Course information
526040 Ecosystem ecology (Ekosysteemiekologia) (3 credits)
Time: 12.3.–11.4.2012, Monday–Wednesday 8:15–10:00.
Paikka: BIO3 6602.
Responsible teacher: university lecturer Pedro J. Aphalo
Additional teacher: Dr. T. Matthew Robson
Prerequisites: No formal prerequisites, but basic knowledge of Ecology recommended.
Contents: Energy flow and material cycles in ecosystems. Ecosystem primary production. Trophic levels. Decomposition of organic matter in soils. Climatic factors and ecosystem water economy. World ecosystems. Global carbon cycle. Greenhouse effect and possible ways of slowing the rate of global warming. Readings about ecosystem services to human society.
Teaching and studying: This course is based on lectures (26 h), and reading assignments.
Reading: Obligatory: material provided during lectures and in Moodle. Reading assignments from Daily, G. C. (1997) Nature’s Services. Supplementary: Gurevitch, J et al. (2006) The Ecology of Plants, Chapin, III, F. S. and Matson, P. A. and Mooney, H. A (2002) Principles of Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology.
Course webpage: http://blogs.helsinki.fi/aphalo/teaching/courses/ecosys-course/
Evaluation: written exam and quizzes and participation in discussions in Moodle. Scale 0-5.
Exam and repeats: take home exam at end of course, repeats agreed individually.
Enrollment: Oodi one moth before start of course. I will send Moodle’s course enrollment key by e-mail to those enrolled through Oodi. In case of problems just e-mail me.
Detailed contents
Lectures
- Ecosystems
- Flows and stores (rate variables and state variables)
- Turnover
- Residence time
- Feedback
- Energy flow and material cycles in ecosystems.
- Energy flow.
- Carbon cycle
- Nitrogen cycle
- Cycles of other mineral nutrients
- Ecosystem primary production.
- Gross and net production
- Photosynthesis and respiration at the ecosystem level.
- Trophic levels.
- Primary producers
- Consumers
- Decomposers
- Decomposition of organic matter in soils.
- Humification
- Soil fauna and flora
- Climatic factors and ecosystem water economy.
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- Precipitation
- Radiation in canopies
- Temperature
- Soil types
- Soil formation
- Typical profiles
- World ecosystems.
- Global carbon cycle
- Sources and sinks
- Greenhouse effect and possible ways of slowing the rate of global warming.
Reading assignments
- About the services provided to human society by ecosystems. Mainly from the book: Nature’s Services edited by G. Daily.