2025

Basic Ecology

Name: Basic Ecology
Code: PAO02672L
3 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/78 hours
Scientific Area: Environment and Ecology Sciences

Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese

Sustainable Development Goals

Learning Goals

General understanding of Ecosphere organization and involved processes. Acquisition of professional skills on environment.

Contents

Structure and function of ecosystems: circulation of matter and energy; energy to control entropy.
Biogeochemical cycles: global and local, impacts of human activities.
Limiting factors: Leibig's and Shelford's Laws. Factors of production and decomposition. Implications: distribution of organisms, success of introductions Production and trophic structure: Energy fluxes between trophic levels and ecological efficiencies. Predominant paths.
Population: characteristics and vital rates. Models of growth. Selection strategies r and K. Predator-prey interactions, population cycles. Competitive interactions, competitive exclusion. Models of population regulation.
Community: Structure, stability, environmental quality. Resistance and resilience.
Succession: Primary and secondary. Natural and Cultural. Climax theories.

Teaching Methods

Lectures and presentation and discussion of papers, films, and case studies; practical exercises.
Written examination.