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BB10265: Ecology & evolution

[Page last updated: 04 August 2021]

Academic Year: 2021/2
Owning Department/School: Department of Biology & Biochemistry
Credits: 12 [equivalent to 24 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 240
Level: Certificate (FHEQ level 4)
Period:
Academic Year
Assessment Summary: EX 65%, MC 35%
Assessment Detail:
  • Assessment Group A: MCQ (MC 35%)
  • Assessment Group A: Examination (EX 65%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites: You must have A-level Biology (or equivalent) to take this unit
Aims: To provide a broad introduction to key concepts in ecology and conservation. To approach issues in ecology in a rigorous, cohesive way that will provide students with a conceptual framework that will help them to take a more holistic view of biology. To provide a firm foundation for more detailed study within the specific field of ecology later in their course.

Learning Outcomes: After taking this course the student should be able to:
* outline certain key principles in evolution, including both microevolution and macroevolution
* outline key principles in behavioural ecology
* demonstrate an understanding of the unique position of evolution in the biological sciences
* explain how understanding evolution and behavioural ecology contributes to areas such as conservation, biodiversity and animal welfare
* demonstrate basics skills in obtaining, processing and evaluating evolutionary and behavioural-ecological data in laboratory and field based practicals.
* outline certain key principles in ecology, including population ecology, community ecology, ecosystems and conservation;
* demonstrate an understanding of the logic of the arguments used in the construction of simple mathematical models for population growth, competition and predator/prey relationships;
* synthesise evidence of many kinds that animal and plant communities have evolved in highly structured ways;
* explain how understanding ecology contributes to areas such as conservation, biodiversity and animal welfare.

Skills: Learning and studying T/F/A, Written communication T/F/A, Oral communication T/F, Numeracy & computation T/F/A, Laboratory skills T/F, Information technology T/F, Problem solving T/F, Information handling & retrieval T/F/A, Working independently T/F.

Content: What's the evidence for evolution? The history of Life on Earth condensed into a year. On the Origin of Species: What are species and how do new ones evolve? What are fossils and why should we study them? Darwin's first love: taxonomy and classification. Phenetics and why we don't use it. The Tree of Life: Phylogenetics and cladistics. Mechanisms of evolution: Neutral mutations; Natural selection; Sexual selection; Kin selection. Convergent evolution. Genome Evolution. Behavioural ecology.
Population ecology.
Introduction to Ecology. Competition. Predation. Island Biogeography. Populations.
Community ecology.
Community structure. Diversity. Host-parasite interactions. Pollination ecology
Metapopulations.
Ecosystems.
Biodiversity conservation.

Programme availability:

BB10265 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Biology & Biochemistry

BB10265 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Psychology Programmes in Natural Sciences
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Environmental Science stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Environmental Science stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Environmental Science stream) with Year long work placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) with Year long work placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Environmental Science stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Environmental Science stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Environmental Science stream) with Year long work placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biology stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Chemistry stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biology stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Chemistry stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Professional Placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) with Professional Placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 1)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2021/22 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2022/23 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2021/22.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.