fieldwork during which students learn how to document the species' occurrences and collect field samples to estimate and compare biodiversity in different habitats. Students will learn about biodiversity mapping methods on various spatial scales. Then, during the laboratory classes, they will learn about the possibilities of participating in creating global data sets. The principles of operation and use of global databases on biodiversity and environmental variables will be discussed. Current methods of analyzing and processing data on species distribution will be presented, allowing for understanding global biodiversity patterns. The possibilities and limitations in conducting biogeographic research with the use of databases on species distribution, global environmental maps and geographic spatial information systems (GIS) will be discussed. Results obtained by students in the field will be presented by them and discussed during the seminar part of the course. Moreover, students will observe selected invasive species (in the field and laboratory, living or fixed specimens), which will be used as case studies of the biology of alien organisms and their environmental impact. Students will discuss major current controversies and main hypotheses concerning biological invasions during the seminar part of the course.

Cox. G.W. 2004. Alien Species and Evolution. Island Press, Washington.

Gherardi F. (ed.) 2007. Biological Invaders in Inland Waters: Profiles, Distribution and Threats. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands

Current literature in scientific journals

Lecture: Written exam – a test consisting of open and closed questions. Criteria for the final grade: 50-60% points - 3, 61-70% - 3+, 71-80% - 4, 81-90% - 4+, >90% - 5

Laboratory:

Written tests during laboratory classes

Test of skills in identification of animal and plant species

Evaluation of a report prepared on the basis of the conducted experiment

Evaluation of a short presentation in the field of geography (mechanisms, important species, recent findings) on the basis of scientific literature provided by teachers

Activity during the classes

Final grade in laboratory classes will be an average of grades received in the above-mentioned categories

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