- Course Code
- BI 2001
- Credit Points
- 15
- Course Coordinator
- Dr M Pinard, Dr C Trinder
Pre-requisites
Overview
The content reflects important topics in ecology, demonstrated with examples from plant, soil and marine systems. It features the following themes:
- The nature and description of ecological communities - terrestrial and marine.
- Community dynamics (disturbance, succession, regeneration and species coexistence) - terrestrial and marine examples.
- Trophic interactions (food webs, herbivory, parasitism, predation etc).
- Symbioses as case studies of community interactions: biological nitrogen fixation, mycorrhizas, cellular endo-symbionts.
- Biodiversity and ecosystem function.
- Community assembly and biogeography.
The content integrates in a critical manner these generic themes across different terrestrial and marine systems with the aim of developing a generic understanding of ecological processes. Topics typically include examples from each area, with a focus on similarities and differences between systems and an interrogative look at whether general rules apply in ecological systems within the context of environmental change, conservation and other contemporary relevant/associated themes that the students will expand on at later levels.
Structure
Twelve-week course in first-half session. 3 one-hour lectures per week plus 1 three-hour practical every second week (six practicals in total). Total contact hours: 36 lectures and six practicals (18) = 54 hours in total.
Assessment
1st Attempt: 1 two-hour written exam (8 out of 15 short questions, 1 out of 6 essays; = 70%); continuous assessment (30%).
Resit: 1 two-hour written exam in the same format as 1st attempt.
Formative Assessment
A formative in-course test will help students assess how well they are learning the course material. Student participation in these tests will be monitored and contribute to retention of the class certificate.
Feedback
Students will receive regular written feedback on each practical report before the start of the next practical class. Students who are identified as having difficulty in correctly completing the formative on-line tests will be invited to meet members of the course team to identify difficulties and discuss solutions.