Identifying Data 2023/24
Subject (*) Ecology I: Individuals and Ecosystems Code 610G02039
Study programme
Grao en Bioloxía
Descriptors Cycle Period Year Type Credits
Graduate 1st four-month period
Third Obligatory 6
Language
Spanish
English
Teaching method Face-to-face
Prerequisites
Department Bioloxía
Coordinador
Rodríguez Roiloa, Sergio
E-mail
sergio.roiloa@udc.es
Lecturers
Rodríguez Roiloa, Sergio
Ruiz De la Rosa, Jose Miguel
E-mail
sergio.roiloa@udc.es
jose.miguel.ruiz.delarosa@udc.es
Web
General description Patróns de distribución: o individuo e o medio. O ecosistema.

Study programme competencies
Code Study programme competences
A1 Recoñecer distintos niveis de organización nos sistemas vivos.
A17 Realizar bioensaios e diagnósticos biolóxicos.
A20 Muestrear, caracterizar e manexar poboacións e comunidades.
A21 Deseñar modelos de procesos biolóxicos.
A24 Xestionar, conservar e restaurar poboacións e ecosistemas.
A26 Deseñar experimentos, obter información e interpretar os resultados.
A30 Manexar adecuadamente instrumentación científica.
B4 Traballar de forma autónoma con iniciativa.
B6 Organizar e planificar o traballo.
B7 Comunicarse de maneira efectiva nunha contorna de traballo.
B8 Sintetizar a información.
B12 Adaptarse a novas situacións.

Learning aims
Learning outcomes Study programme competences
To describe ecological concepts at the individual, population, community and ecosystem level. A1
A24
To discuss ecological concepts by critically considering the evidence in support of them. B8
To face with some success the specialised literature. A30
To use some basic techniques from the vast ecological methodology. A17
A20
A21
A26
A30
B4
B6
B7
B12

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
Section 1. Ecology and evolution Unit 1. Introduction
Unit 2. Evolution
Section 2. The individual and the environment Unit 3: Generalities
Unit 4. Responses to environmental variations.
Unit 5. Responses & adaptations to: temperature, water, and light.
Section 3. The ecosystem Unit 6. The ecosystem and its functioning.
Unit 7. Production.
Unit 8. Flow of energy
Unit 9. Cycles and decomposition of matter.
Unit 10. Global cycles.

Planning
Methodologies / tests Competencies Ordinary class hours Student’s personal work hours Total hours
Guest lecture / keynote speech A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12 28 56 84
Seminar A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12 8 8 16
Laboratory practice A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12 15 15 30
Objective test A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12 1 0 1
Student portfolio A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12 0 14 14
Objective test A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12 3 0 3
 
Personalized attention 2 0 2
 
(*)The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies
Methodologies Description
Guest lecture / keynote speech Oral presentations to transfer knowledge and facilitate learning. Most of the graphical support of presentations is available in the virtual campus (Moodle).
Seminar Presentation and study of numerical models for a better understanding and resolution of ecological problems. Most models will be executed with UDC PCs if students do not have their own laptops.
Laboratory practice For the students to learn effectively through the completion of practical activities in the field and/or in the laboratory.
Objective test Partial exam (mid-term) on the theory taught.
Student portfolio Reports of the activities developed in seminars and practices.
Objective test Final exam: theory, seminars and practices

Personalized attention
Methodologies
Guest lecture / keynote speech
Laboratory practice
Seminar
Student portfolio
Description
Explanation of doubts emerging as the subject develops.


Orientation and tuition to make the most of seminars.

Orientation and tuition to make the most of practices.

Help with preparing reports

Assessment
Methodologies Competencies Description Qualification
Objective test A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12 Final written exam of the subject: theory, seminars and practices (see observations). 50
Objective test A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12 Partial exam (mid-term) on the theory taught (see observations). 30
Student portfolio A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12 Reports of the activities developed in seminars and practices (see observations). 20
 
Assessment comments

The final qualification will result from all evaluation activities and will include the three parts of the subject: Theory, Seminars and Practices; the contribution to the final grade will be 60%, 20%, and 20%, respectively. All students will have two opportunities to pass the course:

For the first opportunity, the student may choose one of the following evaluation modalities:

1. Continuous evaluation, including: partial exam, reports, and final exam (on a date set by the Faculty Board), with the following weighting:

• 60% Theory (30%partial exam + 30% final exam).

