ECTS credits ECTS credits: 6
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Hours of tutorials: 1 Expository Class: 26 Interactive Classroom: 29 Total: 56
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary Degree Subject RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Functional Biology
Areas: Ecology
Center Faculty of Biology
Call: Second Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable
•Acquire a set of basic ecological knowledge, explaining the ecological principles related to communities and ecosystems (organisms and populations were treated in Ecology I), which are the basis for understanding the processes that occur in the Biosphere.
•Learn to handle ecological terminology with precision, mastering the basic vocabulary of the discipline.
•Strengthen the capacity for interrelation, practically essential to internalize the concepts of Ecology, highlighting the importance of the interconnections between the components of ecosystems.
•Understand that ecosystems are complex systems that function as integrated units, with multiple causes that generate their structure and functioning.
•Perceive the human impact on the Biosphere and promote awareness of current ecological and environmental problems.
Expository classes (26 h)
The approximate duration of each theme is indicated in parentheses.
All classrooms will be face-to-face.
Block I. COMMUNITIES
1. Biological community: concept and characterization (3 h)
2. Spatial patterns of biological diversity (3 h)
3. Temporal dynamics of communities (3 h)
4. Island communities. (2 h)
Block II. FUNCTIONING OF THE ECOSYSTEM
5. Disturbance (3h)
6. The ecosystem. Primary production. (3 h)
7. Secondary production. (2 h)
8. Flow of energy and trophic structure. (3 h)
9. Circulation of nutrients. (2 h)
10. Decomposition. (2 h)
Interactive field and laboratory classes (14h)
The practice schedule will be adjusted as far as possible to the development of the theoretical program and all classes will be face-to-face.
Laboratory:
1. Study of competition for allelopathy at the community level in forest communities (2h in two sessions).
2. Study of benthic macroinvertebrate communities. (2h in one session)
Countryside
3. Determination of Biomass and PPN in terrestrial communities. (2h in one session)
4, Terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems: sampling of the main ecological variables for the study of terrestrial vegetation and epicontinental ecosystems (8h in one session). A field trip will be made to the Sierra de O Caurel and sampling will be carried out there (depending on economic availability).
Interactive seminar classes (15 h)
Exercises, problems and obtaining parameters obtained from data collected in field and laboratory practices or bibliographic data will be carried out. They may also include talks and colloquiums with experts from other universities and research centers, debates on current issues, continuous assessment exercises and other activities related to the subject.
The seminars (on Monday and Tuesday) will be these:
1. Seminar 1: Analysis of the structure of biological communities
2. Seminar 2: Analysis of the variation of biological communities along environmental gradients
3. Seminar 3: Analysis of coexistence patterns and null models in community ecology
4. Seminar 4: Analysis of the temporal dynamics of communities: Ecological succession
5. Seminar 5: Analysis of the results of the practice of allelopathy at the community level
6. Seminar 6: Analysis of the results of the biomass practice
7. Seminar 7: Ecological efficiencies and secondary production
8. Seminar 8: Analysis of sampling results in terrestrial ecosystems.
SMALL GROUP TUTORIALS (1h)
It will be used to coordinate teaching innovation activities.
Teaching Innovation
The students will be able to participate voluntarily in the teaching innovation activity “Standing up to the fire” of the “Learning and service” program based on learning by performing a service for society or other ApS offered by teachers.
BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY
Begon, M.; Harper, J.L. & Townsend, C.R. 1999. Ecology: Individuals, Populations, and Communities. 3rd ed. Barcelona: Omega.
Cain, M.L.; Bowman, W.D & Hacker, S.D. 2008. Ecology. Sunderland, Massachusetts: Sinauer Associates, Inc.
Krebs, C.J. 2009. Ecology: the experimental analysis of distribution and abundance. 6th ed. San Francisco, California: Benjamin Cummings.
Molles, M. C. 2006. Ecology: concepts and applications. 3rd ed. Madrid: McGraw-Hill/Interamericana.
Smith, R.L. & Smith, T.M. 2007. Ecology. 6th ed. Madrid: Pearson Education.
Stiling, P. 2012. Ecology. Global Insights & Investigations. New York: McGraw-Hill.
COMPLEMENTARY BIBLIOGRAPHY
Krebs, C.J. 1999. Ecological Methodology. 2nd ed. Menlo Park: Addison-Wesley.
Ricklefs, R.E. 1998. Invitación a la ecología. La economía de la naturaleza : libro de texto sobre economía básica. 4ª ed. Bogotá: Panamericana.
Mittelbach, G.G. & McGill, B.J. 2019. Community Ecology. Oxford University Press
Townsend, C.R.; Begon, M. & Harper, J.L. 2008. Essentials of ecology. 3rd ed. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell.Competencies
Within the competences, in this matter the following will be worked more specifically:
Knowledge/ content: Con01, Con04, Con11,
Skills/skills: HD01, H/D02, H/D03, H/D04, H/D07, H/D08, H/D09, H/D10, H/D11, H/D12, H/D13, H/D14.
Competencies: Comp02, Cpmp03, Comp05, Comp06, Comp08
Teaching methodology
The EXPOSITIVE classes will consist of lectures in which the basic knowledge of ecological science (concepts, processes, hypotheses, models) will be introduced. Often, references will be made to concepts, experiments or hypotheses already seen in previous topics. This is essential given the integrative nature of matter. Nor will it be infrequent to refer to issues that will be seen later, since Ecology is not a subject that admits a linear development, but a branched one. This exercise of relating diverse lines and processes requires some effort, but finally provides a global analysis capacity that can be very useful, not only in the study of this subject, but as a general work tool.
