Title	Zoogeography
Code	ÚBEV/ZOG1/03	Teacher	Kováč Ľubomír
ECTS credits	6	Hrs/week	2/2
Assessment	Examination	Semester	1
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Objective	To provide students knowledge of the basic reasons for the recent distribution of animals on Earth, zoogeographic regionalisation of the Earth´s surface and human influence on the historical distribution of fauna.
Content	Current understanding of the patterns of animal distribution and the processes that influence distributions of species and their attributes. Historical and current ecology; genetics; physiology of animals and their interaction with environmental processes (continental drift, climate) in regulating geographic distributions. Descriptive and analytical approaches useful in hypothesis testing in zoogeography.  Illustration of applied aspects of zoogeography (e.g., refuge design in conservation).
Alternate courses	ÚBEV/ZOG1/99
Recommended reading	Darlington, P.J., 1998: Zoogeography: The geographical distribution of animals. Krieger, USA Lomolino M.V., Brown J.H., Riddle B. R., 2005: Biogeography. Sinauer Associates, 1-845

Title	Evolutionary Biology
Code	ÚBEV/EB1/99	Teacher	Mártonfi Pavol, Šmajda Beňadik, Čellárová Eva
ECTS credits	3	Hrs/week	2/-
Assessment	Examination	Semester	3
T/L method	Lecture
Objective	To familiarise students with the fundamentals of the evolution of living organisms.
Content	Historical overview of evolutionary theories. The origin of life. Elements of evolution: mutations, population waves, and isolation. Natural selection. Molecular evolution. Adaptations and their classification. Concept of species. Macroevolution. Evolution of functions and organs, evolution of ontogeny. Phylogeny of animals. Evolutionary progress. Anthropogenesis. Plant diversity. Primary and secondary speciation of plants. Reproduction-isolation mechanisms. Hybridisation and introgression of plants. Polyploidy. Reproductive systems in plants.
Recommended reading	Futuyama, D.J.: Evolutionary biology, Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, 3rd ed., 1997. Dobzhansky T. et al.: Evolution. San Francisco 1977.

Compulsory elective courses

Title	Chronophysiology
Code	ÚBEV/CRO1/03	Teacher	Šmajda Beňadik
ECTS credits	5	Hrs/week	2/1
Assessment	Examination	Semester	1
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Content	Time structure of physiological variables in animals and man. Basic notions and categories of biological rhythms. The significance of biological rhythms in the evolution of living things. The genetic basis and molecular mechanisms of biological clocks in animals. The endogenous character of biological rhythms. The multioscillatory system of the organism.  The significance of circadian and seasonal rhythms for animal and human life. The application of chrono-physiological principles.
Alternate courses	ÚBEV/CRO1a/99

Title	Animal and Human Ecophysiology
Code	ÚBEV/EFZ1/03	Teacher	Ahlersová Eva, Bojková Bianka
ECTS credits	6	Hrs/week	2/2
Assessment	Examination	Semester	1
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Objective	To provide students with knowledge of the basic mechanisms and principles of the action of environmental conditions on internal physiological processes. To familiarise students with the possible mechanisms of adaptation of animals to extreme values of environmental factors.
Content	The influence of environmental factors in phylogeny and ontogeny. The course of the stress reaction; kinds of adaptation. Pathology of adaptation processes: general symptoms of pathological processes. Adaptations based on vital factors of the environment: adaptations to changes in food intake (starvation and overfeeding), to hypo- and hyperbary, to increased water salinity, to gravitation, to high and low temperatures, to electricity, electromagnetic fields and laser beams, to  noise, to both non-ionizing and ionizing radiation, to ultrasound and vibrations in living organisms.
Alternate courses	ÚBEV/EFZ1a/99

