Global Challenges in Biology

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Evaluate the impacts of global change on biota and ecosystems.
• Analyse the different approaches for addressing global change.
• Evaluate current major global environmental challenges and their causes.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Write effectively for readers from a range of backgrounds – communication skills.
• Undertake independent research with ability to collate and synthesize information succinctly – research and analytical skills.
• Critically analyse and evaluate resources and information to form own opinion, arguments, theories and ideas – critical thinking skills.

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Demonstrate knowledge of a range of global environmental challenges and their causes.
• Demonstrate an understanding of how global change impacts on ecosystem structure, function and services.
• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of current approaches for managing and mitigating impacts of global change.

This module will cover the following topics:

1. The world’s oceans are a major sink for atmospheric CO2 with implications for sea surface temperature, sea levels and the seawater carbonate chemistry (ocean acidification). We will explore the main causes and ecological consequences of warming, ocean acidification and changing sea levels for marine organisms and habitats. The course will look at individual mechanisms that may allow organisms to acclimatise or adapt to changing environmental conditions in marine systems.

2. Land use change in relation to food security – the course will explore environmental issues surrounding large scale geographic change in term of land use, and ways in which ecological knowledge can be used to maximise food production alongside with biodiversity conservation.

3. Greenhouse gases in relation to climate, land use change, and food production – we will explore the biological processes, primarily microbial, underlying greenhouse gas fluxes from soils and ruminant livestock. The causes of soil degradation will be described and the initiatives/programmes designed to restore soil health and sequester greenhouse gases will be discussed.

4. Ecosystem service change in relation to biodiversity loss – the course will also focus on topical and emotive issues such as loss of biodiversity, degradation of ecosystem services and economic valuation of nature, and provide a sound scientific background to these topics that are seldom out of the public eye. The course will illustrate how the increasingly important ecosystem service framework and interdisciplinary approach can be applied to address global challenges.

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures, independent study, writing a review paper (2,500 words) and a final multiple response exam using OnDemand.

Resources & Reading list

General Resources

Web of Science database and e-journals. Web of Science database for literature search and e-journals such as Global Change Biology, Journal of Applied Ecology, Conservation Biology, etc.

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External