Ecological and biogeochemical cycles modeling

Duration

15h Th, 30h Pr

Number of credits

Lecturer

Arthur Capet, Marilaure Grégoire, Guy Munhoven

Coordinator

Marilaure Grégoire

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

The part of the lecture given by Marilaure Grégoire consists in practical exercises allowing the student to get familiar with the theoretical concepts learnt during the lecture "Introduction à la modélisation" given in Master I. The student will have to implement a very simple model of a real system such as the Posidonia meadow in the Calvi Bay in Corsica.
Guy Munhoven's lessons will cover the basics of pH calculation from the chemical composition of an aqueous solution, with a particular focus on the marine environment, as well as the basics of the modeling early diagenetic processes in sea-floor sediments.
Arthur Capet's lessons will be held in the theoretical framework of D. Tilman's Resource competition theory. Within this context we will reassert basic modelling concepts and procedures, using the R working environment.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The aim of the course is to teach students to develop and implement a mathematical model of a biogeochemical or ecological system and to understand and use an existing model.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

The course "Introduction to marine ecosystems modelling" given in Bloc 1 of the master provides a good mathematical background.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

There are no organised tutorials for this course. For each of the three parts of the course, students have to implement and elaborate one or several small models by themselves, or to apply an existing model. Several question and answer sessions will be fixed to assist and guide the students in progressing with their personal work.

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face for the presentation of the theoretical bases; personal work to be carried out by the students for the practical part

Organisational adjustments related to the current health context

The first term exam has taken was taken in January 2021.

Recommended or required readings

Copies of the slides used during the lectures and copies of the slides or instruction booklets of the projects with the practical model applications wil be distributed to the students.

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.

January: Evaluated personal projects and presentation of the results.
if the sanitary conditions do not allow an examination in presence, the projects will be presented in virtual.
 
> Online oral examination (update 10/12/2020)

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

The course is given during the first semester. The schedule will be fixed together with the students.

Contacts

Marilaure Grégoire, Modelling for Aquatic Systems, ULg e-mail: mgregoire@ulg.ac.be phone: (+32) (4) 3663354
Arthur Capet, Modelling for Aquatic Systems, ULg e-mail: acapet@ulg.ac.be phone: (+32) (4) 3663648
Guy Munhoven, Laboratory for Planetary and Atmospheric Physics, ULg e-mail: Guy.Munhoven@ulg.ac.be phone: (+32) (4) 3669771

Items online