Title	Molecular Basis of Ontogenetic Development
Code	ÚBEV/MZO1/03	Teacher	Mišúrová Eva
ECTS credits	3	Hrs/week	2/-
Assessment	Examination	Semester
T/L method	Lecture
Objective	To provide students with basic knowledge of the principles and molecular-biological mechanisms of the ontogenetic development of animal and plant organisms.
Content	Regulation of the ontogenetic development in eukaryotic organisms. Programme of ontogenetic development. Cell determination and differentiation. Molecular mechanisms of formation of specialised cell types. Epigenetic mechanisms of cellular memory. Imprinting. Combinatory control of eukaryotic genes. Regulatory genes. Establishment of cell position. Formation of the embryonic body plan. Establishment of the main axis of body. Shape formation. Cloning of multicellular organisms.
Alternate courses	ÚBEV/VMB1/00 orÚBEV/VMB1/03
Recommended reading	Gerhard, J., Kirschener, M.: Cells, Embryos and Evolution. Blacwell Science Inc., Massachusett,Oxford,London,1997

Title	Cytogenetics and Karyology
Code	ÚBEV/CK1/03	Teacher	Čellárová Eva
ECTS credits	4	Hrs/week	1/2
Assessment	Examination	Semester
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Objective	To provide students with knowledge and experience in genetic processes at the cell level using the newest scientific findings of cytogenetics and moleculoar cytology. To have students become acquainted in detail with the results coming from human genome mapping.
Content	Organisation of eukaryotic genome. Nuclear skeleton. Nucleolus; nucleolar skeleton. Chromatin structure and changes of chromatin. Levels of DNA organisation in cell nucleus. Chromosomes. Polythene chromosomes. Cell cycle. Genetic regulation of a cell cycle. Genetic regulation of cell differentiation. Apoptosis. Telomeres and function of telomerase. Molecular cytology. Basic characteristics of the human genome project: what we can learn from it?
Alternate courses	ÚBEV/CK1/99
Recommended reading	Russel, J.P.: Genetics, Third Edition, Harper Collins Publisher, New York 1992 Periodicals and internet sources

Title	Plant Metabolism
Code	ÚBEV/MR1/03	Teacher	Repčák Miroslav
ECTS credits	6	Hrs/week	2/2
Assessment	Examination	Semester
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Objective	To provide students with knowledge of the pathways of biosynthesis in plants and the functions of primary and secondary metabolites.
Content	Photosynthesis: structure of photosynthetic apparatus, light absorption, electron and proton transport, photophosphorylation. Calvin cycle, rubisco and photorespiration. C4 and CAM plants. Synthesis of starch and sucrose. Respiration: glycolysis, citric acid cycle, electron transport and ATP synthesis. Lipid biosynthesis and conversion into carbohydrates. Polyacetylenes. Nitrogen metabolism: fixation, nitrate assimilation, ammonium conversion to amino acids. Sulfur assimilation and metabolism. Terpenes: biosynthesis and functions. Phenolic compounds: pathways of biosynthesis, phenylpropanes, flavonoids and lignins. Alkaloids. Mechanisms of plant defense.
Alternate courses	ÚBEV/MR1/99
Recommended reading	Lawlor D. W. Photosynthesis. Third edition. BIOS, Oxford 2001;   Taiz L., Zeiger E., Plant physiology. Fourth edition. Sinauer ass., Sunderland 2006

Title	Practical in Immunology
Code	ÚBEV/IMUC1/03	Teacher	Paulíková Edita
ECTS credits	3	Hrs/week	-/3
Assessment	Assessment	Semester	1
T/L method	Practical
Objective	To teach the students the basic techniques used in immunology.
Content	The topics of exercises are determined by  the themes of lectures.
Prerequisite courses	ÚBEV/IMU1/03
Alternate courses	ÚBEV/CIM1/01
Recommended reading	Study materials provided by teacher.

