Educational guide

IDENTIFYING DATA

2024_25

Subject

COMMUNITY AND ECOSYSTEM ECOLOGY

Code

00207028

Study programme

0207 - GRADO EN CIENCIAS AMBIENTALES

Descriptors

Credit.

Type

Year

Period

Compulsory

Third

Second

Language

Castellano

Prerequisites

Department

BIODIVERSIDAD Y GEST.AMBIENTAL

Coordinador

CALVO GALVÁN , MARÍA LEONOR

E-mail

mlcalg@unileon.es
jofeg@unileon.es
rpinp@unileon.es

Lecturers

CALVO GALVÁN , MARÍA LEONOR

FERNANDEZ GUISURAGA , JOSE MANUEL

PINTO PRIETO , RAYO

Web

http://

General description

In the course of communities and ecosystems ecology we study the structural characteristic of communities and their variation in space and time, with particular attention to biodiversity and conservation in the current context of global change. Analysis of the structure and functioning of major ecosystems and the role that man holds them, both globally and in the worlds most concrete geographical area of the Iberian Peninsula. We review the ecosystem changes over time and the different approaches that focus on such studies. Wewill work with the concept of ecological footprint and their implications for sustainable management.

Tribunales de Revisión

Tribunal titular
Cargo	Departamento	Profesor
Presidente	BIODIVERSIDAD Y GEST.AMBIENTAL	TARREGA GARCIA-MARES , MARIA REYES
Secretario	BIODIVERSIDAD Y GEST.AMBIENTAL	MARCOS PORRAS , ELENA MARIA
Vocal	BIODIVERSIDAD Y GEST.AMBIENTAL	ANSOLA GONZALEZ , GEMMA

Tribunal suplente
Cargo	Departamento	Profesor
Presidente	BIODIVERSIDAD Y GEST.AMBIENTAL	BECARES MANTECON , ELOY
Secretario	BIODIVERSIDAD Y GEST.AMBIENTAL	FERNANDEZ ALAEZ , CAMINO
Vocal	BIODIVERSIDAD Y GEST.AMBIENTAL	VALBUENA RELEA , MARIA LUZ

Competencias

Code
A13962
A13963
A14016
B3743
B3744
B3749
B3751
B3752
B3763
C2	CMECES2 That students know how to apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and possess the skills that are usually demonstrated through the development and defense of arguments and the resolution of problems within their area of study.
C3	CMECES3 That students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (normally within their area of study) to make judgments that include reflection on relevant issues of a social, scientific or ethical nature.
C5	CMECES5 That students have developed those learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy

Learning aims

Competences
		C2
		C3
A14016
		C5
A13963
A13962
	B3749
	B3743
	B3744
	B3751
	B3763
	B3752

Contents

Topic

Sub-topic

THEORY

STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE COMMUNITY

Topic 1.Nature and spatial organization of the community.

Topic 2. Diversity.

MATTERIAL TRANSPORT AND ENERGY FLUX IN ECOSYSTEMS

Topic 3. Energy flow in the ecosystem.

Topic 4. Primary production.

Topic 5. Secondary production.

Topic 6. Decomposition.

Topic 7. Flows of matter in the ecosystem. Biogeochemical cycles.

TEMPORAL CHANGES IN ECOSYSTEMS
Topic 8.- Ecological succession.

Topic 9.- Mechanisms inducing change and stability.

HUMAN-BIOSPHERE INTERACTION.
Topic 10. Ecological impacts of invasive alien species.

Topic 11. Extinction and Conservation.

Topic 12. Global change

PRACTICES
- Performance of scientific work-seminars- Evaluation presentation and defense. Evaluation through written exam. Documents will be provied in English.
- Classification techniques and methods of community grouping (Laboratory-computer) - Evaluation written exam.

- Structural analysis of communities: Diversity, species-area relationships (Laboratory-computer) - Evaluation written exam.

