Quantifying ecosystems

Course manual 2021/2022

Course content

The ecological, environmental, and human dimensions of ecosystems are changing. These ecosystem dynamics have occurred in the past, occur now, and will continue in the future. Nowhere is this more evident than in the tropics, which are some of the most complex and diverse systems in the world. In the Quantifying Ecosystems course, you will learn concepts and theories about how systems change across space and through time, with a focus on tropical ecosystems. You will also develop skills to analyze changes in biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics across space and through time. You will also develop skills for communicating complex scientific skills to policy makers or the general public.

Quantifying Ecosystems will include:

1. theoretical components of measuring and analyzing past, present, and future ecosystem dynamics from local to global scales
2. analyzing ecosystem dynamics in tropical settings using field-based measurements and/or satellite-derived datasets
3. comparisons of different approaches for quantifying ecosystem dynamics
4. discussions on quantifying ecosystem dynamics, and the implications for ecosystem and societal services

Study materials

Literature

Syllabus

Practical training material

Software

• R

• R Studio

Objectives

• Understand and compare basic theories and methodologies on measuring ecosystem dynamics
• Developing research questions
• Quantifying spatio-temporal change in biodiversity and the environment in tropical ecosystems
• Evaluate theories and debates involving ecosystem change
• Improve analytical and critical thinking skills
• Communicating science to a general audience

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Laptop seminar
• Computer lab session/practical training
• Presentation/symposium
• Self-study
• Working independently on e.g. a project or thesis

The lecture and discussion series, R Tutorials, and Group Project work will contribute to a breadth of concepts regarding the quantification of ecosystem and community change, 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.

Learning activities

Attendance

Programme's requirements concerning attendance (OER-B):

• Participation in fieldwork is compulsory and cannot be replaced by assignments or other courses.
• In case of practical sessions, the student is obliged to attend at least of 90% of the sessions and to prepare himself adequately, unless indicated otherwise in the course manual. In case the student attends less than 90%, the practical sessions should be redone entirely.
• In case of tutorials/seminars with assignments, the student is obliged to attend at least 7 out of 8 seminars and to prepare thoroughly for these meetings, unless indicated otherwise in the course manual. If the course has more than 8 seminars, the student can miss up to 1 extra meeting for every (part of) 8 tutorials/seminars. If the students attends less than the mandatory tutorials/seminars, the course cannot be completed.

Additional requirements for this course:

Obligatory attendance and submission dates can be found in bold on the Detailed Timetable in Canvas.

Assessment

Assessment diagram

Inspection of assessed work

The manner of inspection will be communicated via the digitial learning environment.

Assignments

Final exam

• Final exam

SDM Project

• Science communication video and scientific report on your SDM project

Anthropocene Forum

• Debate on the timing of the onset of the Anthropocene

Paper discussion

• Three in total. See Datanose for date and time. 

The final exam will be standard (not open-book or open-note), will be done by each student individually, and will take place at the date and time shown in Datanose

The SDM video and report will be done in groups (3-4 people per group). The submission deadlines and progress updates are shown in Canvas and Datanose.

The Anthropocene Forum and paper discussions will be graded individually, though the work will be done in groups.

Fraud and plagiarism

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

Course structure

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Additional information

Last year's course evaluation

In order to provide students some insight how we use the feedback of student evaluations to enhance the quality of education, we decided to include the table below in all course guides.

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. C.N.H. McMichael