Title	Plant Taxonomy
Code	ÚBEV/TR1/99	Teacher	Mártonfi Pavol
ECTS credits	5	Hrs/week	2/2
Assessment	Examination	Semester
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Objective	To familiarise students with basic methods and approaches in plant taxonomy.
Content	Plant taxonomy. Approaches to biological classification. Source of information and taxonomic data. Variation in plants and their study.  Numerical taxonomy (phenetics). Cladistics and their utilisation in taxonomy. Molecular data as important in recent systematics. Overview of phylogeny of tracheophytes according to the newest data. Evolution in populations, principles of plant evolutions, primary and secondary speciation. Basics of botanical nomenclature. International code of botanical nomenclature.
Recommended reading	Stuessy T. F.: Plant Taxonomy. - New York, Oxford 1990. Judd W. S., Campbell Ch. S., Kellogg E. A., Stevens P. F., Donoghue M. J.: Plant Systematics. A Phylogenetic Approach, 2nd ed. - Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, 2002.

Title	Hydrobiology
Code	ÚBEV/HDR1/99	Teacher	Hudec Igor
ECTS credits	3	Hrs/week	1/1
Assessment	Examination	Semester	1
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Content	Abiotic and biotic factors of a water environment; typology and characteristics of freshwater habitats; eutrophycation, pollution saprobity and evaluation of habitats with relation to abiotic factors.
Recommended reading	Horn, A., Goldman, C.: Limnology. Mc Graw Hill. 2nd Edition, 1994 Wetzel, R.G.: Limnological analyses. Springer Verl., 3rd Edition, 2000

Title	Cell Metabolism
Code	ÚBEV/MEB1/03	Teacher	Ahlersová Eva, Kassayová Monika
ECTS credits	6	Hrs/week	2/2
Assessment	Examination	Semester	1
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Objective	To provide students with knowledge about the principal metabolic processes in living cells.
Content	Metabolism of sugars and lipids and their disorders in human cells. Function of the liver in the metabolism of lipids. Metabolism of serum lipoproteins and its disorders. Metabolism of minerals. Mechanisms of acido-basic balance. Metabolic regulations. Topochemistry of metabolic processes in the organism.
Alternate courses	ÚBEV/MEB1/99
Recommended reading	Murray, R. K., Grammer, D. K., Mayes, P. A., Rodwell, V.W.: Harper‘s Biochemistry. Prentice-Hall, Appleton & Lange, 1993

Title	Soil Ecology
Code	ÚBEV/EKP1/04	Teacher	Kováč Ľubomír
ECTS credits	5	Hrs/week	2/1
Assessment	Examination	Semester	1
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Objective	To give students knowledge of soil as a heterogenous substrate and environment for organisms with special emphasis on the mineral and organic components of the soil essential for existence and development of populations of the living biota.
Content	Components of the soil environment, microclimate, nutrient cycling and energy flow. Soil-forming factors and processes, soil organisms microbial communities, plant roots, invertebrate communities and functioning of the soil system (decomposition, litter system, rhizosphere, drillosphere, termitosphere).
Recommended reading	Coleman D. C., Crossley D. A. jr.: Fundamentals of soil ecology. Academic Press, 1995 Dunger W., Fiedler H. J.: Methoden in Bodenbiologie. VEB Gustav Fischer Verlag, Jena, 1989 Lavelle P. Spain A. V.: Soil ecology. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Dordrecht-Boston-London, 2001

Title	Model Organisms in Genetics
Code	ÚBEV/MOG/03	Teacher	Čellárová Eva
ECTS credits	5	Hrs/week	1/2
Assessment	Examination	Semester
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Objective	To provide students with information on model systems of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms used in genetic research.
Content	Basic properties of model organisms used in genetics. Prokaryotic model systems (Escherichia coli, Diplococcus pneumoniae, Agrobacterium tumefaciens and A. rhizogenes). Model systems of simple eukaryotic organisms (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Neurospora crassa). Plant and animal model systems in vitro and in vivo. Caenorhabditis elegans. Arabidopsis thaliana. Mendel´s laws. Drosophila melanogaster. Morgan´s rules. Mus musculus. Human genome. Transgenic plants and animals. HeLa cells. Stem cells. Genetic importance of the study of twins. Genetic databases.
Alternate courses	ÚBEV/MOG1/99
Recommended reading	Genetic periodicals Internet sources

