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SL12007: Biodiversity

[Page last updated: 09 August 2024]

Academic Year: 2024/25
Owning Department/School: Department of Life Sciences
Credits: 10 [equivalent to 20 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 200
Level: Certificate (FHEQ level 4)
Period:
Academic Year
Assessment Summary: EXOB 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Open-book written examination 1 (EXOB 35%)
  • Open-book written examination 2 (EXOB 65%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Learning Outcomes: After taking this unit, the student should be able to:
  • Recall and describe key concepts in Biodiversity
  • Recall anatomy, ecology and diversity of major groups of living organisms
  • Interpret the anatomy, ecology, life history, biodiversity and evolution of major lineages



Synopsis: About 2 billion species make up the astonishingly rich and varied biodiversity of bacteria, single cell organisms, fungi, plants and animals on Earth. In this unit, you will explore the anatomical, structural and chemical features of the major groups, how their form relates to their ecology, and how they fit together on a single, phylogenetic Tree of Life. The importance of biodiversity for ecosystem services, human health, and in relation to an emerging sixth mass extinction, will be emphasised

Content: Basic principles of phylogeny and taxonomy. Major domains of Life. The reticulate evolution at the base of the Tree of Life. Protists and the multiple origins of multicellularity. Medical and evolutionary significance. Major groups and ecological/morphological diversity of fungi. The evolution and diversity of plants, their morphological development, interactions with the environment and their importance as primary producers. The evolution and morphology of animals. Chordates (our own group) as just one of 35 phyla. Focus on Porifera, Cnidaria, Playthelmintes, Nematoda, Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda and Chordata. In class discussions.

Course availability:

SL12007 is Compulsory on the following courses:

Department of Chemistry
  • USSC-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USSC-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USSC-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Physics) (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Physics) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Physics) with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USSC-AFM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Chemistry) with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USSC-AFM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) with professional placement (Year 1)
  • USSC-AFM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Physics) (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Physics) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Physics) with professional placement (Year 1)
Department of Life Sciences

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2024/25 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2025/26 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2024/25.
  • Courses 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.