Duration
20h Th, 24h Pr, 8d FW
Number of credits
| Master in biology of organisms and ecology (120 ECTS) | 4 crédits |
Lecturer
Johann Delcourt, Mathieu Denoël, Alain Hambuckers, Michaël Ovidio
Coordinator
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
This course includes 4 parts: (1) Monitoring of the biodiversity in land environment, (2) Analyzes of viability of the populations, (3) Surveys of populations of freshwater fish and
(4) A brief introduction to the diversity, ecology and monitoring of amphibians
(1) Sampling of the biodiversity is based on the knowledge of foundations and the theoretical variations of its distribution. The realization of appropriate sampling plans allows to test correctly hypotheses. The theoretical elements important to take into account will be explained. A practical exercise of sampling calibrated for landsnail species in forest environment will be realized. The collected data will be used within the framework of a managed work, to test the quality of the sampling (exhaustiveness). A set of data will also be given and used to highlight the effect of environmental factors on the species richness by using a generalized linear model (GLM).
(2) On basis of censuses of population, data collected during long term tracking of the individuals, or still data obtained by the methods of tagging-recapture, it is possible to obtain quantity of precious information concerning population dynamic. For a future environmental and wild-life manager, whatever the species is animal or vegetable, to be able to predict the state and the future of a population is a crucial question: is it healthy, is it in expansion or on the decline? What is the extinction probability of a population? These questions are relevant for decision-making concerning preservation: predict if a population is in danger or out of hazard, to estimate its degree of exploitation, to estimate the efficiency of the measures taken to save a threatened population or to control an invasive population, choose what are the populations to save first in priority in the face of constraints of time and money, and the impact of reintroduction. These subjects will be explained by alternating theory and practical examples by using the R software.
(3) The part of the lecture devoted to the monitoring of freshwater fish includes active participation in a field experiment (fish inventory by electric fishing, tagging, tracking) and pratical exercice and theoritical debriefing. The required work is the analysis of data collected during the field experiment, in order to present them in a written format.
(4) The fourth part of the lecture is on the conservation and management of amphibians, mainly from temperate regions
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
Part 1:
- To adopt appropriate sampling designs and data analysis methods
- Correctly report analysis results
Part 2:
- Master the concepts of determinist and stochastic models
- Be able of predicting the current and future state of a population
- Know how to make PVAs based on the countings and populational matrices
- Know how to adapt methods according to the set of available data and to the field constraints
- Know how to use the main functions of {popbio} package in [R]
- Be able to answer practical questions in the context of management of natural populations on basis of the information collected by the PVAs, and suggest recommendations to manage these populations
- Master concepts and effects of temporal autocorrelation, of density dependence, Allee effect and of the demographic stochasticity
- Manage bias inferred by the observational errors and by the degree of detectability of a species
- Know how to estimate the effects of management on populations
- Develop his(her) critical mind about modellings
Part 3:
- To adopt appropriate sampling designs and data analysis methods to follow the population dynamic of freshwater fish populations.
- TO Develop a critical mind on the adequacy of the different techniques depending on the species considered and the type of watercourse inventoried.
Part 4:
- To integrate adequately threats and to apply conservation manangement
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Basics of ecology
Basics of R and multivariate statistical analysis
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
part 1: lecture, field work, staff-led work (data analysis and reporting)
part 2: lectures with sessions of applied exercises integrated directly into the course.
part 3: field work, data analysisi and reporting.
part 4: one seminar.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face, mandatory. Some parts of the lectures may be adapted due to the current restrictions.
Organisational adjustments related to the current health context
According to the colour of the code defining the status of the health crisis, a part or all the courses could be given remotely through one of the institutional tools.
Recommended or required readings
For the partim 2 (PVA): the course is essentially based on three sources:
1) Quantitative Morris WF and Doak DF (2002) biology preservation: theory and practice of viability analysis population. Ed. Sinauer, 480 p.
2) Caswell H (2001) Matrix population models: construction, analysis and interpretation(performance). Ed. Sinauer. 722 p.
3) { Popbio } in [ R ] Package: downloadable document on the link: https: // cran.r-project.org/web/packages/popbio/popbio.pdf
For partim 4, a few papers and recommendations of books are given on ecampus
Assessment methods and criteria
Below you will find information on the evaluation methods planned for in-person and remote exams as well as those planned for hybrid sessions. Depending on how the health crisis evolves, the chosen method will be communicated to you no later than one month before the start of the exam session.
Any session :
- In-person
oral exam
- Remote
oral exam
- If evaluation in "hybrid"
preferred in-person
Additional information:
Part 1: presentation of the results and conclusions of the staff-led work
Part 2: it is asked to the student to apply the methods seen during the course within the framework of a directed exercise proposed during the year, and the student will have to present it orally.
Part4: presentation of the results and conclusions of the staff-led work.
According to the colour of the code defining the status of the health crisis, the exam could proceed remotely.
Work placement(s)
Organizational remarks
Contacts
Part 1: Prof. Alain HAMBUCKERS
Unité de Biologie du Comportement
Institut de Zoologie (Bât. I1)
Université de Liège
Quai van Beneden 22
4020 Liège
E-mail: alain.hambuckers@ulg.ac.be
Part 2: Dr Johann DELCOURT
Unité de Biologie du Comportement
Institut de Zoologie (Bât. I1)
Université de Liège
Quai van Beneden 22
4020 Liège
E-mail: Johann.Delcourt@uliege.be
Part 3: Prof. Michaël OVIDIO
Gestion des Ressources Aquatiques et Aquaculture
Laboratoire de Démographie des Poissons et d'Hydroécologie
Institut de Zoologie (Bât. I1)
Université de Liège
Quai van Beneden 22
4020 Liège
E-mail: M.Ovidio@uliege.be
Part 4: Prof. Mathieu DENOËL
Laboratoire d'Ecologie et de Conservation des Amphibiens
Institut de Zoologie (Bât. I1)
Université de Liège
Quai van Beneden 22
4020 Liège
E-mail: Mathieu.Denoel[a]uliege.be