300464 VO+UE+EX Limnetic copepods Central Europe (2008W)

This special course offers training for identification of the free-living copepods of Central Europe. The course includes biology and taxonomy of copepods living in continental water bodies of the different vegetation altitudinal zones.It includes theory on morphology and anatomy, systematics and phylogeny of the group, biology and ecology, geographical distribution and economic value. The laboratory work includes observation of living animals, conservation, coloration, preparation technics and identification of calanoid, cyclopoid and harpacticoid copepods. Sampling technics of planktonic and benthic copepods from lentic and lotic environments is shown.
Exkursion: Marchfeldkanal
Exam: Theory: 5 questions about theoretical aspects. Practical part: Separation and identification of the species of a water sample, calculation of the abundance.