Duration
10h Th, 4h Pr
Number of credits
Lecturer
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 is divided into two parts:
Content of the part: Introduction to ecology
This course offers an introduction to general ecology, situated within its historical context and subsequent developments. It covers:
- The basic definitions and concepts (ecosystem, biocenosis, biotope, species)
- The history of ecology, from a naturalist discipline to a contemporary interdisciplinary approach
- Ecological processes (succession, flows, interspecific interactions, speciation)
- Ecological complexity and uncertainties, including the integration of human activities
- Debates surrounding the classification of living organisms
- Contemporary issues related to biodiversity and global ecological crises
- A brief introduction to soil ecology will cover the composition of different types of soils, their properties, the organisms that live in them, and the overall functioning of soils.
In this part of the course, the basic concepts regarding the structure of cells, their functioning (protein synthesis, DNA duplication, nerve impulses,...) and the major biochemical pathways (glycolysis, Krebs cycle, Calvin cycle,...) are presented.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
For the section Introduction to ecology:
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Define and apply the main concepts of ecology (species, ecosystem, biotope, interspecific relationships, succession)
- Explain the historical development of the discipline and situate major theoretical approaches within it (Haeckel, Clements, Odum, contemporary perspectives)
- Identify and illustrate, through concrete examples, different types of ecological interactions
- Discuss the complexity and the limits of scientific categories (species, invasive, protected, etc.)
- Connect fundamental ecological knowledge to current issues in conservation and environmental management
- Develop a critical perspective on the ways of categorizing and engaging with living beings
At the end of this course, the student will be able to:
- know the components of cells and understand their roles
- know and understand the major biochemical pathways of life.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
No prerequisites
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
- Interactive lectures supported by illustrated presentations (examples, case studies, videos)
- In-class exercises (role-playing, case analyses)
- Preparatory work: data or example searches, short readings
- Group discussions on scientific and societal debates related to ecology
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
see "ecampus"
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions )