Basic Ecology

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course introduces key principles of ecology in relation to the ecosystem structures, energy flow and bio-geochemical cycling in the environment. The course delineates interactions between abiotic and biotic environment and sustainable environmental management. It brings out the importance of ecosystems for their services to humankind, ecosystem interactions, a broad and functional understanding of ecological principles.

COURSE JUSTIFICATION

It helps the students to understand and apply the principles in the management of environment and forms a basis for the understanding of the advanced undergraduate and higher level postgraduate concepts.

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the course unit, students should be able to:

·                                 Identify and describe inter-relationships between abiotic and biotic factor.

·                                 Outline the structure and function of ecosystems

·                                 Explain the principles of conservation of matter and energy and appreciate    Explain how the laws of thermodynamics affect living organisms.

·                                 Discuss the Relate concepts of food web and chains to tropic levels

·                                 Explain the importance of material cycles, such as carbon and nitrogen          cycles in ecosytems.

·                                 Discuss productivity, diversity, complexity, and structure of biological   communities and how these characteristics are connected to resilience and      stability.

·                                 Explain how ecological succession results in ecosystem development.

·                                 Discuss the major ecosystems of East Africa and their flexibility to        disturbance.

·                                 Design and apply ecosystem conservation methods to the real world.

·                                 Analyze and interpret data generated from ecological experiments