Universidad de Jaén

Thematic block I. Conceptual introduction

Thematic Unit 1

Ecology: epistemology and study sobjects. Organization levels. Hyerarchical theory. General theory of systems.

Thematic Unit 2

Basic models that confer sustainability to ecosystems. External factors that control state variables. Negative and positive feedbacks at different spatial and temporal scales.

Thematic Block II. Ecosystems’ properties (I). Structure and patterns

Thematic Unit 3

Processes that promote changes in the number of individuals. Populations. Definition and characterization. Lif e tables and diagrams

Thematic Unit 4

Biodiversity. Diversity indices. Information theory. Fitosociology approach. Alfa diversity and niche concept

Thematic Unit 5

Elements and patterns at the landscape level. Spatial distribution of populations; metapopulations. Beta diversity. Conectivity of landscapes

Thematic Unit 6

The role of climate on structuring communities and landscape units at the regional and global scales. Biogeographical distribution of species. Biomes, natural and anthropogenic ecoregions. Gamma diversity

Thematic Block III. Ecosystems’ properties (II)

Bloque temático III. Las Propiedades de los Ecosistema (I). Processses and function

Thematic Unit 7

Dynamics of populations. Growth models. Continuous vs discrete reproduction strategies, intra-specific competition and the role of age on structuring populations. Deterministic vs probabilistic growth models.

Thematic Units 8 and 9

Interactions inside mixed populations and communities. Inter-especific competition. Predator-prey, herbivory and parasite models. Mutualistic models

Thematic Unit 10

The ecosystem as the organization level. Matter cycles and energy fluxes. Primary energy, thermal radiation and atmosphere and hydrosphere dynamics. Primary and secondary production and biomass. Units. Trophic relationships

Thematic Unit 11

Matter fluxes and biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. Terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Thematic Unit 12

Processes at the regional and global scales. Changes in the number of species, biological invasions and extinctions. Global change and consequences

Practical contents:

1. Field activity. Sampling strategies. Number of individuals and species along an altitudinal gradient. Analysis of data in the computer room
2. Minimal sampling area (qualitative and quantitative). Species richness
3. Spatial distribution of species
4. Communities characterization. Alfa diversity and dominance índices
5. Gradiental analysis. Beta diversity and similarity/dissimilarity indices
6. Multivariate techniques

Theoretical sessions (3 ECTS, 50%). These sessions will include audio-visual materials, bibliographic references and internet web pages. Competences CE-33 and CE-2

Seminars and tutorials, small groups (1.5 ECTS). These will include (i) case discussions (teacher and students), (ii) reading and critical discussions of scientific texts, and (iii) solving questions and problems. It is important that the students have autonomous work reading texts and solving problems. Competences CE-2 and CE-4

Personalized tutorials will also be performed under the supervision of the teacher, after the solution of the questions by the students during their autonomous work. The students will prepare a small presentation (5-10 minutes) of their autonomous work in order to demonstrate their comprehension of the subjects. Competences CE-33 and CE-2

Practical sessions (1.5 ECTS, 25%). This will include the following activities: (i) a field work to design a sampling and to collect samples that will be used afterwards, and (ii) computer lab sessions to process the information. The autonomous work of the students will include (i) repeating techniques and methods in their personal computers, and (ii) performing a report and a presentation analysing the data collected during the practical sessions. Competences CE-4, CE-39 and CE-14

Exams: The students will perform an exam for the final evaluation. The solved version of the exam will be uploaded to the virtual platform of the subject. After the evaluation, a seminar will be performed where the evaluation criteria will be presented and the possible doubts will be solved

Students with special educational needs should contact the Student Attention Service (Servicio de Atención y Ayudas al Estudiante) in order to receive the appropriate academic support

Attendance to Academically Guided Activities, practical sessions in the computer lab and field work (5% of the final score)

The evaluation of the theoretical part (65% of the final score) will depend on a written test with: (i) Multi-answer questions, (ii) short questions on concepts, and (iii) long questions where to interpret and analyse information, ability for synthesis and for relate and integrate concepts. This test will evaluate the competences CT-1, CB3, CB4, CB5, CE-3, CE-33 and CE-2

Activities not performed in the theoretical sessions (30% of the final score) will allow evaluating the acquisition of competences CE-33, CE-2, CE-3, CE-14, CE-4 and CE-39. The final score will take into account the acquired knowledge during the seminars and the practical sessions. For the seminars (5% of the final score) the structure, contents, quality of the information, and quality of the presentation of the critical reviews of scientific texts will be evaluated. Practical activities (25% of the final score) the same criteria will be considered, although applied to the reports coming from the field and computer lab activities, including an exam in the computer lab