Module BIOL1161: Organisms and their Environment

Department: Biosciences

BIOL1161: Organisms and their Environment

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• To survey the global diversity of life, and the adaptation of organisms to the range of environments.
• To introduce evolution in the context of the diversification of different groups of organisms.
• To introduce the concepts of ecology, and explore the role of behaviour in determining interactions between species and individuals.
• To survey existing ecosystems and their responses to changing global conditions.

Content

• The diversity of life - an introduction to classification and evolution.
• Plants and fungi - an introduction to their physiology.
• Evolution of lower animals.
• Introduction to behaviour and its roles in animal biology.
• Ecosystems - an introductory survey.
• Ecology and conservation - an introduction

Learning Outcomes

• Introductory-level knowledge of the theory of evolution, and an understanding of how the diversity of modern life forms has evolved.
• An understanding of the kingdoms of living organisms, and how they are differentiated.
• Basic knowledge of the physiology of major processes in plants.
• Introductory knowledge of how organisms interact with each other, and the environment, to form ecosystems
• Basic understanding of the role of changing environments in conservation of species.

• To be able to understand and report on experimental and field work in whole organism biology.
• To be able to apply problem-solving skills to practical problems in biology and ecology, including the use of mathematics, data analysis and statistics.

• Numeracy, in data analysis, and calculations involved in biology and ecology practical work and problems.
• Communication skills, using the written word and graphics, involved in biology practical reports.
• Team work.
• Self-motivation, in self-guided learning.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures deliver subject-specific knowledge.
• Workshops reinforce subject-specific knowledge and understanding gained from lectures and the development of key and subject-specific skills.
• Practical and fieldwork exercises allow students to utilise subject-specific knowledge gained from lectures, and support the development of key and subject-specific skills.
• Tutorials give enhancement of the student learning experience, supporting attainment of all learning outcomes.
• Self-guided learning contributes to subject-specific knowledge and self-motivation.
• Practical and fieldwork reports are based on subject-specific knowledge and demonstrate subject-specific skills in understanding field and experimental work and data analysis.
• Problem exercises (Data Handling) demonstrate subject-specific skills in data handling and key skills in numeracy applied to biology and ecology.
• Unseen examinations demonstrate achievement of the appropriate level of subject-specific knowledge of biology and ecology, with an emphasis on understanding and communication (essay and problem-based questions) or recall of factual knowledge (multiple choice or short answer question tests).

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

Work associated with non-summatively assessed practicals and workshops. Progress test to allow students to consolidate learning in a formative format.