1. Fundamental classification of organisms, compartmentalization of cells. Procaryotes, Eucaryotes, endosymbiotic theory, primary and secondary endosymbiosis, evolutionary aspects. Nomenclature of cyanobacteria and algae. General rules of algal thalli development. Major algal phylogenetic lineages.
2. Eubacteria - Cyanobacteria. Characteristics, morphology of cells and filaments, systematics, geographic and ecological distribution, biotechnology, toxicity.
3. Excavata - Euglenophytes. Rhizaria - Chlorarachniophytes. Characteristics, diversity, distribution in natural habitats.
4. Chromalveolata - characteristics, phylogenetic patterns among major lineages, phenotypic features. Cryptophytes, Haptophytes. Characteristics, morphology, taxonomy, the role of haptophyte populations in global carbon cycle.
5. Dinoflagellates. Characteristics, morphology, biogeography, life cycles, cell biology, ecolog and distribution, toxicity, bioluminiscence.
6. Dinoflagellates - systematics, important taxa, evolution and phylogeny.
7. Stramenopiles. Characteristics of Actinochrysophyceae and Phaeophyceae. Morphology, phylogeny, life cycles, distribution and diversity in marine habitats world-wide, seaweeds in biotechnology and food industry.
8. Chrysophytes. Morphology of cells, biogenesis of silica scales, taxonomy, distribution.
9. Raphidophytes, Xanthophytes, Eustigmatophytes. Characteristics, cellular morphology, systematics, evolutionary parallelisms.
10. Bacillariophyceae - cytology and cellular morphology, silica metabolism,cell reproduction, life cycles, ecology and distribution. Biomonitoring.
11. Bacillariophyceae - life forms and diversity of morphologies, traditional and modern taxonomy, cryptic diversity.

The course is taught with the support of the project reg. number CZ.02.2.69/0.0/0.0/16_015/0002362