COURSES

Glaciers of the Earth and methods of their research

Lectures provide newest comprehensive information about glaciers, their origin and evolution in geological past and present. The importance of glaciers in shaping the landscape and evaluation of interactions between glaciers on one side and bedrock and climate system on the second side is presented using a multidisciplinary approach. The course provides an overview of modern research methods used for studying past and recent glacier evolution, glaciers distribution on the Earth and their changes; reconstruction of past glaciations and modelling of future glacier behaviour under different climate scenarios.

For more information see: https://is.muni.cz/predmet/sci/spring2014/Z8051?lang=en
 

Glaciers on Vega Island. Photo Kamil Láska
 


 Geography of Polar Regions

Lectures provide basic information about physical geographic conditions of the Arctic and Antarctica, history of discovery and colonization of these regions. The course also includes assessing the significance of the Polar Regions in context of their geological history, atmospheric circulation, energy exchange, circulation in the Southern Ocean, cryosphere, biota and its sensitivity to global changes. Lectures are an integral part of information on current trends in polar research, development of tourism and its potential impacts, protection of natural resources and polar ecosystems.

For more information see: http://is.muni.cz/predmet/sci/podzim2012/Z5099?lang=en
 

View to the Brandy Bay, James Ross Island. Photo Kamil Láska
 


 Polar Ecology

Polar ecosystems are comparatively simple from viewpoint of their internal structure. On the other hand they exist as a result of long development, whose effect is perfect adaptation of their biotic component to the extreme living conditions. It enables their existence on the bounds of energy, climate and food requirement. Polar ecosystems were formed under influence of specific astronomic, geographical, oceanographic, atmospheric and geochemical factors. They have influenced their inanimate components (geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, pedosphere) and subsequently biosphere. Nevertheless, arised ecosystems impact backward as a complex the whole planet - notably from the energetic point of view. Its reflexion is first of all global change of ocean water, global climate and consequently complicated cascade of processes, which form the development of shape of Earth surface and development of the biosphere.

For more information see: https://is.muni.cz/predmet/sci/spring2014/Z8005?lang=en
 

Chinstrap penguins at Hannah Point, Livingston Island, South Shetlands. Photo Kamil Láska

 


 Plant Polar Biology

At the end of the course, a student should understand:
(1) background and principles of structure and function of polar vegetation oases, critical environmental factors in Polar regions, acclimation and adaptation strategies of plants to extreme polar environments,
(2) basics of field work in Polar regions, polar expedition scheduling and organization,
(3) based on case studies analysis, he/she should be able to point out critical points of plant studies in polar regions.

For more information see: https://is.muni.cz/predmet/sci/spring2014/Bi0321?lang=en
 

Moss vegetation on Ulu Peninsula, James Ross Island. Photo Kamil Láska
 


 Polar Ecology Course

CPE ensures the course entitled "Polar ecology course" consisting of both biological section and Earth and atmospheric sciences section. The course itself consists of one week of intensive lectures in respective fields of interest and then two weeks of field work in central Svalbard.

For more information: http://polar.prf.jcu.cz/polar_ecology_course.htm
 

Field trip to Nordenskiöldbreen in northern Billefjorden, Spitsbergen. Photo Kamil Láska

 

The educational outputs in 2013

Thirty-three students (1 from abroad - Spain) of master and bachelor study programmes were trained directly at the RI (the J.G. Mendel Czech Antarctic Station and EEL Laboratory). Thirteen postgraduate students were trained at the RI as well; 5 of them (1 from abroad - Russia) attend the Czech Scientific Expedition to the J.G. Mendel Station in 2013. Two Ph.D. Theses (one of them won the Bolzano Prize in Natural Sciences category) and three MSc. Theses written due to the RI were defended in 2013 (for details see the Progress Report on the Implementation of the Project of Large Research, Experimental Development and Innovation Infrastructure CzechPolar (MU) in 2013).

The results and outputs of the RI were implemented to 11 taught modules for 494 students of three Universities in the Czech Republic. It represents 40 (18 bachelor, 14 master and 8 doctoral) study programmes in total:

  1. MU- B1802 Applied Informatics (Bioinformatics 1802R026), 3 years, single-subject bachelor's full time study

  2. MU-B1304 Geography and Cartography, 3 years, single-subject bachelor's full time study

  3. MU-B1305 Applied Geography, 3 years, single-subject bachelor's full time study

  4. MU-B1530 Experimental Biology, 3 years, single-subject bachelor's full time study

  5. MU-B1531 Ecological and Evolutionary Biology, 3 years, single-subject bachelor's full time study

  6. UK-UBBZ – Geography with an emphasis on education, bachelor study

  7. UK-EKOEVOBI –Ecological and Evolutionary Biology, bachelor study

  8. UK-BFGG – Physical Geography and Geoinformatics, bachelor study

  9. UK-UBZM – Geography Oriented toward Education in combination with Mathematics, bachelor study

  10. UK-BGEKA – Geography and Cartography, bachelor study

  11. UK-BGEOL – Geology, bachelor study

  12. UK-HPZ – Management of Natural Resources, bachelor study

  13. UK-SHV – Liberal Arts and Humanities, bachelor study

  14. UK-TVS_Z – Physical Education and Sport with an emphasis on education in combination with Geography, bachelor study

  15. UK-I.ST – Teacher Training for Primary Schools, bachelor study

  16. UK-UNZ – Teaching of Geography for Secondary Schools, bachelor study

  17. JU-B1501 Biology, 3 years, bachelor study

  18. JU-B1601 Ecology and environmental protection, 3 years, bachelor study

  19. MU-N1304 Geography and Cartography, 2 years, single-subject follow-up master's full time study

  20. MU-N1407 Chemistry, 2 years, single-subject follow-up master's full time study

  21. MU-N1501 Biology, 2 years, single-subject follow-up master's full time study

  22. MU-N1530 Experimental Biology, 2 years, single-subject follow-up master's full time study

  23. MU-N1531 Ecological and Evolutionary Biology, 2 years, single-subject follow-up master's full time study

  24. MU-N1802 Applied Informatics (Bioinformatics 1802T026), 2 years, single-subject follow-up master's full time study

  25. UK-DG – Demography and Social Geography, master study

  26. UK-NOZP – Ecology and Environmental Protection, master study

  27. UK-NFGGD – Physical Geography and Geoecology, master study

  28. UK-NSGRRD – Social Geography and Regional Development, master study

  29. JU-N1501 Biology, 2 years, master study

  30. JU-N1502 Zoology, 2 years, master study

  31. JU-N1507 Botany 2 years, master study

  32. JU-N1603 Ecology, 2 years, master study

  33. MU-D-BI4 Biology (P1527), 4 years, single-subject follow-up doctoral full time study

  34. MU-D-GR4 Geography (P1314), 4 years, single-subject follow-up doctoral full time study

  35. UK-EKOLP Ecology, doctoral study

  36. UK-FYZGP Physical Geography and Geoecology, doctoral study

  37. JU-P1501 Biology, 2 years, doctoral study

  38. JU-P1502 Zoology, 2 years, doctoral study

  39. JU-P1507 Botany, 2 years, doctoral study

  40. JU-P1603 Ecology, 2 years, doctoral study

 

Teaching Activities of EEL members

Apart of general plant biology – related courses there are two of major importance that are covered by the EEL members as lecturers: 
 

Bi0321 Plant Polar Biology

The main aim of the course is a student understanding of:

(1) background and principles of structure and function of polar vegetation oases, critical environmental factors in Polar regions, acclimation and adaptation strategies of plants to extreme polar environments,

(2) basics of field work in Polar regions, polar expedition scheduling and organization,

(3) based on case studies analysis, he/she should be able to point out critical points of plant studies in polar regions.

 Supervisor

prof. Ing. Miloš Barták, CSc.

Extent and Intensity

2/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: (examination).

