Details of LS3201 (Spring 2025)
| Level: 3 | Type: Theory | Credits: 4.0 |
| Course Code | Course Name | Instructor(s) |
|---|---|---|
| LS3201 | Ecology | Anuradha Bhat, Robert John Chandran |
| Syllabus |
|---|
| THE ENVIRONMENT
Physical environment; biotic environment; biotic and abiotic interactions. HABITAT AND NICHE Concept of habitat and niche; niche width and overlap; fundamental and realized niche; resource partitioning; character displacement. POPULATION ECOLOGY Characteristics of a population; population growth curves; population regulation; life history strategies (r and K selection); concept of metapopulation demes and dispersal, interdemic extinctions, age structured populations. SPECIES INTERACTIONS Types of interactions, interspecific competition, herbivory, carnivory, pollination, symbiosis. COMMUNITY ECOLOGY Nature of communities; community structure and attributes; levels of species diversity and its measurement; edges and ecotones. ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION Types; mechanisms; changes involved in succession; concept of climax. ECOSYSTEM Structure and function; energy flow and mineral cycling (CNP); primary production and decomposition; structure and function of some Indian ecosystems: terrestrial (forest, grassland) and aquatic (fresh water, marine, estuarine). BIOGEOGRAPHY Major terrestrial biomes; theory of island biogeography; biogeographical zones of India. APPLIED ECOLOGY Environmental pollution; global environmental change; biodiversity-status, monitoring and documentation; major drivers of biodiversity change; biodiversity management approaches. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY Principles of conservation, major approaches to management, Indian case studies on conservation/management strategy (Project Tiger, Biosphere reserves). |
| References |
|---|
| 1. Ecology. Charles Krebs. Benjamin Cummins, 5th Edition.
2. Ecology. Robert Ricklefs. W. H. Freeman, 6th Edition |
Course Credit Options
| Sl. No. | Programme | Semester No | Course Choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IP | 2 | Elective |
| 2 | IP | 4 | Elective |
| 3 | IP | 6 | Not Allowed |
| 4 | MP | 2 | Not Allowed |
| 5 | MP | 4 | Not Allowed |
| 6 | MR | 2 | Not Allowed |
| 7 | MR | 4 | Not Allowed |
| 8 | MS | 10 | Elective |
| 9 | MS | 4 | Not Allowed |
| 10 | MS | 6 | Core |
| 11 | MS | 8 | Elective |
| 12 | RS | 1 | Elective |
| 13 | RS | 2 | Elective |