Admission requirements
Not applicable.
Description
In this course students will learn to take a holistic approach in understanding of ecosystem functioning from a macroscopic and global perspective. The central idea of systems ecology approach that an ecosystem is a complex system exhibiting emerging properties due to interaction of living and non-living components within the environment, and due to impacts of natural and human-induced changes of the environment. Students will learn about global patterns of Earth energy flow, carbon and nutrient cycles, relationships of those to climate and biodiversity.
Course Objectives
After completion of the course, students are able to:
1. Explain the driving factors of energy, carbon, and nutrient flow in different ecosystems.
2. Compare energy, carbon, and nutrient flow across ecosystems.
3. Explain the driving factors of landscape patterns and processes.
4. Explain driving factors underlying global patterns of terrestrial and marine biogeography.
5. Explain ecosystem functioning of marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems, including soils.
6. Present the understanding of ecosystem functioning to the general audience.
7. Apply the knowledge of ecosystem ecology to different ecosystems.
8. Explain human-induced effects on ecosystems.
Timetable
In MyTimetable, you can find all course and programme schedules, allowing you to create your personal timetable. Activities for which you have enrolled via MyStudyMap will automatically appear in your timetable.
Additionally, you can easily link MyTimetable to a calendar app on your phone, and schedule changes will be automatically updated in your calendar. You can also choose to receive email notifications about schedule changes. You can enable notifications in Settings after logging in.
Questions? Watch the video, read the instructions, or contact the ISSC helpdesk.
Note: Joint Degree students from Leiden/Delft need to combine information from both the Leiden and Delft MyTimetables to see a complete schedule. This video explains how to do it.
Mode of Instruction
The main mode of instruction will centre around seminar-style/dynamic lectures (half day) and leave time for self-study. Two practical assignments are to be completed in a group, aiming at a full engagement of all students, under the supervision of a lecturer. Attendance in practicals is compulsory for students.
Assessment method
The final grade consists of the following partial grades:
Exam 100%
Participation in practicals (pass/fail)
Minimum grade:
Second and third year courses require a minimum, unrounded 5.5 grade to complete.
If a course has 2 or more written partial exams, the minimum grade only applies to the weighted average of the exams.
For partial grades from components other than exams (e.g. practicals, seminars, writing assignments), the bottom grade does apply to the individual components.
Please refer to the Student Charter for an overview of regulations.
Reading list
- Boek: Smith TM Elements of Ecology, Global Edition with Mastering Biology. We gebruiken de nieuwste (negende) editie die uitkwam in mei 2015 (met een giraf op de voorkant!).
Registration
As a student, you are responsible for enrolling on time through MyStudyMap.
In this short video, you can see step-by-step how to enrol for courses in MyStudyMap.
Extensive information about the operation of MyStudyMap can be found here.
There are two enrolment periods per year:
Enrolment for the fall opens in July
Enrolment for the spring opens in December
See this page for more information about deadlines and enrolling for courses and exams.
Note:
It is mandatory to enrol for all activities of a course that you are going to follow.
Your enrolment is only complete when you submit your course planning in the ‘Ready for enrolment’ tab by clicking ‘Send’.
Not being enrolled for an exam/resit means that you are not allowed to participate in the exam/resit.
Contact
Coordinator: Dr. Yali Si
Email: y.si@cml.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
Inspection and feedback on the examination: to be announced.
Detailed course information will be provided via Brightspace.
Maximum number of participants: 85
Software
Starting from the 2024/2025 academic year, the Faculty of Science will use the software distribution platform Academic Software. Through this platform, you can access the software needed for specific courses in your studies. For some software, your laptop must meet certain system requirements, which will be specified with the software. It is important to install the software before the start of the course. More information about the laptop requirements can be found on the student website.