| AQUATIC ECOLOGY | ENV-2A01 | 20 |
| An analysis of how biological, chemical and physical influences shape the biological communities of rivers, lakes and estuaries in temperate and tropical regions. There is an important practical component to this module and the first of the three pieces of written work involves statistical analysis of class data. The module fits well with other ecology modules and can also be taken alongside geochemical, sedimentological or hydrological modules. The module may also appeal to students with interests in international development. Pre-requisite requirements: A first-year ecology module in either ENV or in the School of Biological Sciences or an A-level in a biological subject or a biologically biased access course plus familiarity with basic statistics and data analysis. |
| BEHAVIOURAL ECOLOGY | BIO-2B18 | 20 |
| In this unit, the interrelationships between animal behaviour, ecology and evolution will be explored. More specifically, students will examine how animals behave under particular ecological conditions and seek explanations for the evolution of specific behavioural patterns, using the concepts of Darwinian selection and adaptation as theoretical cornerstones. Students will become familiar with several modelling approaches to behaviour. |
| BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND HUMAN SOCIETY | ENV-3A17 | 20 |
| This is an inter-disciplinary module focusing on the interaction between ecology, biodiversity and human societies. It examines the human drivers of biodiversity loss, the importance of biodiversity to human society, conflicts between human society and conservation and how these can be resolved, and institutions for biodiversity conservation and environmental management. It is designed for students of Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Environmental Geography and International Development and Development Studies. This inter-disciplinary module does not require previous detailed knowledge of ecological mechanisms; where a simple understanding of key ecological processes is important, this will be reviewed and taught in class. Key principles, issues and theory are covered in lectures by UEA faculty. These are supported by case studies from external speakers working in conservation, environmental and resource management agencies and NGOs. The module will comprise 2 core lectures plus one workshop / seminar / outside speaker each week. The module will be assessed by a spring semester exam and coursework designed to develop skills in reviewing and interpreting evidence to non-scientists. This will comprise a briefing paper written for non-specialist policy makers, reviewing scientific evidence and areas of uncertainty on a conservation topic, and providing recommendations for UK government policy and identifying research needed, involving both group (written report max 1500 words, conducted in pairs) and individual (powerpoint slideshow: a summary presentation for policy makers) elements. There are no formal prerequisites, but the module complements and builds on a number of 200 level module including: ENV / BIO 200 level core ecology modules (ie, populations, processes), ENV2A8Y Economics of the Environment, ENV-2A06 Environmental Politics and Policy Making, DEV-2C63 Natural Resources for Development II, DEV-2D64 Natural Resources for Development III. |
| BIODIVERSITY IN A CHANGING WORLD | ENV-1A26 | 10 |
| Briefly introduces a wide range of major topics in conservation ecology, coupled with concepts relevant to the structure and functioning of the rapidly changing biosphere, from ecosystem, through community, population, behavioural, physiological to molecular ecology and conservation genetics. PREFERENCE WILL BE GIVEN TO STUDENTS REGISTERED IN THE SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, AND ECOLOGY STUDENTS. Taught in second half of semester. |
| BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY AND MARINE ECOLOGY | ENV-3A15 | 20 |
| This module examines the biological and ecological processes that underpin our dependence on, and use of, the marine environment for 'goods and services'. Students will study the ecology of marine organisms (from bacteria to fish) which provide the 'services' of climate modulation, nutrient regeneration and food production, threats to the sustainability of these services and the management challenges that result. The module will cover the biodiversity and molecular ecology of bacteria,diatoms, coccolithophores and nitrogen fixers, the physiology and distribution of zooplankton, the ecology of exploited populations and management of the marine environment including fisheries. Example ecosystems such as polar regions, mid ocean gyres and Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems will be studied in detail, and predictions of the impact of environmental change (increasing temperature, decreasing pH, decreasing oxygen, changes in nutrient supply and human exploitation) on marine ecosystem dynamics, will be examined. The module also includes lectures and workshops by biological oceanographers from the Centre for the Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS). |
