Module manager: Simon Goodman
Email: S.J.Goodman@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
| BLGY2155 | Population, Community and Conservation Ecology |
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module will cover recent developments in ecological research. The module will consist of subunits, each taught by a researcher intimately involved with the research developments being discussed. Students will establish a detailed understanding of key recent developments in ecology, and gain insights into the process of scientific research.
On completion of this module, students should be familiar with a range of current research topics in ecology, as taught by those active in the research. This will complement final year project work in emphasising the process of scientific research, the growth of ecological knowledge and the substantial gaps that still remain to be explored.
Students will have developed appreciation of recent developments in key areas of current ecological research. This will both provide direct content-specific learning as well as providing insight into the process of scientific research and the development of knowledge.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Describe and discuss recent developments in key areas of current ecological research in the context of global ecological challenges.
2. Develop the skills necessary to conduct ecological research and effectively present its conclusions through various formats.
3. Evaluate how current theories and empirical examples underpin cutting edge ecological science.
4. Communicate ecological concepts and research findings effectively in a written format and orally.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1. Collaborate with a team to produce a well-researched oral presentation.
2. Research and analyse relevant data and literature to explain complex ecological concepts, using relevant methods, data analyses and statistical approaches.
The teaching on the module is split into 3 to 4 focal topics of current high significance and timeliness in ecological science, each delivered by a different staff member with a research speciality in that area. The topics may vary from year depending on staff availability and developments in current ecological research.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervision | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Lecture | 12 | 1 | 12 |
| Seminar | 4 | 3 | 12 |
| Private study hours | 175 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 25 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
A specific formative feedback session is provided for each presentation group to help them develop their presentations.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Group presentation | 30 |
| Coursework | Individual literature review | 70 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
For the group presentation assessment, students are randomly allocated into groups of 3 to 4 students (depending on total students on the module), then groups are randomly allocated to one of the 3 to 4 research topics. Each group does a total of 1 presentation for the module. The academic topic leader assigns each group an ecological question, based around relevant focal papers to research, with the groups presenting a critical evaluation of the research papers/topic. Students needing to resit the presentation component would be assigned an individual presentation delivered either via Teams/Zoom, or recorded, since it would not usually be feasible to replicate the group presentation in this case.
There is no reading list for this module
Last updated: 12/03/2025
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