Duration
36h Th, 24h Pr
Number of credits
| Bachelor in bioengineering | 5 crédits |
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
The course introduces the main factors determining the distribution, structure, and functioning of the major terrestrial biomes.
It addresses the environmental constraints faced by living organisms, their adaptations and ecological strategies, and the role of climate and soils in shaping the distribution and functioning of ecosystems.
A substantial part of the course is devoted to soils. Students acquire the fundamental knowledge and skills required to describe and characterize soils, understand the main processes governing their formation and properties, and interpret their role in determining the availability of water and nutrients to organisms.
The major terrestrial biomes are then examined in terms of their geographical distribution, climatic and soil conditions, vegetation types, biodiversity, functioning, and dynamics.
The course also provides an introduction to the main interactions between biomes and human societies, including transformations associated with land use and agriculture, as well as broader issues related to global change, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. These topics will be explored in greater depth later in the curriculum.
Practical activities complement the global perspective developed in the lectures through a study conducted at the regional and landscape scales, focusing on the temperate biome. They provide students with practical experience in soil characterization and in integrating relationships between geology, topography, soils, water availability, vegetation, and human activities to interpret the spatial organization of a landscape
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
By the end of this course, students should be able to: EXPLAIN the global distribution of biomes in relation to climate, soils, and the environmental constraints faced by living organisms.
RELATE environmental conditions to organismal adaptations, ecological strategies, and vegetation types.
CHARACTERIZE the major terrestrial biomes and understand their functioning and dynamics.
IDENTIFY THE KEY ISSUES arising from interactions between biomes and human societies, and become familiar with questions and challenges that will be explored in greater depth later in the curriculum.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Teaching is organized into thematic modules covering the main topics of the course. Depending on the topic, each module combines lectures and seminars. Teaching draws on maps, graphs, photographs, scientific data, and case studies to help students understand and relate the main factors determining the distribution, structure, and functioning of biomes.
Practical activities involve a shift in scale, from the biome to the landscape. Focusing on a landscape within the temperate biome, students progressively learn to observe, characterize, spatialize, and integrate different types of ecological information. They examine how geology, topography, soils, water, and human activities contribute to shaping the spatial organization of ecosystems and land use.
Practical activities include:
- a field excursion focusing on ecological observation and landscape interpretation;
- soil practical sessions, focusing on soil description, characterization, and interpretation;
- cartography practical sessions, aimed at spatializing and combining different types of environmental information;
- a group project in which students integrate knowledge and skills acquired throughout the practical activities to characterize several ecosystems and produce an evidence-based synthesis of landscape organization
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:
Course notes and practical work guidelines are made available by the instructors on eCampus.
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
written exam
Written work / report
Continuous assessment
Further information:
Assessment combines continuous assessment, a written examination, and assessment of practical activities.
Intermediate tests are organized during the course to progressively assess students' acquisition and understanding of the knowledge and concepts covered. They account for 10% of the final grade.
A written examination, organized during the examination session, accounts for 65% of the final grade. It may include multiple-choice questions and/or open-ended questions. The examination assesses students' understanding of the concepts covered in the course, their ability to characterize the major terrestrial biomes, and their ability to relate environmental factors, soil properties, organismal adaptations, and ecosystem functioning.
Practical activities account for 25% of the final grade. Each practical activity is assessed through a written report. Assessment criteria include the quality of observations and descriptions, the interpretation of soil, ecological, and spatial data, the ability to integrate different sources of information, and the quality of synthesis and scientific reasoning.
This weighting applies to the January and June examination sessions:
Intermediate tests: 10% - Written examination: 65% - Practical reports: 25%.
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
Contacts
Enseignement
MAHY Grégory (coordinateur)
COLINET Gilles
Travaux pratiques :
Hélène Baugnet (coordination)