Teacher(s)

prof. Ing. Miloš Barták, CSc. (lecturer)
Mgr. Josef Hájek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Daniel Nývlt, Ph.D. (lecturer)
 

Syllabus

·        Polar environment

·        Polar regions

·        Plants in the Arctic and Antarctic

·        Vegetation of coastal and continental Antarctica

·        Vascular plants (Antarctica versus Svalbard) case studies

·        Algae and cyanobacteria

·        Mosses and lichens

·        Higher plants

·        Physiology of plant acclimation and adaptation , extremophiles

·        Plant microclimatology in relation to plant growth

·        Plant stress physiology in the Arctic and Antarctic

·        Case studies from the James Ross Island, Galindez Island, King George Island - Antarctica

·        Case studies from Svalbard

For more information see: https://is.muni.cz/predmet/sci/spring2014/Bi0321?lang=en

 

Z8005 Polar Ecology

Course objectives

Polar ecosystems are comparatively simple from point of view of their internal structure. On the other hand they exist as a result of long development whose effect is perfect adaptation of their biotic component to the extremal living conditions. It enables their existence on the bounds of energy, climate and food requirement. Polar ecosystems were form under influence of specific astronomic, geographical, oceanographic, atmospheric and geochemical factors. They have influenced their inanimate components (georelief and its substratum, atmosphere, hydrosphere, kryosphere, pedosphere) and subsequently biosphere. Nevertheless, arised ecosystems impact backward as a complex the whole planet - notably from the energetic point of view. Its reflexion is first of all global change of ocean water, global climate and consequently complicated cascade of processes, which form the development of shape of Earth surface and development of the biosphere.

Supervisor

prof. RNDr. Rudolf Brázdil, DrSc. (Department of Geography - Earth Sciences Section - Faculty of Science)
Contact Person: prof. RNDr. Pavel Prošek, CSc.
Supplier department: Department of Geography - Earth Sciences Section - Faculty of Science 

Extent and Intensity

2/1/0. 3 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: zk (examination).

Teacher(s)

prof. RNDr. Pavel Prošek, CSc. (lecturer)
prof. Ing. Miloš Barták, CSc. (lecturer)
Mgr. Daniel Nývlt, Ph.D. (lecturer)

Syllabus

      1. Introduction - delimitation of Arctic and Antarctic, their basic differences, discovering, exploitation and scientific utilizability. 2. Astronomic factors and their reflexion in polar regions. 3. Climate of polar regions - energy balance of the ground surface, water balance, baric field and atmospheric circulation, air temperature and air humidity, precipitation. Climate change and climate variation and their consequences i polar regions (glacials and interglacials and their influence on the hydrosphere, geosphere, cryosphere and biosphere). 4. Freshwater hydrology and oceanology. Surface water and ground water. Polar oceans - submarine relief, systems of sea currents, water substitution with the lower latitudes and its energy consequences. 5. Glaciology of polar regions - reasons of glaciation and its development, glaciation of continents and of sea surface, ice mass balance. Cryosphere as a stabilizer of Earth climate. 6. Development of earth surface in polar regions, glacial and periglacial geomorphologic processes - permafrost and its energy roots, regional structure, active layer of permafrost, frost weathering, slope dynamics. Soil in polar regions. 7. Vegetation in polar regions - limiting by abiotic factors (microclimate, nutrients, water), soil flora, space structure of polar vegetation (subpolar, polar, polar deserts and semideserts, polar wetlands). Origine of polar (alpine) plants, vascular plants and their adaptation and aclimatization on the polar environmet. Cryptogams in polar regions. 8. Stress physiology of polar plants. 9. Fauna of polar regions - invertebrates, evolution and space structure, physiological adaptation on polar conditions, nutrient succession. 10. Ecosystem of polar oceans - producents and consuments, nutrient succession. Relations between continental and maritime ecosystems. 11. Anthropogenic impacts on polar ecosystems - heat pollution of planetary geosystem, changes in chemical composition of atmosphere and their consequences (global transport of pollutants, anthropogenic change in greenhouse effect, ozone depletion and its consequences), changes in biodiversity.

For more information see: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2014/Z8005?lang=en