| COMMUNITY, ECOSYSTEM AND MACRO-ECOLOGY | BIO-2B26 | 20 |
| The module will introduce the main concepts in community, ecosystem and macro-ecology – patterns and processes related to species richness, diversity; stability; succession; primary and secondary productivity and energy flows. We will then examine how these concepts aid our understanding of the functioning of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. |
| EARTH AND LIFE | ENV-3A38 | 20 |
| This module introduces Earth system science, taking a top-down approach to the Earth as a whole system, and tracing its development since its formation 4.5 billion years ago. The main focus is on the coupled evolution of life and its environment through a series of revolutions. Theoretical approaches are introduced, including Gaia, feedback mechanisms and systems theory, and practical sessions use models to build up conceptual understanding. The subject is inherently inter-disciplinary, including aspects of biology, chemistry and physics, and unifying the study of climate and global biogeochemical cycles. Co-taught with ENV-MA38. |
| ECOLOGY RESEARCH PROJECT | BIO-3C9Y | 40 |
| THIS MODULE IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS ON ECOLOGY DEGREE PROGRAMMES. Students design and undertake an independent research project under the supervision of staff members from the Centre for Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation (CEEC). Students may choose to conduct fieldwork in the summer preceding the 3rd year or during the school year. |
| ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY | ENV-2A92 | 10 |
| This module is designed to teach skills necessary for the acquisition of good quality chemical data in environmental systems, and in the interpretation of this data. The module will focus on the collection of environmental samples for chemical analysis, methods of chemical analysis and the analytical and mathematical techniques used for data quality control. There will be a large component of practical work. This module will be particularly relevant for those wishing to do a chemistry-related project later in their degree. Taught in the first half of the semester. |
| ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS AND POLICY MAKING | ENV-2A06 | 20 |
| Examines the theoretical and empirical development of environmental politics in modern society (mostly in the European Union) including: the sources of modern environmentalism and its many manifestations in modern policy making systems; the environmental policies of the UK and the European Union; different theories of political power and public policy making; the role of environmental pressure groups and business; global environmental politics and policy making. The module draws heavily on the theoretical interpretation of everyday examples of politics, which are explored in student seminar presentations and in an extended case study (i.e. essay). This module is co-convened by Professor Andrew Jordan and Dr Irene Lorenzoni. |
| EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY | BIO-2B10 | 20 |
| The aim of this module is to provide a background in the concepts and principles of evolutionary biology. It includes discussion of genetic variation, population genetics, natural selection, population structure, ecological adaptation, life history characteristics, speciation, interactions among species, biological diversity, phylogeny and molecular ecology and biogeography. Workshop discussions are held weekly. |
| FIELD ECOLOGY | BIO-2B21 | 20 |
| Students explore the ecology of moorlands, bogs, sand dunes, rocky shores, estuaries and woodlands. Students should develop skills in identifying plants and animals using scientific keys, carrying out quantitative surveys and statistically analysing their data. Strong emphasis is placed on student-lead project work. The bulk of the teaching takes place on a two week field course in Western Ireland, that runs immediately before the start of the Autumn Semester. |
| FOOD DOMESTICATION AND SUSTAINABILITY | BIO-3C44 | 20 |
| Scientists have recently been delivered with the challenge to double food production over the next 40 years in order to feed the population, without greatly increasing the area of land farmed, and with reduced input from fossil fuel energy. This provides challenges that include food safety (ensuring a sufficient food supply for a nation) and the challenge of food sustainability (ensuring there is sufficient energy to produce the food that is needed). The module addresses these challenges. An important starting point is the history and mechanism of food domestication, current practice, and the prospects and challenges for the future. In the practical element of the module, students will develop an energy, cost and productivity audit of different agricultural systems. |
| GIS SKILLS FOR DISSERTATIONS | ENV-2A94 | 10 |
