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Faculty of Science Handbook, Session 2017/2018

that enable them to meet their need to survive and SIE 2011 TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY
reproduce. To do this, animals acquire, process and use
energy to cope with internal and external challenges Major elements of terrestrial ecology: the physical world,
through a variety of physiological, morphological and plants, animals, microbes. Energy and trophic levels. Time
behavioural adaptations. An integrated approach is taken as a dimension. General vegetation categories and
to combine microanatomy, gross anatomy and physiology dependent organismal assemblages. Life forms and
in learning of the body systems. Concepts and theories in general adaptations among terrestrial organisms:
lectures are expanded and developed in interactive autotrophs and heterotrophs in different environments;
laboratories and explorative practicals. light, water and nutrition. Diurnal and seasonal variations
and cycles. Types and characteristics of tropical
Assessment Methods: forests. Diversity of life in various
Continuous Assessment: 50% environments. Reproduction in plants and animals:
Final Examination: 50% comparative traits. Reproductive rhythms in plants:
flowering, pollination, dispersal. Behavioural aspects of
Medium of Instruction: animal reproduction in rain forests. Other rainforest
English adaptations and interactions among organisms: herbivory
and plant defences, myrmecophily, parasitism,
Soft Skills: saprophytism. The relationship among soils, climate and
CS4, CT3, TS3 forest type. The forest growth cycle and dynamic
equilibrium. The ecology of nutrient cycling and importance
Main References: of the hydrological system in forest growth. Relationships
1. Randall, D, W. Burggren & K. French. 2014. Eckert among nutrients, growth, structure and biological diversity.
Animal Physiology. W.H. Freeman. Key characteristics of biodiversity and biogeography for
2. Moyes, CD& PM. Schulte. 2013. Principles of Animal rainforest species. The concepts of carrying capacity and
Physiology. Pearson. environmental pressure. Degradation and regrowth of
3. Hill, RW, GA. Gordon & M. Anderson. 2012. Animal forests. Consequences of various logging systems,
Physiology. rainforest fragmentation and environmental catastrophes.
The rain forest as a renewable resource; the concept of
sustainable forest management. Carbon sequestration by
SIE 2010 URBAN ZOOLOGY vegetation. Timber, non-wood forest products and other
forest functions as management objectives. Non-forest
Ecosystems: Natural and man-made, their main features tropical landscapes: review of types, comparisons in terms
and differences. The urban ecosystem: a classification of of productivity.
the habitats. Natural history of urban area. The animal
component in urban areas: biodiversity and adaptations. Assessment Methods:
Brief revision on main taxonomical groups: biology, ecology Continous Assessment: 60%
and study methods of Invertebrate & Vertebrate. Pest Final Examination: 40%
species and control strategies. Nature conservation in
urban habitats. Animal species and habitat fragmentation. Medium of Instruction:
Alien species and related problems (invasive species). English
Feral species and wildlife. Zoological data and urban
planning. Case studies: the fauna of Kuala Lumpur, the Soft Skills:
insect fauna of residential area. CS3, CT3, TS2
Assessment Methods: Main References:
Continuous Assessment: 50% 1. Aiken, S.R. & C.L. Leigh (1992) Vanishing Rain
Final Examination: 50% Forests. The Ecological Transition in Malaysia.
Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Medium of Instruction: 2. Primack, R. & R. Corlett (2011) Tropical Rain Forests.
English An Ecological and Biogeographical Comparison.
Blackwell Publishing, Oxford.
Soft Skills: 3. Whitmore, T.C. (1984) Tropical Rain Forests of the Far
CS4, CT3, TS2 East. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Main References:
1. Gaston, K. J. (2010) Urban Ecology. Cambridge. SIE 2012 AQUATIC ECOLOGY
2. Mark J. McDonnell, Amy K. Hahs, Jürgen H. Breuste
(Eds) (2009) Ecology of Cities and Towns: A Introduction to the physical and chemical aspects of aquatic
Comparative Approach. Cambridge. systems, and their influence on aquatic organisms. Survey
3. Richard T. T. Forman (2014) Urban Ecology: Science of marine and freshwater organisms with focus on their
of Cities Cambridge Paperback. ISBN: ecological roles. The basic principles of aquatic ecology
9780521188241. are discussed at the community and ecosystem levels,
4. Clark E. Adams & Kieran J. Lindsey (2009) Urban followed by more detailed discussion of the major marine
Wildlife Management. CRC Press. and freshwater ecosystems. Types and exploitation of
aquatic resources. Human impacts on aquatic ecosystems.
Assessment Methods:
Continuous Assessments: 40%
Final Examination: 60%

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