The final qualification will be obtained from only one exam including questions on the three components of the subject (theory, seminars and practicum). The weight of each section on the final mark will be proportional to its time contribution to the subject (60%, 20%, 20% respectively). In order to pass the subject it is necessary to pass simultaneously each and every component. A failed mark in one of the three components will be considered as “compensable mark” (i.e. an overall mean will be calculated) if it is at least 4 over 10.

Attendance to both seminars and practicum is not compulsory but it will be recorded. Students have the option to hand a notebook summarizing the work developed during seminars and practicum. Deadline for notebooks will be the day of the first call for the final exam. Notebooks should be handwritten, except for tables and graphs, with and easy-to-read calligraphy. They will be prepared following the directions specified in the Moodle platform. Its qualification can contribute to offset possible shortcomings in the corresponding part of the exam.

It is advisable to keep a copy of the notebook as the original copy will be retained by the professors until the end of the following academic year. However, students will be able to get their notebooks back in order to improve them and study for the second final exam call in July. In case of introducing some changes in the notebooks during this period these should be clearly highlighted.

Notebooks can be prepared in pairs or groups but they must be original work. Notebooks are individual work. Notebooks handed in during the first exam call can help improve the final mark. Those handed in during the second exam call will not help improve the final qualification, but they can help to get a “compensable mark” in case seminar or practicum sections have been failed in the exam. The notebook qualification obtained during the first exam call will only be valid until the second exam call.

Handing in all notebooks is a prerequisite in order to obtain an Honours qualification, for those students with a top mark in the final exam.

Learning outcomes	Study programme competences
Describe ecological concepts at individual, population, community and ecosystem level.	A1 A24
Analytical discussion of ecological concepts.		B8
Managing scientific literature.	A30
Using basic techniques in ecology.	A17 A20 A21 A26 A30	B4 B6 B7 B12

Topic	Sub-topic
Section 1. Populations	Unit 1. Size, structure and life cycles. Unit 2. Population growth models. Unit 3. Growth in natural populations. Unit 4. Metapopulations.
Section 2. Species interactions	Unit 5. Competition. Unit 6. Predation. Unit 7. Mutualism.
Section 3. Communities	Unit 8. Community structure. Unit 9. Patterns in species richness. Unit 10. Ecological succession, trophic structure and stability.

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	62.4	86.4
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	20.8	28.8
Objective test	A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12	3	0	3

Personalized attention		1.8	0	1.8

(*)The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies	Description
Guest lecture / keynote speech	Oral presentations to transfer knowledge and ease 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 worked with Faculty PCs if students have no portables.
Objective test	Written exam on all aspects of the matter: theory, practicals and seminars.

Methodologies	Competencies	Description	Qualification
Objective test	A1 A17 A20 A21 A24 A26 A30 B4 B6 B7 B8 B12	Written exam on all aspects of the matter: theory, practicals and seminars (see Assessment comments). By means of this global exam all the degree's specific competencies included in this matter will be evaluated (A1, A17, A20, A21, A24, A26, A27, A29, A30, A31, A32).	100

Assessment comments
The final qualification will be obtained from only one exam including questions on the three components of the subject (theory, seminars and practicum). The weight of each section on the final mark will be proportional to its time contribution to the subject (60%, 20%, 20% respectively). In order to pass the subject it is necessary to pass simultaneously each and every component. A failed mark in one of the three components will be considered as “compensable mark” (i.e. an overall mean will be calculated) if it is at least 4 over 10. Attendance to both seminars and practicum is not compulsory but it will be recorded. Students have the option to hand a notebook summarizing the work developed during seminars and practicum. Deadline for notebooks will be the day of the first call for the final exam. Notebooks should be handwritten, except for tables and graphs, with and easy-to-read calligraphy. They will be prepared following the directions specified in the Moodle platform. Its qualification can contribute to offset possible shortcomings in the corresponding part of the exam. It is advisable to keep a copy of the notebook as the original copy will be retained by the professors until the end of the following academic year. However, students will be able to get their notebooks back in order to improve them and study for the second final exam call in July. In case of introducing some changes in the notebooks during this period these should be clearly highlighted. Notebooks can be prepared in pairs or groups but they must be original work. Notebooks are individual work. Notebooks handed in during the first exam call can help improve the final mark. Those handed in during the second exam call will not help improve the final qualification, but they can help to get a “compensable mark” in case seminar or practicum sections have been failed in the exam. The notebook qualification obtained during the first exam call will only be valid until the second exam call. Handing in all notebooks is a prerequisite in order to obtain an Honours qualification, for those students with a top mark in the final exam.

Basic	Alstad DN (2001). Basic Populus models of ecology. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Smith RL, Smith TM (2000). Ecología. Madrid: Pearson Piñol J, Martínez-Vilalta J (2006). Ecología con números. Barcelona: Lynx Molles M (2006). Ecología: Conceptos y Aplicaciones. Madrid: McGraw - Hill Krebs CJ (1986). Ecología: el análisis experimental de la distribución y la abundancia. Madrid: Pirámide Begon M, Harper JL, Townsend CR (1999). Ecología: individuos, poblaciones y comunidades. Barcelona: Omega Smith TM, Smith RL (2012). Elements of Ecology. USA: Pearson Begon M, Howarth RW, Townsend CR (2014). Essentials of Ecology. USA: Wiley 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. Sunderland: Sinauer Margalef R (1974). Ecología. Barcelona: Omega Odum EP, Barret GW (2006). Fundamentos de ecología. Mexico: Thomson
	There are more recent editions of these complementary references, and also English versions.

Other comments
Understanding rather than memorization is favored