Undergraduate Course: Biology, Ecology and Environment 1 (BILG08017)
This course will be closed from 31 July 2023
Course Outline
| School | School of Biological Sciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Biology, Ecology and Environment 1 focuses on the interconnectedness of nature and offers valuable insights into the diversity, distribution and abundance of life on planet Earth. The course provides the foundations for understanding the complex relationships that form throughout our planet and provides a backdrop for appreciating our current global crises. We will also explore how, by understanding biology, ecology and the environment, we can begin to respond to some of these challenges. |
| Course description |
NOTE THAT THIS COURSE WILL NOT RUN AFTER 2021/2022. NO NEW STUDENTS CAN BE ENROLLED ON THIS COURSE.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- know and understand how individuals, populations and communities of organisms interact with each other and the physical environment, to explain why organisms occur where they do.
- apply biological and ecological principles to investigate and/or solve real-world problems that we are facing.
- exhibit critical thinking, develop hypotheses and engage in hypothesis-driven scientific investigations, and appreciate the exploratory nature of science.
- accurately and competently represent and interpret data; and write and present information in a scientific manner.
- explore biological or ecological topics of individual interest in a self-directed, but collaborative way.
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Reading List
There is no single textbook that sufficiently covers all the material in this course, below are a few that contain valuable information to supplement lecture material:
Cain, ML, Bowman, WD and Hacker, SD (2011) Ecology. 2nd Ed. Sinauer Associates Inc.
Townsend, CR, Begon, M and Harper, JL (2008) Essential of Ecology. 3rd Ed. Blackwell Publishing.
Cotgreave, P and Forseth, I (2002) Introductory Ecology. 3rd Ed. Blackwell Science.
Skills related texts:
Knisely, K. (2013) A student handbook for writing in Biology. 4th Ed. Sinauer Associates, Inc.
Colegrave,N. and Ruxton,G.D. (2010) Experimental design for the life sciences. 3rd Ed. Oxford University Press.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Personal & Intellectual Autonomy
By pursuing the Independent Project in your own time, you will learn to synthesise your own ideas and present and/or defend them in a group environment. These projects also provide a key opportunity for creativity. There are several opportunities to engage in formative assessment (Practical 1 Lab Report and Project Outline Proposal), which allow you to take responsibility for your own learning through
self-reflection.
Research & Enquiry
The formative assessments are designed to provide opportunities to develop critical judgement and assessment skills, which are essential for, not only scientists but, any member of the general public, particularly in an era where so much information is readily available. The Projects allow you to actually develop new knowledge and to place it within the broader context of society at large - tying in social, economic, cultural as well as ecological issues. The Practical Written Reports are crucial in providing you with an insight into the standards and methods utilised by the scientific community.
Personal Effectiveness
The ability to organise and summarise your thoughts and material in a flexible and accessible way are core features that are required for personal effectiveness. Planning, time management and reflection are central to this. By providing you with a time-table where key submission dates are highlighted, we are encouraging you to develop your effectiveness throughout this course - the onus is on you to manage these effectively. The group project aspect will provide the opportunity to develop skills in working with others, while encouraging participation and engagement with all members of the group. It will also develop skills in acknowledge and benefiting from the different skills or experience that other group members can provide. Self-test quizzes, available during the course, will allow you to assess your understanding of material as you go allowing you to effectively engage with the course content.
Communication
The Oral project presentations will not only provide an opportunity to develop oral communication skills, but, through the question-and-answer session, will be important for gaining and coping with immediate feedback, which may come from a different perspective. The use of peer-feedback will also develop your ability to critical communicate the strengths and weakness of others work, while accepting and reacting positively to critical evaluation of your own work. |
| Keywords | BEE1 |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Patrick Walsh
Tel: (0131 6)50 5474
Email: Patrick.Walsh@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Karen Sutherland
Tel: (0131 6)51 3404
Email: Karen.Sutherland@ed.ac.uk |
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