Ecology26835
- Centre
- Faculty of Science and Technology
- Degree
- Bachelor's Degree in Biology
- Academic course
- 2024/25
- Academic year
- 3
- No. of credits
- 12
- Languages
- Spanish
- Basque
- English
- Code
- 26835
TeachingToggle Navigation
Teaching guideToggle Navigation
Description and Contextualization of the SubjectToggle Navigation
Ecology is a biological discipline that focuses on the study of the functioning at the various levels of organization of life: individuals, populations and ecosystems. The learning objectives of this course are: the principles of environmental variability and response mechanisms of organisms; the fundamental concepts about the growth of populations, the regulation of their abundance and the characteristics of the intra- and interspecific interactions; the structure and functioning of communities and ecosystems; the understanding of the basic concepts and methodologies of the discipline and the ability to communicate verbally and on paper using specific terminology.
Ecology integrates knowledge of different biological disciplines that students learn about in the degree. It is advised to take this course before the optional courses of Forest Ecology, Marine Ecology or Limnology. The course of Ecology offers students knowledge and abilities that can be used in a variety of jobs as teaching Ecology, environmental education, scientific consultancy and technical support in subjects related to ecology as management and exploitation of natural resources, biological analysis and control of industrial, agricultural or urban pollution, wastewater treatment and ecosystem restoration, environmental impact studies and spatial planning, conservation of nature and the management of protected areas, among others.
Skills/Learning outcomes of the subjectToggle Navigation
SPECIFIC COMPETENCES:
1. Understand the relationship of living beings among themselves and the abiotic environment at the individual, population and community level
2- Identify the main biotic and abiotic components and processes at the ecosystems
3. Understand the ecosystem functioning and analyze its temporal and spatial variability
4. Identify the environmental problems created by human activities and analyze their impacts on individuals, populations, communities and ecosystems
5. Understand the relevance of Biodiversity in ecosystem processes and identify the main strategies of its conservation
6. Plan ecological studies and become confident on using methods and tools in ecological studies
TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCES
1. Be able to extract information from ecological datasets and draw conclusions
2. Be able to transmit ideas, written or verbally, clear and efficiently using concepts and terms from the discipline of Ecology
3. Be able to work in groups, favoring their cohesion and integrity using communication and the balanced distribution of tasks
4. Be able to judge coherently the different aspects of the course and show a critical point of view
Theoretical and practical contentToggle Navigation
LECTURES PROGRAM
1. INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY
Definitions and concepts. History and current situation. Organization levels. Relation with other sciences.
2. METHODOLOGICAL APPROXIMATIONS
Ecology and the scientific method. Laboratory and field experiments. Ecosystem as the study unit. Modelling in ecosystem studies.
3. ECOLOGICAL STUDIES
Planning: variables and scales. Sampling types. Samples size. Sampling different environments. Statistical treatment: univariate, bivariate and multivariate.
4. SAMPLING PLANT AND ANIMAL POPULATIONS
Censuses and samples. Methods for animal populations: marc and recapture, selective predation and progressive predation. Indirect methods. Description of vegetation.
5. ORGANISMS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT
The environment: conditions and resources. Tolerance limits. Detection of limiting resources. Environmental pressure and natural selection: historical factors. Ecological niche concept.
6. TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENT
Climate and biomes. Adaptations to extreme temperatures and water shortage. Properties of the soil. Adaptations of the edaphic fauna. Soil-vegetation-climate relationship.
7. AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT
General properties. Ecosystems and aquatic communities. Salinity and osmotic problems. Effects of water movement on organisms. Oxygen as a limiting factor. Stratification and its consequences.
8. POPULATION ECOLOGY
The population as the study unit: characteristics. Spatial distribution of organisms. Population parameters. Life tables. Survival curves. Vital strategies.
9. POPULATION GROWTH
Intrinsic rate of growth. Models: deterministic predictions. Stochastic processes. Extinctions probability. Metapopulations.
10. REGULATION OF THE ABUNDANCE
Theories about regulation. Density dependent and independent regulation. Regulation models. Key factor analysis.
11. COMPETENCE
General aspects. Ecological niche and competence. Mechanisms of competence. Competitive exclusion and coexistence models. Competence and vital strategies.
