BB510: Ecology (15 ECTS)

STADS: 04009401

Level
Bachelor course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.
1st and 2nd quarter.

Teacher responsible
Email: foa@biology.sdu.dk

Additional teachers
hsj@biology.sdu.dk
ebk@biology.sdu.dk
reitzel@biology.sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Comment:
I uge 35 er der obligatoriske ekskursion/lab.øvelser.
Hold A: Tirsdag kl. 08-16 og onsdag kl. 08-16; Hold B: Torsdag kl. 08-16 og fredag kl. 08-16.

Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
The curriculum from BB501, Biology – from molecule to ecosystem and BB516/517 Botany and Zoology should be known.

Course introduction
To give the student a thorough insight in general ecological theories within the areas: ecosystem structure, function and development, Cycling of water, nutrients and energy in ecosystems, including knowledge to mass balances and simple ecological models.

Expected learning outcome
At the end of the course, the student is supposed to be able to:

• Analyse the physical-chemical conditions in soils and explain their importance for soil development and for vegetation
• Analyse the physical-chemical conditions in aquatic ecosystems and explain the relationship between these and the environmental condition
• Explain the water cycle
• Explain cycling of elements, including nutrients and limiting factors for primary production in freshwater and marine environments
• Explain the importance of abiotic factors for biological processes and biological structures in ecosystems
• Explain and analyse the species composition of communities in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
• Explain the importance of flora, fauna and microorganisms for production and decomposition of organic matter and nutrient cycling in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
• Analyse the environmental condition of specific ecosystems using general ecological knowledge
• Analyse data according to the EU Water Framework Directive

Subject overview
The following subjects will be read and discussed:

1. Description of communities in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
2. Importance of flora, fauna and microorganisms for production and decomposition of organic matter and nutrient cycling in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
3. Physical and chemical conditions in soils and their importance for soil development
4. Cycling of water
5. Cycling of elements (including nutrients), and limiting factors for primary production in freshwater and marine environments.
6. Importance of abiotic factors for biological processes and biological structure in the pelagic zone and in sediments.
7. Based on environmental reports different cases will be discussed
8. The EU Water Framework Directive is illustrated with examples from Odense Fjord. NOVANA data, the national water plans and a data set regarding restoration potential of eelgrass will be treated. GIS and simple ecological models will be used in the analysis.

Literature

• Mikkelsen, V.M. : Botanik III. Planteøkologi og danske plantesamfund, 3. udg. 1976. (12 sider som ligger på e-learn).
• Danmarks Natur. Bind 4. Kyst, klit og marsk, Politikens Forlag. 1969. (8 sider som ligger på e-learn).
• Sand-Jensen, K. & C. Lindegaard: Ferskvandsøkologi, 2004 Gyldendal..
• Notes to Freshwater.
• Petersen, L: 1994. Grundtræk af jordbundslæren, 4. udg. DSR Forlag..
• Noter til Terrestrisk Økologi.
• Kompendium i Marinøkologi.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:

1. Compilation of reports on the terrestrial and aquatic practicals.  The reports are assessed together with pass / fail and internal censorship by teacher. The reports have an extent of 0 ECTS and should be passed in order to register for the oral exam.
2. Oral examination after the second quarter, which counts 15 ECTS. External examiner participate in the evaluation after the 7-point grading scale.

Re-examination after 4th quarter. The form of re-examinations may be different than the regular exam

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.

Undervisningen vil bestå af 38 forelæsninger 12 eksaminatorier samt et øvelseskursus på ca. 50 timer og 8-timers modeløvelser. Dette kursus starter med indsamling af prøver i felten og efterfølgende laboratorieøvelser.

Kommunikation mellem lærerne og de studerende med hensyn til forelæsningsnoter, opgaver m.m. vil foregå via SDU’s e-learn system.

Der er 5 ECTS teori på både 1. og 2. kvartal og 5 ECTS øvelser på 1. kvartal.

De angivne timetal er vejledende og der vil derfor kunne forekomme afvigelser.
Educational activities

Language
This course is taught in Danish.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.