Advanced Ecology
Course content
A high-level introduction to ecological processes, including trophic interactions and within- and between-species interactions.
MSc Programme in Biology
MSc Programme in Biology with a minor subject
Knowledge:
- Key concepts, theories and hypotheses in ecology
- The spatial and temporal distribution of species and organisms
- The biology of fungi, protists, plants and animals of importance to ecosystem function and/or which are typical of different environments
- The function of freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems and their interaction with local, regional and/or global systems, including global change
Skills:
- Hypothesize, independently formulate and conduct empirical studies/experiments, in the field and in the laboratory, and explain, communicate and put into perspective a scientific problem, both orally and in writing
- Use relevant experimental techniques, methods of quantification and equipment, both in the field and in the laboratory, including the competences required to evaluate the complexity of the data collected, sources of error and methodological uncertainties
- Summarise - orally and in writing - a research subject using original scientific literature as the basis
- Make the case for a scientific thesis using empirical knowledge and scientific inference
- Use quantitative, including statistical, methods of relevance to the subject area
Competences:
- Understand and present the structure and function of complex ecosystems
- Manage, advice on, and conduct research into ecosystems, based on in-depth biological knowledge
- Illustrate and analyse a biological phenomenon by distinguishing between immediate (how?) and evolutionary (why?) causes and explanations
- Explain and discuss the distribution and density of species on local and regional scales
- Explain the important physical, chemical and biological characteristics of different ecosystems, and understand how organisms adapt and respond to changes in them
- Analyse the occurrence and activity of organisms in relation to the physical/chemical environment
- Explain and discuss the evolutionary adaptations of organisms to a given environment and their behaviour in relation to/response to both members of the same species and individuals of other species
- Evaluate interactions between individuals at different trophic levels, e.g. plants/herbivores, prey/predators, and host organisms/parasites/mutualists/diseases
Teaching will follow three main lines:
- Code-based teaching will involve a visit to field location, in
which students will investigate water, soil, biotic communities
(flora, fauna microbes etc.) and processes using relevant methods.
The samples and observations from the field will subsequently be
used during laboratory work.
- Concurrently, question-driven teaching will focus on the theory
of ecological, behavioural, and evolutionary principles and will
consist of lectures, seminars, and computer-based exercises.
- Problem-based learning is applied in an individual essay, which
aims at answering ecological questions using empirical data and
scientific inference.
See Absalon
Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Written assignment, 9 daysOn-site written exam, 3 hours under invigilation
- Type of assessment details
- Evaluation based on individual written exam and individual
essay. The written exam contributes 70% of the final grade, while
the individual essay contributes 30%.
The on-site written exam is an ITX exam.
See important information about ITX-exams at Study Information, menu point: Exams -> Exam types and rules -> Written on-site exams (ITX) - Exam registration requirements
-
80% participation in exercise classes is mandatory
- Aid
- All aids allowed
As the exam is an ITX-exam, the University will make computers available to students at the ITX-exam.
Students are not permitted to bring digital aids like computers, tablets, calculators, mobile phones etc.
Books, notes, and similar materials can be brought in paper form or uploaded before the exam and accessed digitally from the ITX computer. Read more about this at Study Information
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Several internal examiners
- Re-exam
-
Oral re-exam, 20 mins with 20 mins preparation, all aids allowed.
If the individual essay has not been approved, a new essay must be handed in no later than three weeks before the re-exam.
If the exam registration requirement is not fulfilled, the student must follow the course again.
Criteria for exam assessment
In order to obtain the grade 12 the student should convincingly and accurately demonstrate the knowledge, skills and competences described under Learning Outcome.
Single subject courses (day)
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 25
- Class Instruction
- 15
- Preparation
- 75
- Practical exercises
- 30
- Excursions
- 8
- Project work
- 50
- Exam
- 3
- English
- 206
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- NBIK15007U
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Programme level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
-
1 block
- Placement
- Block 1
- Schedulegroup
-
C
- Capacity
- 60
The number of places might be reduced if you register in the late-registration period (BSc and MSc) or as a credit or single subject student. - Studyboard
- Study Board for the Biological Area
Contracting department
- Department of Biology
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Science
Course Coordinator
- Kathrin Rousk (13-756b7e727c7378387c797f7d754a6c737938757f386e75)
Teacher
Jonathan Shik, Flemming Ekelund, Rasmus Kjøller, Anders Michelsen, Jana Isanta-Navarra, Jes Søe Pedersen, Hans Henrik Bruun, Kathrin Rousk
Se skema
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