Identifying Data 2020/21
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 Hybrid
Prerequisites
Department Bioloxía
Coordinador
Martínez Abraín, Alejandro
E-mail
a.abrain@udc.es
Lecturers
Martínez Abraín, Alejandro
Ruiz De la Rosa, Jose Miguel
E-mail
a.abrain@udc.es
jose.miguel.ruiz.delarosa@udc.es
Web
General description Patróns de distribución: o individuo e o medio. O ecosistema.
Contingency plan 1. Modificacións nos contidos

-Non se realizarán cambios.

2. Metodoloxías

*Metodoloxías docentes que se manteñen

-Traballos tutelados
-Atención personalizada

*Metodoloxías docentes que se modifican

- Todas as actividades presenciais (seminarios/prácticas) pasarian a no presenciais (via Teams y Moodle).
-As horas de exposición docente pasarían 100% a Teams.
-Os traballos de seminarios e prácticas serán presentados telemáticamente.

3. Mecanismos de atención personalizada ao alumnado

-Correo electrónico (baixo demanda)
-Teams (sesión semanal para grupo)
-Moodle (diariamente).

4. Modificacións na avaliación


*Observacións de avaliación:

As probas parciais non se ven alteradas.
O exam final pasaría de presencial a non presencial.

5. Modificacións da bibliografía ou webgrafía

-Non se realizan cambios

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 (2h) Unit 1. An introduction to ecology and evolution
Section 2. The individual and the environment (10h) Unit 2: Overview of the individual-environment relationship
Unit 3: Responses and adaptations to the abiotic environment (temperature)
Unit 4: Responses and adaptations to the abiotic environment (light)
Unit 5: Responses and adaptations to the abiotic environment (water).
Unit 6: Nutrition in animals and plants
Unit 7: The biotic component of the medium
Unit 8: Dispersion in Animals and Plants
Section 3. The ecosystem (12h) Unit 9: An introduction to the ecosystem and its functioning
Unit 10: Production in ecosystems
Unit 11: Energy flows but matter cycles in ecosystems
Unit 12: Biogeochemical 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 24 60 84
Laboratory practice A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12 15 15 30
Seminar A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12 8 8 16
Multiple-choice questions A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12 0 1 1
Case study A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 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).
Laboratory practice For the students to learn effectively through the completion of practical activities in the field and/or in the laboratory.
Seminar Demonstration 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.
Multiple-choice questions Partial examination of the subject (mid-term). One or two mid-terms will take place during the course. They will not be eliminatory but together they will count 30% of the final grade. The multiple-choice partial exams (mid-terms) will be carried out via the Moodle platform.
Case study Reports of the activities carried out in Seminars and Practicums.
Objective test Written exam on all sections of the course: theory, practicals and seminars.

Personalized attention
Methodologies
Objective test
Guest lecture / keynote speech
Laboratory practice
Seminar
Multiple-choice questions
Case study
Description
Preparation, explanation and revision of exams. Elucidation of possible doubts emerging as the subjects are implemented.

Orientation and tuition to make the most of practicals.

Orientation and tuition to make the most of seminars.

Assessment
Methodologies Competencies Description Qualification
Objective test A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12 Final written exam of the contents of the ENTIRE subject: theory, practices and seminars (see observations). 50%

50
Multiple-choice questions A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12 Partial exam/s or mid-terms of the subject developed throughout the course (see observations) 30%

30
Case study A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 Reports of the activities developed in Seminars and Practices (see observations). 20% 20
 
Assessment comments

The final grade will be a consequence of the global results obtained in all the evaluation activities, which will include the three parts of the subject: Theory, Seminars and Practices, with a contribution to the final grade proportional to its contribution in time planning, that is to say , 60% Theory, 20% Seminars and 20% Practices. All students will have two opportunities to pass the course.

In the first opportunity, a continuous evaluation will be carried out, including deliverables (assignments), partial tests (mid-terms) and a final exam (on a date set by the Faculty Board), with the following weighting:

60% Theory (30% of partial tests (mid-terms) + 30% final exam)

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

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

In the case of the second opportunity, there will be a single final exam (on a date set by the Faculty Board) that will include questions on the three parts of the subject with the following weighting:

60% Theory

20% Seminars

20% Practices

Both in the first and in the second opportunities it is necessary to pass each and every one of the three parts simultaneously (Theory, Seminars and Practices) to pass the subject. A failed part may be compensated with others if its grade is at least 4/10. The average grade to pass the course must be a 5.0 out of 10. Those students who submit and/or attend any of the continuous assessment activities will be considered as presented (attended), receiving the corresponding grade for the work submitted and/or tests carried out according to their weighting, and a grade of zero in those works and/or tests in which they have not been presented (not attended). In case of not submitting assignments or not taking any of the tests, they will be considered as not presented.

Attendance at Seminars and Practices is not mandatory, but will be recorded.

Deliverable elements of Seminars and Practices (assignments) will consist of a report of the activities carried out in Seminars and Practices. Said reports will be made and delivered following the indications given by the professor on the first lecture (format, content, deadlines, etc.) and their qualification will be subject to individual oral examination, if necessary. These reports must be done by hand individually and collect the work of each student as well as their personal interpretation. The reports of seminars and practices will be corrected and returned to the students before the corresponding assessment tests and will be delivered for deposit until the end of the following academic year (according to current regulations), at the time of the final exam.

The achievement of the honors mark (maximum qualification) will require a final grade of at least 9.0 and the delivery of all deliverable elements (assignments or reports) of the course.

The exams for the English group will be prepared and graded independently by the professor in charge of that group.

Students with officially recognized academic permission not to attend lectures, seminars and/or practicums will be able to carry out the proposed (or equivalent) activities by means of tutoring (either onsite 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
Ricklefs RE (1998). Invitación a la ecología: la economía de la naturaleza. Madrid: Panamericana
Alstad DN (). www.cbs.umn.edu/populus.
Piñol J & Martínez-Vilalta J (). www.ecologiaconnumeros.uab.es.
One of the basic references for seminars is Piñol & Martínez-Vilalta (EC-650). The models in the CD included in this book are also available in its web page. From Alstad’s link the program “Populus” can be freely downloaded, containing models on general biology and also others for some particular seminars. It includes a PopulusHelp.PDF (mostly in English) that was edited as a book in 2001 (EC-505). For most of these basic references there are more recent editions and also English versions.
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.