1. General information
Course:
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
Code:
37335
Type:
ELECTIVE
ECTS credits:
4.5
Degree:
340 - UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMME IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Academic year:
2021-22
Center:
501 - FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES AND BIOCHEMISTRY
Group(s):
40
Year:
4
Duration:
First semester
Main language:
Spanish
Second language:
English
Use of additional languages:
English Friendly:
Y
Web site:
Bilingual:
N
Lecturer:
IVAN TORRES GALAN
- Group(s):
40
Building/Office
Department
Phone number
Email
Office hours
Sabatini/0.35
CIENCIAS AMBIENTALES
5472
ivan.torres@uclm.es
monday through thursday, 11:00 to 14:00 (contact by email beforehand)
2. Pre-Requisites
Not established
3. Justification in the curriculum, relation to other subjects and to the profession
The subject of Aquatic Ecology is key in the professional profile of the Environmental Scientist, since it is focused on a set of ecosystems with great social, environmental and economic value. The main objective of the subject is to gain a basic knowledge on the main characteristics of freshwater and marine ecosystems, of their biological communities and of their ecological functions.
This subject has important applications in the fields of freshwater management and wildlife management, providing the student with the basic skills for an integral management of those ecosystems.
4. Degree competences achieved in this course
| Course competences | |
|---|---|
| Code | Description |
| CB01 | Prove that they have acquired and understood knowledge in a subject area that derives from general secondary education and is appropriate to a level based on advanced course books, and includes updated and cutting-edge aspects of their field of knowledge. |
| CB02 | Apply their knowledge to their job or vocation in a professional manner and show that they have the competences to construct and justify arguments and solve problems within their subject area. |
| CB03 | Be able to gather and process relevant information (usually within their subject area) to give opinions, including reflections on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues. |
| CB05 | Have developed the necessary learning abilities to carry on studying autonomously |
| CB06 | Students have developed the ability to work as a team and lead, direct, plan and supervise multidisciplinary teams |
| E01 | Ability to understand and apply basic knowledge. |
| E02 | Capacity for multidisciplinary consideration of an environmental problem |
| E03 | Awareness of the temporal and spatial dimensions of environmental processes |
| E04 | Ability to integrate experimental evidence found in field and/or laboratory studies with theoretical knowledge. |
| E05 | Capacity for qualitative data interpretation |
| E06 | Capacity for quantitative data interpretation |
| E13 | Ability to handle software. |
| G01 | Proficiency in a second foreign language at level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. |
| G02 | Knowledge of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). |
| G03 | Good oral and written communication |
| G04 | Ethical commitment and professional deontology |
5. Objectives or Learning Outcomes
| Course learning outcomes | |
|---|---|
| Description | |
| Knowledge of the basic aspects related to energy and matter flows in communities. | |
| Description of the populations of organisms and the processes that affect them, such as competitive or predation interactions between them, including the modelling of these. | |
| Determination of individual agency responses in relation to their environment, i.e., their conditions and resources | |
| To apply these concepts to the different ecosystems of the Earth (terrestrial and aquatic), assessing them in relation to the morphological and functional adaptations of the organisms and the functioning of the system as a whole. | |
| Additional outcomes | |
| Not established. |
6. Units / Contents
-
Unit 1: Introduction
-
Unit 1.1: Definitions. Brief history of limnology and oceanography
-
Unit 1.2: Water on Earth
-
-
Unit 2: Abiotic factors in aquatic ecosystems
-
Unit 2.1: Molecular structure of water and physical characteristics of water
-
Unit 2.2: Light and temperature in water
-
Unit 2.3: Oxygen, pH, redox
-
-
Unit 3: Biotic communities of aquatic ecosystems
-
Unit 3.1: Lotic and lentic waters
-
Unit 3.2: Plankton
-
Unit 3.3: Nekton
-
Unit 3.4: Benthos
-
-
Unit 4: Functioning of aquatic ecosystems
-
Unit 4.1: Resources and other abiotic factors
-
Unit 4.2: Primary production
-
Unit 4.3: Secondary production and trophic webs
-
Unit 4.4: Biotic interactions
-
-
Unit 5: Main aquatic ecosystems
-
Unit 5.1: Marine ecology
-
Unit 5.2: Lakes
-
Unit 5.3: Streams
-
Unit 5.4: Wetlands
-
-
Unit 6: Laboratory and field techniques
-
Unit 6.1: Field sampling
-
Unit 6.2: Laboratory analysis
-
Unit 6.3: Identification of macro and microorganisms
-
Unit 6.4: Data analysis. Use of bioindicators
-
7. Activities, Units/Modules and Methodology