Title	Plant Molecular Biology
Code	ÚBEV/MBR1/05	Teacher	Čellárová Eva
ECTS credits	6	Hrs/week	2/3
Assessment	Examination	Semester	2
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Objective	To provide students with knowledge of gene expression in plants.
Content	Organisation of plant genome. Regulation sequences, gene families, repetitive sequences. Genes coding for t-RNA, r-RNA and structural genes. Regulation of gene expression in plants. Structure and function of mtDNA and cpDNA. Mitochondrial plasmids. Biotic and abiotic stress. Plant viruses. Agrobacterium sp. and its genetic importance. Ti and Ri plasmids. Methods of genetic transformation. Transgenes. GMO.
Recommended reading	Buchanan, B. B., Gruissem, W. and Jones, R. J.: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Plants. America Society of Plant Physiologists, Rockville, Maryland, 2000 Hansen E., Harper, G." Differentially Expressed Genes in Plants, Taylor and Francis, London 1997 Leister, D.: Plant Functional Genomic. The Haworth Press New York, 2004

Title	Physiology of Plant Growth and Development
Code	ÚBEV/FRV1/03	Teacher	Repčák Miroslav
ECTS credits	6	Hrs/week	2/2
Assessment	Examination	Semester
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Objective	To provide students with knowledge of basic methods and approaches in the physiology of plant growth and development.
Content	Growth and morphogenesis: phases and kinetics; differentiation. Hormones: metabolism and transport, physiological and developmental effects; auxin, gibberellins, cytokinnins, ethylene and abscisic acid. Photomorphogenesis and etiolation. Phytochrome: properties, physiology, ecological functions, molecular mechanisms. Blue-light responses. Rhythms. Germination and dormancy. Regulation of flowering. Senescence and programmed cell death. Orientation in space: phototropism, gravitropism and nastic movements. Stress physiology.
Alternate courses	ÚBEV/FRV1/99
Recommended reading	Taiz L., Zeiger E., Plant physiology. Fourth edition. Sinauer ass., Sunderland 2006

Title	Biopharmacology
Code	ÚBEV/BFA1/03	Teacher	Gálik Ján
ECTS credits	5	Hrs/week	2/2
Assessment	Examination	Semester	2
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Objective	To provide students with basic knowledge on the classification and mechanism of action of the most important pharmaceuticals.
Content	Pharmaceutical principles. Classification of drugs. Absorption, biotransformation and excretion of drugs from the organism. Pharmacogenetics. Molecular mechanisms of drug effects. Drug-receptor interactions. Chronic administration of drugs. Teratogenity and cancerogenity of drugs. Development and introduction of drugs for clinical use. Principle of chronopharmacology.
Alternate courses	ÚBEV/BFA1/99
Recommended reading	Clark, W. G., Braber, D.C., Johnen, A.R.: Goth‘s medical pharmacology. Mosby Year Book, 1992

Title	Applied Embryology
Code	ÚBEV/AEM/06	Teacher	Dudáš Marek
ECTS credits	4	Hrs/week	2/1
Assessment	Examination	Semester	2
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Objective	To develop in students a omplex understanding of current assisted reproduction technologies and methods used in experimental pathology.
Content	Basics of the latest techniques in animal and human embryology with emphasis on methods frequently used in clinical medicine and science (e.g., in vitro fertilisation, cloning, preimplantation diagnosis, transgenesis, gene knock-out, disease modelling, tissue-specific gene manipulations). Selected topics from allied basic sciences (embryology, molecular genetics, developmental biology, ethics) will enhance complex understanding of current trends in clinical embryology and experimental pathology.
Recommended reading	Provided by the teacher in a classroom.

