Subsections
[Cr:4, Lc:4, Tt:0, Lb:0]
- Ecosystem concepts- Classic, Systems- and Thermodynamic Ecosystem properties : Openness, directionality, connectivity, emergent hierarchy, complex dynamics, self-regulation through feedbacks.
- Major biomes and ecosystems of the world : Major Biomes and their geographical distribution-relation with annual precipitation-temperature patterns; selected, well studied ecosystems- coral reefs, man-grove swamps, deep sea, lakes, streams, alpine, etc.
- Ecosystem components : Biotic components- autotroph, herbivore, primary carnivore, secondary carnivore, omnivore. And decomposer levels; Abiotic components- Important physic-chemical factors that influence the biotic components; human activities (Anthropocene concept).
- Energy Flow :Primary sources of energy- sun; deep sea hydrothermal vents; geography of solar radiation; factors influencing light energy reaching the plants (latitude; cloud cover, albedo; etc.); photosynthetic efficiency; Assimilation efficiency, Production efficiency and Consumption (exploitation efficiencies) at different trophic levels; Productivity/biomass ratios; detrital pathway and microbial loop; food pyramids.
- Materials cycling :Biogeochemistry; Nutrient cycling- C, N, P; respiration and decomposition; soil ecosystem; detritus, Nutrient limitation in terrestrial and aquatic environments and its consequences; eutrophication; anthropogenic sources of nutrients in to the ecosystem; ecological stoichiometry.
- Ecosystem development : Succession concepts; Primary and secondary succession; Changes in ecosystem functions during succession; Mechanism of succession-models; Concepts of climax.
- Biodiversity :Diversity at species and ecosystem levels; Patterns of species diversity- Latitudinal gradients, Factors contributing to tropical species richness; Species-area relationships; Components of diversity and Measurement and interpretation of diversity- Different indices of diversity; species-abundance relationships.
- Ecosystem regulation and stability :Top-down and bottom-up controls; Ecosystem-level response to perturbation- natural and man-made (alien species introductions, habitat fragmentation; anthro-pogenic climate change); Ecosystem resilience; diversity-stability relationships.
- Ecosystem health, Ecosystem services and their management :Major criteria for assessing ecosystem health (productivity, organization, resilience); Human perspectives and metrics of ecosystem health;Major ecosystem services important for human wellbeing; Economic value of ecosystem services; Relation with biodiversity conservation.
- Managed ecosystems- Agricultural and aquacultural ecosystems.
- Remediation of degraded ecosystems (restoration ecology) : Basic principles of restoration ecology;Role of Biotechnology in restoration of degraded ecosystems; Selected case studies.
- Ecosystem modeling and models :Analytical and simulation model; Multispecies interaction models; Whole ecosystem models; Network analysis.
- Chapin, F. S., P. A. Matson & P. Vitousek, 2012., Principles of terrestrial ecosystem ecology, 2nd ed. Springer, N.Y.
- Raffaelli, D. G. & C. L. J. Frid, 2010., Ecosystem ecology: A new synthesis, Cambridge Univ.Press, Cambridege
- Weathers, K., D. Strayer & G. Likens, 2012., Fundamentals of ecosystem science,Elsevier.
