6 ECTS credits
150 u studietijd
Aanbieding 1 met studiegidsnummer 4024149DNR voor alle studenten in het 1e semester met een inleidend master niveau.
This introduction in Freshwater Ecology includes selected content on the properties and distribution of water in the biosphere, the origin, formation and age of lakes and rivers, as well as morphometric and catchment characteristics. We address detailed abiotic properties of standing and slow-flowing aquatic systems, including salinity and ion composition, dissolved inorganic carbon, light availability, lake stratification and associated oxygen conditions, redox reactions and nutrient cycling. Biological communities (bacterioplankton, phytoplankton, macrophytes, zooplankton, macroinvertebrates, fish, etc.) are introduced and described taxonomically as well as based on their functional characteristics in typical freshwater food webs and the associated biotic interactions. Biotic interactions and food web structure are contrasted for lotic and lentic systems (e.g. Trophic Cascade Hypotheses, Size-Efficiency Hypothesis, River Continuum Concept, etc.). Students are familiarized with a larger diversity of freshwater ecosystems and trophic structures across the aquatic-terrestrial continuum and micro- and macrogeographic climate gradients, (e.g. temporary systems, anthropogenic systems, tropical vs. temperate/polar systems etc.). Finally anthropogenic threats to freshwater ecosystems are introduced (focus on eutrophication, climate warming, various forms of pollution, salinization, etc. ) as well as applied aspects of limnology such as biomonitoring of ecological water quality and the restoration of shallow lakes. Food web structure and management strategies such as biomanipulation are elaborated on via specific case-studies which are representative of the exam format, during which the students should be able to apply general principles to case studies including various taxonomic groups across trophic levels and interpret different aspects of biomonitoring and biomanipulation.
Study material: digital (slides) – syllabus with all HOC slides
textbook (not mandatory): Ecology of Freshwaters (Brian Moss) - 5th edition
After having successfully completed this course, the student:
Content
L1: understands and can explain the physicochemical properties of aquatic ecosystems in relation to their age, size, origin, location on earth and the chemical position of the water column and sediment,
L2: can explain the main processes of lake and river ecosystems in function of catchment properties, seasonal variations and horizontal and vertical gradients of biotic and abiotic components,
L3: can exemplify and describe the way in which lotic and lentic waters function ecologically, from individuals to ecosystem properties,
L4: can integrate and conceptualize biotic interactions across and within trophic levels in freshwater systems located in natural and man-made systems and located across major climatic gradients (e.g. tropics vs temperate regions),
L5: can describe the major anthropogenic threats to freshwater ecosystems,
Skills:
L6: has gotten acquainted with standardized field and laboratory protocols in the field of freshwater ecology (pond sampling and identification of species),
L7: can interpret and report field measurements in river and lake ecology using appropriate data visualization and analyses techniques,
L8: can distillate relevant information related to the theoretical course from new empirical scientific studies (e.g. interpretation of results figures from a scientific publication etc.)
L9: can collaborate on a scientific report with fellow students in a dependable and efficient way, in which the report reflects an applied translation of theoretical knowledge acquired during HOCs,
L10: can perform a peer review based on the group report. The peer review includes a self-assessment exercise and the formulation of constructive comments and suggestions to text, grammar, scientific output and interpretation, data-analyses, and integration in the state-of-the-art literature in the report, with the goal of constructive improvement of the report/study and the development of co-critical thinking within one team/working group.
L11. has developed new communicative skills regarding (personal) research results to specialists as well as nonspecialists, using various adapted media and formats.
De beoordeling bestaat uit volgende opdrachtcategorieën:
Examen Mondeling bepaalt 70% van het eindcijfer
WPO Praktijkopdracht bepaalt 30% van het eindcijfer
Binnen de categorie Examen Mondeling dient men volgende opdrachten af te werken:
Binnen de categorie WPO Praktijkopdracht dient men volgende opdrachten af te werken:
1. Evaluation components:
The final grade is composed based on the following components:
an Oral Exam and Practical Assignments (WPO);
Oral Exam: the oral exam (open book) with a relative weight of 1 comprises 70% of the final mark.
Practical Assignments: the practical assignments include three WPO practicals (two identification practical and one field practical), and are evaluated via a report (written) and an infographic assignment (group assignment). The practical assignments combined have a relative weight of 1 and comprise 30% of the final mark (broken down in detail: 20% report, 10% videographic of total score). For practical assignments, the following rules apply;
Participation in practical sessions (100%) (WPO) is mandatory; absence is only justified by a medical attest.
Unauthorised absence to a WPO session will result in a zero score for the Practical Assignments score (report) of the absent student.
In case of an authorized absence (e.g., with a medical certificate or clear proof of a significant and unexpected public transport disruption), the professor/assistant may, if feasible, offer an alternative evaluation or rescheduling option. If rescheduling is not feasible (to be determined by the professor/assistant), an alternative calculation method for the WPO final grade will be applied.
Failure to the assignment submission deadline (report/infographic) report will automatically result zero score for the assignment in question for all group members.
Evaluation of the written report follows two phases, including a peer review round (individual task; peer review of draft version of the group report) and a final evaluation by the titular(s). The peer review is mandatory. Failure to submit the peer review results in a -1 on the report score for the student that did not submit the peer review. In addition, the peer review information will be used to adjust individual scores when necessary (e.g. in case a student did not actively contribute to the group task or did not take proper responsibility for his tasks within the group, yet still is included in the author list of the group report, scores will be adjusted to reflect this lesser contribution; similarly, students that performed outstandingly and performed additional tasks for the group assignment will receive adjusted scores accordingly).
Incomplete participation (arriving late or leaving early) in practical sessions may result in a reduction of the grade for the specific WPO component. Arriving more than 10 minutes late to a WPO session without a demonstrable, valid reason (to be determined by the professor/assistant) will be considered an unauthorised absence for that session.
Mandatory passing requirements:
Students are required to pass for both the report and exam separately in order to pass for the course. In addition, both the course and exam are in English; an English level equivalent to B2 CEFR (60-90 TOEFL score, 5-6 IETLS score) is recommended (no certificate required).
Second examination opportunity:
If students pass the WPO component but fail other course components (Oral Exam), the WPO score from the first examination session will be retained for the second examination session.
If students fail the WPO component, they are required to resubmit the failed component or a full equivalent alternative, as determined by the professor/assistant.
Second examination sessions for the oral exam can only be performed online in case of authorized absence. This does not include internships, holidays, thesis fieldwork abroad etc.
2. Plagiarism and AI
Sanctions for plagiarism can range from a zero score for the examination or practical assignments for more examination periods, to a ban on (re)enrolment for one or more academic years (see Article 118 of the Teaching and Examination Regulations).
In this course, the use GenAI tools is only permitted to a limited extent for specific components (report/infographic). The use of GenAI during the oral examination is not allowed. Specific instructions will be communicated via the learning platform.
3. Other
Attitude:
In cases of disruptive behaviour during a lecture or WPO session (as determined by the professor/assistant), the professor/assistant may require the student to leave the lecture or session; in case of a WPO session, you will receive a reduction of the grade for the WPO component.
Regarding arrival times, while arriving late (10 min. or more) has consequences (section 1), this does not imply arriving between 0-10 minutes after the start of the session is regarded sufficient or ‘on time’. Repeated failure to arrive on time (before the start of the session), will result in a similar reduction in scores as pointed out in section 1.
Recordings:
Visual and/or audio recordings of lectures, practical sessions, and excursions are strictly prohibited unless explicit permission has been granted by the professor/assistant.
Deze aanbieding maakt deel uit van de volgende studieplannen:
Master in de biologie: ecologie en biodiversiteit
Master of Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management: Standaard traject (enkel aangeboden in het Engels)
Master of Biology: Ecology and Biodiversity (enkel aangeboden in het Engels)
Master of Biology: AR Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree in Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems (enkel aangeboden in het Engels)
Educatieve master in de wetenschappen en technologie: biologie (120 ECTS, Etterbeek)