1. The science of ecology: Historical overview. Relationships with other sciences. Functional relationships of organisms with their abiotic environment (Temperature - Humidity - Light & Photoperiod). Adaptation strategies.
2. Organisms in Space. Species distribution. Theory of island biogeography and applications.
3. The concept of an ecosystem: Structure and functioning. Biogeochemical cycles - Matter recycling. Ecological footprint - Water footprint - Carbon footprint.
4. Ecological succession - types - significance. The concept of a community - Food webs.
5. The concept of a biome. Planetary biomes (Mediterranean, Desert, Tropical forest, Temperate-Deciduous forest, Coral reefs, etc.).
6. Biodiversity - basic concepts - significance. Species diversity – Diversity indices.
7. Population Ecology - The concepts of individual-species-population - population density - crowding.
8. Dynamics of population fluctuations of a species in continuous and discrete time without density dependence: Exponential - Geometric model, Environmental and Demographic stochasticity.
9. Population fluctuations of a species with density dependence: Logistic, theta-logistic model. Allee effect.
10. r and K selection of species. Ecological and agricultural significance.
11. Life tables - Survival curves - Age pyramids. Population projections - Leslie Matrices, Lefkovitch Matrices.
12. Metapopulations - introductory elements - concept and ecological significance.
13. Interactions between populations. Mutualism - Mimicry - Reciprocity. Ecological significance - Examples.
14. Interspecific competition - Niche. Basic models. Competitive exclusion. Significance of species competition in agriculture.
15. Predation & Parasitism - Functional response (types I, II, III). Ecological and agricultural significance - Basic models. Applications in agriculture.
- Understand the significance of Ecology as a Science and its role (contribution) in modern society.
- Learn the history and milestones of the Science of Ecology, as well as its basic "principles" and "laws" that govern it.
- Comprehend the fundamental concepts of Ecology (Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biosphere), as well as the structures and functioning of Ecosystems.
- Gain knowledge about the various Biomes of the planet and the adaptations of organisms to them.
- Understand the interactions between populations (competition, predation, parasitism, mimicry, etc.) and also familiarize themselves with basic models and life tables used to study population changes and interactions – as well as their significance and practical application.
Recommended Bibliography: University Textbooks:
• "Οικολογία" (By D. Veresoglou) (In Greek)
• “Ecology, Concepts and Applications (By M.C. Molles and A.A. Sher) (In English)
University Lecture Notes:
"Ecology Notes” – C. Saitanis (in Greek) (“Σημειώσεις Οικολογίας")
Recommended Foreign Language Textbooks:
• Ricklefs R.E. and Miller G.L. 2000. ECOLOGY. (4th ed). W.H. Freeman and Company. New York.
• Rockwood L.L. 2006. INTRODUCTION TO POPULATION ECOLOGY. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 1405132639, 9781405132633.
Related Scientific Journals:
• Journal of Ecology
• Journal of Animal Ecology
• Oikos
