- Course Code
- PL 3303
- Credit Points
- 15
- Course Coordinator
- Professor D Robinson
Pre-requisites
BI 2001 or another appropriate Level 2 biology course
Co-requisites
None
Overview
Primary production (The carbon cycle; Biomes; Scaling from leaf to biome); Water use (The hydrological cycle; Coupling between vegetation and atmosphere; Water in soil; Water use efficiency); Soil microbiology & Organic Matter decomposition (Decomposer organisms; Soil respiration; Decomposition kinetics; Root-microbe relations). Nutrient acquisition by plants (Nutrient demand; Nutrients in soil; Nutrient supply; Soil heterogeneity. Secondary production (Effects of grazing on nutrient cycling; Energy and resource flow between trophic levels). Ecosystem sustainability, human impacts and feedback effects. Ecosystem research methods.
Structure
The course runs over six weeks and the class meets for four sessions a week, typically two or three 2 hour lectures and a practical or data analysis session. In total, the class meets for fifteen 2 hour lectures, seven 2 hour practical classes and workshop, two quizzes and a class review session. In total, the class has about 60 hours of contact.
Assessment
1st Attempt: Written exam (67%) and continuous assessment (33%), continuous assessment is a worksheet based on data collected in the practical classes.
Resit: Written exam (100%).
Formative Assessment
A strong emphasis will be made throughout the course on informal verbal feedback during practicals and workshop sessions.
Feedback
Each student will receive individual feedback and a mark for each task. Feedback will be provided as written comments. Groups will also be given generic feedback.