- Sampling in terrestrial communities (Field) - Written exam assessment

- Effects of abiotic factors on primary production (Laboratory) - Evaluation in written report delivery

Planning

Methodologies :: Tests
	Class hours	Hours outside the classroom	Total hours
Lecture	26	39	65

Laboratory practicals	12	12	24
Field work/trips	6	4.5	10.5
Seminars	7	21	28

Personal tuition	3	4.5	7.5

Mixed tests	3	4.5	7.5
Practical tests	3	4.5	7.5

(*)The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies

Methodologies ::

	Description
Lecture	The theoretical classes are structured in the following parts: - Introduction: in the introduction the subject is placed in the corresponding context, stating the specific objectives to be achieved and the interrelationships of the subject in question with the remaining contents of the subject and with practical realities. - Development: in the development of the topics, the contents are presented in a coherent and duly structured manner, alluding to the applicability. The interrelationships of the contents with the contents transmitted in previous subjects and with those that will be taught later on are broken down. - Summary: once the subject has been developed, a recapitulation of the fundamental concepts of the subject is made.
Laboratory practicals	Most of the practicals are a direct application of the contents covered in the theoretical classes. They will be carried out in the laboratory, on the computer and in the field. The teaching activity to be carried out consists of: - To make a brief introduction to the objectives, fundamentals and criteria necessary for the execution of the practice. - To provide in advance the documentation (scripts) required for the practice so that the students will have read them beforehand. - Supervise and guide the student's work during the course of the internship, as well as in the elaboration of individual or group practical work. The realization of the practice itself corresponds to the student, who must plan the work according to the guidelines provided by the teacher. In some internships, discussions or seminars to be carried out by the student are proposed, which allow to complete the teachings received, both theoretical and practical, through the active participation of the students to contribute to increase the students' knowledge.
Field work/trips	Field practices will be the following: - Sampling in terrestrial communities (Field) - Evaluation through written presentation of practical work - Comparative study of the structure of two terrestrial communities: one of scrubland and the other of scrubland under woodland (laboratory-field).
Seminars	The seminars will be carried out by the students on practical work on community and ecosystem ecology. The documentation to be provided and the completion of the written report must be in English.
Personal tuition	El las tutorías se plantean cuestiones prácticas relacionadas con los diferentes temas impartidos para que se resuelvan. Así mismo se presentará documentanción en inglés para poder abordar aspectos de actualidad relacionados con problemas ecológicos actuales.

Personalized attention

Personal tuition

Laboratory practicals

Field work/trips

Lecture

Seminars

Mixed tests

Practical tests

Description

Personal Tuition is provided on an individual basis to students who request it.

Assessment

	Description	Qualification
Personal tuition	Evaluation in the development of the tutoring session	10
Seminars	The seminar will be evaluated through a written presentation in English and oral defense by the members of the group.	15
Mixed tests	It corresponds to the final theory test, where the knowledge and understanding of the subject in the theoretical part will be evaluated.	40
Practical tests	It corresponds to the practical test and will evaluate the knowledge and understanding of the subject in the practical part.	30

Other comments and second call
The parts of the course that are evaluated through the presentation of practical work, seminars or reports imply that these works must be delivered on the day, time and place indicated by the teacher, and those students who do not deliver them on time will be considered failed that part of the course. During the second evaluation, all the failed parts of the course may be recovered, except for the tutorials and the oral presentation and defense of the seminars. In order to prevent plagiarism and ensure equal opportunities for all students, during the development of the evaluation tests will not be allowed the possession and use of mobile and / or electronic devices, notes, books, The possession and use of mobile and/or electronic devices, notes, books, folders or other materials not authorized and foreseen by the professor in the teaching guide, or necessary for the realization of the same, as established in the GUIDELINES FOR ACTION IN CASE OF PLAGIAR, COPY OR FRAUD IN EXAMS OR EVALUATION TESTS, approved by the Governing Council of the University, will not be allowed during the evaluation tests. The simple possession of such devices during the evaluation tests will result in the immediate withdrawal of the exam, expulsion from the exam and a failing grade. The professor will inform prior to the celebration of the tests of the materials, means and additional resources necessary for the development of such tests.

