Module BO3105: Fundamentals of Ecology
| Co-ordinator: | Professor Fraser Mitchell |
|---|---|
| Other Lecturers | Professor Daniel Kelly, & Professor Ian Donohoe |
| Course Type: | Mandatory |
| Assessment: | 50% Examination, 50% Continual Assessment |
| ECTS: | 5 credits |
| Prerequisites: | None |
Contact hours:
| Lectures: | 18 hours |
|---|---|
| Practicals: | 24 hours |
| Mini Project: | |
| Total | 42 hours |
Description:
This module is run jointly with the Zoology Department. The module examines the factors that affect the distribution, growth and survival of plant and animal communities. It describes how organisms interact with their environment and the role that they have in ecosystem and community structure. There is an introduction to the concepts and models that help to explain and predict organism distributions and interactions. The module comprises interrelated components of lectures, practical sessions and fieldwork. It has been designed to provide a foundation to ecological theory and its application.
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
- Define what we mean by ecology and have been provided with a firm base for its principles and practice
- Discuss methodological and theoretical aspects relating to our understanding of the distribution and abundance of species
- Describe and evaluate unifying concepts of distributions and ecological processes (e.g. feeding strategies, interspecific interactions etc.)
- Show, through practical exercises, a good approach to project work
- Communicate more effectively through a variety of techniques