Title	Biospeleology
Code	ÚBEV/BSP/04	Teacher	Kováč Ľubomír
ECTS credits	4	Hrs/week	1/1
Assessment	Examination	Semester	2
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Objective	To give students basic knowledge on the diversity of the cave biota, relationships between and adaptations of biota to the specific environment, human influence and protection of the cave biota.
Content	Morphology and systematics of the cave fauna and microflora, their adaptations to this specific habitat type, geographic distribution, functioning of the cave system and interactions between its components, human influence and protection of the cave biota.
Prerequisite courses	ÚBEV/EPZ1/03
Recommended reading	Culver D. C., 1982: Cave life – evolution and ecology. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts and London Culver D.C., White W.B., 2005: Encyclopedia of caves. Elsevier, 1-654 Vandel A., 1965: Biospeleology - the biology of cavernicolous animals. Pergamon Press, Oxford Wilkens H., Culver D.C., Humphreys W.F., 2000: Subterranean Ecosystems. Ecosystems of the World, vol. 30. Elsevier, 1-791

Title	Ecological Ethology
Code	ÚBEV/EET1/03	Teacher	Ahlers Ivan, Majláth Igor
ECTS credits	6	Hrs/week	2/2
Assessment	Examination	Semester	2
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Objective	To give students the means to analyse and comprehend the principles of behavioral strategies in a given ecosystem from the point of view of sociobiology.
Content	The topic of sociobiology and its relations to other disciplines. The evolution of social behavior in animals and in man. Strategies of social interactions and formation of groups in relation to the ecosystem. The choice of appropriate social arrangement, sexual partner, reproductive  and parental strategy. Competition among individuals and sexes.
Prerequisite courses	ÚBEV/ETO1/03

Title	Neurophysiology
Code	ÚBEV/NFYZ/07	Teacher	Gálik Ján
ECTS credits	4	Hrs/week	2/1
Assessment	Examination	Semester	3
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Content	The neuron as the basic functional and morphological unit of the nervous system. The generation of resting membrane potential, ion chanals, ion currents. The rise and conduction of action potential.  The synapse: chemical and electrical synapses. Synaptic excitation and inhibition. Neurotransmitters and their receptors. Sensual receptors: classification. Sensoric and motoric functions of the nervous system. Sensoric neural pathways and brain centres. Motoric control centers in the CNS. Monosynaptic and polysynaptic reflexes. Functions of the limbic system. Associative functions of the CNS: sleep and wakefullness, memory and learning, speech, cognition. Neurophysiology of sensory functions. Methods of recording brain activity.

Title	Ecology of Soil Animals
Code	ÚBEV/EPZ1/03	Teacher	Kostúrová Natália
ECTS credits	6	Hrs/week	2/2
Assessment	Examination	Semester	2
T/L method	Lecture, Practical
Objective	To give students basic knowledge on the functioning of the soil system with special reference to dominant systematic groups of soil fauna, their ecology and taxonomic identification.
Content	The soil as an ecological system and type of environment Ecological factors ruling life in soil, soil-dwelling animals and their adaptations to this specific habitat. Functioning of the soil system and understanding of the principal interactions of soil fauna with the plant rhizosphere and soil microflora.
Prerequisite courses	ÚBEV/EKP1/04
Alternate courses	ÚBEV/EPZ1/99
Recommended reading	Coleman, D.C., Crossley, D. A., 1996: Fundamentals of Soil Ecology. Academic Press, London, 1-205 Eisenbeis, G., Wichard, W., 1987: Atlas on the Biology of Soil Arthropods. Springer- Verlag Berlin, Germany, 1-437 Schaller, F. 1968: Soil Animals. The University of Michigan Press, United States of America, 1-144 Wallwork, J. A., 1970: Ecology of Soil Animals. McGraw- Hill, England, 1-283 Wallwork, J. A., 1976: The distribution and Diversity of Soil Fauna. Academis Press, London, 1-355