The interactive classes of SEMINARS will be dedicated to the resolution, by the student, of questions and problems related to the topics discussed, talks with specialists, debates, etc. At the end of each of them there will be a brief exposition, by the teacher, regarding the resolution of the aforementioned questions and problems. Recommend that students bring their laptop. If you do not have to provide him with one of the faculty.
The interactive classes of LABORATORY OR FIELD will address the management of laboratory and field methods that will allow familiarizing with the usual way of working in Ecology. The scripts provided at the beginning of the practices include the necessary information to be able to follow the development of the proposed task in an orderly and clear manner. Being faced with the resolution of a specific problem, and the fact that the practice groups are smaller, usually favor greater interaction between the students and the teacher, and facilitates the intervention and formulation of doubts.
The interactive classes in the Computer Classroom (which we will call LARGE GROUP SEMINARS) will be face-to-face and will be held in the same classroom as the expository classes, interspersed in the timetable. They will be held in two groups, the same as the expository classes. Students must bring their laptop and if they do not have one, one will be provided at the faculty.
TUTORIALS: they will basically be dedicated to clarifying doubts about the theory and the seminars, as well as any other query related to the teaching of the subject.
The evaluation will be identical for both opportunities. The final test is complementary to the continuous evaluation. A minimum of 4 out of 10 points in the final examination is required to pass the course. For cases of fraudulent performance of exercises or tests, the provisions of the Student Performance Assessment and Qualifications Review Regulations shall apply.
As a summary, the ongoing evaluation will evaluate practical checks and seminars and account for 30% of the final qualification. All activities are voluntary. The final test, which is complementary to the continuous evaluation, will account for 70% of the final qualification. Repeat pupils have the same assessment system as first-time pupils. For repeat students only the qualification of the results of the continuous evaluation will be preserved, during the same period that the regulations of this university disposes for the attendance to the internship.
In addition, students will be able to raise up to 20% of the continuous assessment grade (ie 0.6 points) by performing complementary activities proposed by the teachers/s of the subject, for example by participating in the teaching innovation project "Planting towards fire (PCL)" or others proposed by the teachers of the subject.
The final test may be an exam with developmental questions, short questions, test questions, problems, or a combination of the above options.
The evaluation of all learning outcomes that are worked in the subject (knowledge/content, skills/skills, and competences) will be done as follows:
Exam: Con01, Con04, Con11
continuous evaluation: HD01, H/D02, H/D03, H/D04, H/D07, H/D08, H/D09, H/D10, H/D11, H/D12, H/D13, H/D14, Comp02, Cpmp03, Comp05, Comp06, Comp08
In addition to face-to-face teaching of various types, students will need hours of study and personal work. Together, the hours dedicated are:
26 expository hours
29 interactive hours (seminars and practices, field and laboratory)
1 hour of tutorials in small groups
92 hours of personal work
2 hours of exam
150 hours of total dedication
- Regularly attend theoretical classes, seminars and practices
-Study the subject daily
-Consult the bibliography
-Consult doubts in class or during tutoring hours.
All rooms will be available in the virtual classroom. Communication with students will be through the virtual classroom and Teams.
Jose Carlos Rubén Retuerto Franco
- Department
- Functional Biology
- Area
- Ecology
- Phone
- 881813313
- ruben.retuerto [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Professor
Otilia Reyes Ferreira
Coordinador/a- Department
- Functional Biology
- Area
- Ecology
- Phone
- 881813318
- otilia.reyes [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
Anton Manoel Leira Campos
- Department
- Functional Biology
- Area
- Ecology
- Phone
- 881813235
- manel.leira [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: Temporary PhD professor
Carola Gomez Rodriguez
- Department
- Functional Biology
- Area
- Ecology
- carola.gomez [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: Temporary PhD professor
Óscar Cruz De La Fuente
- Department
- Functional Biology
- Area
- Ecology
- oscar.cruz [at] usc.es
- Category
- Posdoutoral USC_Campus Terra
| Wednesday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00-10:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Spanish, Galician | Classroom 04: James Watson and Francis Crick |
| 10:00-11:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish, Galician | Classroom 03. Carl Linnaeus |
| 17:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLIL_04 | Galician, Spanish | Laboratory 05. Cruz Gallástegui Unamuno |
| 18:00-19:00 | Grupo /CLIL_03 | Galician, Spanish | Laboratory 05. Cruz Gallástegui Unamuno |
| 19:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLIL_01 | Galician, Spanish | Laboratory 05. Cruz Gallástegui Unamuno |
| Thursday | |||
| 09:00-10:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Galician, Spanish | Classroom 04: James Watson and Francis Crick |
| 10:00-11:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Galician, Spanish | Classroom 03. Carl Linnaeus |
| 16:00-17:00 | Grupo /CLIL_05 | Spanish, Galician | Laboratory 05. Cruz Gallástegui Unamuno |
| 17:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLIL_06 | Galician, Spanish | Laboratory 05. Cruz Gallástegui Unamuno |
| 18:00-19:00 | Grupo /CLIL_02 | Spanish, Galician | Laboratory 05. Cruz Gallástegui Unamuno |
| Friday | |||
| 09:00-10:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Galician, Spanish | Classroom 04: James Watson and Francis Crick |
| 10:00-11:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Galician, Spanish | Classroom 03. Carl Linnaeus |
| 06.05.2025 10:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 01. Charles Darwin |
| 06.05.2025 10:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 02. Gregor Mendel |
| 06.05.2025 10:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 03. Carl Linnaeus |
| 07.10.2025 10:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 01. Charles Darwin |
| 07.10.2025 10:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 02. Gregor Mendel |