Aquatic Ecology

Code:

MA227

Acronym:

EA

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Environmental Sciences and Ecology

Instance: 2023/2024 - 4T (of 22-04-2024 to 14-06-2024)

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Aquatic Production
Course/CS Responsible:	Aquatic Sciences

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
LCMA	32	Official Study Plan	2	-	5	49	135

Teaching language

Portuguese and english

Objectives

The Aquatic Ecology program focuses on three central themes: (i) the processes that regulate primary and secondary productivity in aquatic environments; (ii) the main marine ecosystems, their biodiversity, and functioning; and (iii) the impacts of human activities and climate change on these ecosystems. The topics covered will allow for the acquisition of fundamental knowledge for understanding the functioning of different aquatic ecosystems, particularly the influence of different environmental conditions on the dynamics of food webs, providing a holistic view of the processes that regulate aquatic productivity and biodiversity

Learning outcomes and competences

Students should acquire theoretical knowledge about fundamental concepts of aquatic ecology, understanding the role of micro- and macro organisms in the functioning of different aquatic ecosystems. They should also understand the effects of specific abiotic variables (physical-chemical and oceanographic) on biodiversity and aquatic food webs in each ecosystem. They should also understand the cascading effect of human activities and climate change on aquatic ecosystems. Finally, they should acquire basic knowledge of data acquisition, develop critical thinking through hypothesis formulation, data interpretation, and discussion of results and topics related to aquatic ecology.

Working method

Presencial

Program

TP1: Introduction/Primary Production 

TP2: Secondary Production

TP3: Diversity Indexes - practical class I

TP4: Diversity Indexes - practical class II

TP5: Estuaries

TP6: Mangroves and Seagrass Forests

TP7: Population Ecology and Speciation in the Aquatic Environment

TP8: Methods to Study and Quantify Coastal Biodiversity

TP9: Rocky and Sandy Shores

TP10: Rocky Shore Zonation and Coastal Biodiversity in the Field

TP11: Coral Reefs/Polar Systems

TP12: Pelagic Ecosystems I

TP13: Pelagic Ecosystems II

TP14: Continental Shelf/Deep Sea

TP15: Seminar in Pelagic and Deep See Ecology

TP16: Fisheries

TP17: Pollution/Disturbance

TP18: Effects of climate change in aquatic ecosystems

TP19: Effect of Temperature at the Organism Level and its Ecological Consequences

Mandatory literature

Michel J. Kaiser; Marine ecology. ISBN: 978-0-19-871785-0

Teaching methods and learning activities

Expository lectures

Exposition with discussion

Group work

Practical classes

Field work

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	80,00
Trabalho de campo	10,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	10,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Frequência das aulas	45,00
Estudo autónomo	78,00
Trabalho de campo	6,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	6,00
Total:	135,00

Eligibility for exams

NA

Calculation formula of final grade

Final Grade = Final exam 0.80 + Fieldwork x 0.10 + 

Practical work x 0.10.

Classification improvement

The only evaluation component that can be improved is the written exam