BIOL270-10S1 (C) Semester One 2010

Ecology

30 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 22 February 2010
End Date: Sunday, 27 June 2010
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 7 March 2010
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 23 May 2010

Description

Principles of ecology with an emphasis on New Zealand factors affecting plant and animal ecology, including population ecology, competition, resource acquisition, disturbance and succession.

Course Goals
This course is designed to teach the key principles of ecology in a New Zealand context, including the reasons for the present distributions of organisms, the differences to other countries, and important applications.

Compulsory field trip:  
During the main autumn study break there is a field trip to Cass, for four days. You will be advised of Cass trip details early in the first term. Note that the field trip is compulsory and provides the source of all the interm assessment.  Field Trip dates are EITHER 17-20 April, OR 20-23 April 2010.  Importantly you will need to book your preference for one of the trips on the course Learn (Blackboard) site once it is set up.

Biol 270 is co-coded Fore202, you can only be creditied with one of these course codes.

Learning Outcomes

  • This course is designed to teach the key principles of ecology in a New Zealand context, including the reasons for the present distributions of plants and animals. You will learn many of the important species in the native biota; identification and field work skills; and the history of landscapes in Canterbury New Zealand.

  •  Acquire an appreciation of the main concepts in population, community and ecosystem ecology
  •  Demonstrate knowledge of the distribution and abundance of animals, plants and microbes
      across a variety of ecosystems
  •  Understand the processes that control the structure and functioning of natural systems at a
      variety of scales ranging from individuals to ecosystems and landscapes, and including the
      role(s) of abiotic factors and processes
  •  Have an awareness of the problems and issues affecting natural systems, and have familiarity
      with how ecological knowledge can be applied to achieve solutions
  •  Acquire basic skills in field experimental design and sampling
  •  Further develop expertise in data analysis and interpretation, and their practical application
  •  Further extend scientific communication skills, especially use of the literature and report writing.

Prerequisites

Restrictions

FORE202

Timetable Note

Labs commence at 2.10 pm and are held in either Room 121 ground floor van Haast building or a Computer lab TBA.  

Lab sessions held in week 2, 3, 4 and 5 start the week of Monday 1 March 2009.

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Angus McIntosh

Lecturers

Dave Kelly , Matthew Turnbull and Sharyn Goldstien

Lab Coordinator

Jenny Ladley

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Major Field Trip Repot 30%
Short Reports for Field Trip 10%
Final Exam 60%

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading

Begon, Michael. , Townsend, Colin R., Harper, John L; Ecology : from individuals to ecosystems ; 4th ed; Blackwell Pub, 2006.

Dawson, John , Lucas, Rob; Nature guide to the New Zealand forest ; Godwit, 2000.

Townsend, Colin R; Ecological applications : toward a sustainable world ; Blackwell, 2008.

Notes

This is an essential preparatory course for all students with an interest in any aspect of ecology.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,429.00

International fee $6,880.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Biological Sciences .

All BIOL270 Occurrences

  • BIOL270-10S1 (C) Semester One 2010
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