Field Biology

Year
3
Academic year
2017-2018
Code
01000674
Subject Area
Biology
Language of Instruction
Portuguese
Mode of Delivery
Face-to-face
Duration
SEMESTRIAL
ECTS Credits
6.0
Type
Compulsory
Level
1st Cycle Studies

Recommended Prerequisites

Ecology, Animal Diversity, Plants Diversity.

Teaching Methods

Teaching methods:

The lessons in this curricular unit will essentially comprise the performance of a field work, where students will learn sampling techniques for organisms and relevant environmental parameters in Biology.

The field lessons will be complemented by a theoretical and practical component, which aims at explaining different sampling strategies and the most common experimental designs in field biology. There will also be a laboratorial component, in which the gathered samples will be processed.

Tutorial guidance will be directed towards helping students to treat the collected data.

Learning Outcomes

This curricular unit aims at providing a deep knowledge of useful field methodologies for biologists. It is intended that students acquire and develop the capacity to apply a broad set of methodologies for planning, sampling, harvesting, identifying, analyzing and treating biological and environmental data.

 

Generic competences:

Competence in organizing and planning;

Competence in solving problems;

Competence in group work;

Competence in working with interdisciplinary teams;

Competence in critical thinking;

Ethical commitment;

Adaptability to new situations;

Competence in planning and managing;

Competence in self-criticism and self-assessment.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Introduction to field biology:

Object definition and work hypothesis;

Field work planning and sampling schemes.

Aquatic environments:

Study methodologies for the fauna and the flora of lentic systems (phytoplankton and zooplankton, macrophytes, water birds);

Methodologies and techniques in lotic systems (fauna, flora and biological processes);

Study methodologies for the fauna and the flora of rocky shores (macroalgae and invertebrates);

Methodologies for controlling coastal erosion: the role of plants in the dynamics and the stability of dunes;

Estuarine systems, including the dynamics of nutrients;

Methodologies and techniques for in situ ecotoxicologic characterization.

Terrestrial environments:

Methodologies and techniques for assessing the biodiversity of invertebrates (flying insects and edaphic invertebrates);

Methodologies for studying flora;

Methodologies and techniques for studying bird populations (ringing);

Degraded soils in mining areas: environmental rehabilitation.

Head Lecturer(s)

Leonel Carlos dos Reis Tomás Pereira

Assessment Methods

Assessement
Report of a seminar or field trip: 50.0%
Laboratory work or Field work: 50.0%

Bibliography

HILL, D.; FASHAM, M.; TUCKER, G. [et.al.] (2005). Handbook of biodiversity methods: survey, evaluation and monitoring. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

 

SUTHERLAND, W.J. (2006). Ecological census techniques. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

 

ELZINGA, C.L.; SALZER, D.W.; WILLOUGHBY [et.al.]. (2001). Monitoring plant and animal populations. Oxford: Blackwell Science.

 

SOUTHWOOD, R. &HENDERSON, P. (2000). Ecological methods. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.