Our Introduction to Ecology course is perfect for those looking to gain a foundation in this area or simply want to expand their knowledge.
This is a popular course for people interested or working in:
environmental management
agriculture
horticulture
research
education
wildlife and animal studies and welfare
This course consists of 7 topics as stated below each containing their own short assessment. On completion of all topics you will then be given a case study on which you will be asked to write a final report on. You will be assigned a tutor to help you with assessments as well as access to online one to one lessons to reinforce your studies.
Duration: 100 Hours (approximately)
Qualification: Certificate upon completion of course
Topics:
Ecosystems and Populations
Ecology
Types of Ecology: Behavioural Ecology, Population Ecology, Community Ecology and Ecosystem Ecology
Biomes
Ecosystems (Energy and Nutrients)
The Food Web: Grazing Web, Detrital Web, Energy Flow and Imbalances
Populations: Diversity, Habitat, Niche, and Growth Rates
Interactions in the Community: Competition, Predation, Co-evolution, Succession and Climax Communities
The Development of Life
Lifespan: Average Lifespan, Evolutionary Considerations on Lifespan and Theories on the Limits of Lifespan
Evolution: Introduction, What Evolution Means, Evidence of Organic Evolution, The Anatomical Argument, The Physiological Argument, The Paleontological Argument, The Embryological Argument, Steps in Organic Evolution, Multicellular Organisms, The Evolution of Sex, Differentiation and Integration
The origin of Vertebrates: The Emergence of Man, Factors in Organic Evolution, Germ Cells and Variations, Natural Selection, Population Genetics, The Synthetic Theory, Speciation, Genetic Drift, Trans-specific Evolution, Present Day Evolutionary Debate, Human Evolution and Evolutionary Patterns
Animals, Parasites and Endangered Species
Animals in the Ecosystem: Animals in the Human Community
Animals
Phylum and Classes of the Animal Kingdom: Vertebrates with Backbones, Vertebrates without Backbones, Protozoa, Origins and Relationships, Body Organisation, The Gut, Symmetry, Protosomia, Coelom and Deuterostomia
Summary of Phyla: The Parazoa, The Mesozoa, The Radiata, Phylum Coelenterata and Phylum Ctenophora
The Acoelomate Bilateria: Phylum Platyhelminthes, Phylum Nemertina
Eucoelomates (The Deuterostomia): Phylum Chaetognatha, Phylum Echinodermata, Phylum Hemichordata and Phylum Chordata
Parasites: Human Parasites and Parasitic Plants
Endangered Species: The Causes of Extinction and Efforts for Preservation
Case Study (Threatened Animal Species in Queensland, Australia): Birds, Mammals, Fish, Frogs, Butterflies and Reptiles
Fungi, Tundra, Rainforests and Marshlands
Fungi: Introduction, Types of Fungi, The Structure of Fungi, The Reproduction of Fungi, The Physiology of Fungus, Poisoning by Fungi, The Ecology of Fungus, The Uses of Fungi, The Classification of Fungi (Oomycota, Zygomycota, Ascomycota)
Tundra: Introduction, The Climate and Land Formation, Plant Life on the Tundra
Rainforests: The Ecology, The Vegetation, Creatures of the Rainforest, The Canopy, The Under-storey, The Forest Floor and Clearing the Rainforest
Marshland: Introduction, Freshwater Marshes and Saltwater Marshes
Mountains, Rivers and Deserts
Mountains: The Formation of Mountains, The Importance of Mountains, Volcanoes and Erosion
Rivers: The Formation of Rivers, Dams (Ponds), River Catchments, Urban Catchments, How can we clean up Stormwater
Reducing Pollutants
Sedimentation
Nutrients
Other Toxicants
Damming of Rivers
Deserts: Wind Systems, Land Formation, Plant Adaptations to the Desert, Animal Adaptations to the Desert, Human Impacts on Deserts, The Spreading Deserts
Shallow Waters
Estuaries
Major Natural Processes Occurring in Coastal Environments: Climatological, Physical, Biological and Mixing Processes; Factors Influencing Estuaries; The Estuary as a Nursery; Estuaries and People
Rocky Shores: Threats to Rocky Shores and What Individuals Can Do
Sandy Shores: Threats to the Sandy Shore
Coral Reefs: Corals, The Composition of Coral Reefs
Types of Coral Reefs: Fringing Reefs, Barrier Reefs and Atolls
The Origin of Coral Reefs: Flora and Fauna on Atolls; Petroleum
Ecological Problems
The Greenhouse Effect
Global Warming: Difference Between Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming, Climate Change, A Growing Awareness, Carbon Dioxide
International Efforts to Combat Climate Change: IPCC, UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, COP15 and The World Watch Institute
The Actual and Potential Effects: Global Temperature Rise, Sea Level Rise, Impacts on Weather Systems
Greenhouse Gases (GHG): Water Vapour, Methane, Nitrous Oxide and Fluorocarbons
Ozone: The Ozone Layer, The Causes of Ozone Depletion, Aerosols, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Foam and Phasing out CFCs
The Effects of Ozone Depletion: Skin Cancers, Immune System Response, Impacts on Crops and Forests and Impacts on Marine Life
Poisons: Poisons in the Home and Other Household Poisons
Poisons on the Farm: Pesticides, Characteristics of Pesticides and Summary of Pesticides
Environmental and Health Impacts of Pesticides: Soil, Water Air Vegetation, Wildlife, Effects of Chemicals on Humans and Animals, Acute Poisoning, Chronic Poisoning and Different Types of Effects
Waste Material: Rubbish Dumps or Tips, Recycling, Plastics, Gas from Landfills and Domestic Waste
Please contact us for more information or to book your course