Biogeography
Code: 101617 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2501002 Geography and Spatial Planning | OB | 3 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Albert Pèlachs Mañosa
- Email:
- Albert.Pelachs@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- Yes
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Prerequisites
The knowledge learnt in the subjects of Geografia Física are taken for granted, and will not be explained again.
Objectives and Contextualisation
This course introduces students to some of the concepts of Biogeography and Ecology.
The main objectives:
- Identify, describe, explain, classify and determine the main plant species of Catalonia landscapes.
- Analyze and interpret a landscape paying special attention to its dynamics and the different living beings that compose it.
Competences
- Acting and intervening in the territory and its management, displaying the practical and experimental nature of geographical formations.
- Analysing and explaining today's world events from a geographical point of view.
- Analysing and interpreting landscapes.
- Applying fieldwork methods and techniques in order to acquire a direct knowledge of the territory.
- Developing critical thinking and reasoning and communicating them effectively both in your own and other languages.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
Learning Outcomes
- Analysing the main dynamics of today's world from a geographical point of view.
- Applying the knowledge of geology, topography and climate in order to plan a territory.
- Carrying out oral presentations using an appropriate academic vocabulary and style.
- Combining fieldwork methods and techniques in order to acquire a direct knowledge of the physical and human interrelationships taking place in the territory.
- Defining the landscapes in relation to climate, waters, biogeography and geomorphology.
- Describing today's world events in relation to the climate, water, biogeography and geomorphology.
- Effectively communicating and applying the argumentative and textual processes to formal and scientific texts.
- Identifying the ideas and expressing them in various languages with linguistic correctness.
- Producing an individual work that specifies the work plan and timing of activities.
- Solving problems autonomously.
- Summarising acquired knowledge about the origin and transformations experienced in its several fields of study.
Content
Unit 1.- What is Biogeography?
Unit 2.- Ecological Biogeography
- Patterns of Distribution
- Communities and Ecosystems
- Patterns of Biodiversity
Unit 3.- Historical Biogeography
Unit 4.- Phytogeography
Unit 5.- Field work
In this subject, gender perspective will be taken into account in the following aspects:
- Not allowing a sexist use of language in the students’ oral and written contributions.
- Writing, in the references, the full names of authors, instead of only the initial.
Methodology
Activities
- Teacher's notes
- Oral presentations during field work
- Debat and analytical analysis
Practices are developed in groups (maximum 3 students group)
- Virtual Herbarium of field work
- In-class assignments
a) Case resolution (http://wiki.uab.cat/).
b) Research of biogeographical information at internet.
In the event that field trip cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained).
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Theory class | 50 | 2 | 2, 4, 5, 6 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| In-class exercises and field work | 25 | 1 | 1, 5, 6, 9, 7, 3, 8, 10, 11 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Supervised activities | 65 | 2.6 | 1, 5, 9, 7, 3, 8, 10, 11 |
Assessment
Assesment
The final grade will be calculated as follows:
Theory (40%)
- Midterm exam 1: 5%
- Midterm exam 2: 5%
- Final exam: 20% (minimum 5 to make average)
- Practic exam: 10% (minimum 5 to make average)
Practices (40%)
- Cases 4 : 4x10% = 40%
Field Wok (20%)
- Virtual Herbarium: 10%
- Vegetation transects: 5%
Please note:
1) The two exams and filed work are obligatory, as well as having completed 80% of homework and class exercises.
2) The minimum grade on assignments and exams to form average is 5.
3) The delivery of 50% of the assessment items (assignments / exercises / exams) excludes the possibility of obtaining the status of No avaluable as a final course grade.
4) VERY IMPORTANT. In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.
.
5) The student of Grau has the right to a re-evaluation of the exams.
Procedure for Reviewing Grades Awarded
On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.
In the event that tests or exams cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (originalweighting will be maintained). Homework, activities and class participation will be carried out through forums, wikis and/or discussion on Teams, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exercises (Study cases) | 40% | 6 | 0.24 | 1, 6, 9, 7, 8, 10, 11 |
| Final exam (theory) | 20% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 7, 3, 8, 10, 11 |
| Midterm exam 1 (therory) | 10% | 1 | 0.04 | 1, 2, 9, 7, 3, 8, 10, 11 |
| Midterm exam 2 (theory) | 10% | 1 | 0.04 | 1, 2, 9, 7, 3, 10, 11 |
| Virtual herbarium and transect | 20% | 0.5 | 0.02 | 4, 6, 9, 7, 8, 10, 11 |
Bibliography
References
- BOADA, Martí; GOMEZ, Francisco Javier (2011). Biodiversidad. Ed. Rubes. Barcelona.
- BOLÒS, Oriol de (2001). Vegetació dels Països Catalans. Terrassa, editorial Aster.
- COSTA, Margarita; MORLA, Carlos i SAINZ, Helios (1998). Los Bosques Ibéricos. Una interpretación geobotánica. Barcelona, Planeta.
- FERRERAS, Casildo i FIDALGO, Concepción (1991): Biogeografía y Edafogeografía. Madrid, editorial Síntesis.
- FOLCH, Ramon (1981). La vegetació dels Països Catalans. Barcelona, Ketres.
- FOLCH, Ramon; FRANQUESA, Teresa i CAMARASA, Josep Ma. (1984). Història Natural dels Països Catalans. Vegetació (volum número 7), Barcelona, Enciclopedia Catalana.
- FOLCH, Ramon (dir.) (1993). Biosfera, Barcelona, Enciclòpedia Catalana
- LACOSTE, Alain i SALANON, Robert (1977). Biogeografía. Vilassar de Mar, Oikos-tau
- LLISTOSELLA, Jaume i Sànchez-Cuxart, Antoni (2015). Guia il·lustrada per a conèixer els arbres (3a edició). Barcelona. Publicacions de la UB.
- LLORET, Francisco; SOLÉ, Anna; VAYREDA, Jordi; ESTEVAN, Helena; TERRADAS, Jaume (2009). L'Atles d'espècies lleyoses dels boscos de Catalunya. Bellaterra, Lynx ediciones
- MARGALEF, Ramon (1991). Teoría de los sistemas ecológicos. Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona.
- MASCLANS, Francesc (1999). Guia per a conèixer els arbres. Barcelona. Montblanc-Martin i Centre Excursionista de Catalunya. [1a. edició 1958]
- MASCLANS, Francesc (1989). Guia per a conèixer els arbusts i les lianes. Barcelona, Montblanc-Martin i Centre Excursionista de Catalunya. [1a. edició 1963]
- NUET, Josep; PANAREDA, Josep Ma. i ROMO, Àngel (1991). Vegetació de Catalunya. Capellades, Eumo.
- PASCUAL, Ramon (1999). Guia dels arbres dels Països Catalans, Sabadell, Pòrtic.
- SIMMON, I.G. (1982). Biogeografía Natural y Cultural. Barcelona. Omega
- TERRADES, Jaume i RODÀ, Ferran (2004). “Els boscos de Catalunya. Estructura, dinàmica i funcionament”. Documents dels Quaderns de medi ambient 11. Barcelona, Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament de Medi Ambient.