Guías Docentes Electrónicas
1. General information
Course:
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
Code:
37335
Type:
ELECTIVE
ECTS credits:
4.5
Degree:
340 - UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMME IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Academic year:
2022-23
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 to thursday, 11:00 to 14:00 (contact by e-mail 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
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.
T01 To know a second foreign language.
T02 To know and apply the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).
T03 To use a correct oral and written communication.
T04 To know the 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 E01 E03 E04 E05 E06 E13 T04 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 T03 T04 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 T01 T02 T03 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 T01 T02 T03 T04 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
Mid-term test [ON-SITE] Assessment tests CB01 E01 E02 E03 E05 T03 0.04 1 Y N Mid-term test
Final test [ON-SITE] Assessment tests CB01 E01 E02 E03 E05 T03 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
Mid-term tests 30.00% 0.00% Mid-term test. It will cover the first half of the theoretical contents. It can be passed with a grade of 4 (out of 10). If it is not passed, the final test will cover all the theoretical content of the subject.
Practicum and practical activities reports assessment 25.00% 25.00% Evaluation of the report of the practical activities (field and lab work).
Other methods of assessment 15.00% 0.00% Evaluation of work assignments
Final test 30.00% 75.00% Final test. If the student has passed the mid-term test, it will only cover the second half of the theoretical content. If not, it will cover all of the theoretical content of the subject, in which case the value will be 60% (75% for non-continuous evaluation).
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 will be assigned by default to the continuous evaluation program.
    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:
    Students will be assigned by default to the continuous evaluation program. Any student can request transfer to the non-continuous evaluation (before classes have ended) by sending an email to the professor, as long as the student has not taken part of 50% of assessable activities (classes, work assignments, etc.)
    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
Mid-term 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
Author(s) Title Book/Journal Citv Publishing house ISBN Year Description Link Catálogo biblioteca
 
Barnes & Hughes An Introduction to Marine Ecology Wiley-Blackwell ISBN13: 978086542834 1999  
Dodds, W.K. Freshwater Ecology Academic press 2001  
Dodds, Walter K. Freshwater ecology concepts and environmental applications o Elsevier, 978-0-12-374724-2 2010 Ficha de la biblioteca
Levinton, J.S. Marine Biology: function, biodiversity, ecology Oxford University Press 0-19-508573-6 1995  
Margalef, R. Limnología Omega 1983  
Mitsch W.J. & Gosselink J.G. Wetlands Wiley & sons 2000  
Wetzel, Robert G. Limnology: lake and river ecosystems Academic Press 0-12-7444760-1 2001 Ficha de la biblioteca
Wetzel, Robert G. Limnología Omega 84-282-0601-5 1981 Ficha de la biblioteca



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