This course introduces to biological, chemical and physical features of freshwater rivers, lakes and relates them to general ecological concepts. There are two primary ways of monitoring the ecological state of aquatic ecosystems: chemical water quality analysis and analysis of biological components.

This course will concentrate on both chemical and biotic composition of freshwater rivers and lakes. Another focus of the course is the research methodologies in aquatic ecology. The laboratory work is designed to complement and expand on the topic discussed in lectures while providing students with hands-on experience in sampling, analysis, and interpretation of freshwater aquatic ecosystems.

By the end of the course, the students should be able to:

Understand the context of this course.
Understand the principles of aquatic ecology.
Plan the study for this course according to your learning pace.