# ENVB30010

**Source**: https://hub.ucd.ie/usis/!W_HU_MENU.P_PUBLISH?p_tag=MODULE&MODULE=ENVB30010&TERMCODE=202500&ACYR=2026
**Parent**: https://hub.ucd.ie/usis/!W_HU_MENU.P_PUBLISH?p_tag=COURSE&MAJR=ESS1&AUDIENCE=

Academic Year 2025/2026

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#### Systems Ecology (ENVB30010)

Subject:
:   Environmental Biology

College:
:   Science

School:
:   Biology & Environment Science

Level:
:   3 (Degree)

Credits:
:   5

Module Coordinator:
:   Dr Adam Kane

Trimester:
:   Autumn

Mode of Delivery:
:   On Campus

Internship Module:
:   No

How will I be graded?
:   Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

The module comprises face-to-face lectures, practicals and field trips to cover key ecosystem concepts in freshwater, marine and terrestrial systems. These include food chains, food webs, trophic pyramids, functional groups, energy/nutrient inputs and cycling. The module will also explore the processes that affect the distribution and abundance of species.

## About this Module

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### What will I learn?

###### Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to: \
- demonstrate an understanding of key ecosystem concepts;\
- describe the physical environment of terrestrial and aquatic systems; \
- carry out sampling and make scientific observations in terrestrial, marine and freshwater habitats;\
- identify common freshwater and marine invertebrate taxa to become familiar with the diversity, function, and adaptation of invertebrates in these habitats;\
- describe the processes that affect the distribution and abundance of species;\
- examine monitoring techniques and ecological responses of freshwater organisms to water quality deterioration and habitat destruction; \
- evaluate hydrochemical data; \
- learn to critically read original research articles relating to systems ecology, analyse field data and write concise scientific reports.

### How will I learn?

###### Student Effort Hours:

| Student Effort Type | Hours |
| --- | --- |
| Lectures | 23 |
| Laboratories | 14 |
| Field Trip/External Visits | 10 |
| Specified Learning Activities | 25 |
| Autonomous Student Learning | 53 |
|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| Total | 125 |

\

###### Approaches to Teaching and Learning:

- face to face lectures\
- computer-based practical\
- field work assessments\
- lab work

### Am I eligible to take this module?

###### Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

**Learning Requirements:**\

Students entering this course should have taken and passed ENVB20050 or an equivalent.

\

###### Module Requisites and Incompatibles

**Pre-requisite:**\
ENVB20050 - Principles of EnvBiol&Ecology\
\
\
 \

### How will I be assessed?

###### Assessment Strategy

| Description | Timing | Component Scale | Must Pass Component | % of Final Grade | In Module Component Repeat Offered |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Assignment(Including Essay): Fieldwork assignments | Week 6, Week 9 | Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% | No | 40 | No |
| Exam (In-person): Final exam based on three elements of the course, terrestrial, freshwater and marine. | End of trimester  Duration:  2 hr(s) | Standard conversion grade scale 40% | No | 60 | No |

\

###### Carry forward of passed components

Yes

\

### What happens if I fail?

| Resit In | Terminal Exam |
| --- | --- |
| Spring | No |

*Please see [Student Jargon Buster](https://www.ucd.ie/students/services/ucdstudentjargonbuster/) for more information about remediation types and timing.* \

### Assessment feedback

###### Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment\
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment\

###### How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

### Associated Staff

| Name | Role |
| --- | --- |
| Dr Jan-Robert Baars | Lecturer / Co-Lecturer |
| Dr Paul Brooks | Lecturer / Co-Lecturer |
| Dr Adam Kane | Lecturer / Co-Lecturer |
| Professor Mary Kelly-Quinn | Lecturer / Co-Lecturer |
| Ms Elizabeth Conroy | Tutor |

### When is this module offered?

**Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.**

|  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Autumn | Lecture | Offering 1 | Week(s) - Autumn: Weeks 2-12 | Mon 13:00 - 13:50 |
| Autumn | Lecture | Offering 1 | Week(s) - Autumn: Weeks 2-12 | Wed 13:00 - 13:50 |
| Autumn | Lecture | Offering 1 | Week(s) - 2 | Wed 16:00 - 16:50 |
| Autumn | Workshop | Offering 1 | Week(s) - 6 | Wed 16:00 - 17:50 |
| Autumn | Practical | Offering 1 | Week(s) - 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 | Wed 16:00 - 17:50 |
| Autumn | Practical | Offering 2 | Week(s) - 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 | Wed 16:00 - 17:50 |
| Autumn | Practical | Offering 3 | Week(s) - 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 | Wed 16:00 - 17:50 |

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