| CODE | BIO2041 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Ecology | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Biology | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | 1. Introduction • The nature of ecology • Ecology as the driving force behind evolution by natural selection 2. Environmental factors • Limiting factors, limits of tolerance, • Ecological valency; factor interaction; ecotypes 3. Population ecology • Populations and characteristics of populations: population density and its estimation; dispersion patterns; natality and mortality; survivorship curves; age distribution; sex ratio; rate of natural increase: exponential and logistic growth; the logistic hypothesis and other population models; population dynamics • Population fluctuations and regulation of population size: density-dependent and density-independent factors; May’s model • Population cycles: extrinsic and intrinsic control • Life-history strategies: opportunist and equilibrium species; • Intraspecific interactions and their population consequences: types of intraspecific interactions; intraspecific competition 4. Interspecific interactions • Types of interspecific interactions and their effect on population size • Interspecific competition: competitive exclusion; ecological niche and resource partitioning; ecological isolating mechanisms and niche separation; guilds; competition as niche overlap • Predation: types and characteristics of predators; predator-prey interactions; predator responses to prey; prey defence against predators • Parasitism: types and characteristics of parasites; parasite-host interactions • Amensalism and allelopathy • Commensalism, protocooperation and mutualism • Co-evolution 5. Biotic communities • The community concept in ecology • Biomes • Community characteristics: species richness and relative abundance; diversity and its measurement; the different kinds of diversity; patterns of species diversity and their cause • Ecological dominance; keystone species; physical structure; periodicity; stability • The nature of communities • Community change: cyclic and successional change; characteristics and mechanisms of succession 6. Ecosystems ecology • Concept of ecosystem; ecosystem components • Solar radiation as the driving force of ecosystems; ecosystems not based on solar radiation • Production and productivity: primary production in the biosphere; secondary production; energy budgets • Food chains, food webs, and trophic structure • Energy flow in ecosystems and efficiency of energy transfer • Ecological pyramids • Biogeochemical cycles Study-unit Aims To introduce participants to: - The principles, concepts and controversies involved in the study of plant and animal populations and their interactions with the biotic and abiotic environments; - The applications of ecology in the sustainable exploitation and management of populations, communities and ecosystems. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Understand the fundamental principles governing the interactions of organisms and their environment at the organism, population, community, and ecosystem levels. - Appreciate the relationship between ecology and evolution. - Gain an insight in the roles of field and laboratory observations, sampling, field and laboratory experimentation, theoretical modelling and computer simulations in the study of ecology. - Develop knowledge and awareness of the ecological principles underlying key environmental issues. - Understand the necessity of a sound knowledge of the ecology of organisms for the sustainable exploitation and management of populations, communities and ecosystems. - Develop practical skills in ecology through an ecological investigation on the habitat distribution of a locally common animal group, based on fieldwork. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Integrate theory with applied problems in ecology. - Apply knowledge of how ecosystems are organized and how they function to understand how they can be affected by natural and anthropogenic changes. - Carry out basic field sampling to collect data on population density and habitat use. - Apply statistical methods to the analysis of ecological data. - Evaluate and synthesize information from a wide array of sources to arrive at scientifically valid conclusions on which to base actions relevant to natural resources management. - Communicate scientific information in the form of scientific reports. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Basic Course Texts (Any one of the following) - BREWER, R (1994) The science of ecology. [2nd ed.] Brooks/Cole. - RICKLEFS, RE (2009) The economy of nature. [6th ed.] W.H. Freeman. [There is also a Data Analysis Update to the fifth edition (2007) that includes data analysis modules that introduce students to ecological data and the quantitative methods used by ecologists.] Additional Texts and Supplementary Reading - BEGON, M, TOWNSEND, CR & HARPER, JL (2006) Ecology: from individuals to ecosystems. [4th ed.] Wiley-Blackwell (with accompanying CD-ROM). [This is an advanced text that will be useful to those who intend to continue their studies in ecology. Other students may find the following simplified version more accessible TOWNSEND, CR, BEGON, M & HARPER, JL (2008) Essentials of ecology. [3rd ed.] Wiley-Blackwell] - COLINVAUX, P (1993) Ecology 2. [2nd ed] Wiley [Very good text but unfortunately out of print] - COTGREAVE, P. & FORSETH, I (2002) Introductory ecology. Blackwell Science. [Excellent introductory text that touches on all aspects of ecology] - KREBS, CJ (2009) Ecology: the experimental analysis of distribution and abundance. [6th ed.] Benjamin Cummings [Essential reference; somewhat mathematical; there is a CD-ROM to accompany this text] - PIANKA, ER (2000) Evolutionary ecology. [6th ed.] Benjamin-Cummings [An excellent text, useful also for units in animal behaviour and evolutionary biology] - SCHEMBRI, PJ & BALDACCHINO, AE (2011) Ilma, blat u hajja: is-sisien ta’ l-ambjent naturali Malti. [It-tielet edizzjoni riveduta] Malta University Publishing Limited. [In Maltese: provides the local dimension]. Field and Laboratory methods - BROWER, J; ZAR, J & VON ENDE, C (1998) Field and laboratory methods for general ecology. [4th ed.] Wm C Brown. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Important note: This study-unit is partly based on practical experience. Therefore, the fieldwork, which is part of the course, is considered as essential for the understanding of the basic principles discussed during the formal lectures. As such, attendance for fieldwork and a satisfactory report on the fieldwork component, is obligatory. Students are to note that they will be allowed to sit for the examination component of this study-unit and will be awarded a grade only if they have regularly attended lectures and practical classes, if they have submitted any assignments, including practical reports and if they satisfy all other study-unit requirements. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Practical and Fieldwork | ||||||||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Patrick J. Schembri |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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