Ecosysteemecologie

6 ECTS credits
150 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1020445BNR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.

Semester

2nd semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Taught in

Dutch

Faculty

Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences

Department

Biology

Educational team

Harry Olde Venterink (course titular)

Activities and contact hours

16 contact hours Lecture
42 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
18 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

The course focuses on ecosystems ecology of particularly terrestrial ecosystems, and contains a theoretical and a practical part. The content of the course builts on the ecological knowledge obtained in the courses ‘Ecologie en Terreinwerk (1th year Bachelor) and ‘Functionele Biologie van Planten, Fungi en Protisten (2^Nd year Bachelor).

The theoretical part deals with important topics of ecosystems ecology such as: cycles and stoichiometry of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, primary production and growth limitation, decomposition, plant-soil interactions, plant-herbivore-carnivore interactions, competition and facilitation among species, ecosystem stability, functional biodiversity, species loss, exotic invasions, nature conservation and restoration.

The practical part consists of field excursions to nature reserves and experimental sites where ecological processes will be studied, measured and explained (c. 32 h WPO). The obtained ecological data will be processed and processed in small groups (8 h WPO), and discussed in the entire group(2 h WPO).

Course material

Digital course material (Required) : Powerpointpresentaties

Additional info

None

Learning Outcomes

General competences

Students will obtain the following competences:

- Students will gain ecological knowledge about a wide variety of theories and hypotheses about terrestrial ecosystems ecology, and will be able to apply the obtained knowledge to newly collected data.

- Students will learn to measure and quantify ecological processes and variables of populations and communities of plants in natural and experimental sites.

- Students will learn to analyze, process and present ecological data, and to practice with working and collaborating in groups

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Mondeling examen with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

Note: Het HOC wordt geëvalueerd door middel van een mondeling examen met open vragen dat schriftelijk voorbereid mag worden (100%). Dit examen kan alleen worden afgelegd door studenten die actief hebben deelgenomen aan de WPO onderdelen.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The examination contains the following elements: 

The theory presented and explained in the lectures and WPO will be examined in an oral exam. This exam is based on questions which can prepared just before the exam (100% of the grade). The oral exam is only open for students that have actively participated in the WPO part.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context