NES1302 : Ecology and Conservation
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Simon Maddock
- Lecturer: Professor Mark Whittingham, Dr Gavin Stewart
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
An introduction to ecological interactions between organisms and environment, and to ecological concepts applied at the level of individuals, populations, communities and ecosystems. Introduction to conservation principles, policy and practice.
Outline Of Syllabus
The lecture material provides the theoretical framework for ecology and conservation and will cover topics such as:
• Introduction to ecological concepts
• Research methods in ecology
• Climate, air, water and chemicals
• Intraspecific and interspecific interactions, predation
• Succession, population dynamics, communities, biogeography
• Applied ecology
• Conservation principles, policy and practice
• Valuing biodiversity
• Threats to biodiversity
• Conservation of habitats, populations and species
• Practical Conservation
• UN Sustainable Development Goals
The lecture programme is complemented by field trips in which practical aspects of ecology and conservation are introduced and practiced.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 24:00 | 24:00 | 24hr Take Home Exam - Canvas Quiz |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 16 | 1:00 | 16:00 | Lectures. Includes instructions for field classes and directed preparation). |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | Problem Solving exercise (Summative) |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 45 | 1:00 | 45:00 | Lecture follow-up |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 3 | 5:00 | 15:00 | Preparation for field classes and follow-up |
| Guided Independent Study | Reflective learning activity | 6 | 2:00 | 12:00 | Formative assessment preparation and completion |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 3 | 8:00 | 24:00 | (PIP) Local field classes |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 4 | 2:00 | 8:00 | Drop-in session for students to obtain any assistance with lecture material or assessments. Online or in person. |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 26:00 | 26:00 | Background reading. |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The lectures provide a theoretical framework for ecology and conservation, illustrated with examples. The field classes support the lecture material by means of actual examples of the concepts and processes. The field classes also enable the students to gain experience of collecting and presenting their own data. Literature searching and citing references from scientific sources will be included in reports.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Examination | 1440 | 1 | A | 70 | Online Canvas Quiz - 24hr Take Home Exam |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 1 | M | 30 | The Practical Portfolio is based on field practical sessions. Students unable to attend any of the sessions will be provided with alternative activities, similar to those undertaken during the practical sessions. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Examination | 1 | M | Weekly online tests (based on lectures) |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The Practical Portfolio will assess: insight into the major concepts used to understand ecology or conservation; application of ideas in lectures to address a choice of problems with the use of supporting scientific literature; and data handling, basic understanding of experimental design and statistics. The practical sessions explore how to apply concepts in lectures to real-world examples. The 24hr Take home Exam (Canvas Quiz) assesses understanding across all of the lectures.
The resit will be on-line only and will cover both the lecture and practical material presented in the module. There will be questions on all parts of the module.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NES1302's Timetable