| This module focuses on the practical use of GIS for dissertations. After an introductory ‘refresher’ of GIS basics it will review the different techniques that can be used to create and edit data in a GIS, as well as existing digital databases from which map data can be extracted and downloaded. Particular attention will be given to Ordnance Survey mapping for the UK, but other international resources will also be discussed. The module will emphasise issues of error and uncertainty as they apply to spatial data and introduce the use of the ArcGIS ModelBuilder as a way of documenting and efficiently repeating more complex analysis procedures. Assessment will be through a small group project involving the download, integration, analysis and display of spatial data. Taught in the second half of the semester. |
| GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE | ENV-3A20 | 20 |
| An exploration of both the scientific causes of global environmental change and the integrative and complex nature of the societal response to such changes. An examination of attempts to predict future trends in the global environmental over the next few centuries. Topics covered include climate change, the carbon cycle, global pollution, and sea level rise. Group projects will tackle multi-disciplinary topics within these areas, using research literature and by interaction with researchers currently in these fields. |
| INTERACTIONS AND POPULATIONS | ENV-2A35 | 20 |
| Ecology can be defined as the scientific study of how organisms interact with each other and their physical environment. In this module we will look closely at how interactions between individuals determine the structure and functioning of populations. We will start by considering antagonistic interactions between members of different trophic levels, their evolution and the possible coevolution. The nature of these interactions will be analysed by examining the rules that determine how animals behave while foraging, including evolution of optimal foraging strategies in relation to both diet width and patchy environments. Consideration of competition will lead into the population consequences of both within trophic level and between trophic level interactions. We will examine basic concepts of population ecology- age structure, limits to growth, time delays and density dependence illustrated using simple models and case studies of plant and animal populations set within an evolutionary context. We will move on to consider the role of mutualistic interactions in dispersal processes and spatially explicit population processes including the effect of landscape structure on population dynamics, metapopulation dynamics, ecological mechanisms (dispersal, predation) and community structure. A-level Biology is an acceptable alternative pre-requisite for this module. Please note: you cannot take this module if you have already taken ENV-2A03, BIO-2B03 or ENV-2A28. |
| ORGANISMS AND ENVIRONMENT | BIO-3C45 | 20 |
| This module examines responses to the individual plants and animals, and their populations, to important aspects of terrestrial and aquatic environments that are determinants of distribution and abundance. It investigates in depth the extent to which physiological, metabolic and morphological responses may confer evolutionary fitness, particularly in extreme environments. Some of the environmental constraints covered act by imposing deficiencies of essential resources or conditions (e.g. water, essential ions, oxygen, carbon, light and temperature), whereas others are the result of toxicity, either natural or resulting from human activity (e.g. metal ions, salinity, acidity and organic industrial pollutants). The module will lead you through more fundamental aspects of ecology to consider their application in seeking to meet the multiple challenges of pollution and climate change. |
| RESEARCH PROJECT | BIO-3D1Y | 40 |
| Open to all BIO finalists (or BIO-3D2Y, Data Analysis, or BIO-3C40, Scientific Research Skills) except those on C180/2/3/4 (who take BIO-3C9Y). Projects involve extensive data collection, either in the laboratory or field, of a particular topic supervised by a member of staff of BIO or an affiliated institute. Topics are chosen in consultation with the supervisor. The project report is submitted at the end of the Spring Semester. Projects may also be available for suitably qualified year long visiting students registered in BIO. |
| SCIENCE COMMUNICATION | BIO-3C6Y | 20 |
| This module aims to bring an understanding of how science is disseminated to the public. Students on the module will be made aware of the theories surrounding learning and communication. They will investigate science as a culture and how this culture interfaces with the public. Students will examine case studies in a variety of different scientific areas. They will look at how information is released in scientific literature and how this is subsequently picked up by the public press. They will gain an appreciation of how science information can be used to change public perception and how it can sometimes be misinterpreted. Students will also learn practical skills by designing, running and evaluating a public outreach event at a school or in a public area. OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS REGISTERED IN THE SCIENCE FACULTY. |
The Graduate Diploma in Ecology combines a selection of honours level units specifically designed to give you a strong training in ecological theory and skills.