Course Content (Syllabus)
Biosphere and ecosystems: Ecological relationships in the biosphere (lithosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere). The concept of ecosystems: abiotic and biotic factors - food chains and food webs (modern and fossil). The marine ecosystem: the filamentous and pelagic environment, biological and ecological characteristics of the main groups of marine organisms, functional aspects of the food webs of large marine ecosystems, primate biophases and palaeoecology, sea-level cycles and isotopic stages, the Mediterranean ecosystem. Quantitative palaeoecological methods (organic matter flux, oxygen concentration, bottom water hydrography, depth), species diversity, interpretation of palaeoecological data. Basic principles and applications of ecostratigraphy - case studies.