The course is designed to broaden students' understanding of the biology and ecology of the tropics. Starting with defining the tropics and introducing the most important climatic zones and biomes, it leads to more detailed topics such as the complex processes of soil formation, the productivity of tropical ecosystems, biodiversity and adaptations of plants and animals to different climatic conditions. Students learn theories explaining the extraordinary biodiversity of equatorial rainforests and the functioning of typical tropical ecosystems, such as coral reefs and mangroves. Analysing the differences in the functioning of tropical forests and those located in other climatic zones helps to understand the special importance of tropical forests for the entire biosphere. Specific anthropogenic threats to tropical ecosystems are also discussed in this context. The course concludes with a seminar, during which students present topics of their choice related to the biology and ecology of the tropics.
Link to syllabus [link]