production
Skip to Content

PL3304: ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES (2016-2017)

Last modified: 28 Jun 2018 10:27


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, nutrient dynamics, trophic transfers, and land-atmosphere exchange of greenhouse gases.

.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 3
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 BI1508 Ecology and Environmental Science (Passed) or BI1509 Ecology and Environmental Science (Passed) or BI1511 Ecology and Environmental Science (Passed) or BI15P1 Introduction to Soils (Passed) or BI2001 Community Ecology (Passed) or BI2016 Community Ecology (Passed) or BI2019 Community Ecology (Passed) or BI2020 Ecology (Passed) or BI25P2 Biological Topics in Plant and Soil Science (Passed) or BI25P3 Biological Topics in Plant and Soil Science (Passed) or BI25P4 Plants, People, and the Environment (Passed) or SF1504 Ecology and Environmental Science (Foundation) (Passed)
  • Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

This course will develop the fundamental principles of ecosystem ecology and biogeochemistry, to further develop the students’ understanding of how the principles of systems ecology can be applied to understand the structure and function of both natural and managed ecosystems. Key topics explored include: primary production (the carbon cycle, photosynthesis, plant growth and allocation patterns, plant ecophysiology); soil microbiology & organic matter dynamics (decomposer organisms, soil respiration, decomposition pathways, plant-microbe interactions); nutrient cycling (nutrient acquisition by plants, nutrient dynamics in soil, the nitrogen cycle); and ecosystem sustainability (human impacts, feedback effects). The course will consist of a mixture of lectures; both laboratory- and computer-based practical’s; and tutorials that explore current topical questions in the research literature.

This course will develop the fundamental principles of ecosystem ecology and biogeochemistry, to further develop the students’ understanding of how the principles of systems ecology can be applied to understand the structure and function of both natural and managed ecosystems. Key topics explored include: primary production (the carbon cycle, photosynthesis, plant growth and allocation patterns, plant ecophysiology); soil microbiology & organic matter dynamics (decomposer organisms, soil respiration, decomposition pathways, plant-microbe interactions); nutrient cycling (nutrient acquisition by plants, nutrient dynamics in soil, the nitrogen cycle); and ecosystem sustainability (human impacts, feedback effects). The course will consist of a mixture of lectures; both laboratory- and computer-based practicals; and tutorials that explore current topical questions in the research literature.

Associated Costs

None

Further Information & Notes

This course runs in weeks 13-17, and is scheduled in Thread 1, so may have contact hours in any or all of these times:  Mondays, 9-13; Thursday, all day; Friday, 9-13.  If this is an optional course, there may also be contact hours on Wednesdays, 11-13.


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

1st Attempt: Written exam (67%) and continuous assessment (33%). The continuous assessment is a worksheet based on data collected in the practical classes. Resit: Similar to 1st attempt, with continuous assessment mark(s) and /or exam mark carried forward with an opportunity to resit either or both, depending on what was failed in the first attempt.

Formative Assessment

A strong emphasis will be made throughout the course on informal verbal feedback during practicals and tutorial sessions.

Feedback

Each student will receive individual feedback and a mark for each task. Feedback will be provided as written comments. Groups will also be given generic feedback.

Course Learning Outcomes

None.

Compatibility Mode

We have detected that you are have compatibility mode enabled or are using an old version of Internet Explorer. You either need to switch off compatibility mode for this site or upgrade your browser.