1. Introduction to Ecology......................................7
1.1 Definition of Ecology, types of ecology, autecology and synecology.
1.2 Levels of ecological organisation from individual organism to the biosphere.
1.3 Importance of Ecology.
2. Ecosystem..............................................26
2.1 Ecosystem - Definition and components - biotic and abiotic.
2.2 Functions of ecosystem.
2.3 Types of ecosystems: Aquatic - Freshwater ecosystem – Lentic and Lotic and Marine ecosystem, Terrestrial - Forest, Grassland and Desert ecosystem.
2.4 Food chain and food web in ecosystem.
2.5 Energy flow through the ecosystem.
2.6 Ecological pyramids - energy, biomass and number.
3. Population Ecology................................................57
3.1 Introduction and concepts of population ecology.
3.2 Population characteristics, population density, population size.
3.3 Population growth, factors affecting population growth, natality, mortality, immigration, emigration.
3.4 Population growth curves, types of growth curves - exponential and logistic.
3.5 Sampling techniques for determining population size and density - quadrat, mark and recapture, camera traps.
3.6 Ecological sampling techniques used to study the distribution and abundance of organisms - Line transect and Belt transect method.
4. Community Ecology.....................................80
4.1 Introduction and concepts of community ecology.
4.2 Community characteristics - species richness, dominance, diversity, abundance.
4.3 Ecotone and edge effect.
4.4 Ecological succession, types of succession with example.
