BB547: Ecology A
The Study Board for Science
Teaching language: Danish or English depending on the teacher
EKA: N100029102
Assessment: Second examiner: External
Grading: 7-point grading scale
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Autumn
Level: Bachelor
STADS ID (UVA): N100029101
ECTS value: 10
Date of Approval: 13-05-2020
Duration: 1 semester
Version: Archive
Entry requirements
Academic preconditions
Students enrolled in this course, is expected to have knowledge of the topics, taught on the first year of the biology study program.
If you have passed the exam of 15 ECTS in the now closed course BB510, you cannot register for BB547 and BB548.
If you have passed the exam of 15 ECTS in the now closed course BB510, you cannot register for BB547 and BB548.
Course introduction
The purpose of the course is to give the student an in-depth insight in general ecological theories within the areas: The structure of ecosystems, function and development, as well as turnover of matter and energy in ecosystems, including knowledge of mass balances and simple ecological models, which is important in the understanding of the conditions for life on earth and the importance of the biosphere to the evolution and climate of the earth.
The course builds on the knowledge acquired in the first year courses as well as BB525 (Zoology and Evolution) and BB531 (Plants, protists and fungi). It gives a foundation for studying the topics BB548 (Field course in ecology), BB507 (Danish Ecosystems and their development), BB535(Terrestrial habitats: Vegetation analysis and management) and BB549 (Sustainable future) which is placed later in the study program.
In relation to the competence profile, the course has e explicit focus on:
- Provide competence to be a part of professional collaborations and structure own learning based on group work.
- Provide knowledge and reflexive understanding of the scientific theory in biology, experimental methods and the security measures in relation to these, current research topics and the use of those in the discussion of biological topics.
Expected learning outcome
In order to achieve the purpose of the course, the learning objective of the course it that the student demonstrates the ability to:
- Explain the water circuit
- Explain the circulation of mass , including nutrient turnover and limiting factors for primary production in freshwater and marine environments.
- Explain the importance of abiotic factors for biological processes and biological structures in ecosystems
- Explain and analyze the species composition of communities in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
- Explain the importance of flora, fauna and microorganisms for organic matter production and degradation of nutrient cycles in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
- Analyze the environmental state of concrete ecosystems using general ecological knowledge
- Understand the essential issues and terms of ecology
- Be able to analyze ecological data (e.g. in environmental reports) and from this be able to describe dominant processes and the state of the environment in ecosystems
- Be able to quantitatively relate masses (substance pools), turnover rates and mass balances for organic matter and nutrients (including nitrogen and phosphorus) in ecosystems
- On an overall level, be able to understand the changes the ecosystems have undergone as well as the changes that may occur as a result of further anthropogenic impacts and climate change
Content
The course contains these main academic areas:
- Description of communities in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
- Importance of flora, fauna and microorganisms for the production and degradation of organic matter and nutrient cycles in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
- Physical and chemical conditions in soil and their significance for soil development
- The water cycle
- The circulation of mass, including nutrient salt turnover and limiting factors for primary production in freshwater and marine environments
- The importance of abiotic factors for biological processes and biological structure in the free bodies of water and in sediments
- Based on environmental reports, various cases are reviewed
- The Water Framework Directive and the national water plans are Illuminated with a background in re-establishment potential for eelgrass in Odense Fjord. Simple ecological models will be used in the analyzes
Literature
Ferskvandsøkologi. Kaj Sand-Jensen og Claus Lindegaard, 2004. Gyldendal. 312
Leif Petersen: Grundtræk af jordbundslæren. 4. udgave. DSR Forlag 1994; 4 kompendier
Leif Petersen: Grundtræk af jordbundslæren. 4. udgave. DSR Forlag 1994; 4 kompendier
See itslearning for syllabus lists and additional literature references.
Examination regulations
Exam element a)
Timing
January
Tests
Oral examination
EKA
N100029102
Assessment
Second examiner: External
Grading
7-point grading scale
Identification
Student Identification Card - Name
Language
Normally, the same as teaching language
Examination aids
Aids not allowed
ECTS value
10
Indicative number of lessons
Teaching Method
On the Faculty of Science, teaching is based on the three-phase model
- Intro phase: 38 hours
- Skill training phase: 24 hours hereof 24 hours of exercise classes.
Each of the topics Freshwater ecology, Terrestrial Ecology, and Marine Ecology start with a number of double lectures and ends with exercise classes where the acquired knowledge is applied.
The course is mainly based on intro phase; but should be assessed together with BB548: Field course in Ecology, which is predominantly training phase with field and laboratory exercises as well as group project work
Activities in the study phase: 100 hours.
a.Preparation for lectures and exercise classes, including group preparation.
Teacher responsible
Additional teachers
| Name | Department | City | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cintia Organo Quintana | cintia@biology.sdu.dk | Biologisk Institut | |
| Kasper Reitzel Jensen | Reitzel@biology.sdu.dk | Økologi |