• 20% Seminars (10% deliverables + 10% final exam).

• 20% Practices (10% deliverables + 10% final exam).

Students delivering and/or taking the partial exam will be considered as opting for the continuous assessment. They will receive the grade for the exams taken and/or reports according to their weighting, and a grade of zero in those activities not attended.

2. Single evaluation: it will consist of a sole final exam with the following weighting: 60% Theory, 20% Seminars, and 20% Practices.

Students opting for this single assessment in the first opportunity cannot obtain points from any of the continuous evaluation activities (nor reports neither partial exam).

 

As for the second opportunity, and regardless of the evaluation system previously chosen, there will be a single final exam; it will include questions on the three parts of the subject with the usual weighting: 60% Theory, 20% Seminars, and 20% Practices.

 

In order to pass the subject in whatever opportunity it is necessary to simultaneously pass each and every one of the three parts (Theory, Seminars and Practices); a failed part may be compensated with others if its qualification is at least 4/10. The average mark to pass the course is 5.0.

Attendance to Seminars and Practices is recommended but not mandatory, and will be recorded. Attendance does not imply opting for the continuous assessment mode, students may attend and opt for any of the assessment modalities.

Obtaining Honors will require a minimum final grade of 9.0 and the completion of all the tasks proposed for the continuous assessment.

Fraudulent performance of tests or evaluation activities will directly imply a fail grade of '0' in the course (both opportunities).

Students willing to benefit from the December call will be evaluated as for the second opportunity above.

Students with officially recognized academic exemption may carry out the proposed or equivalent
activities online while receiving support by tutorials (face-to-face or online).


Sources of information
Basic Alstad DN (2001). Basic Populus models of ecology. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall
Smith TM & Smith RL (2007). Ecología. Madrid: Pearson
Rodríguez J (2010). Ecología. Pirámide
Piñol J & Martínez-Vilalta J (2006). Ecología con números. Barcelona: Lynx
Begon M, Harper JL & Townsend CR (1999). Ecología: individuos, poblaciones y comunidades. Barcelona: Omega
Piñol J & Martínez-Vilalta J (). https://ddd.uab.cat/record/225887.
Ricklefs RE (1998). Invitación a la ecología: la economía de la naturaleza. Madrid: Panamericana
Alstad DN (). www.cbs.umn.edu/populus.

You can freely download the program “Populus” from Alstad’s link; it contains models on general biology and others for some of our seminars. Populus has been tested on macOS, Linux, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 (see details in /download). The program includes a PopulusHelp.pdf file (mostly in English) that was edited as a book in 2001 (EC-505).

The book by Piñol & Martínez-Vilalta (EC-650) can also be freely downloaded from the above link; it is a good Ecology book, it is worth having a look at it. In addition, it is another basic reference for seminars; in some of them we will be using the executable models (applets) which can be found in /Aplicaciones.

Important: you must have “Java” installed on your computer before you can run either Populus or applets.

  

For most of all these basic references, there may be editions that are more recent and/or in English. 

Complementary Gotelli NJ (1995). A primer of ecology. Sinauer
Margalef R (1974). Ecología. Barcelona: Omega
Molles M (2006). Ecología: Conceptos y Aplicaciones. McGraw Hill
Krebs CJ (1986). Ecología: el análisis experimental de la distribución y la abundancia. Pirámide
Odum EP, Barret GW (2006). Fundamentos de ecología. Mexico: Thomson
There are more recent editions of these complementary references, and also English versions.

Recommendations
Subjects that it is recommended to have taken before
Chemistry/610G02001
Mathematics/610G02003
Statistics/610G02005

Subjects that are recommended to be taken simultaneously
Applied Plant Physiology /610G02029
Animal Physiology I/610G02035

Subjects that continue the syllabus
Ecology II: Populations and Communities/610G02040
Human Ecology/610G02041
Ecotoxicology/610G02042
Data Analysis in Biology/610G02044

Other comments

Understanding rather than memorization is favored.



(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.