GEO2228 : Biogeography (Inactive)
- Inactive for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Maarten van Hardenbroek van Ammerstol
- Lecturer: Dr Nick Cutler
- Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
Biogeography is the study of the distribution of living things in space and time. We need to understand the processes that drive biogeographical variation if we are to predict the impacts of human activities and implement successful conservation policies.
This module will provide an overview of the way in which species distributions are impacted by environmental conditions and human activities. This will be done through a combination of lectures, seminars, fieldtrips, and practicals. The aims of the modules are:
- To demonstrate how environmental processes (past, present and future) shape the distribution of species.
- To evaluate the impact of anthropogenic activities on species distributions.
- To highlight the relevance of biogeography for policy and conservation.
- To provide training in field observation, data collection and biogeographical data analysis.
- To develop transferable skills such as group work, poster design and report writing.
Outline Of Syllabus
Topics that will typically be covered on the module include:
Geology and evolution of life
- How species evolve
- The biogeographical effects of plate tectonics
- The effect of long-term climate change on species distributions
The distribution of species
- The biogeography of different habitats (terrestrial and aquatic)
- Environmental drivers of species distributions
- Biological succession following natural and anthropogenic disturbances
Biodiversity
- Measuring biodiversity
- Natural drivers of spatial patterns in biodiversity
- Human impacts on biodiversity, e.g., deforestation and pollution
- Biological conservation policy & practice
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 16 | 1:00 | 16:00 | Timetabled; 14 lectures in person, 2 synchronous online (can be pre-recorded lectures if required) |
| Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Computer practicals; asynchronous online guided learning |
| Structured Guided Learning | Academic skills activities | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Virtual fieldtrip; asynchronous online guided learning |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 129:00 | 129:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | Timetabled, synchronous, in-person teaching in laboratory |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Computer practical in cluster |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | Groupwork on posters |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 3 | 1:00 | 3:00 | Timetabled seminars |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Group presentations of posters |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Fieldtrip |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 2 | 1:00 | 2:00 | Timetabled Q&A/feedback sessions |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures will provide an introduction to key concepts in Biogeography, and provide an overview of species distributions at different spatial and temporal scales. The lectures will provide both the theoretical framework and applied examples via guest lectures.
One virtual fieldtrip and one in-person fieldtrip will be used to introduce students to the array of methods and data used to measure and observe species distributions in terrestrial and freshwater environments. Students will also be trained in the laboratory, and in computer practicals to collect, process and quantitatively analyse datasets to understand the physical processes that determine species distributions.
Being able to work in a team is an important skill and will be trained via a guided exercise that will result in creating and presenting a poster, and providing feedback on a poster made by others.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poster | 2 | M | 50 | Group poster, presentation, and feedback to another group's poster |
| Practical/lab report | 2 | M | 50 | 2000 words. |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prob solv exercises | 1 | M | Submitting output (numerical values to questions/a figure) from the computer practical in sem 1 to assess understanding of computer practical output |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
In semester 1, students will be trained to think about research questions/hypotheses, sampling design, and how this impacts on results. This will be introduced during a virtual fieldtrip and computer practical. Advance planning and understanding the pros/cons of a chosen sampling strategy is an essential skill for any fieldwork activity and will help building towards the dissertation. This is assessed via a formative assessment (Canvas Quiz).
Building from seminars and the formative assessment, students will then create an academic poster as a group (50% of overall module mark) dealing with a contemporary example of anthropogenic impacts on species distributions. Posters will assess research questions and sampling design, understanding of the chosen topic, ability to convey complex issues visually and verbal presentation skills. Posters will be presented orally in small groups at the start of Semester 2. The groups will also provide written feedback (250 words) on a poster of one other group as part of the assessment. Providing detailed, explicit, useful feedback to peers is an important professional skill that students will be taught during this module.
In semester 2, students will collect field data in small groups. The samples they collect will be further analysed during laboratory practicals, followed by individual data analysis and the writing of a consultancy report (2000 words, 50% of overall mark). The consultancy report requires students to bring together different data sets and views on a contemporary topic that relates human impact on species distributions. Many of the graduate jobs taken up by students on this module will likely contain report writing, hence this is an important professional skill to develop.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- GEO2228's Timetable