Yerevan State University

							Course title: Hydrobiology and Water Ecology
Lecturer: Christina Hakopian
Institution: Yerevan State University
Country: Armenia

   I.       AIM OF THE COURSE
            The aim of the course is to provide the theoretical, practical, and methodological
            fundamentals, as well as complex skills and techniques on Hydrobiology and Water
            Ecology.
            The objectives of the course are:
   1. To provide a clear view and definition of the general processes which take place in the
         biohydrosphere. The students will get to know the biological processes in the hydrosphere
         and the life of hydrobiontes in different water basins (rivers, lakes, swamps, canals, artificial
         lakes and oceans).
   2. To expose the essence of the biological processes in the hydrosphere in general and in
         various water basins in different geographical zones.
   3. To introduce the application of the main research methods in relation to the core life forms
         of hydrobiontes in watercourse and water bodies, as well as their role in intra-water body
         processes.
   4. To display the scientific and practical importance of hydrobiological and hydroecological
         researches in the solution of the problem of the surface water quality, their conservation and
         water regeneration.
   5. To obtain basic knowledge about the anthropogenic impact on water ecosystems.



   II.      THE ROLE OF THE COURSE IN THE OVERALL DEGREE CURRICULUM
            This course is one of the core courses for the students who specialize to become
            hydrologists and ecologists of hydrometeorology as a part of their Geography major. The
            course is not suitable for Biology and Ecology students with a biological profile. The
            course syllabus is developed with consideration that the students have passed the
            courses, included into the curriculum, which cover the study of common geographical
            and hydrological issues, the problems of monitoring, processing and analysis of the data
            of hydrometeorological observations, those of the evaluation of the water quality and its
            pollution, environmental conservation, modeling of the mechanical transition of
            components in water basins.
III.   METHODS USED
       This course consists of lectures, seminars and practical classes. During the lectures the
       students will learn the main part of the course. Single topics, however, will become
       assignments for the students' individual work to be presented at the seminars. At the
       practical classes it is envisaged to watch and analyze video-films on the hydrobiological
       and hydroecological processes in different water basins. At the seminars the students
       will do individual, pair and group assignments.
       The required methodical assignments should provide students with freedom of choice of
       their individual tasks. The practical assignments will be cover the hydrobiological and
       hydroecological areas and are aimed at covering the main parts of the course.

IV.    COURSE CONTENT
       Introduction. Hydrobiology and water ecology, their inter-relation. The place of
       hydrobiology and water ecology in the system of sciences, their relation and interaction
       with other sciences. The research object, the objectives of hydrobiology and
       hydroecology. The hydrobiology and hydroecology research methods. The history of the
       development of hydrobiology and hydroecology. The main trends in hydrobiology.


       The key concepts of hydrobiology and hydroecology. Environment. Biotic
       Environment. Biocoenose. Ecosystem. Habitat. Population. Biotope. Biotopes of water
       basins. Ecological niche. Hatchinson niche.


       The concept of live forms. Live forms of hydrosphere populations (pelagos (plankton,
       necton, pleuston), benthos, neuston, periphyton, pelagobenthos). The classifications of
       live forms of hydrosphere population.


       The concept of the ecological factors of environment. Ecological valency. Stenotopic
       and eurytopic organisms. The maximal and minimal values of ecological factors. The
       concepts of optimum and pessimum. Liebich Law (Law of Minimum), Shelford Law
       (Law of Maximum). The concept of tolerance. Law of tolerance (Tinneman Law). The
       classification of ecological factors of environment.


       Abiotic factors of environment. The classification of abiotic factors.
Physical-chemical characteristics of water and their impact on the existence of the
hydrobiontes. Chemical composition and structure of water. The density of water and its
role for hydrobiontes’ existence. Water ductility and its role for hydrobiontes’ existence.
Surface tension and its role for hydrobiontes’ existence. Thermal and optical
characteristics of water and their role in the life of hydrobiontes.
Physical-chemical characteristics of bottom and their role in the life of hydrobiontes.
The classification of hydrobiontes relative to bottom.
Substances contained in natural water. Gases. Significance of oxygen in the life of
hydrobiontes. The classification of hydrobiontes relative to oxygen. Kills. The role of
carbonic acid in the life of hydrobiontes. The role of hydrogen sulphide in the life of
hydrobiontes. The role of methane in the life of hydrobiontes.
Ions of mineral salts and their significance for hydrobiontes life. Hydrogen ions and
electronisation potential. Dissolved organic substances and their significance for
hydrobiontes life. Suspended substances and their significance for hydrobiontes life.


