Principles of Ecology
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| GEOG1022 | School of Geographical Sciences | 1 | 20 | Full year China |
- Code
- GEOG1022
- School
- School of Geographical Sciences
- Level
- 1
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Full year China
Summary
This module introduces the principles of ecology at the Qualifying Year level. The module covers:
1. Evolutionary aspects of ecology.
2. Organisms and their environment: physical, chemical and biotic factors limiting species distribution; capture and utilisation of resources by organisms; the niche concept; life cycles and dispersal.
3. Population Ecology: intraspecific and interspecific competition; predation; parasitism and mutualism.
4. Community Ecology: diversity and stability of communities; patterns of species richness; the concept of a climax community; energy flow and nutrient cycling.
5. Ecology of Habitats.
6. Palaeoecology.
The form of reassessment of the module will be the same as the original assessment unless stated to the contrary in the module specification. If the reassessment is different, it must consist of either a single examination or a single coursework assessment that replaces all the failed assessment components of the module for reassessment purposes.
Target Students
Students registered on the Environmental Science programme at The University of Nottingham Ningbo, China. Available to JYA/Erasmus students.
Classes
- One 2-hour lecture each week for 20 weeks
- One 8-hour field studies
Optional revision lectures and/or seminars can be scheduled for teaching weeks 11 and/or 12 of each semester.
Assessment
- 5% Coursework: Project with Poster output
- 50% Exam 1 (2-hour): MCQ and Short Essays, Autumn
- 45% Exam 2 (2-hour): Short Essays, Spring
Assessed in both autumn & spring semest
Educational Aims
To introduce students to fundamental ecological concepts and theories and to gain a greater understanding of the diversity of ecological systems and the processes involved with ecosystem functioning.Learning Outcomes
A. Knowledge and Understanding - to learn of:
1) Ecology and its component sub-disciplines.
B. Intellectual Skills - the ability to:
1) Critically analyse and interpret information and data
2) Derive and analyse material from a range of sources.
C. Practical/Professional Skills - the ability to:
1) Undertake invertebrate identification
2) Work safely in the laboratory.
D. Transferable/Key Skills - the ability to:
1) Communicate via poster
2) Be successful in team working
3) Find relevant information in the library and the web
4) Improve time management.
Conveners
- Dr Tengwen Long