ECTS credits ECTS credits: 6
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Student's work ECTS: 99 Hours of tutorials: 3 Expository Class: 24 Interactive Classroom: 24 Total: 150
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary Degree Subject RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology
Areas: Zoology
Center Higher Polytechnic Engineering School
Call: Second Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable
- To acquire a basic knowledge of fundamental zoological principles.
- To know the morphology and systematics of the main zoological groups of forestry interest.
- To understand different aspects about the biology of the main zoological groups of forestry interest.
- To be familiar with and use different zoological study techniques, such as sampling, preparation and conservation of captured material and identification of forest fauna, mainly insects.
The programme of the degree includes the following contents for this subject:
- Basic zoological concepts: morphology and systematics. Models of animal organisation.
- Zoological diversity: main morphological characteristics and most relevant aspects of the biology of the most representative groups of animals (both terrestrial and freshwater) in the forest environment: Porifera, Cnidarians, Flatworms, Rotifera, Nematodes, Molluscs, Annelids, Arthropods and Chordates.
- Forest Entomology.
- Zoological study techniques: sampling, conservation and identification.
These contents will be developed in lectures (theory and seminars) and interactive classes (laboratory and field practices), according to the following schedule:
1.- Concept of Zoology. History and objectives of Zoology. Concept of animal. Biological evolution. Concept of species. Zoological classification: taxonomy and systematics. Taxonomic categories and rules of zoological nomenclature. 30 min.
2.- Phyla Porifera and Cnidarians: general characters and types of organisation. Porifera and freshwater Cnidarians. 1h.
3.- Acellomata: Phylum Platyhelminthes. Diagnosis and general characters. Classification and examples of life cycles. 1h.
4.- Pseudocelomata: Definition and general characters. Phylum Rotifera: general characters and life cycles. Phylum Nematodes: study of their organisation. Phytophagous nematodes. 1 h 30 min.
5.- Celomata: Phylum Mollusca. General characteristics and classification. Study of the organisation, reproduction and development of Gastropods. Organisation of Bivalves. 2 h.
6.- Phylum Annelidae: General characteristics and classification. Study of the organisation, reproduction and development of Oligochaetes and Hirudineae. 2 h.
7.- Phylum Arthropoda: Definition. Classification of Arthropods. General characteristics. 2 h.
8.- Chelicerates: General characteristics and classification. Study of the organisation of Arachnidae. 2 h.
9.- Crustaceans: General characters and classification. Idea of freshwater Branchiopods and Maxillopods (Ostracods and Copepods). Freshwater and terrestrial Malacrustaceans (Isopods and Decapods). 2 h.
10.- Myriapods: Definition, general characters and classification. 30 min.
11.- Hexapods: General characteristics of their external and internal organisation. Biology. Classification. Classes Collembolae, Proturans and Diplurans. General characteristics. 1 h 30 min.
12.- Exopterygous insects: Ephemeroptera, Odonata, Orthoptera, Isoptera, Plecoptera, Tisanoptera, Homoptera and Heteroptera. General characteristics and biology. Main families of forestry interest. 1 h.
13.- Endopterygote insects: Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Trichoptera, Lepidoptera and Diptera. General characteristics. Biology and life cycles. Main families of forestry interest. 1 h.
14.- Phylum Chordates: Definition and general characters. Origin of chordates. Classification. General characteristics of Vertebrates. Classification. General characteristics of Agnates. 2 h.
15.- Gnathostomata: Diagnosis. Chondrichthyans and Osteichthyans: General characters and classification. Life in water: structural and functional adaptations of fishes. Study of Osteichthyans of inland waters. 1 h.
16.- Origin of Tetrapods and adaptations to the terrestrial environment. Amphibians: General characteristics and study of their organisation. Classification. Reproduction and development. 45 min.
17.- Reptiles: General characteristics and classification. Biology. 45 min.
18.- Birds: Origin. General characteristics. External and internal organization. Classification. Biology. Insectivorous birds. 45 min.
19.- Mammals: Origin. General characteristics. Structural and functional adaptations of mammals. Classification. Reproduction and development. 45 min.
SEMINARS (3 hours attendance / 4 hours non-attendance / 2 hours preparation for exam).
1.- Animal Morphology and Embryology: Symmetry, Metamerism and Cephalisation. The reproductive process, egg types and embryonic development. Body cavities: Acelomates, Pseudocelomates and Celomates. 2 h.
2.- Techniques of zoological study: sampling, conservation and identification of forest fauna, mainly insects. 1 h.
LABORATORY PRACTICES (16 hours’ attendance / 20 hours non-attendance - reports and questionnaires).
1.- Morphology of Porifera, Cnidarians, Platyhelminthes, Rotifera and Nematodes. 2 h.
2.- Morphology and diversity of Gastropod Molluscs and Bivalves. 1 h. and 30 min.
3.- Morphology of Oligochaetes and Hirudinea Annelidae. Dissection of an oligochaete (earthworm). 1 h 30 min.
4.- Morphology and diversity of Chelicerata. 2 h.
