Introduction to Aquatic Biology

Code:

MA111

Acronym:

IBA

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	General and Aquatic Biology

Instance: 2009/2010 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Anatomy
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	37	Plan 2007 to 2011	1	-	5	30	135

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

As the name implies, this is an introductory course to Aquatic Biology, The objective of this course is to involve students in the training environment and basic knowledge of this environment. Therefore, in this discipline are discussed four important topics considered essential for students to acquire the knowledge bases and skills standards for the proper future development of their training. The four blocks of this course are as follows: I – Biological Evolution, II - Aquatic Environment, III - Food Biology IV - Communication in Science.
It is intended that students acquire and exercise their ability to debate these issues in a critical sence and remain open to new knowledge or new circumstances that lead them to re-interpret the knowledge previously taken for granted.

Program

Evolution
António Afonso
This block is dedicated to current aspects of the evolution of living beings and the concepts of its own.
Theoretical lesons
1 - current concepts about evolution of life over time.
History of notions about evolution: From creationism to the Synthetic Theory of Evolution.
2 - The Beginning of the Universe, the emergence of life on Earth and the evolution to the present day.
3 - Contribution of Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Geology and Paleontology to the actual knowledge of biological evolution.
4 - Contribution of fossil finds, in Paleontology and Paleo-biology to understanding the evolution of life on Earth.
5 - Concepts of stratigraphy, biogeography. Fossil Index.
6 - Evolutionary Biology: The time and successive generations. Factors contributing to the increase and the decrease of genetic variability and its role in evolution.
Practical lesons
1 - Timeline of life on Earth.
Life in the Precambrian eon: First living beings, stromatolites, the Vendian or Idiacara.
From Cambrian to the end of the Paleozoic: Trilobite, first fish, plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles. Mesozoic: The Age of Reptiles. The first mammals. The Cenozoic (Tertiary and Quaternary) first primates, modern birds, first homnídeos. Last ice age (The age of Man)
The first civilizations and water.
2 - Mass extinctions and their probable origins.
3 - Methods for determining the absolute age of igneous rocks and fossil finds.
4 - Objectives, definitions and methodologies on cladograms and dendrograms.

G.M. Weber
Theoretical lessons:
The water circuit, classification and structure of the three big water ecosystems of the world: marine; estuarine, lagoons, coastal lakes; and freshwater.
Practical lessons:
1. Visit to the rocky littoral of Aguda´s beach to acquire knowledge about the principal zonation patterns and representative species.
2. Visit to the Aquamuseum of the River Minho in Vila Nova de Cerveira to get to know the local freshwater and brackish fauna and flora.

Teaching methods and learning activities

The teaching of this course includes both theoretical and practical lessons as well as field trips.

Students are charged with carrying out group works on some of the issues and their implementation as well as the oral presentation will be taken into account in the final evaluation.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Calculation formula of final grade

The frequency will be in accordance with the law and will include the completion of group work and its presentation.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Group work

Classification improvement

4/5 of the evaluation are given in the final exam and 1/5 is done by way of the working group.