ECTS credits ECTS credits: 3
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Student's work ECTS: 51 Hours of tutorials: 3 Expository Class: 9 Interactive Classroom: 12 Total: 75
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary subject Master’s Degree RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: External department linked to the degrees, Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology
Areas: Área externa M. U. en Biodiversidad Terrestre: Caracterización, Conservación y Gestión, Physical Anthropology
Center Faculty of Biology
Call: First Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable | 1st year (Yes)
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- outline the history, development and application of molecular markers in Ecology.
- design molecular markers for environmental studies, as well as interpret molecular analyses results on biodiversity.
- identify the best molecular method for each problem around biodiversity assessment and characterization.
- apply appropriate analyses to molecular data in biodiversity assessment and conservation, using up-to-date software.
1. Principles of Molecular Ecology: new tools to address environmental problems.
2. PCR-based methods.
3. NGS (Next Generation Sequencing)-based methods.
4. DNA barcoding: principles and applications.
5. Environmental DNA.
6. Software for molecular data analysis in conservation studies.
Other activities (lab sessions, seminars, tutorial sessions, etc.)
1. Practical work with data sets and specialised software.
2. Active participation in a seminar/conference offered by a relevant researcher working in ecology and conservation using molecular markers
-Allendorf FW, Luikart GH, Aitken SN. 2013. Conservation and the Genetics of Populations. Wiley-Blackwell. Hoboken
-Boussarie G, Bakker J, Wangensteen OS, Mariani S et al. 2018. Environmental DNA illuminates the dark diversity of sharks. Science Advances 4: eaap9661
-Frankham R, Ballou JD, Briscoe DA. 2009. Introduction to Conservation Genetics. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge
-Gebremehdin B, Flagstad O, Bekele A, Chala D et al. 2016. DNA metabarcoding reveals diet overlap between the endangered Walia ibex and domestic goats – Implications for conservation. PLoS One e0159133
-Lesk AM. 2017. Introduction to Genomics. Oxford University Press. Oxford
BASIC AND GENERAL
CG01 - Analyze the current and future status of terrestrial biodiversity.
CG03 - Employ the information sources and databases needed to help analyze and generate information specific to the field of terrestrial biodiversity.
CB6 – Use knowledge as a basis for originality in the development and/or application of ideas, often in a research context.
TRANSVERSAL
CT1 – Capacity for analysis and synthesis.
CT2 - Capacity for reasoning, argumentation and decision-making.
SPECIFIC
CE5 – Know how to apply methods to study natural populations, being able to recognise, when appropriate, the conservation status or invasive potential of species and populations.
Guest lecture-Keynote speech: Teaching method by which the teacher presents concepts and / or procedures, providing basic information needed to understand a theoretical perspective or a practical procedure, promoting student participation.
Since this course has a high methodological load, lectures will be used to introduce contents on the basics of several of the most commonly used molecular methods in ecological and conservation studies. Depending on the profiles of the students, some basic information on Population Genetics will also be (briefly) introduced.
Laboratory sessions: developed in the field, lab or computer room, and aiming to in situ observation of the physical and biological environment, to conducting experiments, and to learning and applying computer software, with the support and supervision of teachers.
Laboratory (practical) sessions will take place in the classroom. The students will analyse different data files provided by the teachers using bioinformatics tools. The used software is freely available in the internet. As part of the practical sessions of the course, the students will visit a private company specialized in carrying out ecological and conservation studies using molecular markers (mostly metabarcoding).
Cooperative learning: the students work in small groups to achieve a common goal under the supervision of the teacher. This cooperative process improves the learning experience of all members of the group.
The student will write a final report of the course with the help and guidance of the teachers. There will be a specific tutorial session in order to clarify doubts and give instructions for the report. In addition to this, the students will participate in a seminar/conference read by an external researcher on a relevant topic for the course.
Throughout the development of the course, students will receive information through the Universidade de Santiago Virtual Campus. Other communication tools such as TEAMS, e-mail and telephone will also be used.
The final grade will be the result of the assessment of the report submitted by the students. In this report the students (all together in one group or in several groups of three people, depending on the number of students) will design a research project on a topic that can be solved or advanced using molecular markers. This project will include, at least and introduction, one to several clear aims, a methodology describing the techniques to be applied (including data analysis) and a chapter with the expected results. In addition to this, active participation in the seminar of the course will also be part of the assessment.
Final report (research project): 90%
Active participation in the seminar: 10%
Activity; time (Hours); in-class time, percentage
Lectures; 7; 100%
Lab sessions; 14; 100%
Compulsory tutorial sessions; 1; 100
Exam; 2; 100
Personal study time; 51; 0%
Total time (hours): 75
-Active participation in all activities is strongly recommended. It is also recommended that those students who have not taken Genetics courses in their university degree tell the teachers as soon as possible.
Communications between teachers and students will be established using three main channels:
- Individual or group video-conferences will be conducted using TEAMS (Microsoft). Video-conferences can be organised by the students (or the teachers) at any time
-E-mail. Students can clarify doubts or ask for appointments (virtual or in-person) using the teacher’s e-mail addresses
-Telephone. The professional telephone numbers of the teachers will be made available to the students at the beginning of the course.
As already mentioned, communications will also be established using the Universidade de Santiago Virtual Campus. However, given the differential access students have to it, other tools will be preferred.
Javier Rodriguez Luis
- Department
- Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology
- Area
- Physical Anthropology
- Phone
- 881813262
- javier.rodriguez.luis [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: Temporary PhD professor
| Monday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Seminar Room 4 Jacques Ives Cousteau |