2023
Ecology, Standards and Processes
Name: Ecology, Standards and Processes
Code: PAO10041O
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours
Scientific Area:
Environment and Ecology Sciences
Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English
Regime de Frequência: E-learning
Sustainable Development Goals
Contents
1. Ecology, ecologies
2. Levels of organization of the living systems. from the cellular organite to ecosphere. Concept of system and its importance in the life sciences.
3. Main actors and drivers. Matter and energy. Thermodynamics, work, production, efficiency. Energy to circulate matter and control entropy. Matter circulation - cycles, phases, rates.
4. The program of the living systems. Changing to persist in a changing world. Adaptation.
5. Organisms and environment. Environmental factors, distribution and abundance
6. Populations. Interactions and temporal dynamics. Competition - where evolution meets ecology. Competition and specialization. Strategies, responses to pressures, resistance and resilience. Mecanisms of regulation.
7. Communities. Complexity and its factors. Complexity and stability. Stochasticity versus determinism.
8. Ecosystems and Succession. Persistence and transformation. Do ecosystems evolve towards equilibrium ? The ecosystems die ? Aquatic systems vs. terrestrial systems. How to make an ecosystem regress to immaturity.
9. Order, equilibrium and chaos. The myth of the balanced, harmonious and perfect Nature. Teleology.
2. Levels of organization of the living systems. from the cellular organite to ecosphere. Concept of system and its importance in the life sciences.
3. Main actors and drivers. Matter and energy. Thermodynamics, work, production, efficiency. Energy to circulate matter and control entropy. Matter circulation - cycles, phases, rates.
4. The program of the living systems. Changing to persist in a changing world. Adaptation.
5. Organisms and environment. Environmental factors, distribution and abundance
6. Populations. Interactions and temporal dynamics. Competition - where evolution meets ecology. Competition and specialization. Strategies, responses to pressures, resistance and resilience. Mecanisms of regulation.
7. Communities. Complexity and its factors. Complexity and stability. Stochasticity versus determinism.
8. Ecosystems and Succession. Persistence and transformation. Do ecosystems evolve towards equilibrium ? The ecosystems die ? Aquatic systems vs. terrestrial systems. How to make an ecosystem regress to immaturity.
9. Order, equilibrium and chaos. The myth of the balanced, harmonious and perfect Nature. Teleology.
Teaching Staff
