Ecology (from Greek oikos – house, logos – science) is a scientific discipline of biology, which examines relationships between organisms and their environment and relationships between organisms reciprocally. It studies ecological systems, their structure, organization and changes ongoing in them.
The Department of Ecology at Faculty of Natural Sciences Comenius University in Bratislava is a place where we together with students examine the ecological and evolutionary processes responsible for creating and sustaining life on Earth. Ecology is an interdisciplinary science and therefore also our activities connected with scientific research use a multidisciplinary approach to explore ecological and evolutionary processes at various levels – from the molecular, through the level of individuals, populations, communities to a global perspective,in the time scale from the Paleozoic era to the present.

The department has following research teams:
– Hydrobiological team
– Team of Evolution Biology EVO BIO
– Team of Invasive Biology and Ecomorphology of Fish

At our department, as part of ecological research, we also partially monitor the impacts of human activity on ecosystems, for example, the impact of the watercourses regulation or the construction of dams on benthic invertebrate and fish communities. However, we do not focus on issues of waste sorting, environmental pollution, greenhouse gas production or electricity generation. These issues fall under a separate discipline called Environmental studies, which is often incorrectly replaced by the lay public with the Ecology. We also do not hug trees or collect garbage in nature! You can read more about this issue here: https://www.esa.org/about/what-does-ecology-have-to-do-with-me/

Within the Biological Section, we provide teaching at all three levels of study within accredited study programs: Biology, Systematic Biology (Bc.), Ecology (Mgr.), General Ecology and Ecology of Individuals and Populations (PhD.).

Our main task is to educate scientists and practitioners who can apply themselves to universities, research institutes, state administration offices, ministries, state nature protection, natural science museums, environmental NGOs, but also in the commercial sphere. Students who are interested in nature and the processes running in it come to study at our department. Within the bachelors and masters theses, they directly participate in ongoing projects in Slovakia, often abroad. Inseparable part of the final work of graduates is scientific research, which combines theoretical knowledge, field research and patient work in the laboratory.
We organize field work and excursions for students not only in Slovakia, but also in other European countries and every year a 4-week exotic excursion in the tropical America.
We are convinced that science education helps our graduates not only in their employment, but also in forming own judgment and critical appraisal of phenomena from ecological and environmental problems to social and political questions.

Ecological seminar
The Ecological seminar brings together students, teachers, our graduates and all our friends, with whom we meet at various lectures, discussions and excursions, whether in Slovakia or abroad.
If you would like to join us, follow our Facebook page, where we publish, in addition to events, other information and curiosities!
If you want to organize a lecture or other event, please contact us!