About this course: This course presents the principles of evolution and ecology for citizens and students interested in studying biology and environmental sciences. It discusses major ideas and results. Recent advances have energised these fields with evidence that has implications beyond their boundaries: ideas, mechanisms, and processes that should form part of the toolkit of all biologists and educated citizens. Major topics covered by the course include fundamental principles of ecology, how organisms interact with each other and their environment, evolutionary processes, population dynamics, communities, energy flow and ecosystems, human influences on ecosystems, and the integration and scaling of ecological processes through systems ecology. This course will also review major ecological concepts, identify the techniques used by ecologists, provide an overview of local and global environmental issues, and examine individual, group and governmental activities important for protecting natural ecosystems. The course has been designed to provide information, to direct the student toward pertinent literature, to identify problems and issues, to utilise research methodology for the study of ecology and evolution, and to consider appropriate solutions and analytical techniques. Needed Learner Background: general biology and a good understanding of English. This course has the following expectations and results: 1) covers the theoretical and practical issues involved in ecology and evolution, 2) conducting surveys and inventories in ecology, 3) analyzing the information gathered, 4) and applying their analysis to ecological and conservation problems.
Who is this class for: - General public - Lower-intermediate division undergraduate - Upper division undergraduate - Professional or Graduate
Created by: National Research Tomsk State University
Taught by: Roberto Cazzolla Gatti, Ph.D., Associate Professor in Ecology and Biodiversity
Biological Diversity and Ecology Laboratory, Bio-Clim-Land Centre of Excellence, Biological Institute
| Level | Beginner |
| Commitment | 4 weeks, 2-3 hours |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Welcome to the Course
2 videos, 5 readings
- Video: About the university
- Video: About the course
- Reading: About the course team
- Reading: About the International Master's Degree in Biodiversity
- Reading: Recommended literature for the course
- Reading: Entering questionnaire
- Reading: Let's mark ourselves on the map
Module 1
In this module, after an introduction about the meaning and a brief history of Ecology, we will see how plant and animal adapt and interact with their environment and how these interactions changes life histories and populations. Then we will focus on interspecific competition and we will understand that the avoidance of competition is a more common pattern in ecology than pure competition.
5 videos
- Video: 1.1 What is “ecology”?
- Discussion Prompt: ECO IQ
- Video: 1.2 Plant and animal adaptations and interactions with the environment
- Discussion Prompt: Eco-marathon
- Video: 1.3 Environmental conditions and Earth’s biomes
- Video: 1.4 Life histories and populations
- Video: 1.5 Interspecific competition and the avoidance of competition
Graded: Quiz – Module 1
WEEK 2
Module 2
In this module, we will talk about agonistic and foraging interactions between species (such as predation, herbivory and parasitism) and mutualistic interactions (such as symbiosis, commensalism, endosymbiosis, etc.). Then we will see how these interactions influence the evolutionary ecology of species and their diversity. In the last lesson of this module we will analyse the energy flux and biogeochemical cycles that keep alive Earth’s ecosystems and the whole biosphere (e.g. Gaia).
5 videos
- Discussion Prompt: Give us your opinion
- Video: 2.1 Foraging interactions between species: predation, herbivory and parasitism
- Video: 2.2 Mutualistic interactions
- Video: 2.3 Evolutionary ecology
- Discussion Prompt: ECO-resources
- Video: 2.4 The ecology of biological diversity
- Video: 2.5 Energy flux and biogeochemical cycles
Graded: Quiz – Module 2
WEEK 3
Module 3
In this module, we will discuss some fundamental ecological processes, such as those must be present in any Gaian planet. We will consider the Gaian effects of parasites and predators, biodiversity and hypercycles and we will see how these processes regulates our planet. Finally, we will consider the global ecological role of biomass, photosynthesis and carbon sequestration.
5 videos
- Video: 3.1 Fundamental ecological processes
- Video: 3.2 Parasites, predators and Gaian effects
- Video: 3.3 Biodiversity, hypercycles and Gaia
- Discussion Prompt: Your experience
- Video: 3.4 Regulating ecological processes
- Video: 3.5 Biomass, photosynthesis and carbon sequestration
Graded: Quiz – Module 3
WEEK 4
Module 4
In this final module, we will explore the possibility of a new ecology by exploring the concept of sustainability, evaluating the human impacts on ecosystems and providing some solutions for nature conservation. Finally, we will see how to organise a citizen science event, called Bio-blitz, which can improve the scientific knowledge of our planet and, at the same time, rise the ecological awareness of citizens.
5 videos
- Discussion Prompt: Inspiring eco-projects
- Video: 4.1 A new ecology
- Video: 4.2 Sustainability
- Video: 4.3 Human impacts on ecosystems
- Video: 4.4 Conservation biology
- Video: 4.5 You as an ecologist!
- Discussion Prompt: Eco-marathon results
Graded: Quiz – Module 4
WEEK 5
Final module
This module allows you to learn how to organise a Bio-blitz – an intensive biological investigation, which aims to record all the species living within a designated area, comprising groups of specialists supported by non-experts.
1 reading
- Reading: Final questionnaire
Graded: Final task: organise a Bio-Blitz
FAQs
How It Works
Coursework
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Creators
National Research Tomsk State University
National Research Tomsk State University is the largest classical university in the Asian part of Russia. For over 135 years TSU has been training the scientific and managerial elite, based on the integration of academic process and fundamental scientific research. It is a renowned center of education, science, innovations and attraction for creative talents, a generator of advanced ideas, and a paragon of adherence to the best traditions of Russian higher education.
There are 23 departments and learning institutes, 1 University branch, Institute of Distance Education, Institute of Innovations in Education operating at TSU, and more than 17,000 students studying at the University, with 135 subject areas and specialties to choose from. TSU offers 136 Master’s programmes in 55 areas of academic studies and counting.
The number of international students is constantly increasing, now with more than 1300 TSU students coming from countries such as the USA, UK, Germany, France, Australia, Italy, Poland, Mongolia, China, Vietnam, Korea, Columbia, Turkey and others.
Ratings and Reviews
Good stuff that I learned in basic life science.
Avery good course for future ecologists , very useful presentations and video slides.
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fun and interesting course.