12. PREDATION
Types. Prey defenses. Numeric and functional responses. Regulation of predator and prey populations. Predator-prey models.
13. MUTUALISM
Types. Distinctive traits of mutualists. Evolutionary aspects. Mutualistic models.
14. APPLICATIONS OF POPULATION ECOLOGY
Exploitation and maximum sustainable yield. Models for the regulation of fisheries. Principles and methods in plague control. Biological control and integrated management.
15. COMMUNITY
Concept of community. Qualitative and structural descriptors. Models of abundance distribution. Diversity indices. Applications of diversity.
16. PRIMARY PRODUCTION
Metabolic diversity. Primary production efficiencies. Primary production distribution in the Biosphere. Control of the primary production. Methods to measure primary production.
17. SECONDARY PRODUCTION
Resource characterization. Feeding strategies. Secondary production efficiencies. Decomposition. Control of secondary production. Methods to measure secondary production.
18. TROPHIC CONNECTIONS
Properties of trophic chains and webs. Top-down vs. bottom-up control. Keystone species. Ecological pyramids. Energy fluxes in different ecosystems.
19. BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
General aspects. Circulation of nutrients in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Types of cycles. Carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur cycles.
20. TEMPORAL CHANGES IN ECOSYSTEMS
Fluctuations. Cycles and rhythms. Types of succession. Stages in the climax theories. Succession mechanisms. Succession tendencies. The concept of stability.
21. DISPERSION E INSULARITY
Mechanisms. Insularity and species richness. Dynamics of insular communities. Applications of island biogeography.
22. ENVIRONMENTAL ALTERATION
Environmental variability and natural catastrophes. Human interference: types and stages. Pollution and its effects.
23. GLOBAL CHANGE
Homeostasis and homeorhesis of the Biosphere. Gaia Hypothesis. Current threats: ozone layer and global warming. Human demographics and previsions.
24. BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
Importance of the biodiversity. Processes that regulate biodiversity. Extinction causes. Vulnerability of species. Conservation strategies.
PRACTICALS PROGRAMME
Laboratory practicals:
1. Long practical: Response of communities to environmental change.
-Planning ecological studies
-Sampling in the field
-Sample analysis in the laboratory
2. Short practical: Sample size determination.
Field practicals:
1. Field trip to a natural protected area
-Analysis of the environmental problems
-Management plans
Classroom practicals:
-Exercises on Ecology
Seminars:
-Planning ecological studies
-Data treatment
-Discussion of the results
-Presentations
MethodologyToggle Navigation
The course includes the following methodologies:
Lectures: The main objective is to transmit the contents of the course. The lecturer uses audiovisual materials.
Classroom practicals: They complete, reinforce and apply concepts of the course that have been seen in the lectures. The students solve problems and practical cases related to Ecology individually or in small groups (e.g. determination of a sample size, study of the affinity and classification of communities, construction of life tables, analysis of the population dynamics and the interaction among species, study of the functional processes of ecosystems – e.g. production, decomposition –, analysis of food webs and transfer of energy in ecosystems, biogeochemical cycles...).
Field and laboratory practicals: These are coordinated with the seminars. They are given to smaller groups and the objective is to make students develop a study about Ecology. They use equipment and methodologies that are used in Ecology in the field and laboratory in order to analyze the response of communities to environmental factors.
Seminars: They are coordinated with the field and laboratory practicals. They are oriented towards the planning of an ecological study, treatment of the field and laboratory data, discussion of the results and their presentation.
Field trip: It shows the students the current environmental problems, with special emphasis on the management of natural protected areas.
Assessment systemsToggle Navigation
- Continuous Assessment System
- Final Assessment System
- Tools and qualification percentages:
- Written test to be taken (%): 21
- Multiple-Choice Test (%): 28
- Realization of Practical Work (exercises, cases or problems) (%): 21
- Team projects (problem solving, project design)) (%): 20
- Exhibition of works, readings ... (%): 10
Ordinary Call: Orientations and DisclaimerToggle Navigation
Ordinary exam call
-Continuous assessment system:
In January an exam will be performed with the concepts of the first four-month period. At the end of the second term, another exam will be performed with the subjects of the second term. Students must take both exams in order to follow the continuous assessment path.