5.- Morphology and diversity of Crustacea. Dissection of a Decapod (crayfish). 2 h.
6.- Morphology and diversity of Myriapods. 1 h.
7.- Morphology and diversity of Hexapods. 2 h.
8.- Morphology and diversity of Agnathans, Chondrichthyans, Osteichthyans, Amphibians, Reptiles. 2 h.
9.- Morphology and diversity of Birds and Mammals. 2 h.
FIELD PRACTICE (5 attendance hours / 15 non-attendance hours -faunistic collection-)
Recognition, live observation and capture of the main animal groups with a forest presence in their environment (both freshwater and terrestrial). 5 h.
Basic:
- HICKMAN, C.P.; KEEN, S.L.; EISENHOUR, D.J.; LARSON, A. y l'ANSON, H., 2021. Principios integrales de Zoología (18ª Edición). Edra (Servet), Zaragoza.
- HICKMAN, C.; KEEN, S.L.; EISENHOUR, D.J.; LARSON, A. y l'ANSON, H., 2020. Integrated Principles of Zoology (18ª Edición). McGrawHill, New York.
Complementary:
- BARRIENTOS, J.A. (coordinador), 2004. Curso práctico de Entomología. Manuals Univ. Autónoma Barcelona, 41.
- BRUSCA, R.C. y BRUSCA, G.J., 2005. Invertebrados (2ª edición). McGraw Hill-Interamericana, Madrid.
- BRUSCA, R.C.; MOORE, W. y SHUSTER, S.M., 2016. Invertebrates (3ª edición). Sinauer Ass., Oxford University Press.
- DE LA FUENTE, J.A., 1994. Zoología de Artrópodos. Interamericana-McGraw Hill, Madrid.
- DE LIÑÁN, C. (coordinador), 1998. Entomología agroforestal. Insectos y ácaros que dañan montes, cultivos y jardines. Agrotécnicas, Madrid.
- DÍAZ, J.A. y SANTOS, T., 1998. Zoología. Aproximación evolutiva a la diversidad y organización de los animales. Síntesis, Madrid.
- GULLAN, P.J. y CRANSTON, P.S., 2000. The insects. An outline of Entomology. Blackwell Science, Oxford.
- KARDONG, K.V., 2007. Vertebrados. Anatomía comparada, función, evolución (4ª edición). McGraw Hill-Interamericana, Madrid.
- RUPPERT, E. y BARNES, R., 1996. Zoología de los Invertebrados (6ª edición). McGraw Hill-Interamericana, Madrid.
- TELLERÍA, J.L., 1991. Zoología evolutiva de los Vertebrados. Síntesis, Madrid.
In this subject, students will acquire or practice a series of generic competences, desirable in any university degree; and specific competences, specific to engineering in general or forestry engineering in particular. Within the list of competences designed for the degree, the following will be worked on:
Basic and general competences:
- CG1 - Ability to understand the biological, chemical, physical, mathematical and representation systems fundamentals necessary for the development of the professional activity, as well as to identify the different biotic and physical elements of the forest environment and the renewable natural resources susceptible to protection, conservation and exploitation in the forestry field.
- GC8 - Capacity to manage and protect forest fauna populations, with special emphasis on those of a hunting and fishing nature.
Transversal competences:
- CT1 - Capacity for analysis and synthesis.
- CT2 - Capacity for reasoning and argumentation.
- CT3 - Capacity for individual work, with a self-critical attitude.
- CT5 - Ability to obtain adequate, diverse and up-to-date information.
- CT6 - Ability to prepare and present an organised and comprehensible text.
- CT8 - Commitment to truthfulness in the information offered to others.
- CT11 - Use of information in a foreign language.
- CT12 - Ability to solve problems through the integrated application of their knowledge.
Specific competences:
- CECF2 - Ability to know, understand and use the principles of Forest Zoology and Entomology.
FACE-TO-FACE TEACHING:
Lectures
- Lectures: competences worked on CG1, CG8, CT1, CT2 and CECF2.
2 hours of theory per week. Each week will be devoted to the study of a specific group of animals.
Oral explanations will be supported by the projection of diagrams, photographs and videos of the animals (some in English).
Interactive
- Laboratory practices: competences worked on CG1, CT2, CT3 and CECF2.
Each week, after the 2 theoretical classes corresponding to each zoological group, students will observe and study representative specimens of that group of animals in the laboratory. As a guide for the work in the laboratory, students will be provided with practice scripts.
- Field practice: competences covered in GC1 and CECF2.
In the field practice, students will visit an area with different habitats, where different sampling techniques can be used, both for freshwater and terrestrial fauna. In addition to recognising and observing the animals in their natural environment, direct sampling will be carried out using different tools and traps to capture a representation of the different groups with a forest presence.
- Group tutorials: competences covered in CT1, CT2 and CT3.
These will be used to monitor the students, mainly in relation to the completion of the course work (practical reports and faunistic collection).
In addition, any questions that students may have will be answered.
NON ATTENDANCE WORK
-Practice reports and questionnaires: competences covered CT1, CT2, CT3, CT5, CT6, CT8 and CT11.
