Module overview
Linked modules
SOES1007 OR SOES2006
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Be familiar with zooplankton feeding ecology – what they eat and how they are adapted to detect, capture and eat their prey - and understand the key role zooplankton play in marine pelagic food webs.
- Understand how biotic and abiotic factors regulate zooplankton distribution and abundance.
- Develop practical skills in the areas of taxonomic ID, laboratory and field study design, data handling and multi-media communications.
- Recognise the diversity of zooplankton and be able to identify common species using taxonomic guides.
- Be aware how plankton dynamics and pelagic ecosystem function differ in response to hydroclimatic variability, through tracking of zooplankton indicator species, and use of long-term datasets.
- Have a good working knowledge of zooplankton sampling methods and open access databases and how to choose the most appropriate methods to answer specific research questions.
Syllabus
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Type | Hours |
---|---|
Lecture | 24 |
Independent Study | 119 |
Practical classes and workshops | 7 |
Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
General Resources
Elements of marine ecology, 4th edition. Tait RV (1998). e-book (available in the library)
Biological oceanography. Miller CB (2004). e-book (available in the library)
A mechanistic approach to plankton ecology Kiørboe T (2008). e-book (available in the library)
Advances in marine biology, Vol 33: The biology of calanoid copepods. Mauchline J (1998). e-book (available in the library)
Encyclopedia of ocean sciences, 2nd electronic edition. Steele JH (2008). e-book (available in the library)
ICES zooplankton methodology manual. Harris R. (2000). e-book (available in the library)
Internet Resources
Textbooks
Castellani, C & Edwards, M (2017). Marine Plankton: A practical guide to ecology, methodology and taxonomy. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Calbet, A. (2025). Plankton in a changing world: the impact of global change on marine ecosystems.. Springer International.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
ASSESSMENT and FEEDBACK Assessment 1 (60%) (tests LO1-3; 6) Sway multi-media article on a topic combining aspects of Biodiversity, Sampling & Monitoring, and Patterns of Distribution. Guidance on the subject content will be given nearer the time. Assessment 2 (40%) (tests LO1-5) 45-minute multiple choice test on all 5 topics covered in the module. Feedback is provided in the following ways: 1.Vevox Q&As in lectures and workshops 2.End-of-topic self-assessment tests on Blackboard (MS Forms). 3.Verbal feedback during lab practicals and group discussions. 4.Prompt return of fully-annotated assessments.Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
CAA Exam | 40% |
Assignment | 60% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External