6 EC
Semester 1, period 1
5133QUEC6Y
During this module, students will explore concepts related to the patterns and processes that are responsible for shaping tropical ecosystems, with an emphasis on tropical rain forests. After completing this module, students will be able to:
Course Overview
The course consists of lectures, paper discussions, a species distribution modeling project, workshops (werkcolleges), a field excursion to the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam, a symposia of guest lectures, a written component and a science communication video.
Lectures and paper discussions will provide students a foundational understanding of tropical ecology, and will cover: i) tropical biogeography, ii) tropical forest structure and diversity, iii) trait-based ecology, iv) processes maintaining biodiversity, v) ecosystem dynamics, vi) carbon and nutrient cycling in tropical systems, vii) conservation strategies in tropical systems, and viii) the past, present, and future of tropical systems.
The series of R tutorials will teach students how to generate and interpret species distribution models under current climate conditions and future climate scenarios. This is a commonly used approach in ecology, biogoegraphy, and conservation, and can also be used with paleoecological and/or archaeological datasets. Students will use this tool to answer a research question regarding biotic interactions and how they may change under future climate scenarios in the tropics.
Communicating science to the public is an important skill and comes in a variety of forms. The group project for the course includes creating a science communication video on a topic related to tropical ecology and conservation.
The final exam will cover material from the lectures (and associated readings), paper discussions, and the symposium of guest lectures.
R
R Studio
The lecture and discussion series, R Tutorials, and Group Project work will contribute to a breadth of concepts regarding the tropical ecosystems, deepened by acquiring technical skills in R, discussion skills, and written skills. The creation of a video for public outreach of science also allows students to use their creativity, while also communicating science to the public.
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Activity |
Hours |
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Hoorcollege |
15 |
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Laptopcollege |
14 |
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Werkcollege |
10 |
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Presentatie |
4 |
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Tentamen |
3 |
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Veldwerk |
2 |
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Self study |
+10 |
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Total |
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(6 EC x 28 uur) |
Programme's requirements concerning attendance (OER-B):
Additional requirements for this course:
Obligatory attendance and submission dates can be found in bold on the Detailed Timetable in Canvas.
EN: Attending all scheduled education activities is strongly advised. By doing so, you actively contribute to a lively learning community and significantly improve your chances of successfully completing the course. The designated mandatory activities play a crucial role in achieving the course objectives and are essential for your overall progress. By registering for this course, you are complying with the rules regarding attendance and agreeing to actively prepare for and participate in the mandatory activities.
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studiewijzer |
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Veldwerk en labpractica |
Daarnaast heeft dit vak een praktische component en kunnen de kennis en vaardigheden vanwege het benodigde materieel en/of de veiligheid alleen onder supervisie tijdens de verplichten onderwijsonderdelen worden opgedaan.
Additionally, this course has a practical component, and due to the required materials and/or safety regulations, the knowledge and skills can only be gained under supervision during the designated education activities. |
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Groepsopdrachten |
Daarnaast staan de werkcolleges grotendeels in het teken van groepsopdrachten. Aanwezigheid en actieve deelname aan de leeractiviteiten in de werkcolleges is cruciaal voor de het groepswerk.
Moreover, the tutorials mainly focus on group assignments. Attendance and active participation in the learning activities during the tutorials are crucial for the group work.
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Werkcolleges met discussies |
Daarnaast staan de werkcolleges grotendeels in het teken van klassikale discussies en groepsopdrachten. De leerstof is niet (slechts) de literatuur, maar juist het verwoorden en toepassen van de ideeën, theorieën en concepten in de literatuur. Daarom wordt de kwaliteit van de werkcolleges voor een groot deel bepaald door de aanwezigheid, voorbereiding en actieve participatie van iedere student. Furthermore, the tutorials mainly focus on class discussions and group assignments. The material is not just limited to literature, but also involves articulating and applying the ideas, theories, and concepts from the literature. Therefore, the quality of the tutorials largely depends on the attendance, preparation, and active participation of every student.
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| Item and weight | Details |
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Final grade | |
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40% Tentamen | Must be ≥ 5.5, NAP if missing |
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5% Paper discussion | Must be ≥ 5, Mandatory |
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40% SDM and Written project | Must be ≥ 5, Mandatory |
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15% Presentation/Video project | Must be ≥ 5, Mandatory |
| Leerdoel: | Toetsonderdeel 1: | Toetsonderdeel 2: |
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| #1. | ||
| #2. | ||
| #3. | ||
| #4. | ||
| #5. | ||
| #6. | ||
| #7. |
The manner of inspection will be communicated via the digitial learning environment.
Final exam
Individual written assignment based on outputs from R Tutorials
Three in total. See Datanose for date and time.
Group project
The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl
| Weeknummer | Onderwerpen | Studiestof |
| 1 | ||
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| 5 | ||
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| 8 |
The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.
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