| Unit name | Ecology: Theory and Practice |
|---|---|
| Unit code | BIOL31135 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Yallop |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Biological Sciences |
| Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
Aim
To focus on a series of case studies to illustrate how ecological principles can help develop sustainable solutions to the problem of the demand for resources by the human population.
Description
The growing global human population places pressure on resources, as demand for energy, water, chemicals, food and space increases. The ecological challenge is to meet these needs in a sustainable way, while at the same time mitigating the range of serious environmental problems that result from overexploitation. In this unit, students will learn how ecological principles can help develop sustainable solutions to these problems, using a series of case study examples from aquatic and terrestrial agricultural environments.
By the end of this unit students will understand how fundamental science can assist in the solution of selected practical environmental problems. Students will be able to demonstrate the importance of ongoing management of ecosystems which have been altered by humans.
Lectures, interactive seminars/workshops and independent study.
End of Session exam (100%)
Most of the lecture material for the specific subjects considered in this Unit is taken from research papers and is not covered in any one textbook. During the lecture course you will receive details of appropriate reading material relevant to each section of the unit and will receive advice on general textbooks.