| Training Activity | Methodology | Related Competences (only degrees before RD 822/2021) | ECTS | Hours | As | Com | Description | |
| Class Attendance (theory) [ON-SITE] | Lectures | CB03 E01 E02 E03 E04 | 0.84 | 21 | N | N | Master class / Lecture | |
| Class Attendance (practical) [ON-SITE] | Practical or hands-on activities | CB01 CB03 CB05 CB06 E01 E03 E04 E05 E06 E13 G04 | 0.6 | 15 | Y | Y | Field and laboratory work. It can be submitted in spanish or english | |
| Practicum and practical activities report writing or preparation [OFF-SITE] | Self-study | CB01 CB02 CB03 CB05 E01 E03 E04 E05 E06 E13 G03 G04 | 0.9 | 22.5 | Y | Y | Writing the field and laboratory work report | |
| Workshops or seminars [ON-SITE] | Cooperative / Collaborative Learning | CB01 CB02 E01 E03 E05 E06 E13 G01 G02 G03 | 0.24 | 6 | Y | Y | Work assignments. They can be submitted in spanish or english | |
| Writing of reports or projects [OFF-SITE] | Self-study | CB01 CB02 CB05 E01 E03 E05 E06 E13 G01 G02 G03 G04 | 0.64 | 16 | Y | N | Writing the work assignments reports | |
| Study and Exam Preparation [OFF-SITE] | Self-study | CB03 E01 E02 E03 E04 E05 | 1.16 | 29 | N | N | ||
| Progress test [ON-SITE] | Assessment tests | CB01 E01 E02 E03 E05 G03 | 0.04 | 1 | Y | N | Mid-term test | |
| Final test [ON-SITE] | Assessment tests | CB01 E01 E02 E03 E05 G03 | 0.08 | 2 | Y | Y | Final test | |
| Total: | 4.5 | 112.5 | ||||||
| Total credits of in-class work: 1.8 | Total class time hours: 45 | |||||||
| Total credits of out of class work: 2.7 | Total hours of out of class work: 67.5 | |||||||
As: Assessable training activity Com: Training activity of compulsory overcoming (It will be essential to overcome both continuous and non-continuous assessment).
8. Evaluation criteria and Grading System
| Evaluation System | Continuous assessment | Non-continuous evaluation * | Description |
| Practicum and practical activities reports assessment | 25.00% | 25.00% | Evaluation of the practical activities (field and lab work) report. |
| Final test | 60.00% | 75.00% | Mid-term and final test results |
| Other methods of assessment | 15.00% | 0.00% | Evaluation of work assignments |
| Total: | 100.00% | 100.00% |
According to art. 4 of the UCLM Student Evaluation Regulations, it must be provided to students who cannot regularly attend face-to-face training activities the passing of the subject, having the right (art. 12.2) to be globally graded, in 2 annual calls per subject , an ordinary and an extraordinary one (evaluating 100% of the competences).
Evaluation criteria for the final exam:
-
Continuous assessment:Students who pass the mid-term test with at least 4 points (out of 10) will only have to be tested for the contents of the second half of the semester in the final test.
All evaluation activities must be passed independently with at least 4 points (out of 10). Nevertheless, students will only pass if their final mark is over 5 points, averaged over all activities according the weights in the table above. -
Non-continuous evaluation:Ony the final test (75%) and lab/field report (25%) will be considered.
All evaluation activities must be passed independently with at least 4 points (out of 10). Nevertheless, students will only pass if their final mark is over 5 points, averaged over all activities according the weights in the table above.
Specifications for the resit/retake exam:
Those evaluation activities that were not passed (less than 4 points) will be evaluated again. The final mark must be 5 or higher.
Specifications for the second resit / retake exam:
Those evaluation activities that were not passed (less than 4 points) will be evaluated again. The final mark must be 5 or higher.
9. Assignments, course calendar and important dates
| Not related to the syllabus/contents | |
|---|---|
| Hours | hours |
| Practicum and practical activities report writing or preparation [AUTÓNOMA][Self-study] | 22.5 |
| Workshops or seminars [PRESENCIAL][Cooperative / Collaborative Learning] | 6 |
| Writing of reports or projects [AUTÓNOMA][Self-study] | 16 |
| Study and Exam Preparation [AUTÓNOMA][Self-study] | 29 |
| Progress test [PRESENCIAL][Assessment tests] | 1 |
| Final test [PRESENCIAL][Assessment tests] | 2 |
| Unit 1 (de 6): Introduction | |
|---|---|
| Activities | Hours |
| Class Attendance (theory) [PRESENCIAL][Lectures] | 1 |
| Unit 2 (de 6): Abiotic factors in aquatic ecosystems | |
|---|---|
| Activities | Hours |
| Class Attendance (theory) [PRESENCIAL][Lectures] | 5 |
| Unit 3 (de 6): Biotic communities of aquatic ecosystems | |
|---|---|
| Activities | Hours |
| Class Attendance (theory) [PRESENCIAL][Lectures] | 7 |
| Unit 4 (de 6): Functioning of aquatic ecosystems | |
|---|---|
| Activities | Hours |
| Class Attendance (theory) [PRESENCIAL][Lectures] | 4 |
| Unit 5 (de 6): Main aquatic ecosystems | |
|---|---|
| Activities | Hours |
| Class Attendance (theory) [PRESENCIAL][Lectures] | 4 |
| Unit 6 (de 6): Laboratory and field techniques | |
|---|---|
| Activities | Hours |
| Class Attendance (practical) [PRESENCIAL][Practical or hands-on activities] | 15 |
| Global activity | |
|---|---|
| Activities | hours |
10. Bibliography and Sources