Physical-chemical phenomena in water basins and their impact on the existence of the
hydrobiontes. The pressure of water and its significance for hydrobiontes’ existence.
The classification of hydrobiontes relative to pressure. Significance of hydrodynamics in
the life of hydrobiontes. Water temperature and its significance for hydrobiontes’
existence. The classification of hydrobiontes relative to temperature. The role of light in
the life of hydrobiontes. Bioluminescence: its significance in the life of hydrobiontes.
Sound phenomena in water basins: its significance in the life of hydrobiontes.
Electricity: its significance in the life of hydrobiontes. Magnetism: its significance in the
life of hydrobiontes.


Biotic factors of environment. The concept of biotic factors in the environment. The
classification of biotic factors. Mutualism. Commensalism. Neutralism. Antibiosis.
Preying on others and parasitism. Competition.


Anthporogenic factors of environment.
Water basins pollution. Anthropogenic euthrophycation and thermophycation of water
basins. Biological self-purification of water basins and forming оf water quality.
Mineralisation of organic substances. Biosedimentation and decolorizing of water.
Biological detoxication. Photosynthetic aeration of water and its concentration by
     metabolites. Ecological concepts of water purification and fight with biological
     disturbances.


     Hydrobiology and water ecology of water basins.
     Life in natural water basins.
     Life conditions in rivers: description of abiotic factors in rivers. River population: the
     main life forms and their description. Life in estuaries.
     Life conditions in lakes: description of abiotic factors in lakes. Lake population: the main
     life forms and their description.
     Life conditions in swamps: description of abiotic factors in swamps. Swamp population:
     the main life forms and their description.


     Life in artificial water basins.
     Life conditions in canals: description of abiotic factors in canals. Canal population: the
     main life forms and their description. Life in autospray system of rice field.
     Life conditions in reservoirs: description of abiotic factors in reservoirs. Reservoir
     population: the main life forms and their description.
     Life conditions in artificial lakes: description of abiotic factors in artificial lakes.
     Artificial lake population: the main life forms and their description.


     Life in ground water basins. Life conditions in cavern waters: description of abiotic
     factors in cavern waters. Cavern waters population: the main life forms and their
     description. Life conditions in interstitial waters: description of abiotic factors in
     interstitial waters. Interstitial waters population: the main life forms and their
     description. Life conditions in phreatic waters: description of abiotic factors in phreatic
     waters. Phreatic waters population: the main life forms and their description.
     Life in Ocean. Life conditions in the Ocean: description of abiotic factors in the Ocean.
     Ocean population: the main life forms and their description.
     Hydrobiology and water ecology of the region under study (e.g. Armenia)


     Ecological concepts of hydrosphere conservation
     Biological indication of water basins pollution. Toxicological control. Hydrobiological
     monitoring.


V.   READINGS
A. MANDATORY
Romanenko V.D. Fundamentals of Hydroecology. Kiev, 2004, 662 p. (in Russian)
Konstantinov A. S. General Hydrobiology, Moscow, 1986, 472 p. (in Russian)
Zernov S.A. General Hydrobiology, Leningrad, 1934, 503 p. (in Russian)
Richard S.K. Barnes & Ken H. Mann Fundamentals of Aquatic Ecology, 1991, ISBN:
0-632-02983-8


B. RECOMMENDED
Berezina N. A. Hydrobiology, Moscow, 1984, 360 p. (in Russian)
Odum Yu. Ecology. Volume 1. Moscow, 1986, 328 p. (in Russian)
Odum Yu. Ecology. Volume 1. Moscow, 1986, 376 p. (in Russian)
The Main Fundamentals of Water Ecosystem Study (Editor Vinberg G.G.), Leningrad,
1979, 273 p. (in Russian)
Nikolski G.V. Ecology of Fish, Moscow, 1974, 367 p. (in Russian)