The evaluation will be based on the marks of the written exams (multiple choice, short questions, interpretation of figures and problems), which will constitute 70% of the final mark between both of them. Practicals will comprise the other 30% of the total mark. Both the written exam and the practicals need to be passed to compute a final score (it is no needed to pass both exams; the total in both will be considered).
-Final assessment system:
The students will have the right to be evaluated by a final evaluation, but will need to present the renounce of the continuous assessment within 18 weeks from the start of the course. The final exam in this case will be written and 70% of the final mark will come from concepts related to the lectures and the other 30% from activities in the practicals. The student will need to demonstrate that it has achieved expertise on the practical aspects of the course. Both the written exam and the practicals need to be passed to compute a final score.
-For students subject to either continuous or final assessment, it will be enough not to sit for the final examination to receive a mark of not presented.
-During the evaluation tests it is forbidden to use books, notes or notebooks, as well as any kind of phone, computer or electronic device. If unethical or dishonest behaviour is detected the protocol to deal with unethical and dishonest behaviour in evaluation tests and academic assessments in the UPV/EHU will be applied.
Extraordinary Call: Orientations and DisclaimerToggle Navigation
Extraordinary exam call
-Continuous assessment system:
In the extraordinary evaluation in July the part or parts, the written exam and/or the practicals, that were not passed in the ordinary exam call will be repeated. The characteristics of the exam and the evaluation criteria will be the same as in the ordinary call.
-Final assessment system:
The characteristics of the exam on the lectures and the practicals and the evaluation criteria will be the same as in the ordinary call.
-Failure to appear to the final test will be taken as a renounce.
-During the evaluation tests it is forbidden to use books, notes or notebooks, as well as any kind of phone, computer or electronic device. If unethical or dishonest behaviour is detected the protocol to deal with unethical and dishonest behaviour in evaluation tests and academic assessments in the UPV/EHU will be applied.
BibliographyToggle Navigation
Basic bibliography
-Begon M, Townsend CR & Harper JL. 1999. Ecología: individuos, poblaciones y comunidades. Omega, Barcelona.
-Krebs CJ. 1986. Ecología: Análisis experimental de la distribución y abundancia. Pirámide, Madrid.
-Molles MC. 2006. Ecología: conceptos y aplicaciones. McGraw-Hill Interamericana, Madrid.
-Ricklefs RE. 1998. Invitación a la ecología: la economía de la naturaleza: libro de texto sobre ecología básica. Editorial médica Panamericana, Bogota.
-Smith RL & Smith TM. 2007. Ecología. Addison-Wesley, Madrid.
In-depth bibliography
-Akçakaya HR, Burgman MA & Ginzburg LR.1999. Applied population ecology. Principles and computer exercises. Sinauer Associates, Inc. Massachusetts.
-Alberti, M. 2008. Advances in urban Ecology. Springer.
-Allaby M. 2004. Dictionary of Ecology. Oxford University Press, New York.
-Allan JD. 1995. Stream ecology. Structure and function of running waters. Chapman & Hall. London.
-Gotelli NJ & Ellison AM. 2004. A primer of ecological statistics. Sinauer Associates, Inc. Massachusetts.
-Jeffers JNR 1991. Modelos en ecología. Oikos-tau, Barcelona.
-Longhurst A. 1998. Ecological geography of the sea. Academic Press, London.
-Magurran AE. 2008. Measuring biological diversity. Blackwell Science Ltd, Victoria.
-McCune B & Grace JB. 2002. Analysis of ecological communities. MjM Software desing, Oregon.
-McLusky DS & Elliott M. 2004. The estuarine Ecosystem. Ecology, threats and management. Oxford University Press, New York.
Journals
-Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics
-Annual review of ecology, evolution and systematics
-Basic and applied ecology
-Current Advances in Ecological and Environmental Sciences
-Ecología
-Ecosistemas
-Ecology : a publication of the Ecological Society of America
-Journal of applied ecology
-Journal of ecology
-Oikos : synthesising ecology
-Trends in ecology & evolution
Web addresses
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/
http://www.worldwildlife.org/
http://www.biologybrowser.org/
http://www.unep.org/
http://oils.gpa.unep.org/facts/facts.htm
http://www.ser.org/
http://www.iucn.org/
http://www.ipcc.ch/
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