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  6. PL5303: Ecosystem Processes

PL5303: ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES (2015-2016)

Last modified: 25 Mar 2016 11:37


Course Overview

Terrestrial ecosystems play a pivotal role in modulating the fluxes of energy and matter at the Earth’s surface, including the cycling of carbon, nutrients and greenhouse gases. Understanding the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems is critical for understanding environmental challenges such as global warming, biodiversity loss, sustainable development and pollution. This course develops principles of systems ecology and biogeochemistry, focusing on the fundamental role played by living things in regulating key ecosystem processes such as carbon cycling, nitrogen dynamics, trophic transfers, and land-atmosphere exchange of greenhouse gases. 

Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Term First Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus None. Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr Yit Arn Teh

Qualification Prerequisites

None.

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • One of MRes Ecology & Environmental Sustainability (Studied) or MRes Environmental Science (Studied) or MRes Soil Science (Studied) or MSc Ecology & Environmental Sustainability (Studied) or MSc Forestry (Taught) (Studied) or MSc Soil Science (Studied) or MSci Biological Sciences (Studied)
  • Either Any Postgraduate Programme (Studied) or MSci Biological Sciences (Studied)
  • Either Any Postgraduate Programme (Studied) or BI4015 Grant Proposal (Passed)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

Course Aims: To understand the main biological, chemical and physical processes involved in the conversion of energy and other resources. The emphasis is on being able to relate measurements made at local scales to understand their relevance for global processes. Content: Primary production (Carbon cycle; Biomes; Scaling from leaf to biome). Water use (Water cycle; Coupling between vegetation and atmosphere; Soil water; Water use efficiency). Soil microbiology & organic matter decomposition (Decomposers; Soil respiration; Root-microbe relations). Nutrient acquisition by plants (Nutrient demand; Nutrients in soil; Nutrient supply; Soil heterogeneity; Nutrient use efficiency). Secondary production (Grazing effects; Energy and resource flow between trophic levels). Ecosystem sustainability, human impacts and feedbacks.

Associated Costs

None

Further Information & Notes

Most of the course runs concurrently with PL3303. Level 5 students receive specialist tutorials in, e.g. applications of stable isotope techniques.

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Laboratory report (50%) and science communication article (50%). NB Most of the course runs concurrently with PL3303. Level 5 students receive specialist tutorials in, e.g., applications of stable isotope techniques.

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Feedback

None.

Course Learning Outcomes

None.
 

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