Sources of information

Access to Recommended Bibliography in the Catalog ULE

Basic	ODUM E.P. & BARRETT G.W. , Fundamentos de Ecología, Ediciones Thompson. 5ª edición. , 2006 RODRIGUEZ, J., Ecología, 4ª ed. Ediciones Pirámide. Madrid, España, 2016 Bowman, W.D., Hacker, S.D., Cain, M.L., , Ecology, 4º ed. Sinauer Associates inc. Sunderland, Massachssetts, 2018 BEGON, M. TOWNSEND, C.R. & HARPER, J.L., Ecology- From Individuals to Ecosystems, Blackwell Publishing., 2008 RICKLEFS, R.E. & RELYEA, R., Ecology. The economy of nature., oth Edition. W. H. WH Freeman. New York, USA, 2018 MOLLES, M.C., Ecology: Concepts and Applications, McGraw Hill-Interamericana. 3ª edición, 2019 SMITH, R.L. & SMITH, T.M., Elements of Ecology, 9th ed. Pearson, 2016 KREBS, C.J., Why ecology matters, University of Chicago Press. USA, 2016
	In order to carry out the seminars, students will be provided with all the bibliography in English.
Complementary
	Bush, M.B. 2000. Ecology of a changing planet. Prentice Hall. New Jersey. Chapin, F.S. III, Matson, P.A. & Mooney, H.A. 2002. Principles of terrestrial ecosystem ecology. Springer-Verlag, Nueva York. Chapman, J.L., Reiss, M. J. 1999. Ecology: principles and applications. Cambridge Univ. Press. New York. Díaz Pineda, F. et al. (eds.) 2002. La diversidad biológica de España. Prentice Hall, Madrid. Dodson, S.I., Allen, T.F.H., Carpenter, S.R., Ives, A.R., Jeanne, R.L. Kitchell, J.F., Langston, N.E., Turner, M.G. 1998. Ecology. Oxford University Press. New York. Donovan,T.M., Welden, C.W. 2002. Spreadsheet Exercises in Ecology and Evolution. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, Massachusetts. Fernández Palacios, J.M., Morice, C., 2004. Ecología Insular. Asociación Española de Ecología Terreste (AEET). Madrid. Gotelli, N.J., Ellison, A.M. 2004. A Primer of Ecological Statistics. Sinauer Associates, Inc. Sunderland, Massachusetts. Hill, D. et al. (eds.). 2007. Handbook of Biodiversity Methods: survey, evaluation and monitoring. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Magurran, A.E. 2004. Measuring biological diversity. Blackwell Publishing, Malden, Massachusetts. Margalef, R. 1986. Ecología. Ediciones Omega, Barcelona. MacGlade, J. 1999. Advanced Ecological Theory: principles and applications. Blackwell Science. New York. Piñol, J., Martínez Vilalta, J. 2006. Ecología con números. Una introducción a la ecología con problemas y ejercicios de simulación. Lynx Edicions, Bellaterra, Barcelona. Ricklefs, R.E. 1998. Invitación a la ecología. La economía de la naturaleza (4ª ed.). Panamericana, Buenos Aires. Samo Lumbreras, A. J., Garmendia Salvador, A., Delgado, J. A. 2008. Introducción práctica a la Ecología. Pearson Prentice Hall. Madrid, España. Southwood, T.R.E., Henderson, P.A. 2000. Ecological methods (3ª ed.). Blackwell, Oxford. Stiling, P. 2012. Ecology. Global Insights & Investigations. McGraw-Hill, Nueva York. Terradas, J. 2001. Ecología de la vegetación: de la Ecofisiología de las plantas a la dinámica de las comunidades y paisajes. Omega. Barcelona. Townsend, C. R., Begon, M., Harper, J. L. 2008. Essentials of Ecology. 3ª ed. Blackwell Publishing, Malden USA. Underwood, A.J. 2011. Experiments in ecology: Their Logical Design and Interpretation Using Analysis of Variance. Cambridge University Press. United Kingdom. Vellend, M. 2016. The theory of Ecological Communities. Princeton University Press. Oxford. Whittaker, R.J., Palacios, J.M. 2007. Island Biogeography: ecology, evolution, and conservation (2ª ed.). Oxford University Press, Nueva York. Zamora, R., Pugnaire, F. 2000. Ecosistemas Mediterráneos. Análisis Funcional. CSIC, AEET Madrid.

Recommendations

Subjects that it is recommended to have taken before

POPULATION ECOLOGY / 00207012