Each week and after each laboratory session, students must individually complete either a questionnaire (previously uploaded to the virtual classroom) or a report on the practical (to be sent via the Virtual Classroom). The deadline will end on the day of the next laboratory session.
- Faunal collection: competences worked on CG1, CT2, CT3, CT8, CT12 and CECF2.
In the weeks following the field practice, each student must make a collection of invertebrate animals present in the forest environment, composed of at least 15 different taxa. It will be compulsory to present this collection at the end of the academic year, following the guidelines established during the course; the presentation of the collection will be carried out individually and the students must know and identify visually the zoological groups presented.
Students will be provided with the necessary material (bags, flasks, tubes, alcohol, tweezers...) to be able to carry out and present the collection. In addition, in order to separate and identify the captured material, a zoology laboratory equipped with all the necessary material will be made available to them at their convenience.
In the virtual Campus, as a support for all the teaching activities of the course, students will have at their disposal all the material projected in the classroom during the lectures, the identification keys of the different faunal groups used in the laboratory practices, as well as all the information about the subject.
There will also be different audiovisual material and links to YouTube videos of the different animal groups, mostly in English, so that students can get used to the language.
Assessment will be continuous and the final grade will be the result of the sum of the weightings of the following activities:
- Attendance and participation in theory classes, seminars and tutorials in small groups (5%).
- Final theory exam (60%): competences CG1, CG8, CT1, CT2, CT5, CT11, CT12 and CECF2. This exam will be face-to-face and will consist of several parts (test questions, short questions and drawings to interpret or make), and in order to pass it, at least a mark of 5 out of 10 must be achieved; minimum mark to evaluate and take into account the rest of the activities in the final mark for the subject.
For cases of fraudulent performance of exercises or tests, the provisions of the "Regulations for the evaluation of students' academic performance and revision of grades" will apply.
- Use of laboratory practicals and field practice (5%): competences CG1, CG8 and CECF2. The completion of all laboratory practicals and field practice is compulsory to pass the course. Otherwise, it will be necessary to pass a practicum exam.
- Making and presentation of the collection of invertebrate forest fauna (10%): competences CG1, CT2, CT3, CT12 and CECF2. If students do not pass the subject in the ordinary exam and do not achieve the maximum grade in the collection, they may present a different one in the recovery opportunity.
- Laboratory practice reports and questionnaires (20%): competences CG1, CT1, CT3, CT5, CT6, CT8, CT11 and CECF2. The grade achieved in the ordinary opportunity will be the same as in the recovery opportunity; there is no possibility of repeating the questionnaires or submitting new reports.
Originality of the work submitted:
Certain rules must be followed in the preparation of the laboratory practical reports:
In the literal reproduction of text and/or figures taken from a book or a web page, the original source must be correctly referenced. If this is not done, it will be considered plagiarism (the action and effect of substantially copying the works of others, claiming them as one's own).
It will also be considered plagiarism if the copy is made from another colleague, or if a report written by another person is handed in, passing oneself off as its author.
The detection of any of these forms of plagiarism will result in the report being considered null and void. Furthermore, if the plagiarism is repeated, the grade corresponding to the laboratory practical reports will be null and void in the final grade.
Repeating students
In the event that a student does not pass the subject in any of the two examinations of the current academic year, the grade for the different activities will not be kept for subsequent years, and all of them (the practicals, the reports and questionnaires of the practicals and the collection) must be repeated.
Exemption from attendance
No dispensation from attendance is contemplated for the sessions corresponding to interactive face-to-face teaching.
- Classroom hours:
24 h theory + 3 h seminars + 16 h laboratory practice + 5 h field practice + 3 h tutorials = 51 h.
- Non-face-to-face hours (autonomous work):
40 h study and collection of information in theory classes and seminars + 20 h preparation of theory exams and collection = 60 h
- Work outside academic hours:
15 h preparation of faunistic collection + 20 h preparation of practice reports and questionnaires = 35 h.
- Exam hours:
3 h and 30 min theory exam + 30 min exam of the collection = 4 h
Total workload = 150 h
The first recommendation is to attend the theory classes and, of course, the practical classes (compulsory anyway).
In addition, it is important to participate actively in the laboratory sessions and to observe and manipulate with attention and "curiosity" the available zoological material. In addition, it is useful to take notes on what is observed, as well as to make diagrams or take photographs, for the elaboration of the practical reports.
It is also important to participate in the theory classes, and to ask any questions that the students may have. At the same time, it is interesting that students try to reason and answer the questions asked by the teacher in class.
It is advisable for students to use the tutorial time, throughout the course, to ask any questions related to the subject.
Last but not least, it is advisable to consult the recommended bibliography and the material available on the virtual campus.
Adolfo Manuel Outeiro Rodriguez
Coordinador/a- Department
- Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology
- Area
- Zoology
- adolfo.outeiro [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
Maria Paz Ondina Navarret
- Department
- Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology
- Area
- Zoology
- mapaz.ondina [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer