Field Course in Mediterranean Ecosystems

Recommended Prerequisites

English proficiency.    

Teaching Methods

Intensive field course lasting 10 days, with only face-to-face classes. The teaching components contains small theoretical modules to introduce students to the different topics, but is essentially composed of fieldwork, laboratory classes for processing the collected samples and practical group work during information processing, report preparation and oral presentation.

Learning Outcomes

This curricular unit aims the acquisition and deepening of several methods and field techniques used in Ecology, through a multidisciplinary and essentially practical approach. It is expected that in the end of the course, the students will be able to apply the concepts and techniques taught, being able to plan sampling designs and field methodologies to respond to specific ecological questions, applied to Mediterranean ecosystems, and responding to environmental and conservation current
concerns.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1 - Biodiversity of soil invertebrates. Sampling techniques for micro, meso and soil macrofaunal (soil cores, pitfall traps and TSBF). Samples processing, sorting and identification/morphotyping.
2 – Ecology and behaviour of mammals. Census methods and design for study population ecology and behaviour of terrestrial mammals; density estimates using distance sampling and mark-recapture; capture of small mammals.
3 – Plant Ecology. Plant-animal pollination interactions; quantification of pollination ecosystem services.
4 – Ecology of Invasive species. Characterization of invasive species and its impacts on ecosystems; control plans and mitigations practices
5 – Ecological Networks. Interpretation of interaction networks; types of networks and its ecological relevance.
6 – Freshwater ecology. Functional methods for evaluation of water quality.
7 – Marine ecology. Fish resources and ecology. Plankton collection and analysis.

Head Lecturer(s)

José Paulo Filipe Afonso de Sousa

Assessment Methods

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

Bibliography

Boitani, L., & Todd K. Fuller. (2000). Research Techniques in Animal Ecology.

Buckland, S., Anderson, D., & Burnham, K. (1993). Distance sampling (Vol. 2).
Hill, D., Fasham, M., Tucker, G., Shewry, M., & Shaw, P. (2005). Handbook of Biodiversity Methods.
Magurran, A. E. (2013). Measuring biological diversity. John Wiley & Sons.
Sutherland, W. (2006). Ecological census techniques: a handbook. Cambridge University Press
Sinclair, A. R. E., Fryxell, J. M., & Caughley, G. (2006). Wildlife Ecology, Conservation, and Management.
Southwood, T. R. E., & Henderson, P. A. (2000). Ecological methods. John Wiley & Sons.
Wildi, O. (2010). Data analysis in vegetation ecology. John Wiley & Sons.