PERSPECTIVES IN ECOLOGY

Paper Code: 
25CZOL113
Credits: 
4
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 
This course will enable the students to
1. Examine ecological history and limiting factors, population dynamics, community characteristics, and ecosystem dynamics.
2. Analyze population attributes, growth models, and regulatory mechanisms.
3. Investigate community characteristics, ecological succession, and intra- and interspecific relationships.
 
Course Outcomes: 

Course

Learning outcomes (at course level)

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment Strategies

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25CZOL113

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perspectives in Ecology THEORY

CO:13 Examine the history of ecology, autecology, synecology, and levels of organization, including the laws and concepts of limiting factors in ecosystems.

CO:14 Analyze the attributes of populations, including density, natality, mortality, life tables, and dispersal patterns, and evaluate population growth models and regulation mechanisms.

CO:15 Investigate community characteristics like species richness, diversity, and dominance, along with ecological succession and the concept of niches, focusing on intra-                   and                   interspecific relationships.

CO:16 Explore ecosystem types, food chains, food webs, and energy flow dynamics, including ecological pyramids and nutrient cycles like nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and carbon.

CO:17 Evaluate applied ecology in wildlife conservation and habitat management across various ecosystems, including freshwater, marine, desert, and estuarine environments.

CO:18 Contribute effectively in course-specific interaction

The approach in teaching: Interactive Lectures, Discussion, Tutorials, Reading assignments, Demonstration, Team teaching

 

Learning activities for the students: Self-learning assignments, Effective questions, Simulation, Seminar presentation

Assessment Strategies Class test, Semester end examinations, Quiz, Solving problems in tutorials, Assignments, Presentation

 

12.00
Unit I: 
Introduction to Ecology
History of ecology, Autecology and synecology, Levels of organization, Laws of limiting factors, 
Concepts of limiting factors
Abiotic Factors of Environment—temperature, light, pressure Substratum-Soil as a substratum
 
12.00
Unit II: 
Population
Unitary and Modular populations
Unique and group attributes of population: Density, natality, mortality, life tables,
fecundity tables, survivorship curves, age ratio, sex ratio, dispersal and dispersion Exponential and logistic growth, equation and patterns, r and K strategies Population regulation - density-dependent and independent factors
Population interactions, Gause‘s Principle with laboratory and field examples,
 
12.00
Unit III: 
Community Ecology
Community characteristics: species richness, dominance, diversity, abundance, vertical stratification, Ecotone and edge effect;
Ecological succession
Intraspecific & interspecific relationships Niche concept
Predation & parasitism- Concept, Host- parasite relationship
 
12.00
Unit IV: 
Ecosystem
Types of ecosystems with one example in detail, Food chain: Detritus and grazing food chains, Linear and Y- shaped food chains, Food web, Energy flow through the ecosystem, Ecological pyramids and Ecological efficiencies
Nutrient and biogeochemical cycles: Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Sulphur, Carbon cycle
 
12.00
Unit V: 
Applied Ecology
Ecology in Wildlife Conservation and Management
Habitat Ecology: Fresh water, Marine, Terrestrial- Desert, Estuarine water
 
Essential Readings: 
● P.D. Sharma, Ecology & Environment Rastogi Publications.
● Fundamentals of ecology; Odum, E.P.; W.B.Saunders, New Delhi.
● Ecology. Gary Miller, Robert, E. Riclefs. W.H. Freeman, USA.
● Elements of Ecology, 5 Ed Robert Leo Smith et al. Harper Collins.
● Environmental Biology (Cambridge Advanced Sciences) Michael Reiss.
 
SUGGESTED READINGS:
● Ecology and Field Biology, Robert L Smith, Harper CollinsPub, New York.
● Textbook of Ecology, G.T. Miller and S. Spoolman, Brookes Cole, England.
 

 

References: 
e-RESOURCES:
 
e-JOURNALS:
● ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
● Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
● International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 
 
Academic Year: 
2025-2026
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